Asia

When your brand is all about image and making people feel good about the way they look, it's no wonder you might be a little self-centered. Yesterday, Ralph Lauren released its fourth-quarter results, announcing that they were "better-than-expected" -- it's unclear who was expecting worse. Apparently, not Ralph Lauren itself. Back in the third quarter, the company forecast fourth-quarter retail revenue growth of 8% to 11% -- it managed 7%. It also predicted flat wholesale revenue, which actually fell 4% instead. In Ralph's defense, it did manage to beat its own expectation on operating margin expansion, pushing the metric up to 11.1%. Hold off on that champagne for just a second Investors were less impressed with the designer. The stock fell 2.3% on the day, and was down after-hours as well. While the company did beat analysts' expectations on a per-share basis, the revenue miss dragged the price down. On the retail side, comparable-store sales grew 3% in the fourth quarter. That's a better result than most companies have been turning in this week, but not as strong as other luxury players. Saks , which reported first-quarter results on Tuesday, grew comparable-store sales by 5.9%, leading the current pack. Saks' strong growth reflected the company's strong brand, and the smaller growth at Ralph does the same. Still, it could have been worse. The increase in operating margin shows that management has a hold on the company's costs, even if sales are sluggish. Even the 3% comparable-sales growth wasn't bad. Gap also released earnings yesterday, and it only managed a 2% increase in comparable sales. Even with all those positive points, Ralph Lauren still didn't turn in what anyone would call a "great" quarter. Wholesale revenue, which makes up almost half of total revenue, dropped 4%. That fall was due to the discontinuation of the company's American Living line, but it also stemmed from less demand overall. Putting a positive spin on things, the company did manage to increase operating margin in the wholesale channel through favorable product mix. The bottom line Ralph Lauren has been pretty good to investors over the last year, but I don't see anything special about this company. It has the benefit of being cheaper -- on a price-to-earnings basis -- than Saks, but doesn't seem to be even close to as dynamic. Even Gap seems to be doing more interesting things than Ralph, and it's substantially cheaper. Ralph's main benefit is that the company is so well known that it feels very low-risk. It's clicking along, growing but not astounding. I think the company has a lot of potential in its wholesale business, especially as it looks to expand in Asia and Latin America, but that growth is still a ways off. Instead of jumping in with both feet, I'm looking for other brands that manage to impress me -- instead of just themselves. Another luxury retail stock to considerMichael Kors is one of today's hottest high-end fashion brands, and since its debut on the market in late 2011, the share price has more than doubled. But with all that growth, has the stock finally become too expensive, or is there still room left to run? The Motley Fool's premium report on Michael Kors gives investors all the information they need to make the right decision. We cover the key must-watch areas, opportunities, and threats to the company that investors need to know. To claim your copy, simply click here now for instant access.

LONDON -- Sometimes, you just gotta have it. That's how I feel about in-form fashion retailer Burberry . I'm not talking about its scarves and handbags, its trench coats and iconic checks. I want it as an accessory for my portfolio. Burberry looks like the summer's must-have fashion stock. Burberry has been the height of investment style for a number of seasons. Its share price is up a swanky 140% over the past three years, against 33% for the FTSE 100 as a whole. It did briefly fall out of fashion last year, but has shrugged off fears over a Chinese hard landing to rebound 24% over the past six months. Better still, Burberry has just posted a funky set of preliminary full-year results, with record revenue and growth. Group revenue rose 8% to 2 billion pounds, while adjusted profit before tax was up 14% to 428 million pounds. Loyal investors will have applauded management's 16% full-year dividend hike to 29 pence per share. Stocks and frocksOne item caused a bit of a stink. Burberry incurred an 83 million-pound charge following the termination of its fragrance and beauty license with Interparfums. That hit reported profit before tax, which fell 4% to 351 million pounds. Investors have also wrinkled their noses at the smell of fear emanating from French-based fashion rivals LVMH and PPR, which have both complained of sluggish growth in China. Yet Burberry is doing fine in Asia-Pacific, with revenue up 14% to to 745 million pounds, compared to just 1.4% in Europe to 560 million pounds, and 6.6% in the Americas to 463 million pounds. China's still gotta have it. Burberry is also a wow on social media. Its 15 million fans make it the most followed luxury brand on Facebook. Some investors don't do fashion. They would rather gaze at a company balance sheet than a catwalk. They don't want to submit their portfolio to swings and fads. But they're wrong. Fashion is forever. Whenever people have cash to spare (and many still do, especially in Asia), they will want to show it off. Burberry has been the beneficiary. Check this outLike those French fashionistas, I am a little worried about a China slowdown. Brands can fall out of favor, austerity chic could still win the day. My biggest concern is that the valuation is looking pricey at 21 times earnings, while the forecast yield is a plodding 2.2% (although 2.4 times cover suggests scope for further double-digit hikes). Happily, earnings per share (EPS) growth of 9% to March 31, 2014 and 13% the following year look pretty cool to me. Credit Suisse has just upped its target price from 15.50 pounds to 16 pounds and maintained its outperform rating. Right now, you can buy Burberry for 15 pounds. If that's a little out of your price range, current market turbulence suggests you could pick it up cheaper in a summer sale. Burberry is cool, but it isn't cool enough to feature in our special report "5 Shares to Retire On." This free report by Motley Fool share analysts names five FTSE 100 favorites to secure your retirement. To find out more, download this report now. It won't cost you a penny, so click here. link

