Hot Clean Energy Stocks To Watch Right Now

Hot Clean Energy Stocks To Watch Right Now: Old Republic International Corporation(ORI)

Old Republic International Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides various insurance and mortgage guaranty products in North America. The company operates in three segments: General Insurance, Mortgage Guaranty, and Title Insurance. The General Insurance segment provides liability insurance coverages to businesses, government, and other institutions in commercial construction, forest products, energy, general manufacturing, and financial services industries; and transportation, including trucking and general aviation industries. It provides various insurance products, such as automobile extended warranty, aviation, commercial automobile insurance, general liability, home warranty, inland marine, travel accident, and workers? compensation, as well as liability coverage for claims arising from the acts of owners or employees, and protection for the physical assets of businesses. This segment also offers financial indemnity products, such as consumer credit indemnity , errors and omissions/directors and officers, guaranteed asset protection, and surety, as well as bonds that cover the exposures for losses of monies, or debt and equity securities due to acts of employee dishonesty. The Mortgage Guaranty segment insures first mortgage loans, primarily on residential properties incorporating one-to-four family dwelling units to mortgage bankers, brokers, commercial banks, and savings institutions. The Title Insurance segment provides lenders' and owners' title insurance policies to real estate purchasers and investors based upon searches of the public records. It also provides escrow closing and construction disbursement services; and real estate information products, national default management services, and services related to real estate transfers and loan transactions. Old Republic International Corporation m! arkets its products directly, as well as through insurance agents and brokers. The company was founded in 1887 and is based in Chi cago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  The part I like the most is that WGL sells energy credits and carbon offsets to retail customers. The company makes good money on these elements, selling to customers who just like to feel good about how they are "helping the environment". WGL has a long history as an energy company and has paid a dividend for 37 years. It currently pays 4.3% annually.

  Old Republic International (ORI)

  The next of our dividend stocks is one you may have heard of: Old Republic International (ORI). Old Republic started back in 1887 and is an insurance company that offers a huge array of products. A lot of insurance products are very high margin, and Old Republic has mastered the art of selling these. Extended Automobile Warranty, Home Warranty an Travel Accident Insurance are great segments to be playing in.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Insurance underwriting company Old Republic (ORI) raised its quarterly dividend 5.8% to 18 cents per share, payable on Dec. 16 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 4.
  ORI Dividend Yield: 4.28%

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Its big day has also boosted other insurers. Radian Group (RDN) has risen 7.2% to $14.39, while Old Republic International (ORI) has advanced 2.1% to $15.24, Genworth Financial (GNW) is up 3.6% at $13.41 and MBIA Inc. (MBI) has jumped 4.3% to $10.76.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-clean-energy-stocks-to-watch-right-now.html

With Hippocratic Oath, Doctors Pledge Allegiance to Patients, Not Profits

The Maine Medical Association recently updated a 2008 poll of their members that asked the question, �When considering the topic of health care reform, would you prefer to make improvements in the current public/private system (or) a single-payer system, such as a �Medicare-for-all� approach?� In 2008, 52.3 percent favored the Medicare-for-all approach. In the updated poll, released last week, that number had risen to 64.3 percent.

It�s pretty unusual for two-thirds of a group of doctors to agree on something as controversial as a single-payer health care system. Until recently, doctors formed the core resistance to �government-run� health insurance in the U.S.

A number of factors account for this impressive change, but the huge administrative burden on practicing physicians created by our plethora of private insurance schemes is certainly near the top of the list.

The other day, I spoke with a Maine physician nearing retirement and looking forward to it. She was recently returning home after a long day in her practice, carrying her �homework,� a pile of administrative paperwork several inches high. Her husband asked her how she got so far behind in her paperwork. �I wasn�t behind at all,� she replied. She did this much paperwork, mostly insurance forms, at least twice a week.

American physicians spend at least three times as much time, money and effort on administrative work related to payment and insurance coverage as our Canadian brethren, with their single-payer system. Administrative hassle is a major factor driving more and more American doctors to sell our practices to large corporations that take care of the back-office work. The Affordable Care Act has only added to that burden. Sixty percent of doctors now work for corporations, and that number is growing.

Working for a corporate provider of health care services is a mixed bag. He who pays the piper calls the tune. As both for-profit and nonprofit health care corporations have become increasingly focused on the bottom line, doctors working for them have come under increasingly subtle and not-so-subtle pressures to generate revenue for their employers.

Some tests and procedures are more profitable than others. Increasingly, doctors� �productivity� is measured by the amount of profitable revenue we produce rather than by the results we get for our patients. But in health care, profitability is a very unreliable measure of value because doctors� fees and other health care prices are often set arbitrarily.

When we graduate from medical school, most of us take the Hippocratic Oath, swearing our primary allegiance to our patients. Young doctors tend to take their oath very seriously. Most doctors truly want to do what�s best for patients, not their insurance company or our employers� bottom line.

But in today�s corporatized and increasingly monetized health care environment, the demands for generation of profit often directly conflict with our clinical judgment. The belief that doctors and other healers act as stewards for our patients� welfare has long earned us a special place in society and the trust of our patients. That position and that trust, so critical to healing, is now threatened.

This conflict has made many doctors very angry. Practicing a profession that has traditionally been a calling has become a business. Doctors today are caught in a system corrupted by an excessive focus on money that is forcing us to behave in ways that conflict with our professional ethics. We are growing very tired of being told how to practice medicine by insurance company bureaucrats and corporate MBAs.

This is another major cause of the burnout experienced by increasing numbers of doctors. Many older doctors are now simply looking for a way out. Others are calling for systemwide reforms that will allow them to return to focusing on the welfare of their patients. Hence the results of the recent MMA poll.

In an excellent new book called �What Matters In Medicine�, longtime Maine family doctor David Loxterkamp points out that medical care, while often using scientific jargon, methods and tools, is at its core a profession about relationships, not profits. That�s something the bean-counters and policy wonks who have become increasingly influential in determining the nature of our corporatized health care system seem unable to understand.

It�s time to remove corporate profit from the financing of health care, and perverse financial incentives from the direct provision of services. It�s time for improved Medicare-for-all.

Physician Philip Caper of Brooklin is a founding board member of Maine AllCare, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group committed to making health care in Maine universal, accessible and affordable for all. He can be reached at pcpcaper21@gmail.com.

