NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday announced that Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) of Cincinnati and its former CFO Daniel Poston had settled charges of "improper accounting of commercial real estate loans in the midst of the financial crisis."
Fifth Third agreed to pay a $6.5 million fine, while Poston agreed to pay $100,000 and "be suspended from practicing as an accountant on behalf of any publicly traded company or other entity regulated by the SEC."
Poston had been demoted from the CFO position and named Fifth Third's "chief strategy and administrative officer in November, when Fifth Third announced its agreement to settle the charges.
The SEC accused the bank and Poston of failing to classify a pool of nonperforming commercial real estate loans as "held-for-sale" during the third quarter of 2008, even though the bank had already decided to sell the loans. Recategorizing the loans during the third quarter of 2008 would have included a significant write down, which would have "increased Fifth Third's pretax loss for the quarter by 132 percent."
The SEC said Poston during the third quarter of 2008 was "familiar with the company's loan sale efforts, which included entering into agreements with brokers during the third quarter of 2008 to market and sell loans." The regulatory added that "Despite understanding the relevant accounting rules, Poston failed to direct Fifth Third to classify and value the loans as required," and that the former CFO made inaccurate statements to auditors. Poston also made inaccurate statements to Fifth Third's auditors about the company's loan classifications, and certified the company's inaccurate results for the third quarter of 2008.
Neither Fifth Third nor Poston admitted any wrongdoing.
Fifth Third's shares were down slightly during the final hour of trading Wednesday, to $19.93.
FITB data by YCharts
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Top 5 Blue Chip Companies To Invest In Right Now: Partner Communications Company Ltd.(PTNR)
Partner Communications Company Ltd. provides various telecommunications services in Israel. It offers cellular telephony services on GSM/GPRS and UMTS/HSDPA networks. The company also provides basic services, including domestic mobile calls, international dialing, roaming, voice mail, short message services, intelligent network services, content based on its cellular portal, data and fax transmission, and other services. In addition, it offers Internet services provider services that provides access to the Internet, as well as home WiFi networks; value added services, such as anti-virus and anti-spam filtering; and transmission services; and Web video on demand services, music tracks, and games. Further, the company provides voice over broadband and primary rate interface fixed-line telephone services; and data capacity services. Additionally, it offers content services comprising voice mail, text, and multimedia messaging, as well as downloadable wireless data application s, including ring tones, music, games, and other informational content; and sells handsets, phones, routers, and related equipment. The company markets its products through its sales centers, business sales representatives, traditional networks of specialized dealers, and non-traditional networks of retail chains and stores under the Orange brand name. Partner Communications Company Ltd. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Rosh Ha-ayin, Israel.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
Another under-$10 wireless telecom player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Partner Communications (PTNR), a telecommunications company, provides cellular and fixed-line telecommunication services in Israel. This stock is off to a strong start in 2013, with shares up sharply by 29%.
If you take a look at the chart for Partner Communications, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways for the last month, with shares moving between $7.28 on the downside and $7.96 on the upside. Shares of PTRN are bucking the overall market weakness today as the stock starts to move within range of triggering a breakout trade above the upper-end of its sideways trading chart pattern.
Market players should now look for long-biased trades in PTNR if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $7.80 to $7.85 a share and then once it clears its 52-week high at $7.96 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that registers near or above its three-month average volume of 107,303 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then PTNR will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $10 to $12.20 a share.
Traders can look to buy PTNR off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $7.38 to $7.28, or below its 50-day at $6.97 a share. One can also buy PTNR 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 Garrett Cook]
Telecommunications services shares jumped around 1.19 percent in today’s trading. Top gainers in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), China Unicom (Hong Kong) (NYSE: CHU), and Partner Communications Company (NASDAQ: PTNR).
- [By Eddie Staley]
Telecommunications services shares jumped around 1.19 percent in today’s trading. Top gainers in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), China Unicom (Hong Kong) (NYSE: CHU), and Partner Communications Company (NASDAQ: PTNR).
