5 Best Growth Stocks To Watch Right Now

5 Best Growth Stocks To Watch Right Now: Buffalo Wild Wings Inc.(BWLD)

Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. engages in the ownership, operation, and franchise of restaurants in the United States. The company provides quick casual and casual dining services, as well as serves bottled beers, wines, and liquor. As of July 26, 2011, it had 773 Buffalo Wild Wings locations in 45 states in the United States, as well as in Canada. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Andrés Cardenal]

  Looking at P/E ratios over the last five years, Chipotle has usually looked more "expensive" than other restaurant chains, be it traditional fast-food giants like McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) and Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM  ) or more dynamic growth players such as Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD  ) and Panera Bread  (NASDAQ: PNRA  ) .

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Analysts at Baird upgraded Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) to Outperform from Neutral with a price target raised to $180 from a previous $160. Shares gained 13.35 percent, closing at $151.68.

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) reported its third quarter results after the market closed. The company earned $1.14 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $1.07. Revenue of $117.0 million beat the consensus estimate of $115.39 million. Shares were trading higher by 6.11 percent at $142.00 following its earnings release.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/5-best-growth-stocks-to-watch-right-now-3.html

Top 5 US Stocks To Own For 2015

Top 5 US Stocks To Own For 2015: Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (JSN)

Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (the Fund) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund primarily invests in a diversified equity portfolio that seeks to substantially replicate price movements of either the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index or a weighted average of the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index and the NASDAQ-100 Index and is designed to support the Funds' index option strategies. Nuveen Asset Management is the adviser of the Fund. The Adviser has engaged Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P. (Gateway/Sub-Adviser) as Sub-Adviser to provide discretionary investment advisory services.

The initial target weighting of the Fund's equity portfolio in seeking to replicate the weighted average price movements of the market indexes will be 75% of the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index and 25% of the NASDAQ-100 Index. Over time, these percentage weightings may vary as the result of relative changes in each index. The Fund intends to pu rsue its investment objectives by utilizing an index option strategy of selling index call options and buying index put options, each on the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index and the NASDAQ-100 Index.

The Fund's comparative benchmark performance is a blended return consisting of 75% of the return of the S&P 500 Index, and 25% of the return of the NASDAQ-100 Index, which includes 100 of the largest domestic and international non-financial companies listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market based on market capitalization. The NASDAQ-100 Index reflects companies across major industry groups, including computer hardware and software, telecommunications, retail/wholesale trade and biotechnology.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Hsu]

  Here are four to consider:

  PowerShares S&P 500 BuyWrite ETF (PBP), yielding 4.09%
  
  Madison/Claymore Covered Call & Equity Strategy (MCN), yielding 8.94%
  Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (JSN), yielding 9.19%
  
  BlackRock Enhanced Dividend Achievers (BDJ), yielding 7.39%
  
  

  The yield on these funds is very attractive. Even more attractive is the fact that many buy-write funds actually are selling at a discount to their net asset value.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-5-us-stocks-to-own-for-2015.html

Benjamin Graham - 'The Memoirs of the Dean of Wall Street'

Top Life Sciences Companies To Invest In Right Now

This is the latest book I have finished, written by the Dean himself. Faithful to the title it shows in a nonlinear fashion several episodes of his life. He was a well-off kid in his early years, but after his father died he lived through some economic hardships and had to work and study simultaneously. At that time there was no TV and he had lots of time to devour books, mostly classics. Being intelligent and having a very good memory and literary interests, he basically taught himself several languages in order to read the original versions. He taught himself Greek, Latin and French; he also spoke German and Spanish good enough to translate a famous Spanish book.

Graham did not have any formal training in economics since most of the courses he took were in humanities. Having had during his youth financial problems he felt driven to make money and he wanted to help his family, especially his mother. So when he was recommended by a teacher to work in Wall Street as a bond analyst, he immediately took the job.

At that time stocks were considered to be for gamblers. It is interesting to see that even though he is famous for being the father of value investing he wrote that he does not consider knowledge of it made him earn much. Actually, he made most money in other things like Geico, the insurer, at prices not considered extremely low. He also specialized in hedges like buying convertible bonds and at the same time shorted the underlying stock in order to have a hedged trades. Hedges played out quite well until the 1929 crash came and he covered most of the short stocks at an initial profit without closing the convertible bonds at the same time. That had bad consequences since the stock market fell for years and being more than 100% leveraged he accumulated 80% of losses.

He was quite depressed at the time but he made it all b! ack after some years. He once speculated with IPOs of almost unknown companies, which is something he did exceptionally. He made money the first two times but had very big losses the third time, also with much larger amounts of other peoples money.

Other times he made money were by being an activist: by buying a stock in a company that had lots of money in bonds and pushing the management to return the money to the shareholders. He found the companies by gathering information from different sources at a time where very little information was disclosed but where a lot of it was possible to get if you had the drive and time to ask for it.

It is impressive to see how honest he was with himself. When you read the autobiographical book it gives another image than when you read "Security Analysis." In "Security Analysis" it looks like a god is writing and the message he sends is strong. On the other hand when you read his memoirs you see that he is human and that he deviated at times from his own principles.

One thing that is clear is that he could invest unemotionally, hold on to losses without panicking or caring much about it and selecting investments in cold blood, mostly when it was clearly an opportunity. He did not care much about money; he cared more about other things, especially cultural things like reading, the theater and traveling. His lack of interest in money is the reason his partner Newman made more money than he did, he even said that Newman was much more involved in business than himself.

Another thing that struck me is that not a word was mentioned about Warren Buffett. On the other hand, Buffett mentions Graham lots of times. Graham was impressed by few persons in his life. One of them was Bernard Baruch, even though he did not apparently like him since he thought that all his actions had a financial and not a human purpose and that even his philanthropic deeds were done in order to increase his personal fame.

In conclusion the book was great, a rare! example ! of a great investor writing about his life. You understand a lot more about Graham after reading it and it gives good insights on how to be a better investor. It shows how complete his life was. It talks about his travels, lovers, wives, children, about the theater screenplays he wrote and his writing interest that pushed him to write "Security Analysis" and the "Intelligent Investor." He talks about the books he read, his other work as a tax consultant and an expert at valuing companies. He describes the people he met, his economic theory about making a currency not based on gold but on commodities.

In summary, it shows that he was quite a normal person with much less material interests than most people. He actually seems to have made money because he worked in that environment and wanted to have a well-off life after having had financial troubles. What he enjoyed the most in life were simple things that basically had no cost at all, that's why he recommended to his grand children, on his 80th birthday speech, to follow a cultural life.

Cheers!
JVB

Top 10 Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) --�Put down the 10-K filings and the stock screeners. It's time to take a break from the traditional methods of generating investment ideas. Instead, let the crowd do it for you.��br>

Read More: Warren Buffett's Top 10 Dividend Stocks
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From hedge funds to individual investors, scores of market participants are turning to social media to figure out which stocks are worth watching. It's a concept that's known as "crowdsourcing," and it uses the masses to identify emerging trends in the market.��/p>

Crowdsourcing has long been a popular tool for the advertising industry, but it also makes a lot of sense as an investment tool. After all, the market is completely driven by the supply and demand, so it can be valuable to see what names are trending among the crowd.��br>

While some fund managers are already trying to leverage social media resources like Twitter to find algorithmic trading opportunities, for most investors, crowdsourcing works best as a starting point for investors who want a starting point in their analysis. Today, we'll leverage the power of the crowd to take a look at some of the most active stocks on the market today.��br>

Hot Shipping Stocks To Invest In 2015: Medallion Financial Corp.(TAXI)

Medallion Financial Corp., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty finance company in the United States. The company engages in originating, acquiring, and servicing loans that finance taxicab medallions and various types of commercial businesses. It offers commercial loans to finance the purchase of the equipment and related assets necessary to open a new business, or the purchase or improvement of an existing business; asset-based loans to small businesses; and secured mezzanine loans to businesses in various industries, including manufacturing and various service providers. The company also raises deposits; originates consumer loans for the purchase of recreational vehicles, boats, motorcycles, trailers, and hearing aids; and conducts other banking activities. In addition, it provides other debt, mezzanine, and equity investment capital to companies in various industries. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  That�� the case with Medallion Financial Corporation (TAXI). This neat little company is primarily focused on the financing of taxi cab licenses in major cities like New York. It does other specialty lending as well — such as asset-backed loans for luxury vehicles like boats and art. But its bread and butter has been the taxi business.

Top 10 Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: National CineMedia Inc.(NCMI)

National CineMedia, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates a digital in-theatre network in North America. It develops, produces, sells, and distributes various versions of a branded, pre-feature entertainment, and advertising program called ?FirstLook? on theatre screens and advertising programming on its lobby entertainment network; and sells various forms of advertising and promotions in theatre lobbies. The company distributes Fathom business and consumer entertainment events through digital content network and live digital broadcast network utilizing its proprietary digital content software. It also facilitates business meetings, church services, and corporate marketing/communication events in the movie theatres throughout its theatre network; and distributes entertainment programming products, which include live and pre-recorded concerts, opera, symphony, concert and DVD product releases, theatrical premieres, Broadway plays, and other music events, as well as live sports and other special events. In addition, the company provides its services to third-party theatre circuits through network affiliate agreements. As of August 4, 2011, its advertising network had approximately 18,100 digital screens. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Centennial, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  National CineMedia (NASDAQ: NCMI) shares climbed 7.15% to $13.33. The volume of National CineMedia shares traded was 1705% higher than normal. National CineMedia reported Q3 net income of $4.8 million on revenue of $100.8 million. MKM Partners downgraded National CineMedia from Buy to Neutral and lowered the price target from $20.00 to $13.00.