10 Best Low Price Stocks To Invest In Right Now

10 Best Low Price Stocks To Invest In Right N ow: Roadrunner Transportation Systems Inc (RRTS)

Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. operates as a non-asset based transportation and logistics service company. It provides a suite of solutions, including customized and expedited less-than-truckload, truckload brokerage, transportation management solutions, intermodal solutions, and domestic and international air services. The company is headquartered in Cudahy, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Roadrunner Transportation Systems (NYSE: RRTS  ) reported earnings on May 1. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Roadrunner Transportation Systems beat slightly on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Margins matter. The more Roadrunner Transportation Systems (NYSE: RRTS  ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Roadrunner Transportation Systems's competitive position could be.

• [By Rich Smith]

  This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines feature a pair of downgrades for lululemon athletica (NASDAQ: LULU  ) and Roadrunner Transportation (NYSE: RRTS  ) . But the news isn't all bad, so before we get into that news, let's find out first why one analyst thin! ks...

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/10-best-low-price-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Top 5 Small Cap Stocks To Own Right Now

Top 5 Small Cap Stocks To Own Right Now: ATA Inc.(ATAI)

ATA Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides computer-based testing services in the People?s Republic of China. It offers services for the creation and delivery of computer-based tests utilizing its test delivery platform, proprietary testing technologies, and testing services; and provides logistical support services relating to test administration. The company?s computer-based testing services are used for professional licensure and certification tests in various industries, including information technology (IT) services, banking, securities, teaching, and insurance. Its e-testing platform integrates various aspects of the test delivery process for computer-based tests ranging from test form compilation to test scoring, and results analysis. ATA also provides career-oriented educational services, such as single course programs, degree major course programs, and pre-occupational training programs focusing on preparing students to pass IT and other vocational certification tests; test preparation and training programs and services to test candidates preparing to take professional certification tests in securities, futures, banking, insurance and teaching industries; online test preparation and training platform for the securities and banking industries; and test preparation software for the teaching industry. In addition, the company offers HR select employee assessment solution, an online system that utilizes its proprietary software and an inventory of test titles to help employers improve the efficiency and accuracy of their employee recruitment process. As of March 31, 2010, it had contractual relationships with 1,988 ATA authorized test centers. The company serves Chinese governmental agencies, professional associations, IT vendors, and Chinese educational institutions, as well as individual test preparation services. ATA Inc. was founded in 19! 99 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  Industrials stocks gained Friday, with ATA (NASDAQ: ATAI) leading advancers. Meanwhile, gainers in the sector included Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG), with shares up 22 percent, and Korn/Ferry International (KFY), with shares up 12 percent. In trading on Friday, basic materials shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 1.36 percent.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  Industrials stocks gained Friday, with ATA (NASDAQ: ATAI) leading advancers. Meanwhile, gainers in the sector included Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG), with shares up 22 percent, and Korn/Ferry International (KFY), with shares up 12 percent. In trading on Friday, basic materials shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 1.36 percent.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-small-cap-stocks-to-own-right-now.html

Best Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now

Best Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now: Micromem Technologies Inc (MMTIF)

Micromem Technologies Inc. (Micromem), incorporated on October 21, 1985, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in the development of memory technology that has the characteristics of non-volatility, which is the ability to retain information after power has been shut off. The Company is focused on magnetic sensor applications. The Company is focused on research and development of nano-magnetic random access memory (MRAM). Micromem operates in a single segment as a developer of non-volatile magnetic memory and sensor technology. The Company partners with industry to manufacture.

The Company's technology is based on the ability to use magnetic materials in combination with a sensor to record the state of magnetization. Each magnetic element stores one bit of data based on its ability to alternate between states of magnetic polarization, which states are determined by a sensor.

The Company competes with IBM.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  At the end of last week, small cap stocks Senesco Technologies, Inc (OTCBB: SNTI), VolitionRX Ltd (OTCMKTS: VNRX) and Micromem Technologies Inc (OTCBB: MMTIF) were all trending upwards – ending up 13.65%, 8.73% and 7.61%, respectively, on Friday. However, it's a new trading week with the last two trading days for the year. So what direction will these three small caps head in for the end of this year and into next year? Here is a quick look to help you decide on a trading or investment strategy:

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-low-price-companies-to-watch-in-right-now.html

Hot Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Hot Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now: NovaDx Ventures Corp (NDX)

NovaDX Ventures Corp. (Novadx) is a Canada-based mining investment company, engaged in investing in the North American junior resource exploration and mining sector. In January, 2012 a higher capacity auger machine was delivered to the Rosa Mine. During August 2012, the Company sold the small auger and paid off the higher capacity auger machine. On October 16, 2012,the Company announced that it, along with Sandstorm, have entered into a Letter of Intent to acquire certain coal properties and assets located in Campbell and Scott Counties, Tennessee. The Company's wholly owned subsidiary MCoal Corporation (MCoal) operates the Rosa mine located in Blount Count, Alabama, which produces coal for the metallurgical and activated carbon coal markets. In January 2013, Sandstorm Metals and Energy Ltd together with the Company acquired Mine 12, the Turley Rail Load-Out, and the Smokey Junction Preparation Plant located in Campbell and Scott Counties, Tennessee. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  However, in all fairness, shares of Qualcomm have indeed lagged the Nasdaq 100 (NDX) over the past year. But despite that fact, Qualcomm is still currently rated a buy by a large percentage of analysts who continue to follow the stock. As Hendershot points out, perhaps that is because "Qualcomm believes the company can generate double-digit compound average growth for revenues and earnings for, at least, the next five years."

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-energy-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Best Canadian Companies For 2014

Best Canadian Companies For 2014: Kinross Gold Corporation(KGC)

Kinross Gold Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in mining and processing gold ores. It also involves in the exploration and acquisition of gold bearing properties. The company?s gold production and exploration activities are carried out principally in the Americas, Africa, and the Russian Federation. As of December 31, 2010, its proven and probable mineral reserves were 62.4 million ounces of gold, 90.9 million ounces of silver, and 1.4 billion pounds of copper. The company was founded in 1972 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  At $1300 an ounce, Goldcorp's assumed price of gold is still significantly above the $1140 at Barrick Gold (ABX) or the $1,200 an ounce at Kinross Gold (KGC). I expect that Yamana Gold AUY, set to report on February 18, which already used a price assumption below $1300 an ounce, will reduce its price assumption even further. That leaves plenty of room for another reduction in reserves at Goldcorp on a lower assumed price. Gold closed at $1273 an ounce on average in the fourth quarter of 2013, 4% lower than in the third quarter and 26% less than in the fourth quarter of 2012.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Gold miners are getting a boost today from solid earnings from the likes of Barrick Gold (ABX), Goldcorp (GG) and Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM). The exception: Kinross Gold (KGC), which missed earnings forecasts and cut its reserves.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  January is nearing an end, and that means one thing: Gold miners will start announcing earnings. New Gold (NGD) will get things started on Feb 6, followed by Kinross Gold (KGC) on Feb. 12 and Goldcorp (GG) and Barrick Gold (ABX) on Feb. 13.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  As sure as April showers bring May flowers, January brings reserve updates from gol! d mining companies that foreshadow the annual earnings reports that these companies will issue in February. Yamana Gold (AUY) and Randgold Resources (GOLD) initiate the February earnings parade from gold mining companies, with reports on February 2 and 3, respectively. Kinross Gold (KGC) follows on February 12 with Goldcorp (GG) and Barrick Gold (ABX) reporting on February 13. Newmont Mining (NEM) issues its numbers on February 20.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-canadian-companies-for-2014.html

