Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Biostar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BSPM) Secures Key R&D Cooperation Agreement with Chinese Military Organization
Today, Biostar Pharmaceuticals, a leading provider of pharmaceuticals and health supplements, like the Company’s popular OTC offering for chronic hepatitis B (Xin AoXing Oleanolic Acid Capsule), reported special selection (at a January 8th ceremony) by the PLA’s Fourth Military Medical University (FMMU) for cooperation in ongoing research and product development activities.
The FMMU has been a major force in the Chinese military medical landscape since its formation in 1954 (out of the 4th and 5th Military Medical Colleges), serving a vital role as one of only a handful of key institutions for training middle- to high-level medical personnel for the People’s Liberation Army. Currently, the FMMU is comprised of a variety of specialized areas, including basic and aerospace medicine, as well as nursing, pharmacology, biomedical engineering, stomatology research (oral diseases), military services and statistics. In addition to the several college buildings, the FMMU also operates the First and Second Affiliated General Hospitals, as well as the Stomatological Hospital.
Chairman and CEO of BSPM, Ronghua Wang, telegraphed shareholder excitement about the Company being selected as one of only nine Chinese pharma companies for such a prestigious cooperation agreement with the FMMU; noting Biostar’s lean architecture and vertically integrated business model, deep R&D competencies, manufacturing and marketing prowess. Wang reaffirmed the Company’s commitment to increasing shareholder value through expanded product range, improved sales volume and overall efficiency/profitability through periods of sustained growth.
The audience of some 3k doctors, professors and professional members of the Chinese medical community, including executives from over 500 pharma companies, listened intently as Wang detailed projected collaboration between BSPM and the FMMU in advancing the products covered under the agreement through Phase IV clinical trials. Wang also indicated that prescribed military guidelines would entail R&D for select products intended for use solely by the PRC and the FMMU’s three hospitals. The Zushima pain suppressant spray BSPM developed for the military is a good example of the approach as well as the results that will be employed moving forward.
Wang went on to extol the Company’s years of dedicated effort by BSPM personnel in nurturing strategic relationships with key universities throughout China, like the Shaanxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, as well as the Northwest University College of Life Science. This diligent effort, in conjunction with the newly acquired FMMU cooperation, has positioned BSPM for unprecedented growth on the surging projections in the pharma sector.
Huge news for BSPM, being selected out of so many candidates in the FMMU’s rigorous screening process, and it all came down to the incredibly positive track record set by the Company in everything from R&D milestones to clinical trial completion and product efficacy.
The Two Sided Growth Strategy of AdCare Health Systems, Inc. (ADK)
It’s AdCare’s spectacular revenue growth over the past few years, roughly doubling every year since 2009, that has caught the eye of investors, with much of the attention going to the company’s increasing number of acquisitions. AdCare, a healthcare services provider that owns and operates a growing number of skilled nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other care facilities, has a strategy designed to take advantage of a fragmented industry that is weighted toward long-term low margin care. The company has been able to acquire these small privately-owned operations, and transform them to higher-margin short term care facilities for which there is an increasing demand-supply gap. These short-term facilities support patients recovering from strokes or other health crises, and can often tap into Medicare.
The acquisition side of the equation has promoted dramatic revenue growth, but equally important is the second key aspect to AdCare’s strategy. In addition to growing through acquisitions, the company has also been growing Medicare support and reimbursement rates at the acquired facilities by increasing facility acuity level. Emphasizing shorter term higher intensity care improves margins and per-facility revenue. The company also has a track record of improving margins at facilities through instituting a number of other operational efficiencies.
Profitably moving a care facility from a long-term care model to an optimized higher-acuity model is not a simple process. It requires ensuring the ability to adhere to the necessary government requirements, and also requires a strong familiarity with associated reimbursement policies and economic environment within each state. AdCare has gone to great lengths to avoid expanding into states that are experiencing significant economic problems.
The optimization process also takes time. It can take a year to realize the full potential of a given facility, but that also means that AdCare’s current portfolio represents considerable opportunity for financial growth over and above upcoming acquisitions.
For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.AdCareHealth.com
rVue Holdings, Inc. (RVUE) is “One to Watch”
As digital technology continues to develop a dominating role in modern society, its growing application to advertising and mass communication has been ongoing and inevitable. Perhaps the best example is the spread of digital out-of-home, which includes digital signage and other advanced electronic displays. Today, it’s one of the fastest growing media, simply because it has so many advantages over traditional forms of display. It can better engage the viewer with changing and moving images. It’s easy and quick to modify or switch out even a large number of displays. And, perhaps most important, it can be set up to target presentations to specific audiences, zeroing in on demographics or virtually any parameter for which there is meaningful data. Add in the possibility of viewer interactivity, and the quantum leap in communication becomes obvious.
The problem rests not in the lack of digital networks, or vendors anxious to use them, but rather in the overwhelming and largely disorganized volume of opportunities on both sides. Owners of individual networks of displays somehow have to identify and reach the local, regional, or national vendors that would be interested in getting their message out to those viewers. Individual vendors have to wade through the constantly growing and changing universe of networks to find the mix of displays that works best for them.
Enter rVue Holdings, a Florida based company that has, in their own words, “developed the only gateway for buyers and sellers to transact in a digital marketplace.” For advertisers, rVue offers the most comprehensive one-stop solution for the planning and buying of digital out-of-home media. Their Demand-Side Platform simplifies the planning, buying, and implementation of digital campaigns, offering up hundreds of millions of daily impressions, representing over 160 U.S. and Canadian networks, covering a range of demographic profiles. For network owners and operators, rVue is a no-subscription, no enrollment fee way to reach a world of interested vendors.
The bottom line is that rVue Holdings represents a unique service offering to a market that continues to experience double digit growth. Not a bad combination.
For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.rVue.com
Nexxus Lighting, Inc. (NEXS) Announces Full ENERGY STAR® Qualification for Two Array LED Light Bulbs
Nexxus Lighting Inc., a leader in high performance LED replacement light bulbs with its Array® Lighting line of products, today announced that the Array R30 3000K Flood and the 3000K Accent LED light bulbs can now be marketed with a life certification of 50,000 hours after receiving full ENERGY STAR qualification. In October of 2010, the bulbs earned the ENERGY STAR mark and now the final round of lumen maintenance testing demonstrates that each bulb will last the equivalent of 10 years when the lamp is on for twelve hours per day.
“All of the Array LED bulbs are designed to exceed ENERGY STAR performance criteria, and we are proud to say that Nexxus is the first manufacturer on the ENERGY STAR Qualified Lamps list to have LED reflector lamp replacements with a life claim of 50,000 hours,” stated Mike Bauer, President and CEO of Nexxus Lighting, Inc. in a press release. “We currently have several more Array bulbs in testing for the ENERGY STAR label, and we will continue to bring best in class, high performance LED replacement lamps to market.”
The Array Lighting line of products, including the R30s, is one of the first LED reflector lamp replacements to earn the full 50,000 hour certification. The bulbs were put through 12,500 hours of third party lumen maintenance testing and had to meet all EPA standards for lumen and color maintenance, efficiency, color rendering and more.
In the beginning of this month, a new Federal law went into effect that phases out the traditional standard 100-watt incandescent light bulbs. The majority of new bulbs will operate and look like the old-fashioned bulbs but they will have improved filament design which will make them 28% more efficient per the new law. Additionally, all new bulbs will be labeled with lumens instead of watts to describe the amount of light emitted versus amount of power used. Instead of a 100 watt bulb, customers will seek a 1600 lumens bulb. The increased initial cost will actually turn into a savings over the life of each bulb.
Nexxus Lighting holds 39 US and foreign patents on its Array Lighting products and has 32 patents pending. The LED bulbs use a unique approach to thermal management to ensure over 50,000 hours of reliable operation. Further, the Array bulbs decrease energy consumption up to 80% over the traditional incandescent and halogen bulbs.
For more information, please visit www.nexxuslighting.com
CCLR is “One to Watch”
Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. began as a business development company (2005) and quickly evolved into an operating holding company (2008). During this period, CCLR purchased a minority ownership in Hooters of America, Inc. (HOA) via a deal that emerged from the close relationship between CCLR CEO, Mike Pruitt, and Robert Brooks, the visionary who founded HOA. The $5M deal also placed in Chanticleer’s hands first right of refusal to buy HOA in case of future change of ownership.
In 2011, Chanticleer executed their strategy to amplify the globally recognized Hooters brand and model, bringing together a powerful array of private equity investors as limited partners to acquire HOA. President of Texas Wings, Inc., Kelly Hall joined with Chanticleer, H.I.G. Capital and KarpReilly, LLC to pull off the deal and today CCLR continues to hold its ownership stake, with Pruitt sitting as a member of the HOA Board. HOA maintains operator/franchisor status over a vast portfolio of 435 locations in 44 states, with 28 more important satellite locations in emerging markets abroad.
The Hooters brand is globally recognized for a great menu of American fast-casual dining and the gorgeous Hooters Girls who drive the core 25-54 male demographic that has fueled this concept, pushing an idea that has changed very little since its inception in 1983 to continuous high rankings among the industry’s growth leaders, year after year. Having successfully crafted a balance of ambience, service and consumables, the some 17k the Hooters Girls employed as a kind of super-liaison and goodwill machine bridge the gap between brand and individual as genuine, localized, celebrities next door and all-American cheerleaders. The value of such celebrity is amply employed and the Hooters Girls also make promotional appearances and are active in the local community via charities and the like as part of the job, helping to cement the brand as well as the local clientele.
