• Benefits of buying at Target stores

    Shopping at Target stores is indeed a pleasure so much so that many of us have fondly named it as – Tarjay. The minute you step into the magnanimous red doors, you are drawn into a world of its own for shopping at various price ranges, especially the under $5 section. The best features of Target stores is the very fact that there are a lot of budget-friendly options all-year round, and better deal when it comes to customer satisfaction, these Target stores are the best place to shop.

    Best features of Target stores are that:
    You can return your purchases by mail for free. Even if you had to step into a brick and mortar store to buy your products, you can log into the online return center on the Target store website page and put in a return request. You can just print out the prepaid return label, and the Target stores customer team will set up the return of items and even pay for the shipping costs. This is a feature that aids greatly for those who do not have a Target store in their locality.

    There is a rain check feature which helps you plan your shopping spree. You definitely get irritated or more disappointed when you think you can get an item on sale and then walk into a store only to discover that the item is no longer on sale. To avoid such disappointing moments, Target stores allows you to make a rain check with the store on any item you want to purchase, and even if no stock is available you can get one at the same deal when the shelves are restocked after a sale.

    There are perks when you bring the reusable bags you purchase at Target stores. On Earth day, target stores give away free reusable environment-friendly bags. And every time you carry this bag back to the store for your shopping, you get a $0.5 credit on your purchases. This is available all year round and there is no excuse why you cannot get the credit at any given point in time at any Target store.

    Some of the other perks that Target stores include discounts when there are leftovers from your registry, the pricing is affordable, you get field coupons directly on your mobile phone and you can also sign up for freebies, etc.

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  • Top 5 penny stocks of 2021

    Penny stocks are typically traded for under $5 per unit and usually belong to small companies. There are fewer takers for penny stocks in the market, so they have low liquidity, and investors may find it hard to sell them at a price that reflects the market. While penny stocks can help you make a significant amount of profit, there is, undoubtedly, an equal degree of risk involved.
    Here are the top five penny stocks of 2021:

    NexGen Energy Ltd.
    NexGen Energy Ltd. is a Canadian uranium exploration and development company. Its stock has returned investors over 271% in the last 12 months, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be on this list of the top five penny stocks of 2021. Although NexGen has interests in multiple uranium-related projects, their premier project is the Rook I in Saskatchewan, which comprises 32 mineral claims in the area.

    Zovio Inc. (ZVO)
    This online education provider’s stock ascended to $7 per share earlier this year, but weak guidance and flagging sales pulled it down again. That said, the company’s strong financial ratios and coding boot camps can help it ascend the charts again. The stock price has, in fact, gone up 22% since May.

    Exela Technologies
    This Texas-based company provides enterprise-scale transaction processing services and information management. The current stock price of Exela Technologies is $1.60. Today, businesses are concerned with inefficiencies in their processes, and vendors like Exela Technologies can reduce expenses by automating those processes, so their demand is ever increasing. This is another reason why it’s among the top five penny stocks of 2021.

    National Asset Recovery Corp
    This collateral recovery company specializes in the repossession of motor vehicles and luxury assets like planes, motor homes, boats, and heavy equipment. Although it has come into focus recently, the company doesn’t have significant operations and intends to evaluate several business opportunities. It doesn’t have an active official website either, and the stocks may be counted as momentum-driven penny stocks.

    TD Holdings Inc
    This China-based holding company is one of the top five companies whose penny stocks you should watch in 2021. The company is involved in commodity trading and provides supply chain management services. Its primary business is commodity trading, mainly non-ferrous metal products like gold, silver, zinc, and copper.

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  • All you need to know about high-yield bond funds

    Every investor is concerned about the risk and returns associated with an investment. You need to understand the features and the expected return on an investment before you make a decision.

    There are a number of investment products in the market. Bonds are one of the debt investment products. They are highly preferred as a long-term investment. A high-yield bond is basically a high-return bond with a low credit rating. The credit rating of the bond is slightly lower than that of treasury or corporate bonds. High-yield bond funds pay a higher return on investment and have a high debt ratio.

    Risks on high-yield bond funds
    High yield bond funds are high on risk. The default rate on this investment is as high as 4% per year, and a lot of investors do not see a major change in the defaults in any year. The bonds are highly volatile as compared to any other area of the market. However, it does not mean that the bonds have not performed well. At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that they fall quickly when the market tumbles. Before you make an investment decision, you need to understand that the bonds carry a high rate of risk, and consider your risk appetite with regard to the same.

    Returns on high-yield bond funds
    The return on any kind of investment is a second major concern after risk. Over a long period of time, it has been noted that the performance of high-yield bond funds has not dampened. If you consider a 10-year period, the bonds have performed consistently well and better than all other segments of fixed income. The returns have been positive and the risk-reward trade-off has been excellent.