Best Gold Companies To Invest In 2014

Best Gold Companies To Invest In 2014: Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc.(TC)

Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in mining, milling, processing, and marketing molybdenum products in the United States and Canada. The company?s principal properties include the Thompson Creek Mine and mill in Idaho; a metallurgical roasting facility in Langeloth, Pennsylvania; and a joint venture interest in the Endako Mine, mill, and roasting facility in British Columbia. It also holds interests in development projects comprising the Davidson molybdenum property and the Berg copper-molybdenum-silver property located in northern British Columbia; the Howard?s Pass property, a lead and zinc project situated in the Yukon territory-northwest territories border; and the Maze Lake property, a gold project located in the Kivalliq district of Nunavut. The company produces molybdenum products, primarily molybdic oxide and ferromolybdenum, as well as soluble technical oxide, pure molybdenum tri-oxide, and high purity molybdenum disulfide. As o f December 31, 2010, its consolidated recoverable proven and probable ore reserves totaled 462.2 million pounds of contained molybdenum in the Thompson Creek Mine and the Endako Mine. The company was formerly known as Blue Pearl Mining Ltd. and changed its name to Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. in May 2007. Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. is based in Denver, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Beaten-down companies that you think are likely to recover strongly are also good candidates. Molybdenum miner Thompson Creek Metals (NYSE: TC  ) , for example, sports average annual losses of 35% over the past five years, and carries substantial debt, but molybdenum's long-term outlook is promising, with price increases likely, and the company has a promising gold and copper mine on track to start produ! cing by the end of the year. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX  ) is another major molybdenum player, with considerable operations in other metals, as well -- along with new investments in oil and gas production.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  The biggest new holdings are Chesapeake Energy puts, and shares of Discovery Communications. Other new holdings of interest include Halcon Resources (NYSE: HK  ) , and Thompson Creek Metals (NYSE: TC  ) . Oil and gas company Halcon, operating in the promising Bakken region, as well as Texas's productive Eagle Ford shale region, among others, is expected to grow by 30% annually over the coming years. It recently reported 2012 net daily production 128% higher than year-ago levels, and proven reserves up 417%. Halcon was recently one of my colleague Joel South's top two energy holdings, and analysts at Stifel recently upped its rating from Hold to Buy.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-gold-companies-to-invest-in-2014.html

5 Best Gold Stocks To Buy For 2014

5 Best Gold Stocks To Buy For 2014: First Majestic Silver Corp.(AG)

First Majestic Silver Corp. engages in the production, development, exploration, and acquisition of mineral properties with a focus on silver in Mexico. The company owns interests in La Encantada Silver Mine comprising 4,076 hectares of mining rights and 1,343 hectares of surface land located in Coahuila; La Parrilla Silver Mine consisting of mining concessions covering an area of 69,867 hectares; and San Martin Silver Mine comprising approximately 7,841 hectares of mineral rights and approximately 1,300 hectares of surface land rights located in Jalisco. It also holds interests in Del Toro Silver Mine consisting of 393 contiguous hectares of mining claims and an additional 129 hectares of surface rights located in Zacatecas; Real de Catorce Silver Project comprising 22 mining concessions covering 6,327 hectares located in San Luis Potosi state; and Jalisco Group of Properties consisting of mining claims totalling 5,240 hectares located in Jalisco. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Doug Ehrman]

  While many precious-metals companies have been in a slump of late, there is one that belongs perpetually in your portfolio: Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) . The company is not like other miners -- including Pan American Silver (NASDAQ: PAAS  ) and First Majestic (NYSE: AG  ) -- in that it has a unique business plan that insulates it against many of the vagaries of the mining business. Moreover, because silver will always have a significant industrial demand component, even with the heightened volatility you see in the silver market, maintaining exposure to silver is appropriate.

• [By Doug Ehrman]

  Despite the weakness seen in precious metals a few weeks ago, silver has been relatively stable ever si! nce mid-April, with the iShares Silver Trust (NYSEMKT: SLV  ) trading in a dollar-wide range ever since. With the presidents of the Chicago and Philadelphia Federal Reserve banks releasing conflicting statements, turmoil may be just around the corner. Miners like Pan American (NASDAQ: PAAS  ) and First Majestic (NYSE: AG  ) are still facing operating challenges, while silver streaming darling Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) struggles as well.

• [By Doug Ehrman]

  It is no secret that precious metals companies have been taking a pounding for some time now. The SPDR Gold Trust (NYSEMKT: GLD  ) and iShares Silver Trust (NYSEMKT: SLV  ) , the gold and silver ETFs, have been hard hit and operating companies like First Majestic (NYSE: AG  ) and Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX  ) have been hit even harder. Through all of these struggles, and in some cases because of them, one precious metals company continues to look attractive for the long term: Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) .

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/5-best-gold-stocks-to-buy-for-2014.html

5 Best Oil Stocks To Invest In Right Now

5 Best Oil Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Surge Energy Inc (ZPTAF.PK)

Surge Energy Inc. is an oil focused exploration and production (E&P) company. The Company has projects in Southern Saskatchewan/the Williston Basin, SE Alberta and Valhalla/Nipisi. In January 2014, Surge Energy Inc. announced the SE Saskatchewan light oil acquisition. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Value Digger]

  In late January 2013, I wrote an article about Surge Energy (ZPTAF.PK), an oil-weighted intermediate producer with operations in Canada and US. It was when the price dropped below $4. Actually, I recommended Surge Energy back then at $3.7, for the reasons mentioned here.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/5-best-oil-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Hot Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014

Hot Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: Talisman Energy Inc(TLM)

Talisman Energy Inc., an upstream oil and gas company, engages in the exploration, development, production, transportation, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. It primarily operates in North America, the North Sea, and southeast Asia. The company was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jesse Solomon]

  Energy bet may not have paid off: The funds plowed over two billion dollars into Whiting Petroleum (WLL), Valero Energy Corporation (VLO, Fortune 500), Talisman Energy (TLM), and Cameron International (CAM, Fortune 500).

