Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014

Red Hat (NYSE: RHT  ) is growing up, and quickly. The Linux vendor passed the billion-dollar annual revenue milestone last year and is expected to grow another 15% in 2013.

To help the company scale up, Red Hat just expanded its management team by one more vice president. Scott Musson comes to Red Hat from virtual computing specialist VMware (NYSE: VMW  ) , where he was responsible for that company's global partnership programs.

At Red Hat, he'll tap into his extensive contact list to grow the Linux expert's partnerships in two directions. For one, he's evolving Red Hat's cloud computing and software-as-a-service strategies alongside all the major system builders. For another, Musson will push lesser-known products like storage systems and data management tools through his new employer's burgeoning reseller networks.

It doesn't hurt that Musson previously worked for Dell (NASDAQ: DELL  ) and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ  ) -- two of the most important partners under his new purview. At VMware, he interfaced directly with IBM (NYSE: IBM  ) to the point where Big Blue involved him in some joint marketing programs. That's the kind of well-connected background that Musson brings to Red Hat.

Top Cheap Stocks For 2015: ANADIGICS Inc.(ANAD)

ANADIGICS, Inc. provides semiconductor solutions to the broadband wireless and wireline communications markets. Its products include radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers (PAs), tuner integrated circuits, active splitters, line amplifiers, and other components. The company?s RF power amplifier products enable mobile handsets, datacards, and other devices to access third generation (3G) wireless networks utilizing international standards, including wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), high speed packet access (HSPA), code division multiple access (CDMA), and evolution data optimized (EVDO). In addition, the company provides RF power amplifiers for the fourth generation (4G) wireless services, including long term evolution (LTE) and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX). ANADIGICS?s WiFi products enable connectivity for wireless mobile devices and other computing devices and its cable television (CATV) products enable fixed-point, wireline broa dband communications over cable modem and set-top box products, CATV infrastructure, and fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP). The company sells its products through direct sales, as well as through independent manufacturers? representatives and distributors. ANADIGICS, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Warren, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  CTL stock has lagged the overall market for the past year — down 9% vs. 20% gains for the S&P 500 — and it seems that those running the show do not expect that to change anytime soon.

  Stocks to Sell: Anadigics (ANAD)

  Anadigics (ANAD) is another company that has not kept up with the market and is seeing selling near the lows. Five insiders, including the chairman, the CEO and the CFO, have been selling stock this month. All together, they have combined to sell more than 72,000 shares of the company at very low prices.

Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Bristow Group Inc (BRS)

Bristow Group Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides helicopter services to the offshore energy industry primarily in Europe, West Africa, North America, Australia, and internationally. Its helicopters are used principally to transport personnel between onshore bases and offshore platforms, drilling rigs, and installations, as well as to transport time-sensitive equipment to offshore locations. The company also offers helicopter flight training services to commercial pilots and flight instructors through its Bristow Academy with facilities in Titusville, Florida; Concord, California; New Iberia, Louisiana and Gloucestershire, England. In addition, it provides military training; and helicopter repair, engineering support, aircraft leasing, airport management, and search and rescue services. Bristow Group provides its helicopter services to integrated, national, and independent oil and gas companies. As of March 31, 2011, it operated a fleet of 569 aircraft. The comp any was founded in 1969 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  First comes Bristow Group Inc. (BRS), which provides helicopter services to offshore energy rigs, and is a holding in our traditional mid-cap, small-to-mid cap, and small-cap portfolios. Although energy exploration and production can clearly fluctuate, Bristow offsets those shifts through long-term contracts lasting roughly three to five years. Furthermore, Bristow receives ��onthly standing charges���meaning it gets paid whether its helicopters fly or not��mounting to 70% of its operating income.

• [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 Bristow Group (NYSE: BRS  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Manulife Financial Corp (MFC)

Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC) is a Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. The Company�� segments are Asia, Canadian and U.S. Divisions and the Corporate and Other segment. The Company�� international network agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to clients. It also provides asset management services to institutional customers. In January 2013, the Company acquired Benesure Canada Inc. In August 2013, John Hancock, the United States division of the Company, announced that it has acquired Landmark Square in Long Beach, California. In December 2013, MFC announced its subsidiary, Manulife (International) Limited, had completed the transaction to sell its life insurance business in Taiwan to CTBC Life Insurance Co., Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Patricio Kehoe] est Canadian life insurer by market capitalization, offering asset management, wealth management and financial services to customers in Asia, Canada and the U.S. However, the company�� annuity and segregated fund business has suffered over the past two years, due to the low interest rate environment, leading to a decline in earnings and operating results. Nonetheless, the firm has been undergoing some changes throughout 2013 and management expects profitability to increase for fiscal 2014, despite its underperformance during fourth quarter fiscal 2013. Thus, many investment gurus like George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) and Jim Simons' (Trades, Portfolio) hedge fund remain bullish about Manulife�� future outlook, evidenced by their shares purchased in the past quarter.