Top 10 Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: ONEOK Inc.(OKE)

ONEOK, Inc., a diversified energy company, operates as a natural gas distributor primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: ONEOK Partners, Distribution, and Energy Services. The ONEOK Partners segment engages in gathering, processing, fractionating, transporting, storing, and marketing natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) principally in the Mid-Continent and Rocky Mountain regions, which include Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma, Fort Worth Basin of Texas, Hugoton and Central Kansas Uplift Basins of Kansas, Williston Basin of Montana, and North Dakota and the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. This segment offers its services to oil and gas production companies; natural gas gathering and processing companies; petrochemical, refining, and NGL marketing companies; Local distribution companies (LDCs) and power generating companies; and natural gas marketing and NGL gathering companies, and propane distributors. The Distribution segment provides natural gas distribution services to residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation customers, as well as public authority customers, such as cities, governmental agencies, and schools in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. The Energy Services segment delivers physical natural gas products and risk management services through its network of contracted transportation and storage capacity, and natural gas supply. This segment?s customers primarily comprise LDCs, electric utilities, and industrial end users. The company was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividend Monk]

  Oneok Inc. (OKE) is a natural gas utility company that owns the General Partner of Oneok Partners LP (OKS).

  Seven Year EPS Growth Rate: 4.1%Seven Year Dividend Growth Rate: 12.6%Current Dividend Yield: 2.80%Balance Sheet Strength: Investment GradeOverview

  I published a stock report last week on Oneok Partners LP, which is a relatively large natural gas and NGL master limited partnership. In the article, I stated that quantitatively and qualitatively, it appears to be a strong investment with a great combination of yield and growth.

• [By Alex Planes]

  Natural gas company ONEOK (NYSE: OKE  ) led the hit parade with a big 25.5% pop after announcing its plans to spin off its natural gas utility distribution business at some point early next year. The new company, to be called One Gas, will have a two-million-customer network throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. By spinning off this business, ONEOK hopes to appeal to yield seekers, as it can now boost its dividend once it becomes a pure-play pipeline partnership company. The utility spinoff also has the added bonuses of debt reduction and greater free cash flow for ONEOK, which will generate an estimated $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion from the spinoff. Freed of the cash-hungry utility segment, ONEOK could become a highly competitive high-yield stock for energy investors.

• [By John Divine]

  Lastly, shares of utilities company ONEOK (NYSE: OKE  ) shed 6.8% after Morgan Stanley�downgraded shares from overweight to equal weight, lowering its price target to $53 per share. The downgrade comes after an earnings report that showed a nearly 6% earnings spike as natural gas became more popular. So even as revenue advanced nearly 4%, the fact that the number was more than 7% below forecasts added downward pressure on the stock.�

• [By Dividends4Life]

  This week a few companies answered the call and rewarded their shareholders with higher cash dividends:
  
  Consolidated Edison Inc. (ED) engages in regulated electric, gas, and steam delivery businesses. January 16th the company increased its quarterly dividend 2.4% to $0.63 per share. The dividend is payable March 15, 2014, to stockholders of record on February 12, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 4.7%.
  
  Cousins Properties Incorporated (CUZ), a real estate investment trust (REIT), owns, develops, and manages real estate portfolio, as well as performs certain real estate-related services. January 16th the company increased its quarterly dividend 66.7% to $0.075 per share. The dividend is payable February 24, 2014, to stockholders of record on February 10, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.8%.
  
  Wisconsin Energy Corporation (WEC) generates and distributes electric energy, as well as distributes natural gas. The company operates in two segments, Utility Energy and Non-Utility Energy. January 16th the company increased its quarterly dividend 2% to $0.3900 per share. The dividend is payable March 1, 2014, to stockholders of record on February 14, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 3.8%.
  
  BlackRock Inc. (BLK) is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors. January 16th the company increased its quarterly dividend 14.9% to $1.93 per share. The dividend is payable March 24, 2014, to stockholders of record on March 7, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.4%.
  
  ONEOK Inc. (OKE) operates as a diversified energy company in the United States. January 15th the company increased its quarterly dividend 5.3% to $0.40 per share. The dividend is payable February 18, 2014, to stockholders of record on February 10, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.5%.
  
  Omega Healthcare Investors Inc. (OHI) is a real es

Top 10 Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Northeast Utilities(NU)

Northeast Utilities, a public utility holding company, provides electric and natural gas energy delivery services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and western Massachusetts. The company engages in the purchase, delivery, and sale of electricity; and owns and operates approximately 1,200 megawatts of primarily fossil-fueled electricity generation assets. As of December 31, 2010, it served approximately 1.2 million customers in 149 cities and towns in Connecticut; 497,000 retail customers in 211 cities and towns in New Hampshire; and 206,000 retail customers in 59 cities and towns in western Massachusetts. The company also operates a natural gas distribution system in Connecticut and serves approximately 206,000 customers in 71 cities and towns. It offers gas supply to commercial and industrial customers; and to residential customers for heating, hot water, and cooking needs, as well as provides gas transportation services t o commercial and industrial customers. In addition, the company offers electric transmission services. Northeast Utilities was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Dittman]

  Utilities in regions with better-than-average growth will also do well on this front. Northeast Utilities (NYSE: NU), a recent addition to the UF Portfolio, has significant FERC regulated transmission investments in line that will support dividend growth for years.

Top 10 Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Scana Corporation(SCG)

SCANA Corporation and its subsidiaries engage in the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity to retail and wholesale customers in South Carolina. It owns nuclear, coal, hydro, oil and gas, and biomass generating facilities. The company also purchases, sells, and transports natural gas; offers energy-related risk management services; acquires, owns, and provides financing for nuclear fuel, fossil fuel, and emission allowances; and offers service contracts on home appliances, and heating and air conditioning units. In addition, SCANA Corporation owns two liquefied natural gas plants, including one located near Charleston, and the other in Salley, South Carolina; and provides tower site construction, management, and rental services in South Carolina and North Carolina. As of December 31, 2010, the company supplied electricity to approximately 660,000 customers; and natural gas to approximately 482,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers i n North Carolina, and 313,500 customers in South Carolina, as well as to approximately 460,000 customers in Georgia. Further, SCANA Corporation owns and operates a 500-mile fiber optic telecommunications network and Ethernet network, and data center facilities in South Carolina. Through a joint venture, it builds, manages, and leases communications towers with interest in 2,280 miles of fiber in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. The company?s retail customers comprise municipalities, electric cooperatives, other investor-owned utilities, registered marketers, and federal and state electric agencies. It primarily serves chemicals, educational services, paper products, food products, lumber and wood products, health services, textile manufacturing, rubber and miscellaneous plastic products, and fabricated metal products industries. The company is based in Cayce, South Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roger Conrad]

  And it's what SCANA Corp. (SCG) is locked-in to deliver, at least to the end of the decade. The company's biggest project is constructing two 1,117-mega-watt nuclear reactors using Toshiba-Westinghouse's AP 1000 model.

• [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 SCANA (NYSE: SCG  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 10 Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: SuperValu Inc.(SVU)

SUPERVALU INC., together with its subsidiaries, operates retail food stores in the United States. Its stores offer grocery, general merchandise, health and beauty care, pharmacy, and fuel products. The company operates stores under the Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher?s, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw?s, Shop ?n Save, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, and Star Market banners, as well as in-store pharmacies under the Osco and Sav-on banners. It operates approximately 2,394 traditional and hard-discount retail food stores, including 899 licensed Save-A-Lot stores. The company also offers supply chain services, which include wholesale distribution of products to independent retailers, including single and multiple grocery store independent operators, regional and national chains, mass merchants, and the military customers, as well as provides logistics support services. SUPERVALU was founded in 1871 and is based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  2. Grocery-store gas rewards
  Many grocery-store chains offer points that you can use to save on gasoline at local stations. SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU  ) , Safeway (NYSE: SWY  ) , and several grocery retailers established their own proprietary programs as a way to encourage shoppers to spend more money generally as well as to buy certain targeted promotional products. A typical deal might involve saving $0.10 per gallon for every $100 you spend on groceries.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Once a company becomes a member of the elite Dividend Aristocrats list, it takes a lot to dislodge that company from its ranks. After all, having demonstrated a 25-year history of raising dividends even through the ups and downs of the economy, companies don't want to give up the hard-earned distinction without a fight. Unfortunately, though, sometimes losing Dividend Aristocrat status is unavoidable, and SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU  ) marks a good example of what can happen to derail a company's dividend success.

Top 10 Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Prospect Capital Corporation(PSEC)

Prospect Capital Corporation is a mezzanine finance and private equity firm that specializes in late venture, middle market, mature, mezzanine, buyouts, recapitalizations, growth capital, development, and bridge transactions. It makes secured debt and equity investments. The firm typically invests across all industry sectors, with a particular expertise in the energy and industrial sectors. It invests in oil and gas production, coal production, materials, industrials, consumer discretionary, information technology, utilities, pipeline, storage, power generation and distribution, renewable and clean energy, oilfield services, healthcare, food and beverage, education, business services, and other select sectors. The firm prefers to invest in the United States and Canada. It seeks to invest between $5 million to $50 million in companies with EBITDA between $$ million and $75 million, sales value up to $500 million, and enterprise value of up to $250 million. The firm also co- invests for larger deals. It seeks control acquisitions by providing multiple levels of the capital structure. Prospect Capital Corporation was founded in 1988 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Amanda Alix]

  Similarly, Prospect Capital (NASDAQ: PSEC  ) recently announced�the next four months' worth of dividends, showcasing a yield of 12.7%. Further, management noted that its liabilities are locked in for the next 30 years, while its loans float with LIBOR, putting them in the catbird seat as far as rising interest rates are concerned.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  What do Prospect Capital Corporation (NASDAQ:PSEC), Astec Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTE), and First Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:THFF) have in common? Not much, on the surface. In fact, were it not for something very specific to one particular person (me), they'd have nothing in common at all. This week though, THFF, ASTE, and PSEC all have at least one thing in common, and that's the fact that they're all going into my mental/hypothetical portfolio.