• [By Arjun Sreekumar]

  In Pennsylvania, for instance, several hundred wells have been drilled but not completed because the takeaway capacity to get their production to market simply isn't there. Several operators have been forced to drastically reduce their rig counts in the region. For instance, both EXCO Resources (NYSE: XCO  ) and Talisman Energy (NYSE: TLM  ) have just one rig each remaining in the Marcellus.

• [By Chris Ciovacco]

  Sometimes the most attractive energy assets aren't found in the ground but listed on the stock exchange. Billionaire businessman Carl Icahn is one investor seeing value in energy companies. The hedge fund manager recently announced his purchase of 60 million shares in the Canadian oil and gas producer, Talisman Energy (TLM). Icahn has built up a nearly 6 percent stake in the Calgary-based energy producer, worth a whopping $300 million. Even though the company has been a perennial underperformer, after Icahn's tweet, the stock climbed to the highest level in more than a year.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-canadian-stocks-to-invest-! in-2014.html

5 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014

5 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014: TotalFinaElf S.A.(TOT)

TOTAL S.A., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated oil and gas company worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream, and Chemicals. The Upstream segment engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas. It also involves in the transportation, trade, and marketing of natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as in LNG re-gasification and natural gas storage operations. In addition, this segment engages in the shipping and trade of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); power generation from gas-fired power plants, nuclear, or renewable energies; production, trade, and marketing of coal, as well as in solar power systems and technology operations. As of December 31, 2010, it had combined proved reserves of 10,695 Mboe of oil and gas. The Downstream segment involves in refining, marketing, trading, and shipping crude oil and petroleum products. It also produces a range of specialty products, s uch as lubricants, LPG, jet fuel, special fluids, bitumen, marine fuels, and petrochemical feedstock. This segment holds interests in 24 refineries located in Europe, the United States, the French West Indies, Africa, and China, as well as operates a network of 17,490 service stations. The Chemicals segment produces base chemicals, including petrochemicals and fertilizers, as well as engages in rubber processing, resins, adhesives, and electroplating activities. TOTAL S.A. was founded in 1924 and is based in Paris, France.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Total (NYSE: TOT) is considering a sale of its TotalGAz liquefied petroleum gas marketing unit for approximately $1.04 billion. Shares lost 0.82 percent, closing at $64.39.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Three more rigs will delivered this year and next. Those rigs in ! operation are contracted out to energy giants Chevron (CVX), Total (TOT) and Petrobras (PBR). And having three of the largest oil majors sending you checks every day has worked in PACD's favor.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  Shares of energy companies without any near-term way to take advantage of any stoppage were off, with Chesapeake Energy (CHK) down 1.2% and France's Total (TOT) off 2.31%.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/5-best-dividend-stocks-to-buy-for-2014.html

Best Dividend Stocks For 2014

Best Dividend Stocks For 2014: Frontier Communications Company(FTR)

Frontier Communications Corporation, a communications company, provides regulated and unregulated voice, data, and video services to residential, business, and wholesale customers in the United States. It offers local and long distance voice services, including basic telephone wireline services to residential and business customers; switched access services that allow other carriers to use the facilities to originate and terminate their long distance voice and data traffic; and directory services that provide white and yellow page directories for residential and business listings. The company also provides data and Internet services, which include residential services comprising high-speed Internet, dial up Internet, portal and e-mail products, and hard drive back-up services; and commercial and carriers services, such as metro Ethernet; dedicated Internet; Internet protocol, optical, multiprotocol label switching, and TDM data transport services. In addition, it offers di rect broadcast satellite services and fiber optic video services, as well as provides online access to video content, entertainment, and news available on the worldwide Web through its Web site myfitv.com. The company was formerly known as Citizens Communications Company and changed its name to Frontier Communications Corporation in July 2008. Frontier Communications Corporation was founded in 1927 and is based in Stamford, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Burrows]

  That rebound knocked the dividend yield down from 7.5% a month ago, but it’s still remarkably high for a dividend stock. However, in the longer term, CTL stock has been awful, losing 24% of its value in three years. CTL is betting on an Internet-based TV broadcast service, but it will have to get working soon to stop this slide.

  #2: Frontier Communications (FTR)

  ! FTR Dividend Yield: 8.21%

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Companies that could benefit from a pickup in capital spending include Akamai Technologies (AKAM) and priceline.com (PCLN), which have the highest sensitivity to “non-residential fixed investment in Intellectual Property Products,” Frontier Communications (FTR) and Lam Research (LRCX), which have the highest sales sensitivity to non-residential fixed investment in Equipment,” and Transocean (RIG), which is among the companies with a high exposure to “non-residential fixed investment in Structures.”

• [By David Dittman]

  Question: How about Frontier Communications Corp (NYSE: FTR)?

  Answer: I'm leery of the rural telecoms right now. I do recommend Consolidated Communications Holdings Inc (NSDQ: CNSL) in the UF Income Portfolio, but it benefits from a JV with Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE: VZ) that generates substantial cash flow and sets it apart from its peers, who are otherwise struggling against declines in traditional wireline businesses as well as intense competition from bigger, better-funded national players in broadband and business service.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-dividend-stocks-for-2014.html

Top 10 Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014

Top 10 Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014: Brookfield Asset Management Inc (BAM)

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. is a publicly owned asset management holding company. Through its subsidiaries the firm invests in the property, power, and infrastructure sectors. Its property business include owning and managing office properties, developing master planned residential communities, and offering clients bridge and mezzanine lending; alternative assets funds; and financial and advisory services. Through its power generation business the firm operates hydroelectric power facilities, interconnections and transmission facilities in Northeast North America, and development of wind power in Canada. Through its funds and private capital business the firm invests in specialty funds including private equity and makes direct investments in real estate, energy, and resource assets. It also makes investments in privately held investment management and equity and fixed income mutual funds. The firm was formerly known as Brascan Corp. Brookfield Asset Management is base d in Toronto, Canada with additional offices across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Over the weekend Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM  ) announced that it and its affiliate Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE: BIP  ) are selling the Longview Timber business to Weyerhaeuser (NYSE: WY  ) for $2.65 billion. The deal consisted of 645,000 acres of high-quality timberlands in the Pacific Northwest. While these timber assets are located in the U.S., as you will see this deal is all about China.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Weyerhaeuser hasn't hesitated, though, to make some smart strategic moves. Last month, the company agreed to pay $2.65 billion to buy the Longview Timber business from Brookfield Asse! t Management (NYSE: BAM  ) and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE: BIP  ) . By selling, Brookfield will be able to reinvest proceeds into areas that are more consistent with its current focus. Meanwhile, Weyerhaeuser picks up timberland in the Pacific Northwest that has easy access to Asian export markets, letting it take further advantage of tight supply conditions caused by the mountain pine beetle's huge presence further north in British Columbia.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Berkowitz's top holdings continue to be: American International Group Inc. (AIG), AIA Group Ltd. (AAIGF.PK), Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD), Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B) and Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (BAM).

