10 Best Building Product Stocks To Invest In 2014

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Three Building Products stocks are moving up in their overall rating this week, according to the Portfolio Grader database. Every one of these is graded an “A” (“strong buy”) or “B” overall (“buy”).

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Invest In Right Now: United Fire & Casualty Company(UFCS)

United Fire Group, Inc. engages in the writing of property, casualty, and life insurances. It sells annuities through a network of independent agencies. The company?s property and casualty insurance segment comprises commercial lines insurance products, including surety bonds, personal lines insurance, and assumed insurance. Its life insurance segment consists of deferred and immediate annuities, universal life insurance products, and traditional life insurance products. The company was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included United Fire Group (NASDAQ: UFCS), down 4.9 percent, and Hilltop Holdings (NYSE: HTH), off 3.7 percent.

10 Best Building Product Stocks To Invest In 2014: SunPower Corp (SPWR)

SunPower Corporation, incorporated in April 1985, is a vertically integrated solar products and services company that designs, manufactures and delivers solar electric systems worldwide for residential, commercial, and utility-scale power plant customers. The Company operates in two business segments: the Utility and Power Plants (UPP) Segment and the Residential and Commercial (R&C) Segment. The UPP Segment refers to its solar products and systems business, which includes power plant project development and project sales, turn-key engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for power plant construction, and power plant operations and maintenance (O&M) services. UPP Segment also sells components, including huge volume of sales of solar panels and mounting systems to third parties, sometimes on a multi-year, firm commitment basis. The R&C Segment focuses on solar equipment sales into the residential and small commercial market through its third-party global dealer network, as well as direct sales and EPC and O&M services in the United States and Europe for rooftop and ground-mounted solar power systems for the new homes, commercial and public sectors. In May 2012, K Road Power Holdings, LLC (K Road) and SunPower Corp announced that K Road acquired the 25-megawatt (AC) McHenry Solar Project, which the Company designed. In January 2013, the Company MidAmerican Solar acquired the 579-megawatt Antelope Valley Solar Projects (AVSP), two co-located projects in Kern and Los Angeles Counties in Calif from SunPower.

In January 2012, the Company completed its acquisition of the wholly owned Total SA subsidiary Tenesol SA, a global solar provider. In September 2011, NRG Energy Inc. acquired 250 megawatt California Valley Solar Ranch (CVSR) project from SunPower. In June 2011, the Company introduced SunPower E20 Series Solar Panel (E20) series. The Company�� customers in its UPP Segment include investors, financial institutions, project developers, electric utilities, and independent po! wer producers in the United States, Europe, and Asia. In its R&C Segment, the Company primarily sells its products to commercial and governmental entities, production home builders, and its third-party global dealer network serving residential owners and small commercial building owners.

Solar Cells

The A-300 solar cell is a silicon solar cell with a specified power value of 3.1 watts and a conversion efficiency averaging between 20.0% and 21.5%. The Company�� A-330 solar cell delivers 3.3 watts with a conversion efficiency of up to 22.7%.

Solar Panels

The Company�� SunPower solar panel series include solutions, such as SunPower E18 Series Solar Panel (E18), SunPower E19 Series Solar Panel (E19), and SunPower E20 Series Solar Panel (E20). Available in a 72-cell configuration, the E18 series panel uses its A300 all back-contact solar cells and delivers a total panel conversion of 18.1% to 18.5%. Available in a 72, 96, and 128-cell configuration, the E19 series panel uses its A300 all back-contact solar cells and delivers total panel conversion of 19.3% to 19.7%. Available in a 96-cell configuration, the E20 series panel uses its A-330 all back-contact solar cells and delivers total panel conversion of up to 20.1%.

Inverters

The Company sells a line of SunPower branded inverters. The inverters are manufactured by third parties.

Roof Mounted Products

The roof mounted products include SunPower T-5 Solar Roof Tile System (T-5), SunPower T-10 Commercial Solar Roof Tiles (T-10), PowerGuard Roof System (PowerGuard) and SunTile Roof Integrated System (SunTile). Tilted at a 5-degree angle, the T-5 roof tile is a non-penetrating photovoltaic rooftop product that combines solar panel, frame, and mounting system. The T-5 solar roof tile systems are primarily sold through its R&C Segment.

Tilted at a 10-degree angle, the T-10 commercial solar roof tiles is a non-penetrating panel interlock system! . Dependi! ng on geographical location and local climate conditions, this can allow for the generation of up to 10% more annual energy output than traditional flat roof-mounted systems. The T-10 commercial solar roof tile is primarily sold through its R&C Segment.

PowerGuard is a non-penetrating roof-mounted solar panel that delivers electricity while insulating and protecting the roof membrane from ultraviolet rays and thermal degradation. The PowerGuard roof system is primarily sold through its R&C Segment. SunTile solar shingles are designed to replace multiple types of roof panels, including the common concrete flat, low and high profile S tile and composition shingles. The SunTile roof system is also sold through its R&C Segment.

Ground Mounted Products

The ground mounted products include SunPower T-0 Tracker (T-0) & SunPower T-20 Tracker (T-20), SunPower Oasis Power Plant (SunPower Oasis), SunPower C-7 Tracker (C-7), and Fixed Tilt and SunPower Tracker Systems for Parking Structures. The T-0 and T-20 trackers are single-axis tracking systems that automatically pivot solar panels to track the sun's movement throughout the day. This tracking feature increases the amount of sunlight that is captured and converted into energy by up to 30% over flat or fixed-tilt systems, depending on geographic location and local climate conditions. A single motor and drive mechanism can control 10 to 20 rows, or more than 200 kilo watts of solar panels. The T-0 and T-20 trackers have been installed in a range of geographical markets principally in the United States, Germany, Italy, Portugal, South Korea, and Spain. The T-0 and T-20 trackers are sold through both its UPP and R&C Segments.

The Oasis is a solar power block that scales from 1 mega watts distributed installations to central station power plants. Oasis provides a way to deploy utility-scale solar power systems, streaming the development and construction process while optimizing the use of available land. The SunPow! er Oasis ! is sold through its UPP Segment. The C-7 combines a horizontal single-axis tracker with rows of parabolic mirrors, reflecting light onto linear arrays of its solar cells. The C-7 tracker is sold through its UPP Segment. SunPower has developed designs for solar power systems for parking structures in multiple configurations. These dual-use systems typically incorporate solar panels into the roof of a carport or similar structure to deliver onsite solar power while providing shade and protection. They are suited for parking lots adjacent to facilities. Fixed Tilt and SunPower Tracker Systems for parking structures are sold through both its UPP and R&C Segments.

Other System Offerings

SunPower�� metal roof system is designed for sloped-metal roof buildings, which are used in some winery and warehouse applications. This solar power system is designed for rapid installation. It also offers other architectural products, such as day lighting with translucent solar panels.

Balance of System Components

Balance of system components are components of a solar power system other than the solar panels. It includes SunPower branded inverters, mounting structures, charge controllers, grid interconnection equipment, and other devices depending on the specific requirements of a particular system and project.

The Company competes with Canadian Solar Inc., JA Solar Holdings Co., Kyocera Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, Q-Cells AG, Sanyo Corporation, Sharp Corporation, SolarCity Corporation, SolarWorld AG, Sungevity, Inc., SunRun, Inc., Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd., Trina Solar Ltd., Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd., Abengoa Solar S.A., Acconia Energia S.A., AES Solar Energy Ltd., Chevron Energy Solutions, EDF Energy plc, First Solar Inc., NextEra Energy, Inc., OPDE Group, NRG Energy, Inc., Recurrent Energy, Sempra Energy, Skyline Solar, Inc., Solargen Energy, Inc., Solaria Corporation, SolFocus, Inc., SunEdison and Tenaska, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Bieglmeier]

  SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ:SPWR) will announce its fourth-quarter and year-end 2013 financial results in a conference call on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time. The earnings press release and supplemental financial information will be made available on the SunPower website at 1:05 p.m. Pacific Time on the day of the call.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR) was also down, falling 9.56 percent to $29.27 despite little news on the primary wires on a group of solar names showing weakness.

• [By Joshua Bondy]

  Traditional solar panel manufacturers
  First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR  ) and�SunPower� (NASDAQ: SPWR  ) are hard at work to produce more efficient PV panels with fewer materials. First Solar recently signed an�agreement�with GE where it will�receive�a�significant�patent portfolio to help improve its�products, while GE will get an�equity�stake in First Solar. SunPower is hoping to improve its average efficiency from 21% in 2012 to 23% in 2015, while pushing its cost per watt down 35% in the same time frame.�

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  While ReneSola doesn�� build and operate massive solar farms like solar stocks FSLR and SunPower (SPWR), its modules are becoming the choice for smaller independent power producers due to their efficiency and price. That�� given SOL stock an edge on other solar stocks, too. Recent projects for SOL include supplying 2 MW of solar modules to the Uenohara-shi solar farm in Japan and 1 MW worth of modules to Hecate Energy for a project in Georgia.

10 Best Building Product Stocks To Invest In 2014: Royce Focus Trust Inc. (FUND)

Royce Focus Trust, Inc. is a close-ended equity mutual fund launched and advised by Royce & Associates. The fund primarily invests in the public equity markets across the globe. It makes its investments across diversified sectors. The fund primarily invests in value stocks of small-cap companies. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolios against the Russell 2000 Index. The fund was formerly known as Royce Global Trust, Inc. Royce Focus Trust was formed on November 01, 1996 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Whitney George is Director of Investments, Managing Director, and a Portfolio Manager of Royce & Associates, LLC, investment advisor to The Royce Funds. He serves as portfolio manager for Royce Premier Fund (RPR), Royce Low-Priced Stock Fund (RLP), Royce Global Value Fund (RGV), Royce SMid-Cap Value Fund (RSV), and Royce Focus Trust (FUND). He also serves as assistant portfolio manager for Royce Micro-Cap Fund (RMC), Royce Value Fund (RVV), Royce Value Plus Fund (RVP), Royce Focus Value Fund (RFV), and Royce Capital Fund ��Micro-Cap Portfolio (RCM). Mr. George's thoughts in this interview concerning the stock market are solely his own and, of course, there can be no assurance with regard to future market movements.

