Is Blacksburg, VA, The Best-kept Startup Secret In America? That’s What Tech Cocktail Says In This

It’s official: Obama nominates Janet Yellen as first woman to lead Federal Reserve

(Photo: Eugene Hoshiko / AP file)

President Barack Obama nominated Janet Yellen on Wednesday as the next head of the Federal Reserve, positioning her to become the first woman to head the central bank in its 100-year history.

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Lazard Earnings Rise 75% on Deals

BY MICHAEL J. DE LA MERCED

Lazard, via Associated PressKenneth M. Jacobs, Lazard’s chief executive.

An improving market for deals and cost-cutting bolstered Lazard’s third-quarter earnings, as the investment bank reported on Thursday a 75 percent increase in profit from the period a year earlier.

The firm said it earned $62 million in adjusted profit for the quarter, amounting to 46 cents a share. On average, analysts had been expecting a profit of 35 cents a share, according to estimates compiled by Standard & Poor’s Capital IQ.

Lazard also reported a 10 percent rise in operating revenue, to $489 million.

“It was a solid quarter on both sides of the business,” Kenneth M. Jacobs, Lazard’s chief executive, said by telephone.

The improvement in Lazard’s results reflect, in part, a rise in markets, which has helped both the firm’s core financial advisory arm and its asset management business.

Its best-known operation, its mergers arm, reported a 3 percent rise in revenue, to $192 million. Assignments that the firm completed in the quarter included the sale of the Dutch coffee and tea company D.E. Master Blenders 1753 to Joh. A. Benckiser and the $2.8 billion sale of Ameristar Casinos to Pinnacle Entertainment.

Mr. Jacobs said he expected mergers activity to continue rising, given continued improvement in global economies and increased confidence in corporate boardrooms.

“The change in the last six to 12 months has generally been confidence,” he said. “That augurs well for deals.”

And Lazard’s asset management arm reported a 13 percent rise in revenue, to $248 million, as the firm’s assets under management rose to a record $176 billion thanks to increasing values and new client money.

The investment bank also disclosed that it held its adjusted compensation ratio at 60 percent, compared with 62.7 percent in the period a year earlier. Its ratio of noncompensation expenses to operating revenue fell to 19.7 percent from 21.5 percent.

KKR & Company Named Top Dividend Stock With Insider Buying and 8.80% Yield (KKR)

In this series, we look through the most recent Dividend Channel ''DividendRank'' report, and then we cherry pick only those companies that have experienced insider buying within the past six months. The officers and directors of a company tend to have a unique insider's view of the business, and presumably [...]

KKR was named the top Dividend stock by Forbes. They also recently brought General David Petraeus on to head up their Global Division 

England is the only country in the developed world where the generation approaching retirement is more literate and numerate than the youngest adults, according to the first skills survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

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The Kenyan middle class is an emerging demographic in need of hospitality and food services. Hellofood is a business venture originating out of Berlin’s Rocket Internet e-business incubator. The business has grown to several countries including Ghana, Senegal and Morocco.

“You need to...

Private Equity has a new Lobbyist: Ken Mehlman

Ken Mehlman former head of the RNC and the public affairs chief at KKR is now the top lobbyist for the private equity industry. Mr. Mehlman was elected on Thursday to be the chairman of The Private Equity Growth Capital Council.

PEGCC is the most prominent advocacy group for equity and capital firms such as TPG Capital, Silver Lake, Apollo Global Management, Carlyle Group and Blackstone Group. PEGCC was launched in 2007 and is currently being run by president and chief executive officer Steve Judge. Mehlman is succeeding Mark Tresnowski in this position. Tresnowski was a top lawyer for Madison Dearborn Partners.

“As a member of the PEGCC’s Board of Directors, Ken has long been a driving force behind our major initiatives,” said Steve Judge, PEGCC President and CEO. “We’re very pleased to have him as our new chairman. Ken is a unique talent with two decades of experience at the highest levels of government, politics and business. The PEGCC and our members will benefit tremendously from his leadership, advice and counsel.” 

Mr Mehlman's primary responsibilities will be to help expand the PEGCC's outreach as well as educate and engage stakeholders about the value of the private equity industry. At KKR Mr. Mehlman has had a large role in formalizing KKR's outreach efforts including creating robust environmental, social and governance programs for the firms and its portfolio companies. 

“I’m privileged to succeed Mark as Chairman of the PEGCC,” said Mr. Mehlman. “I have enormous respect for the PEGCC’s important work engaging with public policy makers to encourage more economic growth and retirement security for millions of Americans. I also share the PEGCC’s goal of building a community of investors who seek superior returns while also emphasizing active, responsible governance, long term investment and measuring success in years not quarters.

“I would personally like to thank Mark for his invaluable contributions and leadership for PEGCC and the industry as a whole throughout his tenure as Chairman,” said Steve Judge, PEGCC President and CEO. “From our many legislative battles over carried interest and the Dodd-Frank Act to the 2012 presidential election that brought our industry into the national spotlight, Mark provided the PEGCC with exceptional leadership."

Markets Retreat On Light Volume: Stock Levels On Big Movers

How to build value in the drug business: This is a great video from Forbes, This year's two biggest pharma takeouts were Onyx Pharmaceuticals, purchased by Amgen for $10 BIllion, and Bausch + Lomb, a turnaround story sold to Valeant for $8.7 billion. The CEOs from both companies talk about how to revitalize a pharmaceutical firm. The discussion is moderated by Lazard's Kenneth Jacobs.