Top Gas Utility Companies For 2014

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 hikes to price target at aerospace parts suppliers B/E Aerospace (NASDAQ: BEAV  ) and Precision Castparts (NYSE: PCP  ) . But the news isn't all good, so before we address those two, let's start with why one analyst thinks...

Cliffs could dive
In direct contradiction to the bullish note struck by analysts at BB&T Capital earlier this week (where analysts upgraded Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE: CLF  ) stock on news of its CEO's departure) a different banker announced this morning that it's not nearly so hot on the company's chances. Disagreeing with BB&T's analysis (but agreeing with my own), analysts at CIBC cut their rating on Cliffs from sector perform to underperform.

Why might this be the right all, and BB&T's endorsement of the stock the right one?

Best New Companies To Watch For 2015: GTx Inc.(GTXI)

GTx, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecules for the treatment of cancer, cancer supportive care, and other serious medical conditions. The company markets FARESTON (toremifene citrate) 60 mg tablets for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women primarily through wholesale drug distributors in the United States. It is developing selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), including Ostarine (GTx-024), which has completed Phase II clinical trial for the prevention and treatment of muscle wasting in patients with non-small cell lung cancer; and CapesarisTM (GTx-758), a selective estrogen receptor alpha agonist that has completed Phase IIa clinical trial for the first line treatment of advanced prostate cancer. In addition, the company is developing estrogen receptor beta agonists and other novel compounds that are in preclinical development stage for the treatment of metabo lic diseases, ophthalmic diseases, cancer, psoriasis, and/or pain. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered Memphis, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  If you were lucky enough to step into Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSEMKT:RNN) when your truly suggested it was a budding buy back on December 23rd, then congratulations - you're now up a little more than 60% (assuming you bought into RNN after the break above a key resistance line on the 27th). Now get out. Instead, use your profits from the Rexahn to take on a stake in GTx, Inc. (NASDAQ:GTXI). No, GTXI may not look like much at first, but when you take a step back and look at a chart of GTx, Inc. through a longer-term lens, the upside potential becomes clear.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  GTX Inc. (NASDAQ: GTXI) is down 66.9% at $1.38 after posting a new 52-week low of $1.31 earlier today. The biopharmaceutical maker�� shares collapsed on news of a failed trial for its muscle drug.

• [By John Udovich]

  Cancer has been one of the hotter segments of the sizzling biotech sector this year with small cap cancer stocks�Genetics Inc (NASDAQ: CGIX), GTx, Inc (NASDAQ: GTXI) and MetaStat Inc (OTCMKTS: MTST) being among those involved in cancer research or treatment producing noteworthy news for investors to digest. Just consider the following:

• [By Keith Speights]

  War of words
  In the stock market, the old saying that "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me" doesn't hold water. GTx (NASDAQ: GTXI  ) investors experienced that reality firsthand this week, with shares dropping 15% from an online article published on Wednesday.

Top Gas Utility Companies For 2014: Woodward Inc.(WWD)

Woodward, Inc. designs, manufactures, and services energy control and optimization solutions for the aerospace and energy markets worldwide. Its Aerospace segment offers pumps, valves, fuel nozzles, metering units, cockpit controls, actuators, motors, and sensors for the management of fuel, air, combustion, and motion systems in commercial, business, and military aircraft, as well as weapons and defense systems. This segment also provides aftermarket repair, overhaul, and other services to commercial airlines, turbine original equipment manufacturer (OEM) repair facilities, military depots, third party repair shops, and end users. It sells its products to OEMs and tier-one prime contractors; and through aftermarket sales of components as provisioning spares or replacements. The company?s Energy segment designs, produces, and services systems and products for the management of fuel, air, fluids, gases, electricity, and motion. Its products include power converters, actuato rs, valves, pumps, injectors, solenoids, ignition systems, governors, electronics, and devices that measure, communicate, and protect low and medium voltage electrical distribution systems for use in industrial gas turbines, aero-derivative turbines, reciprocating engines, electrical grids, wind turbines, and compressors. This segment sells its products OEMs and tier-one prime contractors, through aftermarket sales or replacements; provides other related services to OEM customers, as well as directly to end users or distributors. Woodward, Inc was founded in 1870 and is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Woodward (NASDAQ: WWD) is projected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.71 per share on revenue of $548.45 million.

  TD Ameritrade Holding (NYSE: AMTD) is estimated to report its Q1 earnings at $0.33 per share on revenue of $735.85 million.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Woodward (Nasdaq: WWD  ) reported earnings on April 22. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q2), Woodward missed estimates on revenues and beat slightly on earnings per share.

