He talks fast and works even faster. But he always seems to know where he's going, and why.
Though trained as a chemical engineer, Fant prefers to run his own show as owner of an insurance firm and a real estate company, serving low- to modest-income people of the Upstate region of his native South Carolina.
In addition, he is pastor of Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church in Powdersville, S.C. And last year, Fant, a former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, found time to run for the state Senate.
"Seventy-hour work weeks," he says when asked to describe life as an entrepreneur for the past 25 years.
Small businesses have been the backbone of economic growth in the African-American community ever since the end of slavery, starting in such places as the "Black Wall Street" area of Tulsa and New York City's Harlem.
5 Best Value Stocks To Own For 2016: WESCO International Inc. (WCC)
WESCO International, Inc. engages in the distribution of electrical, industrial, and communications maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products; and original equipment manufacturers products and construction materials. It also provides supply chain management and logistics services. The company offers general and industrial supplies, such as wiring devices, fuses, terminals, connectors, boxes, enclosures, fittings, lugs, terminations, tapes, splicing and marking equipment, tools and testers, safety and security, personal protection, abrasives, cutting tools, consumables, fasteners, janitorial, and other MRO supplies. It also provides wires, cables, raceway, and metallic and non-metallic conduits; and communications products, such as structured cabling systems, broadband products, low voltage specialty systems, specialty wire and cable products, equipment racks and cabinets, access controls, alarms, cameras, and paging and voice solutions. In addition, the company off ers power distribution equipment, such as circuit breakers, transformers, switchboards, panel boards, metering products, and busway products; lighting and controls, including lamps, fixtures, ballasts, and lighting control products; and motor control devices, drives, surge and power protection, relays, timers, pushbuttons, operator interfaces, switches, sensors, and interconnects. Further, it provides value added services in the areas of construction, e-business, energy, engineering services, green and sustainability, production support, safety and security, supply chain optimization, training, and working capital. The company serves industrial and commercial businesses, contractors, governmental agencies, institutions, telecommunications providers, and utilities. It operates in North America and internationally. WESCO International, Inc. was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Citigroup’s Deane Dray and team took a long hard look at the U.S. economy and the their ratings on diversified industrial like United Technologies (UTX), Honeywell (HON), Tyco (TYC) and Wesco International (WCC) and decided it was time to makes some changes.
- [By Seth Jayson]
WESCO International (NYSE: WCC ) reported earnings on April 18. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), WESCO International met expectations on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share. - [By Rich Smith]
Instead, the winners who will compete among themselves to fulfill the $45 million firm-fixed-price, multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract include privately held Bluewater Communications Group LLC, small-cap Globecomm Systems (NASDAQ: GCOM ) , and TVC Communications LLC, of Annville, Penn., a small subsidiary of larger electronics distributor WESCO International (NYSE: WCC ) . All three will now be competing against each other to win the Pentagon's business on individual task orders for the Cisco and other HD equipment on order.
Top 10 Income Companies To Buy Right Now: Charter Pacific Corporation Ltd (CHF)
Charter Pacific Corporation Limited is in the business of investments and the provision of corporate services. During the fiscal tear ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company focused on development of its iron ore projects in Mauritania, maintained its holding in Monteray Mining Group Ltd to 30.36%, and maintained its investment in FarmWorks Australia Limited. The Company segments include corporate services, investments, share trading, and exploration and evaluation. Corporate services include provision of corporate services to other companies; Investments segment includes investment in listed and unlisted companies planned to deliver returns in through capital appreciation and/or interest on loan funds advanced. Share trading includes the purchase and sale of listed investment securities. Exploration and evaluation involves the exploration of iron ore permits. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012, the Company closed its Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) segment. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chandan Dubey]
DatePrice/Share (CHF)SharesAmount08.08.20116.3812,57480,22208.08.20115.9715,00089,55010.08.20115.9945,00029,97218.08.20115.866,000383,10322.08.20115.410,00054,00022.08.20115.720,000114,500
Top 10 Income Companies To Buy 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 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.
Top 10 Income Companies To Buy Right Now: Dollar/Yen (YY)
YY Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates an online social platform in the People�s Republic of China. It provides YY Client, a personal computer based user software that offers real-time access to user-created online social activities groups. The company also offers Web-based YY that enables users to conduct real-time interactions on the Web without any downloads or installations; and Mobile YY, a smartphone application. In addition, it operates Duowan.com, a game media Website that provides information on online games and other resources for users and online game players. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Guangzhou, the People�s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
YY (NASDAQ: YY) shares dropped 1.89% to $79.95 in pre-market trading after the company announced a proposed offering of $400 million convertible senior notes.
Top 10 Income Companies To Buy Right Now: Integrated Device Technology Inc. (IDTI)
Integrated Device Technology, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and markets a range of integrated circuits for communications, computing, and consumer industries worldwide. It operates in two segments, Communications, and Computing and Consumer. The Communications segment offers communication clocks, digital logic products, first in and first out memories, serial RapidIO solutions for wireless base station infrastructure applications, integrated communications processors, static random access memory products, radio frequency products, and telecommunications semiconductor products. This segment markets its products to the enterprise, data center, and wireless markets. The Computing and Consumer segment provides timing products, PCI Express switching and bridging solutions, high-performance server memory interfaces, multi-port products, touch controllers, signal integrity products, and PC audio and video products. This segment?s computing products are designed for deskto p, notebook, sub-notebook, storage, and server applications; and consumer products are optimized primarily for gaming consoles, set-top boxes, digital TV, and smart phones. The company markets its products primarily to original equipment manufacturers through various channels, including a direct sales force, distributors, electronic manufacturing suppliers, and independent sales representatives. Integrated Device Technology, Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
Integrated Device Technology (NASDAQ: IDTI) shares were also up, gaining 19.09 percent to $16.72 after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings.