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-performing-stocks-to-buy-for-2014.html

Best Oil Stocks To Buy Right Now

Best Oil Stocks To Buy Right Now: Markwest Energy Partners LP (MWE)

MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P. (MarkWest Energy) is a master limited partnership engaged in the gathering, processing and transportation of natural gas; the transportation, fractionation, storage and marketing of natural gas liquids (NGLs), and the gathering and transportation of crude oil. It provides services in the midstream sector of the natural gas industry. The Company also provides processing and fractionation services to crude oil refineries in the Corpus Christi, Texas area through its Javelina gas processing and fractionation facility. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated in four segments: Southwest, Northeast, Liberty and Gulf Coast. Effective December 31, 2011, the Company acquired the remaining 49% interest in MarkWest Liberty Midstream. On February 1, 2011, the Company acquired Langley processing plant.

Southwest Segment

The Company owns a system in East Texas that consists of natural gas gathering pipelines, centralized compressor stations, a natural gas processing facility and an NGL pipeline. The East Texas system is located in Panola, Harrison and Rusk Counties and services the Carthage Field. Producing formations in Panola County consist of the Cotton Valley, Pettit, Travis Peak and Haynesville formations. During the year ended December 31, 2011, approximately 77% of its natural gas volumes in the East Texas System result from contracts with six producers. The Company sells substantially all of the purchased and retained NGLs produced at its East Texas processing facility to Targa Resources Partners, L.P. (Targa) under a long-term contract. Such sales represent approximately 19.4% of its consolidated revenue in 2011.

The Company owns a natural gas gathering system in the Woodford Shale play in the Arkoma Basin of southeast Oklahoma. The liquids-rich natural gas gathered in the Woodfo! rd system is processed through Centrahoma Processing LLC (Centrahoma), its equity investment, or othe r third-party processors. In addition, it owns the Foss Lake! natural gas gathering system and the Western Oklahoma natural gas processing complex, all located in Roger Mills, Beckham, Custer and Ellis Counties of western Oklahoma. The gathering portion consists of a pipeline system that is connected to natural gas wells and associated compression facilities. The Company also owns a gathering system in the Granite Wash formation in Wheeler County in the Texas panhandle that is connected to its Western Oklahoma processing complex. The Company completed the expansion of the Western Oklahoma natural gas processing plant in October 2011.

Approximately 70% of its Oklahoma volumes result from contracts with three producers in 2011. The Company sells substantially all of the NGLs produced in the Western Oklahoma processing complex to ONEOK Hydrocarbon L.P. (ONEOK) under a long-term contract. Such sales represent approximately 13.2% of its consolidated revenue in 2011. The Company owns a number of natural gas gathering systems lo cated in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Mexico, including the Appleby gathering system in Nacogdoches County, Texas. It gathers a portion of the gas produced from fields adjacent to its gathering systems, including from wells targeting the Haynesville Shale. In addition, it owns four lateral pipelines in Texas and New Mexico.

Northeast Segment

The Company's Northeast segment assets include the Kenova, Boldman, Cobb, Kermit and Langley natural gas processing plants, an NGL pipeline and the Siloam NGL fractionation plant. In addition, it has two caverns for storing propane at its Siloam facility and additional propane storage capacity under a long-term firm-capacity agreement with a third party. The Northeast segment operations include fractionation and marketing services on behalf of the Liberty segment. The Company owns and operates ! a crude o! il pipeline in Michigan (Michigan Crude Pipeline) providing transportation service for three shippe rs.

Liberty Segment

The Company pr! ovides na! tural gas midstream services in southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia through MarkWest Liberty Midstream. It is a processor of natural gas in the Marcellus Shale, with gathering, processing, fractionation, storage and marketing operations.

Utica Segment

Effective January 1, 2012, the Company and The Energy and Minerals Group (EMG) formed MarkWest Utica EMG, a joint venture focused on the development of natural gas processing and NGL fractionation, transportation and marketing infrastructure to serve producers' drilling programs in the Utica shale in eastern Ohio. During 2011, the Utica Segment did not have any operations.

Gulf Coast Segment

The Company owns and operates the Javelina processing facility, a natural gas processing facility in Corpus Christi, Texas that treats and processes off-gas from six local refineries operated by three different refinery customers. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned a 40% interest in Centrahoma Processing LLC (Centrahoma), a joint venture with Cardinal Midstream, LLC (Cardinal). Centrahoma owns certain processing plants in the Arkoma Basin and Cardinal operates an additional processing plant that is not owned by Centrahoma but is located adjacent to and operates in conjunction with the Centrahoma plants.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Callum Turcan]

  The Utica Marcellus Texas Pipeline is being constructed by another joint venture, but this time between Kinder Morgan Energy Partners and MarkWest Energy Partners (NYSE: MWE  ) . In order for NGL producers to want to use the new pipeline, they need to know someone at the end of the line will be able to buy and process their product. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners is nice enough to offer both the logistics and the processing capacity to al! low Ameri! ca's energy boom to happen. 

• [By Mike Deane]

  After the bell on Tuesday, Markwest Energy Partners LP (MWE) announced its third quarter earnings, with revenue rising substantially from last year’s third quarter.

  MWE Earnings in Brief

  -Markwest’s revenue for the quarter came in at $420.5 million, a huge gain from last year’s same quarter revenue of $280.6 million. This was still not enough to top analysts’ revenue estimates of $458.22 million
  -Even with much higher revenue, MWE still posted a loss for the quarter of $20.03 million, which was more than last year’s loss of $15.27 million.
  -The company posted an EPS loss of 17 cents, which was larger than last year’s Q3 loss of 13 cents, and far below the analysts’ estimate of 24 cents EPS profit.

  CEO Commentary

  Frank Semple, Markwest’s chairman, president and CEO, had the following comments about the quarterly results: "Our results reflect the continued success of our producers' as they rapidly develop their acreage positions in high-quality unconventional resource plays, as well as several short-term operational constraints that we have recently experienced in the Northeast. Development of the Marcellus and Utica Shales continues to provide us with significant future growth opportunities for the expansion of critical midstream infrastructure. We are committed to providing our producers with exceptional customer service and unique solutions that will support their ongoing success."

  Dividend

  Markwest made no mention of a dividend change in its earnings report, which was not a surprise, as the company just raised its quarterly dividend by 1 cent at the end of October. The quarterly dividend of 85 cents went ex-dividend on November 5 and will be paid this Thursday. Markwest has raised its dividend every quarter for the past three years.

