Top Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now

A month ago, we were ahead of the curve calling for an uptick in regional bank stocks: “Regional Banks: In The Sweet Spot” (December 6, 2013).

That article appears to be spot on, as more and more banking sector analysts upgrade their calls on regional banks. Indeed, most regional bank stocks are headed in a northerly direction.

While that’s good news for any regional bank investor, one bank stock really holds my interest this week: SunTrust Bank (NYSE: STI), which is threatening to explode into breakout status as 2014 gets rolling. More on the merits of SunTrust in a moment, but first some background.

Last month, Credit Suisse analyst Craig Siegenthaler created a buzz with an interesting prediction: the nine regional US banks subjected to stress tests from the Federal Reserve would likely see their stock prices rise by 20 percent across the board.

Siegenthaler looks like Nostradamus right now, as 2013 flips into 2014. Without exception, share prices on all of the “Siegenthaler Nine” have risen over the past five weeks, and that tells us he’s on to something with regional bank stocks.

Top Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Petrobras Argentina S.A.(PZE)

Petrobras Argentina S.A. operates as an integrated energy company. The company engages in oil and gas exploration and production activities in Argentina, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia; and provides technical and operating support services in Mexico. It also operates refineries that produce premium gasoline, ultra high octane gasoline, regular gasoline, diesel oil, fuel oil, solvents, aromatics, asphalts, and liquefied propane and butane gases. In addition, the company sells gas produced by the company, as well as imported; produces petrochemical products, such as styrene, polystyrene, and synthetic rubber; provides oil, gas, and LPG brokerage and trading services; engages in transporting gas in southern Argentina, as well as processing and marketing natural gas liquids; and involves in the gas-fired, thermal, and hydro electric power generation, transmission, and distribution. As of December 31, 2010, it has crude oil and natural gas proved reserves of approximately 248. 4 million barrels of oil equivalent. The company also operated 2 refineries in San Lorenzo and Bah� Blanca, as well as a network of approximately 604 gas stations in Argentina and 27 Spacio 1 convenience stores, including 360 points of sale. It has operations in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, and Venezuela. The company was formerly known as Petrobras Energia S.A. and changed its name to Petrobras Argentina S.A. in July 2010. Petrobras Argentina S.A. was founded in 1946 and is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Petrobras Argentina S.A. operates as a subsidiary of Petroleo Brasileiro.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Yates]

  For investors, the rebound of YPF SA (NYSE: YPF) and Petrobras Argentina (NYSE: PZE), both oil and gas firms in Argentina, should serve as profitable examples for remaining bullish about the long term prospects of Petrobras Brasileiro (NYSE: PBR).

Top Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Tranzbyte Corp (ERBB)

The Tranzbyte Corporation, incorporated on November 12, 1998, is a driving force behind Altitude Organic Corporation, One Bode, The YO! Debit Card, and ProximaRF. Altitude Organic Corporation is a medical marijuana dispensary brand. It has developed retailing, branding, and commercial cultivating strategies in conjunction with its licensed medical marijuana retail dispensaries operating under the Altitude Organic Medicine brand name.

Tranzbyte houses the technology division, which is engaged in the sale of its optical media enhancement products to customers in the United States and Asia. Products in the Tranzbyte division include FLASHAlbum and FlixStix technologies that enable distributors of optical media (compact discs, digital video discs, etc.) to consolidate the features of each medium onto a single content-protected universal serial bus (USB) flash drive. One Bode has created an assortment of products focusing on plant-based nutrients and enzymes. Applied radio frequency identification (RFID) and its operating subsidiaries (www.proximarf.com), have a portfolio of RFID reader, sensor tag and data logging products.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Companies like Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA), Tranzbyte Corp. (OTCMKTS:ERBB), and Growlife Inc. (OTCBB:PHOT) were on the receiving end of another dose of good news on Thursday.... not that they necessarily needed it. That's when a study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas was published, illustrating how not only did the advent of medical marijuana not increase crime, but rather, coincided with a (relative) decline in crime.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Though they've been lumped into the same category as Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA) and Tranzbyte Corp. (OTCMKTS:ERBB), names like Nuvilex Inc. (OTCMKTS:NVLX) and Growlife Inc. (OTCBB:PHOT) aren't actually marijuana stocks. Granted, PHOT and ERBB shareholders will benefit from the advent of legalized marijuana (and hemp) as much as shareholders of ERBB - a grower and dispenser - and MJNA shareholders will. But, in some way they're safer and more stable because they're not directly in the line of fire of potential regulation... or better-enforced regulation at the federal level. Indeed, there are several stocks that are circumventing the risk inherent with marijuana stocks, because they're not marijuana stocks at all. They are, in no particular order....

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap holding companies Sibling Group Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: SIBE), Tranzbyte Corp (OTCMKTS: ERBB) and Readen Holding Corp (OTCMKTS: RHCO) are in the business of holding or acquiring other companies. They have also been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters and not necessarily because of acquisitions or other news but rather because of a few recent paid promotions. With that in mind, here is a quick look and a reality check about all three:

Hot Growth Stocks To Own Right Now: Imation Corp (IMN)

Imation Corp. (Imation) is a global scalable storage and data security company. The Company�� portfolio includes tiered storage and security offerings for business and products designed to manage audio and video information in the home. The Company�� global brand portfolio includes the Imation brand, the Memorex brand, the XtremeMac and MXI Security brands. Imation is also the exclusive licensee of the TDK Life on Record brand. Its three product categories include traditional storage, secure and scalable storage, and audio and video information. It operates in four geographic segments: Americas, Europe, North Asia and South Asia. On February 28, 2011, it acquired all of the assets of Encryptx Corporation. On June 4, 2011, it acquired the assets of MXI Security, from Memory Experts International Inc. On October 4, 2011 it acquired the secure data storage hardware assets of IronKey Systems Inc. In December 2011, it acquired the data deduplication technology from Nine Technology.

The Americas segment includes North America, Central America and South America. The Europe segment includes Europe and parts of Africa. North Asia segment includes Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan. The South Asia segment includes Australia, Singapore, India, the Middle East and parts of Africa.

Imation brand products include magnetic tape media, recordable compact discs (CDs), digital versatile Discs (DVDs) and Blu-ray discs, flash products and hard disk drives. The Imation brand includes the DataGuard Data Protection Appliances, InfiniVault Storage appliances and removable disk technology (RDX) removable hard disk storage systems. Imation Defender products include secure storage flash drives and external hard drives. Imation brand products are sold throughout the worldwide and target the commercial user and individual consumer. Imation Defender products include secure storage flash drives and external hard drives. TDK Life on Record brand products include recordable CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray d! iscs, flash drives, tape cartridges, headphones and computer speakers which are sold to commercial customers and individual consumers. TDK Life on Record brand products is sold throughout the world.

XtremeMac brand products include cases, chargers and audio solutions to protect, power and play Apple iPad, iPod, iPhone and other devices. XtremeMac products are developed for Apple enthusiasts and are available worldwide. Its MXI Security brand includes secure storage flash drives and external hard drives, as well as software solutions to help manage portable security devices on the network.

Traditional Storage

The Company�� optical media products consist of CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray recordable media. It sells Blu-ray discs, which are used primarily for recording high-definition video content. Its recordable optical media products are sold through a variety of retail and commercial distribution channels and sourced from manufacturers primarily in Taiwan and India. Optical storage capacities range from 650 megabyte CD-R (recordable) and CD-RW (rewritable) optical discs to 9.4 gigabyte double-sided DVD optical discs and Blu-ray discs with 25 gigabyte to 100 gigabyte of capacity. Its optical media is sold throughout the world under brands it owns or controls, including Imation, Memorex and TDK Life on Record and under a distribution agreement for the Hewlett Packard brand.

The Company�� magnetic tape media products are used for back-up, business and operational continuity planning, disaster recovery, near-line data storage and retrieval and for mass and archival storage. Other traditional storage products include primarily optical drives and audio and video tape media.

Secure and Scalable Storage

Secure storage products and software include universal serial bus (USB) flash drives and external hard drives designed to meet the security standards to protect data at rest with Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) validation, pa! ssword an! d biometric authentication, including biometric USB drives, encrypted and biometric hard disk drives, secure portable desktop solutions and software solutions. It also sells standard USB flash drives and external hard disk drives throughout the world under its Imation, Memorex and TDK Life on Record brands. It sources these products from manufacturers primarily in Asia and the United States and sell them through a variety of retail and commercial distribution channels around the world. Scalable storage products include data protection appliances, such as DataGuard network attached storage backup appliances and InfiniVault active archive appliances.

Audio and Video Information

The Company�� audio and video information products include Apple iPad, iPod and iPhone accessories, headphones, CD players, alarm clocks, portable boom boxes, moving picture experts group layer-3 audio (MP3) players, and speakers sold under the Memorex, TDK Life on Record and XtremeMac brands. It designs products to meet user needs and source these products from manufacturers throughout Asia.

The Company competes with Maxell, JVC, Sony, Verbatim, Fuji, HP, SanDisk, Lexar, PNY and Kingston.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon] g>4. Tuesday Morning (TUES)
  5. Pacific Biosciences (PACB)
  6. Maxygen (MAXY)
  7. Westell (WSTL)
  8. Volt Information Sciences (VISI)
  9. Yasheng Group (YHGG)

  I don�� love that list. I like the 14 past picks in the Ben Graham Net-Net Newsletter�� model portfolio much better. The newsletter only owns 1 of those 9 net-nets. Remember, we have 9 net-nets out of the 14 picked for the newsletter that are trading below where we picked them. So, obviously I like those 9 net-nets a lot better than these 9 net-nets.

  Like I said, I wouldn�� encourage you to buy those nine net-nets shown here ��even if you��e looking to put a lot of money into net-nets. Instead you should look at your favorite net-nets ��or the net-nets in the Ben Graham: Net-Net Newsletter ��and use them as a buy list you are constantly placing orders from month after month.

  Building a diversified collection of net-net through many months of purchasing is a better way to invest a lot of money in net-nets than trying to focus on the biggest net-nets.