It's been a wild ride across the Pacific this week. China's downbeat economic data and concerns over the future of America's quantitative easing sent Asian markets into free fall on Thursday, capped off by the Nikkei's 7.3% plunge that day alone. Japan's leading index clawed back some of its losses Friday to end the week down 3.5%, but the loss was a reminder of just how young and fragile the Japanese market's recovery is. Investors have thrived so far under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's easy-money plan, but one dose of fear this week sent the market into turmoil. A temporary adjustment to the year's big gainsMuch of Thursday's gains were due to investors looking to cash out on Japan's rise as the first hints of doubt arose in the markets. The Nikkei has risen more than 40% year to date, far outpacing other markets around the globe, and it's only natural for a correction to set in after such a swift rise. Japan's government certainly thought so, with Cabinet Office Senior Vice President Yasutoshi Nishimura calling the dip a "temporary adjustment" when speaking to Reuters. Don't let Thursday's downturn alter your investment thesis significantly. While China's manufacturing data may have disappointed, the weak yen should continue to fuel Japanese exports, even if Chinese growth continues to slow. While investors panicked about America's stimulus potentially slowing this year, there are no signs of Japan's easy-money atmosphere ending: With Abe angling for 2% inflation and the Bank of Japan set out to double the country's money supply, expect stimulus to dominate Japan's near future. The Japanese economy has already responded well, posting 3.5% annualized growth in the first quarter. Japan still has a long way to go before it reaches steady growth after decades of stagnation. Consumer prices are also rising due to aggressive easing, which could hurt consumption in the long run despite a 5.5% year-over-year increase in spending per household in March. Still, aggressive easing should continue to keep interest rates low and promote investment, which indicates that the best could be yet to come for investors. The best certainly hasn't come this week in the financial sector, however. Financial stocks have surged in Japan on stimulus optimism, but fears over its future have blasted this sector's best over the last five days. Nomura Holdings , one of the biggest victims of investor fear, fell 11.5% over the course of the week. Nomura has done well lately on the back of easy money and is preparing to increase sales staff in Europe, Asia, and the Americas to boost profitability overseas. While investors have panicked over Thursday's drop and bailed out of Nomura's stock, this is one financial firm looking strong. Like the Nikkei, Nomura has been a victim of its own success this year: With the stock's 42% year-to-date rise, a correction was bound to occur. Mitsubishi UFJ also plunged in the Japanese financial sector's sell-off, with the firm's stock dropping 12.3% over the week. This firm faced more of a threat from Thursday's action, however: Japan's benchmark bond yield climbed to its highest level in more than a year, and Mitsubishi is the largest lender by assets in the country and holds more than 48 million yen in government bonds. Bond yields are still coming off of record lows, so Mitsubishi's hardly in a dangerous place. The firm's attempts to expand recently may also help boost revenue at a company that posted declining net income in its most recent quarter. Even with the losses late in the week, not all Japanese firms suffered as badly as the financial sector. While Sony faced a significant sell-off on Thursday and Friday, the stock posted a huge rise on Tuesday in response to competitor Microsoft's unveiling of its Xbox One console. Sentiment was mixed regarding Microsoft's new entertainment device, causing some to wonder whether Sony's competing PlayStation 4 may have a leg up on its rival in the next generation of entertainm