Hot Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: EarthLink Inc.(ELNK)
EarthLink, Inc. provides communications services to individual and business customers in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer Services and Business Services. The Consumer Services segment offers Internet access and related value-added services. It provides dial-up Internet and narrowband access, broadband access, and voice-over-Internet-protocol services, as well as value-added services that include products for protection, communication, and performance, such as security products, premium email only, home networking, email storage, and Internet call waiting. This segment offer its products and services primarily through its call centers, search engine marketing, affinity marketing partners, resellers, and marketing alliances. The Business Services segment offers integrated communications services, such as secure IP-based networks, virtual private networks, Internet access, local telephone and long distance services, enhanced services, access trunks, pr ivate line services, asynchronous transfer mode/frame relay services, and mobile data and voice services, as well as installation, managed network, remote access, and disaster recovery services. It also provides wholesale services comprising broadband transport services, including private line, Ethernet private line, and wavelength services; local communications and local dial tone communications services; live and automated operator, and directory assistance services; and dedicated Internet access services and direct connectivity. In addition, this segment leases server space and provides Web hosting services that enable customers to build and maintain an online presence, including domain names, storage, mailboxes, software tools to build Web sites, e-commerce applications, and 24/7 customer support. This segment offers its services through direct sales, and independent dealers and sales agents. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Continuing its efforts to transform itself from a pure Internet service provider into an information technology company, EarthLink (NASDAQ: ELNK ) announced Monday it is buying�cloud computing and hosted IT services provider CenterBeam for $22 million.�
- [By Geoff Gannon] nflation growth: Dun & Bradstreet (DNB)
路 Inflation plus population growth: CEC Entertainment (CEC)
路 Nominal GDP Growth: Village Supermarket (VLGEA)
Over the last 10 years ��population growth, inflation, and real output per person growth has been so low it�� hard to tell the difference between companies growing at the rate of inflation, along with the population, or along with the economy.
You have to squint really hard to see any difference in the revenue growth records of DNB, Chuck E. Cheese, and Village.
This will not be true in all countries and at all times.
A literally no growth company like Earthlink is actually shrinking. It just happens to look like it�� staying perfectly flat because inflation is hiding the company�� real decay rate. In real terms, the company has been shrinking by about 3% a year for the last 10 years. So, Earthlink is not a no growth company. It�� shrinking.
That�� a bad sign. And, frankly, I don�� know how to value Earthlink. You would need to evaluate it as a turnaround or something ��not as a business that�� simplly stuck in place. I don�� know how to do that.
So, Earhtlink goes into the ��oo hard��pile.
Dun & Bradstreet and CEC Entertainment are actual no growth businesses. This is hidden by their constant share buy backs. So, if you look at their earnings per share growth they look kind of like Peter Lynch�� idea of a ��low growth��company or even a ��talwart�� They aren��. They��e no growth businesses.
The same is pretty much true with Village Supermarket. Although this is complicated. The nature of their business ��high volume, low cost groceries ��means they can appear to be a no growth business when they are actually just keeping prices down and increasing volume. You would need to check their sales numbers more carefully. Grocery stores often discuss inflation in their annual reports. Village Supermarket always does t
Hot Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: Costamare Inc (CMRE)
Costamare Inc. (Costamare), incorporated on April 21, 2008, is an international owner of containerships, chartering the Company�� vessels to liner companies. As of February 22, 2013, it had a fleet of 57 containerships aggregating approximately 332,000 twenty feet equivalent unit (TEU). During the year ended December 31, 2012, its fleet consisted of 47 vessels in the water, aggregating approximately 242,000 TEU. The Company�� containerships operate primarily under multi-year time charters.
As of February 22, 2013, the average (weighted by TEU capacity) remaining time-charter duration for its fleet of 57 containerships was 5.1 years. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company�� vessels were managed by at least one of Costamare Shipping, CIEL and Shanghai Costamare. The Company�� customers include international liner companies, including A.P. Moller-Maersk, COSCO, Evergreen Marine, Hapag Lloyd, HMM, MSC and ZIM.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Costamare (NYSE: CMRE ) reported earnings on July 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Costamare missed estimates on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.
Hot Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: Insignia Systems Inc.(ISIG)
Insignia Systems, Inc. markets in-store advertising products, programs, and services to consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers in the United States and internationally. The company focuses on providing in-store services through the Insignia Point-Of-Purchase Services (POPS) in-store advertising program. Its Insignia POPSign program is a national account-specific in-store shelf-edge advertising program, which allows manufacturers to deliver vital product information to consumers at the point-of-purchase together with each retailer?s store-specific prices. The company also offers Stylus software, which allows retailers to create signs, labels, and posters by manually entering the information or by importing information from a database; and laser printable cardstock and vinyl labels, including adhesive and non-adhesive supplies in various colors, sizes, and weights to retailers for their in-store signage and shelf-edge product information needs. The company dire ctly markets its Insignia POPSign program to food and drug manufacturers and retailers; and markets its Stylus software through resellers. Insignia Systems, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
MINNEAPOLIS- October 26, 2013 -(CRWE Press Release) -Insignia Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISIG) announced that it intends to hold a conference call on Wednesday, October 30 at 4:00 PM Central Time to discuss the Company’s financial performance for the third quarter of 2013, which will be released Wednesday, October 30 at 3:05 PM Central Time.
