Campaign aims to cut tire-related highway deaths

Motorists now accustomed to buckling up and demanding new cars with full suites of airbags may be neglecting one of the key, yet mundane, facets of staying safe on the road: tires.

While the number of tire-related highway deaths has been dropping over the past decade, tires still account for about 200 fatalities a year and play the leading role in about 11,000 accidents, the Transportation Department reports. As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is launching a campaign Tuesday to try to draw attention to the issue. It's called "Tirewise."

"This campaign will help consumers make more informed choices every step of the way when it comes to choosing and caring for their tires — keeping them safer and saving them money at the same time," says Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

The big problem, of course, is that too many tires are bald or underinflated. But the campaign aims to go further, hoping to educate motorists about:

• The right type, size and speed rating of new tires, which are different for every vehicle.

• The need to check tire pressures monthly.

• How to properly determine tread wear or spot other defects.

• Hazards of old tires, even ones that have tread wear left, that need to be replaced over time and how they can break down if not used frequently.

• How high temperatures can affect pressure.

• How to tell where tires were manufactured.

As part of the campaign, the agency is providing tire dealers with a video and has developed a form that tire buyers can fill out to get more information on how care for their new set. Plus, consumers can register to be informed of tire recalls that might affect them.

NHTSA is also developing a SaferCar mobile app to alert motorists to recalls.

Top 10 Construction Companies To Buy Right Now

Top 10 Construction Companies To Buy Right Now: Grana y Montero SAA (GRAM)

Grana y Montero SAA is a Peru-based holding company primarily engaged in the four business areas: Construction and Engineering Industry, Real Estate, Oil Services, and Operation of Public Concessions and Business Support Services. Through its subsidiaries, the Company provides such services as the development and management of real estate properties and leisure facilities; the exploration, production and sale of oil, natural gas and its derivates; the storage and distribution of combustibles; information technology services; engineering consultancy; the operation and maintenance of rails and roads concessions; as well as the execution and management of projects related to the generation of electric power; among others. The Company owns such subsidiaries as GMD SA, Concar SA, Survial SA, Norvial SA and Promotores Asociados de Inmobiliarios SA, among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By alicet236]

  Grana y Montero SAA (GRAM) Reached the Five-Year Low of $20.90

  The prices of Grana y Montero SAA (GRAM) shares have declined to close to the five-year low of $20.90, which is 17.3% off the five-year high of $22.14. Grana y Montero SAA is owned by four Gurus we are tracking. Among them, four have added to their positions during the past quarter. Zero reduced their positions. Grana y Montero SAA was established in Peru on August 12, 1996 as a result of the equity spin-off of Inversiones GyM S. Grana Y Montero Saa has a market cap of $2.75 billion; its shares were traded at around $20.90 with a P/E ratio of 24.60 and P/S ratio of 1.24.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-construction-companies-to-buy-right-now-5.html

Top 5 Casino Stocks To Own Right Now

Top 5 Casino Stocks To Own Right Now: Scientific Games Corp (SGMS)

Scientific Games Corporation (Scientific Games), incorporated on July 2, 1984, is a global supplier of solutions to lottery and gaming organizations worldwide. The Companys products and services include instant lottery games, lottery gaming systems, terminals and services, and Internet applications, as well as server-based interactive gaming machines and associated gaming control systems. The Company reports its operations in three segments: Printed Products Group, Lottery Systems Group and Diversified Gaming Group. Printed Products Group is a provider of instant lottery tickets in the world. The Companys Lottery Systems Group is a provider of customized computer software, software support, equipment and data communication services to lotteries. Its Diversified Gaming Group provides services and systems to private and public operators in the wide area gaming industry, including server-based gaming machines and sports betting systems and services. On September 23, 201 1, the Company acquired Barcrest Group Limited. During 2011, the Company launched MDI Interactive, a content services powerhouse dedicated to delivering gaming solutions for the Internet, mobile and all digital things. In October 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of WMS Industries Inc.

