The two largest papers owned by the Santa Ana, Calif.-based company - The Orange County Register and The Press-Enterprise of Riverside - are laying off employees following a year-end assessment of their operations, according to reports and a company memo.
The OC Register laid off 32 employees and restructured the newsroom Thursday by replacing senior editors. Ken Brusic, who has been with the paper since 1989 and became the top editor in 2002, stepped down and was replaced by local news editor Rob Curley.
Three senior deputy editors are also leaving their positions. "Each of us has been touched by Ken in our own ways, often and likely in ways that will stay with us for a long time," wrote Kushner in a memo to the Register's staffers.
Top 5 Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now: NL Industries Inc (NL)
NL Industries, Inc. (NL) is a holding company. The Company operates in the component products industry through NL's majority-owned subsidiary, CompX International Inc. The Company operates in the chemicals industry through its non-controlling interest in Kronos Worldwide, Inc. As of December 31, 2011, it owned 87% interest in CompX International Inc and 30% interest in Kronos Worldwide, Inc. The Company also owns 100% of EWI RE, Inc., an insurance brokerage and risk management services company. In July of 2011, CompX completed the acquisition of an ergonomic component products business.
Component Products-Compx International Inc.
Through the Company�� subsidiary, CompX, it manufactures components that are sold to a variety of industries including office furniture, recreational transportation (including boats), mailboxes, toolboxes, home appliances, banking equipment, vending equipment and computer-related equipment. CompX�� Security Products business, with one manufacturing facility in South Carolina and one in Illinois shared with the Marine Components business, manufactures mechanical and electronic cabinet locks and other locking mechanisms used in a variety of applications including ignition systems, mailboxes, file cabinets, desk drawers, tool storage cabinets, vending and gaming machines, high security medical cabinetry, electrical circuit panels, storage compartments and gas station security. These products include disc tumbler locks, pin tumbler locking mechanisms, and eLock and Stealthlock electronic locks.
CompX�� Furniture Components business, with facilities in Canada and Taiwan, manufactures a line of ball bearing slides and computer keyboard, monitor and central processing unit (CPU) support systems for use in applications, such as file cabinets, desks, computer server racks, wall mounted computer applications, home appliances, tool storage cabinets, imaging equipment, automated teller machines and other applications. These products include I! ntegrated Slide Lock, Ball Lock, Self-Closing Slide, articulating computer keyboard support arms along with the LeverLock keyboard arm, CPU storage devices, flat panel computer monitor support systems and keyboard, monitor and CPU wall mounts.
CompX�� Marine Components business, with a facility in Wisconsin and a facility shared with the Security Products business in Illinois, manufactures and distributes stainless steel exhaust components, gauges, throttle controls, hardware and accessories primarily for performance and ski/wakeboard boats. These products include original equipment and aftermarket stainless steel exhaust headers, exhaust pipes, mufflers and other exhaust components; gauges, such as global positioning system (GPS) speedometers and tachometers; controls, throttles, steering wheels and other billet aluminum accessories, and dash panels, light emitting diode (LED) lighting, rigging and other accessories. CompX operated five manufacturing facilities, as of December 31, 2011, including one facility in Grayslake, Illinois that housed operations relating to Security Products and Marine Components.
Chemicals-Kronos Worldwide, Inc.
Kronos is a global producer and marketer of titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2), a base industrial product used in a range of applications. Kronos, along with its distributors and agents, sells and provides technical services for NL's products to over 4,000 customers in approximately 100 countries with the majority of sales in Europe and North America. TiO2 is a white inorganic pigment used in a range of products. Kronos offers customers a portfolio of products that include over 40 different TiO2 pigment grades. Kronos��major customers include domestic and international paint, plastics, decorative laminate and paper manufacturers. Kronos ships TiO2 to customers in either a powder or slurry form via rail, truck or ocean carrier. Kronos and its agents and distributors primarily sell and provide technical services for Kronos��pr! oducts in! three markets: coatings, plastics and paper.
Kronos��TiO2 is also found in food products, such as candy and confectionaries and in pet foods. In pharmaceuticals, TiO2 is used commonly as a colorant in pill and capsule coatings, as well as in liquid medicines. Kronos owns and operates two ilmenite mines in Norway. Kronos manufactures and sells iron-based chemicals, which are co-products and processed co-products of the sulfate and chloride process TiO2 pigment production. These co-product chemicals are marketed through Kronos��Ecochem division and are primarily used as treatment and conditioning agents for industrial effluents and municipal wastewater, as well as for the manufacture of iron pigments, cement and agricultural products. Kronos manufactures and sells titanium oxychloride and titanyl sulfate. Kronos produces TiO2 in two crystalline forms: rutile and anatase. Rutile TiO2 is manufactured using both a chloride production process and a sulfate production process, whereas anatase TiO2 is only produced using a sulfate production process.
The chloride process is a continuous process, in which chlorine is used to extract rutile TiO2. The sulfate process is a batch process, in which sulfuric acid is used to extract the TiO2 from ilmenite or titanium slag. Kronos operates four TiO2 plants in Europe, which includes one in each of Leverkusen, Germany; Nordenham, Germany; Langerbrugge, Belgium, and Fredrikstad, Norway. In North America, Kronos has a TiO2 plant in Varennes, Quebec, Canada. Kronos produced 550,000 metric tons of TiO, during the year ended December 31, 2011. Kronos and a subsidiary of Huntsman Corporation each hold a 50% interest in a manufacturing joint venture, Louisiana Pigment Company, L.P. (LPC). LPC owns and operates a chloride process TiO2 facility located in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
The Company competes with E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., National Titanium Dioxide Company Ltd., Huntsman Corporation, Tronox Incorporated and Sachtleben Chemi! e GmbH. Advisors' Opinion:
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Typically, when the chairman of a company dies, its shares drop. That hasn’t been the case for Valhi (VHI), Kronos Worldwide (KRO) and NL Industries (NL), which have all advanced today after Harold Simmons passed away.
