Although business headlines still tout earnings numbers, many investors have moved past net earnings as a measure of a company's economic output. That's because earnings are very often less trustworthy than cash flow, since earnings are more open to manipulation based on dubious judgment calls.
Earnings' unreliability is one of the reasons Foolish investors often flip straight past the income statement to check the cash flow statement. In general, by taking a close look at the cash moving in and out of the business, you can better understand whether the last batch of earnings brought money into the company, or merely disguised a cash gusher with a pretty headline.
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 Comtech Telecommunications (Nasdaq: CMTL ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Top 10 Construction Stocks To Watch For 2015: TechnoConcepts Inc (TCPS)
TechnoConcepts, Inc. (TCI), incorporated in May 2003, is in the business of designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing wireless communications semiconductors. The Company has begun manufacturing wireless transmitter and receiver microchips, based on its technology, and produced its engineering run in August 2006. The technology, which TCI calls True Software Radio, is designed to improve the way that wireless signals are received and transmitted, by making possible device-to-device communication across otherwise incompatible networks and wireless standards. On October 17, 2005, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Asante Acquisition Corp. completed reorganization with RegalTech Inc. RegalTech's name was changed to Asante Networks Inc. (Asante).
In December 2005, the Company formed Jinshilin Techno Ltd. (Jinshilin Techno) as its wholly owned subsidiary based in Shanghai, China. The Company organized Jinshilin Techno to provide marketing, sales and technical support for True Software Radio technology in China. On April 21, 2006, Jinshilin Techno acquired Internet television (IPTV) set-top box (STB) technology through license agreements with Jinshilin Technologies Development Company Ltd. (Jinshilin). Jinshilin Techno offers an IPTV set-top box that features voice over Internet protocol (VOIP), capability and can receive Internet protocol (IP) data transmissions through the household electrical power grid.
Asante Networks Inc. provides Ethernet networking solutions for Apple Computer and the small-to-medium business retail markets, offering the IntraCore and FriendlyNET product families, integrating voice, data, and video over wireless and wired networks with unified management and authentication. In April 2006, Asante announced the release of 2-chip switch solution, the IntraCore 38480. The IntraCore 38480 provides no frame loss and full-wire speed with minimized latency. With 96-gigabit switching fabric, the IntraCore 38480 supports full-wire speed on all ! ports. It has advanced traffic control based on L2-L7 data of incoming frames.
The Company's True Software Radio technology makes possible for wireless transmitters and receivers, as well as the radio signal processing, to be fully controlled and reconfigured by software commands across a range of frequencies and frequency bands. Its True Software Radio technology is a delta-sigma microchip architecture that converts radio frequency signals directly into digital data for the wireless receiver and directly from digital data into radio signals for the wireless transmitter. True Software Radio microchips replace the analog front end, intermediate frequency (I/F) processing, analog-to-digital conversion (ADC), and digital filtering sections of conventional wireless transmitters and receivers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap tech stocks TechnoConcepts, Inc (OTCMKTS: TCPS), Unisource Corporation (OTCMKTS: USRC) and Strategic Global Investments, Inc (OTCMKTS: STBV) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters thanks to promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed promotions, but they can backfire on the unwary as its really up to investors or traders alike to do their own due diligence before investing or trading. With that in mind, here is a quick reality check about three small cap tech stocks getting a bit of attention lately:
TechnoConcepts, Inc (OTCMKTS: TCPS) Has the Yield Sign Replaced on Its OTC PageSmall cap TechnoConcepts is a wireless technology company currently holding patents and other intellectual property. On Friday, TechnoConcepts fell 0.45% to $15.58 for a market cap of $415.28 million plus TCPC is up 1.1% over the past year and up 6% since April 2012 according to Google Finance.