Printed Products

Printed Products segment is primarily consists of instant ticket lottery business. The Company generates revenue from the manufacturing and sale of instant tickets, as well as the provision of value-added services, such as game design, sales and marketing support, specialty games and promotions, inventory management and warehousing and fulfillment services. It also provides lotteries with cooperative service programs (CSPs), to help them manage and support their operations. The Company also provides licensed games, promotional entertainment and Internet-based services to the lottery industry. It operates s! ix instant ti cket printing facilities across five continents.

The Company provides lotteries with access to some entertainment brands on lottery products through its subsidiary MDI Entertainment LLC (MDI). The Companys licensed entertainment brands include Harley-Davidson, Major League Baseball, Monopoly, National Basketball Association, The Price is Right, Wheel-of-Fortune and World Poker Tour. It also provides branded merchandise prizes, advertising, promotional support, turnkey drawing management services and prize fulfillment programs. In addition, it offers lotteries a Web-based platform called Properties Plus, which features players clubs, reward programs, second chance promotional websites, interactive games and, subject to applicable law, a subscription system that enables players to purchase lottery games securely over the Internet. The Company owns 20% interests in LNS ad Northstar, and 49% in CSG.

Lottery Systems

The Company is a pr ovider of customized computer software, software support, equipment and data communication services to lotteries. In the United States, the Company typically provides the necessary equipment, software and maintenance services pursuant to long-term facilities. Internationally, it typically sells terminals and/or computer software to lottery authorities and may provide ongoing fee-based systems and software support services. The Companys lottery systems business includes the supply of transaction-processing software, draw lottery games, keno, point-of-sale terminals, central site computers and communication platforms as well as ongoing operational support and maintenance services. The Company is the instant ticket validation network provider to the China Sports Lottery.

The Company has lottery systems operating in Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Latvia, Mexico, Norway, the Philippines, Spain, Sweden and Switzerlan d. In addition, it provides video lottery centr! al monito! ring, and control systems and networks primarily to lotteries and gaming regulators. It also provides software, hardware and support for sports wagering systems. The Company has 50% interest in Guard Libang, a provider of instant ticket activation and validation and inventory management systems and services.

Gaming

The Company is a provider of server-based gaming machines and systems and other products and services to operators in the gaming industry. The Companys Gaming segment includes The Global Draw Limited (Global Draw), a supplier of server-based gaming machines and systems, and game content primarily to bookmakers that operate licensed betting offices (LBOs) in the United Kingdom, and to gaming operators outside the United Kingdom. The Gaming segment also includes Barcrest Group Limited (Barcrest) and Games Media Limited (Games Media), suppliers of gaming machines, systems and game c ontent to pubs, bingo halls and arcades in the United Kingdom and continental Europe.

The Company provides its Gaming customers with gaming machines, remote management of game content and management information, central computer systems, secure data communication and field support services. It develops its own game content, and supplements its offering with content from third parties. As of December 31, 2011, the Company installed approximately 23,100 LBO gaming machines in the United Kingdom, which included approximately 8,000 LBO gaming. As of December 31, 2011, it had an installed base of approximately 6,100 gaming machines in its United Kingdom pub, bingo hall and arcade business, and installed approximately 6,500 gaming machines outside of the United Kingdom. During 2011, the Company owned a 50% interest in Sciplay, a joint venture with Playtech Services (Cyprus) Limited. It also owns 29.4% interests in RCN, and 20% in Sportech.

The Compnay c ompetes with Pollard Banknote Limited, GTECH, BI Worldwide Ltd., Alchemy3, LLC, ePrize, LLC, GTECH, Pollard, Intral! ot Techno! logies, Inc., International Lottery and Totalizator Systems, Inc., Inspired Gaming Group Limited, Danoptra Ltd, Sceptre Leisure plc, Games Warehouse Limited, International Game Technology, Lottomatica, Bally Technologies, Inc., Inspired, Aristocrat Leisure Ltd, Novomatic AG, Multimedia Games, Inc., WMS Industries Inc., Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., Amaya Gaming Group, Inc., Cryptologic Ltd., IGT, Microgaming Software Systems Ltd., Net Entertainment NE AB, NYX Gaming Group, OpenBet Technology Ltd. and Playtech Limited.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  Scientific Games (SGMS) is placing a big bet on Bally Technologies (BYI).