Participants may access the live call by dialing the toll-free number 877-268-1608 and provide Conference ID 98094181. Please be sure to call in about 5-10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin. Audio replay will be available approximately two hours after the call until November 6, 2013 by dialing 855-859-2056 and referencing Conference ID 98094181. The audio recording will also be archived on the Company�� website approximately two days after the call until November 30, 2013. Financial information to be provided in the conference call, as well as information pertaining to the Company�� past financial performance, may be accessed on the Investor Relations page of the Company�� website at www.insigniasystems.com.
Insignia Systems, Inc. is a developer and marketer of in-store media solutions, programs and services to retailers and consumer goods manufacturers. Through its Point-Of-Purchase Services (POPS) business, Insignia inspires shoppers and delivers value by providing at-shelf advertising solutions in over 13,000 chain retail supermarkets, over 1,700 mass merchants and 7,000 dollar stores. Through the nationwide POPS network, over 200 major consumer goods manufacturers, including Armour-Eckrich, General Mills, Hormel, Kellogg Company and Nestl茅, have taken their brand messages to the point-of-purchase. For additional information, contact (888) 474-7677, or visit the Insignia website at www.insigniasystems.com.
Contact
Hot Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: NEC Corp (NIPNF)
NEC Corporation is a diversified company. The Information Technology (IT) Solution segment provides system integration, supporting, outsourcing and cloud services, servers, mainframes, super computers, wireless access devices and software. Carrier Network segment provides backbone network system, network access and operation support system, among others. Social Infrastructure segment provides broadcasting video system, control system, transportation and public system, fire and disaster prevention system, and others. Personal Solution segment provides smart phones, cellular phones, corporate computers, tablet terminals, mobile and wireless routers, and Internet service and display solution. The Others segment provides smart energy solution, electronic components and lighting fixtures. On October 1, 2013, it transferred 45% stake in NEC TOPPAN CIRCUIT SOLUTIONS, INC. to KYOCERA CORP, and sold all shares in NEC Magnus Communications Ltd. to NEC Networks & System Integration Corporation. Advisors' Opinion:- [By MARKETWATCH]
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks slipped early Monday, with the Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) down 0.1% at 14,298.17, and the Topix dropping 0.4%. Singapore-traded lead futures for the Nikkei Average had suggested a 0.8% gain for the index, but the indicator fell after the Cabinet Office reported fourth-quarter economic growth of 0.3%, flat from the previous quarter and below expectations in separate Reuters and Wall Street Journal/Nikkei surveys. The disappointing economic data also pushed the yen higher, weighing on some exporters, with Panasonic Corp. (JP:6752) (PCRFF) down 1.8%, NEC Corp. (JP:6701) (NIPNF) off 1.3%, and Sony Corp. (JP:6758) (SNE) down 0.7% after S&P downgraded the firm's credit rating to BBB- from BBB with a negative outlook. Shares of Internet retailer Rakuten Inc. (JP:4755) (RKUNF) dropped 12% after announcing plans to buy online messaging and telecom firm Viber Media Inc. for $900 million as well as posting below-consensus full-year profit. Banks were broadly lower, with Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (JP:8411) (MFG) off 1% and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. (JP:8316) (SMFG) off 1.1%, though Daiwa Securities Group Inc. (JP:8601)
- [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japan's Nikkei Average (JP:NIK) traded 0.5% higher in the early minutes Tuesday, extending the previous day's 0.9% advance, with the market getting some support from overnight gains for U.S. shares and a slightly weaker yen (dollar at 楼101.56 vs. 楼101.40 at Monday's open). Among the gainers, Toshiba Corp. (JP:6502) (TOSYY) rose 1.7%, Hitachi Ltd. (JP:6501) (HTHIF) gained 1.5%, NEC Corp. (JP:6701) (NIPNF) improved by 2.5%, Bridgestone Corp. (JP:5108) (BRDCF) added 2.7% to extend gains over the past couple weeks following the company's purchase of U.S.-based Masthead Industries, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (JP:7011) (MHVYF) traded 1.1% higher as a Wall Street Journal report said the industrial major's Mitsubishi Aircraft unit had reached a tentative deal to sell 40 jets for the planned revival of defunct U.S. carrier Eastern Air Lines Group Inc. Auto makers were firmer as well, with Nissan Motor Co. (JP:7201) (NSANY) up 1.3%, Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203) (TM) up 0.5%, and Honda Motor Co. (JP:7267)
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