  Read Geoff�� Other Articles
  Ask Geoff a Question
  Check out the Buffe

Top Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Amicus Therapeutics Inc.(FOLD)

Amicus Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of orally-administered, small molecule drugs for the treatment of various human genetic diseases. Its drugs are known as pharmacological chaperones, which selectively bind to the target protein, enhance the stability of the protein, help it fold into the three-dimensional shape, and allow proper trafficking of the protein, thereby increasing protein activity, enhance cellular function, and reduce cell stress. The company primarily focuses on lysosomal storage disorders and diseases of neurodegeneration. Its products under development include Amigal, which is in phase III for the treatment of Fabry disease; AT2220, which completed phase I study for the treatment of Pompe disease; and Plicera, that has completed phase I study for the treatment of Gaucher disease. The company has license and collaboration agreement with Glaxo Group Limited to develop and commerc ialize Amigal. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Cranbury, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  5. You've got to know when to FOLD 'em
  Investing in biotech upstarts can be pretty risky, and Amicus Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FOLD  ) investors learned that the hard way this week.

Top Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Sandridge Mississippian Trust II (SDR)

SandRidge Mississippian Trust II is a statutory trust formed to own overriding royalty interests to be conveyed to the trust by SandRidge Energy, Inc. (SandRidge) in 67 producing horizontal wells, including 13 wells, which are awaiting completion (the Producing Wells), in the Mississippian formation in northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas, and overriding royalty interests in 206 horizontal development wells (The Development Wells) to be drilled in the Mississippian formation (the Development Wells) on properties within an Area of Mutual Interest (the AMI). SandRidge is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the development and production activities related to the exploitation of its holdings in West Texas and the Mid-Continent area of Oklahoma and Kansas. The AMI, which is limited to the Mississippian formation, consists of approximately 81,200 gross acres (53,000 net acres) held by SandRidge. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. is trustee (the Trustee), and The Corporation Trust Company is a Delaware Trustee (the Delaware Trustee).

The Mississippian formation is encountered at depths between approximately 4,000 feet and 7,000 feet and lies between the Pennsylvanian-aged Morrow formation and the Devonian-aged Woodford Shale formation. Effective as of January 1, 2012, the royalty interests was conveyed from SandRidge's interest in the Producing Wells and the Development Wells. The royalty interest in the Producing Wells (the PDP Royalty Interest) entitles the trust to receive 80% of the proceeds from the sale of production of oil and natural gas attributable to SandRidge's net revenue interest in the Producing Wells. The royalty interest in the Development Wells (the Development Royalty Interest) entitles the trust to receive 70% of the proceeds from the sale of oil and natural gas production attributable to SandRidge's net revenue interest in the Development Wells.

As of December 31, 2011, the total proved reserves estimated to be attributable to t! he trust were 26.1 million barrels of oil equivalent. This amount includes 10.2 million barrels of oil equivalent attributable to the PDP Royalty Interest and 15.9 million barrels of oil equivalent attributable to the Development Royalty Interest. The proved reserves consist of 46.8% oil and 53.2% natural gas. In addition, as of December 31, 2011, there were 9.8 million barrels of oil equivalent of probable reserves estimated to be attributable to the trust, all of which were attributable to the Development Royalty Interest. The probable reserves consist of 46.9% oil and 53.1% natural gas.

SandRidge will retain 20% of the proceeds from the sale of oil and natural gas attributable to its net revenue interest in the Producing Wells, as well as 30% of the proceeds from the sale of future production attributable to its net revenue interest in the Development Wells. SandRidge initially will own 48.2% of the trust units. SandRidge operates 79% of the Producing Wells. The completed Producing Wells and 121 other Mississippian wells outside of the AMI that have been completed by SandRidge have an average perforated length of approximately 4,200 feet. SandRidge Exploration and Production, LLC (SandRidge E&P), a wholly owned subsidiary of SandRidge, will grant to the trust a lien on its interests in the AMI.

The Underlying Properties are located in Noble, Kay, Alfalfa, Grant and Woods counties in northern Oklahoma and Harper, Comanche, Sumner and Barber counties in southern Kansas in the Mississippian formation, which is an expansive carbonate hydrocarbon system located on the Anadarko Shelf. The Mississippian formation can reach 1,000 feet in gross thickness and the targeted porosity zone is between 50 and 100 feet in thickness. As of December 31, 2011, there were approximately 43 horizontal rigs drilling in the formation, with 19 of those rigs drilling for SandRidge. As of December 31, 2011, SandRidge had approximately 1.5 million net acres leased in the Mississippian formation in north! ern Oklah! oma and Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Schroders Plc (SDR) gained 1.3 percent to 2,183 pence after Exane raised its recommendation on Europe�� biggest independent money manager to outperform, which is similar to a buy rating, from neutral. The brokerage said that the fund manager will benefit from its brand and its distribution network among retail and institutional clients.

Top Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Global Eagle Entertainment Inc (ENT)

Global Eagle Entertainment Inc., formerly Global Eagle Acquisition Corp., incorporated on February 2, 2011, is the full service platform offering both content and connectivity for the worldwide airline industry. Through its combined content, distribution and technology platforms, the Company provides airlines and the millions of travelers they serve with the offering of in-flight video content, e-commerce and information services. Through its Row 44 subsidiary, the Company utilizes Ku-band satellite technology to provide airline passengers with Internet access, live television, shopping and travel-related information. As of February 1, 2013, the Company installed on more than 450 aircraft, Row 44 has the fleet of connected entertainment platforms operating over land and sea globally. In addition, through its AIA division, the Company provides film and television content, games and applications to more than 130 airlines worldwide. In July 2013, the Company announced the acquisition of Post Modern Group, LLC. In October 2013, Global Eagle Entertainment Inc announced that it has acquired Travel Entertainment Group Equity Limited, the United Kingdom-based parent company of IFE Services Limited (IFE Services) from GCP Capital Partners LLP.

The Company�� Row 44 subsidiary provides satellite-based broadband service to the global airline industry. The Company�� Advanced Inflight Alliance (AIA) business is the provider of content services, products and solutions for the global inflight entertainment market. AIA also serves as the exclusive representative in sourcing Hollywood content for 60 airline customers and is the exclusive distributor of content from select Hollywood studios and independent producers to the airline market. In addition, AIA is the airline distributor of Asian, Bollywood, European, Latin American and Middle Eastern content.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Richard Stavros]

  This was particularly the view of Leo Denault, CEO of Entergy Corp (NYSE: ENT). Mr. Denault and his fellow panelist, James Robo, CEO of NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE: NEE), offered rather refreshing perspectives on the industry’s challenges, as they are pursuing strategies that are directionally opposed.

Top Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Iamgold Corporation(IAG)

IAMGOLD Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral resource properties worldwide. It primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, copper, niobium, diamonds, and other metals. The company holds interests in eight operating gold mines, a niobium producer, a diamond royalty, and exploration and development projects located in Africa and the Americas. Its advanced exploration and development projects include the Westwood project in Canada; and the Quimsacocha project, which consists of 3 mining concessions covering an aggregate area of approximately 8,030 hectares in Ecuador. The company was formerly known as IAMGOLD International African Mining Gold Corporation and changed its name to IAMGOLD Corporation in June 1997. IAMGOLD Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  At just $6.50, AKS is still one of the cheap stocks, but it may not be cheap for long.

  Cheap Stocks to Buy Now: Iamgold (IAG)

  Without a doubt, the most hated metals and mining sector has to be gold mining stocks. Faced with rising costs and falling gold prices, many of the precious metals miners have tanked, moving them into the cheap stocks category.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Elsewhere, losers were few and far between, but many gold stocks remained under pressure as the yellow metal only managed a modest bounce after yesterday's plunge. In particular, major producer Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX  ) and gold miner IAMGOLD (NYSE: IAG  ) fell between 4% and 5%. Both companies were on the list of holdings of billionaire hedge fund investor John Paulson's gold fund as of Dec. 31, and with rumors circulating that Paulson may have to liquidate positions to handle coming redemption requests, the stocks that he reportedly owns could see further selling pressure even if gold bullion prices rise.

Top Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Wolverine World Wide Inc.(WWW)

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. designs, manufactures, sources, markets, licenses, and distributes branded footwear, apparel, and accessories. It offers industrial work shoes, boots, uniform shoes, outdoor sports footwear, rugged casual footwear, lifestyle footwear, sandals, and closed-toe products. It also provides outdoor apparel, and work and rugged casual apparel; and accessories, such as packs, bags, and luggage, as well as eyewear, gloves, handbags, socks, watches, and plush toys. The company offers its products under various brand names, including Bates, Cat Footwear, Chaco, Cushe, Harley-Davidson Footwear, Hush Puppies, HyTest, Merrell, Patagonia Footwear, Sebago, Soft Style, and Wolverine. It sells its products to a range of retail customers, which comprise department stores, national chains, catalogs, specialty retailers, mass merchants, Internet retailers, governments, and municipalities in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company also markets its products in approximately 190 countries and territories through company-owned wholesale operations, licensees, and distributors. It also licenses its brands for use on non-footwear products. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 101 retail stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom; and operated 42 consumer-direct Websites. Further, it markets pigskin leather, and purchases raw pigskins from other source. Wolverine World Wide, Inc. was founded in 1883 and is based in Rockford, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Top Headline
  Wolverine World Wide (NYSE: WWW) reported a 66% rise in its third-quarter earnings and raised its adjusted earnings outlook for the year. Wolverine now projects adjusted earnings of $2.73 to $2.83, versus its earlier forecast of $2.60 to $2.75 per share. The company narrowed its revenue view to $2.71 billion to $2.73 billion, versus $2.7 billion to $2.775 billion.

Top Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Orchids Paper Products Company(TIS)

Orchids Paper Products Company manufactures private label tissue products for the consumer market in the United States. Its product line includes paper towels, bathroom tissue, and paper napkins. The company also offers its products under the Orchids, Velvet, Colortex, Ultra Valu, Dri-Mop, Big Mopper, Soft & Fluffy, Tackle, My-Size, and Care brand names. It serves value retailers (dollar stores), discount retailers, grocery stores, grocery wholesalers and cooperatives, and convenience stores. The company markets its products directly, as well as through independent brokers. Orchids Paper Products Company was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Pryor, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Goodboy]

  My next step was to locate stocks in this industry. One company stood out above the rest as a top performer with plenty of upside. That company is Orchids Paper Products Co. (NYSE: TIS).

