Replies to post #12135 on General Stock Ideas

[gfp927z]

SC, The TIS chart hasn't had a golden cross yet, but that indicator is mainly useful if a stock has been basing sideways for a while (as was the case with WNR), and then when the 50 MA crosses back above the 200 MA ('golden cross') it can be a fairly reliable buy signal.

With TIS however, the stock hasn't been down long enough for the 50 and 200 MAs (which are lagging indicators) to base or settle into a sideways pattern, so by the time a golden cross actually occurs the stock will likely be much higher and it may be time to take profits then.

But the TIS chart looks very promising at the moment. It formed a bullish inverted head + shoulders and is starting to break out, with a bullish candlestick today, and closed near the high on decent volume. Chart-wise it looks like it could work its way up to the 15-15.5 area (the falling 50 MA) and then probably have some consolidation. After that will depend on the company's fundamentals improving.

I read an article today on TIS written earlier this year (before the bad quarterly results and suspension of the dividend), and it sounded pretty bearish, but of course most of that negativity is now fully reflected in the much lower stock price. So I'm thinking its rebound time and should be interesting to watch. I don't have much $ available to play with at the moment, so am just following it for fun.

I see TEVA had a nice bounce recently, though now will probably consolidate some and then will see where it goes next. Looks like RSPI dropped on higher volume, so will have to check if there was some news.

[bigworld]

Scstocks, Saw this article in the WSJ on the uptick in crime in Myrtle Beach.......I hate to see this. There are becoming fewer and fewer places of refuge these days.

U.S.
South Carolina Rushes to Tamp Down Violence in Myrtle Beach
Rash of shootings, other incidents prompts governor to step up security in popular vacation destination

By Cameron McWhirter
July 1, 2017 8:00 a.m. ET

Just as summer is ramping up, Myrtle Beach, a top South Carolina summer destination, is dealing with a flurry of violence that has city and state officials scrambling to calm worried visitors and residents.

In the city’s most prominent incident, at least seven people were injured in a June 18 shooting that was live-streamed on Facebook. That shooting—and two others that weekend—followed six over the Easter holidays in April.

The violence prompted South Carolina’s Republican Gov. Henry McMaster to visit the city not long after and order steps to beef up security, such as bringing in officers and staff to support local police. The city, meanwhile, has placed barricades along Ocean Boulevard, the beach’s central artery where the June shooting happened.

“Whatever it takes to make sure that this aberration does not take place again,” Gov. McMaster said. “Our tourism industry is huge; it’s very important to us.”

The state estimates that tourism is a $20.2 billion industry in the Palmetto State, generating about $1.5 billion in state and local tax revenues in 2015, according to the latest data available.

Tourism drives Myrtle Beach’s local economy, and each group visiting the city spends about $2,766, according to the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Grand Strand, a group of South Carolina beach communities which includes Myrtle Beach, has seen an increase in tourism in recent years, with arrivals via plane rising 6% in 2016 from the year before, according to data from Myrtle Beach International Airport. The vast majority of visitors drive to Myrtle Beach from the Southeast.

With only about 32,000 year-round residents, Myrtle Beach becomes “a relatively large city” every summer and the police force hasn’t grown enough to meet current needs, said Brad Dean, president of the chamber. He estimated that the number of visitors to the area rose 24%, to 18 million, in 2016 from 2011. The city’s year-round population is estimated to have grown 19% since 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau......

[gfp927z]

SC, On the contrarian bottom play front, the two Greek banks on my list have started to come back to life (ALBKY, NBGGY). They are the 2nd and 4th largest banks in Greece, and really got plastered during the big debt crisis (to below $1 dollar per share). But now things are starting to look up, still under $1 but the charts look poised for more recovery. They were basically flatlined for over a year but the monster is rising from the slab :o)



>>> Two Greek lenders return to profitability in 2016


By Nektaria Stamouli

Mar 31, 2017



http://www.marketwatch.com/story/two-greek-lenders-return-to-profitability-in-2016-2017-03-31?siteid=bigcharts&dist=bigcharts



ATHENS -- Greek banks Alpha Bank and National Bank returned to profitability in 2016 and reduced their exposure to nonperforming loans.

Greek lenders have been saddled with a mountain of bad debts caused by the country's economic crisis that wiped out more than a quarter of the country's economic output.

Some progress was made last year, but the return of financial jitters in Greece, as bailout talks between Greece's government and its creditors drag on, is hampering banks' effort to return to normality.

National Bank of Greece, Greece's second-largest lender by assets, saw its profit rising significantly to EUR73 million ($78.6 million) for the three months to December, excluding assets held for sale and discontinued operations, after a net profit of EUR6 million at the end of September.

For 2016 as a whole, the bank posted a net profit of EUR53 million after a loss of EUR2.49 billion in 2015.

The nonperforming loans ratio was lower at 32.9% in the fourth quarter from 34.3% the quarter before. Its loan impairment charges fell to EUR684 million from EUR3.53 billion in 2015.


"In 2017 our strategic priorities include further reducing our nonperforming exposure, in line with targets agreed with the [eurozone bailout fund] ESM," NBG's CEO Leonidas Fragiadakis said in a statement.

Alpha Bank, the country's fourth-largest lender, also posted a profitable quarter in the October to December period, but saw its profit shrinking to EUR20.1 million down from EUR41.2 million due to higher loan loss provisions.

For 2016 as a whole, the lender posted net profit of EUR42.3 million euros from a EUR1.37 billion loss in 2015.

Nonperforming loans eased slightly to 38.1% of its loan portfolio, from 38.3% in the previous quarter. Provisions for bad loans rose 18% on-quarter to EUR304.

Greece's government is under pressure from its international creditors to enact further fiscal belt-tightening, including cuts to pensions. The International Monetary Fund also wants further business-friendly overhauls of Greek labor laws. Ruling left-wing Syriza party of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, is holding out for concessions on fiscal policies and labor rules.

Since the beginning of 2017, Greek bank deposits dropped by more than EUR3 billion and nonperforming loans spiked again by about EUR1 billion, reversing the late 2016 downward course, according to bank officials.

Earlier in March, the European Central Bank increased the amount of money Greek banks can borrow under an emergency lending program for the first time since August 2015.

"The implementation of our plan is also dependent on the recovery of the Greek economy and the full and proper implementation of pending NPL reforms," Demetrios Mantzounis, Alpha Bank's CEO, said in a written statement. "In this respect we are looking forward to the timely successful completion of the second review which will significantly contribute to that end."

Greek lenders aim to cut their nonperforming exposure from EUR107 billion to EUR66.7 billion by 2019

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[gfp927z]

SC, looks like THLD is coming to life, nice 25% pop today on huge volume. I don't see any news, but something must be going on, it started moving up yesterday and then popped today.

[gfp927z]

SC, If you're still following REED, it looks like it's time for a bounce. It got torpedoed big time since May, from the 4s all the way down to 1.50, but the chart is now saying rebound time so it might be a good trade. No guarantees though :o)

Another bottom play, TEVA, may have finally put in a bottom. Also, Valeant (VRX) looks ready to work it's way higher, purely based on the chart anyway..

Did you pick up any more metals near the recent bottom? I managed to snag a little more of both gold and silver. Hope you are well, and staying cool in SC :o)