  Of Hedging and Repricing

  Manulife�� capital sensitivity and volatile earnings have made it difficult for the company to maintain steady growth prospects in the past, but quarter four's earnings report showed improvements in some aspects, especially regarding EPS growth, which jumped 73% year over year, closing at $1.62 per share. This is largely due to the company�� recent strategy of hedging two-thirds of its variable annuity business, and looking forward all newly written businesses in this segment will be hedged. Furthermore, the firm has been gradually trading most of its short-term bonds for long-term bonds, which will improve the bond duration of its investment portfolio, thereby reducing earning sensitivity. While insurance sales were weak for 2013, declining 13% from 2012 and 32% year over year for the quarter, Manulife�� shift towards expanding its wealth management business (wealth sales increased 37% over the past fiscal year) and mutual fund sales should help offset declines in the future.

  In fact, today the company announced that it will be launching a new universal life product for the Canadian market called Manulife UL by May 26 of this year. The new

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  Manulife Financial (MFC) is another stock that's forming an ascending triangle pattern right now. In the case of this $33 billion Canadian financial services firm, resistance comes into play at $18, a price level that's acted as a ceiling for shares since all the way back in July. The buy signal comes on a move through that $18 barrier.

  Whenever you're looking at any technical price pattern, it's critical to think in terms of those buyers and sellers. Triangles, and other pattern names are a good quick way to explain what's going on in a stock, but they're not the reason it's tradable. Instead, it all comes down to supply and demand for shares.

  That $18 resistance level is a price where there has been an excess of supply of shares; in other words, it's a place where sellers have been more eager to step in and take gains than buyers have been to buy. That's what makes a breakout above it so significant -- the move means that buyers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess supply above that price level.

  After it happens, I'd recommend keeping a protective stop at $16.50.

• [By Eric Lam]

  Air Canada, the nation�� largest airline, surged 7.2 percent after reducing costs. Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC), Canada�� largest insurer, increased 2.6 percent for a fourth day of gains. Trilogy Energy Corp. plunged 9.8 percent after reporting a loss as sales declined. Detour Gold Corp. plunged 18 percent after saying it will not meet its 2013 production targets. Centerra Gold Inc. and HudBay Minerals Inc. sank at least 3.7 percent as gold dropped to a three-week low in New York.

Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: ANN Inc (ANN)

ANN INC., incorporated in 1988, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a specialty retailer of women�� apparel, shoes and accessories sold primarily under the Ann Taylor and LOFT brands. The Company�� Ann Taylor and LOFT brands offers a range of career and casual separates, dresses, tops, weekend wear, shoes and accessories. It offers updated past season sellers from the Ann Taylor and LOFT merchandise collections at its Ann Taylor Factory and LOFT Outlet stores, respectively, and the clients can also shop online at www.anntaylor.com and www.LOFT.com (together, Online Stores), or by phone at 1-800-DIAL-ANN and 1-888-LOFT-444. As of January 28, 2012, it operated 953 retail stores in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, consisted of 280 Ann Taylor stores, 500 LOFT stores, 99 Ann Taylor Factory stores and 74 LOFT Outlet stores.

Substantially all of the Company�� merchandise is developed by its in-house product design and development teams, who design merchandise exclusively for the Company. A small percentage of its merchandise is purchased through branded vendors, which is selected to complement its in-house assortment. The Company sourced merchandise from approximately 138 manufacturers and vendors in 19 countries. Approximately 42% of its merchandise unit purchases originated in China, 13% in the Philippines, 14% in Indonesia, 14% in India, and 13% in Vietnam. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, AnnTaylor Distribution Services, Inc., owns its 256,000-square-foot distribution center located in Louisville, Kentucky. The distribution center is located on approximately 27 acres. Its merchandise is distributed to stores, including the Online Stores, through this facility.

An average Ann Taylor store is approximately 5,500 square feet in size. The Company operates two Ann Taylor flagship stores, one located in New York City and one located in Chicago. LOFT stores average approximately 5,800 square feet. The Company also operates one LOFT flagship store! on the ground floor of 7 Times Square, its corporate headquarters, in New York City. During the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2011), it opened 14 LOFT stores that averaged approximately 5,500 square feet. Ann Taylor Factory stores average approximately 7,100 square feet. LOFT Outlet stores average approximately 7,000 square feet. During fiscal 2011, its LOFT Outlet stores were 38 new stores that averaged approximately 7,600 square feet.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Top Headline
  Ann (NYSE: ANN) reported a rise in its fourth-quarter earnings and issued a downbeat forecast for the year. The company also announced its plans to lower about 100 jobs. Ann's quarterly earnings surged to $4.7 million, or $0.10 per share, from $2.4 million, or $0.05 per share, in the year-ago period. Its revenue climbed 3% to $623.3 million versus $607.7 million. However, analysts were estimating earnings of $0.07 per share on revenue of $624 million.