Top Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Rosetta Stone(RST)

Rosetta Stone Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides technology-based language-learning solutions in the United States and internationally. The company develops, markets, and sells language-learning solutions, such as software, online services, mobile applications, and audio practice tools in approximately 30 languages primarily under the Rosetta Stone brand. Its products and services include Rosetta Course, a self-study interactive language-learning curriculum that consists of sequences of listening, speaking, reading, and writing interactions designed to teach, reinforce, and test learners through its software program; Rosetta Studio comprising a series of coach-led practice sessions that provide learners to practice what they have previously learned through the software program; and Rosetta World, an interactive community of language learners, which gives learners the opportunity to play games with other learners. The company also offers Audio Companion, which i s a series of digital audio files that contain lessons aligned to the Rosetta Stone curriculum, allowing users to practice previously learned material; and TOTALe Companion HD, a learning tool that includes a series of practice lessons, which use images, audio, and speech recognition technology to enable users refine their speaking skills. The company also offers SharedTalk, an online peer-to-peer practice environment at sharedtalk.com; and ReFLEX, a solution designed for English learners who want to enhance listening and speaking skills. Rosetta Stone sells its products and services through Websites, call centers, retailers, direct sales force, and a network of kiosks. Its customers include individuals, home school parents, educational institutions, armed forces, government agencies, corporations, and not-for-profit institutions. Rosetta Stone Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  What: Shares of language-software maker�Rosetta Stone (NYSE: RST  ) got crushed today, down by as much as 12% after the company reported first-quarter earnings and filed a mixed shelf registration.

Best Dividend Companies To Invest In Right Now

Best Dividend Companies To Invest In Right Now: DTE Energy Company(DTE)

DTE Energy Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an electric and natural gas utility company in Michigan. It also involves in non-utility operations. The company?s Energy Utility segment engages in the generation, purchase, distribution, and sale of electricity in southeastern Michigan. It generates electricity from various fuels, including coal, as well as from nuclear and hydro facilitates. As of December 31, 2010, this segment owned and operated approximately 674 distribution substations and approximately 412,100 line transformers; and supplied electricity to 2.1 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers in southeastern Michigan. The company?s Gas Utility segment engages in the purchase, storage, transmission, distribution, and sale of natural gas in Michigan. As of December 31, 2010, this segment?s distribution system included approximately 19,000 miles of distribution mains, 1,036,000 service lines, and 1,319,000 active meters. It also o wned approximately 2,000 miles of transmission lines that deliver natural gas; and supplied natural gas to approximately 1.2 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout Michigan, as well as to approximately 17,000 customers in Adrian, Michigan. The company?s non-utility operations include natural gas pipelines and storage; unconventional gas exploration, development, and production; power and industrial projects, and coal transportation and marketing; and energy marketing and trading operations. Its customers include electric utilities, merchant power producers, integrated steel mills, and industrial companies. DTE Energy Company was founded in 1995 and is based in Detroit, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Richard Stavros]

  Michigan-based ITC Holdings Corp (NYSE: ITC) is the largest electric transmi! ssion company in the US. The company is in charge of the electric transmission system formerly owned by DTE Energy Holding Co (NYSE: DTE) and CMS Energy Corp (NYSE: CMS).

• [By Marie Mawad]

  European telecommunications companies are disposing of peripheral assets as they increase investments in high-speed mobile networks in their largest markets and cut debt. Last week, Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE) agreed to sell a 70 percent stake in its Scout24 Holding digital-classifieds business.

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

Lululemon: New CEO Big Reason for Bullishness?

Yesterday, shares of Lululemon Athletica (LULU) gained 6.2% despite disappointing earnings. Was the move justified or has the market gone crazy? Today, more analysts weighed in.

Getty Images

It's no secret that many analysts seem to really love the company, and after yesterday's report, they finally found someone deserving of that love: Lululemon’s new CEO, Laurent Potdevin.

Take for example, Olivier Chen of Citigroup, who gave readers a yoga metaphor, declaring the company's "journey still in progress" and gave mad props to Potdevin. He writes:

[Potdevin] adds agility and speed in decision making, global urgency, & brand + product experience, which will protect guidance. New marketing efforts should improve traffic particularly in the second half as Lululemon further utilizes brand ambassadors, leverages media, and focuses on enhancing guest interaction. Although stock is not inexpensive we believe downside is protected given continued strength of brand, global and store growth runway, dominance in a technical athletic cycle, and M&A possibility (with considerable synergies possible in a deal scenario).

Brian Tunick of J.P. Morgan also gave Potdevin a shout-out:

Potdevin addressed head-on his plans to return lulu to growth mode in an increasingly crowded field, including a more offensive product strategy after a defensive 2013, a focus on grassroots marketing and store experience, while building the foundation for future global growth.

Not all analysts joined in on the Potdevin lovefest, however. Count Kimberly Greenberger of Morgan Stanley among the unconvinced. She writes:

While encouraged by Lululemon's re-focus on long-term product development and brand fortification, we think increased competition, mix shift to lower margin items and incremental marketing and supply-chain spend lower Lululemon's growth profile.

Shares of Lululemon rose 1.4% to $51.89 today, while Nike (NKE) gained 0.3% to $73.54, Under Armour (UA) advanced 0.5% to $115.22 and the Gap (GPS), whose Athleta brand competes head on with Lululemon, finished up 0.7% at $40.17.

Fed Official: Jobless Rate Seen Falling Below 6% This Year

Brennan Linsley/APJob seekers at a job fair in Denver. HONG KONG -- The U.S. unemployment rate will fall below 6 percent by the end of this year, a Federal Reserve official said Wednesday, offering a bullish view on the country's economy after central bank comments sent shock waves through financial markets last week. James Bullard, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said that the outlook for the U.S. economy is "quite good," despite data from early in the year. "The biggest thing is that unemployment has come down more quickly than expected," said Bullard, speaking on a panel at the annual Credit Suisse (CS) investor conference in Hong Kong. He added later during a question and answer session that more progress is needed in the labor market before U.S. policymakers can consider raising interest rates. Bullard is known to be one of the Fed's more hawkish policymakers. He previously advocated for a rate hike as early as 2014, a stance he appears to have backed away from. U.S. monetary policy tightening took center stage last week after a two-day policy meeting, when the Fed said it expected to keep benchmark interest rates near zero for a "considerable time" after it wrapped up a bond-buying stimulus program, which it is widely expected to do toward the end of the year. Pressed on the statement at a news conference afterward, Fed Chairman Janet Yellen said the phrase "probably means something on the order of around six months or that type of thing." Stocks and bonds immediately tumbled as traders took the statement to suggest rate hikes could come sooner than they had anticipated. Bullard has joined other Fed officials in playing down the "six months" comment from Yellen, saying it was in line with what the private sector was anticipating. He repeated that view Wednesday. The unemployment rate for February 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. But the rate hovering around the Fed's previous 6.5 percent benchmark has raised the prospect of the central bank moving to push up rates more quickly than some in the market previously expected. Fed officials appear increasingly worried that keeping policy so easy for so long could encourage investors to take too many risks, building bubbles that may eventually pop and roil financial markets. The U.S. economy is "set for a pretty good year," Bullard said Wednesday. "Despite the spate of weaker data in the January, February time frame." The Fed has held rates near zero since late 2008 to help the economy recover from the 2007-2009 recession. Bullard was asked about where he saw interest rates in 2016, at which point he referred to his "dot." The Fed introduced a "dot chart" in its January 2012 economic projections. Each dot represents the view of an individual policymaker on how they see the appropriate level of interest rates for the coming few years. "I'm here to tell you that my dot has not changed," Bullard said. Data on Tuesday showed U.S. consumer confidence surged to a six-year high in March and house prices increased solidly in January, positioning the economy for stronger growth after a weather-induced soft spot. -.

IBD Securities America Names Assistant of the Year

Independent broker-dealers’ business revolves around their representatives, but for the 13th year in a row, IBD Securities America has honored a sometimes-overlooked but crucial member of an advisor's team — the sales assistant. Barbara Pal, an administrative assistant for advisor Bradley Schlang at Cedar Brook Financial Partners in Cleveland, has been named Securities America’s annual assistant of the Year for 2013. Pal, who joined Cedar Brook in 2007, will be honored at Securities America’s Connect! national conference in San Francisco this June.

Schlang, a CFP and IAR for Securities America Advisors in addition to being a registered rep with Securities America, said in a statement that “every time we have been hit with a challenge, Barbara immediately goes into solution mode.” To qualify for the honor, assistants are nominated by a Securities America advisor, have a minimum of two years experience and must show specific instances of service above and beyond expectations to clients, advisors and the firm. 

Last month, Pal was named to Securities America’s Sales Assistant Advisory Board, a group of 10 assistants who provide “suggestions and feedback on company improvements,” according to the IBD.

That board is just one of the many programs provided to both new and experienced sales assistants by Securities America, including an annual two-day conference called Assistant University, a specific track for assistants at the broker-dealer’s national conference and additional in-person and electronic educational and support programs.

---

Check out Securities America Reps Get Mobile Check Deposit Tool on ThinkAdvisor.

Jobless father of 4: Awaiting lifeline from Congress

Renardo Gomez, with three of his children, has been unemployed since April and is afraid of getting evicted.

WASHINGTON (CNNMoney) Renardo Gomez is living on borrowed everything.

He owes several family members payments of $50 to $100. The borrowed money, along with food stamps, has helped feed his four kids. His unpaid cable bill has mounted to $400, his electricity bill $600. His landlord has let him postpone rent. But next month, he owes double the rent: $700.

Gomez is among 2 million unemployed workers hoping Congress moves forward this week to renew federal jobless benefits for up to five months. Two weeks ago, a bipartisan group of Senators reached a deal, which is expected to pass the Senate this week.

Five Republicans signed on to the $9 billion measure. However, its fate looks grim in the House.

"I'm worried. ... What if I get evicted? What's going to happen?" said Gomez, 51, who worked as a facilities specialist for the Federal Emergency Management Agency in New York City until his contract ended last April. Gomez has been looking for jobs since.

The deal would throw a financial lifeline to people in the same situation like Gomez who have been scrambling to get by since federal jobless benefits lapsed the week of December 28. When the recession-era program expired, it took away a safety net for 1.3 million long-term unemployed Americans who have been unable to find new work.

