Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI ) just closed out a tough year. Sales at the company's flagship Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and LongHorn Steakhouse locations fell hard this past winter as value-minded customers flocked to cheaper alternatives.
In the following video, Fool contributor Demitrios Kalogeropoulos talks about how Darden has responded to the exodus, noting one recent good sign: a bounce in traffic back to its Olive Garden restaurants. The bad news for investors, though, is that Darden has had to sacrifice profits to get customers back into those booths.
Whether it's with a company like Darden Restaurants, or any other stock, the best investing approach is to choose great companies and stick with them for the long term. The Motley Fool's free report "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich" names stocks that could help you build long-term wealth and retire well, along with some winning wealth-building strategies that every investor should be aware of.�Click here now�to keep reading.
5 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In 2015: Stratasys Inc.(SSYS)
Stratasys, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development, manufacture, marketing, and servicing of three-dimensional (3D) printers, rapid prototyping (RP) systems, and related consumable materials for office-based RP and direct digital manufacturing (DDM) markets. The company offers its products as integrated systems consisting of an RP machine and the software to convert the CAD designs into a machine compatible format, and modeling and support materials. Its products enable engineers and designers to create physical models, tooling, jigs, fixtures, prototypes, and end use parts out of production grade thermoplastic directly from a CAD workstation. The company also offers rapid prototyping and production part manufacturing services; and maintenance, leasing/renting, training, and contract engineering services for 3D production systems and 3D printers. Its products are used by design and manufacturing organizations in aerospace, architecture, automotive, business machines, consumer products, defense, direct digital manufacturing of custom parts, educational institutions, electronics, fixtures, jewelry, heavy equipment, medical systems, tooling, medical analysis, mold making, and dental markets. The company markets its products through a network of value-added resellers and distributors in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and China. Stratasys, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rex Moore]
In this segment, Sloan talks about some of the hurdles that�3D Systems (NYSE: DDD ) , Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS ) , and others are facing on the road to mass acceptance.
- [By MONEYMORNING]
The report continued, "MakerBot [owned by Stratasys Ltd (Nasdaq: SSYS)] describes its offering as intended for the pro-sumer market, expecting many systems to be dual professional/personal use among small business owners or serious hobbyists. 3D Systems' 'Cube' is marketed by DDD as a true 'consumer' printer."
- [By Blake Bos]
In the following video, Motley Fool industrials analyst Blake Bos takes a question from a Motley Fool reader on Facebook, who asks: "I have researched 3D additive printing and have a small amount of money to invest as part of my 'more aggressive-more speculative' investment strategy. I already have a small position in Dassault Systems because I believe they have a good handle on the software, but I would like to invest in a hardware and services provider. I have looked at Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS ) , 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD ) and ExOne (NASDAQ: XONE ) , but all seem to be about the same as playing red or black on the roulette wheel. Now that I know a little bit about 3D printing and believe it has the potential to be a major 'game-changer,' how do I get on board?"
- [By Rick Munarriz]
Organovo is a volatile little specimen, and it can thank 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD ) and Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS ) for all of the attention.
Top 5 Long Term Companies To Invest In Right Now: Kinder Morgan Management LLC (KMR)
Kinder Morgan Management, LLC is a limited partner in Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P (KMP), and manages and controls its business and affairs pursuant to a delegation of control agreement. Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc., of which Kinder Morgan, Inc. indirectly owns all of the outstanding common equity, is the general partner of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (KMP). Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc., pursuant to a delegation of control agreement among the Company, Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc. and KMP, has delegated to the Company, to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law and KMP�� limited partnership agreement, all of its rights and powers to manage and control the business and affairs of KMP, subject to the general partner�� right to approve specified actions.
KPM is a pipeline limited partnerships in the United States. KMP owns an investment in or operates approximately 28,000 miles of pipelines and 180 terminals. Its pipelines transport products, such as natural gas, crude oil, gasoline, and CO2, and its terminals store petroleum products and chemicals and handle materials like coal. Almost all of Kinder Morgan assets are owned by KMP, KMP operates in five business segments : Natural Gas Pipelines, Products Pipelines, CO2, Terminals and Kinder Morgan Canada.