Top Telecom Stocks To Own Right Now: Vivendi SA (VIVHY)
Vivendi SA (Vivendi), incorporated on December 18, 1987, is a communications and entertainment company. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had six business segments: Activision Blizzard, Universal Music Group, SFR, Maroc Telecom Group, GVT (Holding) S.A. (GVT) and Canal+ Group. Activision Blizzard develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software, online or on other media (such as console and personal computer (PC)). Universal Music Group is engaged in the sale of recorded music (physical and digital media), exploitation of music publishing rights, as well as artist services and merchandising. SFR is engaged in the phone services (mobile, broadband Internet and fixed) in France. Maroc Telecom Group is a telecommunication operator (mobile, fixed and Internet) in Africa, principally in Morocco, as well as in Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Gabon and Mali. GVT is a Brazilian fixed and broadband operator. Canal+ Group is engaged in publishing and distribution of pay-television mainly in France, in both analog and digital (terrestrially, via satellite or ADSL), as well as film production in Europe. In July 2013, Vivendi SA and Universal Music Group announced the completion of the sale of Parlophone Label Group to Warner Music Group Corp.
On November 13, 2009, Vivendi acquired an aggregate of 29.9% of GVT�� outstanding voting shares from Swarth Investments LLC, Swarth Investments Holdings LLC and Global Village Telecom (Holland) BV. In addition, Vivendi acquired from third parties an additional 8% interest in GVT's outstanding shares. On December 28, 2009, Canal+ Group, Vivendi�� subsidiary, acquired TF1�� 9.9% interest in the capital of Canal+ France. On July 31, 2009, Maroc Telecom acquired 51% controlling interest in Sotelma. On August 27, 2009, CID, a company 40% owned by SFR and 60% by other financial investors, acquired the 62% interest in 5 sur 5.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Demitrios Kalogeropoulos]
Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI ) is striking out on its own. The company reached a purchase agreement with Vivendi (NASDAQOTH: VIVHY ) �to transfer enough shares so that it will become an independent company, one that's majority-owned by public investors rather than a single corporation.
Top Telecom Stocks To Own Right Now: Koninklijke KPN NV (KPN)
Koninklijke KPN NV (KPN) is a Netherlands-based telecommunications and information and communication technology (ICT) service provider. It is divided in two business areas: the Netherlands and Mobile International. The Netherlands includes segments: Mobile Consumer, which offers voice, text and data services, and mobile wholesale; Consumer Residential, providing fixed line services; Business, responsible for wireline and wireless voice and Internet, Cloud and integrated packages for corporate clients; NETCO, which offers wireless, copper and fiber network infrastructure and services for retail and wholesale customers; and Corporate Network, which provides solutions for workspace management, connectivity, information security and data centers, cloud-based and traditional software services and consulting. Mobile International consists of segments such as Germany, Belgium, Rest of the world; and iBasis, providing wholesale voice services and terminating of international calls worldwide. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Corinne Gretler]
Royal KPN NV (KPN), the former Dutch phone monopoly, surged 13 percent to 1.80 euros as three people familiar with the matter said Telefonica SA is in advanced talks to take over its German mobile-phone business.
- [By Namitha Jagadeesh]
BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell Plc each slipped at least 1 percent as crude declined after the U.K. parliament rejected a motion for military action against Syria. Royal KPN (KPN) NV slid 3.4 percent after America Movil SAB said it may withdraw its takeover bid if opposed by the company�� independent foundation. Hermes International SCA climbed 2.1 percent after reporting operating profit that surpassed analysts��estimates.
Top Telecom Stocks To Own Right Now: Rewards Nexus Inc (ERNI)
Rewards Nexus Inc., formerly NIS Holdings Corp., incorporated on June 21, 2004, through its subsidiaries, operates in the loyalty/rewards industry. The Company has launched the Earn IQ rewards program, a consumer loyalty platform-coupled with marketing and advertising services for various industries.