Top Gas Utility Companies For 2014: United Community Banks Inc. (UCBI)

United Community Banks, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for United Community Bank that provides retail and corporate banking services to individuals and small to mid-size businesses. It offers various deposit accounts, such as checking accounts, savings and time deposits, demand deposits, non-interest bearing deposits, NOW accounts, and money market accounts. The company�s loan portfolio comprises commercial loans secured by real estate, commercial and industrial loans, commercial construction loans, residential construction and mortgage loans, and consumer installment loans. It also offers wire transfers, brokerage services, and other financial services; and ATM, telephone, and online banking services. In addition, the company acts as an insurance agency, as well as provides retail brokerage services through an affiliation with a third party broker/dealer. As of March 25, 2013, it operated 103 banking offices in north Georgia, the Atlanta region, coastal Georgi a, western North Carolina, east Tennessee, and northwest South Carolina. The company was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in Blairsville, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Louis Navellier]

  United Community Banks (UCBI) has 106 branches in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. The bank has seen continual credit improvements and a recovering economy drive 100% earnings gains this year. The bank is one of the few seeing strong loan growth, and business is so good that UCBI paid back its TARP obligations without needing to issue new equity. This cheap stock was upgraded to an ����last July and at the current price. The P/E ratio right now is just 5.

Top Gas Utility Companies For 2014: The Children's Place Retail Stores Inc.(PLCE)

The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. operates as a children's specialty apparel retailer in North America. It provides apparel, accessories, and shoes for children from newborn to 10 years of age. The company designs, contracts to manufacture, and sells merchandise under The Children's Place brand name. It serves the wardrobe needs of girls and boys, baby girls and boys, and newborn. As of January 28, 2012, the company operated 1,049 The Children's Place stores, including 732 stores located in malls, 140 in strip centers, 135 in outlet centers, and 42 street stores; and an Internet store at childrensplace.com. The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. was founded in 1969 and is based in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By AnnaLisa Kraft]

  Baby steps for growth
  Competitor Children's Place Retail Stores (NASDAQ: PLCE  ) also saw a 33.2% rise in e-commerce year-over-year. E-commerce contributed 58.3% to total sales growth for the company's most recent quarter, totaling $50.5 million in e-sales.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  The Children's Place Retail Stores (NASDAQ: PLCE) is estimated to report its Q4 earnings at $0.95 per share on revenue of $484.48 million. Children's Place shares slipped 0.73% to close at $54.70 yesterday.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  The Children's Place Retail Stores (NASDAQ: PLCE) shares tumbled 7.26 percent to $50.738 after the company reported an 18% drop in its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and issued a weak outlook.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  The Children's Place Retail Stores (NASDAQ: PLCE) shares tumbled 6.62 percent to $51.08 after the company reported an 18% drop in its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and issued a weak outlook.

Top Gas Utility Companies For 2014: Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd(ACH)

Aluminum Corporation of China Limited engages in the manufacture and distribution of alumina, primary aluminum, and aluminum fabrication products in the People?s Republic of China and internationally. Its Alumina segment involves in the mining and purchasing of bauxite and other raw materials, refining of bauxite into alumina, and sale of alumina. This segment also produces and sells chemical alumina, including alumina hydroxide and alumina chemicals, and metal gallium. The company?s Primary Aluminum segment engages in smelting alumina to produce primary aluminum, principally ingots for use in general aluminum fabrication in the construction, power generation, automobile, packaging, machinery, and durable goods industries. This segment also produces and sells carbon products and aluminum alloy products. The Aluminum Fabrication segment involves in the production and sale of aluminum fabrication products, including casts, planks, screens, extrusions, forges, powder, and die castings for use in the construction, power generation, automobile, packaging, machinery, and durable goods industries. The Trading segment engages in the procurement and sale of alumina, primary aluminum, and aluminum fabrication products, as well as relevant metal products, and raw and ancillary materials. The company also engages in the manufacture and distribution of metal materials; sale of general machinery and equipment; production, acquisition, and distribution of limestone ore, aluminum magnesium ore, and related nonferrous metal products; aluminum smelting, manufacture, and distribution of nonferrous metals; and generation and supply of electricity, as well as in iron ore mining and coal mining activities. Aluminum Corporation of China Limited was founded in 2001 and is based in Beijing, China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Aluminum Corporation Of China (NYSE: ACH) surged 6.79% to $11.80. The volume of Aluminum Corporation Of China shares traded 362% higher than normal. Aluminum Corp shares have jumped 40.41% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 13.56% in the same period.

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Output at Chinese manufacturers�is declining and stockpiles of goods are increasing, according to HSBC's PMI reading. The combination is a storm of weak demand and oversupply for firms such as leading aluminum producer Chinalco (NYSE: ACH  ) , which is already in a rut with the fall of aluminum prices around the world and global demand still weak. Chinalco slowed production recently to deal with falling demand, but with China representing�around 45% of the world's demand for the metal last year, falling demand in the world's second-largest economy is a killer blow to Chinalco and other powers in the industry. Until Chinese manufacturing can post a significant bounce-back, aluminum and other metals providers will be under serious pressure.