  Early today, the seller of instant ticketing systems and game-control software announce it was buying the slot machine maker for $5.1 billion, including debt, marking the latest deal in the gaming equipment industry.

  Bally shareholders will get $83.30 a share or a 38% premium to the stock’s closing price on Thursday. Scientific Games will take on $1.8 billion of Bally’s debt.

  As expected, the news sent Ballys share soaring 20% to $77.72. But investors arent going all in on the deal, with Scientific Games share price down 2% to $8.33 a share.

  The deal looks good on paper. As the WSJ reports:

  The two companies generated combined revenue of about $3 billion in the one-year period ended March 31. The merger plan calls for $220 million of cost synergies and $25 million of capital-expenditure savings through consolidating operations and creating efficiencies across a range of activities.

  Scientific Games said it expects the deal to immediately benefit the company’s per-share earnings and cash flow and help reduce the company’s leverage over the next three to four years.

  This is not the first coupling for Scientific Games. In late 2013, it bagged WMS Industries, a maker of gambling equipment, for $1.42 billion, while Bally acquired fellow casino-device maker SHFL Entertainmen! t for $1.! 3 billion. And in mid-July, casino-equipment maker International Game Technology (IGT) agreed to be acquired by Italian lottery-operator Gtech in a deal worth $4.7 billion.

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  According to Bloomberg, major banks including JPMorgan have put off syndicating $3.19 billion of loans for Scientific Games (NASDAQ: SGMS) that would have been used to finance its acquisition of Bally Technologies (NYSE: BYI). Shares of Scientific Games lost 6.56 percent, closing at $9.26 while shares of Bally Technologies lost 2.07 percent, closing at $77.97.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of Scientific Games (NASDAQ: SGMS  ) jumped 10% in late trading today after signing an important customer.

  So what: The company announced that it has signed a contract extension to provide lottery gaming and instant ticket services for the Oklahoma Lottery. This was actually disclosed earlier this year,but investors bid up shares leading up to the announcement and nearly five times the three-month average volume of shares traded hands today.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-5-casino-stocks-to-own-right-now-4.html

Citigroup Shares Rise as Profit, Revenue Beat Estimates

Citigroup Inc. rose as much as 4.6%, the most in more than 15 months, after the bank posted a surprise increase in first-quarter profit and revenue that beat analysts’ estimates.

Citigroup advanced 3.8% to $47.40 at 1:37 p.m. in New York, after reaching $47.80 earlier today. Net income climbed 3.5% to $3.94 billion, the New York-based company said today in a statement. Profit was $1.30 a share excluding accounting charges and a tax item, surpassing the $1.14 average estimate of 27 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

Chief Executive Officer Michael Corbat, 53, has tried to win back investors after two prior quarters missed estimates and the Federal Reserve rejected the bank’s capital plan, contributing to a 12% drop this year through last week for the bank’s shares. Citigroup in the first quarter released $673 million in loan-loss reserves set aside in earlier years, and cut losses at a division holding unwanted assets by about two-thirds.

“Citi’s beleaguered shareholders needed some good news and got it,” Chris Kotowski, an analyst at Oppenheimer & Co., wrote in a note. “The beat came mainly on better revenues, though expenses and better-than-expected loan losses also assisted.”

Losses in the Citi Holdings unit narrowed to $284 million in the first quarter from $804 million a year earlier, as mortgage results improved. Revenue at the division rose 61% from a year earlier to $1.46 billion.

Revenue Declines

Total revenue for the quarter fell 1% to $20.1 billion as expenses also declined 1% to $12.1 billion. Analysts predicted revenue of $19.4 billion, according to the average of 19 estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Corbat was dealt a setback to his turnaround plan last month when Citigroup failed the annual stress test after the Fed found deficiencies in the bank’s ability to project revenue and losses in its global operations. Regulators rejected the firm’s request to quintuple its dividend and repurchase $6.4 billion of shares.

“Despite a quarter that was difficult for our company, we delivered strong results,” Corbat said in the statement.