Bernanke's Goal: Do No Harm - Ahead of Wall Street

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Bernanke's Congressional testimony is the major economic event of the day, with investors looking for more clarity on the expected changes to the QE program. The prepared remarks released ahead of time didn't offer any fresh insights, but the focus will be on the post-testimony Q&A session. My sense is that Bernanke's goal in his two days of testimonies before both chambers of Congress today and tomorrow, likely his last as Fed Chairman, will be to stay on script and not rock the boat.

The Fed's stated position is that if the economy continues to improve as they expect it would, then 'Tapering' will start later this year and the QE program will end altogether by the middle of next year. Bernanke reiterated last week that even if they started 'tapering' the QE program, short-term interest rates will remain low for a very long time. This will likely remain the gist of this testimony today as well.

A lot will depend on how the economic picture evolves over the coming months. We have had decent job growth in the recent past, averaging close to 200K a month over the last 9 months or so. Interestingly, this job creation performance has taken place in a backdrop of sub-par economic growth, with GDP growth no bette than roughly 1.5%. The apparent disconnect between the labor market and the broader economy doesn't make sense. Something has to give, either job growth has to slow down or the economy has to pick up speed. The broader consensus in the market and a majority within the FOMC is for the economy to accelerate its growth pace.

We know that the U.S. economy lost momentum in the second quarter, with Q2 GDP growth barely above the +1% level. We will know more as the Q2 GDP numbers come out later this month, but pretty much all the building blocks of the Q2 GDP report are known at this stage. What we don't know is where the actual GDP growth will lie in the +0.5% to +1.5% range. The hope is that the growth picture starts sustainab! ly improving from Q3 onwards, giving better GDP growth in the second half of the year compared to the first half and better growth next year compared to this year.

This better second-half expectation is reflected in earnings estimates as well, with consensus expectations for the back half of the year reflecting a material ramp up in the growth pace. We will know more about the second half earnings outlook as more companies provide guidance for Q3 and beyond in the ongoing Q2 earnings season. We are getting into the thick of the Q2 earnings seeason with 20 S&P 500 companies reporting results today.

Reports from Bank of America (BAC), PNC Financial (PNC), Northern Trust (NTRS) and others this morning reconfirm the strong growth trend that we have repeatedly been seeing this earnings season from the Financial Sector. Including this morning's earnings reports, we now have Q2 reports from 48 S&P 500 companies that combined account for 14.7% of the index's total market capitalization. The Finance sector is heavily in these early reports, with Q2 results from almost 40% of the sector's total market capitalization already known.

Total earnings for these 48 companies are up +15.6% from the same period last year, with 60.4% beating expectations. On the revenue side, we have a growth rate of +5.5% and 43.8% of the companies are coming ahead of top-line expectations. The earnings and revenue growth rates seen thus far, admittedly heavily weighted towards Finance, are better than the 4-quarter average for the same set of companies, though the beat ratios are a bit on the weak side. Total Finance sector earnings are up an impressive +31.7%, while the sector's revenues are up +11.4%, a better performance than what we saw from the group in Q1 and the 4-quarter average.

There is not much growth outside of Finance, with the composite Q2 earnings growth rate for the S&P 500 (combining the 48 reports that have come out with the 452 still to come) currently at +1.4%. Exc! luding Fi! nance, the composite Q2 earnings growth for the S&P 500 drops to a decline -3.6% from the same period last year. The Technology sector is a big drag on earnings growth, with total earnings for the sector expected to be down -8.4%. We will get a good sense of the sector's earnings picture with today's results from IBM (IBM) and Intel (INTC) after the close.

Sheraz Mian
Director of Research


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10 Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015

10 Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC)

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is an India-based company. The Company is mainly engaged in the oil exploration and production activities. The Company operates in two segments: Offshore and Onshore. Its subsidiaries include ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd., ONGC Nile Ganga BV, ONGC Narmada Limited, ONGC Amazon Alaknanda Limited, ONGC Campos Ltda, ONGC Nile Ganga (Cyprus) Ltd. and ONGC Nile Ganga (San Cristobal) B.V. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lyubov Pronina]

  Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) and Oil & Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC), Indias biggest energy explorers, led Indian stocks higher as the nations cabinet agreed to lift the price of natural gas. The rupee posted the biggest quarterly drop since 2011.

• [By Zahra Hankir]

  Indias (SENSEX) benchmark stock index fell for a fourth day, capping its biggest weekly loss in three months, as the rupee dropped to a six-week low. HDFC Bank Ltd. (HDFCB) dropped 1.9 percent, leading a gauge of banking shares to a fifth day of losses, the longest losing streak since July. Oil & Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) slid to a three-week low, leading a slide in the S&P BSE India Oil & Gas Index.

• [By Jonathan Burgos]

  Indias biggest energy companies rose after the government agreed to raise the price of natural gas. Reliance Industries Ltd., operator of the worlds biggest oil refining complex, climbed 3.1 percent to 855.2 rupees in Mumbai. Oil & Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) added 1.7 percent to 325.70 rupees.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/10-best-dow-dividend-stocks-to-invest-in-2015-2.html

Hot Safest Companies To Own For 2014

It seems that every day a new press release comes out about a big oil or gas discovery, and increasingly these announcements have one thing in common: All the finds are in offshore fields.

As offshore exploration and development increase, oilfield service companies are in high demand. In this video, Fool.com contributor Aimee Duffy talks to Tyler Crowe about how offshore production has affected oilfield service companies, and what investors can expect going forward.

National Oilwell Varco is perhaps the safest investment in the energy sector due to its industry-dominating market share. This company is poised to profit in a big way; its customers are both increasing the number of new drilling rigs and updating aging fleets of offshore rigs. To help determine whether it could be a good fit for your portfolio, you're invited to check out The Motley Fool's premium research report featuring in-depth analysis on whether NOV is a buy today. For instant access to this valuable investor's resource, simply click here now to claim your copy.

Top 10 Energy Companies For 2015: Eco-Tek Group Inc (ETEK)

Eco-Tek Group, Inc., incorporated on April 10, 2007, is engaged in manufacturing and marketing of green lubricants and specialized systems with an automotive sector but also applicable to a variety of industrial, farm and virtually all mechanical equipment. The Company�� products include Eco-Tek Super Lubricant, Eco-Tek 3000 Synthetic Motor Oil, Eco-Tek 4-in-1 Fuel Treatments, Eco-Tek HD Synthetic Oil Stabilizer, Eco-Tek Bypass Oil Cleaner, Eco-Tek Engine Flush, Eco-Tek Lube Centres, Eco-Tek Test-Results, Eco-Tek Our Inventor and Eco-Tek Limited Warranty.

The Company�� motor oil and lubricant is zinc free. Eco-Tek Engine Flush which cleans internal engine components extends engine life and restores lost performance due to sludge and buildup. Eco-Tek Premium Orange Hand Cleaner, which contains pumice to clean, aloe and lanolin to moisturize. Eco-Tek Non-Toxic Super Lubricant, reduces friction, fuel consumption, harmful contaminants in oil, reduces smoke, vibration and noise.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap green stocks Eco-Tek Group Inc (OTCMKTS: ETEK) and BluForest Inc (OTCMKTS: BLUF) have been getting some attention lately thanks to some green���as in paid for promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed promotions, but one of these stocks happens to be getting a considerable amount of attention as its been the subject of numerous transactions. With that in mind, will investors see some green with these green small cap stocks? Here is a quick reality check:�

Hot Safest Companies To Own For 2014: Collectors Universe Inc. (CLCT)

Collectors Universe, Inc. provides authentication and grading services to dealers and collectors of high-value coins, trading cards, event tickets, autographs, memorabilia, and stamps in the United States. It offers authentication and grading services for coins under the Professional Coin Grading Service brand name; sports and trading cards under the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) brand name; vintage autographs and memorabilia under the PSA/DNA authentication services brand name; and stamps under the Professional Stamp Experts brand name. The company also publishes authoritative price guides, rarity reports, and other collectibles data to provide collectors with information. In addition, it operates the Certified Coin Exchange business-to-business Website, certifiedcoinexchange.com, where dealers can sell and purchase certified coins and other certified collectibles; and Collectors Corner Business-to-Consumer Website, collectorscorner.com, a business-to-consumer W ebsite where consumers can visit, identify, search, sort over, and select for purchase coins, trading cards, and items of currency that are certified by the company, as well as Collectors Clubs for coin, currency, and trading card collectors; and manages and operates collectibles trade shows and conventions. The company provides its services to dealers, collectors, and retail buyers and sellers of collectibles. Collectors Universe, Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jeff Hwang]

  Such multiple expansion may be a natural product of time (i.e., older cards naturally carry larger premiums over time), or more likely a combination of time and the card removal effect. That is, over time, the best examples of a given card get graded by Beckett Grading Services or Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), a division of Collectors Universe (NASDAQ: CLCT  ) , and are thus removed from the pool of ungraded cards; as a consequence, the value of ungraded cards declines in relation to the value of graded cards (or the value of graded cards rises in relation to ungraded cards), resulting in multiple expansion.

Hot Safest Companies To Own For 2014: PostNL NV (PNL)

PostNL NV is a Netherlands-based Company active in delivery sector. The Company is engaged in the delivery of documents, small packages and standard parcels. The Company�� business is organized into three segments: Mail in the Netherlands, responsible for mail services in the Netherland, documents management, direct marketing and fulfillment services, and operating over 2,600 shop-in-shop post offices; Parcels, providing parcel services in the Netherlands and Belgium for both domestic and cross-border parcel distribution, and International, operating in the postal markets of the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, and focusing on domestic addressed mail services. The Company also provides marketing and communication services, fulfillment solutions and e-commerce related solutions. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  PostNL (PNL) sank 11 percent to 2.48 euros, the biggest decline since Jan. 14. The Amsterdam-based company said sales in the second-quarter were 1.03 billion euros ($1.37 billion), falling short of the 1.04 billion euros predicted by analysts on average. PostNL forecast addressed mail volume in 2013 will drop as much as 11 percent, greater than its previous forecast of no more than 10 percent.