The long-term unemployed now total about 2.1 million, including those who have run out of state unemployment benefits these past few months with nothing to turn to, according to the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group.

The Senate deal would fund federal unemployment benefits through May, and include back payments of missed unemployment checks since early Ja! nuary.

Yet, House Speaker John Boehner has balked at the deal. Last week he called the bill "essentially unworkable," because state administrators complained it would be tough to carry out in such a short period of time.

The Senate deal would cost more than $9 billion. To avoid increasing federal deficits, the deal would be paid for by an accounting move that brings in higher corporate income taxes from companies that contribute less to pensions for a while.

Republicans like the deal because it will also prevent millionaires from qualifying for benefits. It also requires people who have been unemployed for nine months to undergo a review of their job search strategy.

"There are 2.1 million workers who should certainly be pleased, but they need to know they've got a long haul ahead of them," said Judith Conti, federal advocacy coordinator for the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group for the unemployed in Washington.

  21 years as an exec and can't find work

If Congress passes the bill and President Obama signs it into law, it could still take weeks to get programs up and running again, Conti warned. The unemployed would still be stuck making ends meet without benefits for a while, she said.

Unemployment insurance benefits are generally administered by the states.

However, back in June 2008, when the jobless rate started ticking up from under 5% to 5.6%, President George W. Bush signed the federal benefits program to help those whose state benefits had run out.

The unemployment rate climbed to more than 10% at the height of the Great Recession in 2009, and the government extended or expanded the federal benefits 11 times since then, most recently in January 2013.

Those who want to extend jobless b! enefits p! oint to recent jobs reports that continue to show frustrated unemployed workers dropping out of the labor force.

Gomez said he continues sending his resumé out each week. After his job ended in New York, he moved his family to Fitchburg, Mass., to be closer to his girlfriend. It's made it tougher get to interviews, because he lost his car when he couldn't afford car payments. He takes the bus.

"I'd work at McDonalds. I really don't care. But nobody is hiring," he said. "I'm really trying."

Hot Safest Companies To Invest In Right Now

Hot Safest Companies To Invest In Right Now: Digi International Inc.(DGII)

Digi International Inc. engages in the provision of machine to machine networking products and solutions to connect, monitor, and control of local or remote physical assets by electronic means. It offers a range of embedded products, including modules, single board computers, chips, satellite communication devices, and software and development tools; and non embedded products comprising cellular products, serial servers, console servers, universal serial bus connected products, serial cards, and wireless communication adaptors. The company also provides wireless product design and development services to provide wireless networking products. In addition, it offers iDigi, a cloud-based Internet platform to connect enterprise applications to remote electronic devices. The company sells its products through a network of distributors, systems integrators, and value added resellers for a range of businesses and institutions, as well as to original equipment manufacturers primar ily in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It has strategic alliances with VMware, Ember, Freescale, Qualcomm, Ericsson, Itron, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, Bell Mobility, and Rogers. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell]

  Digi International Inc.'s(DGII) fiscal first quarter earnings fell, as high costs masked a slight rise in revenue. The wireless-product provider’s results were well-below the company’s previous guidance. Shares slumped 9.9% to $10.89 premarket.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap machine-to-machine (M2M) stock Elecsys Corp (NASDAQ: ESYS) jumped 8.99% yesterday and is up 254% over the past year, meaning it might be time to take a closer look at the stock and its performance! verses other small cap M2M stocks like Digi International Inc (NASDAQ: DGII), Numerex Corp (NASDAQ: NMRX) and Sierra Wireless, Inc (NASDAQ: SWIR). First of all though, I should mention that machine-to-machine (M2M) broadly refers to technologies that allow both wireless and wired systems to communicate with other devices of the same type and this can be through any type of technology ranging from instruments to networks to applications that create connections between devices.

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

How to Organize and File Your Taxes Over a Weekend

Top Dividend Stocks To Own For 2014

Alamy All you need to do your taxes is a little bit of time over one weekend to gather what you need, get organized and file your return. Friday Evening: Collect the Documentation On Friday evening, devote an hour or two to collect the necessary documents. If your documents are scattered, use a checklist to make sure you grab all the important stuff. Here's what most people will need: Last year's tax return. The Social Security number -- or tax ID number, if applicable -- and birthdate for you and everyone in your household. Income information for employees: W2s. Income information for self-employed individuals: W9s, 1099s and Schedule K-1s. Report all income, even if you did not receive a 1099 from a client. Income information from investments: 1099s reflecting interest earned, dividends, retirement funds and son on. Proof of income adjustments: 1098s. Receipts: If you are itemizing, they should be added for health expenses, donations and other key categories. Tip for next tax season: If you had to run around to find these forms and documents or you had to dig through a box of old receipts, now is a good time to create better habits to make tax time less stressful next year. For instance, you can upload your receipts and paper clutter to a cloud-based, accessible-from-anywhere storage system with Shoeboxed. Saturday: Use Software or Take Everything to a Preparer On Saturday, you are ready to fire up tax software or bring your information in to a tax preparer. Which you choose is a matter of personal preference and how complicated your tax situation is. If you do your taxes with the help of a tax software, double- and triple-check all the information you entered. The software will do the math, but it can't tell you if you have typos. The added cost of a tax professional may be worth it if you have your own small business, unique tax situation or simply don't feel comfortable handling this information on your own. It's OK to ask for help. Tip for this season: If you make less than $52,000, you could qualify for free tax help at a Volunteer Income Tax Assistant Program near you. Sunday: Make One Last Check Sunday is time to think about your taxes. Take an hour to carefully review your return and check for errors. If a mistake was made, don't panic. Don't cross your fingers and hope the Internal Revenue Service won't notice, either. Erroneous reporting can trigger an audit, which is stressful for most taxpayers. Instead, take pre-emptive action and file a 1040X form to point out the mistake. This will help you avoid penalties, since you reported the error. Tax season isn't fun, but this plan will make it go more smoothly. And if you invest extra time, you'll set yourself up for a less stressful and faster experience next year.

Are There Any Good Graphene Stocks?

In this edition of The Motley Fool's "Ask a Fool" series, Motley Fool analysts Jason Moser and Brendan Mathews take a question from a reader who asks, " What are some ideas on taking advantage of the future of graphene?"

According to Brendan, there are no large, reputable publicly traded companies that will directly benefit from the potential of graphene. Of course, there is no shortage of penny stock promoters that have surfaced to capitalize on the hype (and take advantage of individual investors).

Unfortunately, a large number of penny stocks and micro-cap stocks tend to work out badly for investors. Many of them have limited business operations and their "potential" is just hype generated by unscrupulous promoters. Thus, Brendan and Jason suggest treading with caution -- or better yet, avoid investing in any graphene-related penny stocks. Investing in penny stocks, whether related to graphene or not, is the most sure-fire way to lose money in the market.

10 Best Casino Stocks To Buy For 2014

Patience rewards the long-term investor
It's no secret that investors tend to be impatient with the market, but the best investment strategy is to buy shares in solid businesses and keep them for the long term. In the special free report "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich," The Motley Fool shares investment ideas and strategies that could help you build wealth for years to come. Click here to grab your free copy today.

Is the Market Dependent on the Fed?

The US government is no longer looking for quick fixes for the economy, but concrete solutions, says Jack Ablin, Chief Investment Officer at BMO Private Bank.

TERRY:  I'm Terry Savage from MoneyShow.com talking with Jack Ablin.  He is the chief investment officer of BMO Private Bank, meaning you make money investment decisions for $66 billion.  Is the market dependent just on the fed which is now retreating a bit, or is it depending on things happening out of Washington?  What's your outlook for 2014? 

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JACK:  Sure.  I think that the government, Washington in particular, has done a nice job throwing fixes at our problems.  We had the cash for clunkers, we've got quantitative easing.  We've done a lot of things to try to him things in but now we're looking for solutions, and solutions that will really address some of the imbalances that we have. 

TERRY:  Give us three solutions that could actually change the direction of the economy for the better and help the markets continue to grow. 

JACK:  Sure.  One solution, pretty simple, is to reform immigration.  Our H1B Visa program is a way to get qualified workers.  These are graduate students who are working, generally schooled in this country, that aren't allowed to work here.  We're currently capped at 180,000 people a year.  If we even raise that to 200,000 it's enough to move -

TERRY:  Allow smart people in to keep working.  Number two reform. 

JACK:  Number two, I think we need to train our work force to meet the needs of the private sector.  The good news is we don't have to rely exclusively on Washington.  We've got these new MOOCs, massively open online courses, that's going to change the overall cost curve for tuition, but it's also really favorably impacting our K through 12 experience.  That's starting, but we do need some help from Washington. 

TERRY:  And a third thing you'd like to see out of Washington. 

JACK:  The third thing really is just change the corporate tax rate.  The fact is we have the highest corporate tax rate in the world and we're discouraging companies from investing here in this country. 

TERRY:  Jack, we're seeing out of Washington inequality, we've got to tax the rich more, we've got to make everyone equal.  You'll never get a change in the corporate tax rate, will you? 

JACK:  Well, the funny is thing is, we don't even collect corporate taxes.  Of all the taxes that we collect, 96% of it is personal, so what we're doing is we're spending $200 billion a year hiring attorneys and accounts to figure out ways around the corporate tax code, and then we're sending our profits to other countries.  That's why we don't pay corporate taxes. 

TERRY:  We are appreciative of that analysis.  It's one I haven't heard before.  We've been talking about Jack Ablin, chief investment officer of BMO Private Bank.  I'm Terry Savage for MoneyShow.com.

Three Biggest Investment Mistakes

Riley Asset Management's Ned Riley shares what he thinks are the three biggest mistakes that investors make.

TERRY:  I’m Terry Savage from MoneyShow.com.  We’re talking today with Ned Riley of Riley Assistant Management, and before that he was the Senior Chief Investment Strategist for State Street Global Advisors; big, huge firm, so you’ve been around the industry for a while.  I’ve heard you talk about what people do wrong, so give us today the three biggest mistakes investors always make and keep making.

NED:  One is emotion.  They, unfortunately, no matter how many times you tell them don’t sell when things are depressed, don’t buy when everything is just ballooned up and clearly been inflated by the markets.  The biggest mistake is we’re all emotional.  I mean, we are basically living off of the media; we’re living off of the press.  We listen to Wall Street too much to be candid, and unfortunately, that which is being fed to us now is more of a short-term trading orientation rather than longer term.

