Out Fox The $treet

The recent speculation that Vodafone (VOD) will sell the 45% stake in Verizon Wireless it doesn't own sent the stock surging 8%. As a prime member of the Net Payout Yields model due to a large dividend and a smaller buyback, the gains in Vodafone helped push the model up to over 21% gains for the year. This compares favorably to the 14.9% gain in the S&P 500 and places the model on a path for three straight years of easily surpassing the index. The below data comes from the model managed on Covestor . Annualized since inception (nearly 3 years now), the model has outperformed the market on average by 6.5% not including fees. Naturally future performance can not be guaranteed, but the model is a consistent grower as it consistently shifts into high net payout yielding stocks. Disclosure: Long VOD. Please see the disclaimer page for more details. 

The common perception by investors is that Steve Ballmer was a complete failure while CEO of Microsoft ( MSFT ) . Sure he could've done better at developing a mobile software strategy. Sure he could've done better at developing products to compete with Apple's ( AAPL ) slew of consumer gadgets that made billions over the last decade. Investors miss the point, though, that not only did Microsoft perform in line with the other technology powers from the 2000 technology bubble, but it wasn't a product design firm like Apple. Most investors forget that Apple designed the most appealing computer at the time so it was only staying within its core competency by building a iPod, iPhone and iPad. Microsoft though got distracted attempting to make products instead of focusing on developing software to dominate the mobile world. Instead, Google ( GOOG ) now dominates the mobile world with the Android even surpassing iOS from Apple. Read the full article at Seeki...

Another quarterly report and another major sell-off of Millennial Media ( MM ) . Investors not reading the report would probably suspect that the leading independent mobile advertising company released earnings that didn't meet estimates. The nearly 19% loss on top of an 8% loss on the day earnings were released undoubtedly must have been due to extremely negative numbers. The sell-off was actually caused by a couple of factors, including the surprise merger of the second leading independent mobile ad network and revenue numbers that missed estimates. Considering the general weakness in the sector, it actually doesn't take much to send ad technology stocks down these days. Read the full article at Seeking Alpha. Disclosure: Long MM. Please read the disclaimer page for more details. 

The recent article against Nuverra Environmental ( NES ) used personal attacks to distract from the real results of the company. Claims that the well-respected former CEO made an acquisition to escape or that the company creates a "distorted reality" by making adjustments to financials is absurd. The company is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of environmental solutions for the removal and disposal of restricted fluids primarily from shale drilling. As environmentalists fret over the safety of the fluids used in fracking, Nuverra was suppose to benefit from the need to safely dispose of the "dangerous" fluids. Read the full article at Seeking Alpha. Disclosure: Long NES and CJES. Please review the disclaimer page for more details 

NeoStem ( NBS ) is not only transforming the treatment of chronic disease, but the company is working to transform the stock as well. From the transition to the NASDAQ back in July to the hiring of new executives to help lead the next phase of development, NeoStem appears ready for the next growth stage. The company develops therapies for chronic unmet medical needs around a significant IP portfolio and operates a revenue generating service division with expertise in contract manufacturing and cell banking. With a market cap of only $150 million, the stock is largely unknown by the market, yet it has plenty of opportunities to address chronic diseases from cardiovascular disease to autoimmune disorders to regenerative opportunities. Read the full article at Seeking Alpha. Disclosure: No positions mentioned. Please review the disclaimer pages for more details. 

When Jive Software ( JIVE ) came public back at the end of 2011, the stock promised huge potential to become the social business platform of choice to rival Facebook's ( FB ) consumer network. The cloud software firm instead has floundered as other cloud based software firms have soared. Does this social butterfly have the potential for a similar rebound to what Facebook recently made? Jive Software offers a cloud-based collaboration network that connects employees, customers and partners. It also offers the only pure-play option with the other leading competitor bought by Microsoft ( MSFT ) a while back. Read the full article at Seeking Alpha. Disclosure: No positions mentioned. Please review the disclaimer page for more details. 

Whether directly or indirectly, the aggressive newbuild program at Seadrill ( SDRL ) could benefit the most from the potential opening up of Mexico to international oil service firms. While still too early to get overly excited, Merrill Lynch suggests the potential is for Mexico to add 50 onshore rigs and 20 floaters in the next two years to pull the struggling industry out of decline. Seadrill is a leading offshore deepwater drilling expert with a fleet of drillships, jack-up rigs and semi-submersible rigs operating in Northern Europe, U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, South America, West Africa, Middle East and Southeast Asia. The company owns positions in numerous other drilling oil services firms including 75.7% of Seadrill Partners ( SDLP ) that alone is worth nearly $1 billion. Read the full article on Seeking Alpha. Disclosure: No positions mentioned. Please review the disclaimer page for more details.