Top Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now

Ford Motor Company (F) announced on Wednesday the addition of two new board members.

The automaker named James P. Hackett and John C. Lechleiter as the newest members of the company’s board of directors. Hackett’s new role will begin immediately, while Lechlieter will officially join on October 1, 2013.

Hackett is currently the CEO of Steelcase, Inc–a furniture maker–and also serves on the board of Fifth Third Bancorp, the National Center for Arts and Technology, and the��Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and Life Sciences Institute at University of Michigan. Lechlieter is the President and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, one of the largest pharmaceutical firms in the world, and also serves on the board of Nike, Inc, United Way�Worldwide, Xavier University, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership and the Life Sciences Foundation.

5 Best Construction Material Stocks To Invest In 2015: InvenSense Inc (INVN)

InvenSense, Inc. (InvenSense), incorporated in June 2003, is a provider of intelligent motion processing solutions. The Company is engaged in the designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing linear and mixed-signal integrated circuits (IC). It has designed and developed an integrated motion processing solution that enables a motion-based user interface for consumer electronics. Its solutions are comprised of an IC that incorporates motion sensors, such as gyroscopes, with associated software and are differentiated by their small form factor, high level of integration, performance, reliability and cost effectiveness. It targets consumer electronics applications, such as console and portable video gaming devices, handset and tablet devices, digital still and video cameras, digital television and set-top box remote controls, three-dimensional (3D) mice and portable navigation devices. As of March 31, 2010, InvenSense had shipped over 60 million units of its products. In November 2013, Analog Devices, Inc completed the sale of the assets of its microphone product line to InvenSense, Inc.

The Company�� MotionProcessing platform offers its customers an integrated and solution comprised of its micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) based motion sensors and their companion mixed-signal integrated circuits, embedded DigitalMotion processors that combine digital outputs from multiple motion sensors to provide more accurate motion tracking functionality, which it refers to as SensorFusion, and its MotionProcessing library that allows its customers to create applications using its MotionProcessing solutions. To promote faster adoption and time to market for its customers, InvenSense provides application programming interfaces and pre-configured application functionalities, such as gesture recognition, which it refers to as MotionApplication software.

The Company�� technology is comprised of four components: Nasiri-Fabrication process, advanced MEMS gyroscope design, mixed-sig! nal circuitry that provides sensor signal processing and enables SensorFusion technology critical to its MotionProcessing platform, and MotionProcessing library and MotionApplication software solutions. InvenSense�� Nasiri-Fabrication process allows it to combine MEMS with standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) at the wafer level. InvenSense utilizes a fabless business model, working with third parties to manufacture, package and assemble its products. It performs its own wafer level sorting, testing and calibration with testing tools at its facilities in Taiwan. It sells its products through direct sales to manufacturers of consumer electronics devices.

The Company competes with Analog Devices, Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH, Epson Toyocom Corporation, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Rohm Co., Ltd., Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Panasonic Corporation, Sony Corporation, and STMicroelectronics N.V.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, motion sensor technologist InvenSense (NYSE: INVN  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

• [By Steve Symington]

  With that in mind, here are two small cap stocks which are trading significantly below their 52-week-highs, and why I think you should buy them before they bounce back:

  Company Market Cap % Below 52-Week-High Recent Price CAPS Rating
  (out of five) �InvenSense (NYSE: INVN  ) $854 million 45% $10.15 ***** �MAKO Surgical (NASDAQ: MAKO  ) $532 million 74% $11.27 *****

  Source: Motley Fool CAPS

• [By Eric Volkman]

  InvenSense (NYSE: INVN  ) results for the company's Q4 and fiscal 2013 have been released. For the quarter, revenue was just over $55 million, up by 67% from the $33 million in the same period the previous year. Net income advanced almost three-fold on a year-over-year basis, to land at $13.6 million ($0.15 per diluted share), from Q4 2012's $5.9 million ($0.07).

Top Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now: Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP (BIP)

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. engages in the utilities, transportation and energy, and timber businesses. It operates through Utilities, Transport, Energy, and Timber segments. The company operates a port facility that exports metallurgical and thermal coal mined in the central Bowen Basin region of Queensland, Australia; approximately 9,900 kilometers of electricity transmission lines in North and South America; and approximately 2.5 million electricity and natural gas connections in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Colombia. It is also involved in the transportation of freight, bulk commodities, and passengers through a platform of approximately 5,100 kilometers of tracks in southwest region of Western Australia; 3,200 kilometres of toll roads in Brazil and Chile; and approximately 30 port terminals primarily in Europe. In addition, the company provides energy transportation, distribution, and storage services through 15,500 kilometers of natural gas transm ission lines primarily in the United States. Further, it engages in the timberland operations with approximately 343,000 net acres of freehold timberlands located in the coastal region of British Columbia, Canada; and the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Limited serves as a general partner of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. The company was founded in 2007 and is based in Toronto, Canada. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. is a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

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

• [By David Fried]

  Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (BIP) owns and operates a cornucopia of infrastructure��remier utilities, transport, and energy in North and South America, Australia, and Europe.