- [By John Udovich]
Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons died over the weekend with investors sending shares of some of his publically traded companies like Valhi, Inc (NYSE: VHI), Kronos Worldwide, Inc (NYSE: KRO), NL Industries, Inc (NYSE: NL) and�CompX International Inc (NYSEMKT: CIX)to higher levels as they anticipate changes���such as asset sales or spin offs. Harold Simmons was the embodiment of the American dream because he was born during the depths of the Great Depression in Golden, Texas to schoolteacher parents and he spent�his early years living without indoor plumbing or electricity. However and by recognizing�underpriced assets and through the use of massive amounts of leverage (e.g. junk bonds),�he built an empire and�ranked #40 on the 2013 Forbes 400 with a fortune estimated to be worth some $10 billion.
Top Dow Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: Computer Programs and Systems Inc.(CPSI)
Computer Programs and Systems, Inc., a healthcare information technology company, designs, develops, markets, installs, and supports computerized information technology systems to small and midsize hospitals in the United States. Its enterprise-wide system automates the management of clinical and financial data across the primary functional areas of a hospital. The company offers services that enable customers to outsource certain data-related business processes in the areas of clinical care, revenue cycle management, cost control, and regulatory compliance. Its software products include Patient Management, which enables a hospital to identify a patient at any point in the healthcare delivery system, and to collect and maintain patient information through the process of patient care; Financial Accounting that provides various business office applications to track and coordinate information needed for managerial decision-making; and Clinical, which automates record keeping and reporting for a range of clinical functions, such as laboratory, radiology, physical therapy, respiratory care, and pharmacy. The company?s software products also comprise Patient Care that allows hospitals to create computerized patient files; and Enterprise Applications, which provide software applications that support its products for use in various areas of the hospital. In addition, it offers support and maintenance services; business management services, including electronic billing, statement processing, accounts receivable management, payroll processing, contract management, and insurance services; and system implementation and training services, such as conversion and training. Further, the company sells computer hardware, peripherals, forms, and office supplies. It serves acute care community hospitals; and small specialty hospitals that focus on medical areas, such as surgery, rehabilitation, and psychiatry. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartere d in Mobile, Alabama.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sally Jones]
Both CSP Inc. (CPSI) and ITT Educational Services Inc. (ESI) have struggled in the last year. Their revenues are way down as of the second quarter, year over year. Richard Blum�� Blum Capital Partners LP continues to trim sinking education companies where the company is 10% owner, and John Rogers of Ariel Capital Management cuts a long-held defense company that delivered high gains over five years.
- [By John Udovich]
In the wake of the Obamacare�fiasco, small cap healthcare information systems stock Computer Programs & Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: CPSI) has put in a good performance, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of large cap players like Cerner Corporation (NASDAQ: CERN) and McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK) and small cap Quality Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: QSII).
Top Dow Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: Morgan Stanley China A Share Fund Inc.(CAF)
Morgan Stanley China A Share Fund, Inc. is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. It is co-managed by Morgan Stanley Investment Management Company. The fund invests in the public equity markets of China. It seeks to invest in the stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. The fund invests in the growth stocks of companies. It employs fundamental analysis with bottom-up stock picking approach to create its portfolio. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Morgan Stanley Capital International China A Share Index. Morgan Stanley China A Share Fund, Inc. was formed on July 6, 2006 and is domiciled in the United States.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By pamatlarge]
As the Chinese economy slows down, investors can profit by shorting a long ETF that holds Chinese stocks in major industries. The iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) has a market cap of $5.12 billion and is among the most heavily traded ETFs. The ETF concentrates its holdings in financial services, communication services and technology. The SPDR China ETF (GXC) is another large-cap ETF that is heavily invested in Chinese financial service companies and technology companies. The Morgan Stanley China A Share Fund (CAF) has a much smaller market cap of $474 million. This ETF invests in a broad range of industries including Chinese commercial banks, insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies. Holding a short position with these ETFs could pay off when one or more sections hits a downturn.
Top Dow Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: Chalmers Ltd (CHR)
Chalmers Limited is an Australia-based company engaged in transport, logistic services, warehousing and container storage, repairs and sales. The Company operated in three segments: Transport, Containers and Property. Transport consists of road transport, predominantly import/export FCL containers and the interface with logistics/ warehousing/hubbing services. Containers represent the empty container park operations concerned with handling, storage, repairs, upgrades, pretrips and so on of empty containers on behalf of shipping and leasing company customers. Property represents the capital investment Chalmers has in freeholds located in Melbourne. The Company�� subsidiaries include Chalmers Industries Pty Ltd, Chalmers (Australia) Pty Ltd and Chalmers Industries (Brisbane) Pty Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Corinne Gretler]
Chr. Hansen A/S (CHR) slid 1.7 percent to 186 kroner after Credit Suisse Group AG cut the stock to neutral, the equivalent of hold, from outperform. The brokerage said that profit from its natural-color business remains under pressure. The world�� biggest maker of dairy enzymes cut its full-year sales forecast on July 3 because of lower prices for the red pigment carmine.
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