10 Best Building Product Stocks To Invest In 2014: UMH Properties Inc.(UMH)

UMH Properties, Inc. (UMH) is a real estate investment trust. The firm engages in the ownership and operation of manufactured home communities. It leases manufactured home spaces to private manufactured home owners, as well as leases homes to residents. The firm invests in the real estate markets of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Tennessee. In addition, it invests in debt and equity securities of REITs. United Mobile Homes was incorporated in 1968. The company was formerly known as United Mobile Homes, Inc. UMH Properties is based in Freehold, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Trailer parks may have a bad reputation, but Yahoo! Finance�� Breakout segment was recently touting trailer parks as a hot new investment area���meaning its time for retail investors who don�� want to invest in physical parks to start taking a closer look at trailer park stocks Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc (NYSE: ELS), Sun Communities Inc (NYSE: SUI) and UMH Properties, Inc (NYSE: UMH). According to the segment, roughly 6% of Americans lived in trailer homes as of 2012 with the�supply of designated trailer parks being quite low because no one wants one in their backyard. Anthony Effinger, the author of another article about trailer parks for Bloomberg, was quoted as saying:

10 Best Building Product Stocks To Invest In 2014: Cott Corp (COT)

Cott Corporation (Cott), incorporated on December 31, 2006, is a producers of beverages on behalf of retailers, brand owners and distributors. The Company�� product lines include carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), 100% shelf stable juice and juice-based products, clear, still and sparkling flavored waters, energy products, sports products, new age beverages, and ready-to-drink teas, as well as alcoholic beverages for brand owners. The Company operates in five segments: North America (which includes the United States operating segment and Canada operating segment), the United Kingdom (which includes its United Kingdom reporting unit and its Continental European reporting unit), Mexico, Royal Crown International (RCI) and All Other. The Company markets or supplies over 500 retailer, licensed and Company-owned brands in its four core geographic segments. In March of 2012, its U.K. reporting segment acquired a beverage and wholesale business based in Scotland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Moskowitz]

  Cott (NYSE: COT  ) produces and sells over 200 different types of beverages in over 50 countries, and it implements a highly effective strategy. Cott is what is known as a Fast Follower, which makes it unique to other beverage companies.�

• [By kcpl]

  It wasn�� a good quarter for Cott Corporation (COT) as the company had trouble with its volumes. Cott Corporation engages in the production and distribution of retailer brand beverages in North America and globally. It offers carbonated soft drinks, flavored waters, energy-related drinks, juice, juice-based products, bottled water and ready-to-drink teas. It primarily serves grocery, mass-merchandise, drugstore, wholesale and convenience store chains.

10 Best Building Product Stocks To Invest In 2014: Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP (BIP)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

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

• [By Bob Bogda]

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

• [By Mike Arnold]

  Brookfield is a recent spin-off (April 2013) from Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) ("BAM"), who has a history of spinning out businesses which subsequently outperform. For a case study, one might take a look at Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (BIP) as part of their due diligence procedures, which has significantly outperformed the S&P 500 since its listing.

10 Best Building Product Stocks To Invest In 2014: Life Technologies Corporation(LIFE)

Life Technologies Corporation operates as a global life sciences company. The company?s Molecular Biology Systems division offers molecular biology-based technologies, including basic and real-time PCR, RNA interference, DNA synthesis, sample preparation, transfection, cloning and protein expression profiling, protein analysis, and thermo-cycler instrumentation technologies. Its Cell Systems division provides cell culture media and sera, stem cells and related tools, cellular imaging products, antibodies, drug discovery services, and cell therapy related products used in the study of cell function. The company?s Genetic Systems division offers capillary electrophoresis systems and reagents, and next generation sequencing systems and reagents comprising SOLiD and Ion Torrent systems, as well as reagent kits developed specifically for applied markets, such as forensics and food safety, pharmaceutical quality monitoring, and animal health markets. Life Technologies Corporat ion also provides repair and maintenance services; and custom services, such as cell line development, custom media modification, and primers and custom assays development services. Its products offer research tools for genomics studies, proteomics studies, gene splicing, cellular analysis, and other research applications required by laboratories associated with universities, medical research centers, and government and other research institutions, as well as biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and chemical companies; and serves clinical labs, medical institutions, medical researchers, and various industries through sales and service professionals, e-commerce capabilities, and onsite supply center solutions. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Markus Aarnio]

  Illumina's competitors include Affymetrix (AFFX), Life Technologies Corporation (LIFE) and Luminex Corporation (LMNX). Here is a table comparing these companies.

• [By David Williamson]

  Shares of Life Technologies (NASDAQ: LIFE  ) jumped in January, when the company announced it was looking for a potential buyer, and it may now be close to a decision, with solid offers having come in both from Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX  ) and Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO  ) . What will this biotech decide, and how will it affect investors? In this video, Motley Fool health-care analyst David Williamson gives us a breakdown of the offers on the table, and how investors could be affected depending on the outcome.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014

Congratulations to John Buckingham on the 37th anniversary of The Prudent Speculator. Here, the value investor highlights a diverse trio of global, dividend-paying investment ideas: a miner, a bank, and a drug maker.

BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP)

Australian conglomerate BHP is one of the world's largest miners, with diverse businesses that include aluminum, coal, copper, iron ore, mineral sands, oil, gas, nickel, diamonds, uranium, and silver.

Though there are headwinds, including Australia's Resource Super Profits Tax and economic difficulties in some regions of the global economy, we like that the company has continued to drive its productivity initiatives, in addition to cost efficiencies.

We believe that BHP's low-cost, long-life portfolio of expandable operations is robust, diverse, and well-suited for long-term growth. BHP generates attractive free cash flow, supporting a yield of 3.4%.

Canadian Imperial Bank (CM)

Top 5 Gas Utility Companies For 2015: Gildan Activewear Inc.(GIL)

Gildan Activewear Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of apparel products primarily in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It sells T-shirts, fleece, and sport shirts to wholesale distributors under the Gildan brand name. The company also provides its activewear products for work and school uniforms and athletic team wear, and other purposes to convey individual, group, and team identity. In addition, it offers undecorated products to branded apparel companies and retailers; and underwear products. Further, the company markets its sock products under the various brands, including Gold Toe, PowerSox, SilverToe, Auro, All Pro, GT, and the Gildan brand. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA) and Allianz SE (ALV) led airlines and insurers lower, retreating at least 1.5 percent. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) slid 1.6 percent. Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) rose after JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its recommendation on the shares. Gildemeister AG (GIL) added 3.4 percent after Deutsche Bank upgraded the maker of cutting tools.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Gildan Activewear (NYSE: GIL  ) just bought itself a new wardrobe. The company announced it has acquired "substantially all of the assets" of privately held screen printing and apparel decoration specialist New Buffalo Shirt Factory for around $7 million.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014: Prestige Brand Holdings Inc.(PBH)

Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in marketing, selling, and distributing over-the-counter healthcare and household cleaning products primarily in North America. The company?s Over-The-Counter Healthcare segment offers a portfolio of OTC products under nine core OTC brands, including Chloraseptic sore throat remedies, Clear Eyes eye drops, Compound W wart removers, Dramamine motion sickness products, Efferdent and Effergrip denture products, Little Remedies pediatric healthcare products, Luden's cough drops, PediaCare pediatric healthcare products, and The Doctor?s brand of oral care products. This segment also provides other significant brands that include Dermoplast first-aid products, Murine eye and ear care products, NasalCrom allergy relief product, New-Skin liquid bandage, and Wartner wart removers. Its Household Cleaning segment markets household cleaning products, such as abrasive and non-abrasive tub and tile cleaner, scrubb ing pads and sponges, dilutables, anti-bacterial hard surface spray for counter tops, and glass cleaners under the Comet, Chore Boy, and Spic and Span brands. Prestige Brands Holdings distributes its products through various retail channels, including drug, food, dollar, and club stores, as well as supermarkets and mass merchandisers. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Irvington, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Prestige Brands (NYSE: PBH  ) is reaching to the other side of the world for its latest acquisition. The company announced that it has purchased the privately held Care Pharmaceuticals, based in New South Wales, Australia. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, although Prestige Brands did admit that it would be funded by monies drawn from an existing credit facility combined with cash on hand.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Castor believes the cash has disappeared into working capital, which has grown from 23% to more than 50% since 2008. Comparable company Prestige�Brand (PBH) uses 11%; Unilever�(UL) and Colgate-Palmolive�(CL) far less.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014: Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. (KMP)

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. operates as a pipeline transportation and energy storage company in North America. Its Products Pipelines segment delivers gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, and natural gas liquids to various markets through approximately 8,600 miles of refined petroleum products pipelines; and operates 62 associated product terminals and petroleum pipeline transmix processing facilities. The company�s Natural Gas Pipelines segment gathers, transports, stores, treats, processes, and sells natural gas through approximately 33,000 miles of natural gas transmission pipelines and gathering lines, as well as natural gas storage, treating, and processing facilities. Its CO2 segment produces, markets, and transports carbon dioxide through approximately 1,500 miles of pipelines to oil fields. This segment also owns and operates 7 oil fields, and a 450 mile crude oil pipeline system in west Texas. The company�s Terminals segment transloads, stores, and delivers bulk, petroleum, petrochemical, and other liquids products through approximately 113 liquids and bulk terminal facilities; and approximately 35 rail transloading and materials handling facilities. Its Kinder Morgan Canada segment transports crude oil and refined petroleum products through approximately 2,500 miles of pipelines from Alberta, Canada to marketing terminals and refineries in British Columbia, the state of Washington, and the Rocky Mountains, as well as in the central regions of the United States. This segment also operates the Jet Fuel aviation turbine fuel pipeline that serves the Vancouver (Canada) International Airport. Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc. serves as the general partner of the company. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  The first of the new plants to come online is being built by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (NYSE: KMP) and is scheduled to begin processing crude for BP plc (NYSE: BP)�in July. The initial processing capacity of the so-called ��plitter��plant is 100,000 barrels a day, but it could be expanded relatively easily and cheaply if demand grows.