Hot Safest Companies To Own For 2014: AspenBio Pharma Inc.(APPY)

AspenBio Pharma, Inc. operates as an emerging biomedical company focused on obtaining the United States FDA clearance for its lead product, AppyScore. Its research and development activities primarily focus on a human appendicitis blood-based test. The company?s lead product candidate, AppyScore, is a blood-based diagnostic test to help physicians manage patients who enter emergency rooms complaining of abdominal pain and suspected of having acute appendicitis. It is also developing animal healthcare products focusing on reproduction. The company was formerly known as AspenBio, Inc. and changed its name to AspenBio Pharma, Inc. on September 26, 2005. AspenBio Pharma, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is based in Castle Rock, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  To tell the truth, I'm not the least bit surprised that I'm chiming in on Venaxis Inc. (NASDAQ:APPY) today. It was a stock I dissected just two days ago (on Tuesday - here's that chat), pointing out how all the telltale signs of bullishness were brewing. Sure enough, APPY popped on Wednesday, and as a result has gone from a mere potential big mover to an actual mover.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  If you're reading this, then odds are you know that Venaxis Inc. (NASDAQ:APPY) shares are up a solid 10% today, while the market as a whole is in the red. What you may not know about APPY, however, is that with today's strength, the stock has worked its way past a big hurdle and put itself into a situation where more upside is very likely.

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Venaxis Inc. (APPY) �shares fell 12% to $2.38 on light volume after the medical diagnostics company said it planned to launch an secondary offering of an unspecified number of shares.

Top Energy Stocks To Own Right Now

Top Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: Cosan Ltd (CZZ)

Cosan Limited (Cosan), incorporated on April 30, 2007, is a holding company. The Company is engaged in the production of ethanol and sugar, the marketing and distribution of fuel and lubricants in Brazil, and logistics services in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Company imports, exports, produces and sells ethanol, sugar, sugarcane and other sugar by-products. It distributes and sells fuel and other fuel by-products. The Company produces and markets electricity, steam and other co-generation by-products. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 (fiscal 2011), it operated 24 mills. On February 18, 2011, Cosan, through its subsidiary Cosan S.A. Acucar e Alcool acquired 100% of the voting corporate capital of Cosan Araraquara Acucar e Alcool Ltda., (Usina Zanin).

The Company operates in three in segments: sugar and ethanol (S&E), fuel distribution and lubricants (CCL) and sugar logistics (Rumo Logistica). The sugar and ethanol segment operates and produce s a range of sugar products, including raw, organic, crystal and refined sugars and consumer products under the Da Barra and Uniao brands, which are sold to a range of customers in Brazil and abroad, as well as produces and sells hydrous, anhydrous and industrial ethanol, which are sold to the Brazilian market. The sugar and ethanol segment also includes energy co-generation activities and land development businesses. Its fuel distribution and lubricants segment includes the distribution and marketing of fuels, mainly through franchised network of service stations under the brand Esso throughout the national territory, and production, distribution and marketing of lubricants licensed from ExxonMobil International Holdings B.V.. Its sugar logistics segment provides logistics services for the transport, storage and port lifting of sugar.

Sugar and Ethanol segment

As of March 31, 2011 the Company leased 437,698 hectares, through 2,128 land lease c! ontr acts with an average term of five years. During fiscal 2011, it harvested from owned or leased lands 27.4 million tons, of the sugarcane and purchased from third-party growers the 26.8 million tons of sugarcane. During fiscal 2011, its accumulated sugar extraction was 139.0 kilograms of total sugar recovered (TSR) per ton of sugarcane and its agricultural yield was 91.4 tons of sugarcane per hectare. It produces ethanol through a chemical process called yeasting. It produces and sells three types of ethanol: hydrous ethanol and anhydrous ethanol for fuel and industrial ethanol. It sells ethanol through gasoline distributors in Brazil mainly at the mill that sell it to retailers that then sell it at the pump to customers.

During fiscal year 2011, the Company sold 4.3 million tons of sugar. The Company produces a range of standard sugars, including raw sugar, crystal sugar and organic sugar, and refined sugars, including granulated refined white sugar, amorphous refined sugar, refined sucrose liquid sugar and refined inverted liquid sugar. Its Sao Francisco mill and the Da Barra mill produce refined sugar. It also sells industrial alcohol, which is used in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. It sells sugar to a range of customers in Brazil and in the international markets. Its customers in Brazil include retail supermarkets, foodservice distributors and food manufacturers, for which it sells refined and liquid sugar.

Fuel distribution and lubricants

The Companys fuel distribution business is engaged in sourcing, storing, blending and distributing primarily gasoline, ethanol, diesel and fuel oil through its retail network of approximately 4,500 Esso and Shell-branded stations. During fiscal 2011, it sold approximately 1.03 billion liters of fuels, consisting of 96.0% diesel and 4.0% gasoline, ethanol and other fuels to its industrial and wholesale clients. During fiscal 2011, Cosan Combustiveise Lub rificantes S.A. (CCL) sold a total of 166.4 million l! iters of ! lubricants. Its lubricant operations consist of a wholly owned Lubricants Oil Blending Plant (LOBP), located in Rio de Janeiro, with annual production capacity of 1.4 million barrels of lubricants per year, including 48,000 barrels of grease per year.

Sugar Logistics

The Company owns and operates a sugar-loading terminal at the Port of Santos in the State of Sao Paulo through its subsidiary Rumo Logistica. It offers logistics solution to sugar producers located in the Center South of Brazil by transporting sugar from the mill by truck or rail to be loaded at its bulk sugar port terminal in Santos. It also offer sugar storage services.

The Company competes with Copersucar, Sudzucker AG, Petrobras, Ultrapar S.A., Shell Brasil Ltda. and AleSat Combustiveis S.A.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Lesson learned
  The financial situation at Amyris is less than enviable. Whereas fellow industrial biotech company Solazyme has hit every major milestone and had no problem raising funds, Amyris has had to take the more dilutive route for shareholders. Still, large commercial partners Total (NYSE: TOT  ) and Cosan (NYSE: CZZ  ) haven't backed down in their support of the company. Total upped its investment in Amyris during several rough patches in the past year after incurring significant paper losses on the roughly 20% stake in the company. Total even has its own webpage for the partnership, which speaks to its long-term vision for Amyris' platform, especially in renewable diesel.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  ADM's renewable-fuel business grabs most of the attention from investors. The drought has also had a big impact in this segment as well, as ADM has had to idle ethanol production facilities because of low corn supplies following the drought. Moreover, with sugar-based ethanol competitors Bunge (NYSE: BG  ) and Cosan (NYSE: CZZ  ) already benefiting from pricing disparities ! between s! ugar and corn, prospects of potential tariffs on U.S. ethanol in Europe could give Brazilian sugar-based ethanol a competitive advantage, further hurting ADM.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Cosan (NYSE: CZZ) is estimated to post its Q1 earnings at $0.16 per share.

  ViaSat (NASDAQ: VSAT) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.11 per share on revenue of $348.98 million.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-energy-stocks-to-own-right-now-3.html

Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks For 2015

Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks For 2015: TIBCO Software Inc.(TIBX)

TIBCO Software Inc. provides middleware and infrastructure software worldwide. It offers products in the areas of service-oriented architecture (SOA) and core infrastructure; business optimization; and process automation and collaboration. Its SOA and core infrastructure product line helps organizations integrate their disparate systems and move towards flexible infrastructure comprised of services or discrete data components that can be assembled, orchestrated, and reused; and enables the creation, management, and virtualization of heterogeneous services. The company?s business optimization product portfolio assists organizations analyze data to create information and deliver it to employees, customers, and partners; and employees perform their jobs, and customers get information, as well as helps managers identify and analyze problems and opportunities. Its process automation and collaboration software helps organizations coordinate manual and automated process flows th at span their business and enables employees to collaborate in real-time using social media; and coordinate the human and electronic resources inside a business and its network of customers and partners. The company also provides professional services, which include consulting services that comprise systems planning and design, installation, and systems integration; maintenance and support; training; and hosted services. It serves various industries, such as financial services, telecommunications, government, energy, life sciences, insurance, logistics, manufacturing, retail, and transportation. The company sells its products through direct sales force, as well as through software vendors, resellers, and systems integrators. TIBCO Software Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steven Russolillo]

  Late Tuesday, Tibco Software(TIBX) said it expects second-quarter ! per share earnings between break even and a penny and revenue of $250 million to $252 million. On an adjusted basis, it forecast per-share earnings of 12 cents to 13 cents, significantly below analysts estimate of 21 cents a share. Shares of Tibco fell 13% in after-hours trading.

• [By Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Protective Life Corp.(PL), Tibco Software Inc.(TIBX) and Yingli Green Energy Holding Co.(YGE)

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-10-industrial-disributor-stocks-for-2015.html

5 Best Information Technology Stocks To Invest In Right Now

5 Best Information Technology Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Dj Wilshire Reit Etf (RWR)

SPDR DJ Wilshire REIT (the Fund), formerly DJ Wilshire REIT ETF, seeks to replicate as closely as possible the performance of the Dow Jones Wilshire REIT Index (the Index). The Fund utilizes a passive or indexing approach, and attempts to approximate the investment performance of its Index, by investing in a portfolio of stocks to replicate the Index. The Index seeks to provide an effective representation of the United States real estate investment trust (REIT) market.