TERRY:  Let me apply that.  In early 2014, January was just miserable.  What now?  I mean, are we saying well, the market’s too high, we’ve been through 13,000, 14,000, 15,000, 16,000; are we in that inflated time when investors should be taking some profits off the table?

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NED:  I don’t think so Terry.  I think this is a secular bull market and secular basically implied somewhere between five and 10 years, and I think this market will head higher over the next four to five years.  It’ll be driven primarily by liquidity in the system.  The public will come back into this market.  They will be selling bonds to buy stocks, which will be another mistake that they had made, but they have enough money available and a very low allocation – two equities – so I think they have to build that up.

TERRY:  All right, so emotions the first big mistake.  Second big mistake?

NED:  not challenging enough.  I am a contrarian by nature, so I have to challenge everything that I hear and see coming out of Wall Street.

TERRY:  So be skeptical.  Third biggest mistake?

NED:  Trying to do it by yourself.  Individuals will try to think that this is a practice that they can do very easily, and I always say to somebody, look it, don’t perform a hot operation on me, because you’re not a skilled heart surgeon.

TERRY:  So get good advice.

NED:  Get good advice, sound advice, and one that’s long term in nature, and not necessarily trading oriented, because trading doesn’t pay off in the long run.

TERRY:  Okay, that is good advice from Ned Riley of Riley Asset Management.  I’m Terry Savage from MoneyShow.com.

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2014

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2014: Enbridge Inc(ENB)

Enbridge Inc. engages in the transportation and distribution of crude oil and natural gas primarily in Canada and the United States. Its Liquids Pipelines segment operates common carrier and contract crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and refined products pipelines and terminals. The company?s Gas Distribution segment distributes natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers primarily in central and eastern Ontario, northern New York State, Quebec, and New Brunswick. Enbridge?s Gas Pipelines, Processing and Energy Services segment invests in natural gas pipelines, processing and green energy projects, and commodity marketing businesses, as well as performs commodity storage, transport, and supply management services. Its Sponsored Investments segment transports crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons through common carrier and feeder pipelines, as well as transports, gathers, processes, and markets natural gas and NGLs; operates a crude oil and liqui ds pipeline and gathering system; and owns a 50% interest in the Canadian portion of Alliance Pipeline and partial interests in various green energy investments. The company was formerly known as IPL Energy Inc. and changed its name to Enbridge Inc. in October 1998. Enbridge Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Thus, investors looking for Canadian pipeline growth might want to turn their attention away from TRP stock … and toward rival Enbridge (ENB).

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  Enbridge Inc. (ENB) operates as an energy transportation and distribution company in the United States and Canada. Dec. 4, the company increased its quarterly dividend 16.7% to $0.35 per share. The dividend is payable March 1, 2014, to shareholders of record on Feb. 14, 2014. The yield! based on the new payout is 3.4%.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  Today, many newly discovered unconventional sources are very light, sweet, and easy to refine. Since our Gulf Coast refineries are still geared toward heavy, sour crudes, we will continue to import that grade to use in these facilities. In fact, one type of crude oil that is strikingly similar to Venezuelan and Mexican crudes is Canadian oil sands. Canadian oil sands are in desperate need of refineries capable of treating this heavy mix, and Gulf of Mexico refineries are just the type of refinery these crudes need. This is the driving force for Canadian pipeline companies TransCanada (NYSE: TRP  ) and Enbridge (NYSE: ENB  ) expanding their takeaway capacity to the Gulf through the Keystone XL and the Trunkline conversion, respectively.

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  BP (NYSE: BP  ) just announced it is getting out of the wind power game, and in fact big oil's green energy initiatives are pretty negligible at this point. It could be disheartening state of affairs, but luckily pipeline companies are stepping in and picking up the slack. In this video, Fool.com contributor Aimee Duffy explores Enbridge's (NYSE: ENB  ) recent deal to buy into a wind project in Alberta, and reviews the alternative energy efforts already under way in the North American midstream industry.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-canadian-stocks-to-watch-for-2014.html

Top Clean Energy Companies To Invest In Right Now

Top Clean Energy Companies To Invest In Right Now: Koninklijke DSM NV (RDSMY.PK)

Koninklijke DSM N.V. (DSM), incorporated on December 28, 1966, is engaged in creating products and services in Life Sciences and Materials Sciences. DSM's products and services are used in a range of markets and applications. End markets include human and animal nutrition and health, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, coatings and paint, electrical and electronics, life protection and housing. The activities of DSM are grouped into five clusters: Nutrition, Pharma, Performance Materials, Polymer Intermediates, and Base Chemicals and Materials. In May 2010, Orascom Construction Industries announced that the acquisition of the Company's agro and melamine businesses has been finalized. DSM completed the disposal of DSM Energie Holding B.V. (DSM Energy) to TAQA Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC on September 30, 2009. In September 2010, the Company acquired Microbia, Inc. from Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In December 2010, the Company completed the sale of D SM Special Products B.V. to Emerald Performance Materials. In February 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of Martek Biosciences Corporation. In May 2011, the Company sold DSM Elastomers to Lanxess AG. In June 2012, the Company acquired Kensey Nash Corporation (Kensey Nash).

Nutrition

The Nutrition cluster comprises DSM Nutritional Products and DSM Food Specialties. The nutrition and food ingredients businesses serve the food, feed, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries DSM holds positions in the markets for ingredients for human and animal nutrition and health. DSM Nutritional Products is the supplier of vitamins, carotenoids, nutritional ingredients, ultra-violet (UV) filters and premixes for human and animal nutrition and health. DSM Nutritional Products is organized around two entities: Animal Nutrition and! Health (ANH) and Human Nutrition and Health (HNH). DSM Food Specialties is a global manufacturer of food enzymes, cultures, yeast extracts and other specialty ingredients for the food and b! everage industries.

DSM Food Specialties comprises two business units and an Ingredients Development Unit. Enzymes & Dairy Ingredients supplies a range of food enzymes for applications such as dairy, baking, fruit processing, brewing and wine, starter cultures for cheese and yogurt, preservation solutions for cheese and meat, and tests for the detection of residues of antibiotics in milk. Savoury Ingredients is a major supplier of ingredients for flavorings and flavor enhancers (such as yeast extracts) used in products, such as soups, instant meals, sauces and savory snacks.

Pharma

The Pharma cluster comprises the business groups DSM Pharmaceutical Products (DPP) and DSM Anti-Infectives. DSM is an independent supplier to the pharmaceutical industry. DSM Pharmaceutical Products is a provider of custom contract manufacturing and development services to the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and agrochemical industries.

DSM P harmaceutical Products consists of three business units: DSM Pharma Chemicals (custom chemical manufacturing services for complex registered intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), including DSM Exclusive Synthesis (custom manufacturing services for the crop protection industry), DSM Biologics (biopharmaceutical manufacturing technology and services) and DSM Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (finished-dose-form manufacturing services). DSM BioSolutions focuses on custom manufacturing services based on microbial fermentation. DSM Anti-Infectives holds global leadership positions in penicillin G, penicillin intermediates (6-APA and 7-ADCA), active pharmaceutical ingredients such as semi-synthetic penicillins and semi-synthetic cefalosporins (beta-lactams), and other active ingredients, such as nystatin.

Performance Mater! ials

The Performance Materials cluster comprises the business groups DSM Engineering Plastics, DSM Dyneema and DSM Resins. T he products are used in a variety of end-use markets: the au! tomotive ! industry, the aviation industry, the electrical and electronics industry, the sports and leisure industries, the paint and coatings industry and the construction industry.

DSM Engineering Plastics is a global player in polyamides, polyesters, polycarbonates and adhesive resins. These materials are used in components for the electrical and electronics, automotive, engineering and packaging industries. DSM produces Dyneema fiber and UD (unidirectional textile sheets) in Heerlen (Netherlands) and in Greenville (North Carolina, United States) through its gel-spinning process. DSM Resins consists of four business units: DSM NeoResins+, DSM Powder Coating Resins, DSM Desotech and DSM Composite Resins.

Polymer Intermediates

The Polymer Intermediates cluster consists of DSM Fiber Intermediates. DSM Fibre Intermediates produces caprolactam and acrylonitrile, which are raw materials for synthetic fibers and engineering plastics. Other products i nclude ammonium sulfate (a fertilizer), diaminobutane, sodium cyanide and cyclohexanone. DSM's caprolactam production capacity is more than 600,000 tons per annum.

Base Chemicals and Materials

The Base Chemicals and Materials cluster consists of DSM Agro, DSM Melamine, DSM Elastomers and a number of activities that have been carved out from other clusters. DSM Agro produces fertilizers and is active in Northwestern Europe. DSM Melamine is a producer of melamine, used in wood-based panels and laminates for furniture and flooring. DSM Elastomers manufactures synthetic rubbers (EPDM) for use in cars and other transportation vehicles, white goods, various industrial products and construction materials and as motor-oil additives.

DSM Agro is a producer of ammonia and high-nitrogen fertilizers fo! r grassla! nds and agricultural crops; products and services for responsible fertilization. DSM Agro sells about 2.4 million tons of fertilizers per year. The Base Chemicals and Materials cluster also includes! several ! activities that have been carved out from other clusters. These include Citric Acid, DSM Special Products and the Maleic Anhydride and derivatives business.

Other activities

Other activities comprise various activities and businesses that do not belong to any of the five reporting clusters. It consists of both operating and service activities and also includes a number of costs that cannot be logically allocated to the clusters. Other activities includes the DSM Innovation Center, DSM Venturing and a number of other activities, such as Sitech Services, EdeA, DSM Insurances and part of the costs of corporate activities. Sitech Services provides technological consultancy, expertise in energy and auxiliary materials, the supply of utilities and human resources.