• [By Bob Bogda]

  Wireless semiconductor maker Skyworks Solutions (Nasdaq: SWKS) posted a gain of 101.8% in calendar-year 2010 after a listing in the "Top 10 Stocks" report. Ditto for Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW), which soared a whopping 159.9%. Last year, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE: BIP) more than doubled the gain in the S&P 500 index after rising 33.2%.

Top Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now: Viad Corp(VVI)

Viad Corp, together with its subsidiaries, operates in exhibition and events, and travel and recreation industries primarily in North America, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates. The company?s Marketing & Events Group segment designs, plans, and produces face-to-face events for show organizers, corporate brand marketers, and retail shopping centers. It offers general event management, planning and consultation, concept design, exhibition layout and design, graphics and design, show traffic analysis, carpeting and flooring, decorating products and accessories, custom graphics, overhead rigging, and cleaning services, as well as temporary electrical, lighting, and plumbing services. This segment also provides custom exhibit design and construction; portable and modular exhibits and design; integrated marketing, including pre- and post-event communications and customer relationship management; multimedia services; event surveys; return on investment an alysis; attendee and exhibit booth traffic analysis; staff training; online management tools; logistics and freight-forwarding, storage, and refurbishment of exhibits; booth furnishings, carpeting, and signage; in-house installation and dismantling; and various other show services. In addition, the segment offers various entertaining attractions and brand-based experiences, sponsored events, mobile marketing and other branded entertainment, and face-to-face marketing solutions for clients and venues, including movie studios, leading consumer brand marketers, shopping malls, museums, and casinos. Its Travel & Recreation Group segment provides tourism products, including attractions, transportation services, inbound package tour operations, hotel operations, and corporate and event management; operates five lodges, three motor inns, and one resort hotel; and engages in food and beverages, and retail and concession businesses. Viad Corp was founded in 1914 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

Top Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now: Family Dollar Stores Inc.(FDO)

Family Dollar Stores, Inc. operates a chain of self-service retail discount stores primarily for low and middle income consumers in the United States. The company offers consumables, including household chemicals, paper products, candy and snack products, health and beauty aids, hardware and automotive supplies, and pet food products and supplies; and home products, which comprise domestics, housewares, giftware products, and home decor products. It also provides apparel products and accessories consisting of men?s and women?s clothing products, boys? and girls? clothing products, infants? clothing products, shoes, and fashion accessories; and seasonal products and electronics, such as toys, stationery and school supplies, seasonal goods, and personal electronics. As of August 11, 2011, the company operated approximately 7,000 stores in rural and urban settings across 44 states. Family Dollar Stores, Inc. was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina .

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mike Deane]

  Before the opening bell on Thursday, Family Dollar Stores (FDO) announced its Q1 results, posting higher net sales while comparable store sales declined.

  FDO Earnings in Brief

  -Family Dollar reported Q1 revenues of $2.5 billion, up from last year’s Q1 revenues of $2.42 billion.

  -Though revenue rose, the company’s net income for the quarter was down to $78 million from last year’s Q1 net income of $80.28 million.

  -FDO reported Q1 EPS of 68 cents, which was down slightly from last year’s Q1 EPS of 69 cents.

  -Family Dollar just missed analysts’ expectations of 69 cents EPS on revenues of $2.51 billion.

  -Looking ahead to next quarter, FDO reported that it expects EPS in the range of 85 cents to 95 cents, which is well below analysts’ views of $1.21. For FY2014, FDO expects EPS in the range of $3.25 to $3.55, which is also below the analyst view of $3.98.

  CEO Commentary

  Howard R. Levine, FDO’s chairman and CEO, had the following comments about the company’s lackluster report: “Today, we reported sales and earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2014 that were in-line with our previously provided guidance. As expected, comparable stores sales were pressured, as we anniversaried strong consumable sales growth last year. In addition, our core customers continued to face economic uncertainties, and the promotional environment intensified. While the top line was pressured, we expanded gross margin and managed inventory levels well. In addition, we continued to make progress in our longer-term initiatives. We opened 126 new stores and renovated, relocated or expanded 179 stores. We also expanded our penetration of private brands, increased our percentage of direct imports, and improved our store manager retention.”

  No Change to Dividend

  Family Dollar made no mention of change to its dividend payout in its quarterly report. The company last raise

Top Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now: Meadwestvaco Corporation (MWV)