  Stock Performance

  MWE stock was up 39 cents, or 0.52%, at Tuesday’s market clo! se. YTD, ! the company’s s

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-oil-stocks-to-buy-right-now-2.html

Best Cheapest Companies To Buy For 2014

Best Cheapest Companies To Buy For 2014: KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (KS)

KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation engages in the production and sale of unbleached kraft, linerboard, saturating kraft, and unbleached folding carton boards primarily in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. It offers kraft paper to converters, who produce multiwall bags for agricultural products, pet food, cement, chemicals, and grocery bags, as well as specialty conversion products, such as wrapping paper products and roll wrap; and linerboards to converters in the corrugated box industry and to other converters for various end uses, including laminated tier sheets and wrapping material. The company offers its saturating kraft products to various industries, such as construction, electronics manufacturing, and furniture manufacturing; and unbleached folding carton board products to the general folding carton segment of paperboard packaging. KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation offers its kraft paper, linerboard, and saturating kraft products under the DuraSorb brand name; and folding carton board under the Kraftpak brand name. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on KapStone Paper and Packaging (NYSE: KS  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-cheapest-companies-to-buy-for-2014.html

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: First Majestic Silver Corp.(AG)

First Majestic Silver Corp. engages in the production, development, exploration, and acquisition of mineral properties with a focus on silver in Mexico. The company owns interests in La Encantada Silver Mine comprising 4,076 hectares of mining rights and 1,343 hectares of surface land located in Coahuila; La Parrilla Silver Mine consisting of mining concessions covering an area of 69,867 hectares; and San Martin Silver Mine comprising approximately 7,841 hectares of mineral rights and approximately 1,300 hectares of surface land rights located in Jalisco. It also holds interests in Del Toro Silver Mine consisting of 393 contiguous hectares of mining claims and an additional 129 hectares of surface rights located in Zacatecas; Real de Catorce Silver Project comprising 22 mining concessions covering 6,327 hectares located in San Luis Potosi state; and Jalisco Group of Properties consisting of mining claims totalling 5,240 hectares located in Jalisco. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Doug Ehrman]

  While many precious-metals companies have been in a slump of late, there is one that belongs perpetually in your portfolio: Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) . The company is not like other miners -- including Pan American Silver (NASDAQ: PAAS  ) and First Majestic (NYSE: AG  ) -- in that it has a unique business plan that insulates it against many of the vagaries of the mining business. Moreover, because silver will always have a significant industrial demand component, even with the heightened volatility you see in the silver market, maintaining exposure to silver is appropriate.

• [By Doug Ehrman]

  Despite the weakness seen in precious metals a few weeks ago, silver has been relatively stab! le ever since mid-April, with the iShares Silver Trust (NYSEMKT: SLV  ) trading in a dollar-wide range ever since. With the presidents of the Chicago and Philadelphia Federal Reserve banks releasing conflicting statements, turmoil may be just around the corner. Miners like Pan American (NASDAQ: PAAS  ) and First Majestic (NYSE: AG  ) are still facing operating challenges, while silver streaming darling Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) struggles as well.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-gold-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now-2.html

Best Casino Stocks For 2014

Best Casino Stocks For 2014: Pinnacle Entertainment Inc.(PNK)

Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. owns, develops, and operates casinos, and related hospitality and entertainment facilities in the United States. It operates casinos, such as L'Auberge du Lac in Lake Charles, Louisiana; River City Casino and Lumiere Place in St. Louis, Missouri; Boomtown New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana; Belterra Casino Resort in Vevay, Indiana; Boomtown Bossier City in Bossier City, Louisiana; and Boomtown Reno in Reno, Nevada. The company also operates River Downs racetrack in southeast Cincinnati, Ohio. As of May 26, 2011, it operated seven casinos and one racetrack. The company was formerly known as Hollywood Park, Inc. and changed its name to Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. in February 2000. Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. was founded in 1935 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Time to make the switch
  If I could name a sector that I'd certainly tread lightly around considering that consumers are tightening their wallets, it would be the casino sector. Casino companies rely on loose wallets and vacations to drive profits. This is why I feel it could be the time to say goodbye to casino and race track operator Pinnacle Entertainment (NYSE: PNK  ) near its 52-week high.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of Ameristar Casinos (NASDAQ: ASCA  ) and Pinnacle Entertainment (NYSE: PNK  ) fell as much as 11% today after the government brought into question the merger of the two companies.

• [By Dan Radovsky]

  Pinnacle Entertainment (NYSE: PNK  ) has reached an agreement in principle with the Bureau of Competition of the Federal Trade Commission that would allow the company to complete its proposed acquisition of Ameristar Casinos (NASDAQ: ASCA  ) , Pinnacle announced today.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Pinnacle Entertainment (PNK) has gained 56% this year; Las Vegas Sands (LVS) has climbed 38%. And Deutsche Bank has nice things to say about both today.

  Bloomberg

  First Pinnacle. Deutsche Bank’s Carlo Santarelli ponders the stock’s big move and comes away still seeing value in its shares. He writes:

  When we upgraded PNK in April, our thesis centered on the FCF strength of the combined entities [Pinnacle completed its acquisition of Ameristar Casinos on Aug. 14], a handful of favorable catalysts, easing regional gaming comps, & an inexpensive relative valuation. Given the shares’ sizeable move since then, we believe it is worth revisiting the investment case. Post the announcement of several asset sales and the closing of the transaction, we are adjusting our estimates, raising our PT to $30 from $24, and maintaining our bullish view at current levels given what we still believe to be an attractive free cash flow valuation, meaningful potential synergy realization beyond the $40 mm of announced benefits, and a free option on a lagging regional recovery.

  Santarelli also revisited Las Vegas Sands and there too, he likes what he sees. He writes:

  With…LVS at [a share price level] that have been challenging to break from over the last year plus, we believe this time is different and hence we see continued upward momentum…In the case of LVS, we see; 1) meaningful mass market strength continuing through year end, setting the stage for upward company and market estimate revisions for 2014, 2) continued cash flow appreciation and capital returns serving as downside protection and positive catalysts, and 3) continued shared gains, largely driven by table optimization and mass market strength, driving both estimates and sentiment.