Top Gas Utility Companies For 2014: Libbey Inc (LBY)

Libbey Inc. (Libbey), incorporated in 1987, is a producer of glass tableware products in the Western Hemisphere, in addition to supplying to key markets throughout the world. The Company produces glass tableware in five countries and sells to over 100 countries. It operates in two segments: Glass Operations and Other Operations. Glass Operations includes worldwide sales of manufactured and sourced glass tableware and other glass products from domestic and international subsidiaries. Other Operations includes worldwide sales of sourced ceramic dinnerware, metal tableware, hollowware and serveware and plastic items. It design and market, under its Libbey, Crisa, Royal Leerdam, World Tableware, Syracuse China and Crisal Glass brand names. The Company�� import and market ceramic dinnerware under the Syracuse China brand name through its subsidiary Syracuse China Company (Syracuse China).

Through its subsidiary B.V. Koninklijke Nederlandsche Glasfabriek Leerdam (Royal Leerdam), the Company manufactures glass stemware under the Royal Leerdam brand name. Through its subsidiary Crisal-Cristalaria Automatica S.A. (Crisal), the Company manufactures glass tableware in Portugal for its worldwide customer base. Through its World Tableware Inc. (World Tableware) subsidiary, the Company imports metal flatware, hollowware, serveware and ceramic dinnerware for resale.

The Company�� glass tableware includes tumblers, stemware, including wine glasses, mugs, bowls, ashtrays, bud vases, salt and pepper shakers, shot glasses, canisters, candleholders and various other items. Libbey Holland produces stemware. Libbey Portugal produces glass tableware, mainly tumblers, stemware and glassware accessories. Libbey Mexico's glass tableware product assortment also includes glass bakeware and handmade glass tableware. In addition, Libbey Mexico's products include blender jars, washing machine windows and other glass products sold principally to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Through its Syrac! use China and World Tableware subsidiaries, the Company offers a range of ceramic dinnerware products. These include plates, bowls, platters, cups, saucers and other tableware accessories. Its World Tableware subsidiary provides an selection of metal flatware, including knives, forks, spoons and serving utensils. In addition, World Tableware sells metal hollowware, including serving trays, pitchers and other metal tableware accessories, as well as a line of dinnerware.

The customers for Libbey�� tableware products include approximately 500 foodservice distributors in the United States and Canada. In the retail channel, the Company sells to mass merchants, department stores, retail distributors, national retail chains and specialty housewares stores. In addition, the Company�� business-to-business channel primarily includes customers that use glass containers for candle and floral applications, gourmet food packaging companies, and various OEM applications. In Mexico, it sells to retail mass merchants and wholesale distributors, as well as candle and food packers, and various OEM users of custom molded glass. In Europe, it market glassware to retailers, distributors and decorators that service the retail, foodservice and developed business-to-business channel, which includes breweries and distilleries. In China, Libbey sells to distributors and wholesalers.

The Company competes with Arc International, Pasabahce, Anchor Hocking Company, Bormioli Rocco Group, Homer Laughlin, Oneida Ltd., Steelite and Walco, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  On Wednesday, small cap kitchen stock Everyware Global Inc (NASDAQ: EVRY) surged 52.94% after announcing an amendment to extend its forbearance agreement with lenders until July 15 that could give the company�time to find a long-term financing solution���meanings its worth taking as closer look at the stock along with potential peers Libbey Inc (NYSEMKT: LBY) and Lifetime Brands Inc (NASDAQ: LCUT).

• [By John Udovich]

  Everyone is familiar with�the Tupperware brand from�consumer products stock Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP) and you are probably familiar with the brands�of mid cap stock Jarden Corp (NYSE: JAH) along with small cap stocks Libbey Inc (NYSEMKT: LBY) and Lifetime Brands Inc (NASDAQ: LCUT); but what about the stocks themselves? Chances are, their brands or products are right under your nose at home and you probably don�� know anything about the mid cap or small cap stock behind them.

Top Gas Utility Companies For 2014: Douglas Emmett Inc. (DEI)

Douglas Emmett, Inc., a real estate investment trust, owns and operates office and multifamily properties in California and Hawaii. As of December 31, 2007, the company�s office portfolio consisted of 48 properties and multifamily portfolio consisted of 9 properties. Its properties are located in Brentwood, Olympic Corridor, Century City, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Westwood, Sherman Oaks/Encino, Warner Center/Woodland Hills, and Burbank submarkets of Los Angeles County, California, as well as in Honolulu, Hawaii. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  NASDAQ OMX Group (Nasdaq: NDAQ) and Borsa Istanbul A.S. have today concluded a wide-ranging agreement, which includes the delivery of market-leading technologies and advisory services to Borsa Istanbul, and NASDAQ OMX taking an equity stake in Borsa Istanbul. To read the full news, click here. Acacia Research (NASDAQ: ACTG) announced today that its Bolt MRI Technologies LLC subsidiary has entered into an agreement with Fonar Corporation (NASDAQ: FONR). To read the full news, click here. Douglas Emmett, (NYSE: DEI) announced that William Kamer will be retiring from full time service as its Chief Investment Officer effective January 31, 2014. Mr. Kamer will continue to be employed by Douglas Emmett as a Senior Advisor. To read the full news, click here. Acacia Research (NASDAQ: ACTG) announced today that its Brandywine Communications Technologies LLC subsidiary has entered into a settlement and patent license agreement with Alcatel-Lucent USA (NYSE: ALU). To read the full news, click here.

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