    When investor confidence is high, the bonds perform much better. If you compare all the fixed-income investment products, you will notice that the high-yield bond funds have performed much better in the last decade. A year-on-year comparison will help you make a better decision with regard to the investment. If you already invest in exchange-traded funds and high-risk mutual funds, you need not worry about the risks associated with these bonds. If you have a high-risk appetite and are looking at the long-term, bond funds are ideal for your investment and will lead to a good diversification of your portfolio.

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  • Top 3 areas for investing in silver

    Silver has always been considered a good investment option. Individuals choose to invest in silver with the hope that its price might increase in the future. If you are looking to purchase silver, but are not sure what to invest in, here are three of the best-selling silver products for you to choose from.

    • Silver coins
      One of the most preferred silver products in the market is a silver coin. It is favored by investors and is commonly recognized across the globe. It lets investors pick low margin and small units of silver which are easy to store as well as sell. Most first-time investors purchase silver coins. In addition, investors looking to diversify their portfolio also choose to invest in these coins.
    • Silver bar
      Favored by small and large investors, 1kg silver bar is one of the best silver investments. It offers the perfect balance between flexibility and value for money. New investors and small investors prefer these bars and they are usually purchased in singles or doubles. The bars are easy to store and convenient for trading in the market.
    • 5kg silver bar
      This investment option is popular for those who are looking to make a substantial investment in silver. It is purchased by investors who regularly trade in commodity and are not concerned about capital gains on the same. Investors also purchase smaller unit coins in addition to the 5kg silver bar in order to achieve high flexibility, which the bar does not provide. Also, investors who have a lot of gold in their portfolio tend to purchase the 5kg silver bars in order to diversify the portfolio and to hedge their gold.

    The type of silver instrument you choose to put your money in may differ from one investor to the other. For small investors who do not intend to sell silver, the best silver investment may be in the form of coins. It also allows you to accumulate silver as a form of wealth for a long period. Individuals who are only concerned about making money with the purchase and sale of silver tend to pick the 5kg silver bars. They are professional investors who are not concerned about the minor commodity price fluctuations. Further, 1 kg silver bars are considered to be the perfect investment option for small and large investors alike. The best feature about them is their ease of use and convenience of storage.

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  • Biotech investments that are worth the money and risk

    One of the many sectors that investors may consider is the biotechnology field. As interesting as it may sound, it is risky to invest in company stocks in this area as historically, this has been proven. If it pays off, then the rewards are maximum but if it doesn’t, then it isn’t a surprise since in most cases, biotechnology products have struggled acceptance in the market.

    However, new tax reforms that cut corporate tax payments from 35% to 21% will drive up more mergers and acquisitions, which tend to positively impact the share prices of these companies. Fortunately, there are many such biotech companies, like the ones mentioned below, who have consistently performed and are estimated to grow in the second half of the year.

    • CRISPR Therapeutics AG
      Also known as CRSP in the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, this Switzerland-based company has taken over the American market by storm within just five years of its foundation. Annually, it has a staggering growth of 213.4%. The gene editing firm has seen loss estimates fall to a mere 9% for 2019 over the last month or so. At the moment, this seems to the best biotech stock to buy.
    • Aeglea Biotherapeutics Inc.
      Based out of Texas, this firm was founded in 2013 and its shares have registered 88.9% returns this year, having an annual growth rate of 15.3%. Famous for its human enzyme research that may cure rare genetic diseases as well as cancer, it is bound to have fewer loss estimates, which come up to a mere 7.5% for the next year.
    • Athersys, Inc.
      Known as ATHX in NASDAQ terms, this is the best biotech stock to buy if one is looking for maximum reliability and reward at the same time. It has made a reputation for itself in inventing therapies for regenerative medicine since 1995. The Ohio-based firm is expected to record a 426.4% growth in sales in 2018. Its shares have seen 35.9% returns this year. Its loss estimates are a little on the higher side, coming up to 19.6% for 2019.
    • Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc.
      Based out of San Diego, it is known as LGND in NASDAQ stocks. It is known for having economic rights i.e. licensing of some of the most important medicines in the world. As a result, its shares have posted 39.8% returns in 2018 and sales have grown 37.7% as well. Its loss estimates are just 8% for 2019.
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  • Understanding short term business loans

    Even the smallest of businesses have a place for equity and debt financing. With regard to debt financing, most small businesses get their loans from banks in the form of short-term business loans. The loans are defined by their short tenure and serve different purposes. They are used for short-term financing and have a maturity of less than one year. Most of the loans are repaid within three to four months only.

    Purpose of the loan
    The purpose of a short-term business loan is to help you meet the short-term needs of your business without making a long-term commitment. The loans are ideal for businesses that are seasonal in nature.

    • It helps the business owner build up an inventory for the season and the loan may be repaid by the end of the season.
    • It helps serve as a working capital in the business as it may cover up for a temporary cash deficiency.
    • You might have credit customers who are yet to pay their bills, but you cannot delay your payments any further. In times like this, it is best to apply for a short-term business loan.
    • You might have fallen short of funds for whatever reason and need a loan to pay your own bills on time.

