As every year, the GuruFocus community is invited to nominate the best investor of 2012. The process of nomination consists of two steps. In the first step, we ask our readers to nominate the candidates. Then we will set up a poll for users to vote for the investment Guru of the Year. It is a completely democratic process in which GuruFocus editors do not have control over the outcome.
Last year, Seth Klarman won the title of Guru of the Year with 38.2% of votes cast. Klarman runs the hedge fund Baupost Group, which has about $29.4 billion in assets under management and has produced an average annual return of 20% since his company�� inception.
This is a break down of last year's voting results:
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In the past, GuruFocus users voted Warren Buffett (2005), David Dreman (2006), Ken Heebner (2007), Prem Watsa (2008), Bruce Berkowitz (2009) and David Tepper (2010) to be the Gurus of the Year.
Top Electric Utility Companies To Own In Right Now: Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (CCLAF)
Coca-Cola Amatil Limited (CCA) with its subsidiaries is engaged in the manufacture, distribution and marketing of carbonated soft drinks, still and mineral waters, fruit juices, coffee and other alcohol-free beverages. CCA operates in four business segments: The Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, and Indonesia and PNG segments. CCA is also engaged in the processing and marketing of fruits, vegetables and other food products, and the manufacture and distribution of alcohol ready-to-drink products, and the distribution of premium spirits and beer brands. The Company�� principal operations are in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG). On January 13, 2012, the sale of CCA�� 50% interest in Pacific Beverages to SABMiller was completed. On February 21, 2011, the Company acquired Vending business, a non-alcohol beverage in Australia. On September 7, 2012, CCA acquired an 89.6% shareholding in Paradise Beverages (Fiji) Ltd (Paradise Beverages). Advisors' Opinion:- [By MARKETWATCH]
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks rose modestly in early Tuesday trade, with the market reacting to a mixed batch of earnings. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) added 0.2% to 5,391.80, with BHP Billiton Ltd. (AU:BHP) (BHP) rising 1.7% after its July-December profit almost doubled from a year earlier, beating forecasts. However, smaller rival Arrium Ltd. (AU:ARI) (ARRMF) added 2.5% after reporting a swing back to profit. Other miners got a bump up from rising commodity prices, as Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) gained 2.3% and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) added 1.2%, though Oz Minerals Ltd. (AU:OZL) (OZMLF) slipped 0.4%. Shares of Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd. (AU:CCL) (CCLAF) slumped 5.1% after the drinks firm saw a more than 80% drop in 2013 profit, weighed by a writedown on its fruit-processing business. Packaging firm Amcor Ltd. (AU:AMC) (AMCRF) lost 4.6% after its fiscal-first-half profit fell by about a third.
Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Gentex Corp (GNTX)
Gentex Corporation is a supplier of automatic-dimming (auto-dimming) rear-view mirrors and camera-based lighting-assist features to the global automotive industry. The Company also provides commercial smoke alarms and signaling devices to the North American fire protection market, as well as dimmable aircraft windows for the commercial, business and general aviation markets. The Company is involved in designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing interior and exterior auto-dimming automotive rear-view mirrors that utilize electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps. The Company also manufactures non-automatic-dimming rear-view automotive mirrors with electronic features. On September 27, 2013, the Company acquired Johnson Controls' HomeLink business.
Automotive Mirrors
The interior auto-dimming mirror offers reflectance levels between its approximate 85% full-reflectance state and its 5% least-reflectance state, taking just a few seconds to span the entire range. Special electro-optic sensors in the mirror detect glare and electronic circuitry supplies electricity to darken the mirror to level required to eliminate glare, allowing the driver to maintain maximum vision. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company began making shipments of its auto-dimming mirrors for over 25 additional small/mid-sized vehicles manufactured by Hyundai/Kia, Nissan, Opel/Vauxhall, Peugeot/Citroen, Toyota/Lexus, VW/Audi and Geely/Volvo. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was supplying mirrors for, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia Motors, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, SAIC, Suzuki, Samsung, Toyota and Volkswagen/Audi in Asia.
The Company offers its exterior auto-dimming mirrors with turn-signal indicators and side blind zone features. The Company sells its exterior auto-dimming mirror sub-assemblies to exterior mirror suppliers of the automakers who assemble the exterior auto-dimmi! ng mirror sub-assemblies into full mirror units for subsequent resale to the automakers. During 2011, the Company shipped approximately 5,288,000 exterior auto-dimming mirror sub-assemblies. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was shipping interior auto-dimming mirrors, which was standard equipment or factory-installed options on certain trim levels to the manufacturers. The Company�� exterior auto-dimming mirrors are controlled by the sensors and electronic circuitry in the interior auto-dimming mirror, and both the interior and exterior mirrors dim simultaneously.