EdeA VoF owns, operates and maintains most of the production and distribution facilities for utilities (for example steam, power and water) at the Chemelot site in Sittard-Geleen ( Netherlands). EdeA VoF is a joint venture with Essent, an energy production and distribution company. DSM's stake is 50%. DSM retains a limited part of its Property Damage and Business Interruption and Product Liability risks via a captive insurance company. DSM has a share in a limited number of associates.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Markus Aarnio]

  BioAmber expects its advanced bio-based specialty chemicals to compete with petrochemical equivalents that are proven in the market and manufactured by established companies, such as Gadiv Petrochemical Industries, Kawasaki Kasei, DSM (RDSMY.PK) and numerous small Chinese producers including Anqing Hexing Chemical, and Anhui Sunsing Chemicals. In addition, BioAmber's products will compete against other companies in the bio-based specialty chemical! industry! , both early stage companies, such as Genomatica (for bio-based 1,4 BDO) and Myriant Corporation (for bio-succinic acid), and established companies, such as a collaborative venture between DSM and Roquette Frères S.A. and a collaborative venture between BASF (BASFY.PK) and Purac (both for bio-succinic acid).

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

Best Penny Stocks To Invest In 2014

Best Penny Stocks To Invest In 2014: Cincinnati Bell Inc (CBB)

Cincinnati Bell Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications and technology services. The company?s Wireline segment provides local voice services, including local telephone service, switched access, and value-added services, such as caller identification, voicemail, call waiting, and call return; data services comprising high-speed Internet using digital subscriber line technology, fiber to the home, dial-up Internet access, network access, and gigabit Ethernet and asynchronous transfer mode data transport services. This segment?s services also comprise long distance and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP)services, such as long distance voice, audio conferencing, VoIP, and other broadband services; entertainment services that consist of television over fiber optic cable and coaxial cable in limited areas, and DirecTV commissioning over the company?s operating area; and other services consisting of security monitoring, inside wire installation for busi ness enterprises, rental revenue of space, public payphones, and clearinghouse services. It?s Wireless segment provides advanced digital wireless voice and data communications services through the wireless network in a licensed service territory, which includes Greater Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, and areas of northern Kentucky and southeastern Indiana. This segment offers postpaid and prepaid wireless subscription services; and wireless handset devices to customers to use its wireless services. The company?s Data Center Colocation segment provides data center colocation services to businesses. This segment operates 17 data centers with 639,000 square feet of total data center space in Texas, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois. It?s IT Services and Hardware segment offers a range of managed IT solutions, including managed infrastructure services, IT and telephony e! quipment sales, and professional IT staffing services. The company was founded in 1873 and is base d in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paulo Santos]

  The birth of CONE was non-effusive; it came from the spin-off and IPO of the datacenter unit of Cincinnati Bell (CBB). Perhaps one could believe that not being a green field company, people didn't go as gaga on it. It came from a telecom dinosaur, after all.

• [By Mike Arnold]

  Cincinnati Bell (CBB) ("CB" or "the company") is a storied, regional telecommunications player in Ohio undergoing considerable transformation, which began, in earnest, with the spin-off of its data warehousing business CyrusOne (CONE) ("Cyrus") in January 2013. CB still holds a ~69% economic interest in Cyrus, with the stated goal to monetize the asset over the next several years in order to pay down debt.

• [By Jim Royal]

  One of my favorite reasons to reinvest in stocks I already own is when an uncertain, but favorable catalyst occurs, but the stock does little. So my Special Situations portfolio is adding $1,000 to each of the following three stocks: Cincinnati Bell (NYSE: CBB  ) , Bridgepoint Education (NYSE: BPI  ) , and First Financial Northwest (NASDAQ: FFNW  ) . Read on to see why.

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

Bartiromo talks Keystone pipeline with Canada…

The Ukraine-Russia conflict is renewing calls for U.S. energy independence as Europe's reliance on Russian gas is questioned. The European Union imports a third of its natural gas from Russia, much of it flowing through Ukrainian pipelines. But with Russian President Vladimir Putin controlling the spigot, the U.S. and Europe are watching for signs that the gas flow will be used as leverage.

President Obama says he'll decide in the next few months on whether to approve the Keystone Pipeline. The 875-mile pipeline would carry oil from Alberta, Canada, into the Midwest and Gulf Coast.

Construction contracts, materials and support purchased in the U.S. would total about $3.1 billion, with another $233 million for construction camps. But some environmentalists are trying to block it. I caught up with Joe Oliver, Canada's minister of natural resources — first on my new Fox Business Network morning show, then on the phone to see how long Canada is willing to wait for a decision before redirecting it's oil to Asia. Our interview follows, edited for clarity and length.

Q: What are you expecting from President Obama on Keystone approval?

A: The arguments in the national interest in favor of approving Keystone are overwhelming. The U.S. State Department said 42,000 construction jobs would be created, (with) billions of dollars in economic activity, hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to governments to support critical programs and enhanced national security. The environmental issues have been dealt with decisively by the final and fifth environmental-impact statement by the U.S. State Department. That report followed four others that were independent and science-based. They concluded that there would not be a significant impact on the environment, and that not building Keystone would increase greenhouse gas emissions by 28% to 42%, because the alternative forms of transportation by train and truck, would result in higher emissions, but also potentially higher accidents. T! his pipeline would be safer than existing pipelines because of improvements in technology. The economic and national security advantages are very strong. If the facts and the science are taken into account, we would expect a positive decision.

Q: What kind of volume would you expect from this project in terms of oil shipments?

A: This project will transport 830,000 barrels a day; approximately 525,000 barrels will be from the Canadian oil sands crude. About 20% to 25% would be light oil from the Bakken formation, in Montana and North Dakota, (and) a very little bit from Saskatchewan. That would further contribute to energy security. We are already the largest oil supplier to the United States, delivering 3 million barrels of crude and petroleum products every day, more than Saudi Arabia and Venezuela combined. By the way, Venezuela has threatened to cut off the United States five times in a recent period. It raises the issue of reliability and safety.

Q: How would this affect regular people?

A: All the oil coming down, which will come down to Texas, to the Gulf Coast, will be refined in Texas refineries. That is to say, all of it will be processed in America.

That is a big advantage because the Texas refineries process heavy crude, which is the crude oil that comes from the from the oil sands. That is why they are very enthusiastic to see this pipeline built, because it means jobs and economic activity in Texas. That will be generating tax revenue for governments and employing Americans. The refined product, the gasoline or the diesel, mainly gasoline, will be used in the United States. Whether some of it is exported or not, I don't know. But the job creation activity will happen in the U.S.

Q: Are those jobs largely in construction or engineering or something else?

A: The nature of construction jobs is that they're temporary. You could start something, and you move on and construct something else. There will be blue-collar jobs, and there wi! ll be job! s for engineers, for geologists and or for people involved in manufacturing. Then there is the spillover of jobs that come from the services that are provided to these companies. It's a full range of jobs that tend to be higher-paid, higher-skilled jobs. Also a lot of union jobs, which is why the construction unions are very supportive of this. The pipeline goes through quite a few states. That's why this project is supported by the governors of every state through which the pipeline will go. Also, I believe it was Gen. James Jones who recently concluded that not approving this would be a favor to Vladimir Putin.

Q: You're saying this is an issue of national security?

A: It is an issue of national security because we've seen the additional reminder that energy insecurity can lead to political instability and political weakness. Conversely, energy security provides independence.

Q: This project was proposed in 2008, and you still don't have an answer. How long are you and your government willing to wait for a decision?

A: It's not a question of our taking our marbles and leaving. We want to see this approved. We believe strongly that it ultimately will be approved. We hope it'll be approved soon, because this is a shovel-ready project, and we'd like to see the jobs created now and the economic growth start right away. The southern portion has already been built. We're only talking about 875 miles. But in the meantime, we are pursuing other alternatives. We have to, as a matter of national interest, diversify our markets. There were a number of pipelines which would move oil to the west and to the east to the Asia-Pacific market, which has a huge need for energy. If Keystone isn't built, the oil, or part of it, will continue to be shipped into the United States, partly through through rail and and other pipelines. We are looking at other parts of the United States which have an interest in receiving the oil, and the oil can come through a combination of rail! and pipe! , which wouldn't need presidential approval.

Q: The State Department has issued a report saying that this can be done safely. But we also know that mistakes happen. Knowing feelings after the Gulf spill, how can you assure people this can be done safely?

A: The oil spill in the Gulf was different. That was offshore oil. Accidents for pipelines are of a different order, because you can cut off the supply. You just turn it off, and the oil stops flowing. Our safety record in our country is 99.999% of all goes through safely. Actually, it's higher than that. The percentage of accidents is very, very small. That's a record that goes over quite a few years. There is no question that the safest form of transportation of oil is by pipeline.

Q: Have the incidents in Russia these last two weeks enforced this notion of energy independence?

A: The issue of energy security has become very top of mind now in the light of the crisis in Ukraine. Europe imports about a third of its gasoline from Russia, and Ukraine imports about 70% from Russia. Six or seven countries in Europe import almost all of their gas from Russia. That is clearly having a geopolitical impact. It is this vulnerability that Europe has to Russian energy, both gas and oil, that weakens it. (Putin) has threatened to cut off some European countries before over the last few years. And it just strengthens and encourages the rather thuggish behavior we've seen from Vladimir Putin.

Maria Bartiromo is global markets editor and anchor at Fox Business Network. Her Opening Bell program is seen weekdays from 9 to 11 a.m. ET on FBN.

