Friday, November 27, 2015

United Fire Group: An Insurance Carrier

In these unpredictable times, insurance companies continue to be a trusted partner of individuals, families and businesses. Through the offerings of these companies, policyholders are given the assurance that they have someone to lean on to, when rough times strike.

In the United States, United Fire Group is one of the leading names in providing insurance coverages. It serves as the parent company of several regional businesses. The operations of the business are divided into two reporting segments, namely Life Insurance and Property and Casualty Insurance. The Life Insurance segment of the business offers universal life insurance products, traditional life insurance products and deferred and immediate fixed annuities. The Property and Casualty Insurance provides surety bonds, assumed reinsurance and personal lines insurance.

The company operates in 43 states and as well as in the District of Columbia. Its headquarters is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. United Fire Group remains publicly traded on the NASDAQ (UFCS).

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

United Bancorp: A Bank Holding Company

Headquartered in Martins Ferry, Ohio, United Bancorp, Inc. operates as a bank holding company that  markets its products and services through its operating subsidiary, The Citizens Savings Bank. It was incorporated in July 1983. It operates under their slogan “We are united to better serve you.”

Despite the stiff competition and the changing landscape in the financial markets, the business remains steadfast in maintaining its leading position in the markets it serves. It offers a wide range of financial services and products that are uniquely tailored to the needs of customers, businesses and institutions. The Citizens Bank provides its offerings through its 18 banking offices across northeastern, eastern and southeastern Ohio. Its operations are further divided into two divisions: The Community Ban and The Citizens Bank. These divisions represent the communities they serve.

The Community Bank division serves the counties of Athens and Fairfield, while The Citizens Bank unit operates in the counties of Harrison, Carroll, Belmont, Tuscarawas and Jefferson. Its wide range of banking and financial services include depository and savings products, time deposits, brokerage services, commercial, real estate and consumer lending activities. As of March 2015, the company’s loan portfolio is valued to be around $47.91 million of commercial loans and another $161.45 million under its commercial real estate loan portfolio. Additionally, their residential real estate loans are estimated to be around $82.97 million. The pooled deposits and the company’s access to the Federal Home Loan Banks continue to fuel their lending activities.

United Bancorp, Inc. invests in the latest technology to continue on providing their clients better banking experience. The company remains publicly traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market and trades its common shares using the ticker symbol UBCP. It is listed as one of the components of the Wilshire 5000 Index.

Friday, November 20, 2015

TrovaGene, Inc.: Offering Noninvasive Diagnostic Test

TrovaGene, Inc. is registered as a diagnostic company that promotes better patient outcome, especially for those that are afflicted with the Big C. As a diagnostic company, it focuses on the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer.

The company continues to defy the science of imaging and biopsy. It intends to provide physicians with the diagnostic system that would allow them to fully assist the treatment process of patients with cancer. The offerings of the company are categorized as noninvasive and are used to monitor before, during and after treatment of cancer. By providing these options, they are mitigating the pain, costs and risks that cancer patients have to face to combat the disease.

The lead product of the company is a urine-based cell-free molecular diagnostic technology. TroveGene, Inc. is strongly positioned to create joint ventures with other companies to penetrate other medical disciplines, including in areas such as transplant medicine, infectious diseases and prenatal diseases.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

BB&T Bank Shares Fortune to Charity

BB&T is a leader in the financial services industry that prides itself for its stature and longevity. The company has continued to build a tradition of excellence in community banking since 1872, and it remains to be one of the oldest and most trusted institutions in the industry. For over a century, BB&T has provided  lending, insurance, trust, and wealth management solutions to its loyal clients.

Aside from providing these financial services, BB&T is also known for their contributions in the community. The company considers corporate social responsibility as one of their priorities – for them, this is a way of returning what the society has given to them.

One of their programs in community development is the Capacity Building Training Program. They facilitate improvement in the local community by allowing participants to form new partnerships and generate ideas for community involvement. Participants are also taught how to identify needs related to affordable housing and economic development. Planning, however, is just the first step. To execute their plan, the participants are grouped into subcommittees to develop feasible strategies to accomplish the specific goals and objectives. BB&T is with them every step of the way to assure that the community development plan will be implemented.

The company also offers community lending to support the credit needs of the communities they serve. Last year, their Community Development lending reached $701.3 million – a big increase from 2009’s $584.7 million. To raise such large sums, BB&T has aligned with McDonald's to raise money for charity. The company has had several partners from various industries to fulfill a common goal.

BB&T also reaches out to the Hispanic community, the largest minority group in the country. They are committed to partnering with key Hispanic organizations to welcome them and provide needs to their growing community.

With all these concrete contributions to the society, BB&T Bank takes the lead in corporate responsibility.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Tokai Pharmaceuticals: Giving Hope to Cancer Patients

Boston, Massachusetts-based Tokai Pharmaceuticals is one of the clinical stage biopharmaceutical companies that focus its resources on the discovery and development of novelty products for cancer. Additionally, the business focuses on finding treatment for hormonally-driven diseases.