  He also likes Wynn Resorts (WYNN), despite its 34% gain. Santarelli writes:

  As for WYNN, we believe near-term estimates continue to take a back seat to capital retu! rn

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-casino-stocks-for-2014.html

Top Bank Stocks To Buy Right Now

Top Bank Stocks To Buy Right Now: FirstMerit Corporation(FMER)

FirstMerit Corporation operates as the bank holding company for FirstMerit Bank, N.A. that provides a range of banking, fiduciary, financial, insurance, and investment services to corporate, institutional, and individual customers in northern and central Ohio, and western Pennsylvania. The company?s commercial business offers commercial term loans, revolving credit arrangements, asset-based lending, leasing, commercial mortgages, real estate construction lending, letters of credit, cash management services, and other depository products. Its retail business provides various financial products and services, including consumer direct and indirect installment loans, debit and credit cards, debit gift cards, residential mortgage loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, fixed and variable annuities, and ATM network services, as well as deposit products comprising checking, savings, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company?s wealth business provides a sset management, private banking, financial planning, estate settlement and administration, and credit and deposit products and services. FirstMerit Corporation also offers trust and investment services, including personal trust and planning, and investment management; retirement plan services; retail mutual funds, other securities, variable and fixed annuities, personal disability and life insurance products, and brokerage services; and private banking services, including credit, deposit, and asset management solutions. As of December 31, 2009, it operated a network of 160 full service banking offices and 182 ATMs. The company was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Akron, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  The year ahead should be a great one for the smaller bank stocks. Larger regionals like Huntington Bancorp (HBAN) and Capital Ban! Financial (CBF) have made it clear they intend to grow by acquisition in the years ahead. Banks like First Merit (FMER) and First Merchants (FRME) have done deals in the past year and are open to doing more to increase their market share and footprints. This should be the year the floodgates open and we see the first wave of merger activity in small banks.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-bank-stocks-to-buy-right-now-2.html

Top Cheap Stocks To Own Right Now

Top Cheap Stocks To Own Right Now: Oracle Corporation(ORCL)

Oracle Corporation, an enterprise software company, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and services database and middleware software, applications software, and hardware systems worldwide. It licenses of database and middleware software, including database management software, application server software, service-oriented architecture and business process management software, data integration software, business intelligence software, identity and access management software, content management software, portals and user interaction software, development tools, and Java; and applications software comprising enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, enterprise performance management, supply chain management, business intelligence applications, enterprise portfolio project management, Web commerce, and industry-specific applications software. The company also offers customers with rights to unspecified software product upgrades and maintenance releases; Internet access to technical content; and Internet and telephone access to technical support personnel. In addition, its hardware systems products consist of computer server and hardware-related software, including the Oracle Solaris Operating System; and storage products, such as tape, disk and networking solutions for open systems and mainframe server environments. Its hardware systems support solutions include software updates for the software components. Further, the company offers consulting solutions in business and IT strategy alignment, enterprise architecture planning and design, initial product implementation and integration, and ongoing product enhancements and upgrades; cloud services, including Oracle Cloud Services and Advanced Customer Services; and education solutions comprising instructor-led, media-based, and Internet-based training in the use of its softw! are and hardware products. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Redwood Ci ty, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mani]

  Cloud is the future and critical for most tech giants. Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) is no exception.

  Oracle now generates more than $1 billion of subscription revenues annually from its cloud-hosted application suite, equal to about 3 percent of total revenues and 11 percent of total software license and subscription revenues.

• [By Gaurav Seetharam]

  But Mr. Henderson's insights convinced me that the tag team of Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) and Oracle (NYSE: ORCL  ) is a far better play. He famously wrote that "if a firm is outside the top three, it should attempt to improve its position through consolidation or by shifting the basis of competition," (my emphasis). Right now, the basis of competition is price, but only because new developments haven't been taken into account.

• [By David Trainer]

  
  Unfortunately for CALD, it’s not the only company filing those gaps. Numerous small companies compete with CALD as does Oracle (NYSE: ORCL). In fact, ORCL is making a big push into the cloud software space and it seems to view CALD as a less formidable adversary than CRM or N.

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Oracle Corporation (ORCL)

  Pzena's second largest holding goes to Oracle Corporation where, as of the fourth quarter, he held on to 17,097,751 shares of the company's stock. His holdings make up for 3.7% of his total portfolio and 0.37% of the company's shares outstanding.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-cheap-stocks-to-own-right-now-2.html

Hot Small Cap Stocks To Buy Right Now

Hot Small Cap Stocks To Buy Right Now: EZchip Semiconductor Limited(EZCH)

EZchip, a fabless semiconductor company, engages in the development and marketing of Ethernet network processors for networking equipment. Its products include network processor chips, evaluation boards and network-processor based systems, and development software toolkits. The company offers network processors for use in forming the silicon core of networking equipment, such as switches and routers; and for voice, video and data integration in various applications. Its network processors are single-chip solutions, which enable its customers to design multi-port line cards, such as processing and classification engines, traffic managers, media access controllers, as well as a range of specialized hardware blocks that accelerate various functions. The company offers Evaluation systems which enable customers to test NPU-based systems; and toolkits that assist customers in creating, verifying, and implementing solutions based on its network processors. It provides a library f eaturing data plane code for a range of applications, which include Metro Ethernet protocols, Multi-Protocol Label Switching, IPv4 and IPv6 routing, Access Control Lists, GPON/EPON OLT functionality, Network Address Translation, and Server Load Balancing. The company sells its products directly, and through contract manufacturers and distributors to network equipment vendors. It markets its products in Israel, China, Hong Kong, the Far East, Canada, the United States, and Europe. The company was formerly known as LanOptics Ltd. and changed its name to EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. in July 2008. EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. was founded in 1989 and is based in Yokneam, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  What: Shares of EZchip (NASDAQ: EZCH  ) have jumped today by as much as 13% after the company reported first-quart! er earnings.

  So what: Revenue in the first quarter totaled $15.3 million, topping the Street's forecast of $15.1 million. Non-GAAP net income per share came in at $0.23, which was right on target with expectations.

• [By Paul McWilliams]

  Paul McWilliams: Oh, absolutely. Another company that most investors probably have never heard of is a tiny little Israeli semiconductor company named EZChip (EZCH).

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  EZchip Semiconductor (NASDAQ: EZCH) was also up, gaining 7.16 percent to $24.11 after a Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) announced a new product that would not threaten the company as previously thought. Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Cypress Semiconductor (NASDAQ: CY) were down 16.05 percent to $9.91 after the company lowered its Q3 forecast.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-small-cap-stocks-to-buy-right-now-2.html

Best Rising Companies To Buy For 2015

Best Rising Companies To Buy F or 2015: iShares Dow Jones US Energy Sector Fund (IYE)

iShares Dow Jones U.S. Energy Sector Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Oil & Gas Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the oil and gas sector of the United States equity market. The Index includes companies in industry groups, such as oil and gas producers, and oil equipment, services and distribution. The Index is a subset of the Dow Jones U.S. Total Market Index and is capitalization weighted. The Index is reconstituted quarterly.