The Company provides consumers with opportunities to interact and engage with online and mobile products. It primarily focuses on various business sectors, including the customer loyalty management market, the gift card industry, the online food ordering industry, and the marketing consulting industry
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap stocks Rewards Nexus Inc (OTCMKTS: ERNI), MyEcheck Inc (OTCMKTS: MYEC) and ITonis Inc (OTCMKTS: ITNS) fell 29.6%, 18.92% and 9.09%, respectively, last Friday. Moreover, some of these small cap stocks are already making big moves again this morning - perhaps in part because they have all been the subject of recent paid promotions. So where are these small cap heading this week and for the long term? Here is a quick reality check:
Top Telecom Stocks To Own Right Now: Otelco Inc (OTEL)
Otelco Inc. provides a range of telecommunications services on a retail and wholesale basis. These services include local and long distance calling; network access to and from its customers; data transport; digital high-speed and dial-up Internet access; cable, satellite and Internet protocol television; wireless, and other telephone related services. The principal markets for these services are residential and business customers residing in and adjacent to the exchanges the Company serves in Alabama, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, Vermont and West Virginia. In addition, the Company serves business customers throughout Maine and New Hampshire and provides dial-up Internet service throughout the states of Maine and Missouri. In January 2014, the Company acquired Reliable Networks, a provider of cloud hosting and managed services for companies who rely on mission-critical applications.
Local Services
The Company is a provider of wireline telephone services in seven of the 11 RLEC territories it serves. Local services enable customers to originate and receive telephone calls. The amount that it can charge a customer for certain basic services in Alabama, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Vermont and West Virginia is regulated by the Alabama Public Service Commission (APSC), the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC), the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable (MDTC), the Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC), the Vermont Public Service Board (VPSB) and the West Virginia Public Service Commission (WVPSC). It also has authority to provide service in New Hampshire from the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (NHPUC). The revenue derived from local services includes monthly recurring charges for voice access lines providing local dial tone and calling features, including caller identification, call waiting, call forwarding and voicemail. It also receives revenue for providing long distance services to its customers, billing and collection services for o! ther carriers under contract, and directory advertising. The Company provides local services on a retail basis to residential and business customers.
The Company offers long distance telephone services to its local telephone customers who do not purchase a local service bundle. It resells long distance services purchased from various long distance providers. It derives revenue from other telephone related services, including leasing, selling, installing, and maintaining customer premise telecommunications equipment and the publication of local telephone directories in certain of its rural local exchange carrier territories. It also provides billing and collection services for interexchange carriers through negotiated billing and collection agreements for certain types of toll calls placed by its local customers.
Network Access
Network access revenue relates primarily to services provided by the Company to long distance carriers (also referred to as interexchange carriers) in connection with their use of its facilities to originate and terminate interstate and intrastate long distance, or toll, telephone calls. As toll calls are generally billed to the customer originating the call, network access charges are applied in order to compensate each telecommunications company providing services relating to the call. Network access charges apply to both interstate and intrastate calls. The Company�� network access revenues also include revenues it receives from wireless carriers for terminating their calls on its networks pursuant to its interconnection agreements with those wireless carriers. Blountsville, Hopper, Mid-Maine, Mid-Missouri, Pine Tree and War also receive Universal Service Fund High Cost Loop (USF HCL) revenue, which is included in the Company�� reported network access revenue.
Cable Television Services
The Company provides cable television services over networks with 750 megahertz of transmission capacity in or by Interne! t Protoco! l TV ( IPTV) in its Alabama service area. Its cable television packages offer from 20 to 200 channels. It is a licensed installer of satellite television and has deployed these services to customers in its Missouri territory. In 2011, it converted its Missouri cable customers to satellite television.
Internet Services
The Company provides a variety of internet access data lines to its customers, including bulk broadband data access to support large corporate users; digital high-speed data lines in varying capacity speeds for business and residential use; and residential dial-up connectivity. Digital high-speed Internet access is provided through digital subscriber line (DSL) cable modems or wireless broadband, depending upon the location, in which the service is offered and through fiber connectivity to business customers. The Company charges its Internet customers a flat rate for unlimited Internet usage and a premium for higher speed Internet services. In Maine and Missouri, it provides legacy dial-up Internet services throughout the state.
