Hot Financial Companies To Own In Right Now

Despite Walmart's (NYSE: WMT  ) success with prepaid debit cards through partnerships with Green Dot (NYSE: GDOT  ) and American Express (NYSE: AXP  ) , the retail giant has never quite been able to break into the ranks of the big boys through the launch of its own retail bank. Now, an article on Bloomberg makes this conundrum crystal clear: Banks advising the Federal Reserve have lobbied against making such a plan a reality.

Concerns about regulation
According to meeting minutes of the Federal Advisory Council unveiled through a Freedom of Information Act inquiry, the group of 12 banking representatives expressed concern over Walmart's banking ambitions and endorsed more oversight over the retailer's debit card programs.

It's not hard to understand why banks such as BB&T (NYSE: BBT  ) , PNC Financial (NYSE: PNC  ) , and Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS  ) might fear Walmart's entry into full-blown banking. As it turns out, this trepidation is long-lived, and the industry has worked tirelessly over the years to keep the giant retailer out of its neck of the woods.

Hot Financial Companies To Own In Right Now: W.P. Carey & Co. LLC(WPC)

W. P. Carey & Co. LLC, together with its subsidiaries, provides long-term sale-leaseback and build-to-suit transactions for companies worldwide and manages a global investment portfolio. It invests primarily in commercial properties that are each triple-net leased to single corporate tenants, which requires each tenant to pay substantially all of the costs associated with operating and maintaining the property. The company also operates as an advisor to publicly owned, non-actively traded real estate investment trusts, which are sponsored by it under the Corporate Property Associates brand name, as well as invests in similar properties. As of March 31, 2010, its portfolio comprised full or partial ownership interest in 167 properties that totaled approximately 14 million square feet. W. P. Carey & Co. LLC was founded in 1973 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shauna O'Brien]

  Real estate investment trust W.P. Carey Inc. (WPC) announced on Tuesday that it has acquired an UK government office facility for $72 million.

  WPC has acquired an office facility from the Department of State for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) located in Manchester, UK. This office is leased to the DCLG on a 15 year triple net lease and is currently occupied by the UK’s tax department.

  Jennifer Lucas, Director of WPC commented: “The recent staff consolidation into the facility demonstrates that this is an important location for HMRC and supports our proven business model of acquiring key operating assets let to single tenants on long-term net-leases.”

  W.P. Carey shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Tuesday. The stock is up 27% YTD.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Build-to-suite properties real estate investment trust (REIT) W.P. Carey (WPC) raised its quarterly dividend 1.2% to 87 cents per share, payable on Jan. 15 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 31. This marks the 51st consecutive annual dividend increase for WPC.
  WPC Dividend Yield: 5.67%

Hot Financial Companies To Own In Right Now: United Overseas Bank Ltd (U11.SI)

United Overseas Bank Limited provides financial products and services. The company�s Group Retail segment offers deposits, loans, investments, credit and debit cards, and insurance products to individuals and small enterprises; wealth management and restricted products, such as structured notes, funds of hedge funds, and insurance plans to the wealthy and affluent customers; and investment management, asset management, and estate planning services to the high net worth individuals and investors. United Overseas Bank�s Group Wholesale segment provides current accounts, deposits, lending, cash management, and cross-border payments; and asset, ship, trade, and structured finance to the medium and large enterprises, corporations, financial institutions, and government-linked companies and agencies. It also offers lead managing, equity underwriting, and corporate advisory services; solution-based structures to meet clients� financing requirements in structuring, underwriting , and arranging syndicated loans, leveraged buy-outs, and project and structured finance; and underwriting and lead managing bond issues. The company�s Global Markets and Investment Management segment offers treasury products and services comprising foreign exchange, money market, fixed income, derivatives, margin trading, futures broking, gold products, structured products, and banknote services, as well as engages in asset management, proprietary investment, and liquidity and capital funds management activities. United Overseas Bank�s Other segment is involved in insurance and property-related businesses. As of March 15, 2012, the company had a network of approximately 500 offices in 19 countries and territories in the Asia Pacific, western Europe, and North America. The company was formerly known as United Chinese Bank and changed its name to United Overseas Bank Limited in 1965. United Overseas Bank was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in Singapore.