The bank will focus on preparing for the 2015 stress test rather than requesting additional buybacks or dividend increases this year, Corbat said today on a conference call with analysts.

ROE Goal

The stress-test rejection means “it’s hard to imagine” a scenario in which the company can meet its 2015 goal of reaching a 10% return on tangible common equity, Chief Financial Officer John Gerspach said today on a conference call with journalists.

Corbat said his conversations with regulators lead him to conclude they aren’t opposed to the bank’s business model or strategy. The CEO said he expects the board to hold him responsible for the stress-test failure.

“I’m accountable,” Corbat said on the call. “It is something I’m sure the board will hold me accountable for in 2014 when they reflect upon the year.”

Citigroup said capital-markets revenue was better than expected. Gerspach told investors March 3 that revenue from the trading businesses would drop by a “high mid-teens” percentage. Adjusted for accounting items, revenue from the markets and securities-services division, which includes equity and bond trading, fell 12% to $5.18 billion. Bond Trading

Bond trading, which marred the company’s two prior quarterly earnings results, fell 18% to an adjusted $3.85 billion in the first quarter. Equity trading rose 13% to $883 million.

Trading revenue for fixed-income, currency and commodities business may fall 5% to 10% for the year, Gerspach said. In a subsequent call with analysts, the CFO said the comments referred to “the overall FICC market as opposed to giving any specific guidance on our FICC revenue.”

Revenue from bond trading at JPMorgan Chase & Co. fell 21% to $3.76 billion, the New York-based bank said last week. Stock trading at JPMorgan declined 3% to $1.3 billion.

Profit at Citigroup’s global consumer-banking division dropped 6% to $1.72 billion as results were hurt by fewer U.S. mortgage refinancings, the company said. Mortgage originations fell 71% to $18 billion.

Institutional Business

The institutional business, which includes the investment bank and transaction services, posted profit of $2.94 billion, a 3% drop from a year earlier.

Citigroup is also investigating a suspected $400 million loan fraud at its Mexico unit. The bank disclosed the matter on Feb. 28, and said it reduced 2013 profit by $235 million. Authorities including the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating.

Gerspach said today that the bank’s internal investigation had found a second instance of suspected fraud at the unit of less than $30 million.

The capital-plan rejection and regulatory investigations “brought back memories of the ‘same old Citigroup,’” Matt Burnell, an analyst at Wells Fargo, wrote in an April 7 report. In a note today, he called the results “better than feared.”

Corbat, in response to the stress-test failure, asked Eugene McQuade, the departing CEO of Citibank N.A., to cancel his retirement and lead the company’s submissions to the Fed over the next year, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg News.

In the two weeks since failing the stress test, Citigroup reached a $1.13 billion settlement with bond investors and said it would sell its Honduran consumer bank and one-third of its branches in South Korea. The company also is in talks to sell its retail and credit-card business in Spain to Banco Popular Espanol SA, the Madrid-based lender said in a filing last week.

Powell: Ways to avoid outliving your income

If you knew your date of death, retirement planning would be a breeze.

Unfortunately, you likely don't know when you'll die. That means you have to plan for an unknown — how many years you and, for some, your spouse might live. In other words, you have to plan to make sure you don't run out of money before you run out of life. And that's no easy task.

Thankfully, experts say there are a number of strategies to avoid or at least mitigate the risk of outliving your assets or what some describe as longevity risk.

The first order of business? "In every situation, you need to do the math," says Anna Rappaport, president of a Chicago-based retirement consulting firm bearing her name and chair of the Society of Actuaries Committee on Post-Retirement Needs and Risks committee. "General statements are helpful, but there can be different situations that lead to different results."

Remember too, Rappaport says, the appropriate period of time to plan for is typically the remaining lifetime of you and your spouse — not just you. Also, don't forget that you need to create not just income for life but to prepare for shocks such as unexpected health care expenses. "Shocks can create a major problem," says Rappaport. "And guaranteed income does not solve them."

So what strategies might you consider given all that?