• [By Charles Sizemore]

  If you are an income investor, you are no doubt familiar with Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (KMP). It�� one of the most popular and widely-held pipeline MLPs, and with good reason. Since going public in 1992, KMP stock has delivered returns of more than 1,200% … and that does not include distributions.

• [By Dimitra DeFotis]

  And along comes an upstart research firm recommending a Sell. Today�Kinder Morgan�(KMI)�and�Kinder Morgan Energy Partners�(KMP)�shares are up about 1% apiece.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014: S&P 500/Barra Value(SU)

Suncor Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated energy company. The company involves in the development of petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; acquisition, exploration, development, production, and marketing of crude oil and natural gas in Canada and internationally; transportation and refining of crude oil; and marketing of petroleum and petrochemical products primarily in Canada. Its Oil Sands segment produces bitumen recovered from oil sands through mining and in-situ technology, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock, diesel fuel, and by-products. This segment?s products include gasoline and distillates. The company?s Natural Gas segment acquires, explores, develops, and produces natural gas, natural gas liquids, oil, and by-products from reserves located primarily in western Canada, the Northwest Territories, Alaska, and the Arctic Islands. Its International and Offshore segment engages in the exploration and pro duction of oil and gas in offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, in the North Sea, and in Libya and Syria. The company?s Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil at Suncor's refineries in Edmonton, Alberta; Montreal, Quebec; and Sarnia, Ontario in Canada, as well as in Commerce City, Colorado into a range of petroleum and petrochemical products for sale to retail, commercial, and industrial customers. It also transports crude oil through pipelines in eastern and western Canada, as well as through wholly-owned pipelines in Wyoming and Colorado; and produces specialty lubricants and waxes. In addition, this segment operates retail sites in Canada under the Petro-Canada brand; and in Colorado under Phillips 66 and Shell brands. Suncor Energy Inc. also engages in third-party energy trading activities. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Calgary , Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  At the same time, though, Total has been smart about not wasting its financial resources. It sold off its minority stake in one major venture in the Canadian oil sands to partner Suncor Energy (NYSE: SU  ) in May, taking a $1.65 billion charge but saving $5 billion in prospective costs. Suncor also abandoned the Voyageur project, validating Total's decision.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014: Apollo Gold Corporation(BRD)

Brigus Gold Corp. engages in the extraction, processing, refining, and production of gold and other by-product metals primarily in North America. The company principally produces gold and silver. It primarily owns the Black Fox Complex and Black Fox Mill properties located in the Timmins Mining District in the Province of Ontario, Canada; the Goldfields project located in the Lake Athabasca region of Saskatchewan, Canada; and the Ixhuatan property located in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Brigus Gold Corp., through its joint venture, holds interests in the Ampliacion Pueblo Viejo and Loma El Mate gold exploration projects located in the Dominican Republic. The company was formerly known as Apollo Gold Corporation and changed its name to Brigus Gold Corp. in June 2010. Brigus Gold Corp. was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Halifax, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Zacks Investment Research]

  It is hard to find a good play in the Zacks Industry of mining non-ferrous metals, as the industry currently has a rank of 247 out of 261. In fact, in our five mining industries, there are only two No. 1-Ranked stocks: Brigus Gold (BRD) and Impala (IMPUY.PK). Both of these are in struggling industries, but they have proven to be best-in-class thanks to improving earnings estimates. Plus, both have seen their ranks surge from holds (or worse) up to strong buy territory, suggesting either of these names might be better picks than the struggling SCCO at this time.

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  As well, Primero Mining (NYSE: PPP) bought Brigus Gold Corp (USA)(NYSE: BRD) for $220 million, and Asanko Gold (NYSEMKT: AKG) is acquiring PMI Gold Corporation (TSE: PMV).

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014: Wells Fargo & Company(WFC)

Wells Fargo & Company, through its subsidiaries, provides retail, commercial, and corporate banking services primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Community Banking; Wholesale Banking; and Wealth, Brokerage, and Retirement. The Community Banking segment offers deposits, including checking, market rate, and individual retirement accounts; savings and time deposits; and debit cards. Its loan products comprise lines of credit, auto floor plans, equity lines and loans, equipment and transportation loans, education loans, residential mortgage loans, health savings accounts, and credit cards. This segment also provides equipment leases, real estate financing, small business administration financing, venture capital financing, cash management, payroll services, retirement plans, loans secured by autos, and merchant payment processing services; purchases sales finance contracts from retail merchants; and a family of funds, and investment managemen t services. The Wholesale Banking segment offers commercial and corporate banking products and services, including commercial loans and lines of credit, letters of credit, asset-based lending, equipment leasing, international trade facilities, trade financing, collection services, foreign exchange services, treasury and investment management, institutional fixed-income sales, commodity and equity risk management, insurance, corporate trust fiduciary and agency services, and investment banking services. This segment also provides banking products for commercial real estate market, and real estate and mortgage brokerage services. The Wealth, Brokerage, and Retirement segment offers financial advisory, brokerage, and institutional retirement and trust services. As of December 31, 2010, the company served its customers through approximately 9,000 banking stores in 39 States and the District of Columbia. Wells Fargo & Company was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in San Franci sco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jessica Alling]

  But the big focus remains on the banks' abilities to capture the new home buyers entering the market as the housing recovery continues its steady gains. With inventory of homes falling, new construction is on the rise and home prices are moving higher. As mortgage-origination king Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) noted earlier, the drop in refinancing activity due to higher interest rates will have a temporary impact on revenue, but new mortgage origination may be able to eventually offset those losses.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Later, the company disclosed that the stocks purchased that year were two Fortune 200 companies, though it did not say the names. Some have speculated that they are Wells Fargo (WFC) and U.S. Bancorp (USB) due to the timing and subsequent value of the holdings. There is also speculation that one of the securities is BYD, the electric battery and car manufacturer, as Munger was the one who introduced the stock to Warren Buffett for Berkshire�� portfolio.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014: Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited (CCM)

Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates a network of radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers in the People�s Republic of China. The company�s services comprise linear accelerators external beam radiotherapy, gamma knife radiosurgery, head gamma knife systems, body gamma knife systems, proton beam therapy, diagnostic imaging, and other treatment and diagnostic modalities. It offers clinical support services; develops treatment protocols for doctors; and organizes joint diagnosis between doctors in its network and clinical research. The company also operates a specialty cancer hospital, as well as leases medical and diagnostic equipment. As of March 31, 2011, it operated a network of 121 centers with 68 hospital partners that cover 46 cities and 24 provinces, and administrative regions in China. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People�s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  China is set to ease the one child policy, something that could benefit Chinese stocks in general but be especially beneficial to insurance stocks like China Life Insurance Company Ltd (NYSE: LFC) and CNinsure Inc (NASDAQ: CISG) plus health care stocks like Mindray Medical International Ltd�(NYSE: MR) and Concord Medical Services Hldg Ltd (NYSE: CCM). First, let�� be clear that China is NOT abolishing the one child policy as the changes will merely�allow married couples to have two children if one spouse is an only child plus it will be up to China�� 34 province-level administrations to revise�their laws and put the new policy into effect. Moreover, China�� family-planning bureaucracy employs more than 500,000 full-time workers and six million part-time workers all the way down to the village level to�collect billions of dollars in fines and these bureaucrats have fought for years against policy changes���meaning they could throw up roadblocks if not placated. With that said, the insurance and health care sectors are two sectors with publicly Chinese stocks that look set to�take advantage of the coming changes.

Top Services Companies To Invest In 2014

“I was expecting the William Tell overture as my introduction music,” former congressman Barney Frank said to laughter at the TD Ameritrade 2013 Elite Summit in Palm Beach, Fla., on Wednesday morning.

The legendary curmudgeon and bane of political opponents was well-received by the advisors in attendance as he described the reasoning behind the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as well as his views on the fiduciary standard.

The 16-term congressman and former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee began by noting the “two important systems” on which the country runs, the private and the public.

“The private system creates wealth and innovation,” he noted as a way to introduce his explanation of Dodd-Frank. “The public system sets the rules by which the private sector conducts itself, as well as doing the things the private sector can’t, but which citizens still demand.”

Top 5 Asian Companies To Own In Right Now: Sbc Sveriges Bostadsrattscentrum AB (SBC)

SBC Sveriges BostadsrattsCentrum AB (SBC) is a Sweden-based company active within the real estate sector. It offers services to condominiums within three business areas, namely Financial Management, Technical Management and Legal Expertise. The Financial Management area offers services to real estate managers and residents, including services, such as accounting, payment management and budget optimization, among others. The Technical Management business area offers a range of services, including property inspection, documentation management and cost control, among others. Within the Legal Expertise area, the Company offers services, such as assistance in civil cases, assisting in negotiations, drafting of contracts and assistance in tax matters, among others. The Company has six offices located in the Swedish cities of Sundsvall, Uppsala, Vasteras, Stockholm, Malmo and Goteborg. As of December 31, 2011, it had two wholly owned subsidiaries, namely SBC Mark AB and Liljeholmsberget AB. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Nitish]

  Stock-Based Compensation (SBC) ��In the second quarter of 2014, the total charge related to SBC was $880 million compared to $743 million in the second quarter of 2013. The analysts currently estimate SBC charges for grants made to employees prior to June 30, 2014 to be approximately $3.42 billion for 2014. This estimate does not include expenses to be recognized related to employee stock awards that are granted after June 30, 2014 or nonemployee stock awards that have been or may be granted.

