"The company's latest quarterly results only reinforce that belief. The Chinese are signing up in droves for basic English classes that are offered by New Oriental.
"First quarter profits rose $11.6 million, to 29 cents per share, from $8.4 million or 22 cents during the same period a year ago. That, by the way, is well above the 23 cents Wall Street was expecting.
"Revenue jumped from $32.8 million a year ago to $48.1 million, a 47% spurt. That number is extremely impressive given the fact that China was hit with its worst snowstorm in 50 years and caused many classes to be canceled.
"Beauty is as beauty does, the saying goes, and Avon Products Inc. (NYSE: AVP) has delivered a beautiful earnings report," says Jack Adamo in his industry-leading Insiders Plus. Here's his latest.
"Despite a 14% increase in advertising (or perhaps, because of it) the company delivered EPS up 26%. In North America, the only underperforming region, revenues continued their slow downward slide. But active representatives increased for the first time in ages, which may brighten the future on the company's home turf.
"International sales continued to soar. Latin America was 19% higher in local currencies, and 32% higher after translation into the American Peso, also known as the U.S. Dollar. In Central & Eastern Europe, first-quarter revenue rose 17% (6% in local currency). Revenue in China grew 29% (19% local). Only Japan dragged things down a bit with its 2% gain.
"I believe the #1 rule for making money in the next decade is to get long whatever the Chinese are buying," says Tony Sagami in the Asia Stock Alert.
"China will need to consume an unprecedented amount of natural resources to fuel its red-hot economy," says the advisor who offers his speculations as to the most likely takeover candidates in three areas -- energy, metals and food.
"There's no doubt in my mind that China is on a buying spree. And I'm not just talking about oil, either. Fact is, the Chinese have a ravenous appetite for virtually all commodities.
"While I don't have any inside knowledge about what companies the Chinese have in their sights, I do know what industries are strategically important to their lofty growth objectives.
"China needs energy - and lots of it - so you can expect frenzied buying activity to lock up reliable supplies of multiple sources of energy. In my book, oil, natural gas, coal, and uranium are all key players. My #1 pick for an energy takeover: Cameco (NYSE: CCJ), the largest uranium producer in the world.
Referring to his long-recommended position in YUM! Brands (NYSE: YUM), Louis Basenese exclaims, "I've spent 1,308 days tracking its price movements and written 11,239 words expounding its virtues."
Indeed, the associate Investment Director for The Oxford Club states, "If I could only recommend one stock to own for the next decade, hands down YUM! Brands would be the one."
"YUM! Brands, operator of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, is quietly transforming itself into an international juggernaut. Today, roughly half of its operations and profits come from outside our borders. Tomorrow (okay, not that quickly, but soon), more than two thirds of its business will be based outside the United States.
"And the transition and timing couldn't be more perfect. More than half the word's investable market capitalization is now outside the United States. And that percentage keeps growing.
While many know that Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are the two wealthiest, Tony Sagami notes that few know the third: Sheldon Adelson. In his Asia Stock Alert, he explains, "Adelson is the founder and CEO of Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS), our latest featured stock." Here, he looks at the gaming company and its bright prospects in Macau.
"Due to its strategic location in the South China Sea, Macau has a rich history as an Asian trading hub. To this day, it looks more European than Asian. And its popularity with tourists is absolutely exploding - an estimated 27 million visited Macau last year.
"The majority (55%) came from mainland China, but many more visited from Hong Kong (30%) and Taiwan (9%). These tourists are flocking to Macau not because of its history or picturesque seaside location. They're coming to gamble.
"And boy, did they gamble! On my last visit to Macau, I saw table after table filled with boisterous high rollers routinely making $100,000 bets. These 'whales' account for about 80% of Macau's gambling revenues.
"Today, Macau has become the Las Vegas of China. It is the only city in the region with fully legalized gambling. And gambling is deeply engrained in the Asian culture. Plus, Macau is within a five-hour flight of three billion people - nearly half the world's population.
"A new era could be dawning in Taiwan," says Asia region expert Keith Fitz-Gerald. Here, the editor of The New China Trader looks at an ETF and a mutual fund favorite to benefit from this forecast.
"While there were many reasons we recommended investing in Taiwan, perhaps the single most important was the potential for Taiwan to assume its role as 'China's real beneficiary.'
"We have been reasoning that President-elect Ma Ying-jeou would be far more interested in working with China than antagonizing it, as his predecessor did. We have also suggested that he would 'get on it' sooner rather than later by making relations with China a top priority.
"Indeed, Vice President-elect, Vincent Siew has already 'unofficially' met with Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines at the Boao Forum for Asia. While it's too early to pass judgment, it could set the stage for a new era based on the friendly nature of the meeting according to observers.