• [By Philip Saglimbeni]

  For comparative purposes, alongside Francesca's Holdings, I have chosen to include the growth rates of ANN Inc. (ANN), owner and operator of Ann Taylor and LOFT brands, and Chico's FAS Inc. (CHS). Although Francesca's Holdings manages to separate itself from the majority of companies that target similar consumer groups, ANN and CHS are of similar size, in terms of market capitalization, and operate in similar retail segments and therefore serve as reliable comparisons.

• [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 downgrade for American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO  ) , an upgrade for ANN (NYSE: ANN  ) , and a brand new buy rating for a little company called Mazor Robotics (NASDAQ: MZOR  ) . Let's dive right in, beginning with why ...

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Analysts at Macquarie upgraded ANN (NYSE: ANN) to Outperform from Neutral. Shares gained 0.45 percent, closing at $42.04.

  Analysts at JPMorgan upgraded Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC) to Overweight from Underweight with a price target raised to $129 from a previous $84. Analysts at Citigroup maintained a Hold rating on Anadarko with a price target raised to $112 from a previous $97. Shares hit new 52 week highs of $103.50 before closing the day at $101.03, up 2.03 percent.

Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Whole Foods Market Inc.(WFM)

Whole Foods Market, Inc. engages in the ownership and operation of natural and organic food supermarkets. The company offers produce, seafood, grocery, meat and poultry, bakery, prepared foods and catering, coffee and tea, nutritional supplements, and vitamins. It also provides specialty products, such as beer, wine, and cheese; body care and educational products, such as books; and floral, pet, and household products. As of February 9, 2011, the company operated 302 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alyce Lomax]

  Google / YouTube When one thinks of environmentally forward-thinking businesses, some companies spring immediately to mind: Whole Foods Market (WFM), Annie's (BNNY), Patagonia, Seventh Generation, and Method, for example, are all known for their commitment to being green. However, there are other firms putting a lot of resources into planet-helping initiatives -- companies whose green tactics are far less recognized, and may even come as a surprise to you. Let's take a look at a few. Huge companies making huge strides

Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Nu Skin Enterprises Inc.(NUS)

Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. develops and distributes anti-aging personal care products and nutritional supplements worldwide. The company sells its personal care products under the Nu Skin brand; and nutritional supplements under the Pharmanex brand. Its personal care product line includes core systems, targeted treatments, total care, cosmetic, and Epoch, a product formulated with botanical ingredients. The company?s nutritional supplements product line comprises micronutrient supplements, targeted solution supplements, and weight management products. It also sells Vitameal, which are nutritious meal products for starving children or purchased for personal food storage. In addition, the company offers other products and services consisting of digital content storage, water purifiers, and other household products. It sells its products primarily through a network of independent distributors in north Asia, the Americas, Greater China, Europe, and the south Asia/Pacific. The c ompany also operates retail stores to sell its products in China. As of December 31, 2010, Nu Skin Enterprises operated 40 stores throughout China. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Provo, Utah.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sue Chang and Saumya Vaishampayan]

  HLF: Herbalife Ltd. (HLF) �shares added 3% and Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. (NUS) rose 3.3%. The nutrition supplement company, along with Nu Skin, were not among the companies the Federal Trade Commission charged for deceptive advertising . Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who has a huge short position on Herbalife, has been calling on the FTC to probe the company for irregularities. The FTC on Tuesday said Sensa will pay $26.5 million to settle charges for deceiving consumers with unproven weight-loss claims and misleading advertisements. L��ccitane and HCG Diet Direct were also charged for ��nfounded promises��of weight loss.

Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Polaris Industries Inc. (PII)

Polaris Industries Inc. designs, engineers, and manufactures off-road vehicles. It offers all terrain vehicles and side-by-side vehicles for recreational and utility use; snowmobiles; and on-road vehicles, including motorcycles and low emission vehicles. The company also provides replacement parts and accessories, including winches, bumper/brushguards, plows, racks, mowers, tires, pull-behinds, cabs, cargo box accessories, tracks, and oil for off-road vehicles; covers, traction products, reverse kits, electric starters, tracks, bags, windshields, oil, and lubricants for snowmobiles; and saddle bags, handlebars, backrests, exhaust, windshields, seats, oil, and various chrome accessories for motorcycles. Polaris Industries sells its products through dealers and distributors primarily under the RANGER, RANGER RZR, RANGER Crew, Victory Vision, Victory Cross Roads, Polaris RUSH, and Cross Country trade marks. In addition, it markets helmets, jackets, bibs and pants, leathers, a nd hats through dealers and distributors, as well as online under the Polaris brand name. The company principally operates in the United States and Canada. Polaris Industries Inc. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Medina, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, all-terrain vehicle maker Polaris Industries (NYSE: PII  ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

• [By Faisal Humayun]

  Polaris Industries (PII), which designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and small vehicles in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe is a strong buy even at current levels. This article discusses the positives related to the company making it a good stock to own for long-term.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, all-terrain vehicle maker Polaris Industries (NYSE: PII  ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Polaris Industries (NYSE: PII  ) reported earnings on July 23. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Polaris Industries met expectations on revenues and beat slightly on earnings per share.