Top Services Companies To Invest In 2014: Chindex International Inc.(CHDX)

Chindex International, Inc. engages in the provision of healthcare services; and sale of medical equipment, instrumentation, and products. The company operates in two segments, Healthcare Services and Medical Products. The Healthcare Services segment owns and operates the United Family Healthcare network of private hospitals and clinics in the Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou markets. This segment also operates a managed clinic in the city of Wuxi, south of Shanghai. It offers a range of family healthcare services, including 24/7 emergency rooms, intensive care units, and neonatal intensive care units, operating rooms, clinical laboratory, radiology, and blood banking services for men, women, and children. The Medical Products segment markets, distributes, and sells medical capital equipment, instrumentation, and other medical products for use in hospitals in China and Hong Kong. It offers diagnostic color ultrasound imaging devices, robotic surgical systems and instrument ation, mammography and breast biopsy devices, and lasers for cosmetic surgery. This segment sells its products through its direct sales force. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in Bethesda, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading the sector was strength from Forest Laboratories (NYSE: FRX) and Chindex International (NASDAQ: CHDX) on acquisition news. In trading on Tuesday, non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares were relative laggards, down on the day by 0.2%.

Top Services Companies To Invest In 2014: Koninklijke Ahold NV (AHONY)

Koninklijke Ahold N.V. (Ahold), incorporated on April 29, 1920, is engaged in the operation of retail food stores in the United States and Europe through subsidiaries and joint ventures. Ahold�� retail operations are presented in four segments: Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover, Giant-Carlisle, Albert Heijn and Albert/Hypernova. During the fiscal year ended January 3, 2010 (fiscal 2009), it operated 2,909 stores. On February 8, 2010, Ahold�� Giant-Carlisle acquired 25 stores from Ukrop�� Super Markets.

Franchisees operated 783 of the Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall stores, 463 of which were either owned by the franchisees or leased independently from Ahold. Of the 2,446 stores, 20% were company-owned and 80% were leased. Ahold�� stores range in size from 20 to over 10,000 square meters. Albert Heijn is a food retailer in the Netherlands. Etos is a health and beauty retailer in the Netherlands. Gall & Gall is a wine and liquor specialist in the Netherlands. Stop & Shop is a supermarket brand, operating in six states in the northeast United States. Giant-Landover is a supermarket brand, operating in four states in the mid-Atlantic United States. Peapod is an online grocery delivery service working in partnership with Stop & Shop and Giant-Landover. It also serves the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, and the northern areas of Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  As mentioned, Kroger is still swallowing Harris Teeter and has said it needs time to make more acquisitions. Royal Ahold (NASDAQOTH: AHONY  ) is also said to be leery about doing large acquisitions these days, while Cerberus recently finished acquiring the Albertsons and Acme chains from SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU  ) �for $3.3 billion.

Top Services Companies To Invest In 2014: Canterbury Park Holding Corporation(CPHC)

Canterbury Park Holding Corporation conducts pari-mutuel wagering operations and hosts unbanked card games at its Canterbury Park racetrack and card room facility in Shakopee, Minnesota. The company operates in three segments: Horse Racing, Card Room, and Concessions. The Horse Racing segment operates year-round pari-mutuel wagering on simulcast horse races, and live thoroughbred and quarter horse races held on a seasonal basis. The Card Room segment offers unbanked card games, which include poker and casino games. The Concessions segment provides food and beverage services for simulcast and live racing, and the card room, as well as for the special events. The company also offers facilities for special events, such as snowmobile races, arts and crafts shows, trade shows, concerts, fundraisers, automobile shows and competitions, vehicle and boat storage, and private parties. In addition, it provides advertising signage space; leases excess parking lot space for various aut omotive activities and vehicle storage; and sells various daily pari-mutuel publications. Canterbury Park Holding Corporation was founded in 1994 and is based in Shakopee, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Lastly, Gabelli increased his position in Canterbury Park Holding (CPHC). Gabelli upped his stake 3.18% by purchasing a total of 13,824 shares. He bought these shares at an average price of $11.11 per share, and since then the price per share is up about 3%. Gabelli now holds 447,944 shares, representing 10.74% of the company�� shares outstanding.

Top Services Companies To Invest In 2014: Volt Information Sciences Inc (VISI)

Volt Information Sciences, Inc., incorporated in 1957, provides staffing services, and telecommunications and information solutions. The Company is organized in two businesses: Staffing Services and Telecommunications and Information Solutions. Staffing services segment provides a range of employee staffing services to a range of customers throughout North America, Europe and Asia/Pac, and has expanded operations in Latin America. Telecommunications services provide telecommunications and other services, including design, engineering, construction, installation, maintenance and removal of telecommunications equipment for the outside plant and central offices of telecommunications and cable companies. In September 2008, the Company sold the net assets of its DataNational and Directory Systems divisions.

Staffing Services

Services offered by the Staffing Services segment fall within three major functional areas: staffing solutions, information technology (IT) solutions and e-procurement solutions. Staffing solutions provides managed staffing, temporary/contract personnel employment and workforce solutions. This functional area comprises the Technical Resources (Technical) division and the Administrative and Industrial (A&I) division. This functional area also provides direct placement services and, upon request from customers, subject to contractual conditions, is focused to allow the customer to convert the temporary employees to full-time customer employees under negotiated terms. In addition, the Company's Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) services deliver end-to-end recruitment and hiring outsourced solutions to customers. The Technical division provides skilled employees, such as computer and other IT specialties, engineering, design, life sciences and technical support. The A&I division provides administrative, clerical, accounting and financial, call center and light industrial personnel.

E-procurement solutions provide global bid human capital acquisiti! on and management solutions by combining Web-based tools and business process outsourcing services. IT solutions provides a range of services, including consulting, outsourcing and turnkey project management in the software and hardware development, IT infrastructure services and customer contact markets.

Telecommunications and Information Solutions

This segment is divided into three sub segments: telecommunications services, computer systems, and printing and other. Telecommunications Services segment designs, engineers, constructs, installs and maintains voice, data, video and utility infrastructure for public and private businesses, military, and government agencies.

Computer Systems segment provides directory and operator systems and services primarily for the telecommunications industry and provides IT maintenance services. The segment also sells information systems to its customers and, in addition, provides an application service provider (ASP) model, which also provides information services, including infrastructure and database data services to others. This segment consists of Volt Delta Resources LLC, Volt Delta International, LSSiData and the Maintech computer maintenance division.

Printing and other segment provides printing services and publishes telephone directories in Uruguay. The telephone directory revenues of this segment are derived from the sales of telephone directory advertising for the books it publishes.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  1. Steel Excel (SXCL)
  2. FormFactor (FORM)
  3. Imation (IMN)
  4. Tuesday Morning (TUES)
  5. Pacific Biosciences (PACB)
  6. Maxygen (MAXY)
  7. Westell (WSTL)
  8. Volt Information Sciences (VISI)
  9. Yasheng Group (YHGG)

Top Services Companies To Invest In 2014: Rhoen Klinikum AG (RHK)

Rhoen Klinikum AG is a Germany-based provider of health care services. It is primarily engaged in building, acquiring and operating privately owned hospitals. The Company�� portfolio comprises basic and standard care, intermediate care, maximum care, specialist care, medical care centers (MVZ) at hospitals, portal clinics, university hospitals and academic teaching hospitals. These hospitals offer treatment in several specialist fields, including psychiatry, anesthesiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, various types of surgery, women�� medicine and obstetrics, geriatrics, neurology, rehabilitation, urology and internal medicine, among others. The Company operated a number of hospitals and medical care centers. In addition to the hospitals in Bad Berka, Frankfurt, Hildesheim, Karlsruhe, Munich, Pforzheim and Wiesbaden, among others, it has MVZ companies located in Germany, as well as two research and education companies and service companies. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Fresenius rose 3.6 percent after its Helios subsidiary agreed to buy 43 hospitals from Rhoen-Klinikum (RHK) AG. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Anglo American Plc both dropped at least 2 percent, contributing the most to a decline by a gauge of commodity producers. TDC A/S fell 3.1 percent as a group of private-equity firms sold its stake in Denmark�� biggest phone company.

Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch Right Now

NEW YORK (AP) -- The National Retail Federation on Tuesday urged a federal judge to reject a proposed $7.2 billion settlement with Visa (NYSE: V  ) and MasterCard (NYSE: MA  ) over alleged fee-fixing.

Retailers had until Tuesday to opt out of the agreement, if they wished to pursue future legal action. Retailers who didn't opt out by the deadline were automatically be considered to have accepted the settlement.

Last week, Macy's (NYSE: M  ) , Target (NYSE: TGT  ) , and other major retailers rejected the settlement and filed their own lawsuit.

In its brief filed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, N.Y., the National Retail Federation called the settlement a "surrender" that doesn't address price fixing by the credit card processing companies and their banks.

Visa, MasterCard, and other card companies agreed in July to settle a lawsuit brought by retailers in 2005 that claimed card issuers conspired to fix the fees they charge stores for accepting credit cards.