Top 10 Income Companies To Buy Right Now: Progenics Pharmaceuticals Inc.(PGNX)
Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development and commercialization of therapeutic products to treat the unmet medical needs of patients with debilitating conditions and life-threatening diseases in the United States and internationally. Its primary programs focus on gastroenterology, oncology, and virology. The company offers RELISTOR (methylnaltrexone bromide) subcutaneous injection, a therapy for opioid-induced constipation. It is also conducting a Phase I clinical trial of a human monoclonal antibody-drug conjugate directed against prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a protein found at high levels on the surface of prostate cancer cells, as well as in blood vessels supplying other solid tumors. In addition, the company is developing PRO 140, a viral-entry inhibitor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which is in Phase II clinical testing; and multiplex PI3-Kinase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. Progenics Pha rmaceuticals, Inc. has license agreement with Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. for the development and commercialization of RELISTOR worldwide other than Japan. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Tarrytown, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, biotechnology company Progenics Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PGNX ) has received a distressing two-star ranking.
- [By Anna Prior]
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration office has approved Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd.'s(SLXP) appeal to gain approval for expanded usage of a constipation drug it licensed from Progenics Pharmaceuticals Inc.(PGNX), the companies said. Shares of Progenics climbed 12% to $4.75 premarket.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, biotechnology company Progenics Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PGNX ) has received a distressing two-star ranking.
Top 10 Income Companies To Buy Right Now: Ballard Power Systems Inc.(BLDP)
Ballard Power Systems Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, sale, and service of fuel cell products for motive and stationary power applications worldwide. It offers clean energy PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell stacks, modules, and complete systems. The company provides fuel cell products and services for material handling and bus, back-up power, and distributed generation applications; and fuel cell engineering solutions for various fuel cell applications. It also offers carbon-based engineered material products in the form of roll goods as woven carbon fiber textile fabrics or carbon fiber papers primarily for automotive transmissions and gas diffusion layers. Ballard Power Systems Inc., through its interests in Dantherm Power A/S develops clean energy backup power through utilization of hydrogen fuel cell technology; and Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation Corp. develops fuel cell products for the automotive fuel cell market. The company was founde d in 1979 and is headquartered in Burnaby, Canada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bryan Murphy]
Had shares of its peers and competitors performed as well, it may not even be worth bringing up. But, Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ:PLUG) shares have done significantly better than FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:FCEL) and Ballard Power Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:BLDP) since the end of March. And, PLUG has performed considerably better than FCEL and BLDP have since mid-August. This is more than "just a little volatility." This is a leader breaking away from the pack after a very long lull. Thing is, there's plenty more room for Plug Power to keep running.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Management highlighted excessive service costs during 2Q and for the remainder of the year due to stack repairs and replacements of older generation fuel cell units from Ballard Power Systems (BLDP). Management noted in recent quarters increased up time of units and expects many of the challenges to be alleviated by year end. The operating expense levels are set to increase by about 15% in the back half of the year as R&D programs into adjacent areas are accelerated and sales personnel are hired for international markets and for pockets domestically.
Gene J. Puskar/AP WASHINGTON -- U.S. home prices fell slightly in November as colder weather slowed buying, ending nine straight months of price gains. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index slipped 0.1 percent from October to November, partly reversing the previous monthly increase of 0.2 percent. But the index is not adjusted for seasonal variations, so the monthly decline partly reflects slower buying in the late fall as temperatures drop. "November was a good month for home prices," said David Blitzer, chairman of the S&P Dow Jones index committee. "Prices typically weaken as we move closer to the winter." Despite the overall decline, home values have continued to rise in many Sun Belt cities. Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Phoenix have registered 20 straight months of rising prices. But home prices surged for much of 2013, driven by big gains earlier in the year. Prices have risen 13.7 percent over the past 12 months. Dallas enjoyed its strongest annual gain since 2000. And Chicago home prices climbed at their strongest annual clip since December 1988. Among the cities in the index, only Detroit prices remain below their 2000 level. The Case-Shiller index covers roughly half of U.S. homes. The index measures prices compared with those in January 2000 and creates a three-month moving average. The November figures are the latest available. Some of the improvement in the housing market since 2012 has begun to slow in recent months. Rising mortgage rates and home prices have reduced affordability, an indication that the housing market will likely expand more gradually this year. "Sellers used to seeing huge price gains month after month may feel some whiplash as that slows down," said Stan Humphries, chief economist for the real estate firm Zillow (Z). "The housing market is still a long way from normal, but it's getting there." For all of 2013, sales totaled 5.09 million, the best performance since 2006, when sales climbed to 6.48 million, the National Association of Realtors reported last week. But the sales gains in both 2005 and 2006 represented an unsustainable housing bubble. Analysts say a more normal sales pace currently would be around 5.5 million units. Mortgage rates have also risen by roughly a full percentage point since spring, although they remain low by historical standards. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said last week that the average rate on the 30-year loan is 4.39 percent. Some economists say the Case-Shiller figures overstate recent price gains because they include foreclosures. Foreclosed homes usually sell at steep discounts. As the proportion of those sales declines, the index rises more sharply.
That 'better' finally got traction on Tuesday, with Star Scientific, Inc. breaking above - and closing above - $2.11. The fact that the volume behind the move was so strong confirms the necessary participation and bullish interest is in place. And for those doubters, the stock's holding the line above that former ceiling today.