The Index consists of companies whose charters are the equity ownership and operation of commercial real estate, and which operate under the REIT Act of 1960. The Index is generally rebalanced monthly. Companies are chosen based upon market capitalization, source of revenue and liquidity. Each REIT in the Index is weighted by its float-adjusted market capitalization. The Funds investment manager is SSgA Funds Management, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chuck Saletta]

  Where to invest?
  There are countless possibilities for building your retirement portfolio to cover Social Security's gap, depending on your personal risk tolerance, timeline, and need for cash. Here are decent index-style ETFs across various asset types to consider when building your plan:

  Domestic stocks. The Vanguard Total Market (NYSEMKT: VTI  ) ETF is a one-stop-shop that gives you access to around 99.5% by market cap of the publicly held U.S. stocks traded on major exchanges. A mere 3% turnover and microscopically low 0.05% expense ratio makes this a low-cost way to invest in the overall stock market. Investment-grade bonds. The iShares iBoxx $Invest Grade Corp Bond (NYSEMKT: LQD  ) ETF owns nearly $24 billion worth of investment-grade corporate bonds. A small 4% turnover and low 0.15% expense ratio make this a low-cost way to get bond exposure. Real estate. The SPDR Dow Jones REIT (NYSEMKT: RWR!   ) ETF has a bit over $2 billion invested in real estate investment trusts, attempting to match the Dow Jones Select REIT index. With a reasonable 7% turnover and a still pretty low 0.25% expense ratio, this is a reasonable way to get real estate exposure without turning yourself into a landlord. Foreign stocks. Vanguard's Total International Stock Index (NASDAQ: VXUS  ) ETF has nearly $90 billion in foreign stocks under its control, owning pieces of more than 6,100 stocks from 45 countries. With a mere 3% turnover and low 0.16% expense ratio, it's one of the lowest-cost ways to get your hands on foreign companies without being an international accounting expert. Inflation-protected government bonds. The iShares Barclays TIPS Bond (NYSEMKT: TIP  ) ETF has around $20 billion invested in U.S. Treasury inflation-protected bonds. With a low expense ratio of 0.2% and a reasonable 10% turnover rate, it's a decent way to get exposure to inflation-protected bonds. Note, though, that
• [By Hilary Kramer]

   

  2. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) The REIT is another alternative vehicle that's gone mainstream in recent years. Hundreds of broad-based and specialized real estate companies and ETFs are available, and after a correction a few months ago, many are on the cheap side. Like any other alternative, this should be a seasoning for your portfolio and not the sauce itself. For most retail investors, a stake in an indexed fund like the SPDR Dow Jones REIT (NYSE: RWR) should be more than adequate, or look into the companies that provide services to the REIT industry like HFF (NYSE: HF) and Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL).

   

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/5-best-information-technology-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now-2.html

5 Best Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2015

5 Best Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2015: Grupo Televisa S.A.(TV)

Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a media company in Mexico and internationally. It operates in seven segments: Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks, Programming Exports, Publishing, Sky, Cable and Telecom, and Other Businesses. The Television Broadcasting segment engages in the production of television programming and broadcasting of channels 2, 4, 5, and 9; and production of television programming and broadcasting for local television stations in Mexico and the United States. The Pay Television Networks segment provides programming services for cable and pay-per-view television companies in Mexico, as well as other countries in Latin America, the United States, and Europe. The Programming Exports segment offers international licensing of television programming. The Publishing segment primarily publishes Spanish-language magazines in Mexico, the United States, and Latin America. The Sky segment provides direct-to-home broadcas t satellite pay television services in Mexico, Central America, and the Dominican Republic. The Cable and Telecom segment operates a cable and telecommunication system in the Mexico City metropolitan area. This segment provides data and long-distance services solutions to carriers and other telecommunications service providers through its fiber-optic network in Mexico and the United States; basic and premium television, pay-per-view, and telephone services. The Other Businesses segment engages in sports and show business promotion, soccer, feature film production and distribution, Internet, gaming, radio, and publishing distribution operations. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Monday

  Earnings Releases Expected:  Grupo Televisa S.A (NYSE: TV) Economic Releases Expected: Japanese current account, eurozone investor confide! nce, Spanish industrial production, German industrial production

  Tuesday

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/5-best-supermarket-stocks-to-watch-for-2015-2.html

Windows 8.1: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

It's pretty safe to say that Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) Windows 8 has been a train wreck for the PC industry. In fact, Windows 8's radical departure has appeared to slow the PC market to the point where worldwide PC shipments posted their steepest quarterly decline ever in the first quarter. It also isn't helping matters that users have been very vocal about their distaste for the operating system's modernized experience from previous Windows versions.

As a result, Microsoft will be releasing Windows version 8.1 in "late 2013" in hopes to address some of Windows 8's the biggest complaints from users. The hope is that these measures will improve the user experience enough to improve the PC's prospects.

The good
Topping the list of Windows 8 complaints has been the omission of the classic Start Button/Menu that's been part of the Windows franchise since Windows 95. Naturally, Windows 8.1 brings back the Start Button/Menu combination, but reinvents the experience to be more tailored for the age of mobile computing and touchscreens. Instead of bringing up the familiar Start Menu, you can either be directed to the Metro Start Screen or the Metro Apps view. The former option is essentially useless for non-touch users and will not please die-hard Start Menu enthusiasts, but the latter option gives keyboard and mouse users a functional list of apps that isn't awkward or inefficient to use without a touch screen. In other words, non-touch users may no longer feel as alienated from the touch-preferred Metro interface.

Other Windows 8.1 notable features include improved search functionality, the ability to boot directly to the desktop, and the integration of Microsoft SkyDrive. Of the three, the ability to boot directly to the desktop could give deep-pocketed enterprises a reason to jump on the Windows 8.1 bandwagon.

Top 10 Income Stocks To Watch For 2015

The bad
Although the reintroduction of Start Button and Menu is a welcomed addition, ExtremeTech's hands-on review acknowledges that Windows 8.1 is a touch-friendly operating system first, and the keyboard, mouse, and desktop are "second-class citizens." That's understandable, considering 65% of all PCs end up in the hands of consumers and the world has had an extremely healthy appetite for tablet computing. In fact, IDC expects worldwide tablet shipments will surpass portable PC shipments this year.

Consequently, Microsoft's appeal to tablet users isn't necessarily ideal for "power users" who rely on a PC to be productive because these users may find that a touch-optimized operating system isn't fully addressing their needs. Perhaps there's a good reason why Apple has Mac OS for productivity and iOS for touch applications, as opposed to an all-in-one solution like Windows 8.1.

The ugly
The reality of the situation is that Microsoft has to repair Windows 8's poor reputation while also managing declining PC sales. The billion-dollar question for Microsoft is whether or not consumers have already moved beyond the PC thanks to the explosive rise of mobile computing. Perhaps when $300 touch-enabled laptops hit the shelves this holiday season, the attention will turn back to the PC. In the meantime, I'm not sure there's enough improvement built into Windows 8.1 to improve the outlook.  

Additionally, it's incredible to think how much of our technological lives are almost entirely shaped by just a handful of companies. Find out "Who Will Win the War Between the 5 Biggest Tech Stocks?" in The Motley Fool's latest free report, which details the knock-down, drag-out battle being waged by the five kings of tech. Click here to keep reading.

Top 5 Solar Companies To Own In Right Now

Top 5 Solar Companies To Own In Right Now: Peabody Energy Corporation(BTU)

Peabody Energy Corporation engages in the mining of coal. It mines, prepares, and sells thermal coal to electric utilities and metallurgical coal to industrial customers. The company owns interests in 30 coal mining operations located in the United States and Australia, as well as owns joint venture interest in a Venezuela mine. It is also involved in marketing, brokering, and trading coal. In addition, the company develops a mine-mouth coal-fueled generating plant; and Btu Conversion projects that are designed to convert coal to natural gas or transportation fuels; and clean coal technologies. As of December 31, 2011, it had 9 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves. The company was founded in 1883 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  While Gazprom will be the major winner of this, the potential losers include U.S. coal stocks Arch Coal (ACI) and Peabody Energy (BTU). Both have already felt the one-two punch of dwindling demand here at home coupled with rising environmental regulations. As two of the biggest suppliers to China, the deal could mean more losses for investors as the Asian Dragon replaces coal with Russian piped gas.

• [By Jonathan Yates]

  Investors have certainly been "fearful" of the coal sector. The exchange traded fund for coal, Market Vectors Coal (NYSE: KOL), is off nearly 20 percent for the year. Stocks such as Arch Coal (NYSE: ACI) and Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE: ANR) are also down sharply for 2013. But Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) just surprised Wall Street in beating forecasts for the most recent quarter: as a result, its share price is up more than 7 percent for the week.

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  The great majority of this country's coal production comes from Wyoming's Powder River Basin. The two leading producers there, Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU  ) an! d Arch Coal (NYSE: ACI  ) , account for more than half the production in the entire basin, producing 139 million tons and 100 million tons, respectively, in 2012. But as coal demand in this country shrinks, Peabody and Arch have pinned their hopes on exports. Unfortunately, what these companies are finding is that exporting coal from ports on the Pacific coast is an increasingly contentious business.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-5-solar-companies-to-own-in-right-now.html

5 Best Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now

5 Best Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Alliance Holdings GP L.P.(AHGP)

Alliance Holdings GP, L.P., through its subsidiaries, produces and markets coal primarily to utilities and industrial users in the United States. It produces a range of steam coal with varying sulfur and heat contents. The company operates nine underground mining complexes in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, and West Virginia. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 697.4 million tons of proven and probable coal reserves in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. In addition, the company leases land; and operates a coal loading terminal, with a capacity of 8.0 million tons with ground storage of approximately 60,000 to 70,000 tons, on the Ohio River at Mt. Vernon, Indiana. Further, it engages in purchasing and selling coal; and providing services, including ash and scrubber sludge removal, coal yard maintenance, and arranging alternate transportation services. Alliance GP, LLC, serves as the general partner of the company. Allian ce Holdings GP, L.P. is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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 Alliance Holdings GP (Nasdaq: AHGP  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  The National Association of Publicly Traded Partnerships (NAPTP) lists five MLPs in the category Natural Resources – Coal, although two of the five are Alliance Holdings (NYSE: AHGP) and its operating affiliate, Alliance Resource Partners (NYSE: ARLP). The other three are Natural Resource Partners (NYSE: NRP), Rhino Resource Partners (NYSE: RNO), and Oxford Resource Partners (NYSE: ! OXF).