Driving 68% of sales from a rich menu that appeals to a variety of tastes, with everything from seafood and sandwiches or salads, to their famous spicy chicken wings, Hooters locations also offer a wide selection of beer, wine and spirits that account for some 26% of overall sales, with the remainder of 4% being attributable to merchandise that also enhances brand awareness.
Chanticleer is an active investor in the $1B system-wide revenue architecture and management has identified vectors for expansion of the core growth strategy, particularly in Australia (2 locations currently open after the recent Campbelltown location opening on Jan 9) where the Company is currently partnering in franchise territories and South Africa (3 locations open, one opening) where key ownership interests can be readily exploited. CCLR has even engaged award-winning mobile marketing firm CommerceTel Corp. to facilitate mobile marketing/digital display campaigns, beta testing the planned international location rollout via three locations in South Africa.
The same powerful model that has shown an ability to cut across all demographics with a hometown feel is ideally suited for emerging markets. In addition, targeted international markets with operations have seen as much as a 33.6% increase in revenue growth over domestic operations for the year (period ending 11/13/11). Given the lower initial capital expenditures required for locations abroad and the shorter turnaround time on returns, CCLR is ready to expand aggressively into underpenetrated/underserved markets, with South America and the EU rounding out the list of primary targets. These figures are mirrored throughout the industry, with other major players in the sector pulling in higher margins and growth data from international operations.
Australia looks great with projected market saturation around 15 stores and negotiations are currently underway to obtain partial ownership in two additional locations as CCLR crystallizes efforts around its newly-formed Australian subsidiary to develop the potential fully. CCLR has also formed a new management company in South Africa to spearhead operations there. Projected cap is around 20 restaurants and having already secured outside investor participation in the initial three restaurants (a limited partnership CCLR intends to later buy out upon closing the capital raise), CCLR intends to start full funding and receiving all profits with the fourth restaurant.
A clear brand and proven model, a fiercely loyal customer base domestically and the right management, with the industry expertise and tight integration between CCLR and HOA management, is a winning strategy for the global rollout of Hooters restaurants.
CCLR Looking to Expand Hooters Restaurants Overseas
In 2011, Chanticleer Holdings, a business development company that had converted to an operating holding company, together with a group of major private equity investors, acquired Hooters of America (HOA), the largest Hooters franchisee in the United States. Today HOA is the franchisor and operator of over 450 restaurants, covering 44 states and 28 foreign countries. Mike Pruitt, Chanticleer CEO, is also a member of the HOA Board of Directors. It was a friendship between Mike Pruitt and the founder of HOA, Robert Brooks, which ultimately led to Chanticleer’s interest in the company.
In addition to its ownership stake in HOA, Chanticleer acquired the franchise rights to develop Hooters restaurants in South Africa, and has formed a new management company there. The country’s black middle class has grown by 30% in just over a year, from 2-million to 2.6-million. With a total population of roughly 49 million people, South Africa’s expected market saturation is expected to be 20 restaurants, with Chanticleer funding them 100%.
Chanticleer is also in discussions with the current franchisee in Australia to create a joint venture for future Hooters restaurants, with Chanticleer forming an Australian subsidiary. Australia has a total population of over 22 million, with an expected market saturation of 15 restaurants.
Other emerging markets for Hooters are Brazil and Europe, including Eastern Europe which has an affluent and middle class equal to that of China. Since 2003, over 29 million Brazilians have joined the middle class. In 2010, the percentage of households in Brazil with annual disposable incomes of $5,000 or more was greater than that in China and India.
Chanticleer Holdings Opens Campbelltown, Australia Hooters
CHARLOTTE, NC -- (Marketwire) -- 01/09/12 -- Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: CCLR) ("Chanticleer" or the "Company"), a business operator focused on expanding the Hooters casual dining restaurant brand in international markets, announced the opening of its Campbelltown, Australia restaurant on January 9th, 2012. The Campbelltown opening demonstrates the growing demand and success of Hooters in Australia. This is the second new restaurant to open in the last six months, following the June 2011 opening in Penrith.
"We are very excited about the continued success of the Hooters brand in Australia. Our Campbelltown Hooters is a prime location, as Sydney's South West economy continues to grow rapidly; we believe we are ideally positioned to cater to this growth. There has been tremendous excitement from the community in anticipation of the store opening. We are thrilled to bring the Hooters experience to the people of Campbelltown," said Morney Schlebusch, Chief Operating Officer of Hooters Australia. "Our new joint venture partner, Chanticleer Holdings, Inc., currently owns and operates 3 other Hooters restaurants in South Africa and we look forward to sharing ideas with Chanticleer and their South African management team."
Michael Pruitt, Chief Executive Officer of Chanticleer Holdings stated, "The opening of our new location in Australia is our first JV developed restaurant with Morney's team. This marks another key milestone for our company as we continue to execute our core growth strategy of expanding the Hooters brand in emerging markets and other rapidly developing global economies. Morney and his team have done a great job of establishing the Hooters brand in Australia and we see tremendous opportunity to bring Hooters food, hospitality and entertainment to key growth markets such as Australia and South Africa."
Morney Schlebusch acquired the Hooters Australia franchise license in 2009 and has transformed the world famous brand into a major success in Australia. Mr. Schlebusch has over 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry and continues to enhance the casual dining experience with the world famous service from the Hooters girls. All Hooters girls and kitchen staff are from the South West region, emphasizing Hooters commitment to giving back to local communities and making it truly the restaurant of the Campbelltown people. This is the first Hooters restaurant opening in Australia which is jointly owned by Mr. Schlebusch and Chanticleer Holdings. For more information please visit www.hootersaustralia.com.
About Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.
Chanticleer Holdings was formed in 2005 as a business development company and converted to an operating holding company in 2008.
In 2011, Chanticleer and a group of noteworthy private equity investors, which included H.I.G. Capital, KarpReilly, LLC and Kelly Hall, president of Texas Wings Inc., the largest Hooters franchisee in the United States, acquired Hooters of America (HOA). Today, HOA is the franchisor and operator of over 450 Hooters restaurants in 44 states and 28 foreign countries. Chanticleer currently has rights to develop and operate restaurants in South Africa and is joint venturing with the current franchisee in Australia, while evaluating several additional opportunities. In addition to Chanticleer maintaining its ownership stake in HOA, its CEO, Mike Pruitt, is also a member of HOA's Board of Directors. For further information, please visit www.chanticleerholdings.com or www.hooters.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Any statements that are not statement of historical fact (including statements containing the words "believes," "plans," "anticipate," "expects," "estimates," and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Certain factors could cause actual results and conditions to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. These factors are identified from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect subsequent events.
Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine
Contacts
Company Contact:
Michael Pruitt
CEO
Phone: 704-366-5122 Ext: 1
Email: Email Contact
Web: www.chanticleerholdings.com
Investor & Media Relations:
MZ Group - North America
Mark McPartland
SVP
Phone: 646-593-7140
Email: Email Contact
Web: www.mz-ir.com
Chanticleer Holdings Announces Launch of New Corporate Website
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 7, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB:CCLR) ("Chanticleer" or the "Company"), an operator focused on expanding the Hooters casual dining restaurant brand in international markets, today announced the launch of its new corporate website at http://www.chanticleerholdings.com, reflecting ongoing efforts to provide up-to-date information for investors and shareholders.
The new website provides a comprehensive overview of Chanticleer's business and operations, as well as recent news releases, corporate governance, regulatory filings, stock information, and other shareholder resources.
Michael Pruitt, Chief Executive Officer of Chanticleer Holdings, stated, "Our new corporate website developed by Equisolve provides investors with current, easily accessible information about our operations, business strategy, stock profile and more, reflecting our ongoing commitment to enhance transparency and shareholder communications. We believe the new website more effectively conveys our story and value proposition as we focus on our core growth strategy of expanding the Hooters brand in emerging markets and other rapidly developing global economies."
Make sure you are first to receive timely information on Chanticleer Holdings when it hits the newswire. Sign up for Chanticleer's email news alert system today at: http://www.chanticleerholdings.com/alerts
About Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.
Chanticleer Holdings was formed in 2005 as a business development company and converted to an operating holding company in 2008.
In 2011, Chanticleer and a group of noteworthy private equity investors, which included H.I.G. Capital, KarpReilly, LLC and Kelly Hall, president of Texas Wings Inc., the largest Hooters franchisee in the United States, acquired Hooters of America (HOA). Today, HOA is the franchisor and operator of over 450 Hooters restaurants in 44 states and 28 foreign countries. Chanticleer currently has rights to develop and operate restaurants in South Africa and is joint venturing with the current franchisee in Australia, while evaluating several additional opportunities. In addition to Chanticleer maintaining its ownership stake in HOA, its CEO, Mike Pruitt, is also a member of HOA's Board of Directors. For further information, please visit www.chanticleerholdings.com or www.hooters.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Any statements that are not statement of historical fact (including statements containing the words "believes," "plans," "anticipate," "expects," "estimates," and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Certain factors could cause actual results and conditions to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. These factors are identified from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect subsequent events.
CONTACT: Company Contact:
Michael Pruitt
CEO
704-366-5122 Ext: 1
mp@chanticleerholdings.com
Investor & Media Relations:
MZ Group - North America
Mark McPartland
SVP
Phone: 646-593-7140
Email: markmcp@hcinternational.net
Web: www.mz-ir.com
The Two Sided Growth Strategy of AdCare Health Systems, Inc. (ADK)
It’s AdCare’s spectacular revenue growth over the past few years, roughly doubling every year since 2009, that has caught the eye of investors, with much of the attention going to the company’s increasing number of acquisitions. AdCare, a healthcare services provider that owns and operates a growing number of skilled nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other care facilities, has a strategy designed to take advantage of a fragmented industry that is weighted toward long-term low margin care. The company has been able to acquire these small privately-owned operations, and transform them to higher-margin short term care facilities for which there is an increasing demand-supply gap. These short-term facilities support patients recovering from strokes or other health crises, and can often tap into Medicare.