Top Gold Companies To Buy Right Now: Apartment Investment and Management Co (AIV)

Apartment Investment and Management Company (Aimco), incorporated on January 10, 1994, is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company is engaged in the ownership and operation of a portfolio of apartment properties. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, AIMCO-GP, Inc. and AIMCO-LP Trust, it owns majority interests in AIMCO Properties, L.P., which it refers to as the Aimco Operating Partnership. The Company conducts substantially all of its business and owns substantially all of its assets through the Aimco Operating Partnership. As of December 31, 2011, Aimco�� portfolio of owned and/or managed properties consisted of 518 properties with 93,694 apartment units.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired limited partnership interests in 12 real estate partnerships that owned 15 properties and in which its affiliates served as general partner. During 2011, it acquired a vacant, 126-unit property located in Marin County, north of San Francisco, California. During 2011, it acquired 50% interest in entities that owned four contiguous properties with 142 units located in La Jolla, California. During 2011, it sold 67 consolidated properties. During 2011, the Company owned general and limited partner interests in real estate partnerships that owned approximately 123 properties.

Property Operations

The Company�� owned real estate portfolio consists of two business components: conventional and affordable property operations. Its conventional property operations consist of market-rate apartments with rents paid by the resident and included 198 properties with 62,834 units in which it held an average interest of 93% as of December 31, 2011. The Company�� affordable property operations consist of apartments with rents that are generally paid, in whole or part, by a government agency and consisted of 172 properties with 20,612 units in which it held an average interest of 59% as of December 31, 2011. The Compa! ny�� property operations are organized into two geographic areas, the West and East.

Portfolio Management

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� affordable portfolio included 172 properties with 20,612 units. As of December 31, 2011, its conventional portfolio included 198 properties with 62,834 units in 33 markets.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Apartment Investment & Management Co. (NYSE: AIV  )
  When long-term lending rates began rising dramatically just a few weeks ago, anything related to the housing sector dove, including apartment rental community operator Apartment Investment & Management, better known as AIMCO. Investors who sold may have made a big mistake, as rental communities look to be stronger than ever as the housing sector gets caught in a nasty catch-22.

Hot Financial Companies To Own In Right Now: Five Oaks Investment Corp (OAKS)

Five Oaks Investment Corp., incorporated on March 28, 2012, focused on investing in, financing and managing a leveraged portfolio of Agency and Non-Agency residential mortgage-backed securities, or RMBS, residential mortgage loans and other mortgage-related investments. The Company invests in both Agency RMBS and Non-Agency RMBS.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� portfolio consisted of Agency RMBS and Non-Agency RMBS. The Company is managed by Oak Circle Capital Partners LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Five Oaks Investment Corp. (NYSE: OAKS) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse.

  Marathon Oil Corp. (NYSE: MRO) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at BofA/Merrill Lynch.

Hot Financial Companies To Own In Right Now: Penns Woods Bancorp Inc.(PWOD)

Penns Woods Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Jersey Shore State Bank that provides commercial and retail banking services to individuals, partnerships, non-profit organizations, and corporations in Pennsylvania. It accepts various time, demand, and savings deposits, including Super NOW accounts, statement savings accounts, money market accounts, fixed rate certificates of deposit, club accounts, checking accounts, and individual retirement accounts. The company also offers loan products, such as secured and unsecured business and consumer loans that include financing commercial transactions, as well as construction and residential mortgage loans, and revolving credit loans with overdraft protection. Its loan products comprise agricultural loans; commercial loans; real estate loans, including construction and land development, farmland, one-to-four family residential, multi-family, and commercial or industrial loans; and consumer loan products consisting of second mortgages, automobile financing, small loan requests, overdraft check lines, and PHEAA referral loans. In addition, the company provides insurance, securities brokerage, financial planning, safe deposit, automated teller machine, Internet, and telephone banking services, as well as annuity and mutual fund investment products. Penns Woods Bancorp operates 12 branch offices in Lycoming, Clinton, and Centre counties in Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1934 and is based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Hot Financial Companies To Own In Right Now: Walker Crips Weddle Beck(WCW.L)

Walker Crips Group plc, an integrated financial services company, offers investment management services in the United Kingdom. Its services include stock broking, fund management, administrating individual savings accounts, and managing clients? deposits in the course of conducting investment business. The company?s services also comprise corporate finance, pension management and advice, corporate trustee services, structured investments design, and personal financial services; and securities trading, ISA/CTF, custody, deposit, and nominee services. In addition, it provides financial advice to individuals, partnerships, and companies; unit trust fund management to private and corporate clients; and corporate broking, as well as pension administration services. Walker Crips Group plc was founded in 1914 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.