Best Biotech Companies To Buy For 2015: Nordstrom Inc.(JWN)

Nordstrom, Inc., a fashion specialty retailer, offers apparel, shoes, cosmetics, and accessories for women, men, and children in the United States. It offers a selection of brand name and private label merchandise. The company sells its products through various channels, including Nordstrom full-line stores, off-price Nordstrom Rack stores, Jeffrey? boutiques, treasure & bond, and Last Chance clearance stores; and its online store, nordstrom.com, as well as through catalog. Nordstrom also provides a private label card, two Nordstrom VISA credit cards, and a debit card for Nordstrom purchases. The company?s credit and debit cards feature a shopping-based loyalty program. As of September 30, 2011, it operated 222 stores, including 117 full-line stores, 101 Nordstrom Racks, 2 Jeffrey boutiques, 1 treasure & bond store, and 1 clearance store in 30 states. The company was founded in 1901 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Analysts at Deutsche Bank maintained a Buy rating on Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) with a price target lowered to $77 form a previous $78. Shares lost 5.21 percent, closing at $65.11.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Big Earnings Movers: Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is up 8.7% at $54.94. Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) is down 0.3% at $17.51 on a weak forecast. Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN) is down 1% at $62.81. Youku Tudou Inc. (NYSE: YOKU) is up 11.2% at $29.30. InterCloud Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ICLD) is up 265.9% at $9.33 on solid results and higher hopes.

Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch Right Now: Barnes & Noble Inc (BKS)

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (Barnes & Noble), incorporated on November 19, 1986, is a bookseller. The Company is a content, commerce and technology company that provides customers access to books, magazines, newspapers and other content across its multi-channel distribution platform. As of April 27, 2013, it operated 1,361 bookstores in 50 states, 686 bookstores on college campuses, and operates one of the Web eCommerce sites, and develops digital content products and software. Barnes & Noble operates in three segments: B&N Retail, B&N College and NOOK. The Company�� principal business is the sale of trade books (generally hardcover and paperback consumer titles), mass market paperbacks (such as mystery, romance, science fiction and other popular fiction), children�� books, eBooks and other digital content, NOOK and related accessories, bargain books, magazines, gifts, cafe products and services, educational toys & games, music and movies direct to customers through its bookstores or on barnesandnoble.com.

Of the Company�� 1,361 bookstores, 675 operate primarily under the Barnes & Noble Booksellers trade name. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC (B&N College), a wholly owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, operates 686 college bookstores at colleges and universities across the United States. Barnes & Noble Retail (B&N Retail) operates the 675 retail bookstores. Retail also includes the Company�� eCommerce site and Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. (Sterling or Sterling Publishing), a leader in general trade book publishing.

B&N Retail

This segment includes 675 bookstores as of April 27, 2013, primarily under the Barnes & Noble Booksellers trade name. These stores generally offer a dedicated NOOK area, a comprehensive trade book title base, a cafe, and departments dedicated to Juvenile, Toys & Games, DVDs, Music, Gift, Magazine and Bargain products. The stores also offer a calendar of ongoing events, including author appearances and children�� activities. The B&! N Retail segment also includes the Company�� eCommerce website, barnesandnoble.com, and its publishing operation, Sterling Publishing. Barnes & Noble stores range in size from 3,000 to 60,000 square feet depending upon market size, with an overall average store size of 26,000 square feet. During the fiscal year ended April 27, 2013 (fiscal), the Company reduced the Barnes & Noble store base by 0.3 million square feet, bringing the total square footage to 17.7 million square feet. The Company�� B&N Retail segment purchases physical books on a regular basis from over 800 publishers and over 50 wholesalers or distributors. As of April 27, 2013, Barnes & Noble had stores in 162 of the total 210 Designated Market Area markets.

Sterling Publishing is a publisher of non-fiction trade titles. It is a range of non-fiction and illustrated books and kits across a range of imprints, in categories, such as health and wellness, music and culture, food and wine, crafts and photography, puzzles and games, history and current affairs, as well as a children�� books.

B&N College

B&N College sells new and used textbooks in campus bookstores and online. As of April 27, 2013, B&N College operated 686 stores nationwide. The Company�� customer base, which is mainly consisted of students and faculty, can purchase various items from their campus stores, including textbooks and course-related materials, emblematic apparel and gifts, trade books, computer products, NOOK products and related accessories, school and dorm supplies, convenience and cafe items.

As of April 27, 2013, B&N College operates 651 traditional college bookstores and 35 academic superstores, which are generally larger in size, offer cafes and provide a sense of community that engages the surrounding campus and local communities in college activities and culture. The traditional bookstores range in size from 500 to 48,000 square feet. The academic superstores range in size from 8,000 to 75,000 square feet. B&! N College! �� three customer constituencies are students, faculty members and campus administrators.

NOOK

This segment includes the Company�� digital business, which includes the Company�� eBookstore, digital newsstand and sales of NOOK devices and accessories to third party distribution partners, as well as to B&N Retail and B&N College. Barnes & Noble�� NOOK digital bookstore and Reading Apps provide customers the ability to purchase and read their digital content and access to their Lifetime Library on a range of digital platforms, including Windows 8 PCs and tablets, iPad, iPhone , Android smartphones and tablets, PC and Mac. Barnes & Noble has implemented features on its digital platform to ensure that customers can access their NOOK content from almost all of today�� most popular devices.

The Company competes with Target, Books-A-Million, Waldenbooks, Amazon.com, Apple, Wal-Mart and Costco.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alyce Lomax]

  Today, everything's come full circle. Borders failed, and even though one huge rival was wiped off the map, Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS  ) is showing serious signs of losing to its aggressive competition.

Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch Right Now: L Brands Inc (LTD)

L Brands, Inc., formerly Limited Brands, Inc, incorporated on March 16, 1982, operates in the specialty retail business. The Company is a specialty retailer of women�� intimate and other apparel, beauty and personal care products and accessories. The Company operates in two segments: Victoria�� Secret and Bath & Body Works. It sells its merchandise through Company-owned specialty retail stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, which are primarily mall-based, and through Websites, catalogue and international franchise, license and wholesale partners. The Company operates in brands, such as Victoria�� Secret, Victoria�� Secret Pink, Bath & Body Works, La Senza, and Henri Bendel. The Company�� business for both the Victoria�� Secret and Bath & Body Works segments is principally conducted from office, distribution and shipping facilities located in the Columbus, Ohio area.

As of February 2, 2013, it operated 255 retail stores located in leased facilities, primarily in malls and shopping centers, throughout the Canadian provinces. As of February 2, 2013, it operated two retail stores in London. As of February 2, 2013, it operated 2,619 retail stores located in leased facilities, primarily in malls and shopping centers, throughout the United States. As of February 2, 2013, it also had 339 licensed La Senza stores in 32 countries; 38 franchised Bath & Body Works stores in nine countries; three franchised Victoria's Secret stores in two Middle Eastern countries, and 108 independently owned Victoria�� Secret Beauty and Accessories stores and various small-format locations in over 50 countries.

Victoria�� Secret, including Victoria�� Secret Pink, is a specialty retailer of women�� intimate and other apparel with fragrances and cosmetics, supermodels and runway shows. The Company sells its Victoria�� Secret products at more than 1,000 Victoria�� Secret stores in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and through the Victoria�� Secret catal! ogue and online at www.VictoriasSecret.com. Additionally, Victoria�� Secret brand products are also sold in stores operated by partners under a franchise or wholesale model throughout the world.

Bath & Body Works is a specialty retailer of home fragrance and personal care products, including shower gels, lotions, soaps and sanitizers. The Company sells its Bath & Body Works products at more than 1,600 Bath & Body Works stores in the United States and Canada and online at www.BathandBodyWorks.com. Additionally, Bath & Body Works brand products are available at franchise locations throughout the world.

La Senza is a specialty retailer of women�� intimate apparel. The Company sells its La Senza products at more than 150 La Senza stores in Canada and online at www.LaSenza.com. Additionally, La Senza has more than 330 stores in 32 countries operating under franchise and licensing arrangements. Henri Bendel sells upscale accessory products through its New York flagship and 28 other stores, as well as online at www.HenriBendel.com.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Andrew Marder]

  Earlier this morning, The�Buckle (NYSE: BKE  ) , Costco (NASDAQ: COST  ) , and L Brands (NYSE: LTD  ) reported May sales, and everyone did better. That's not to say that the market loved the results, but investors may be breathing a sigh of relief nevertheless. The range for the three retailers was fairly tight, but there are still some ups and downs for investors to keep in mind.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  L Brands Inc. (NYSE: LTD) said same-store sales for August rose 2% compared with last year. Retail Metrics estimated a rise of 2.1%.

  The Buckle Inc. (NYSE: BKE) reported same-store sales for August rose 1% compared with the same period a year ago. The Retail Metrics estimate called for a rise of 0.6%. A year ago, Buckle reported a same-store sales rose 4.5%.

Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch Right Now: Burberry Group PLC (BURBY)

Burberry Group plc (Burberry) is a holding company. The Company designs and sources luxury apparel and accessories, selling through a diversified network of retail (including digital), wholesale and licensing channels worldwide. The Company�� Retail/wholesale channel is engaged in the sale of luxury goods through Burberry mainline stores, concessions, outlets and digital commerce, as well as Burberry franchisees, prestige department stores globally and multi-brand specialty accounts. The Company�� retail channel includes approximately 206 mainline stores, 214 concessions within department stores, digital commerce and 49 outlets. The Company�� wholesale channel includes sales to department stores, multi-brand specialty accounts, Travel Retail and franchisees who operates approximately 65 Burberry stores. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Reuters]

  Peter Foley/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesBurberry Group CEO Angela Ahrendts. LONDON -- Christopher Bailey, the designer credited with restoring the cachet to fashion brand Burberry, is to become chief executive next year when long-standing boss Angela Ahrendts will move to Apple. The 157-year-old British fashion house, famous for its camel, red and black check pattern, said Tuesday that Ahrendts would step down by mid-2014 after which Bailey would combine his role as chief creative officer with chief executive. News the 42-year-old Yorkshireman would hold both positions sparked concern among some analysts that he might be taking on too much, and sent shares in the group down 6 percent in early trading, valuing the business at 6.6 billion pounds. "There will undoubtedly be relief that Mr. Bailey, the driving force behind the brand for the last 12 years, is staying," Morgan Stanley (MS) said in a note to clients. "But we anticipate some investor concern about combining the chief creative officer and CEO roles, which are both time consuming and require very different skill sets." Ahrendts, who has been Burberry (BURBY) boss for eight years, during which time its share price has soared about 250 percent, will take up a newly created position at Apple as a senior vice president with oversight of retail and online stores. She will report directly to CEO Tim Cook. Ahrendts will be looking to do better than the last chief executive of a British company who left London to join Apple (AAPL) -- John Browett who quit Dixons to lead the iPad and iPhone maker's global retail expansion in 2012. He left six months later. Bailey joined Burberry in 2001 and has held the major creative role for six years, helping to rebuild the group after it became a victim of its own success in the 1990s when its trademark pattern was embraced by the mass market, losing its appeal to its core wealthy clientele. Under Ahrendts and Bailey, the group has refocused on the luxury market, inc

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Rambourg’s favored luxury stocks include Burberry (BURBY), Richemont, Coach (COH)…and Tiffany, whose “higher-end repositioning, along with lower raw material prices, should continue to support the stock,” he says.

• [By Charles Riley]

  2. Shop some more: While most sellers on Taobao are small businesses, big brands are found on Tmall, a marketplace Alibaba launched in 2008. Retailers including Apple (AAPL, Tech30), Gap (GPS), Marks & Spencer, Esprit (ESHDF) and Burberry (BURBY) all operate storefronts on the website.

Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch Right Now: Radioshack Corporation(RSH)

RadioShack Corporation engages in the retail sale of consumer electronic goods and services through its RadioShack store chain and kiosk operations. Its products include postpaid and prepaid wireless handsets and communication devices, such as scanners and global positioning system (GPS) products; home entertainment, wireless, music, computer, video game, and GPS accessories; media storage, power adapters, digital imaging products, and headphones; home audio and video end-products, personal computing products, residential telephones, and voice over Internet protocol products; digital cameras, digital music players, toys, satellite radios, video gaming hardware, camcorders, and general radios; general and special purpose batteries and battery chargers; and wires and cables, connectivity products, components and tools, and hobby products. The company also provides consumers access to third-party services, such as prepaid wireless airtime and extended service plans in its ser vice platform. In addition, it manufactures various products, including telephones, antennas, wires, and cable products, as well as various hard-to-find parts and accessories for consumer electronics products; and provides repair services. As of March 31, 2011, the company operated 4,467 company-operated retail stores under the RadioShack brand name in the United States; and 1,304 kiosks located in Target and Sam?s Club stores. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 211 company-operated stores under the RadioShack brand, 9 dealers, and 1 distribution center in Mexico; a network of 1,207 RadioShack dealer outlets, including 34 located outside of North America; and 4 distribution centers in the United States. Further, the company sells its products through its Website, radioshack.com. RadioShack Corporation was founded in 1899 and is based in Fort Worth, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  Alamy Companies can make brilliant moves, but there are also times when things don't work out quite as planned. From a deal that will let soda sippers make Coke products at home to a retailer taking its Super Bowl ad literally, here's a rundown of the week's smartest moves and biggest blunders in the business world. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) -- Winner Shares of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, the company behind the Keurig brewing platform, soared 26 percent on Thursday after it revealed that Coca-Cola (KO) will invest $1.25 billion in it for a 10 percent stake. The deal isn't just an investment for the beverage giant. Green Mountain is working on a new platform for chilled and carbonated beverages called Keurig Cold, and Coca-Cola will be offering up its brands as flavors. This could be a game changer, and it comes at a great time since revenue growth has been slowing at Green Mountain. RadioShack (RSH) -- Blunder One of Sunday's most memorable Super Bowl commercials was RadioShack's spot that had Hulk Hogan, Mary Lou Retton, and other 1980s icons ripping apart an older version of its store. It was an admission by RadioShack that its concept had struggled to resonate with today's shoppers, but it ended with the refreshed makeover that the small box retailer hopes will win back consumers. The ad was great, but now sources are telling The Wall Street Journal that RadioShack plans to close 500 stores in the coming months. If the company is so confident in this concept makeover, would it be closing hundreds of stores before it had a chance to work? Apple (AAPL) -- Winner Apple may have disappointed investors late last month by announcing weaker than expected iPhone sales, but it's putting its money where its mouth is. CEO Tim Cook tells The Wall Street Journal that Apple has spent $14 billion on buybacks since the stock fell following that disappointing quarterly report. It's certainly a strong show of faith on the part of the company. Apple has

Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch Right Now: Target Corporation(TGT)

Target Corporation operates general merchandise stores in the United States. The company offers household essentials, including pharmacy, beauty, personal care, baby care, cleaning, and paper products; hardlines comprising music, movies, books, computer software, sporting goods, and toys, as well as electronics that comprise video game hardware and software; apparel and accessories consisting of apparel for women, men, boys, girls, toddlers, infants, and newborns; and intimate apparel, jewelry, accessories, and shoes. It also provides food and pet supplies, including dry grocery, dairy, frozen food, beverages, candy, snacks, deli, bakery, meat, produce, and pet supplies; and home furnishings and d�or, such as furniture, lighting, kitchenware, small appliances, home d�or, bed and bath, home improvement, and automotive products, as well as seasonal merchandise, which include patio furniture and holiday d�or. The company sells its merchandise products under private-labe l and exclusive licensed brands. In addition, it provides in-store amenities. As of January 28, 2012, Target Corporation operated 1,763 stores in 49 states and the District of Columbia under Target and SuperTarget names. Further, it offers general merchandise through its Website, Target.com. The company distributes its merchandise through a network of distribution centers, as well as third parties and direct shipping from vendors. Additionally, it offers credit to guests through its branded proprietary credit cards, the Target Visa Credit Card and the Target Credit Card, as well as through its branded proprietary Target Debit Card. Target Corporation was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Roberts]

  Target (TGT) has been all over the news in the past few months, as a breach in the retailer’s security led to the hacking of information for 110 million credit card holders between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, which in turn has haunted TGT stock.

• [By Associated Press]

  Last week, Macy's (NYSE: M  ) , Target (NYSE: TGT  ) , and other major retailers rejected the settlement and filed their own lawsuit.

Top 10 Retail Stocks To Watch Right Now: PetSmart Inc(PETM)

PetSmart, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty retailer of products, services, and solutions for pets in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. The company offers consumables, such as pet food, treats, and litter; and hardgoods, which include pet supplies and other goods comprising collars, leashes, health care supplies, grooming and beauty aids, toys, apparel, and pet beds and carriers, as well as aquariums and habitats, accessories, d�or, and filters for fish, birds, reptiles, and small pets. It also provides fresh-water fish, small birds, reptiles, and small pets; and pet services, such as grooming, including precision cuts, baths, nail trimming and grinding, and teeth brushing, as well as training, boarding, and day camp services. In addition, the company operates PetsHotels that offer boarding for dogs and cats; provides personalized pet care, an on-call veterinarian, temperature controlled rooms and suites, daily specialty treats and p lay time, and day camp services for dogs; and operates veterinary hospitals, which offer services comprising routine examinations and vaccinations, dental care, a pharmacy, and surgical procedures. As of January 29, 2012, it operated 1,232 retail stores; 192 PetsHotels; 791 veterinary hospitals under the trade name of Banfield, The Pet Hospital; and 8 hospitals operated through other third parties in Canada. The company also offers its products through an e-commerce and community site, PetSmart.com. PetSmart, Inc. was founded in 1986 and is based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Jana Partners wrote a letter to PetSmart (NASDAQ: PETM) blasting the company's decision to skip a review of potential acquirers and explore a recapitalization plan instead. Shares lost 0.33 percent, closing at $70.23.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What:�Shares of�PetSmart,� (NASDAQ: PETM  ) were looking clever today, climbing as much as 15%, and finishing up 12.5% after JANA partners disclosed a stake in the pet-supply retailer.�

Best Valued Stocks To Invest In 2014

This is a copy of the SA Pro Top Long And Short Ideas daily report sent exclusively to Pro subscribers on Friday, August 23. It was made fully available on Seeking Alpha twenty-four hours later.

Dear SA Pro subscriber,

This is your daily report for Friday, August 23, with today's top long and short ideas available only to SA Pro subscribers.