As of, the company has one product that is being developed for various treatments. Their product is branded as galeterone, which is an oral small molecule drug. This therapeutic has advantages over existing prostate cancer therapies and is intended as a treatment for patients with castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This medication acts by disrupting the androgen receptor signalling pathway. The clinical trials of this therapeutic are conducted in the United States and in Canada. The business competes against Orion Corportion, Johnson & Johnson and Medivation, Inc., among other pharmaceutical companies.

Tokai Pharmaceuticals is one of the components of the Wilshire 5000 Index and publicly trades its common shares on the NASDAQ Global Market. The stocks of the company are marketed using the ticker symbol TKAI.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Titan International, Inc.: Manufacturer of Tires, Wheels and Rims

Titan International, Inc. operates from its headquarters in Quincy, Illinois. The business, together with its subsidiaries, provides its products and services to the off-highway vehicle market. The business was incorporated in March 1983 with a history that goes back to more than 100 years ago.

The business entered the tire market in 1993 and started out in the off-highway wheel manufacturing business. Titan International operates on a global scale and focuses on the markets of consumer applications, construction, earthmoving and agriculture. The history of the business started with the Electric Wheel Company, which was founded by John A. Stillwell in 1890. The business was created as a manufacturer of wheels for wagons and farm implements. From the creation of wheels, the company eventually evolved into a manufacturer of tractors and wagons and several other implements.

From its humble beginnings, the business has evolved into a giant venture that works closely with some of the world’s biggest names in heavy equipment and off-highway vehicles. Some of the largest customers of Titan International are Caterpillar, Inc., Deere & Company, AGCO Corporation and CNH Global N.V. It operates through its three reporting segments: agricultural, consumer and earthmoving/construction. The agricultural unit produces rims, wheels and tires that are used in agricultural and forestry equipment. These products are used in planters, irrigation equipment, skidders, plows and tractors. The consumer segment manufactures light truck tires (Russia) and bias truck tires (Latin America). The earthmoving/construction segment provides tires, wheels and rims that are used in various off-the-road (OTR) earthmoving, construction equipment, mining, military and similar vehicles.

Through the company’s aggressive approach in strategically acquiring similar companies, it continues to grow and expand its operations. Titan International, Inc. has the largest dealer network focused on the industry of agriculture. The business remains publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange and market its common shares using the symbol TWI.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Tenneco: An Automotive Parts Manufacturer

One of the largest automotive parts producers in the world is Tenneco. Headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, the business was formerly known as the Tennessee Gas Transmission Company. Prior to the diversification of the business, it was focused in the distribution of natural gas in the United States.

In 1996, the company spun off its other segments, consisting of energy, natural gas, packaging and its ship building divisions. Today, it focuses in the designing and manufacturing of automotive parts that are sold to some of the world’s largest and well-known customers like General Motors, Suzuki, Chrysler, Daimier, Audi, Mazda, Jaguar, Honda, Toyota and Porsche, among others. They provide various parts and components including after-market ride-control and emissions products.

During the company’s 2011 fiscal year, they were able to generate more than $7.2 billion in revenue. In 1999, Tenneco made its initial public offering as an automotive parts manufacturer. It markets its common shares using the ticker symbol TEN on the New York Stock Exchange.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Tejon Ranch Company: A Diversified Real Estate Company

Registered as a diversified real estate company, Tejon Ranch Company engages in real estate, agriculture and ranching operations. The company is registered as the largest private landholding company in California. It publicly trades its common shares on the New York Stock Exchange, using the ticker symbol TRC.

The largest property of the company is the Tejon Ranch, which is a historic land area in California that is located along Interstate 5. The property is considered as the largest single piece of private property in the state, which measures to about 270,000 acres. The size of the property is just about the size of the Los Angeles City and is estimated to be around 40% the size of the state of Rhode Island. Within this property, the company develops the Tejon Ranch Commerce Center, which is about a 1,450-acre commercial and industrial center located at the junction of Interstate 5 and Highway 99. It is also in this same location that they develop the Outlets at Tejon which is an upscale outlet retail center created in partnership with The Rockefeller Group.

In addition to the commercial properties being developed by the company, they are also in the process of creating residential communities in the area and as well as the Tejon Mountain Village, mountain resort community. Several communities are already in the pipeline to fully utilize the area within the property. In addition to the real estate venture of the company, several acres within the Tejon Ranch are used in agriculture and ranching operations. The company grows pistachios, almonds, walnuts, wine grapes and several other row crops. Part of their ranching operations are their more than 12,000 cattle that are grazing within their ranching areas.

Tejon Ranch Company partners with several other businesses to fully harness the potential of their properties. The business is listed as one of the components of the Wilshire 5000 Index and is currently headquartered in Lebec, California.