The acquisition side of the equation has promoted dramatic revenue growth, but equally important is the second key aspect to AdCare’s strategy. In addition to growing through acquisitions, the company has also been growing Medicare support and reimbursement rates at the acquired facilities by increasing facility acuity level. Emphasizing shorter term higher intensity care improves margins and per-facility revenue. The company also has a track record of improving margins at facilities through instituting a number of other operational efficiencies.
Profitably moving a care facility from a long-term care model to an optimized higher-acuity model is not a simple process. It requires ensuring the ability to adhere to the necessary government requirements, and also requires a strong familiarity with associated reimbursement policies and economic environment within each state. AdCare has gone to great lengths to avoid expanding into states that are experiencing significant economic problems.
The optimization process also takes time. It can take a year to realize the full potential of a given facility, but that also means that AdCare’s current portfolio represents considerable opportunity for financial growth over and above upcoming acquisitions.
The Two Sided Growth Strategy of ADK
It’s AdCare’s spectacular revenue growth over the past few years, roughly doubling every year since 2009, that has caught the eye of investors, with much of the attention going to the company’s increasing number of acquisitions. AdCare, a healthcare services provider that owns and operates a growing number of skilled nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other care facilities, has a strategy designed to take advantage of a fragmented industry that is weighted toward long-term low margin care. The company has been able to acquire these small privately-owned operations, and transform them to higher-margin short term care facilities for which there is an increasing demand-supply gap. These short-term facilities support patients recovering from strokes or other health crises, and can often tap into Medicare.
The acquisition side of the equation has promoted dramatic revenue growth, but equally important is the second key aspect to AdCare’s strategy. In addition to growing through acquisitions, the company has also been growing Medicare support and reimbursement rates at the acquired facilities by increasing facility acuity level. Emphasizing shorter term higher intensity care improves margins and per-facility revenue. The company also has a track record of improving margins at facilities through instituting a number of other operational efficiencies.
Profitably moving a care facility from a long-term care model to an optimized higher-acuity model is not a simple process. It requires ensuring the ability to adhere to the necessary government requirements, and also requires a strong familiarity with associated reimbursement policies and economic environment within each state. AdCare has gone to great lengths to avoid expanding into states that are experiencing significant economic problems.
The optimization process also takes time. It can take a year to realize the full potential of a given facility, but that also means that AdCare’s current portfolio represents considerable opportunity for financial growth over and above upcoming acquisitions.
FieldPoint Petroleum Corp. (FPP) Provides Update on Production at New Mexico Field
FieldPoint Petroleum recently reported an update on the company’s oil and gas activities in New Mexico.
FieldPoint Petroleum is involved with Cimarex Energy (XEC) on the East Lusk Federal 15 well #1 in Lea County, New Mexico. The well targeted the Bone Spring formation and was completed in December 2011 with initial production of 446 barrels of oil per day.
FieldPoint Petroleum reported that the well produced 735 barrels of oil and 588,000 cubic feet of natural gas per day on January 17, 2012. The most recent production report from the operator of the well has production at 673 barrels of oil and 624,000 cubic feet of natural gas per day. The company said that the extra production relative to the initially reported rate was due to a larger choke size used during operations.
FieldPoint Petroleum owns a 43.75% working interest in the well, and based on the agreement with the operator, will own a similar working interest in future wells on the property. The company anticipates a second well will be drilled on the East Lusk Federal 15 property in 2012.
For more information on the company, go to www.fppcorp.com
Spine Pain Management, Inc. (SPIN) is “One to Watch”
It’s well known that one of the biggest headaches doctors and healthcare givers have is dealing with the variety of patient healthcare plans in order to maintain a timely and healthy cash flow. Cash flows for doctors have been significantly affected by government programs and insurance companies, forcing many providers into a cash flow crisis. It’s a problem that has compromised not only the financial health of providers, but also the quality of medical care they provide. The result has been a clear and growing need for a system that removes much of the cash flow burden and risk from doctors, replacing it with predictable income for doctors and an efficient support program for patients that ensures the best results for everyone involved. It’s a gap being filled successfully by Texas-based Spine Pain Management.
From the medical provider’s perspective, Spine Pain Management is a medical, management, billing, and collection service, that functions essentially as a medical receivables purchase company. Doctors in affiliated centers contract with SPIN to shift financial risk in the collection of accounts receivables. SPIN pays these providers a percentage of the gross billing up-front, upon completion of each covered medical procedure, giving them immediate and predictable cash flow. SPIN thus assumes the risk and time involved in final collection.
For patients involved in work related injuries or other accidents, SPIN represents a managed support and advocacy program to assist injured patients in receiving the appropriate treatment needed to maximize outcome. SPIN coordinates financial programs with the patient’s doctor, facilitating the selection of optimum diagnostic and treatment procedures.
The focus of Spine Pain Management is, as the name implies, the patient who has sustained traumatic spine injuries, delivering turnkey solutions to spinal health care providers for the necessary treatment of musculo-skeletal injuries resulting from accidents. Promoting early treatment reduces the chance that injuries will escalate.
In the U.S. alone, spine treatment represents an expanding multi-billion dollar market, with rapid growth expected to continue for the foreseeable future. SPIN plans to continue rolling out its well-received business model across the U.S. into major metropolitan cities through affiliates comprised of established spine clinics.
For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.SpinePainInc.com
US Gold Corp. (UXG) and Minera Andes (MAI.TO) Get Stockholder Approval to Merge
US Gold Corp. is a gold and silver exploration company with an emphasis on the Americas. The company is advancing its El Gallo silver and gold project in Mexico, and its Gold bar gold project in Nevada. It has a strong treasury with about $100 million cash along with gold and silver bullion.
Both US Gold and Minera Andes announced today that at each of their respective shareholders meetings on January 19, 2012, stockholders voted in favor of the proposed merger of the two companies. Minera Andes is an explorer of gold, silver and copper in Argentina.
Under the previously announced terms of the deal, Minera Andes’ shareholders will receive 0.45 share of the new company for each share they hold. The newly merged company will change its name to McEwen Mining Inc. The company is being named after the founder, CEO and largest shareholder (20%) of US Gold, Robert McEwen.
His goal has been to grow the company both organically and through acquisitions to become large enough for inclusion in the S&P 500 stock index. After approval of the deal, Mr. McEwen said, “This brings us one step closer to qualifying for the S&P 500. We look forward to future growth and prosperity this combination creates.”
For additional information about the two mining companies, please visit both www.usgold.com and www.minandes.com
What Medical Imaging Can Do for You
It’s almost impossible to overstate the significance of medical imaging in the development of modern medicine. The New England Journal of Medicine, considered the world’s oldest and single most influential general medical periodical, calls medical imaging one of the top medical developments of the last millennium. You might say that imaging is to medicine what the telescope is to astronomy. Modern medicine would simply not exist without it.
Basically, medical imaging gives health professionals views of the human body, inside and out, to reveal exactly what’s working and what’s not in ways previously not possible. In so doing, it has guided doctors in the saving of countless lives, and has created a multi-billion dollar global industry. It’s an industry that continues to grow, as even small providers realize that they can now purchase used equipment, such as an MRI machine, and realize a hefty return on their investment in a relatively short time, turning a few hundred thousand dollars into millions. Today, the sheer volume of medical imaging has come under fire as feeding the rising costs of health care, a claim hotly contested by the industry.
From its beginnings in 1895, with the discovery of the X-ray, medical imaging has branched out to encompass a range of technologies for uncovering the structure and processes within the human body. Each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses, and is used for identifying specific types of internal problems. Below is a breakdown of the principal imaging technologies used today and what they offer, along with examples of successful publicly traded companies directly associated with them.
• X-Ray – The grandfather of medical imaging, X-rays are still the most frequently used imaging technology. X-ray imaging, a form of highly penetrative electromagnetic radiation, is used for viewing broken bones, but also for dense tumors, as in breast cancer, for lung evaluation, and for spotting foreign objects, such as bullets or swallowed items. Of course it’s also used in dentistry, as well as for non-medical applications, such as security checks at airports.
The best known player in X-rays, and the biggest player in all medical imaging, is General Electric (NYSE: GE), but the company is facing controversy for their earlier announcement of a planned move of its X-ray operations from Wisconsin to China. Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR), based in California, offers hundreds of medical and industrial X-ray tubes, and has a consistent record of growing sales and earnings.
• Computed Tomography (CT) – Usually called CAT scan, CT uses computer processing to combine multiple X-ray images, creating image cross-section slices of a 3D form. It involves more radiation than a standard X-ray, but is good for imaging tumors and various body organs, including the colon, as well as blockages of lung arteries, and for evaluating such things as possible appendicitis. CT scanning has also proven to be an important tool in the war against lung cancer.
Toshiba (OTN: TOSBF), a major producer of imaging and other equipment, is the maker of the award winning Aquilion ONE CT Scanner.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – MRI uses a strong magnetic field to align various atoms in the body, and then manipulates them with radio waves to generate magnetic signals that can be detected and processed, creating an image. MRI is especially useful for imaging soft tissues, such as breast, heart, and liver, where it is sensitive enough to differentiate diseased tissue from healthy tissue, as well as for fractures, tumors, and arthritis.
Netherlands based Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG) is a world leader in healthcare related technologies and equipment, producing a wide range of MRI systems.
• Ultrasound – Considered the least invasive in terms of radiation, ultrasound (sometimes called ultrasonography) uses high-frequency sound waves to generate pictures of soft tissues, including real-time moving images, often related to pregnancy or various organs, such as the heart and blood vessels.