USA TODAY contributor and CNBC host Maria Bartiromo.(Photo: Todd Plitt, USA TODAY)

Top Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2014

Top Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2014: Akorn Inc.(AKRX)

Akorn, Inc. engages in the manufacture and marketing of diagnostic and therapeutic ophthalmic pharmaceuticals products, niche hospital drugs, and injectable pharmaceuticals in the United States and internationally. It offers products in various specialty areas, including ophthalmology, antidotes, anti-infectives, pain management, anesthesia, and vaccines. The company?s Ophthalmic segment markets diagnostic products, including mydriatics and cycloplegics, anesthetics, topical stains, gonioscopic solutions, angiography dyes, and others primarily for use in the office setting. This segment also offers therapeutic products, such as antibiotics, steroids, steroid combinations, glaucoma medications, decongestants/antihistamines, and anti-edema medications to wholesalers, chain drug stores, and other national account customers; and non-pharmaceutical products, which include various artificial tear solutions, preservative-free lubricating ointments, and eyelid cleansers. In addit ion, the Ophthalmic segment provides a line of over-the-counter dry eye and other eye health products principally under the TheraTears brand name through a chain drug stores and big box retailers, as well as directly to optometrists, ophthalmologists, and other eye care practitioners and clinics. The company?s Hospital Drugs and Injectables segment provides a line of niche hospital drug and injectable pharmaceutical products comprising antidotes, anti-infectives, controlled substances for pain management and anesthesia, and other pharmaceutical products to hospitals through the wholesale distribution channel. Its Contract Services segment manufactures ophthalmic and injectable pharmaceutical products for third party pharmaceutical customers based on their specifications. The company serves physicians, optometrists, hospitals, wholesalers, group purchasing organizations, pharm! acy chains, and other pharmaceutical companies. Akorn, Inc. was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Akorn (NASDAQ: AKRX) were down 9.41 percent to $23.39 after the company reported Q4 results and issued a weak FY14 guidance.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Akorn (NASDAQ: AKRX  )  -- a hybrid generic and branded drug developer -- shed as much as 15% of their value after the company reported disappointing first-quarter results.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Still, some stocks are bucking the trend. Goodyear Tire & Rubber (GT) has gained 1.4% to $18.90, the largest gainer in the S&P 500, after reaching a deal with a union. The real winners: Hi-Tech Pharmacal (HITK) has gained 22.3% to $43.05 after agreeing to be purchased by Akorn (AKRX), which has jumped 9.6% to $18.02.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-dow-dividend-stocks-to-watch-for-2014.html

Top Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2014

Top Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2014: Dole Food Company Inc(DOLE)

Dole Food Company, Inc. engages in sourcing, growing, processing, marketing, and distributing fresh fruits and vegetables, and food products to wholesale, retail, and institutional customers worldwide. It operates in three segments: Fresh Fruit, Fresh Vegetables, and Packaged Foods. The Fresh Fruit segment involves in growing and selling bananas under the DOLE brand name primarily in North America, Europe, and Asia; ripening and distributing DOLE and non-DOLE branded fresh produce in Europe; growing, sourcing, and selling fresh pineapples under the DOLE TROPICAL GOLD label; and exporting Chilean fruits, including grapes, apples, pears, stone fruits, and kiwifruits primarily to North America, Latin America, and Europe. The Fresh Vegetables segment engages in sourcing, harvesting, cooling, distributing, and marketing various fresh and fresh-cut vegetables, including iceberg lettuce, red and green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, c arrots, Brussels sprouts, green onions, asparagus, snow peas, artichokes, and radishes, as well as fresh strawberries and raspberries. This segment also processes and markets value-added vegetable products, such as packaged salads and packaged fresh-cut vegetables. The Packaged Foods segment produces and markets canned pineapples, canned pineapple juice, fruit juice concentrate, fruit parfaits, snack foods, and frozen fruits, as well as fruits in plastic cups, jars, and pouches. Its principal customers include mass merchandisers and supermarkets. Dole Food Company, Inc. was founded in 1851 and is based in Westlake Village, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  It didn't take long for Dole Foods (NYSE: DOLE  ) to reverse its policy on stock repurchases. Less than three weeks after initiating a buyback ! program, the company has suspended it. Instead, it will plow capital into upgrading its fleet of ships, a project it anticipates will cost roughly $165 million.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  That's why seeing Dole Foods (NYSE: DOLE  ) lurch from a stock buyback program one day to suspending it weeks later so it can buy new ships instead, rattled investors and caused its stock to drop 10% so far.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-up-and-coming-companies-to-buy-for-2014.html

Best Medical Stocks To Watch For 2014

Best Medical Stocks To Watch For 2014: Rosetta Genomics Ltd (ROSG)

Rosetta Genomics Ltd., incorporated on March 9, 2000, is seeking to develop and commercialize diagnostic tests based on discovered group of genes known as microRNAs. The Company has established a clinical laboratory improvement amendment (CLIA)-certified laboratory in Philadelphia, which enables it to develop, validate and commercialize its own diagnostic tests applying its microRNA technology. In July 2011, the Company launched its fifth product - miRview lung. As of December 31, 2011, the Company launched five tests based on its five microRNA technologies: miRview mets; miRview mets2; miRview squamous; miRview meso, and miRview lung.

Rimonim Consortium

In January 2011, the Company joined the Rimonim Consortium, which is supported by the Office of the Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor of the State of Israel, or the OCS. The purpose of the consortium is to develop RNA interference, or RNAi, -based therapeutics.

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Rosetta Green

Rosetta Green Ltd. is an Israeli subsidiary of the Company, which was established to leverage its capabilities into the areas of cleantech and plant biotech by using its microRNA technologies to develop plants and algae more suitable for various applications, such as feedstocks for biofuels and agriculture. Research at the Rosetta Green project has been shown to develop algal strains with oil content, to discover potential novel microRNAs from commercially-important algae and to identify drought-regulated microRNAs in plants.

The Company competes with Pathwork Diagnostics, Inc., Biotheranostics, Inc., Combimatrix Corporation, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Asuragen Inc., Exiqon A/S, Life Technologies Corporation, Isis Pharmaceuticals, Merck & Co., Inc., Santaris Pharma A/S, and Regulus Therapeutics.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  On Tuesday, small cap cancer diagnostic stock Myriad Genetics, Inc (NASDAQ: MYGN) jumped 11.42% in one day, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of small cap cancer diagnostic stocks like Rosetta Genomics Ltd (NASDAQ: ROSG) and Genomic Health, Inc (NASDAQ: GHDX) plus mid cap diagnostic stock Quest Diagnostics Inc (NYSE: DGX). I should mention that we have had Myriad Genetics in our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio since February 5th and we are already up 18.50% – a nice return in just two weeks time.

• [By Anthony Mirhaydari]

  For now, I continue to recommend investors maintain a cautious stance, focusing on the buying interest coming into safe-haven assets like U.S. Treasury bond and precious metals while booking profits in biotech stocks that have been red hot this month. The leveraged Direxion 3x Treasury Bond Bull (TMF) is up nearly 7% in my Edge Letter Sample Portfolio since it was added on Jan. 10. I just sold Tower Hill Mines (THM) and Rosetta Genomics (ROSG) for gains of 46% and 18% respectively.

• [By John Udovich]

  The National Cancer Institute estimates that about ten million Americans have or have had some form of cancer with the overall costs of the disease topping $126 billion annually – meaning there is a big market for small cap cancer diagnostic stocks like Rosetta Genomics Ltd. (NASDAQ: ROSG), Genetic Technologies Limited (NASDAQ: GENE) and MetaStat Inc (OTCBB: MTST) just in the US alone without considering global cancer figures. After all, catching and doing something about cancer early on is critical to increase survival rates and bring down the cost of treatment. With that in mind, he! re are th! ree small cap cancer diagnostic stocks helping to lead the fight to diagnose and stop cancer:

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

The Fed Just Told You Which Stocks to Buy

Popular Posts: Are These 15%-Plus Dividend Yields Safe?3 Must-Own International Dividend StocksWhy Haven’t You Sold GRPN Stock? Recent Posts: The Fed Just Told You Which Stocks to Buy Why Haven’t You Sold GRPN Stock? Office Depot: Take a Flyer on ODP Stock View All Posts

Let's thank the New York Federal Reserve for its quarterly report on consumer debt. Even a cursory reading gives an investor plenty of guidance regarding what stocks to buy. There's a wealth of information hidden in the report that most people will miss.

Source: FreeFoto.com

Just look at page 3 — the chart there tells us a lot. After many quarters in which consumer debt balances were declining, we now have two quarters in a row where it is advancing. As the chart indicates, these trends tend to sustain themselves for quite some time, which makes it a good time to find stocks to buy.

Best Chemical Stocks To Own For 2015

Balances are increasing across all types of loans in sectors. Aggregate consumer debt increased in Q4 by $241 billion, the largest quarter-to-quarter increase since Q3 of 2007. The four quarters ending 12/31/13 were the first time in five years that four consecutive quarters showed an increase.

Just a few pages later, we get even more useful information. Page 5 shows that the number of accounts opened in the past 12 months are increasing. Page 7 shows that the credit limits and balances for credit cards are increasing. When looking for stocks to buy, this information is gold.

First, this information tells us that consumers are using their credit cards at increasing rates. Consequently, the no-brainer stocks to buy are credit card stocks. I personally prefer Visa (V) and Mastercard (MA), because they both have the largest market shares.

They are the dual 800-lb. gorillas, and while competitors are good choices, I prefer the cards that are more widely accepted. Mastercard also missed estimates in its recent report, knocking the stock down to reasonable levels and making it even more attractive.

For auto loans, debt balance and number of accounts are also increasing, while auto loan delinquencies are declining. That makes automakers great stocks to buy. Trucks and used cars are selling best right now, so I'd choose the all-American Ford (F) which has regained its footing post-financial crisis, and the king of used car retailers, AutoNation (AN).

Mortgage debt is trending well also, but I'm going to avoid this sector. There are too many crosscurrents in the housing market to give me confidence recommending any stocks to buy in this sector. There's still a lot of speculation in housing, and mortgages aren't being originated by long-term homeowners. Rental apartment REITs are still showing growth, as are storage REITs, which shows people moving out of homes. I'd avoid this sector.

The other good news is on pages 10, 11 and 15. Delinquencies are rising, as are collections. If debt balances increase, you would expect delinquencies to rise as well. That bodes well for the big-time players in debt collection, Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRAA) and Encore Capital Group (ECPG). Both just reported robust growth in collections, revenues, and net income. They’re also making large international acquisitions. I love both companies and think they’re are undervalued.

Savvy investors can use reports like this to help discover stocks to buy. Just look to see where the money’s going, and find the companies that are set to capitalize on that influx.

As of this writing, Lawrence Meyers was long PRAA, ECPG. He is president of PDL Broker, Inc., which brokers financing, strategic investments and distressed asset purchases between private equity firms and businesses. He also has written two books and blogs about public policy, journalistic integrity, popular culture, and world affairs. Contact him at pdlcapital66@gmail.com and follow his tweets @ichabodscranium.

25 must-read quotes from Buffett's annual letter

Warren Buffett released his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway (ticker:BRK-B) shareholders on Saturday. While Berkshire shareholders and anyone with a serious interest in investing might consider reading the whole thing, here are some highlights of Warren's wisdom.