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/5-best-cheap-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: DST Systems Inc. (DST)

DST Systems, Inc. provides information processing and software services and products. The company operates in two segments, Financial Services and Customer Communications. The Financial Services segment offers various solutions primarily to the asset management, brokerage, retirement, insurance, and healthcare industries. It provides proprietary software systems, including shareowner recordkeeping and distribution support systems for the United States and international mutual fund companies, broker/dealers, and financial advisors; and a defined-contribution participant recordkeeping system for the United States retirement plan market. This segment also offers investment management systems for the United States and international investment managers and fund accountants; a business process management and customer contact system for various industries; and medical and pharmacy claims administration processing systems and services for providers of healthcare plans, third party administrators, medical practice groups, and pharmacy benefit managers. The Customer Communications Segment helps businesses deploy customer communications while improving operational performance across critical business functions, such as sales, marketing, customer service, technology, finance, operations, and compliance. This segment helps clients deliver information in the desired combination of print, digital, and archival formats. Its product offering combines data insights and analysis with business decision-making tools, and multi-channel execution and delivery designed to help businesses acquire, grow, retain, and win back customers. The company also owns and operates real estate properties, as well as has investments in equity securities, private equity funds, and other financial interests. It has operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and internationally. DST Systems, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is based in Kansas C! ity, Missouri.< /p> Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Vera Yuan]

  Information processing company DST Systems, Inc. (DST) declined as the company conducted a secondary offering of common stock for a selling shareholder, Argyros Group.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Data center operator DST Systems (NYSE: DST  ) will pay a second-quarter dividend of $0.30 per share, the same rate it paid last quarter after switching from a semiannual payout schedule to a quarterly one, the company announced yesterday.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/best-gas-utility-stocks-to-buy-for-2015.html

Top 10 Internet Stocks To Own For 2015

Top 10 Internet Stocks To Own For 2015: Google Inc.(GOOG)

Google Inc. maintains an index of Web sites and other online content for users, advertisers, and Google network members and other content providers. It offers AdWords, an auction-based advertising program; AdSense program, which enables Web sites that are part of the Google Network to deliver ads from its AdWords advertisers; Google Display, a display advertising network that comprises the videos, text, images, and other interactive ads; DoubleClick Ad Exchange, a real-time auction marketplace for the trading of display ad space; and YouTube that provides video, interactive, and other ad formats for advertisers. The company also provides Google Mobile that optimizes Google?s applications for mobile devices in browser and downloadable form; and enables advertisers to run search ad campaigns on mobile devices, as well as Google Local that provides local information on the Web; and Google Boost for small businesses to participate in the ads auction. In addition, it offers And roid, an open source mobile software platform; Google Chrome OS, an open source operating system; Google Chrome, a Web browser; Google TV, a platform for the consumers to use the television and the Internet on a single screen; and Google Books platform to discover, search, and consume content from printed books online. Further, the company provides Google Apps, a cloud computing suite of message and collaboration tools, which includes Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Sites; Google Search Appliance that offers real-time search of business and intranet applications, and public Web sites; Google Site Search, a custom search engine; Google Commerce Search for online retail enterprises; Google Checkout to make online shopping and payments streamlined and secure; Google Maps Application Programming Interface; and Google Earth Enterprise, a firewall software solution for ! imagery and data visualization. Google Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Levy]

  Now Facebook is giving them yet another reason to upload videos after overhauling its Pages product to showcase videos. The new design is very similar to Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) (NASDAQ: GOOGL  ) YouTube Channel design, even offering the option for businesses to feature a video at the top of the page and make playlists.

• [By Ben Rooney]

  Another tech billionaire, Google (GOOG) cofounder Larry Page, 41, made the fifth largest donation of the year. Page gave $177 million in stock to a charity he set up in the name of his father.

• [By Frank Pallotta]

  "The Interview" was first distributed online last week through streaming services like YouTube and Google (GOOG)Play. By expanding to cable and satellite audiences, Sony (SNE) will bring the movie to more homes, including those that aren't online.

• [By Sean O'Reilly]

  O'Reilly: No, I'm kidding. Google  (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) (NASDAQ: GOOGL  ) makes at least ... Google and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) !

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-internet-stocks-to-own-for-2015.html

Top Machinery Stocks For 2014

VIVUS�(Nasdaq: VVUS) shocked the market with seemingly unbelievable first quarter results, sending shares over 10% higher. They have since steadily declined. The lesson as always: if something seems to good to be true, it probably is.�

Sales of its obesity drug Qsymia doubled, but to the still low total of $9 million. More concerning prescriptions declined, despite the aggressive discount program for the drug.

In this episode of�Market Check-Up, the Motley Fool's health-care focused investing show, analysts David Williamson and Michael Douglass discuss the quarterly results, obesity drug competition, and ultimately why Vivus investors should be concerned.�

�

Warren Buffett just bought nearly 9 million shares of this company
Imagine a company that rents a very specific and valuable piece of machinery for $41,000...�per hour�(that's almost as much as the average American makes in a year!). And Warren Buffett is so confident in this company's can't-live-without-it business model, he just loaded up on�8.8�million�shares. An exclusive, brand-new Motley Fool report details�this company that�already has over 50% market share. Just click�HERE�to discover more about this industry-leading stock... and join Buffett in his quest for a veritable landslide�of profits!

Top Quality Companies To Own For 2015: Graco Inc (GGG)

Graco Inc. (Graco), incorporated in 1926, design, manufacture and sell equipment that pumps, meters, mixes, dispenses and sprays a variety of fluids and semi-solids. The Company operates in three segments: Industrial, Contractor and Lubrication. Primary users of its equipment include contractors and original equipment manufacturers, who uses its equipment in a variety of applications in the construction, manufacturing, processing and maintenance industries. Its equipment is used to paint, finish, fill, glue and seal a wide range of goods and materials. Graco sells its equipment through third-party distributors worldwide. The Company sells its products in geographic markets, such as the Americas (North and South America), Europe (including the Middle East and Africa) and Asia Pacific. In January 2014, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of QED Environmental Systems and EcoQuip.

Industrial Segment

The segment includes the Industrial Products and the Applied Fluid Technologies divisions. End users of its industrial equipment require solutions to their manufacturing and maintenance challenges and are driven to purchase its industrial equipment by the return on investment that its products provide. The Industrial Products division markets its equipment and services to customers who manufacture, assemble, maintain, repair and refinish products, such as appliances, vehicles, airplanes, electronics, cabinets and furniture, and other articles. In addition to marketing its equipment to customers in similar industries, the Applied Fluid Technology division also sells to contractors who use its plural component equipment to apply foam insulation and protective coatings to buildings and other structures. Most Industrial segment equipment is sold worldwide through general and specialized third-party distributors, integrators, design centers, original equipment manufacturers and material suppliers.

The Industrial Products division focuses its product de! velopment and sales on two main applications: equipment that applies paint and other coatings to products, such as motor vehicles, appliances, furniture and other industrial and consumer products (finishing), and process pump equipment that moves and dispenses chemicals and liquid and semi-solid foods (process pumps). It�� finishing equipment pumps, meters and applies liquids on all types of wood, metal and plastic. Manufacturers in the automotive, automotive feeder, truck/bus/recreational vehicle, military and utility vehicle, aerospace, farm and construction, wood and general metals industries use its liquid finishing products. Its liquid finishing equipment includes paint circulating and paint supply pumps, paint circulating advanced control systems, plural component coating proportioners, various accessories to filter, transport, agitate and regulate fluid, and spare parts, such as spray tips, seals and filter screens.

The Company�� process pumps move chemicals, petroleum, food and other fluids. Manufacturers and processors in the food and beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, oil and gas, electronics, wastewater, mining and ceramics industries use its process pumps. It offers pumps for sanitary applications, including Food and Drug Administration (FDA )-compliant 3-A sanitary pumps, diaphragm pumps, transfer pumps and drum and bin unloaders. Its process pumps provide a mechanized solution to a manual process in a factory of moving fluids from large barrels into equipment that dispenses the fluid into jars or other containers. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company purchased certain peristaltic pumps assets of Eccentric Pumps, LLC, provided the Company with an entry into the industrial peristaltic pump industry.

The Applied Fluid Technologies division directs its engineering, sales and marketing efforts toward two types of applications: equipment to pump, meter, mix and dispense high performance protective coatings and polyurethane foam (protective c! oatings a! nd foam); and equipment to pump, meter, mix and dispense sealants, adhesives, molded polyurethane parts and composites (advanced fluid dispense). It offers sprayer systems and plural component proportioning equipment to apply protective coatings and foam to a wide variety of surfaces. Reactor plural component pumps are used to apply foam to insulate things, such as walls, water heaters, refrigeration, and hot tubs, create commercial roofing membranes and for packaging, architectural design and cavity filling. This equipment is also used to apply two-component polyurea coatings to tanks, pipes, roofs, truck beds and foundations.

Graco�� XM Plural-Component Sprayer series is and XP70 plural component sprayers are used for corrosion-control applications, such as tank and pipeline coatings, shipbuilding, marine and railcar maintenance, wind tower coating, bridge and infrastructure projects and coating structural steel. The XM sprayers provide precise and variable ratio control in a highly configurable system. The XP70 sprayers are fixed ratio units and intended for applications where variable ratio capability is not required. It offers pumps, meters, applicators and valves for the metering, mixing and dispensing of precision beads of sealant and adhesive to bond, mold, seal, vacuum encapsulate, pot, laminate and gasket parts and devices in a variety of industrial applications. The HFR Metering System is an in-plant, hydraulic, fixed-ratio metering system that applies a range of materials used for noise dampening, insulation and structural integrity. It also offers advanced composites equipment, which includes gel coat equipment, chop and wet-out systems, resin transfer molding systems and applicators , which are used for example in the manufacture of vehicles, aircraft, boats, wind turbines and bridge materials.