Samsung Electronics (OTN: SSNLF), aiming to expand its healthcare market competition with Philips and GE, recently entered the ultrasound market by purchasing a majority stake in South Korean ultrasound manufacturer Medison.
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) – Unique in its ability to get down to cellular processes, PET, a cutting-edge, rapidly growing branch of nuclear medicine, uses short-lived radioactive chemicals that can, depending upon the chemicals used, provide vital information regarding neurological diseases, heart disease, and cancer. Unlike traditional imaging modalities – MRI, CT, and Ultrasound – that reveal the anatomical abnormalities and cause for disease, PET provides insight into physiology and can detect disease before anatomical manifestation is identified.
FluoroPharma Medical (OTCBB: FPMI) does not focus on PET equipment, but rather the critically important imaging agents, the chemicals that allow PET technology to see the cellular processes associated with heart disease and other major diseases. Clinical trials have already confirmed FluoroPharma’s imaging agents are safe and are now establishing their efficacy.
The company’s broad technology platform was developed by scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. FluoroPharma has four issued U.S. patents, with seven pending applications, together with strong international protection. According to GAI, the market for molecular imaging agents currently exceeds $1.7 billion annually and promises rapid growth for the foreseeable future.
First Titan Corp. (FTTN) to Acquire Significant Working Interest in Oil and Gas Lease in West Texas
Located in Bradenton, Florida, First Titan Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary First Titan Energy, LLC, is a rising company that is committed to the exploration and development of oil and natural gas resources across the world. Today, FTTN announced they have entered into negotiations to acquire a significant working interest in an oil and gas lease in West Texas.
FTTN is targeting the Big Canyon Prospect in Terrell County, Texas. The young company is wrapping up due diligence on the lease and expects to sign a purchase agreement with the prospective seller early next week.
Last week FTTN announced the acquisition of a working interest in a new well to be drilled in South Lake Charles, La. If negotiations are successful, the Big Canyon Prospect will be the second oil and gas lease in which FTTN will own a working interest in.
FTTN is working to develop new energy solutions to compete in this booming industry. With this deal in place, FTTN is on the radar with such companies as: Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK), Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC), Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA) and SandRidge Energy Inc. (NYSE: SD).
Currently, FTTN is trading in the $2.15 range. To learn more about the company as a whole, visit their corporate website at www.firsttitanenergy.com
What Medical Imaging Can Do for You
It’s almost impossible to overstate the significance of medical imaging in the development of modern medicine. The New England Journal of Medicine, considered the world’s oldest and single most influential general medical periodical, calls medical imaging one of the top medical developments of the last millennium. You might say that imaging is to medicine what the telescope is to astronomy. Modern medicine would simply not exist without it.
Basically, medical imaging gives health professionals views of the human body, inside and out, to reveal exactly what’s working and what’s not in ways previously not possible. In so doing, it has guided doctors in the saving of countless lives, and has created a multi-billion dollar global industry. It’s an industry that continues to grow, as even small providers realize that they can now purchase used equipment, such as an MRI machine, and realize a hefty return on their investment in a relatively short time, turning a few hundred thousand dollars into millions. Today, the sheer volume of medical imaging has come under fire as feeding the rising costs of health care, a claim hotly contested by the industry.
From its beginnings in 1895, with the discovery of the X-ray, medical imaging has branched out to encompass a range of technologies for uncovering the structure and processes within the human body. Each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses, and is used for identifying specific types of internal problems. Below is a breakdown of the principal imaging technologies used today and what they offer, along with examples of successful publicly traded companies directly associated with them.
• X-Ray – The grandfather of medical imaging, X-rays are still the most frequently used imaging technology. X-ray imaging, a form of highly penetrative electromagnetic radiation, is used for viewing broken bones, but also for dense tumors, as in breast cancer, for lung evaluation, and for spotting foreign objects, such as bullets or swallowed items. Of course it’s also used in dentistry, as well as for non-medical applications, such as security checks at airports.
The best known player in X-rays, and the biggest player in all medical imaging, is General Electric (NYSE: GE), but the company is facing controversy for their earlier announcement of a planned move of its X-ray operations from Wisconsin to China. Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR), based in California, offers hundreds of medical and industrial X-ray tubes, and has a consistent record of growing sales and earnings.
• Computed Tomography (CT) – Usually called CAT scan, CT uses computer processing to combine multiple X-ray images, creating image cross-section slices of a 3D form. It involves more radiation than a standard X-ray, but is good for imaging tumors and various body organs, including the colon, as well as blockages of lung arteries, and for evaluating such things as possible appendicitis. CT scanning has also proven to be an important tool in the war against lung cancer.
Toshiba (OTN: TOSBF), a major producer of imaging and other equipment, is the maker of the award winning Aquilion ONE CT Scanner.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – MRI uses a strong magnetic field to align various atoms in the body, and then manipulates them with radio waves to generate magnetic signals that can be detected and processed, creating an image. MRI is especially useful for imaging soft tissues, such as breast, heart, and liver, where it is sensitive enough to differentiate diseased tissue from healthy tissue, as well as for fractures, tumors, and arthritis.
Netherlands based Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG) is a world leader in healthcare related technologies and equipment, producing a wide range of MRI systems.
• Ultrasound – Considered the least invasive in terms of radiation, ultrasound (sometimes called ultrasonography) uses high-frequency sound waves to generate pictures of soft tissues, including real-time moving images, often related to pregnancy or various organs, such as the heart and blood vessels.
Samsung Electronics (OTN: SSNLF), aiming to expand its healthcare market competition with Philips and GE, recently entered the ultrasound market by purchasing a majority stake in South Korean ultrasound manufacturer Medison.
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) – Unique in its ability to get down to cellular processes, PET, a cutting-edge, rapidly growing branch of nuclear medicine, uses short-lived radioactive chemicals that can, depending upon the chemicals used, provide vital information regarding neurological diseases, heart disease, and cancer. Unlike traditional imaging modalities – MRI, CT, and Ultrasound – that reveal the anatomical abnormalities and cause for disease, PET provides insight into physiology and can detect disease before anatomical manifestation is identified.
FluoroPharma Medical (OTCBB: FPMI) does not focus on PET equipment, but rather the critically important imaging agents, the chemicals that allow PET technology to see the cellular processes associated with heart disease and other major diseases. Clinical trials have already confirmed FluoroPharma’s imaging agents are safe and are now establishing their efficacy.
The company’s broad technology platform was developed by scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. FluoroPharma has four issued U.S. patents, with seven pending applications, together with strong international protection. According to GAI, the market for molecular imaging agents currently exceeds $1.7 billion annually and promises rapid growth for the foreseeable future.
What Medical Imaging Can Do for You
It’s almost impossible to overstate the significance of medical imaging in the development of modern medicine. The New England Journal of Medicine, considered the world’s oldest and single most influential general medical periodical, calls medical imaging one of the top medical developments of the last millennium. You might say that imaging is to medicine what the telescope is to astronomy. Modern medicine would simply not exist without it.
Basically, medical imaging gives health professionals views of the human body, inside and out, to reveal exactly what’s working and what’s not in ways previously not possible. In so doing, it has guided doctors in the saving of countless lives, and has created a multi-billion dollar global industry. It’s an industry that continues to grow, as even small providers realize that they can now purchase used equipment, such as an MRI machine, and realize a hefty return on their investment in a relatively short time, turning a few hundred thousand dollars into millions. Today, the sheer volume of medical imaging has come under fire as feeding the rising costs of health care, a claim hotly contested by the industry.
From its beginnings in 1895, with the discovery of the X-ray, medical imaging has branched out to encompass a range of technologies for uncovering the structure and processes within the human body. Each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses, and is used for identifying specific types of internal problems. Below is a breakdown of the principal imaging technologies used today and what they offer, along with examples of successful publicly traded companies directly associated with them.
• X-Ray – The grandfather of medical imaging, X-rays are still the most frequently used imaging technology. X-ray imaging, a form of highly penetrative electromagnetic radiation, is used for viewing broken bones, but also for dense tumors, as in breast cancer, for lung evaluation, and for spotting foreign objects, such as bullets or swallowed items. Of course it’s also used in dentistry, as well as for non-medical applications, such as security checks at airports.
The best known player in X-rays, and the biggest player in all medical imaging, is General Electric (NYSE: GE), but the company is facing controversy for their earlier announcement of a planned move of its X-ray operations from Wisconsin to China. Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR), based in California, offers hundreds of medical and industrial X-ray tubes, and has a consistent record of growing sales and earnings.
• Computed Tomography (CT) – Usually called CAT scan, CT uses computer processing to combine multiple X-ray images, creating image cross-section slices of a 3D form. It involves more radiation than a standard X-ray, but is good for imaging tumors and various body organs, including the colon, as well as blockages of lung arteries, and for evaluating such things as possible appendicitis. CT scanning has also proven to be an important tool in the war against lung cancer.
Toshiba (OTN: TOSBF), a major producer of imaging and other equipment, is the maker of the award winning Aquilion ONE CT Scanner.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – MRI uses a strong magnetic field to align various atoms in the body, and then manipulates them with radio waves to generate magnetic signals that can be detected and processed, creating an image. MRI is especially useful for imaging soft tissues, such as breast, heart, and liver, where it is sensitive enough to differentiate diseased tissue from healthy tissue, as well as for fractures, tumors, and arthritis.
Netherlands based Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG) is a world leader in healthcare related technologies and equipment, producing a wide range of MRI systems.
• Ultrasound – Considered the least invasive in terms of radiation, ultrasound (sometimes called ultrasonography) uses high-frequency sound waves to generate pictures of soft tissues, including real-time moving images, often related to pregnancy or various organs, such as the heart and blood vessels.