    Such a loan serves various purposes and makes it easier to run your business without any interruption.

    Qualifying for the loan
    In order to apply for a short-term business loan, you will have to provide detailed documents to the lender. The lender will ask for your payment history of the other loans you have had in the past to get an idea of your credit repayment history. Your accounts payable, income statement, as well as your cash flow in the business for the last couple of years are some other important documents that you will need to submit for availing of a loan. The terms and conditions of the loan and the amount of the loan depend on the fact that the loan is secured or unsecured. If there is a security against the loan, the loan amount may be higher and the terms of repayment could be adjusted as per your needs. Most start-ups end up going for a secured loan for their new venture.

    Whatever the size and type of your business, short-term business loans will help your business grow. However, you need to consider all the loan options before making a decision to apply for one. Also, compare the interest rates offered to you by different lenders and make a well-informed decision.

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  • 3 providers of home loans with no down payment

    Most borrowers wanting to buy a house are always on a lookout for the most-suited mortgage. They look for lenders who offer them the lowest rates of down payments. Although there are lenders who offer mortgages at extremely low down payment requirement, a no down payment home loan is rare to find. Following are the three providers of loans who do not require any down payment:

    Department of Veteran Affairs
    Qualified veterans, specific members of National Guards and Reserves, as well as duty service members are eligible for a house loan from the Department of Veteran Affairs. Apart from getting a no down payment home loan, the borrower does not need to obtain additional mortgage insurance either. This is covered by the funding fees which is paid by the borrower and further added into the loan amount itself. As a first-time borrower, there is a varying funding fee of 2.15% for veterans or the current members of the military as well as 2.4% for other eligible members of the National Guards and Reserves.

    Navy Federal Credit Union
    Known to be the largest credit union when it comes to the membership as well as assets, the Navy Federal offers no down payment home loans with 100% financing to primary members. The eligibility, however, is only for specific civilian employees of the military and the Department of Defense, military members as well as the immediate family of those mentioned above. The funding fee of 1.75% of the Navy Federal Credit Union is lesser than that of the Department of Veteran Affairs.

    United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
    USDA has grown to be one of the highest lenders of no down payment home loans in the nation. Contrary to what the name suggests, the borrowers are not just associated with farmlands. In fact, you may find your eligibility as well on their website. The only two restrictions are the household income criteria and the geographical limitation. Although it is not a written guideline, experts say that USDA prefers first-time borrowers. However, again, it is not a hard and fast rule, but it is easier for first-time borrowers to procure a loan from USDA.

    The eligibility criteria to procure a loan with the first two providers is very limited. However, you may try your luck with USDA while looking for a mortgage with zero down payment.

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  • Top 10 investment options for yielding high returns

    Individuals with no prior knowledge of saving and investing the money earned often have a tough time securing funds for the future. Bad decisions with respect to money could lead to a terrible credit standing, which might make it for you difficult to sustain.

    Hence, we have compiled a list of the 10 best investment options that guarantee good returns. These investment options offer less risk and high yield—something that many investors often look for when investing.

    Residential properties
    Residential properties are known to be the best kind of investment. The returns on the house, even after depreciation, is considerably much higher than any investment put together. So, it is advisable that you invest in owning a home early in your career.

    High-interest savings accounts
    These accounts simply expect you to keep a principal amount for which you’ll receive a periodic interest. They are low-risk and assure you of a fixed return on investment, making it a worthy addition of the 10 best investment options.

    Credit card rewards
    Credit card companies have various tie-ups with service providers, where you may take advantage of a signup bonus, discounts, reward points, cash back, and more.

    Mutual funds
    Mutual funds, as a concept, have been designed for the average investor who favors stability and security of funds. Your savings are invested in a diverse portfolio, which is managed by expert professionals. This ensures your money is in safe hands and carries low risk.

    Retirement accounts
    Many companies offer 401(k) plans to their employees. This fund is basically a retirement account where they consistently save. The money may be withdrawn once the individual retires from the company or the profession.

    Securities backed by the government
    The government has various financial securities to offer. They might not yield great benefits, but will not be a loss-making investment.

    Money market funds
    Money market funds might not earn you a drastic profit or interest on the principal amount invested in the funds. However, it does maintain the principal amount, which makes it less risky.

    Municipal bonds
    The added advantage of purchasing a municipal bond (or Munis) is that the bonds are exempt from Federal income tax, making it a strong financial tool for you if you want to cut down tax cost.

    Share market
    Playing the share market with owned stocks is the riskiest, but the most rewarding, financial tool. You may buy multiple stocks from one of the top 10 investment companies and sell them depending on your stand in the market.

    Preferred stocks
    If you wish to reap bigger benefits, you may move from regular stocks to preferred stocks wherein the stockholder is entitled to benefit from a portion of equity and debt instrument (bond) in a company.

    These 10 investment options are your best bet for getting great returns. Invest today to yield those benefits.

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