Kinder Morgan is a transporter and marketer of carbon dioxide in North America. It delivers approximately 1.3 billion cubic feet per day of CO2 through about 1,300 miles of pipelines. It is an oil producer in Texas, producing over 55,000 barrels of oil per day at the SACROC Unit and the Yates Field in the Permian Basin. In addition to CO2 pipelines and oil producing fields, this business segment owns interests in and operates CO2 source fields, natural gas and gasoline processing plants, and a crude oil pipeline. Kinder Morgan owns and operates approximately 24,000 miles of gas pipelines in the Rocky Mountains, the Midwest and Texas. Through its Products Pipelines business unit, it transports over two million barre! ls per day of gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, natural gas liquids and other fuels through more than 8,000 miles of pipelines. The Company also has approximately 50 liquids terminals in this business segment that store fuels and offer blending services for ethanol and other products.
Kinder Morgan have more than 180 terminals that store petroleum products and chemicals, and handle bulk materials like coal, petroleum coke and steel products. Kinder Morgan operates a number of pipeline systems and terminal facilities in Canada including the Trans Mountain pipeline, the Express and Platte pipelines, the Cochin pipeline, the Puget Sound and the Trans Mountain Jet Fuel pipelines, the Westridge marine terminal, the Vancouver Wharves terminal in British Columbia and the North Forty terminal in Edmonton, Alberta.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Albert Alfonso]
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Kinder Morgan Energy Partners is part of the Kinder Morgan family of companies with a combined enterprise value of over $115B. Kinder Morgan, Inc (KMI) is Kinder Morgan Energy Partners' general partner and has incentive distribution rights and owns about 10% of the partnership. Another way to own Kinder Morgan Energy Partners is via Kinder Morgan Management (KMR), whose shares are pari passu with Kinder Morgan Energy Partners and has an equal distribution but pays its dividend in additional shares instead of cash. This in effects acts as a dividend reinvest program. - [By Dimitra DeFotis]
Kinder Morgan’s corporate structure is convoluted.�Kinder Morgan� is the general partner, which reaps distributions from underlying businesses. It pays a 4.2% yield. �Kinder Morgan Energy Partners,�the main pipeline MLP enterprise, �pays a 6.5% yield in the form of a cash distribution like most MLPs. �Kinder Morgan Management�(KMR) was created to pay distributions in shares given the tax-and-accounting headaches of MLPs. But KMR still offers tax deferrals. Following an acquisition, Kinder also controls�El Paso Pipeline Partners�(EPB), whose yield is 5.7%. Kinder’s chief financial officer said that the enterprises could be combined at some point. Post from the industry’s biggest conference in May�here.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
And finally, there are the Kinder Morgan triplets, Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI) and Kinder Morgan Management (KMR) and Kinder Morgan Partners (KMP), which fell 6%, 4.7% and 3%, respectively today. The reason for the drop: a press release from Hedgeye Risk Management, which called Kinder Morgan “a house of cards,” and said to expect a report on Sept. 10, explaining why. Deutsche Bank came out with its own note today defending Kinder Morgan, but the damage was done. Considering that Hedgeye’s Kevin Kaiser (and our own Andrew Bary) got Linn Energy (LINE) right, you can see why.
- [By Matt DiLallo]
Kinder Morgan offers investors four ways to invest. In addition to the parent company, Kinder Morgan, investors can also choose to invest in MLPs Kinder Morgan Partners and El Paso Pipeline Partners or Kinder Morgan Management (NYSE: KMR ) . Both of the partnerships directly own the pipeline and other midstream assets and offer higher yields. Meanwhile, the management company offers a tax-friendly way to invest in Kinder Morgan Partners with one key difference: Investors are paid in shares instead of cash. No matter which option you choose, Kinder Morgan is a top company whose stock, or units, are a great holding for any portfolio.