Samsung Electronics (OTN: SSNLF), aiming to expand its healthcare market competition with Philips and GE, recently entered the ultrasound market by purchasing a majority stake in South Korean ultrasound manufacturer Medison.
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) – Unique in its ability to get down to cellular processes, PET, a cutting-edge, rapidly growing branch of nuclear medicine, uses short-lived radioactive chemicals that can, depending upon the chemicals used, provide vital information regarding neurological diseases, heart disease, and cancer. Unlike traditional imaging modalities – MRI, CT, and Ultrasound – that reveal the anatomical abnormalities and cause for disease, PET provides insight into physiology and can detect disease before anatomical manifestation is identified.
FluoroPharma Medical (OTCBB: FPMI) does not focus on PET equipment, but rather the critically important imaging agents, the chemicals that allow PET technology to see the cellular processes associated with heart disease and other major diseases. Clinical trials have already confirmed FluoroPharma’s imaging agents are safe and are now establishing their efficacy.
The company’s broad technology platform was developed by scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. FluoroPharma has four issued U.S. patents, with seven pending applications, together with strong international protection. According to GAI, the market for molecular imaging agents currently exceeds $1.7 billion annually and promises rapid growth for the foreseeable future.
ADK closed yesterday's trading at $4.31, up 0.49%, on 43,837 volume with 163 trades, more than double the average daily trading activity.
Earlier this week, AdCare presented at the Noble Financial Capital Markets’ 8th Annual Equity Conference. CEO Boyd Gentry and Chief Acquisition Officer Chris Brogdon discussed emerging opportunities in the highly fragmented healthcare segments of senior assisted living and elderly nursing care, as well as talked about the progress of AdCare’s M&A program designed to build upon the company’s strong reputation for operational efficiency and high-quality living environments.
The company also took the spotlight at Seeking Alpha with two articles published on Tuesday by prominent contributors. The articles can be found at the following link: http://seekingalpha.com/symbol/adk?source=search_general&s=adk
Overland Storage, Inc. (OVRL) Signs Strategic Reseller Agreement with Zycko to Increase Sales within SME Sector in Northern Europe
Overland Storage, a global provider of data management and data protection solutions across the data lifecycle, today announced a new agreement with Zycko, an international value-added distributor of leading edge IT solutions, to expand the northern European distribution channel for its award winning storage solutions. This strategic agreement will utilize Zycko’s expert resellers, systems integrator and service providers to bring storage solutions like the recently launched SnapServer DX series to Zycko’s clients in the SME sector.
“We are delighted to be able to provide Overland Storage solutions to our clients, we see this as an excellent opportunity to establish new partners within the SME sector. Many of our existing EMEA partners have been asking for cost effective storage solutions to complement many of the enterprise solutions we already offer. For example the SnapServer DX Series gives Zycko a credible and flexible NAS solution for partners, but without compromising performance or reliability,” said Darren Sheppard, manager of vendor solutions division, Zycko in a press statement.
The SnapServer DX protects a company’s data and lets storage grow seamlessly without need for IT intervention. This product is geared towards small businesses with growing storage needs that desire to protect and share data with easy expansion and management. The SnapServer works across Widows UNIX/Linux and Macintosh Platforms allowing the sharing of data. Data can be replicated between a central location and one or more remote locations and can be protected with snapshots or replication.
“One of Zycko’s biggest strengths is the range of professional services they offer to each individual customer, including full technical, marketing and business development support.” said Andy Walsky, VP EMEA sales, Overland Storage in a press statement. “Expanding our presence in the SME market is key to our business development strategy. We are confident that Zycko’s technical competence and deep understanding and knowledge of its customers in this marketplace will enable us to accomplish this.”
Zycko started providing customers with OEM accessories for the networking channel back in 1999. As it grew, the company began working with leading-edge strategic partners and technologies to provide customers with services for networking, virtualization, data storage and data centers. Over the years Zycko has grown overseas with offices in 13 countries, including its headquarters in the UK. They also offer clients accredited training, marketing and business development support.
For more information on Overland Storage, please visit www.overlandstorage.com
For information on Zycko, please visit www.zycko.com
National Technical Systems (NTSC) Inks Agreement with RF Exposure Lab to Expand Wireless Solutions and Services
National Technical Systems Inc. (“NTS”), a leading provider of testing and engineering services for the aerospace, defense and other high-technology markets, today announced it has signed an exclusive business alliance with RF Exposure Lab LLC to provide radio frequency (RF) safety testing services at NTS’ Silicon Valley test laboratories.
These services are offered only by certified wireless labs and represent a key component to NTS’ wireless solutions portfolio. NTS said that by adding these services, the company can offer a single-source testing and certification solution for wireless device manufacturers around the world.
“The addition of these new RF safety services combined with our existing wireless testing and certifications portfolio and our in-house FCC Telecommunications Certification Body makes NTS the obvious go-to choice for wireless device manufacturers both large and small,” William McGinnis, president and CEO of NTS stated in the press release. “Adding these RF services is yet another step forward in our strategy to diversify our capabilities in line with the demand from our customers, in this case the rapidly-expanding wireless services market.”
RF is a leading provider of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) testing and certification services, which are required by the Federal Communications Commission for many types of hand-held wireless devices such as cellphones and PDAs sold in the United States. On a global scale, there are also similar regulatory requirements for these devices in most major foreign markets.
Per the agreement, RF will provide the test equipment and technical training required for NTS to provide SAR testing and certification services to its global customer base. Upon full installation, NTS estimates that annual service fees could reach as high as $1 million, which will be split equally between NTS and RF.
For more information visit www.nts.com
VistaGen Therapeutics (VSTA) Validates Key Heart Toxicity Bioassay System
According to Dr. Ralph Snodgrass, President and Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of VistaGen, a biotechnology company applying stem cell technology for drug rescue, cardiotoxicity (heart toxicity) has been implicated in almost 30% of drug withdrawals in the United States over the last 30 years.
Such late-stage withdrawals represent a huge loss for the pharmaceutical industry, and pose significant risks to early users of such drugs. Unfortunately, current drug testing methods have important limitations in their ability to predict cardiotoxicity in human users. Traditional evaluation methods depend upon animal testing, although animals respond differently than humans to many drugs, or on cell lines that are engineered, transformed, non-human, and/or of non-cardiac lineage, or focused on effects relating to a single cardiac ion channel. Such methods yield both false positive and false negative results. What is needed is an accurate early-stage identification of potential cardiotoxicity, one of the key stem cell technology applications which VistaGen’s Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform now offers.
Through the use of advanced stem cell technology, VistaGen has produced functional human heart cells that express ion channels and auxiliary proteins relevant to the accurate evaluation of cardiac effects of new drug candidates. Most recently, VistaGen has made major progress in the validation of its human stem cell-derived “Micro-Heart” cardiotoxicity bioassay system, CardioSafe 3D™.
The system was validated by measuring the dose-dependent effects on cardiomyocyte cell viability and electrophysiological responses, as measured by patch clamp and field potential assays, of twelve compounds with known cardiac cytotoxicity or electrophysiology effects. Tests showed that the system is highly reproducible, and has a strong concordance with the in-vivo cardiac effects of multiple classes of compounds.
VistaGen has developed a versatile stem cell technology platform based on the controlled differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into mature, non-transformed cells, which can be used to create novel bioassay systems for predictive toxicology, drug discovery, drug rescue, and cell therapy applications.
For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.VistaGen.com
VistaGen Therapeutics (VSTA) Validates Key Heart Toxicity Bioassay System
According to Dr. Ralph Snodgrass, President and Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of VistaGen, a biotechnology company applying stem cell technology for drug rescue, cardiotoxicity (heart toxicity) has been implicated in almost 30% of drug withdrawals in the United States over the last 30 years.
Such late-stage withdrawals represent a huge loss for the pharmaceutical industry, and pose significant risks to early users of such drugs. Unfortunately, current drug testing methods have important limitations in their ability to predict cardiotoxicity in human users. Traditional evaluation methods depend upon animal testing, although animals respond differently than humans to many drugs, or on cell lines that are engineered, transformed, non-human, and/or of non-cardiac lineage, or focused on effects relating to a single cardiac ion channel. Such methods yield both false positive and false negative results. What is needed is an accurate early-stage identification of potential cardiotoxicity, one of the key stem cell technology applications which VistaGen’s Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform now offers.
Through the use of advanced stem cell technology, VistaGen has produced functional human heart cells that express ion channels and auxiliary proteins relevant to the accurate evaluation of cardiac effects of new drug candidates. Most recently, VistaGen has made major progress in the validation of its human stem cell-derived “Micro-Heart” cardiotoxicity bioassay system, CardioSafe 3D™.
The system was validated by measuring the dose-dependent effects on cardiomyocyte cell viability and electrophysiological responses, as measured by patch clamp and field potential assays, of twelve compounds with known cardiac cytotoxicity or electrophysiology effects. Tests showed that the system is highly reproducible, and has a strong concordance with the in-vivo cardiac effects of multiple classes of compounds.
VistaGen has developed a versatile stem cell technology platform based on the controlled differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into mature, non-transformed cells, which can be used to create novel bioassay systems for predictive toxicology, drug discovery, drug rescue, and cell therapy applications.
VSTA Validates Key Heart Toxicity Bioassay System
According to Dr. Ralph Snodgrass, President and Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of VistaGen, a biotechnology company applying stem cell technology for drug rescue, cardiotoxicity (heart toxicity) has been implicated in almost 30% of drug withdrawals in the United States over the last 30 years.