Consider a SPIA to fill income needs. For his part, Joe Tomlinson, a managing member of Tomlinson Financial Planning, in Greenville, Maine, recommends first comparing all your basic expenses against your sources of what are called lifetime income such as pensions and Social Security. And if there's a gap between expenses and income, fill it with a single premium immediate annuity or SPIA and withdrawals from savings as needed. "The gap may not be smooth year-by-year," he says.

Others are fond of using SPIAs to mitigate the risk of outliving your assets, too. "An annuity not only offers secure income, but it also does not require management," Rappaport says. "This ma! kes it very good for people who do not have the skills or desire to manage their money. This also offers protection against cognitive decline."

Of note, one way to reduce your basic living expenses is to pay off your mortgage as quickly as possible before retiring or shortly thereafter. "Paying off your mortgage may be a good idea in many situations," says Rappaport. "It reduces the amount of monthly income you need."

And when buying a SPIA, Rappaport recommends comparing and contrasting policies, the pricing of which can vary on average by 8%, but can be as high as 15%. Income Solutions is among those firms offering a competitive annuity purchasing platform.

Others, meanwhile, suggest a wrinkle on the SPIA strategy: Create a laddered portfolio of income annuities, say over 20 years, combined with fixed percentage, 4% for example, withdrawals from a balance fund that increases its exposure to equity as more income annuities are purchased. "Compared to other products and strategies, it gives you a very nice combination of high lifetime income flow, low risk, growth potential, liquidity and flexibility," says Mark Warshawsky, an adjunct scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and president of ReLIAS, a retirement solutions design firm.

One decision you'll have to consider: whether to choose inflation-adjusted income annuities or those with fixed step-ups. Inflation-adjusted income annuities tend to be more expensive than those with fixed step-ups. "One might want to consider using fixed step-ups and using the other investments to hedge the risk of higher than expected inflation, or just buy the inflation-adjusted and pay extra but keep things simple," says Tomlinson. "It's a personal choice."

Identify best Social Security-claiming strategy. Experts say identifying the best possible Social Security claiming strategy will go a long way toward making sure you and your spouse reduce the risk of longevity. For some couples, it might make sense for the older/higher-earning ! spouse to! file and suspend their Social Security benefit and then delay claiming until age 70. This does two things. The younger/lower-earning spouse will be able to receive one-half her spouse's benefit. Plus, it means the surviving spouse will receive the highest possible survivor's benefit.

"This is my No. 1 strategy," says Rappaport.

According to Tomlinson, this strategy works best for healthy couples and healthy singles and less well for couples and singles who are in poor health. His advice: Consider using software that can help you identify mathematically which Social Security claiming strategy is best.

Consider choosing joint and survivor pension payout. Another way to increase the odds of not outliving your household's money: Choose, if you have a traditional pension or annuity, the joint-and-survivor payout option instead of the single life option. Doing so will reduce your current income in retirement, but it will help protect the surviving spouse. "It's worth looking at the particular numbers, but generally it's a good strategy unless there are special health considerations," says Tomlinson.

Create a laddered portfolio of inflation-adjusted securities. Some experts say laddering a portfolio of Treasury Inflation Protected Securities is one way to match your assets to future expenses. However, this is Tomlinson's least favorite way to create lifetime income. According to Tomlinson, there's no longevity protection with laddering TIPS, the strategy is unnecessarily complicated, it's not a precise way of matching income to future expenses, and it could be expensive to implement if you use an adviser.

Purchase a deferred income annuity. Another way to make sure you don't outlive your money is to purchase an annuity that doesn't start to pay you income until you turn, say 85 or 90. "With a deferred income annuity you benefit from the power of deferral and mortality credits, which is the insurer's ability to pool large groups of people together to provide more income to those w! ho live t! he longest," said says Ross Goldstein, a managing director with New York Life.

One last note: You're not the only person who's not using strategies to mitigate longevity risk. In recent focus groups conducted by the Society of Actuaries, people say they are, in effect, self-insuring against the risk of living too long. "The preferred strategy for many of the people was to retain their assets and live from the investment income," says Rappaport. "Their planning was focused on short-term cash flow management rather than on producing a secure income plan."