"It could also set the stage for a longer-term pan-Asian economic boom. That would be great for the region but especially China and Taiwan, which have had bone-chillingly cold relations for years.
"For China, a fresh start is important because it would allow Beijing to demonstrate peaceful intentions at a time when Tibet and the Summer Olympics have become a lightning rod for all things Chinese.
"For Taiwan, a thawing would lead to new economic development and, we think, previously unheard of levels of business interaction. It would also potentially carry huge trade volumes and stability into the surrounding countries.
Each day, Steven Halpern's TheStockAdvisors.com offers the latest market commentary and favorite investment ideas from the nation's leading financial newsletter advisors.
"Oil prices have made the headlines recently," says Martin Hutchinson in The Money Map Reporter. "But the miracle fuel of the 19th Century is coal, the forgotten fossil fuel."
"Coal is located primarily in politically stable, friendly countries - most notably the U.S. market itself. Coal prices have zoomed northward during the past year. The current spot price is around $135 per metric ton, more than double the level of a year ago. Meanwhile, coal production is running way ahead of forecasts.
"In 2005, the World Coal Institute reported production of 4,970 million metric tons, up 78% over 25 years. The main reason for coal's growth is that 80% of China's power needs and 65% of India's come from coal-fired stations.
"Since both India and China are expected to quadruple their power consumption by 2030, most of that increase must come from coal-fired stations. What are the best buys in the sector?
"Suntech Power Holdings (NYSE: STP), one of our long-time favorites, is now back on our buy list after being driven down in price by U.S. market volatility and the fallout from a recent earnings report," notes Jim Trippon.
The editor of The China Stock Digest explains, The company is world leader in the manufacture of photovoltaic solar cells and solar electric systems. And, it is developing a new technology to increase solar efficiency." Here is his review.
"The company's solar cells are used to supply power to the electricity grid within China, and it's the number one company in the Chinese solar energy industry. The company's systems also provide dependable power internationally for mobile phone networks and telecommunications relay stations and even street lamps in case of power outages.
"Certainly China is in desperate need of clean renewable sources of energy. Residents of major cities like Beijing and Shanghai are constantly enveloped in a choking cloud of smog. Beijing has said it wants a tenth of its energy to come from environmentally friendly sources by 2010.
"The problem with solar energy has always been the high cost of manufacturing solar cells relative to the amount of power output per cell. Suntech is attacking that problem with rigorous cost control and the competitive advantages that low cost Chinese manufacturers enjoy in the international arena.
"The Olympics have long been a boon to stock markets of host countries," notes Tony Sagami, a leading global stock advisor with a noted specialty in Asian markets.
In his Asia Stock Alert newsletter, he notes, "I believe the chief beneficiaries of the Olympic Games will be consumer and travel-related stocks. And within these sectors, I've chosen six stocks poised to bring home Olympic gold from Beijing."
"We saw a 19% gain in the Spanish stock market in the 12 months before the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and the 27% gain in the Greek stock market in the year before the 2004 Athens Olympics. And those countries were not growing at a fraction of the breakneck pace that China is. So it wouldn't surprise me to see the Chinese stock market do even better.
"It seems like every person I see in China has a cell phone glued to their ear. And the cell phone is not just the primary voice communication medium in China; it is also the common way most Chinese access the Internet and email. In China, the cell phone 'is' the personal computer.
"Heck, most new high-rise condominium and apartment complexes being built in China aren't even wired for land lines. Once you understand the device's role, you'll see why China Mobile has more cell phone users (360 million) than the U.S. has people. I expect a lot of cell phone calls and text messages during the Beijing Olympics!
FXI rallied 6% to a record. FXI is an index fund that seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index. FXI was recently up $10.29 to $153.94. FXI September option implied volatility was at 53 above its 26-week average of 30 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risk.
CHL, a global wireless carrier with 301 million subscribers, was recently up $3.77 to $67.65. CHL September option implied volatility of 47 was above its 26-week average of 33 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risk.
Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.
Through the month of June it seems that it remains a stock pickers' market as Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), James Cramer of TheStreet.com and I all topped the indices. Google continued its strong move upward battling me for the lead, while Cramer lost much of his gains of last month competing to stay ahead of the indices. Cramer is sticking with his NYSE Euronext (NYSE: NYX) pick, and it continues to drag him down. Earnings reports still trickle in but nothing major has affected the market. Mergers and acquisitions are a bigger story and something seems to be happening every day. This is my sixth follow-up report. It is not a long time, but short of a major change in the global economic picture it looks like 2007 will be a good year. For reference, check out my original Dec. 28, 2006 post on this topic.