On Berkshire's intrinsic value:

"As I've long told you, Berkshire's intrinsic value far exceeds its book value. Moreover, the difference has widened considerably in recent years. That's why our 2012 decision to authorize the repurchase of shares at 120% of book value made sense. Purchases at that level benefit continuing shareholders because per-share intrinsic value exceeds that percentage of book value by a meaningful amount."

On Berkshire's performance in this cycle:

"Over the stock market cycle between yearends 2007 and 2013, we overperformed the S&P. Through full cycles in future years, we expect to do that again. If we fail to do so, we will not have earned our pay. After all, you could always own an index fund and be assured of S&P results."

On investment and operating performance:

"Since 1970, our per-share investments have increased at a rate of 19.3% compounded annually, and our earnings figure has grown at a 20.6% clip. It is no coincidence that the price of Berkshire stock over the 43-year period has increased at a rate very similar to that of our two measures of value. Charlie [Munger] and I like to see gains in both sectors, but we will most strongly focus on building operating earnings."

On the Heinz deal

: "Though the Heinz acquisition has some similarities to a 'private equity' transaction, there is a crucial difference: Berkshire never intends to sell a share of the company. What we would like, rather, is to buy more, and that could happen."

On Berkshire's elephant herd:

"With Heinz, Berkshire now owns 8 1⁄2 companies that, were they stand-alone businesses, would be in the Fortune 500. Only 491 1⁄2 to go."

On Berkshire's "Powerhouse Five":

"MidAmerican [Energy] is one of our "Powerhouse Five" -- a collection of large non-insurance businesses that, in aggregate, had a record $10.8 billion of pre-tax earnings in 2013, up $758 million from 2012. The other companies in this sainted group are BNSF [Railway], Iscar, Lubrizol and Marmon. Of the five, only MidAmerican, then earning $393 million pre-tax, was owned by Berkshire nine years ago."

On Berkshire's insurance operation:

"Berkshire's extensive insurance operation again operated at an underwriting profit in 2013 -- that makes 11 years in a row -- and increased its float. During that 11-year stretch, our float -- money that doesn't belong to us but that we can invest for Berkshire's benefit -- has grown from $41 billion to $77 billion. Concurrently, our underwriting profit has aggregated $22 billion pre-tax, including $3 billion realized in 2013."

On investing in the U.S.

: "Our subsidiaries spent a record $11 billion on plant and equipment during 2013, roughly twice our depreciation charge. About 89% of that money was spent in the United States. Though we invest abroad as well, the mother lode of opportunity resides in America."

On the U.S. as a long-term bet

: "Charlie and I have always considered a 'bet' on ever-rising U.S. prosperity to be very close to a sure thing. Indeed, who has ever benefited during the past 237 years by betting against America? If you compare our country's present condition to that existing in 1776, you have to rub your eyes in wonder. And the dynamism embedded in our market economy will continue to work its magic. America's best days lie ahead."

On being beaten by his portfolio managers:

"In a year in which most equity managers found it impossible to outperform the S&P 500, both Todd Combs and Ted Weschler handily did so. Each now runs a portfolio exceeding $7 billion. They've earned it. I must again confess that their investments outperformed mine. (Charlie says I should add 'by a lot.') If such humiliating co! mparisons! continue, I'll have no choice but to cease talking about them."

On Todd Combs' and Ted Weschler's roles:

"Todd and Ted have also created significant value for you in several matters unrelated to their portfolio activities. Their contributions are just beginning: Both men have Berkshire blood in their veins."

On Berkshire's "Big Four" stock investments

: "Berkshire increased its ownership interest last year in each of its 'Big Four' investments -- American Express, Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO ) , IBM (NYSE: IBM ) and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC ) ... And, if you think tenths of a percent aren't important, ponder this math: For the four companies in aggregate, each increase of one-tenth of a percent in our share of their equity raises Berkshire's share of their annual earnings by $50 million."

On growth opportunities in energy:

"From a standing start nine years ago, MidAmerican now accounts for 7% of the country's wind generation capacity, with more on the way. Our share in solar -- most of which is still in construction – is even larger."

On GEICO's competitive advantage:

"When I was first introduced to GEICO in January 1951, I was blown away by the huge cost advantage the company enjoyed compared to the expenses borne by the giants of the industry. That operational efficiency continues today and is an all-important asset. No one likes to buy auto insurance. But almost everyone likes to drive. The insurance needed is a major expenditure for most families. Savings matter to them -- and only a low-cost operation can deliver these. GEICO's cost advantage is the factor that has enabled the company to gobble up market share year after year. Its low costs create a moat -- an enduring one -- that competitors are unable to cross."

On Berkshire's "hidden" stake in Bank of America:

"Berkshire has one major equity position that is not included in the table: We can buy 700 million shares of Bank of America (NYSE: BAC ) at any time prior to September 2021 for $5 b! illion. A! t yearend these shares were worth $10.9 billion. We are likely to purchase the shares just before expiration of our option. In the meantime, it is important for you to realize that Bank of America is, in effect, our fifth largest equity investment and one we value highly."

On his $893 million investing error:

"Most of you have never heard of Energy Future Holdings. Consider yourselves lucky; I certainly wish I hadn't. The company was formed in 2007 to effect a giant leveraged buyout of electric utility assets in Texas. The equity owners put up $8 billion and borrowed a massive amount in addition. About $2 billion of the debt was purchased by Berkshire, pursuant to a decision I made without consulting with Charlie. That was a big mistake. Unless natural gas prices soar, EFH will almost certainly file for bankruptcy in 2014. Last year, we sold our holdings for $259 million. While owning the bonds, we received $837 million in cash interest. Overall, therefore, we suffered a pre-tax loss of $873 million. Next time I'll call Charlie."

On watching the playing field:

"With my two small investments [Note: Buffett is referring to a farm and a New York commercial real estate property], I thought only of what the properties would produce and cared not at all about their daily valuations. Games are won by players who focus on the playing field -- not by those whose eyes are glued to the scoreboard. If you can enjoy Saturdays and Sundays without looking at stock prices, give it a try on weekdays."

On ignoring market chatter:

"Forming macro opinions or listening to the macro or market predictions of others is a waste of time. Indeed, it is dangerous because it may blur your vision of the facts that are truly important. (When I hear TV commentators glibly opine on what the market will do next, I am reminded of Mickey Mantle's scathing comment: "You don't know how easy this game is until you get into that broadcasting booth.")

On speculation as a losing game:

"If you ins! tead focu! s on the prospective price change of a contemplated purchase, you are speculating. There is nothing improper about that. I know, however, that I am unable to speculate successfully, and I am skeptical of those who claim sustained success at doing so. Half of all coin-flippers will win their first toss; none of those winners has an expectation of profit if he continues to play the game. And the fact that a given asset has appreciated in the recent past is never a reason to buy it.

On investing in stocks as you would in a farm:

"If 'investors' frenetically bought and sold farmland to each other, neither the yields nor prices of their crops would be increased. The only consequence of such behavior would be decreases in the overall earnings realized by the farm-owning population because of the substantial costs it would incur as it sought advice and switched properties. Nevertheless, both individuals and institutions will constantly be urged to be active by those who profit from giving advice or effecting transactions. The resulting frictional costs can be huge and, for investors in aggregate, devoid of benefit. So ignore the chatter, keep your costs minimal, and invest in stocks as you would in a farm."

On the folly of panic selling

: "During the extraordinary financial panic that occurred late in 2008, I never gave a thought to selling my farm or New York real estate, even though a severe recession was clearly brewing. And, if I had owned 100% of a solid business with good long-term prospects, it would have been foolish for me to even consider dumping it. So why would I have sold my stocks that were small participations in wonderful businesses? True, any one of them might eventually disappoint, but as a group they were certain to do well. Could anyone really believe the earth was going to swallow up the incredible productive assets and unlimited human ingenuity existing in America?"

On a simple test for stock selection

: "When Charlie and I buy stocks -- which we think ! of as sma! ll portions of businesses -- our analysis is very similar to that which we use in buying entire businesses. We first have to decide whether we can sensibly estimate an earnings range for five years out, or more. If the answer is yes, we will buy the stock (or business) if it sells at a reasonable price in relation to the bottom boundary of our estimate. If, however, we lack the ability to estimate future earnings -- which is usually the case -- we simply move on to other prospects."

On investing for the nonprofessional:

"I have good news for these nonprofessionals: The typical investor doesn't need this skill. [Note: Buffett is referring to the ability to forecast a business' future earnings power.] In aggregate, American business has done wonderfully over time and will continue to do so (though, most assuredly, in unpredictable fits and starts). In the 20th Century, the Dow Jones Industrials index advanced from 66 to 11,497, paying a rising stream of dividends to boot. The 21st Century will witness further gains, almost certain to be substantial. The goal of the non-professional should not be to pick winners -- neither he nor his 'helpers' can do that -- but should rather be to own a cross-section of businesses that in aggregate are bound to do well. A low-cost S&P 500 index fund will achieve this goal."

On the simplest, best investment strategy for individual investors:

"My money, I should add, is where my mouth is: What I advise here is essentially identical to certain instructions I've laid out in my will. ... My advice to the trustee could not be more simple: Put 10% of the cash in short-term government bonds and 90% in a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund. (I suggest Vanguard's.) I believe the trust's long-term results from this policy will be superior to those attained by most investors -- whether pension funds, institutions or individuals -- who employ high-fee managers."

On avoiding market (mis)timing:

"The 'when' [of investing] is also important. The ! main dang! er is that the timid or beginning investor will enter the market at a time of extreme exuberance and then become disillusioned when paper losses occur. (Remember the late Barton Biggs' observation: "A bull market is like sex. It feels best just before it ends.") The antidote to that kind of mistiming is for an investor to accumulate shares over a long period and never to sell when the news is bad and stocks are well off their highs. Following those rules, the 'know-nothing' investor who both diversifies and keeps his costs minimal is virtually certain to get satisfactory results."

On the best investment he ever made:

I learned most of the thoughts in this investment discussion from Ben's [Graham's] book The Intelligent Investor, which I bought in 1949. My financial life changed with that purchase. ... For me, the key points were laid out in what later editions labeled Chapters 8 and 20. (The original 1949 edition numbered its chapters differently.) These points guide my investing decisions today. ... Of all the investments I ever made, buying Ben's book was the best (except for my purchase of two marriage licenses).

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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