Such late-stage withdrawals represent a huge loss for the pharmaceutical industry, and pose significant risks to early users of such drugs. Unfortunately, current drug testing methods have important limitations in their ability to predict cardiotoxicity in human users. Traditional evaluation methods depend upon animal testing, although animals respond differently than humans to many drugs, or on cell lines that are engineered, transformed, non-human, and/or of non-cardiac lineage, or focused on effects relating to a single cardiac ion channel. Such methods yield both false positive and false negative results. What is needed is an accurate early-stage identification of potential cardiotoxicity, one of the key stem cell technology applications which VistaGen’s Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform now offers.
Through the use of advanced stem cell technology, VistaGen has produced functional human heart cells that express ion channels and auxiliary proteins relevant to the accurate evaluation of cardiac effects of new drug candidates. Most recently, VistaGen has made major progress in the validation of its human stem cell-derived “Micro-Heart” cardiotoxicity bioassay system, CardioSafe 3D™.
The system was validated by measuring the dose-dependent effects on cardiomyocyte cell viability and electrophysiological responses, as measured by patch clamp and field potential assays, of twelve compounds with known cardiac cytotoxicity or electrophysiology effects. Tests showed that the system is highly reproducible, and has a strong concordance with the in-vivo cardiac effects of multiple classes of compounds.
VistaGen has developed a versatile stem cell technology platform based on the controlled differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into mature, non-transformed cells, which can be used to create novel bioassay systems for predictive toxicology, drug discovery, drug rescue, and cell therapy applications.
Inhibitex, Inc. (INHX) Starts Presentation at the Noble 8th Annual Equity Conference
Inhibitex, Inc. (NASDAQ: INHX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative products that can treat or prevent serious infections. The Company is developing a portfolio of high-value, differentiated infectious disease therapies. Inhibitex’s pipeline addresses significant viral and bacterial infections, including herpes zoster (shingles), chronic hepatitis C, and S. aureus infections. For further information, visit the Company’s Web site at www.inhibitex.com.
Noble Financial, a research driven, full-service investment banking boutique, is as discriminating with its invitations to institutional investors as it is with the companies invited to present. Rather than just focusing on crowding the conference floor, Noble Financial carefully invites a smaller audience of investors with a large appetite for the companies presenting; quality always trumps quantity. For more information or to view webcasts of today’s presentations, visit www.noblefcm.com.
AdCare Health Systems, Inc. (ADK) Displays Unique and Successful Growth Strategy
When Stonegate Securities came out with their positive report on AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly expanding provider of nursing homes and care facilities, they focused on how the new management team has helped transition the company to a superior growth strategy, a strategy giving AdCare significantly better growth rates than the industry average.
The report gives spectacular projected growth rates for AdCare over the next few years, and then goes on to say that the given figures also have notable upside potential, since they do not include currently unannounced acquisitions in the pipeline. Considering that the anticipated ADK growth figure given for 2012 is 87%, versus a 6% average for the industry, it clearly sets AdCare apart. The report concludes conservatively that ADK is creating incremental and sustainable value for its shareholders.
The current state of the care facility industry is one of fragmentation, with the majority of facilities being small, privately owned, individually managed, long-term and tight-margin operations. Short-term care facilities, for people recovering from strokes, heart attacks, or other health crisis, often covered by Medicare, offer a significantly higher margin, but fewer such facilities are being built. The AdCare approach, unique in the industry, is to acquire the low-end operations and move them to the higher-end model, using proven management techniques to increase efficiency while actually improving the care provided. It is a challenge, requiring working closely with state regulators, but AdCare has identified the best states for what they are doing.
AdCare prefers to own versus lease, but evaluates each acquisition opportunity on its own mix of merits. The company has already grown dramatically, now with dozens of facilities spread over Ohio, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, and North Carolina, with new ones always on the way,
For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.AdCareHealth.com
InVivo Therapeutics (NVIV), Geisinger Health System to Conduct Clinical Studies for Treatment of Chronic Pain Associated with Peripheral Nerve Injury
InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp., developer of technologies to treat spinal cord injuries (SCI), and integrated health services organization Geisinger Health System today announced their research collaboration to conduct a preclinical study using InVivo’s injectable biocompatible hydrogel to treat chronic pain caused by peripheral nerve compression.
InVivo said it plans to submit data from the study to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012, marking the company’s first technology to treat degenerative neurologic conditions outside of the spinal cord.
The company noted that approximately 3.2 million chronic pain injections are performed in the U.S. each year to treat patients with back, leg, neck and arm pain. This statistic reflects an estimated $15 billion annual market for time-released anti-inflammatory therapies.
“Chronic peripheral nerve compression can have a devastating impact on an individual’s quality of life and even impair one’s ability to function on a day-to-day basis,” Dr. Jonathan Slotkin, a renowned expert in spinal cord injury treatment and director of spinal surgery and spinal cord injury research at Geisinger Health System’s Neurosciences Institute, stated in the press release. “InVivo’s innovative technology platform has already demonstrated success in the treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury in several study models, and we look forward to examining how this latest technology performs in this new application.”
Geisinger and InVivo will conduct their research in the Tapinos Lab of Molecular Neuroscience at the Weis Center for Research and the Slotkin Lab of Spinal Cord Injury Research at the Geisinger Clinic’s Neurosciences Institute. The endpoint of the study will be to determine the efficacy of injectable hydrogels for the controlled release of drugs to alleviate chronic pain resulting from compression-induced peripheral nerve damage.
Dr. Ed Wirth, InVivo’s chief science officer and one of the world’s foremost experts in spinal cord injury treatment and regenerative medicine, noted the prestige of the Geisinger research facility and the anticipated outcome of the upcoming research.
“The Geisinger Neurosciences Institute is one of the premiere facilities in the country for the study of innovative diagnostic and treatment approaches to neurologic disorders,” Dr. Wirth stated. “We believe there is tremendous potential for our technology to treat other neurological conditions beyond spinal cord injury, and we are eager to move forward in bringing these therapies one step closer to broad market availability.”
For more information visit www.invivotherapeutics.com or www.geisinger.org
ADK to Present at the Noble 8th Annual Equity Conference at 11:30am ET
Live Webcast Accessible at the Following Link: http://owl.li/8wdob
FluoroPharma Medical, Inc. (FPMI) Invited to Present at the Noble 8th Annual Equity Conference
FluoroPharma Medical, a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of proprietary PET imaging products, announced that its president and CEO, Thijs Spoor, will be presenting at Noble Financial Capital Markets’ Eight Annual Equity Conference.
Mr. Spoor is scheduled to make a presentation to prospective corporate partners and investors on Tuesday, January 17th at 11:30 AM ET. The Company’s presentation will be delivered at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida.
A live audio and high-definition video webcast of FluoroPharma Medical’s presentation and a copy of the presentation materials will be available on the Events page of the company’s website www.fluoropharma.com as well as through the Noble Financial website www.noblefcm.com. FluoroPharma Medical recommends registering at least 10 minutes before the beginning of the presentation to ensure timely access.
FPMI Invited to Present at the Noble 8th Annual Equity Conference
FluoroPharma Medical, a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of proprietary PET imaging products, announced that its president and CEO, Thijs Spoor, will be presenting at Noble Financial Capital Markets’ Eight Annual Equity Conference.
Mr. Spoor is scheduled to make a presentation to prospective corporate partners and investors on Tuesday, January 17th at 11:30 AM ET. The Company’s presentation will be delivered at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida.
A live audio and high-definition video webcast of FluoroPharma Medical’s presentation and a copy of the presentation materials will be available on the Events page of the company’s website www.fluoropharma.com as well as through the Noble Financial website www.noblefcm.com. FluoroPharma Medical recommends registering at least 10 minutes before the beginning of the presentation to ensure timely access.
FluoroPharma Medical, Inc. (FPMI) Invited to Present at the Noble 8th Annual Equity Conference
FluoroPharma Medical, a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of proprietary PET imaging products, announced that its president and CEO, Thijs Spoor, will be presenting at Noble Financial Capital Markets’ Eight Annual Equity Conference.
Mr. Spoor is scheduled to make a presentation to prospective corporate partners and investors on Tuesday, January 17th at 11:30 AM ET. The Company’s presentation will be delivered at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida.
A live audio and high-definition video webcast of FluoroPharma Medical’s presentation and a copy of the presentation materials will be available on the Events page of the company’s website www.fluoropharma.com as well as through the Noble Financial website www.noblefcm.com. FluoroPharma Medical recommends registering at least 10 minutes before the beginning of the presentation to ensure timely access.
About MissionIR
MissionIR is committed to connecting the investment community with companies that have great potential and a strong dedication to building shareholder value. We know our reputation is based on the integrity of our clients and go to great lengths to ensure the companies represented adhere to sound business practices.
Please see disclaimer on the MissionIR website http://www.missionir.com/disclaimer.html
BofI Holding, Inc. (BOFI) is “One to Watch”
BofI Holding, Inc., a NASDAQ Global Select Market listed holding company (and Russell 3000 Index component) for a nationwide branchless bank, BofI Federal Bank, has an extremely competitive model compared to its brick-and-mortar competition. With BofI Federal Bank providing a wide range of financing products and services over the internet via a single location at the Company HQ in San Diego, CA, operational cost is effectively minimized while the maximum yield is obtained from efforts. A diverse suite of financial services backed by some $2.1B in assets gives BofI the kind of striking distance required to fully capitalize on their highly-extensible model.
This extremely lightweight financial company structure enables the entire portfolio of offerings, from financing for single and multifamily residential, to small/medium sized business in key areas, as well as specialty finance receivables, to be transacted in a high value manner. BofI gives some of the highest interest rates on deposit products available and the products are distributed through a whole spectrum of retail channels; similarly, the Company is able to offer lower than average rates and fees on loan products, which are also made readily available via correspondent, wholesale and retail channels.