Transport Services
The Company�� competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) receive monthly recurring revenues for the rental of fiber to transport data. and other telecommunications services in Maine and New Hampshire. Its businesses and telecommunications carriers are 423 mile owned and leased fiber route.
Network Assets
The Company�� telephone networks include carrier grade advanced switching capabilities provided by traditional digital, as well as software based switches, fiber rings and routes and network software supporting specialized business applications. Its networks enable the Company to provide traditional and Internet Protocol ( IP), wireline telephone services and other calling features; long distance services; digital Internet access services through DSL and cable modems and circuits; and specialized customer specific applications. It offers digital signals, high-d! efinition! program content, digital video recording capability through its traditional cable plant and IPTV.
The Company competes with AT&T, Verizon, Charter Communications, Inc. and Time Warner Cable.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Laura Brodbeck]
Monday
Earnings Releases Expected: Sotheby�� (NYSE: BID), Otelco (NASDAQ: OTEL), Rackspace Hosting, Inc. (NYSE: RAX), Red Lion Hotels Corporation (NYSE: RLH) Economic Releases Expected: Italian industrial production, Mexican industrial production, Portuguese trade balanceTuesday
Top Telecom Stocks To Own Right Now: Vodafone Group PLC (VOD)
Vodafone Group Plc (Vodafone), incorporated in 1984, is a mobile communications company operating across the globe providing a range of communications services. The Company offers a range of products and services, including voice, messaging, data and fixed-line solutions and devices to assist customers in meeting their total communications needs. Vodafone has a global presence, with equity interests in over 30 countries and over 40 partner markets worldwide. It operates in three geographic regions: Europe, Africa and Central Europe; Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, and has an investment in Verizon Wireless in the United States. In October 2010, Vodafone Global Enterprise, the business within Vodafone, announced the acquisition of two telecom expense management (TEM) companies, Quickcomm and TnT Expense Management. In November 2011, the Company sold 24.4% interest in Polkomtel in Poland. In March 2012, Verizon Wireless, which is a joint venture of Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone, purchased the operating assets of Cellular One of Northeast Pennsylvania from the Company. In April 2012, its Netherlands-based division, Vodafone Libertel BV, acquired Telespectrum-DJ. On October 31, 2012, the Company acquired TelstraClear Limited. In May 2013, Vodafone Group Plc announced launch of its carrier services business unit.
In Europe, the Company�� mobile subsidiaries and joint venture operate under the brand name Vodafone. Its associate in France operates as SFR and Neuf Cegetel, and its fixed-line communication businesses operate as Vodafone, Arcor, Tele2 and TeleTu. Vodafone�� subsidiaries in Africa and Central Europe operate under the Vodafone brand, or in the case of Vodacom and its mobile subsidiaries, the Vodacom and Gateway brands. Its joint venture in Poland operates as Polkomtel and its associate in Kenya operates as Safaricom. The Company�� subsidiaries and joint venture in Fiji operate under the Vodafone brand, and its joint venture in Australia operates under the brands V! odafone and 3. The Company�� associate in the United States operates under the brand Verizon Wireless.
Vodafone has an international customer base with 370 million mobile customers across the world as of March 31, 2011. Vodafone also caters to all business segments ranging from small-office-home-office (SoHo) and small-medium enterprises (SMEs) to corporates and multinational corporations. Through its subsidiaries, Vodafone directly owns and manages approximately 2,200 stores around the world. The Company also has around 10,300 Vodafone-branded stores run through franchise and exclusive dealer arrangements.
The Company�� range of handsets covers all its customer segments and price points, and is available in a variety of designs. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 (fiscal 2011), 14 new handsets were released under its own brand and it shipped 5.8 million. In addition to handsets, it supplies a range of connected smart devices. It supplies the iPhone in 19 markets. During fiscal 2011, the Company launched its USB stick based on 4G/LTE technology in Germany and Verizon Wireless launched in the United States.; Vodafone WebBox; a smartphone roaming data plan that allows the European customers to use their home data plan abroad for only 2 a day to access the Internet, emails and applications; the Android-powered Vodafone 845 and 945 devices; Vodafone TV services; Vodafone 252, which comes pre-loaded with Vodafone M-Pesa for mobile payment services and a prepaid balance indicator that helps customers to keep track of their phone credit to avoid overspending; Vodafone M-Pesa in South Africa, Qatar and Fiji; 3G services in India, and LTE services by acquiring LTE spectrum in Germany.