There seems to be growing support for large cap stocks which analysts have been talking about but now might be starting to show up for real. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has been the market leader among the indices and may indicate that investors are finaly giving large cap stocks their due. It also may indicate that the global economy is doing better as a whole than the national economy. There also may be some flight to safety. That said, June seemed more cautious then May except in foreign markets as indicated by the strong rise in my Chinese picks. Investors moved the S&P 500 index to new highs.
Great companies and great stocks can be found everyday and everywhere you look. However, sometimes we look but we do not see. How can that be? Sheldon Liber brings a brighter light to illuminate picks for 2007 and beyond. Huaneng Power International (NYSE:HNP) is his fourth of seven for 2007.
Huaneng Power International ADS (NYSE: HNP)Yes, I know you have heard me push this stock before. If you regularly read my stories you have heard it many times. This is one of my favorite companies and, unless something changes, it will remain so for the rest of my life! It is particularly attractive in a Roth IRA where you can collect the dividend tax free. So lets start with the yield of 3.44%, that's nice. Add to that you have some foreign exposure, but through the NYSE. Now consider it is the largest power company in the largest, fastest-growing market.
Need more, Barron's (my favorite read) gave me another reason to examine HNP for investment, although unwittingly. The magazine wrote an article highlighting several Chinese REITS that have done extremely well and suggested the sector has plenty of room to run for years to come. Well, these REITS are all listed on the Hong Kong exchange. That is a place I do not feel comfortable doing any trading for the time being. I also do not feel I have enough information to distinguish one from another, despite Barron's worthy attempt to educate me. But consider this: no matter whether one or all continue to develop properties successfully and make tons of money, they will all need power. HNP is most likely to be the provider of that power.
China has so much to do in the next 30 to 50 years in expanding its economy, that HNP seems solid even if you overpay now. Since I started proclaiming this as a must-own stock it is up over 40% in real terms and much more on an annualized basis. The shares have climbed so much (you can't see it but I'm taking a bow, thank you very much) that I must express a word of caution. I bought in at $26.35 and it closed at $36.35 last night. This remains a stock to own but the entry point is harder to know, so I am going to recommend you dollar-cost average and buy shares on a periodic basis, so that in the long run, you are on board this train, even if you do not always get a short-term bargain. It is at an all-time high and that is not usually the best time to buy. But we are not trying to time the market, just appreciate it over time. (Read the Company Profile.)
Each year Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, surveys the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is part of his 24th annual Top Picks Report.
CDC Corp. (NASDAQ: CHINA) is a favorite speculative idea for 2007 from momentum trading expert, Kevin Kennedy. The editor of The Coolcat Report notes, "CDC operates companies focused on enterprise software applications and services, mobile applications, online games, and the Chinese portal China.com.
"The company's software solutions are used by more than 5,000 customers worldwide within the manufacturing, financial services, health care, home building, real estate, and wholesale and retail distribution industries.
"Its China.com unit is a leading Mobile Value Added Services (MVAS) provider and Internet services company operating principally in China. CDC Mobile is focused on providing MVAS products to subscribers in China. CDC Games Limited is one of the market leaders of online and mobile games in China with more than 37 million registered users.
"CDC reported blowout third-quarter results in November. Total revenue was $78.2 million, an increase of 26%. Earnings per share tripled to $0.09 per share. Future plans include an initial public offering of either CDC Software or CDC Games and a continued emphasis on acquisitions. The stock is on a five-month win streak, including a 41% surge in November."
Each year Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, surveys the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is part of his 24th annual Top Picks Report.
American Dairy, Inc. (NYSE: ADY) is the top conservative idea for 2007 from Ian Wyatt, editor of The Growth Report. He notes, "American Dairy is a pure play in the Chinese dairy industry. It is a small-cap Chinese stock that provides investors with impressive growth in an expanding market at an attractive valuation.
"Helping to drive growth is the company's focus on quality and brand recognition. Consumer concerns relating to quality issues along with rising income levels in China are allowing consumers to spend more on premium products.
"China's market for the consumption of dairy products is at an early stage and poised to grow. The country's current dairy consumption stands only at about a fifth of the world average, according to the Ministry of Agriculture in China.
"In China, there is also a governmental push to promote the drinking of milk as part of a healthier diet. And given that there are over 200 million primary school children in China, the growth potential is sizeable.
"I believe the #1 rule for making money in the next decade is to get long whatever the Chinese are buying," says 
"
"The Olympics have long been a boon to stock markets of host countries," notes 
iShares Trust FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Fund
CDC Corp. (NASDAQ: 
McDonald's continues its coffee crusade
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