Non-Automatic-Dimming Rearview Mirrors
As of December 31, 2011, auto-dimming mirrors offered by the Company include headlamp control, lighted light emitting diode (LED) map lamps, compass, remote keyless entry, compass/temperature mirror, compass/temperature dual display, telematics, HomeLink, tire pressure display, hands free communication, trip functions display, indicator LED�� for alarm system, exterior turn signal and side blind zone mirrors. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was shipping auto-dimming mirrors with SmartBeam for 66 vehicle models with 12 automakers. Its SmartBeam product includes variable forward lighting (VFL) and dynamic forward lighting (DFL). VFL automates high-beam and low-beam switching.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company shipped approximately 1,045,000 SmartBeam units and shipping auto-dimming mirrors with SmartBeam for 66 vehicle models with 12 automakers. As of December 31, 2011, the Company is shipping auto-dimming mirrors with its RCD Mirror for 57 vehicle models with nine automakers. The Company is also shipping auto-dimming mirrors with its RCD Mirror for over 20 aftermarket or dealer-installed programs. The Company�� compass technology can be sold as a system with the compass heading displayed in the interior auto-dimming mirror. The Gentex compass technology is called Z-Nav, as it features a digital, tri-axis sensor (transducer) and software. The tri-axis! design i! s similar to compasses used in scientific apparatus, such as aerospace applications, and can be mounted on any fixed or pivotal location in the vehicle, including inside the mirror housing.
In North America, the Company markets its products primarily through a direct sales force. The Company supplies auto-dimming mirrors and mirrors to its customers worldwide under annual blanket purchase orders. The Company supplies auto-dimming mirrors to General Motors Corporation and Chrysler LLC under long-term agreements. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was supplying mirrors for, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia Motors, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, SAIC, Suzuki, Samsung, Toyota and Volkswagen/Audi in Asia. During 2011, the Company marketed and sold auto-dimming mirrors into the domestic the People�� Republic of China automotive market, by shipping product directly through the global automakers��joint venture relationships and indirectly into the People�� Republic of China through global automakers export divisions.
Fire Protection Products
The Company manufactures approximately 55 different models of smoke alarms and smoke detectors, combined with over 100 different models of signaling appliances. All the smoke detectors/alarms operate on a photoelectric principle to detect smoke. Photoelectric detectors/alarms feature low light-level detection, while ionization detectors utilize an ionized atmosphere, the electrical conductivity, of which varies with changes in the composition of the atmosphere. The Company�� fire protection products provide the flexibility to be wired as part of multiple-function systems and consequently are generally used in fire detection systems common to office buildings, hotels, motels, military bases, college dormitories and other commercial establishments. The Company also offers single-station alarms for both commercial and residential applications.
The Company�� fire protection products are sold di! rectly to! fire protection and security product distributors under the Company�� brand name, to electrical wholesale houses, and to original equipment manufacturers of fire protection systems under both the Company�� brand name and private labels. The Company markets its fire protection products globally through regional sales managers and manufacturer representative organizations.
Dimmable Aircraft Windows
The Company provides variably dimmable windows for the passenger compartment on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner series of aircraft. PPG Aerospace works together to provide variably dimmable windows for the passenger compartment on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner series of aircraft. The Company jointly markets and sells its variable dimmable windows to aircraft manufacturers with PPG Aerospace.
The Company competes with Magna International.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
Gentex (NASDAQ: GNTX ) is sticking to its dividend schematic. The company has declared a quarterly payout of $0.14 per share, to be paid on July 19 to stockholders of record as of July 5. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution, which was handed out in the middle of April. Prior to that, Gentex was incrementally more stingy, dispensing $0.13 per share.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Gentex (Nasdaq: GNTX ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By Eric Volkman]
Gentex (NASDAQ: GNTX ) is accelerating its efforts in the vehicle-based remote control segment. The company announced it has signed a definitive agreement with car-parts supplier Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI ) to acquire the latter's HomeLink unit. This is described by Gentex as "a vehicle-based control system that enables drivers to remotely activate garage door openers, entry door locks, home lighting, security systems, entry gates, and other radio frequency convenience products." According to Gentex, it can function with nearly all automatic garage door openers.
- [By Chris Hill]
In this installment of Motley Fool Money, our analysts talk about why they're watching Dynamic Materials (NASDAQ: BOOM ) , Gentex (NASDAQ: GNTX ) , and Western Union (NYSE: WU ) .
Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In Right Now: iShares Russell 3000 Index Fund (IWV)
iShares Russell 3000 Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 3000 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the United States equity market. The Index serves as the underlying index for Russell 3000 Growth and Value Series, and the Russell 1000 and Russell 2000 Indexes, as well as their respective Growth and Value series. The Index is a capitalization-weighted index and consists of the 3000 largest companies domiciled in the United States and its territories.