Yingli Green Energy is to be the supplier to a large-scale solar power plant in its home continent of Asia. The company announced it had reached a deal for its Singapore subsidiary to supply over 10 MW of its multicrystalline photovoltaic modules to a solar facility in Malaysia. The customer is Amcorp Power, a local holding company. The facility it operates, located in Gemas, is the biggest single-site PV power plant in the country at roughly 34 acres in total. Yingli Green Energy is to supply over 41,000 of its YGE 60 Cell Series multicrystalline modules to the project. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Law Office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC Announces Investigation of AsiaInfo-Linkage, Inc. BALA CYNWYD, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Law office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC announces that it is investigating potential claims against the Board of Directors of AsiaInfo-Linkage, Inc. ("ASIA" or the "Company") (NAS: ASIA) relating to the proposed acquisition by a consortium of investors led by CITIC Capital Partners and the Company's co-founder. Click here to learn more about the investigation http://brodsky-smith.com/585--asiainfo-linkage-inc.html, or call 877-534-2590. There is no cost or obligation to you. Under the terms of the transaction, ASIA shareholders will receive only $12.00 in cash for each share of ASIA stock they own. The investigation concerns possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law by the Board of Directors of ASIA for not acting in the Company's shareholders' best interests in connection with the sale process. The transaction may undervalue the Company and will result in a loss for many long term ASIA shareholders. ASIA stock traded at $13.85 per share as recently as March 13, 2012 and traded at $17.56 per share on July 5, 2011. In addition, an analyst has set a $16.00 per share price target on ASIA stock and, for the most recent quarter, ASIA has a reported book value of $14.25. If you own shares of ASIA common stock and wish to discuss the legal ramifications of the proposed transaction, or have any questions, you may e-mail or call the law office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC who will, without obligation or cost to you, attempt to answer your questions. You may contact Jason L. Brodsky, Esquire or Evan J. Smith, Esquire at Brodsky & Smith, LLC, Two Bala Plaza, Suite 602, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, by e-mail at investorrelations@brodsky-smith.com, by visiting http://brodsky-smith.com/585--asiainfo-linkage-inc.html, or calling toll free 877-LEGAL-90. Brodsky & Smith, LLC is a litigation law firm with extensive expertise representing shareholders throughout the nation in securities and case action lawsuits. The attorneys at Brodsky & Smith have been appointed by numerous courts throughout the country to serve as lead counsel in class actions and successfully recovered millions of dollars for our clients and shareholders. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Brodsky & Smith, LLCJason L. Brodsky, EsquireEvan J. Smith, Esquire877-LEGAL-90investorrelations@brodsky-smith.comhttp://brodsky-smith.com/585--asiainfo-linkage-inc.htmlKEYWORDS:   United States  North America  PennsylvaniaINDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

Google has become deeply involved in a series of projects to build and operate wireless networks in emerging markets including sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, a report said Friday.

Google has reportedly launched an expansive effort to bring wireless networks and affordable computing to emerging markets such as sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, moves that could bring the Internet to a further billion people.The wireless networks would be introduced outside the major cities, where wired connections are not possible, but could also be used to help make the Internet faster in urban centers, according to a report Friday in The Wall Street Journal.The plan would employ airwaves normally reserved for TV broadcasts, if government regulators allow it. Google has also been experimenting with high-altitude balloons to help carry wireless signals over hundreds of square miles, according to the Journal's report, which cites unnamed sources.In a sense, the project would have similar goals to Google's efforts to provide faster Internet access to consumers in the U.S. The company wants to provide and improve networks all over, allowing people to access new online services, and in the process helping to expand Google's business.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Asia Entertainment & Resources Ltd. Announces Proposed Rights Offering HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Asia Entertainment & Resources Ltd. ("AERL") (NAS: AERL) , which operates through its subsidiaries and related promoter companies as a VIP room gaming promoter in Macau, today announced the record date for a proposed rights offering. As AERL previously announced, AERL is seeking to dual list its securities on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. In order to comply with Hong Kong listing requirements relating to the financial independence of the company, AERL should, among other things, repay in full amounts due to existing shareholders in order to demonstrate its financial independence from shareholders at the time of the listing in Hong Kong. In order to raise funds sufficient to repay such amounts, AERL plans to offer subscription rights to purchase approximately $63 million of its ordinary shares to each shareholder of record as of June 3, 2013. The rights offering will permit AERL to raise equity capital through the sale of ordinary shares without diluting existing shareholders who exercise their rights in full. The number of rights, exercise price of the rights and other terms will be determined and announced prior to the commencement of the offering. AERL expects that the rights will be tradable, thereby allowing existing shareholders that are not interested in exercising their rights to sell their rights in the public market. Certain of AERL's current shareholders are expected to agree to purchase any ordinary shares underlying unexercised rights. Some of the shareholders agreeing to purchase such shares hold the indebtedness that will be repaid with the proceeds of the rights offering. No consideration is expected to be paid to these shareholders for their agreement to purchase these shares. The offering of the ordinary shares underlying the rights will be made only by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy ordinary shares, nor shall there be any sale of the ordinary shares in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities law of any such jurisdiction. Shareholders should carefully read the prospectus, rights certificate and related materials when they are available because they will contain important information. About Asia Entertainment & Resources Ltd. Asia Entertainment & Resources Ltd. is a holding company which operates through its subsidiaries and related promoter companies as a VIP room gaming promoter, and is entitled to receive all of the profits of the VIP gaming promoters from VIP gaming rooms. AERL's VIP room gaming promoters currently participate in the promotion of four major luxury VIP gaming facilities in Macau, China, the largest gaming market in the world. One VIP gaming room is located at the top-tier 5-star hotel, the Star World Hotel & Casino in downtown Macau, and another is located in the luxury 5-star hotel, the Galaxy Macau™ Resort in Cotai, each of which is operated by Galaxy Casino, S.A. Additional VIP gaming rooms are located at the Sands Cotai Central and City of Dreams Macau, both in Cotai. Forward Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements, based upon the current beliefs and expectations of AERL's management, are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements include, but are not lim