MeadWestvaco Corporation (MWV) provides packaging solutions to the healthcare, personal care and beauty, food, beverage, home and garden, tobacco, and commercial print industries worldwide. The company?s Packaging Resources segment produces bleached paperboard, Coated Natural Kraft paperboard, and linerboard. Its Consumer Solutions segment designs and produces multi-pack cartons and packaging systems primarily for the beverage take-home and tobacco market. In addition, it offers a range of converting and consumer packaging solutions, including printed plastic packaging and injection-molded products used for personal care, beauty, and pharmaceutical products; and dispensing and sprayer systems for personal care, beauty, healthcare, fragrance, and home and garden markets. In addition, this segment has a pharmaceutical packaging contract with a mass-merchant, and manufactures equipment that is leased or sold to its beverage and dairy customers to package their products. The c ompany?s Consumer & Office Products segment manufactures, sources, markets, and distributes school and office products, time-management products, and envelopes in North America and Brazil through both retail and commercial channels. Its Specialty Chemicals segment manufactures, markets, and distributes specialty chemicals derived from sawdust and other byproducts of the papermaking process in North America, South America, and Asia. Its products include activated carbon used in emission control systems for automobiles and trucks, as well as for water and food purification applications, and performance chemicals used in printing inks, asphalt paving, adhesives, and lubricants for the agricultural, paper, and petroleum industries. MWV?s Community Development and Land Management segment involves in real estate development, forestry operations, and leasing activities. MeadWestvaco Corporation was founded in 1888 and is based in Glen Allen, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  MeadWestvaco Corp.(MWV) expanded its cost-cutting efforts and said it plans to simplify the structure of its packaging businesses, as it strives to improve its performance.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  When you’re stock has been lagging the S&P 500, sometimes drastic action must be followed by even more drastic action. Case in point: MeadWestvaco (MWV), which announced a program of cost cutting on the heels of one announced last year.

• [By Will Ashworth]

  I don�� know about you but I definitely use several of its products on a regular basis. In fact, right here on my desk beside my computer is a small, Five Star notebook for jotting down ideas. I grew up on Hilroy notebooks, a brand brought to the table in its 2012 merger with MeadWestvaco�� (MWV) Consumer and Office Products division. MWV shareholders received one-third of an ACCO share for every MWV share. Since the deal was completed, ACCO stock has lost 42% of its value.

Top Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now: Syngenta AG (SYNN)

Syngenta AG is a Switzerland-based company engaged in production of products for crop productivity. The Company's businesses include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides for crop protection, field crops, vegetables and flower seeds, seed care products and turf, garden, home care and public health products. The Company diversifies its operations into four geographical segments (Europe, Africa and Middle East; North America; Latin America and Asia Pacific), which represent the integrated Crop Protection and Seeds business areas, as well as a separate global segment Lawn and Garden. The Crop Protection business is active in herbicides, insecticides and fungicides manufacture. The Seeds business produces and sells seeds for growing corn, soybeans, sunflower, and sugar beet, among others. The Lawn and Garden business offers a range of products for use in the flower genetics, ornamentals, consumer lawn and garden, and Turf and landscape markets. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Volvo AB (VOLVB) advanced the most in 10 months after the world�� second-largest truckmaker reported second-quarter earnings that beat forecasts. EasyJet climbed 3.7 percent after saying quarterly sales rose 11 percent on higher capacity utilization and revenue per seat. Syngenta (SYNN) AG fell 4 percent after posting first-half profit and revenue that trailed forecasts.

Top Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now: American Homes 4 Rent (AMH)

American Homes 4 Rent, incorporated on October 19, 2012, is an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company is focused on acquiring, renovating, leasing and operating single-family homes as rental properties.

As of September 30, 2013, the Company owned 21,267 properties in desirable markets in 22 states including Cincinnati, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio ; Raleigh, North Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, Houston, Texas , Chicago, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Nashville, Tennessee ; Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas , and Columbia, South Carolina. In addition to single-family properties, the Company also focuses to invest in condominium units, townhouses and real estate-related debt investments.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson]

  In this segment of The Motley Fool's financials-focused show, Where the Money Is, analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson discuss some of their favorite tweets of the day. Among the companies covered are Silver Bay (NYSE: SBY  ) , American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH  ) , and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT  ) .

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  We saw the analyst quiet period end for American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) and we have seen some mixed coverage in the name: BofA/Merrill Lynch was at Neutral, Goldman Sachs was at Neutral, Wells Fargo was at Market Perform and J.P. Morgan was at Overweight.

• [By Mark Holder]

  After an initial bump in Silver Bay, the stock has had a horrible 2013, now trading close to all-time lows. Recently, a couple of other IPOs in the sector have come to market with weak receptions. Both American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH  ) and American Residential Properties (NYSE: ARPI  ) offer different twists to the general thesis of investing in single-family rental properties to take advantage of the weakness in housing prices and the increased demand for rentals.

• [By Will Ashworth]

  PSA fills a need that�� not likely to disappear. In the latest fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2013, PSA generated core funds from operations of $7.44 — 11.4% higher than in 2012. Same-store rental income increased 5.4% year-over-year due to higher rents and higher occupancies. It�� a winning combination that over time has proved successful. Although it�� only yielding 3.3% at the moment, it�� a very stable stock, having seen a negative return just once in the past decade. I like its odds.

  Pure-Play REITs: American Homes 4 Rent (AMH)

  This is the brand child of Public Storage founder Wayne Hughes, who started the company in 2011 to take advantage of falling prices in the single-family home market. Private equity firms such as�Blackstone Group (BX), Hughes and others have been actively buying up houses on the cheap with plans to rent them out until prices rise to the point where they��e no longer worth holding on to. As a result of this intense competition, prices have risen faster than anticipated — slowing the number of home purchases made by institutional investors.