Robert Powell is editor of Retirement Weekly, a service of MarketWatch.com. E-mail him at rpowell@allthingsretirement.com.

Can CBS Make You Watch Thursday Night Football?

A news break is out from multiple sources, showing that CBS Corp. (NYSE: CBS) will produce a full slate of 16 NFL games. The problem is that this is the Thursday Night Football package.

Football is big business in America. The problem is that Thursday Night Football has been considered dead by comparison to Sunday for quite some time – even with higher ratings last year. TVbytheNumbers showed that ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS and Turner were all bidding for Thursday Night Football. The report says,

“CBS will air eight early season games that also will be simulcast on NFL Network. NFL Network will also televise eight late-season games in the run-up to the playoffs. The mix of games will include 14 on Thursday nights and two late-season games on Saturday.”

The good news is that Thursday Night Football ratings were up in 2013. The bad news is that is still not even half of the Sunday lineup games. Yahoo! Sports showed the figures around the initial bidding as follows:

NFL Network’s Thursday night games were viewed by an average of 8 million viewers for a 13-game schedule in 2013, a 10 percent boost from 2012 but still far below NBC’s average 21.5 million viewers for its Sunday night contests.

CBS shares have already backed off marginally from their highs after the news. The stock is up 0.3% at $58.05, versus a daily range of $56.75 to $58.57 and a 52-week range of $41.33 to $64.06.

What CBS investors need to consider is that the company’s stock market value is already worth almost $35 billion. It simply may not be enough to move the needle here, particularly if ratings and/or advertising dip again. Now CBS just needs to figure out how to keep the guys from going out to that happy hour on Thursday after work looking for other things besides a football game on television.

Top Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015

Running a business is all about making a profit, so it makes sense that one of the best measures of a company's performance is its profit margins.

Strong profit margins almost always mean a company is well-run, stable, and making money.

A company with healthy profit margins indicates it is efficient at allocating capital and controlling costs, so it can deliver more revenue to the bottom line.

It also means the business has built-in safety. Therefore, a sales slump is less likely to cause an operating loss.

And if a company can maintain strong profit margins year after year against competitors in the same industry, that's as good as it gets.

For investors, what all this means is that finding the companies with the best profit margins is a great way to identify promising stocks.

Let's dig into this topic a bit deeper so you know just what you need to look for.

High Sales Don't Always Equal the Best Profit Margins

Let's start with a simple definition. Simply put, the profit margin is the amount of money a company earns from each dollar of sales, usually expressed as a ratio, or percentage.

Top 5 Oil Service Stocks For 2016: MGIC Investment Corp (MTG)

MGIC Investment Corporation (MGIC), incorporated June 21, 1984, is a holding company and through wholly owned subsidiaries is a private mortgage insurer in the United States. As of December 31, 2012, its principal mortgage insurance subsidiaries, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) and MGIC Indemnity Corporation (MIC), were each licensed in all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. During the year ending December 31, 2012, the Company wrote new insurance in each of those jurisdictions in MGIC and/or MIC. The Company capitalized MIC to write new insurance in certain jurisdictions where MGIC no longer meets, and is unable to obtain a waiver of, those jurisdictions��minimum capital requirements. Private mortgage insurance covers losses from homeowner defaults on residential mortgage loans, reducing and, in some instances, eliminating the loss to the insured institution if the homeowner defaults.

Mortgage Insurance

Primary insurance provides mortgage default protection on individual loans and covers unpaid loan principal, delinquent interest and certain expenses associated with the default and subsequent foreclosure. Primary insurance is written on first mortgage loans secured by owner occupied single-family homes, which are one-to-four family homes and condominiums. Primary insurance is also written on first liens secured by non-owner occupied single-family homes, which are referred to in the home mortgage lending industry as investor loans, and on vacation or second homes. Primary coverage can be used on any type of residential mortgage loan instrument approved by the mortgage insurer.