The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. iShares Russell 3000 Index Fund's investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Maxfield]
Over the past five years, this ETF has beaten the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) by 23 percentage points. It's outperformed the Russell 3000 (NYSEMKT: IWV ) by 21 percentage points. And it's done the same to the eponymous S&P 500, exceeding it by 11 percentage points.
Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Britton & Koontz Capital Corporation(BKBK)
Britton & Koontz Capital Corporation operates as the holding company for Britton & Koontz Bank, National Association that provides commercial and consumer banking services in Adams and Warren Counties, Mississippi, and East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, as well as in the adjoining counties and parishes in Mississippi and Louisiana. The company offers various deposit products, including personal and commercial checking accounts, money market deposit accounts, savings accounts, non-interest bearing deposits, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, and certificates of deposit. Its loan portfolio comprises commercial, financial, and agricultural loans; real estate construction, residential, and other loans; installment loans; consumer loans; and overdrafts. In addition, the company provides automated clearinghouse services; safe deposit box facilities; brokerage services; automated teller machines; cash management services, including remote deposit, money transfer, direct de posit payroll, and sweep accounts; VISA credit cards; and letters of credit. As of May 17, 2011, it operated three full service offices in Natchez, two in Vicksburg, Mississippi; three in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and a loan production office in Central, Louisiana. The company was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Natchez, Mississippi.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tim Melvin]
HBCP recently announced a deal to buy Britton & Koontz Capital Corporation (BKBK) in a deal that will add eight branches and more than $300 million of assets to the bank. It also gains access to the Mississippi marketplace and increases Home Bancorp’s deposit base in Baton Rouge.
Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Opexa Therapeutics Inc.(OPXA)
Opexa Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, develops patient-specific cellular therapies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Its principal product includes Tovaxin, a personalized cellular immunotherapy treatment that completed Phase IIb clinical study for multiple sclerosis. Tovaxin is derived from T-cells isolated from peripheral blood, expanded ex vivo, and reintroduced into the patients via subcutaneous injections. The company was formerly known as PharmaFrontiers Corp. and changed its name to Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. in June 2006. Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is based in The Woodlands, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPXA), a biotechnology company developing a novel T-cell therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), reported that the Company is rebranding its leading MS therapy with the new name Tcelna(TM).
Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Twin Butte Energy Ltd (TBTEF.PK)
Twin Butte Energy Ltd. (Twin Butte) is a Canada-based junior oil and gas exploration and production company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition of, exploration for and the development and production of petroleum and natural gas properties in Western Canada. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it drilled a total of 125 (80.9 net) wells. Its Frog Lake property is located approximately 75 kilometers northwest of Lloydminster with lands. Its Freemont area is located 60 kilometers southeast of Lloydminster. During 2011, Twin Butte drilled 11 gross wells in Plains region. Production from its west central Alberta region was approximately 1,545 barrels of oil equivalent per day during 2011. Production from its Deep Basin region was approximately 593 barrels of oil equivalent per day during 2011. Effective September 30, 2013, the Company disposed a non-core, west central Alberta, gas asset. In November 2013, the Company acquired Black Shire Energy Inc. Advisors' Opinion:- [By MLP Trader]
Here are the current top five companies in the list:
CompanySymbolEV/BOEPD/NetbackPrice/NAVEV/DACFPinecrest(PNCGF.PK)53564%4.0XLightstream(LSTMF.PK)131753%4.5XNovus(NOVUF.PK)133290%4.1XZargon(ZARFF.PK)138664%5.6XTwin Butte(TBTEF.PK)155885%5.5XOf the larger companies, one that remains obstinately near the top of the list is Lightstream . Lightstream trades at 40% of its book value and a whopping 13.4% yield.
Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Swedish Export Credit publ Corp (FUE)
Swedish Export Credit publ Corp (SEK) is a Sweden-based company engaged in the provision of financial solutions for the private and public sectors with the aim of promoting the development and international competitiveness of the Swedish industry and trade. The Company�� business activities are structured into three segments: the Financing segment includes corporate banking, export finance, trade finance, project finance, customer finance, structured products and Cirr-rates; the Advisory segment provides financial advice to International Financial Institutions, governments and corporations, in a range of areas, such as power and energy, utilities, environment, transport, telecoms, and pulp and paper, and the Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) segment offers finance services to small and medium-sized enterprises. Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
On Tuesday, lightly traded small cap biodiesel stock Methes Energies International Ltd (NASDAQ: MEIL) soared 53.78% on record production figures, meaning its worth taking a closer look at whether that surge was actually warranted plus look at the performance of�potential peers like biodiesel stock Renewable Energy Group Inc (NASDAQ: REGI) and biofuel ETF the ELEMENTS MLCX Biofuels Index TR ETN (NYSEArca: FUE).
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