Top 5 Long Term Companies To Invest In Right Now: Service Corporation International(SCI)
Service Corporation International provides deathcare products and services in the United States, Canada, and Germany. Its funeral service and cemetery operations consist of funeral service locations, cemeteries, funeral service/cemetery combination locations, crematoria, and related businesses. The company provides various professional services relating to funerals and cremations, including the use of funeral facilities and motor vehicles, and preparation and embalming services. It also sells funeral related merchandise, including caskets, burial vaults, cremation receptacles, cremation memorial products, flowers, and other ancillary products and services at funeral service locations. The company?s cemeteries provide cemetery property interment rights, including mausoleum spaces, lots, and lawn crypts; and sell cemetery related merchandise and services comprising stone and bronze memorials, markers, merchandise installations, and burial openings and closings. It also sells preneed funeral and cemetery products and services whereby a customer contractually agrees to the terms of certain products and services to be delivered and performed in the future. As of December 31, 2009, Service Corporation operated 1,254 funeral service locations and 372 cemeteries, including 208 combination locations, covering 43 states in the United States, 8 Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as 12 funeral homes in Germany. The company was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Pacampara]
What: Shares of funeral-home operator Stewart Enterprises (NASDAQ: STEI ) soared 34% today, after larger rival Service Corp. International (NYSE: SCI ) agreed to acquire it in a deal worth about $1.4 billion.
- [By Marc Bastow]
Deathcare services and products provider Services Corporation (SCI) raised its quarterly dividend 14% to 8 cents per share, payable March 28 to shareholders of record as of March 15.
SCI Dividend Yield: 1.73% - [By Rich Duprey]
Although actual tallies were not disclosed, the Teamsters local representing funeral directors and drivers of Service Corp. International (NYSE: SCI ) in the Chicagoland area says members voted in overwhelming numbers against the death care leader's "last, best, and final" contract offer and in favor of a strike to be effective this morning.
Top 5 Long Term Companies To Invest In Right Now: Shenandoah Telecommunications Co(SHEN)
Shenandoah Telecommunications Company, a diversified telecommunications company, provides regulated and unregulated telecommunications services to end-user customers and other communications providers in the southeastern United States. It offers a suite of voice, video, and data communications services; and sells telecommunications equipment. The company?s Wireless segment provides digital wireless service to a portion of a four-state area covering the region from Harrisburg, York, and Altoona, Pennsylvania to Harrisonburg, Virginia. It owns 149 towers and leases tower space to other wireless communications providers in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. This segment also offers personal communications services through a digital wireless telephone and data network. Its Wireline segment provides regulated and unregulated telephone services and leases fiber optic facilities primarily in the northern Shenandoah Valley. This segment also offers information s ervices and Internet access to customers in the northern Shenandoah Valley and surrounding areas. In addition, it is involved in the resale of long distance service for calls placed to locations outside the regulated telephone service area by telephone customers. As of December 31, 2011, this segment had approximately 1,410 dial-up customers and 12,351 digital subscriber line customers, as well as served approximately 10,483 long distance customers. The company?s Cable Television segment provides coaxial cable-based television service in the portions of Shenandoah County, Virginia, as well as in communities in West Virginia, southern and southwestern Virginia, and western Maryland. It had approximately 137,238 cable revenue generating units. The company was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Edinburg, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Wednesday morning, the healthcare sector proved to be a source of strength for the market. Leading the sector was strength from Horizon Pharma (NASDAQ: HZNP) and Pernix Therapeutics Holdings (NASDAQ: PTX). In trading on Wednesday, telecommunications services shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.39 percent. Top decliners in the sector included Shenandoah Telecommunications Co (NASDAQ: SHEN), off 3.3 percent, and CalAmp (NASDAQ: CAMP), down around 2.4 percent.
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