Contractor Segment

The Contractor segment directs its product development, sales and marketing of three applications: paint, texture, and pavement mainten! ance. The! Contractor segment markets airless paint and texture sprayers (air, gas, hydraulically- and electrically-powered), accessories, such as spray guns, hoses and filters and spare parts, such as tips and seals to professional painters in the construction and maintenance industries, tradesmen and do-it-yourselfers. The products are distributed primarily through distributor outlets whose main products are paint and other coatings. Contractor products are also sold through general equipment distributors. Certain sprayers and accessories are distributed globally through the home center channel.

Contractor equipment encompasses a variety of sprayers, including sprayers that apply markings on roads, parking lots, fields, bike paths, crosswalks and floors; texture to walls and ceilings; highly viscous coatings to roofs; and paint to walls and structures. Many of these sprayers and their accessories contain one or more technological features, such as micro-processor-based controls for consistent spray and protective shut-down, a pump that may be removed and re-installed without tools, an easy-clean feature, gas/electric convertibility, and a durable pump finish. The Company offers a line of professional grade handheld paint sprayers, and in 2011, it introduced a fine finish handheld paint sprayer that sprays lacquers, varnishes, urethanes, sealers, stains and enamels. Contractor equipment also includes pressure washers, and scarifiers that remove markings on roads and other surfaces.

Lubrication Segment

The Lubrication segment focuses its engineering, marketing and sales of two lubrication applications: vehicle services and industrial. The Lubrication segment markets and sells its lubrication equipment worldwide, although the bulk of its sales come from North America. Its lubrication products are sold through independent third party distributors and oil jobbers, and directly to original equipment manufacturers. The Company supplies pumps, hose reels, meters, valves and accessorie! s to the ! motor vehicle lubrication industry. Its customers include fast oil change facilities, service garages, fleet service centers, automobile dealerships and auto parts stores.

In industrial lubrication, the Company offers systems, components, and accessories for the automatic lubrication of industrial and commercial equipment, compressors, turbines, and on- and off-road vehicles. Industries served include gas transmission and petrochemical, pulp and paper, mining and construction, agricultural equipment, food and beverage, material handling, metal manufacturing and wind energy. It offers products that automatically lubricate bearings, gears and generators, and products that evacuate and dispense oil, grease, anti-freeze and hydraulic fluids, from wind power components.

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, fluid handling solutions specialist Graco (NYSE: GGG  ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Graco (NYSE: GGG  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on April 24. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Graco's revenues will increase 16.1% and EPS will expand 25.9%.

Top Machinery Stocks For 2014: Sun Hydraulics Corp (SNHY)

Sun Hydraulics Corporation (Sun) designs, manufactures, and sells screw-in cartridge valves and manifolds used in hydraulic systems. The Company has facilities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, France, and China. Sun Hydraulik Holdings Limited (Sun Holdings), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sun was formed to provide a holding company for the European market operations; its wholly owned subsidiaries are Sun Hydraulics Limited (Sun Ltd.) and Sun Hydraulik GmbH (Sun GmbH). Sun Ltd. operates a manufacturing and distribution facility located in Coventry, England, and Sun GmbH operates a manufacturing and distribution facility located in Erkelenz, Germany. Sun Hydraulics Korea Corporation (Sun Korea), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sun, operates a manufacturing and distribution facility. Sun Hydraulics, SARL (Sun France), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sun was dissolved in November 2011. Sun Hydraulics (India) a liaison office in Bangalore, India is used to develop new business opportunities in the Indian market. WhiteOak Controls, Inc. (WhiteOak), a 40% equity method investment, located in Mediapolis, Iowa, designs and produces complementary electronic control products. On September 27, 2011, Sun acquired High Country Tek, Inc. (HCT), which designs and manufactures a range of standard and customizable electronic control modules used to interpret electronic signals.

Screw-in Hydraulic Cartridge Valves

The Company�� screw-in hydraulic cartridge valves are offered in five size ranges and include both electrically actuated and non-electrically actuated products. The floating construction introduced by the Company results in a self alignment characteristic.

Standard Manifolds

A manifold is a solid block of metal, usually aluminum or ductile iron, which is machined to create threaded cavities and channels into which screw-in cartridge valves can be installed and through which the hydraulic fluid flows. The Company�� range of standard mani! folds enables the customers to integrate its screw-in cartridge valves into their machinery and equipment.

Integrated Packages

An integrated package consists of multiple cartridges assembled into a custom designed manifold for a specific customer to provide the specific operating characteristics of a customer�� circuit. The Company�� screw-in cartridge valves translate to integrated packages designed by the Company and result in products that are smaller in size. Due to the self-alignment characteristic, the Company�� integrated packages do not require testing once assembled.

Electronic Controllers

HCT designs and manufactures electronic controllers, which manage the function of electrically actuated valves. HCT�� products range from one valve, manually adjusted controllers to fully integrated hydraulic control systems managing multiple hydraulic valves, as well as other input and output products, such as joysticks and displays.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sally Jones]

  Sun Hydraulics Corp. (SNHY): Reduced

  Up 25% over 12 months, Sun Hydraulics Corp. has a market cap of $787.4 million; its shares were traded at around $30.00 with a P/E ratio of 21.20.

Top Machinery Stocks For 2014: Lindsay Corp (LNN)

Lindsay Corporation incorporated on January 7, 1974, is a provider of range of water management and road infrastructure products and services. The Company operates in two segments: Irrigation and Infrastructure. The Company�� irrigation segment includes the manufacture and marketing of center pivot, lateral move, and hose reel irrigation systems, which are used principally in the agricultural industry. The irrigation segment also manufactures and markets repair and replacement parts for its irrigation systems and controls, and designs, manufactures and services water pumping stations and controls for the agriculture, golf, landscape and municipal markets. The Company�� infrastructure segment includes the manufacture and marketing of moveable barriers, specialty barriers, crash cushions and end terminals, road marking and road safety equipment, large diameter steel tubing, railroad signals and structures, and outsourced manufacturing services. The Company�� principal infrastructure manufacturing facilities are located in Rio Vista, California, Milan, Italy, and Omaha, Nebraska. In August 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of Claude Laval Corp.

Irrigation Segment

The Company manufactures and markets its center pivot and lateral move irrigation systems in the United States and internationally under its Zimmatic brand. The Company also manufactures and markets separate lines of center pivot and lateral move irrigation equipment for use on smaller fields under its Greenfield and hose reel travelers under the Perrot and Greenfield brands in Europe and South Africa. The Company also produces or markets irrigation controls, chemical injection systems and remote monitoring and control systems, which it sells under its GrowSmart brand. In addition to whole systems, the Company manufactures and markets repair and replacement parts for its irrigation systems and controls. The Company also designs, manufactures and services water pumping stations and! controls for the agriculture, golf, landscape and municipal markets.

The Company�� irrigation systems are primarily of the standard sized center pivot type, with a small portion of its products consisting of the lateral move type. Both are automatic, continuous move systems consisting of sprinklers mounted on a water carrying pipeline, which is supported approximately 11 feet off the ground by a truss system suspended between moving towers. The Company also manufactures and distributes mini-pivots and hose reel travelers. The Company also markets pivot monitoring and control systems, which include remote telemetry and a Web or personal computer-hosted data acquisition and monitoring application. These systems allow growers to monitor their pivot system, accumulate data on the operation of the system, and control the pivot from a remote location by logging onto an Internet Website. The pivot monitoring and control systems are marketed under the GrowSmart brand and product name FieldNET.

In the United States, the Company sells its irrigation systems, including Zimmatic, to over 200 independent dealer locations, who resell to their customer, the farmer. Dealers assess their customer�� requirements, assemble and erect the system in the field, and provide additional system components, primarily relating to water supply (wells, pumps, pipes) and electrical supply (on-site generation or hook-up to power lines). Lindsay dealers generally are local agribusinesses, many of which also deal in related products, such as well drilling and water pump equipment, farm implements, grain handling and storage systems, and farm structures. The Company has production and sales operations in France, Brazil and China, as well as distribution and sales operations in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and sales operations in Central America and the Middle East serving the European, South American, Chinese, African, Australian, New Zealand, Central American and Middle Eastern markets, respect! ively.

Infrastructure Segment

The Company�� Quickchange Moveable Barrier (QMB) system consists of three parts: T-shaped concrete barriers that are connected to form a continuous wall; a Barrier Transfer Machine (BTM), capable of moving the barrier laterally across the pavement, and the variable length barriers necessary for accommodating curves. The BTM employs an inverted S-shaped conveyor mechanism that lifts the barrier, moving it laterally before setting it back on the roadway surface. The QMB system is useful in busy commuter corridors and at choke points, such as bridges and tunnels. QMB systems can also be deployed at roadway or roadside construction. The Company offers a range of equipment lease options for QMB systems and BTM equipment used in construction applications.

The Company offers a line of redirective and non-redirective crash cushions, which are at locations, such as toll booths, freeway off-ramps, medians and roadside barrier ends, bridge supports, utility poles and other fixed roadway hazards. The Company�� primary crash cushion products cover a range of lengths, widths, speed capacities and application accessories and include brand names, such as TAU, Universal TAU-II, TAU-B_NR, ABSORB 350 and Walt. In addition to these products the Company also offers guardrail end terminal products such as the X-Tension and TESI systems. The Company also offers specialty barrier products, such as the SAB, ArmorGuard, PaveGuard and DR46 portable barrier and/or barrier gate systems. The gates are generally used to create openings in barrier walls of various types for both construction and incident management purposes. The DR46 is an energy absorbing barrier to shield motorcyclists from impacting guardrail posts.