Exclusive Alpha-Rich Ideas

Come For The Real Estate, Stay For The Meal: Minimum 20% Upside For Ruby Tuesday, by Shaun Currie. After netting out the value of its real estate, Ruby Tuesday's operations are valued at a mere 2x FCF. 40% upside. Exclusive until 9:30 AM today. Pacific Rubiales: A Deeply Under-Valued Colombian Diamond In The Rough, by Caiman Valores. Despite poor share performance this year, PEGFF.PK continues to offer fast growth and relative value. 30-50% upside. Exclusive until 9:45 AM today. Left For Dead, Perma-Fix Is Showing Sudden Signs Of Life, by Igor Novgorodtsev. Having cut costs and secured vital funding, and with Department of Energy spending picking up, PESI's shares have radioactive potential. Exclusive until 10:00 AM today. TAT Technologies: New Ownership And Resolved Headwinds Present Compelling Upside, by Nick Ghattas. The return of a former owner could foreshadow a similar return to former glory for TATT. Exclusive until 10:15 AM today. Buy Einstein Noah Restaurant Group: Industry Updates Suggest 30% Upside, by Shaun Currie. With solid cash-on-cash returns encouraging BAGL's franchise growth, 30%+ potential upside awaits. Exclusive until 11:45 AM today. Squeeze Out Some Gains From Uranium One, by Chris Demuth Jr. Hedge fund manager Chris DeMuth says the wide spread for SXRZF.PK's buyout sets investors up for a 40%+ annualized return. Exclusive until 12:00 PM today. Lee Enterprises' Shares May Double Again, by Ted Barac. LEE's high FCF generation will lead to debt paydown and a significant positive revaluation of shares. Exclusive until 1:30 PM today.

Stock Movers and Great Calls
Alpha-Rich long and ! short ideas regularly move stocks and identify stocks that are about to move. Some notable recent calls subscribers had early access to:

Top 5 Growth Stocks To Own For 2015: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

Dollar Tree, Inc. operates discount variety stores in the United States and Canada. Its stores offer merchandise primarily at the fixed price of $1.00. The company operates its stores under the names of Dollar Tree, Deal$, Dollar Tree Deal$, Dollar Giant, and Dollar Bills. Its stores offer consumable merchandise, including candy and food, and health and beauty care, as well as household consumables, such as paper, plastics, household chemicals, in select stores, and frozen and refrigerated food; variety merchandise, which includes toys, durable housewares, gifts, party goods, greeting cards, softlines, and other items; and seasonal goods, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas merchandise. As of April 30, 2011, it operated 4,089 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 88 stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  Retail Stocks to Watch No. 4: Family Dollar Stores Inc. (Nasdaq: FDO)
  One-year retail sales growth: 11.4%
  Total 2013 U.S. sales: $10.4 billion
  The poor economy has been good to Family Dollar, which has gained customers seeking the lowest possible prices. To accommodate such demand, FDO added 1,000 new items, many of them groceries. It also added 506 new stores to bring its total to 7,916. Although it has agreed to sell itself to Dollar Tree Inc. (Nasdaq: DLTR) for $8.5 billion, Dollar General Corp. (NYSE: DG) keeps making new offers. FDO is up 36.8% over the past three months as a result. FDO closed at $80.22.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Deutsche Bank is making a change in its coverage of dollar store themes on Monday: Dollar Tree Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) was raised to Buy from Hold and Family Dollar Stores Inc. (NYSE: FDO)�was downgraded to Hold from Buy, but the price target was raised to $74 from $70.

Best Valued Stocks To Invest In 2014: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. It operates through three lines of businesses: Machinery, Engines, and Financial Products. The Machinery business offers construction, mining, and forestry machinery, including track and wheel tractors, track and wheel loaders, pipelayers, motor graders, wheel tractor-scrapers, track and wheel excavators, backhoe loaders, log skidders, log loaders, off-highway trucks, articulated trucks, paving products, skid steer loaders, underground mining equipment, tunnel boring equipment, and related parts. It also manufactures diesel-electric locomotives; and manufactures and services rail-related products and logistics services for other companies. The Engines business provides diesel, heavy fuel, and natural gas reciprocating engines for Caterpillar machinery, electric power generation systems, marine, petrol eum, construction, industrial, agricultural, and other applications. It offers industrial turbines and turbine-related services for oil and gas, and power generation applications. This business also remanufactures Caterpillar engines, machines, and engine components; and offers remanufacturing services for other companies. The Financial Products business provides retail and wholesale financing alternatives for Caterpillar machinery and engines, solar gas turbines, and other equipment and marine vessels, as well as offers loans and various forms of insurance to customers and dealers. It also offers financing for vehicles, power generation facilities, and marine vessels. The company markets its products directly, as well as through its distribution centers, dealers, and distributors. It was formerly known as Caterpillar Tractor Co. and changed its name to Caterpillar Inc. in 1986. Caterpillar Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Peoria, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) stock is taking the commodities hit the hardest today, falling 1.8%. If commodities continue their decline, the company will see lower demand for earth moving equipment. It was also announced on Thursday that negotiations between Caterpillar and the Milwaukee workers' union have been suspended. Last week, workers rejected a proposal that would have frozen wages for existing workers and created a lower pay scale for new workers. In the meantime, they continue to report for work under the old contract terms, so there's no pending disruption to manufacturing. �

• [By Chris Hill]

  Pepsi's (NYSE: PEP  ) �second-quarter profits rise 35%. Shares of Ford (NYSE: F  ) hit a two-year high. Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) lowers guidance in the wake of a bad quarter. And Panera's (NASDAQ: PNRA  ) �second-quarter profits come in lower than expected. In this installment of Investor Beat, Motley Fool analysts Matt Koppenheffer and Jason Moser discuss four stocks making moves on Tuesday.

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Outside of the energy sector, Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) shares are performing even worse today. The industrial giant's stock has fallen 1.9% today to lead all Dow laggards lower. The company cut off talks with the United Steelworkers union�in Milwaukee today as a labor dispute continues to rage at its mining equipment plant. The mining industry's downturn, sparked by China's slowdown and other leading economies slumping, has forced Caterpillar to lay off hundreds of mining equipment workers already. Caterpillar's Milwaukee plant remains open as this labor dispute continues, but until the global economy picks up, the company's mining business will continue to struggle.

• [By Carlton Delfeld]

  The valuation is quite attractive. It's trading right at eight times earnings, forward earnings. That's about half what Caterpillar (CAT) is trading at—and, you know, the earnings have not been that great.

Best Valued Stocks To Invest In 2014: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

Tupperware Brands Corporation operates as a direct seller of various products across a range of brands and categories through an independent sales force. The company engages in the manufacture and sale of kitchen and home products, and beauty and personal care products. It offers preparation, storage, and serving solutions for the kitchen and home, as well as kitchen cookware and tools, children?s educational toys, microwave products, and gifts under the Tupperware brand name primarily in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company provides beauty and personal care products, which include skin care products, cosmetics, bath and body care, toiletries, fragrances, nutritional products, apparel, and related products principally in Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Uruguay. It offers beauty and personal care products under the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo, and Swissgar de brand names. The company sells its Tupperware products directly to distributors, directors, managers, and dealers; and beauty products primarily through consultants and directors. As of December 26, 2009, the Tupperware distribution system had approximately 1,800 distributors, 61,300 managers, and 1.3 million dealers; and the sales force representing the Beauty businesses approximately 1.1 million. The company was formerly known as Tupperware Corporation and changed its name to Tupperware Brands Corporation in December 2005. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Where growth will come from
  One area that Newell Rubbermaid still has to tap fully is emerging markets. The company has done a good job of expanding overseas, with 17% annual growth in Latin America. But with barely a quarter of its sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada, the company has a lot further to go. Storage rival Tupperware (NYSE: TUP  ) gets fully 60% of its total revenue from emerging markets, and it too has seen impressive gains in South America as well as the Asia-Pacific region.

Best Valued Stocks To Invest In 2014: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joel South and Tyler Crowe]

  U.S. energy policy has been shaped by one critical event that happened 40 years ago this week: the OPEC oil embargo of 1973. Since then, the United States has embarked on an ambitious goal of drilling for our own oil and gas, as well as diversifying our energy portfolio. In this segment, Joel discusses why the shift away from OPEC domination could be a major opportunity for companies like Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) and Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI  ) as well as whether OPEC is still the force it once was.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  The company's January 10 announcement that it was lowering its guidance for the fourth quarter on declines in drilling activity in North America and Europe/Africa/Russia, has certainly contributed to weakness in the oil services sector and in the shares of competitors such as Schlumberger (SLB). With Schlumberger scheduled to report fourth quarter earnings on January 17, and with Baker Hughes scheduled for January 21, the question now is, ��as the lowered guidance from Baker Hughes de-risked the stocks in the sector or will there be enough disappointment in the actual reports to push the sector down farther?��/p>

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now

The great debate over natural gas exports has taken a very interesting turn. President Obama, in a speech last weekend, hinted that the U.S. could be a net exporter of gas by the end of the decade. This move, it would appear, puts him on the same side as none other than ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM  ) .

Exxon and companies such as Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW  ) and Alcoa (NYSE: AA  ) have been sparring back and forth recently�over exports. The two manufacturing giants are vocally opposing unchecked LNG exportation because of the energy-intensive nature of their businesses. These heavy users of gas believe that unabated natural gas exports will cause the price of natural gas to rise dramatically.

ExxonMobil and other export advocates believe that exporting natural gas would actually be healthy for our economy. Higher gas prices would entice producers to invest in drilling projects, which would create jobs and generate more tax revenue. It's a case that was recently boosted by a study from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which concluded that there would be a "net benefit" to furthering natural gas exports. The report concluded that any increase in the price of natural gas, which it deemed to be minor, would be more than offset by an increase in economic output.

Top Restaurant Companies To Buy Right Now: Mint Corp (MIT)

The Mint Corporation is a vertically integrated prepaid card and payroll services provider with its own ATM network, payment processing platform and branded card product, including microcredit, mobile top up and money remittance services delivered seamlessly to workers globally. The Company operates through Mint Middle East LLC (MME), Mint Capital LLC (MCO), Mint Global Processing LLC (MGP) and Mint Electronic Payment Services LLC (MEPS). MME is a payroll card services provider facilitating an automated and secure payroll system to employers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). MGP is an integrated third party processing platform and operates as a third party transaction processor to be based in the UAE. MCO manages the microfinance product in collaboration with Mawarid Finance PJSC. MEPS was formed to operate the business assets acquired from ePAY, a division of Global Business Systems for Multimedia. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rahul Chattaraj]

  Ford Motor (F) announced on Wednesday that it would start working with two U.S. universities to initiate research for driverless cars. The carmaker has teamed up with Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to work out ways to overcome ��echnical challenges��surrounding this segment.