The Bank of Internet USA brand and portal is billed as America’s oldest and most trusted internet bank (https://www.bankofinternet.com/bofi), and puts all the power of a branch bank at the user’s fingertips, with the added benefit of a variety of tools and features. Privacy and security are paramount at BofI, and the Company has gone to great lengths to ensure the highest level of security, while endeavoring to constantly educate the client about the risks of identity theft in an online environment, as well as how to avoid them.
In addition to the vast array of financing choices for multifamily housing available to owners, investors and brokers through the Company’s Apartment Bank Division, BofI is able to streamline the loan, finance or re-finance process with full support from start to finish. A high degree of flexibility in multifamily lending, with loan amounts ranging from $250k-1M (outside this range negotiated on a per-case basis), reinforced by a special small balance apartment loan program (for financing under $5M), places BofI in a class of its own, even without the superiority of having a largely digital footprint.
Commercial property lending through Apartment Bank features many of the same advantages, with loans focused in the $1-3.5M range (loans outside this range again determined on a per-case basis). Custom tailored loan terms and several prepayment options allow the customer to be in total control.
BofI’s Capital Markets Division handles strategic earnings growth and balance sheet management, giving clients the kind of robust option set required to navigate dynamic market conditions:
• Bulk Loan Pool Acquisitions – having amassed over $1B of performing mortgage loans in over a decade of continuous operations; BofI is always out there, securing quality mortgage loans with an efficient purchase process
• Distressed Loan Acquisition Financing – REO and/or distressed mortgage loan acquisitions in an environment of exceptionally competitive terms and rapid closing makes BofI outshine competitors
• Structured Finance – all the benefit of ownership via a structured finance vehicle for institutions, employing securitization and participation vehicles
BofI Federal Bank is very serious about home loans and even offers a range of refinancing options, including jumbo loans up to $2M (fixed and adjustable rate, as well as interest-only) and custom tailored reverse mortgages, employing specialists to work directly with customers to help them make the best decisions possible. It is this kind of service envelope, administered via an extremely efficient architecture, that has allowed the Company to experience such profitable growth over the last several years.
Conservatively run and healthily growing profits, BofI has the core competencies, leadership and value-driven business model to sustain momentum through the shrewd leveraging of low-cost distribution channels and a strong network of affinity partners. The Company is rapidly living up to its goal of becoming the top branchless bank in the US by striving to provide products/services to its customer base that are superior to those offered by any operator in the sector, physical or virtual.
Chanticleer Holdings Inc. (CCLR) Looking to Expand Hooters Restaurants Overseas
In 2011, Chanticleer Holdings, a business development company that had converted to an operating holding company, together with a group of major private equity investors, acquired Hooters of America (HOA), the largest Hooters franchisee in the United States. Today HOA is the franchisor and operator of over 450 restaurants, covering 44 states and 28 foreign countries. Mike Pruitt, Chanticleer CEO, is also a member of the HOA Board of Directors. It was a friendship between Mike Pruitt and the founder of HOA, Robert Brooks, which ultimately led to Chanticleer’s interest in the company.
In addition to its ownership stake in HOA, Chanticleer acquired the franchise rights to develop Hooters restaurants in South Africa, and has formed a new management company there. The country’s black middle class has grown by 30% in just over a year, from 2-million to 2.6-million. With a total population of roughly 49 million people, South Africa’s expected market saturation is expected to be 20 restaurants, with Chanticleer funding them 100%.
Chanticleer is also in discussions with the current franchisee in Australia to create a joint venture for future Hooters restaurants, with Chanticleer forming an Australian subsidiary. Australia has a total population of over 22 million, with an expected market saturation of 15 restaurants.
Other emerging markets for Hooters are Brazil and Europe, including Eastern Europe which has an affluent and middle class equal to that of China. Since 2003, over 29 million Brazilians have joined the middle class. In 2010, the percentage of households in Brazil with annual disposable incomes of $5,000 or more was greater than that in China and India.
For more information, see the company website at www.ChanticleerHoldings.com
BofI Federal Bank (BOFI) is Model of Branchless Banking
Communications technology has spawned a revolution in banking, with one of the biggest being the growth of branchless banking, where the high cost of brick-and-mortar branches is replaced with online processing. At one time it was an exclusive club, with few significant members other than ING Direct and E*Trade Bank, but the market has been growing, and advancing technology has brought many more players to the table.
A good example is BofI Federal Bank (BofI stands for Bank of Internet). They operate out of a single location in San Diego, California, but serve personal, commercial, and industrial customers throughout the country, and now carry $2 billion in assets. Since they do not incur the higher fixed operating costs inherent in a branch-based system, they are able to compete more aggressively with traditional financial service providers. As a result, their interest rates on deposit products are generally among the highest anywhere, while rates and fees for their loan products are among the lowest.
Below are some of their key offerings:
• Income Property Lending – They offer financing options for multi-family housing on a direct and wholesale basis through their Apartment Bank division, targeting apartment buildings of 5 or more units, and mixed-use properties with less than 40% commercial use. The same division also provides commercial property lending.
• Capital Markets – Their Capital Markets division focuses on bulk loan pool acquisitions, C&I loans, structured finance, mortgage loan trading, and secondary marketing/loan sales. The goal is to help clients increase earnings potential and manage their balance sheets.
• Home Loans – They offer new home financing, home refinancing, reverse mortgage loans, and jumbo loans.
The potential of a successfully managed branchless banking model is seen in BofI’s continued growth. The company’s revenues have grown steadily since 2005, from $23 million to over $100 million, and are on course for a record 2012.
For more information, see the company website at www.BOFIFederalBank.com
FluoroPharma Medical, Inc. (FPMI) Targets the Heart
In medicine, there’s no more important organ than the heart, the pump that circulates oxygen carrying blood throughout the body, keeping every cell alive. When circulation stops, so does life. The single biggest cause of death worldwide is heart disease, taking the lives of millions of people around the world annually, and affecting millions of patients in the U.S.
It’s no surprise that heart disease also represents a huge global market, representing billions of dollars annually. And one of the most important elements in dealing with it is the ability to detect and analyze the disease at its basic levels, so that treatment can be both timely and targeted. Unfortunately, heart disease is often diagnosed only when clear manifestations of the disease first appear.
FluoroPharma Medical, provider of advanced medical diagnostic imaging products designed for use with positron emission tomography (PET) technology, makes it possible for doctors to see what’s happening with the heart at the cellular level, giving them a superior set of diagnostic tools for identifying and analyzing various aspects of heart disease. FluoroPharma’s proprietary molecular imaging agents leverage PET technology, allowing the detection and imaging of the most subtle biological processes. It offers new hope for cardiovascular patients, and significant prospects for FluoroPharma as part of the $1.7 billion molecular imaging agents industry.
FluoroPharma currently offers three key products addressing the cardiovascular market:
• CardioPET is an F-18 labeled, modified fatty acid that provides insight into regions of metabolic insufficiency in myocardium. It can identify patients that will benefit from PCI or revascularization and guide intervention, or evaluate coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients that cannot go through stress tests.
• BFPET is a novel cardiovascular blood flow imaging agent that concentrates in healthy myocardial cells. It can be used for the detection of presumptive CAD in combination with stress testing, as well as for the improved detection of CAD related to multi-vessel disease.
• VasoPET is an F-18 labeled agent that accumulates in areas of inflammation, and can identify coronary artery plaque. It can be used for evaluating patients experiencing Acute Coronary Syndrome or a risk of stroke, or for evaluating therapy following an acute cardiac event or stroke.
For more information, see the company website at www.FluoroPharma.com
FluoroPharma Medical, Inc. (FPMI) Targets the Heart
In medicine, there’s no more important organ than the heart, the pump that circulates oxygen carrying blood throughout the body, keeping every cell alive. When circulation stops, so does life. The single biggest cause of death worldwide is heart disease, taking the lives of millions of people around the world annually, and affecting millions of patients in the U.S.
It’s no surprise that heart disease also represents a huge global market, representing billions of dollars annually. And one of the most important elements in dealing with it is the ability to detect and analyze the disease at its basic levels, so that treatment can be both timely and targeted. Unfortunately, heart disease is often diagnosed only when clear manifestations of the disease first appear.
FluoroPharma Medical, provider of advanced medical diagnostic imaging products designed for use with positron emission tomography (PET) technology, makes it possible for doctors to see what’s happening with the heart at the cellular level, giving them a superior set of diagnostic tools for identifying and analyzing various aspects of heart disease. FluoroPharma’s proprietary molecular imaging agents leverage PET technology, allowing the detection and imaging of the most subtle biological processes. It offers new hope for cardiovascular patients, and significant prospects for FluoroPharma as part of the $1.7 billion molecular imaging agents industry.
FluoroPharma currently offers three key products addressing the cardiovascular market:
• CardioPET is an F-18 labeled, modified fatty acid that provides insight into regions of metabolic insufficiency in myocardium. It can identify patients that will benefit from PCI or revascularization and guide intervention, or evaluate coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients that cannot go through stress tests.
• BFPET is a novel cardiovascular blood flow imaging agent that concentrates in healthy myocardial cells. It can be used for the detection of presumptive CAD in combination with stress testing, as well as for the improved detection of CAD related to multi-vessel disease.
• VasoPET is an F-18 labeled agent that accumulates in areas of inflammation, and can identify coronary artery plaque. It can be used for evaluating patients experiencing Acute Coronary Syndrome or a risk of stroke, or for evaluating therapy following an acute cardiac event or stroke.