The Company offers preformed tape and a line of road safety accessory products. The preformed tape is used primarily in temporary applications, such as markings for work zones, street crossings, and road center lines or boundaries. The road s! afety equ! ipment consists of plastic and rubber products used for delineation, slowing traffic, and signaling. The Company also manages a testing laboratory, Safe Technologies, Inc., that performs testing of safety products. The Company�� Diversified Manufacturing and Tubing business unit (Diversified Manufacturing) manufactures and markets large diameter steel tubing and railroad signals and structures, and provides outsourced manufacturing and production services for other companies. The Company�� customer base includes certain industrial companies and railroads. The Company�� primary infrastructure market includes moveable concrete barriers, delineation systems, guardrails and similar protective equipment. The United States roadway infrastructure market includes projects, such as new roadway construction, bridges, tunnels, maintenance and resurfacing, and the purchase of rights-of-way for roadway expansion and development of technologies for relief of roadway congestion.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Next week investors will be waiting for several key earnings reports including�Lindsay Corporation (NYSE: LNN),RPM International Inc. (NYSE: RPM), ADTRAN, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTN), and Del Frisco�� Restaurant Group, Inc (NASDAQ: DFRG)

Top Machinery Stocks For 2014: Cummins Inc.(CMI)

Cummins Inc. designs, manufactures, distributes, and services diesel and natural gas engines, electric power generation systems, and engine-related component products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Engine, Power Generation, Components, and Distribution. The Engine segment offers a range of diesel and natural gas powered engines under the Cummins and other customer brand names for the heavy-and medium-duty truck, bus, recreational vehicle, light-duty automotive, agricultural, construction, mining, marine, oil and gas, rail, and governmental equipment markets. This segment also provides new parts and service, as well as remanufactured parts and engines. The Power Generation segment offers power generation systems, components, and services, including diesel, natural gas, gasoline, and alternative-fuel electrical generator sets for use in recreational vehicles, commercial vehicles, recreational marine applications, and home stand-by or residential applications. This segment also provides components that make up power generation systems, such as engines, controls, alternators, transfer switches, and switchgears. The Components segment supplies filtration products, turbochargers, aftertreatment systems, intake and exhaust systems, and fuel systems for commercial diesel applications. This segment offers filtration and exhaust systems for on-and off-highway heavy-duty and mid-range equipment, as well as supplies filtration products for industrial and passenger car applications. This segment also develops after treatment and exhaust systems to help customers meet emissions standards and fuel systems. The Distribution segment provides parts and services, as well as service solutions, including maintenance contracts, engineering services, and integrated products. The company sells its products to original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and other customers. Cummins Inc. was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Columbus, Indiana.

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, diesel engine manufacturer Cummins (NYSE: CMI  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

Top Machinery Stocks For 2014: Wajax Corp (WJX)

Wajax Corporation (Wajax), is engaged in the sale and after-sales parts and service support of equipment, power systems and industrial components. Wajax�� three business divisions include equipment,power systems and industrial components. Its equipment division is engaged in the distribution, rental, modification and servicing of mobile equipment from manufacturers. It Power Systems is engaged in the distribution, rental and servicing of engines, transmissions and generators for on-highway, off-highway and electric power generation applications. Industrial components is engaged in the distribution, servicing, custom design and assembly of industrial components for in-plant customers and original equipment manufacturers. The Company�� products include excavators, lift trucks, mining trucks and shovels, forest harvesting equipment, utility equipment, loader backhoes, container handlers, cranes, diesel and natural gas engines, transmissions and power generators and bearings. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Heinzl]

  For example, BMO Nesbitt Burns analyst Bert Powell recently raised his price target on Wajax (WJX) to $41.50 from $35.50 because, as he explained in a note, he believes the company is poised for a recovery. The new target reflects his expectation that the stock will trade at 11 times his 2015 earnings per share estimate of $3.77��ts average P/E multiple historically.

Top Machinery Stocks For 2014: Esco Technologies Inc (ESE)

ESCO Technologies Inc. (ESCO), incorporated in August 1990, is a producer of engineered products and systems sold to customers worldwide, primarily for utility, industrial, aerospace and commercial applications. ESCO operates in three segments: Utility Solutions Group (Utility Solutions), RF Shielding and Test (Test) and Filtration/Fluid Flow (Filtration). On July 31, 2010, the Company acquired the capital stock of Crissair, Inc. On September 3, 2010, the Company acquired the capital stock of Xtensible Solutions, Inc. its subsidiaries include Aclara Power-Line Systems Inc. (Aclara PLS), Aclara RF Systems Inc. (Aclara RF), Aclara Software Inc., Doble Engineering Company, Doble Lemke AG, Doble Lemke GmbH, Doble PowerTest Limited, Doble TransiNor AS, Crissair, Inc., PTI Technologies Inc., TekPackaging LLC, VACCO Industries, Beijing Lindgren ElectronMagnetic Technology Co., Ltd., ETS-Lindgren L.P., ETS-Lindgren OY, ETS Lindgren Limited and ETS Lindgren Japan, Inc. In January 2013, the Company acquired the assets of Metrum Technologies LLC. In June 2013, ESCO Technologies Inc announced that it has acquired Canyon Engineering Products Inc.

UTILITY SOLUTIONS

The Utility Solutions segment accounted for approximately 57% of the Company�� total revenue during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (fiscal 2010). Aclara PLS is a manufacturer of two-way power line communication systems for the electric utility industry (the TWACS systems), which are composed of equipment (meter modules and equipment for central stations and substations), software and support services. The TWACS systems provide electric utilities with a communication technology for automatic meter reading, load control, interval data, outage assessment/restoration monitoring, remote service disconnect/connect, time-of-use data for critical peak pricing, tamper/theft detection and pre-paid metering. Revenue from the TWACS systems accounted for approximately 22% of the Company�� total revenue in fiscal 2010. Aclara R! F provides, through its STAR network, wireless radio frequency (RF) data communications systems to gas, water and electric utilities for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) applications. In fiscal 2010, total revenue received by the Company from PG&E for all sales was 9.2% of the Company�� consolidated revenue. Revenue from STAR network products, accounted for approximately 17%, of the Company�� total revenue in fiscal 2010.

Aclara Software Inc. provides utilities with software systems for energy and water information, delivering a scalable meter data management system (MDMS), AMI/meter device records and asset management, business applications addressing areas, such as revenue assurance and distribution asset analysis. Aclara�� analytics-based software applications are used by over 100 energy organizations worldwide. Doble provides electric utility customers with products and services to achieve the reliability and sustainability of electric power infrastructure. It combines three elements for customers: diagnostic test instruments, expert consulting and testing services. Revenue from Doble�� products and services, accounted for approximately 15%, of the Company�� total revenue in fiscal 2010.

TEST

The Test segment accounted for approximately 23% of the Company�� total revenue in fiscal 2010. ETS-Lindgren designs and manufactures products to measure and contain magnetic, electromagnetic and acoustic energy. It supplies customers with a range of isolated environments including RF test enclosures, acoustic test enclosures, RF and magnetically shielded rooms, secure communication facilities and broadcast and recording studios. these facilities include shielded doors and windows. ETS-Lindgren also provides the design, program management, installation and integration services required to complete these types of facilities. ETS-Lindgren also supplies customers with a range of components, including RF absorptive materials, RF filters, active compensatio! n systems! , antennas, antenna masts, turntables and electric and magnetic probes, RF test cells, measurement software and other test accessories required to perform a variety of tests. ETS-Lindgren also offers a variety of services, including calibration for antennas and field probes, chamber certification, field surveys, customer training and a variety of product tests.

FILTRATION

The Filtration segment accounted for approximately 20%, of the Company�� total revenue in fiscal 2010. PTI is a supplier of filtration products serving the commercial aerospace, military aerospace and various industrial markets. The industrial markets include chemical processing, automotive and mobile equipment. Products include filter elements, assemblies, modules, indicators and other related components. VACCO supplies flow control products, valves and filters to the space, defense and commercial industries for use in aircraft, satellite propulsion systems, satellite launch vehicles and other space transportation systems, such as the Space Shuttle and its successor. VACCO also uses its etched disc technology to produce quiet valves and manifolds for the United States Navy applications. Crissair, Inc. supplies a variety of custom and standard valves and other various components to the aerospace, defense and commercial industries. Platform applications include fixed and rotary wing aircraft, air transport and business jets, and defense systems. TekPackaging LLC produces thermoformed products and packaging materials for medical, retail, food and electronic applications.

The Company competes with Itron, Inc., Silver Spring Networks, Landis+Gyr, Cannon Technologies Inc., Sensus Metering Systems Inc., Trilliant Inc., Elster Electricity, L.L.C., Comverge, Inc., Neptune Technology Group, e-Meter Corporation, Oracle Corporation, APOGEE Interactive Inc., Opower, Inc., Ecologic Analytics, LLC, SmartSynch, Inc.,Tantalus Systems Corp, OMICRON Electronics Corp. USA, OMICRON, Megger Group Limited, EM shiel! ding mark! et, TDK RF Solutions Inc., Albatross GmbH, IMEDCO AG, Cuming Corporation, Pall Corporation, Moog, Inc., SoFrance and Clarcor Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James Miller Phd]

  Pall Corporation (PLL) is a supplier of filtration, separation and purification technologies, principally made by the company, for the removal of solid, liquid and gaseous contaminants from a range of liquids and gases. The company serves customers through two businesses globally: Life Sciences and Industrial. While Pall competes with many companies in the Life Sciences markets and Industrial, few companies operate in both, like ESCO Technologies Inc. (ESE) and Danaher Corp. (DHR).