Filed under: InvestingU.S. equity markets opened sharply lower again this morning, but this time reacting to yesterday's comments by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke that the Fed could slow its bond purchases in the next few months. In the U.S., orders for durable goods made a strong showing and propelled stocks off their morning lows. In Europe, the second estimate on German GDP showed first-quarter growth of 0.1%, as expected, and the country's business climate index rose more than expected. There was no economic data of note in Asia today, but Japan's Nikkei made a modest comeback after yesterday's collapse. By the closing bell, only the DJIA managed to cross break-even line. U.S. markets are closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day. The U.S. dollar index is trading down 0.27% today, now at 83.5710. The GSCI commodity index is down 0.2% at 624.86. WTI crude oil closed down 0.1%, at $94.15 a barrel, to close the week down about 2%. Brent crude trades up 0.2% at $102.59 a barrel. Natural gas is down 0.6% today at about $4.24 per million BTUs. Gold settled down 0.4% today at $1,387.50, about 1.6% higher than last week's close. The unofficial closing bells put the DJIA up about 9 points to 15,303.33(0.06%), the NASDAQ fell less than 1 point1 (-0.01%) to 3,459.14, and the S&P 500fell -0.06% or less than 1 point to 1,649.60. There were a several analyst upgrades and downgrades today, including: Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) raised to 'buy' at UBS; The Wendy's Co. (NASDAQ: WEN) raised to 'buy' at Janney; Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CBST) cut to 'neutral' at Janney; Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. (NASDAQ: MPEL) cut to 'neutral' at Macquarie; and Aixtron SE (NASDAQ: AIXG) cut to 'neutral' at Goldman Sachs. Earnings reports since markets closed last night have resulted in some price changes for reporting companies as of the last half hour of trading today: Aeropostale Inc. (NYSE: ARO) is down 10.9% at $14.68; America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) is up 1.2% at $46.59; Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) is down 1.9% at $40.56; Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: MRVL) is down 0.1% at $11.30; Pandora Media Inc. (NYSE: P) is down 3.9% at $16.50 after posting a new 52-week high of $19.37 earlier today; Ross Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: ROST) is up 0.7% at $65.55; Salesforce.com Inc. (NYSE: CRM) is down 5.5% at $43.23; Zumiez Inc. (NASDAQ: ZUMZ) is down 1.2% at $X31.63X; Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) is down 7.9% at $50.05; and Foot Locker Inc. (NYSE: FL) is down 5.2% at $33.82. Before markets open Tuesday morning we are scheduled to hear earnings from Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) and Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF). Some standouts among heavily traded stocks today include: Ziopharm Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: ZIOP) is up 29.2% at $2.61. The cancer drug company had no news, which is often interpreted to be good news. Perhaps its investors looking for another biopharma company to match the price runup in MannKind Corp (NASDAQ: MNKD) earlier this week. Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) is down 3.7% at $24.12. The social media company appears about to do battle with Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) over an Israeli company that makes a smartphone traffic app. Sears Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: SHLD) is down 13.6% at $50.33. The department store owner posted another big net loss in the first quarter. Stay tuned for Tuesday. U.S. markets are closed on Monday. We have noted the following events on Tuesday's schedule (all times Eastern): 9:00 a.m. – S&P Case-Shiller house price index 10:00 a.m. – Conference Board consumer sentiment index 10:00 a.m. – Richmond Fed manufacturing index 10:30 a.m. – Dallas Fed manufacturing survey 11:30 a.m. – 3- and 6-month bill auction 1:00 p.m. – 2-year note auction Have a great holiday weekend! Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, HI/LOW, Market Close Tagged: AIXG, ANF, ARO, CBST, CRM, CRMT, CSIQ, FB, FL, GOOG, GPS, MNKD, MPEL, MRVL, P, PG, ROST, SHLD, TIF, WEN, ZIOP, ZUMZ Read | Permalink | Email this

WSJ: Google developing wireless networks to boost Internet access in Africa, Asia by @dangraziano