The Fund will concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent as the Index is so concentrated. The Fund's investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Louis Navellier]

  The ishares Dow Jones U.S. Energy Sector Fund (IYE) tracks the performance of 99 major energy stocks in the U.S. IYE is actually up 20% for the year, but it has been trending downward over the past month. Meanwhile, the ishares S&P Global Energy Sector Fund (IXC) is up just 10% so far for the year. This fund, which also contains 99 holdings from all over the world, provides perhaps the best view of how the energy sector is faring on the global level. It has also fallen in the past month.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Fellow InvestorPlace contributor Lawrence Meyers recently recommended the Energy SPDR (XLE) as good ETF to hold for life. I like the pick and you could certainly do worse, but my personal favorite way to play WTI crude would be the iShares U.S. Energy ETF (IYE).

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-rising-companies-to-buy-for-2015-2.html

Top Bank Companies To Buy For 2015

Top Bank Companies To Buy For 2015: Bank of America Corporation(BAC)

Bank of America Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and nonbanking financial services and products to individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally. The company?s Deposits segment generates savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificate of deposits, and checking accounts; and Global Card Services segment provides the U.S. consumer and business card, consumer lending, international card and debit card services. Its Home Loans & Insurance segment offers consumer real estate products and services, including mortgage loans, reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and home equity loans. It also provides property, disability, and credit insurance. The company?s Global Commercial Banking segment offers lending products, including commercial loans and commitment facilities, real estate lending, leasing, trade finance, short-term credit, asset-based lending, and indirect consumer loans; and capital management and treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options. Its Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial products, advisory services, settlement, and custody services; debt and equity underwriting and distribution, merger-related advisory services, and risk management products; and integrated working capital management and treasury solutions. The company?s Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and brokerage services, estate management, financial planning services, fiduciary management, credit and banking expertise, and asset management products. Bank of America Corporation serves customers through a network of approximately 5,900 banking centers and 18,000 automated teller machines. It was formerly known as NationsBank Corporation and change! d its name on October 1, 1998. Bank of America Corporation was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlott e, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  AFP/Getty Images/Frederic J. Brown Over the past decade or so, waves of computer-aided identity theft have washed over the U.S. Since the first big hack attack on ChoicePoint in 2005, through more recent data breaches at Evernote, LivingSocial, and now the massive Target (TGT) breach involving 110 million pieces of data (just the third-largest data breach in U.S. history, by the way), companies have more or less figured out a routine for dealing with data breaches. You notify the FBI. You (eventually) notify your customers. And you replace everybody's credit cards. With the latest breach at Target, that process is already well under way. Megabanks like JP Morgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC), and Citigroup (C) have collectively handed out millions of new cards, with new card numbers, to customers whose data may have been compromised by the Target data breach. Last week, the Independent Community Bankers of America issued a release confirming its members -- small banks around the country -- have "reissued more than 4 million credit and debit cards." To ensure that credit and debit card numbers that hacker stole from Target and Neiman Marcus will soon be useless, ICBA member bankers absorbed costs in excess of $40 million. And as a result of their quick action, says the group, "community banks' initial fraud costs were relatively low, with less than 1 percent of community bank customers reporting fraud." So, while the Target breach and the "110 million pieces of data lost" sounds bad, the damage probably won't be as bad as you think. In fact, you can use this epic data fail to your advantage. You Have to Set up New Auto-Payments When your bank sends you a new credit or debit card, it will come with a new number to replace the one that Target lost. Your old number has been canceled.! This mea! ns any automatic payment plans you've set up -- your subscriptions and the card numbers that you have preselected for payments on Amazon (AMZN), P

• [By Reuters]

  LM Otero/AP WASHINGTON -- U.S. job growth accelerated sharply in February despite the icy weather that gripped much of the nation, easing fears of an abrupt economic slowdown and keeping the Federal Reserve on track to continue reducing its monetary stimulus. Employers added 175,000 jobs to their payrolls last month after creating 129,000 new positions in January, the Labor Department said Friday. The unemployment rate, however, rose to 6.7 percent from a five-year low of 6.6 percent, as Americans flooded into the labor market to search for work. "It reinforces the case for the economy being stronger than it's looked for the last couple of months," said Bill Cheney, chief economist at John Hancock Financial Services in Boston. "It makes life easier for the Fed and feeds into continuing the tapering process." The report also showed the largest increase in average hourly earnings in eight months and the payrolls count for December and January was revised up to show 25,000 more jobs created during those months than previously reported. Investors on Wall Street cheered the report and the Standard & Poor's 500 index (^GPSC) reached a fresh intraday record high before falling back to trade little changed. The dollar lifted off a four-month low against a basket of currencies, while the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note jumped to a six-week high, putting it on course for its biggest weekly rise in three months. Interest rate futures showed that traders ramped up bets on the Fed hiking rates a bit sooner than had been previously thought. They now point to a 53 percent probability of a rate hike in June 2015. Unusually cold and snowy weather has disrupted activity in much of the United States for months, and a few economists had begun to speculate that the U.S. central bank could reconsider its plan to! wind dow! n its bond-buying stimulus. With snow and ice covering densely populated areas during the week employers were surveyed for Februar

• [By Sue Chang and Saumya Vaishampayan]

  BAC: Bank of America Corp. (BAC)  shares climbed 3.2%. The stock is getting a boost in part on speculation that the bank could raise its dividend for the coming fiscal year significantly, according to The Motley Fool.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-bank-companies-to-buy-for-2015.html

Best Income Stocks To Own Right Now

Best Income Stocks To Own Right Now: Bravo Brio Restaurant Group Inc.(BBRG)

Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, Inc. owns and operates Italian restaurant brands in the United States. Its brands include BRAVO! Cucina Italiana, and BRIO Tuscan Grille. The company also operates an American-French bistro restaurant under the brand Bon Vie. As of March 02, 2012, it owned and operated 95 restaurants in 30 states. The company was formerly known as Bravo Development, Inc. and changed its name to Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, Inc. in June 2010. Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is based in Columbus, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Bravo Brio Restaurant Group (NASDAQ: BBRG  ) saw comps slide 1.6% at BRAVO! Cucina Italiana and a steeper 3.2% drop at Brio Tuscan Grille. However, the midpoint of its comps guidance for all of 2013 suggests that the operator of modestly upscale Italian restaurants will check in with positive same-store sales for the balance of the year.

• [By Shaun Currie, CFA]

  Bravo Brio Restaurant Group (BBRG) presented at a retail/restaurant conference on Tuesday and provided very important information to investors. To give some background, the stock has been an underperformer for two reasons:

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-income-stocks-to-own-right-now-2.html