The Company is a carrier of mobile voice traffic in the world providing domestic, international and roaming voice services to more than 370 million customers. Its networks sent and received over 292 billion text, picture, music and video messages during fiscal 2011. The Company ! serves mo! re than 75 million customers with data services, which allow access to the Internet, email and applications on their phones, tablets, laptops and netbooks. The Company provides a range of data products, including Machine-to-machine (��2M�� connections, which allow devices to communicate with one another via built-in mobile SIM cards; Third party billing; Financial services; Near field communication (��FC��, and Mobile advertising. The Company, as of March 31, 2011, served 5.3 million M2M connections around the world. NFC allows communication between devices when they are touched together or brought within a few centimetres of each other. The Company has mobile advertising business in 18 countries with a range of capabilities. Over six million customers use its fixed broadband services in 13 markets to meet their total communications needs. In addition, through Gateway, it provides wholesale carrier services to more than 40 African countries. Other service revenue includes business managed services, such as secure remote network access, and revenue from mobile virtual network operators generated from selling access to its network at the wholesale level. The Company�� enterprise customers range from small-office-home-office (��oHo�� businesses and small to medium-sized enterprises (��MEs��, through to domestic and multinational companies. The Company has 34 million enterprise customers accounting for around 9% of all customers and around 23% of service revenue. The Company focuses on SoHos and SMEs to provide customers with integrated fixed and mobile communications solutions. Vodafone Global Enterprise manages the communication needs of over 560 of the multinational corporate customers. It provides a range of managed services, such as Central Ordering, Device Manager, Spend Manager Solutions, Invoice Manager, Vodafone Neverfail and Telecoms management. The Company offers a range of total communications applications, as well as services for enterprise and consumer customers. Vodafone Alw! ays Best ! Connected software enables customers to stay connected to the Internet on the available connection wherever they are by automatically managing the switching between connection types including mobile broadband, Wi-Fi and LAN. Vodafone PC Backup is an online back-up and restores service that enables users to remotely store data securely and automatically via their Internet connection.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
For the past 13 years, Verizon Communications' (NYSE: VZ ) main squeeze has been Vodafone (NASDAQ: VOD ) . The two paired up in April 2000 to found Verizon Wireless as a joint venture, which would proceed to become the largest wireless carrier in the U.S. with 98.9 million retail subscribers.
- [By Tony Reading]
In this series I'm subjecting companies to scrutiny under five headings: prospects, performance, management, safety, and valuation. How does�Vodafone� (LSE: VOD ) (NASDAQ: VOD ) measure up?
Top Telecom Stocks To Own Right Now: Chorus Ltd (CNU)
Chorus Limited maintains and builds a network made up of local telephone exchanges, cabinets and copper and fiber cables. The Company has approximately 32,000 kilometers of fiber and 130,000 kilometers of copper cabling. These cables connect back to local telephone exchanges. Chorus fiber also connects mobile phone towers owned by mobile service providers. About 7,000 cabinets provide interconnection points for around 50% of the lines in its network. A range of these cabinets are mini telephone exchanges and have electronic broadband equipment installed in them. In some cases, retail service providers have chosen to install their own broadband equipment in an exchange and pay the Company for the rental of the access line. It offers a range of products delivered over its copper network and new products designed to provide access to the ultra-fast broadband (UFB) fiber network. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon]
Watsa sold two stocks in the fourth quarter: Continucare Corp. (CNU) and First Place Financial Corp. (FPFC). He reduced Dell (DELL), one of his largest holdings, but almost 60%.
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