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Plum Creek Timber Company Inc.(PCL)

Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. is a publicly owned real estate investment trust (REIT). The trust owns and manages timberlands in the United States. Its products include lumber products, plywood, medium density fiberboard, and related by-products, such as wood chips. The trust also focuses on mineral extraction and natural gas production, communication, and transportation. Plum Creek Timber Company was founded in 1989 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Rayonier believes that its forest resources business is seeing "the early stages of an improving housing market" with profits "being reflected in increasing sawlog demand and prices." The pricing power at both homebuilders and forest product companies is a key sign of recovery. It's a trend that's likely to continue when�Plum Creek Timber (NYSE: PCL  ) �reports earnings later today. Investors have taken notice and appear to have already priced these�exceptions�into the stock, as its shares are already up more than 20% year to date.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Among stocks in the S&P 500, CBRE Group (CBG) has dropped 5.5% to $23.05 after it reported a profit of 30 cents a share, missing forecasts for 33 cents. Aflac (AFL), meanwhile, has fallen 3% to $65 after it reported a profit of $1.47, missing estimates for $1.48 on weakness in Japan. Plum Creek Timber (PCL) has dropped 1.3% to $45.76 after announcing that it would sell 12.1 million shares of stock at $45.

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Washington Federal Inc (WAFD)

Washington Federal, Inc., incorporated on November 15, 1994, is a bank holding company, which conducts its operations through a federally-insured savings association subsidiary, Washington Federal (Bank). The Bank is a federal savings association. The business of the Bank consists of attracting deposits from the general public and investing these funds in loans of various types, including first lien mortgages on single-family dwellings, construction loans, land acquisition and development loans, loans on multi-family and other income producing properties, home equity loans and business loans. It also invests in United States government and agency obligations and other investments permitted by applicable laws and regulations. As of September 30, 2013, Washington Federal had 182 full service branches located in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. Through its subsidiaries, the Company is also engaged in real estate investment and insurance brokerage activities. The principal sources of funds for the Company's activities are retained earnings, loan repayments (including prepayments), net deposit inflows, repayments and sales of investments and borrowings. Washington Federal's principal sources of revenue are interest on loans and interest and dividends on investments. Its principal expenses are interest paid on deposits, credit costs, general and administrative expenses, interest on borrowings and income taxes. On October 31, 2012, South Valley Bancorp, Inc. merged with and into the Company, followed by the merger of South Valley's wholly owned subsidiary, South Valley Bank & Trust, into the Bank.

Lending Activities

As of September 30, 2013, the Company's net portfolio of loans totaled $7.5 billion representing approximately 58% of its total assets. The Company concentrates its lending activities on the origination of 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage loans, which are neither insured nor guaranteed by agencies of the United States government. Washin! gton Federal's lending activity is concentrated on the origination of loans secured by real estate, including long-term fixed-rate mortgage loans, adjustable-rate construction loans, adjustable-rate land development loans, fixed-rate multi-family loans and business loans.

The Company's lending activity is the origination of real estate mortgage loans to purchase or refinance single-family residences. The Company also originates a range of construction and land development loans, along with multi-family residential and commercial loans. As of September 30, 2013, single-family residential loans totaled $5.4 billion, or 67.2% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; construction- speculative loans totaled$131 million, or 1.6% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; construction - custom loans totaled $303 million, or 3.8% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; land acquisition and development loans totaled $82 million, or 1.0% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; land - consumer lot loans totaled $125 million, or 1.6% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; multi-family loans totaled $836 million, or 10.5% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; commercial real estate loans totaled $625 million, or 7.8% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; commercial and industrial loans totaled $326 million, or 4.1% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; home equity line of credit (HELOC) loans totaled $134 million, or 1.7% of the Company's gross loan portfolio and consumer loans totaled $55 million, or 0.7% of the Company's gross loan portfolio.

The Company originates 30 year fixed-rate loans secured by single-family residences. The Company originates construction loans to finance construction of single-family and multi-family residences, as well as commercial properties. Loans made to individuals for construction of their home generally are 30 year fixed rate loans. Multi-family residential (five or more dwelling units) loans are secured by multi-family rental properties, such as apartment build! ings.

!

The Company makes various types of business loans to customers in its market area for working capital, acquiring real estate, equipment or other business purposes, such as acquisitions. The terms of these loans range from less than one year to a maximum of 10 years. Consumer loans are home improvement loans made through third party originators that bear interest at rates of 10% and higher.

Investment Activities

As a federal association, the Bank is obligated to maintain adequate liquidity and does so by holding cash and cash equivalents and by investing in securities. These investments include, among other things, certain certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, bankers��acceptances, loans to financial institutions whose deposits are federally-insured, federal funds, United States government and agency obligations and mortgage-backed securities.

Sources of Funds

Deposits are the source of the Company�� funds for use in lending and other general business purposes. In addition to deposits, Washington Federal derives funds from loan repayments, advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and other borrowings and from investment repayments and sales. The Company�� deposits are obtained from residents of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. The Company obtains advances from the FHLB upon the security of the FHLB capital stock it owns and certain of its loans, provided certain standards related to credit worthiness have been met. The Company also uses reverse repurchase agreements as a form of borrowing. Under reverse repurchase agreements, the Company sells an investment security to a dealer for a period of time and agrees to buy back that security at the end of the period and pay the dealer a stated interest rate for the use of the dealer's funds. The Company also offers two forms of repurchase agreements to its customers. One form has an interest rate, which floats like that of a money market d! eposit ac! count. The other form has a fixed rate and is offered in a minimum denomination of $100,000. Both forms are fully collateralized by securities. As of September 30, 2013, the Company had $46.1 million of such agreements outstanding.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of financial holding company Washington Federal (NASDAQ: WAFD  ) climbed as high as 10% today after its quarterly results topped Wall Street expectations.�

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Washington Federal (NASDAQ: WAFD  ) is keeping its dividend level even as it effects a corporate transformation by the end of next month. The company has declared a quarterly distribution of $0.09 per share, to be paid on July 19 to shareholders of record as of July 5. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution, which was paid in April. Prior to that, it handed out a penny less at $0.08 per share.

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: George Risk Industries Inc (RSKIA)

George Risk Industries, Inc. (GRI), incorporated on February 21, 1961, is engaged in the design, manufacture and sale of computer keyboards, push button switches, burglar alarm components and systems, pool alarms, thermostats, EZ Duct wire covers and water sensors. GRI is a diversified manufacturer of electronic components, consisting of the security industries variety of door and window contact switches, environmental products, proximity switches and custom keyboards. The Company operates in two segments: security alarm products and security alarm products GRI�� security burglar alarm products comprise approximately 84% of net revenues and are sold through distributors and alarm dealers/installers. These products are used for residential, commercial, industrial and government installations. Its products include security products/ magnetic reed switches, data entry peripherals, pushbutton switches, custom engraved keycaps and proximity sensors.

The security segment has approximately 3,000 customers. One of the distributors, ADI accounts for approximately 40% of the Company's sales of these products. The keyboard segment has approximately 800 customers. Keyboard products are sold to original equipment manufacturers to their specifications and to distributors of off-the-shelf keyboards of proprietary design. GRI owns and operates its main manufacturing plant and offices in Kimball, Nebraska with a satellite plant 40 miles away in Gering, Nebraska.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  Take George Risk (RSKIA). All of their competitors moved overseas. They��e still in Nebraska. Management doesn�� really claim they can either be better or cheaper than their competitors. They know they can�� be cheaper. And as far as better ��this isn�� dark chocolate they��e selling. Beyond customization, timeliness, and reliability ��I�� not sure the idea of ��uality��has much meaning in that business. It�� either frustration-free or it�� not. The two things George Risk can be are timely and customized. Both of those things are easier to be ��for American customers ��if you are manufacturing in the U.S.

• [By Geoff Gannon] n. When it traded around $4.50 (it�� now more like $7.50 a share) it was a net-net with a good business and a moat. There were risks ��customer concentration for one ��and it was no blue chip. There was no diversification of product lines, customers, geography, industry, etc. It was closely tied to U.S. construction activity.

  All this means it was no blue chip. Not that it didn�� have a moat. I felt it did. And certainly not that it wasn�� a high quality business. It demonstrably was (unleveraged returns on tangible equity were around 30%). And it was a net-net. In fact, it was a net cash stock at one time.

  So they do happen. But they are rare. The usual distinction with net-nets is not between companies like that ��companies which may have a moat, do earn good returns on capital, etc. ��but between companies that are legitimate and illegitimate businesses.

  A legitimate business is ��in my mind ��a historically profitable one. It is likely to have positive retained earnings (there are exceptions to this rule ��but it�� a good first check). It should have more years of profits (6 or more) than losses in the last 10 years. And it should be self-financing.

  Compare this to an illegitimate business. The least legitimate businesses are those that ��while publicly traded ��have never turned a profit and can�� self finance. They may be net-nets ��but they are net-nets because they have issued stock in the past and then seen their share prices drop. Retained earnings are often negative.

  There are other factors to consider. Is the business old or young? Is depreciation ��and other accounting ��especially conservative or aggressive? Are taxes especially conservative or aggressive? And is share issuance dilutive or not.

  I think a legitimate business tends towards LIFO accounting, quicker depreciation, higher taxes paid as a percentage of reported income, and lower share issuance. There are exceptions. Many