When a borrower refinances a mortgage loan insured by the Company by paying it off in full with the proceeds of a new mortgage that is also insured by it, the insurance on that existing mortgage is cancelled, and insurance on the new mortgage is considered to be new primary insurance written. Therefore, continuation of its coverage fr! om a refinanced loan to a new loan results in both a cancellation of insurance and new insurance written. When a lender and borrower modify a loan rather than replace it with a new one, or enter into a new loan pursuant to a loan modification program, its insurance continues without being cancelled assuming that the Company consent to the modification or new loan.

The borrower�� mortgage loan instrument requires the borrower to pay the mortgage insurance premium. There are several payment plans available to the borrower, or lender, as the case may be. Under the monthly premium plan, the borrower or lender pays it a monthly premium payment to provide only one month of coverage. Under the annual premium plan, an annual premium is paid to it in advance, and it earns and recognizes the premium over the next 12 months of coverage, with annual renewal premiums paid in advance thereafter and earned over the subsequent 12 months of coverage. Under the single premium plan, the borrower or lender pays it a single payment covering a specified term exceeding twelve months.

Pool insurance is used as an additional credit enhancement for certain secondary market mortgage transactions. Pool insurance covers the excess of the loss on a defaulted mortgage loan which exceeds the claim payment under the primary coverage, if primary insurance is required on that mortgage loan, as well as the total loss on a defaulted mortgage loan which did not require primary insurance. Pool insurance is used as an additional credit enhancement for certain secondary market mortgage transactions. Pool insurance covers the excess of the loss on a defaulted mortgage loan, which exceeds the claim payment under the primary coverage, if primary insurance is required on that mortgage loan, as well as the total loss on a defaulted mortgage loan which did not require primary insurance. In general, the loans insured by it in Wall Street bulk transactions consisted of loans with reduced underwriting documentation; cash out! refinanc! es, which exceed the standard underwriting requirements of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (collectively GSEs); A- loans; subprime loans, and jumbo loans.

Other Products and Services

The Company has participated in risk sharing arrangements with the GSEs and captive mortgage reinsurance arrangements with subsidiaries of certain mortgage lenders, which reinsure a portion of the risk on loans originated or serviced by the lenders, which have MGIC primary insurance. It provides information regarding captive mortgage reinsurance arrangements to the New York Department of Insurance (known as the New York Department of Financial Services), the Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, (HUD). It performs contract underwriting services for lenders, in which it judges whether the data relating to the borrower and the loan contained in the lender�� mortgage loan application file comply with the lender�� loan underwriting guidelines. It also provides an interface to submit data to the automated underwriting systems of the GSEs, which independently judge the data. These services are provided for loans, which require private mortgage insurance, as well as for loans that do not require private mortgage insurance. It provides mortgage services for the mortgage finance industry, such as portfolio retention and secondary marketing of mortgages.

The Company competes with Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Administration, PMI Mortgage Insurance Company, Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corporation, United Guaranty Residential Insurance Company, Radian Guaranty Inc., CMG Mortgage Insurance Company, and Essent Guaranty, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Shares of private mortgage insurers fell after Radian Group Inc. (RDN) �called new proposed capital requirements ��nerous��but said it didn�� feel it would have to raise outside capital. Shares of Radian declined 3.8% to $14 on moderate volume, while shares of MGIC Investment Corp. (MTG) �fell 5.4% to $8.74 on moderate volume.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  MGIC Investment (NYSE: MTG) was down, falling 10.50 percent to $8.27 following the FHFA proposal. The company released monthly operating statistics for June.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  MGIC Investment Corp. (NYSE: MTG) made the move to the Conviction Buy List on December 5, with a $10 price target. The company is benefiting from a solid improvement in credit and mortgage quality. With shares close to $8.40 now, the consensus price target is $8.81 and the 52-week trading range is $1.92 to $8.59. We noticed that the $10 price target is well under the street-high target of $13 on this stock.