FPMI Targets the Heart
In medicine, there’s no more important organ than the heart, the pump that circulates oxygen carrying blood throughout the body, keeping every cell alive. When circulation stops, so does life. The single biggest cause of death worldwide is heart disease, taking the lives of millions of people around the world annually, and affecting millions of patients in the U.S.
It’s no surprise that heart disease also represents a huge global market, representing billions of dollars annually. And one of the most important elements in dealing with it is the ability to detect and analyze the disease at its basic levels, so that treatment can be both timely and targeted. Unfortunately, heart disease is often diagnosed only when clear manifestations of the disease first appear.
FluoroPharma Medical, provider of advanced medical diagnostic imaging products designed for use with positron emission tomography (PET) technology, makes it possible for doctors to see what’s happening with the heart at the cellular level, giving them a superior set of diagnostic tools for identifying and analyzing various aspects of heart disease. FluoroPharma’s proprietary molecular imaging agents leverage PET technology, allowing the detection and imaging of the most subtle biological processes. It offers new hope for cardiovascular patients, and significant prospects for FluoroPharma as part of the $1.7 billion molecular imaging agents industry.
FluoroPharma currently offers three key products addressing the cardiovascular market:
• CardioPET is an F-18 labeled, modified fatty acid that provides insight into regions of metabolic insufficiency in myocardium. It can identify patients that will benefit from PCI or revascularization and guide intervention, or evaluate coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients that cannot go through stress tests.
• BFPET is a novel cardiovascular blood flow imaging agent that concentrates in healthy myocardial cells. It can be used for the detection of presumptive CAD in combination with stress testing, as well as for the improved detection of CAD related to multi-vessel disease.
• VasoPET is an F-18 labeled agent that accumulates in areas of inflammation, and can identify coronary artery plaque. It can be used for evaluating patients experiencing Acute Coronary Syndrome or a risk of stroke, or for evaluating therapy following an acute cardiac event or stroke.
December Trade Data Shows China Suffered Worst Fourth Quarter in 2 Years
China, the world’s second largest economy, saw a decline in both imports and exports between October and December with a GDP growth of 8.7 percent, which is down a full percentage point from the first quarter. Investors were mostly surprised at the slump of import growth that sunk to a 26 month low of just 11.8 percent year-on-year versus the 17 percent figure economists predicted in a Reuters poll. Exports remained on par with expectations, although the 13.4 percent recorded in December is the slowest since November 2009.
“The main disappointment is with imports, which show a much weaker number compared to November and are way below consensus,” said Kevin Lai, an economist at Daiwa Capital Markets, in Hong Kong. “That means the boost in November was temporary, the domestic economy is slowing sharply. China will have to continue to relax policy to protect domestic demand.”
In China, exporters account for about 7 percent of the GDP. The Government had planned to rebalance the economy towards more internal demand and consumer imports, turning away from exports, but this data complicates these plans. However, it does help China argue that it is reforming its currency policy which has long been criticized by foreign countries who insist the Yuan’s artificially low value gives exporters an unfair competitive advantage. Recent reports indicate that Beijing has been adding cash to the financial system to ease credit strains and stimulate the economy. The Yuan gained about 4.5 percent against the dollar in 2011. Financial markets reacted positively to the data hoping monetary relaxation would offset the fear of slowing growth.
A December Reuters poll indicated analysts were in favor of China lowering its lower banks’ reserve requirement by another 200 basis points in 2012 after it lowered requirements by 50 basis points in November for the first time in three years. The poll also showed a belief that a cut in interest rates would only occur if the economic growth slipped below 8 percent. If China is to create enough jobs to keep its unemployment rate low, it must grow the economy by about 8 percent. China does not release unemployment numbers, but in urban areas the rate has stayed around 4.1 to 4.3 since 2009.
“Half of China’s export markets are slowing in the first half of the year so that’s why expectations for growth remain downbeat,” said Li Wei, an economist at Standard Chartered, in Shanghai. “It’s not the end of the slowing down part of the story. That will probably last another quarter or four or five months before momentum recovers along with other emerging markets.”
Economists report that even with seasonal factors like an early Lunar New Year and steady exports, China will have a tough couple of months ahead.
Accuray, Inc. (ARAY) Passes 600th Installation
Accuray Inc. yesterday announced that it has surpassed 600 installations of its CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System and TomoTherapy System globally. The numbers were presented at the 30th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco by Accuray CEO Euan Thompson.
Accuray is a Sunnyvale, CA company that focuses on developing and manufacturing devices intended for radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiation therapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, image guided radiation therapy, and adaptive radiation therapy. Their CyberKnife and TomoTherapy systems have assisted over 200,000 patients worldwide.
With over 600 installations in 33 countries in approximately ten years, Accuray has solidified their marketplace position. Accuray is currently pursuing opportunities that will see replacement units taking over for the earliest installed CyberKnife and TomoTherapy systems. With a growing demand for effective and efficient radiation oncology treatments, Accuray seems confident that momentum will continue to further push year-over-year growth.
Euan S. Thomson, president and CEO of Accuray, said, “Accuray is committed to advancing our product lines to meet the ever-changing needs of our customer base, as well as the patients fighting cancer. The proven advantages of Accuray’s treatment systems are behind the growing global adoption of both the CyberKnife and TomoTherapy systems by new as well as existing customers. Our proven track record solidifies Accuray’s position in the growing radiation oncology market.”
Raj Denhoy, managing director, equity research at Jefferies & Co., said, “Through the acquisition of TomoTherapy, Accuray is well positioned with two cutting edge and complementary technologies in a growing radiation oncology market. With an established and growing installed customer base, we anticipate continued good growth driven by both competitive wins as well as replacements.”
Not All Treasury Securities Are the Same
U.S. Treasury securities have traditionally been considered the safest investments in the world. They are, after all, backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. federal government, a safety net unmatched by any other investment. A company, regardless of its age, size, or reputation, can always fall, sometimes dramatically and unexpectedly. It’s easy to forget that Enron, prior to the financial scandal that led to its bankruptcy in 2001, was a major American corporation, held up as an example of good management. Highlighted multiple times by Fortune as the country’s most innovative company, Enron was dealing in what had been considered a relatively safe foundational part of the economy: electricity, natural gas, and communications. Within a matter of months the $100 billion a year company was no more.
Today, however, with the U.S. and global economy facing a financial crisis like none in history, even the best reputations are being re-examined. The unprecedented levels of current and anticipated debt have raised fears that politicians will ultimately look for a back door exit, giving the green flag to economic policies that will drive inflation, making it easier to pay off old debts with cheap paper. The notion that high inflation rates favor debtors is an old one, and desperate governments have been known to use it, but it’s the fear of inflation, not inflation itself, that has become a factor in such conservative investments as U.S. Treasury securities.
But not all Treasury securities are the same. There are basically four types of treasury securities. First there are Treasury bills, Treasury notes, and Treasury bonds. Treasury bills are purchased at a discount, maturing in one year or less, with no interest paid in between. Treasury notes can be for up to 10 years, but give a coupon payment every 6 months, based upon a fixed coupon interest rate. Treasury bonds often last up to 30 years, and also have a fixed interest coupon payment. Obviously such fixed return investments face the risk of inflation.
Then there are TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities). TIPS are long term securities, maturing in 5, 10 or 30 years, with a coupon interest rate that is also fixed. The difference is that the principal itself is automatically adjusted based upon the CPI (Consumer Price Index). When inflation goes up, so does the principal. When inflation goes down, so does the principal. The coupon payout thus also goes up (or down) even though the interest rate is fixed. TIPS provide a relatively secure investment income, while stabilizing your principal.
In uncertain times, TIPS, or a TIPS ETF, can be a welcome addition to any investment portfolio. But it’s important to understand the associated tax implications. For a U.S. investor, any upward adjustment of principal is considered a gain, just like the coupon, and is taxed when it occurs, even though that principal increase is not fully received until maturity. In addition, it’s important to consider all possibilities. In today’s economy there are no guarantees, which means there’s no guarantee that inflation will go up.
You must also look at your particular situation, and what you want out of your TIPS. If you don’t plan on retirement for a long time, you’ll want to consider a long-duration TIPS. For example, LTPZ (PIMCO 15+ Year TIPS) is designed to track the return of the BofA Merrill Lynch 15+ Year TIPS Index. The index is unmanaged, and is made up of U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities with a minimum of $1 billion in outstanding face value, and having a remaining term to maturity of at least 15 years.
Regardless of your choice, you will want to evaluate the associated yield. Determine the break-even rates when compared to Treasuries of the same maturity. And, of course, much depends upon whether inflation actually does increase, making TIPS more desirable.
Hydrogenics Corp. (HYGS) Wins Contract for Dutch Hydrogen Fueling Station
Hydrogenics Corp. is a leading developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products. The Canadian-based firm has operations in North America and Europe, serving the growing industrial and clean energy markets.
The company today announced a contract, awarded at the end of December, with Ballast Nedam IPM to supply a HySTAT 30 electrolyzer for integration into a Netherlands-based hydrogen fueling station. The owner of the station will be Waterstofnet, a non-profit organization funded by the Dutch and Flemish governments.
The HySTAT 30 electrolyzer is capable of producing up to 65 kilograms per day of pure hydrogen. Hydrogenics is expected to deliver the electrolyzers in the middle of this year with them operational by the end of the year. It continues to be a very successful product for the company. This was the fourth hydrogen fueling station contract awarded to Hydrogenics in 2011.
Overall, the company now has over 35 hydrogen fueling installations worldwide. Hydrogenics believes this success is directly linked to its vast experience in industrial hydrogen markets. Over the past 10 years, the company has added over 200 HySTAT industrial installations worldwide to its 1,800 install base.
For more information about Hydrogenics, please visit its website at www.hydrogenics.com