Top Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: Arris Group Inc(ARRS)

Arris Group, Inc. develops, manufactures, and supplies telephony, data, video, construction, rebuild, and maintenance equipment for the broadband communications industry worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Broadband Communications Systems (BCS); Access, Transport, and Supplies (ATS); and Media and Communications Systems (MCS). The BCS segment provides VoIP and high speed data products, including CMTS edge routers, 2-line residential EMTA, multi-line EMTA for residential and commercial services, wireless gateway, and high speed data cable modems; video/IP products comprising CMTS edge routers, broadband and universal EdgeQAM, and whole home gateway and media players; and video processing products, such as switched digital video systems, digital video encoders, transcoders, transraters, and statistical multiplexers. The ATS segment offers hybrid fiber-coaxial plant equipment products comprising headend and hub products, optical transmitters, optical amplifiers , optical repeaters, optical nodes, WiFi access points, ePON optical network units and line terminals, RF over glass optical network units, and radio frequency amplifiers; and infrastructure products for fiber optic or coaxial networks, which include cable and strand, vaults, conduit, drop materials, tools, connectors, and test equipment. The MCS segment provides media, delivery, and monetization platform products, such as video on demand management and distribution, and linear and advanced advertising; operations management systems comprising network and service assurance, and mobile workforce management; and fixed mobile convergence platform products, such as mobility application servers for continuity of services in wireless and PacketCable networks, and voice call continuity application servers for continuity of services in IP multimedia subsystem networks. The company offers its services to cable system operators. Arris Group, Inc. was founded in 1969 and is headquarter ed in Suwanee, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  Google also sold off the Motorola Home business to Arris� (NASDAQ: ARRS  ) in a $2.4 billion cash and stock deal, which closed this month. Big G is now the proud owner of a 7.7% stake in Arris, while its net cost for Motorola subsequently declined to around $7.1 billion.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Arris Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRS) got hit when press reports indicated that Apple may be working with Time Warner Cable and other companies on a new set-top box. The Jefferies team do not know the specifications of the device. It still may use “HDMI pass through” architecture like XBox One (and therefore will still require a cable STB to support cable content). That would bode well for Arris. The Jefferies target is lifted to $30. The Thomson/First Call estimate is $28.05. Arris closed on Friday at $27.87.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  We initiated one new position in the third quarter, Aarons (AAN), and purchased shares in several existing investments, including small amounts in Apollo Group (APOL) and Devry (DV) and a larger increase in Arris Group (ARRS). We have written about the for-profit education companies in previous letters, so please refer to those letters should you want to familiarize yourself with APOL or DV.

Top Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: CBIZ Inc (CBZ)

CBIZ, Inc. (CBIZ) provides professional business services, products and solutions. These services are provided to businesses of various sizes, as well as individuals, governmental entities and not-for-profit enterprises throughout the United States and parts of Canada. CBIZ delivers its services through four practice groups: Financial Services, Employee Services, and National Practices. Its Financial Services group includes accounting, tax, financial advisory, valuation, litigation support, internal audit, family office services, fraud detection and real estate advisory. Its Employee Services group provides group health, property and casualty, retirement planning, payroll services, life insurance, human capital management, compensation consulting, recruiting and actuarial services. MMP group includes coding and billing, accounts receivable management and full practice management services. National Practices group includes managed networking and hardware services, health care consulting, and mergers and acquisitions. Effective July 1, 2012, the Company acquired the assets of Stoltz and Company, LTD., L.L.P. In October 2012, it acquired the assets of ProMedical, Inc. On December 31, 2012, the Company acquired the non-attest assets of PHBV Partners, L.L.P. Effective May 1, 2013, it announced that it has acquired Associated Insurance Agents. In September 2013, CBIZ, Inc completed the sale of its Medical Management Professionals (MMP) business to Zotec Partners, LLC.

On January 1, 2011, CBIZ sold its individual wealth management business. Effective November 1, 2011, the Company acquired the defined benefit actuarial consulting practice of PSA Insurance and Financial Services of Hunt Valley, Maryland. During the year ended December 31, 2011, CBIZ acquired four businesses: Thompson Dunavant PLC, Gresham Smith LLC, Multiple Benefit Services, Inc. and Atlantic MDR, LLC (d/b/a Advantage Benefit Planning). On January 1, 2012, the Company acquired Meridian Insurance Group, LLC.

Financial! Services

The Financial Services practice is divided into a Financial Services division, representing the United States, and a National Services division consisting of those units that provide their services nationwide. CBIZ and its subsidiaries maintain joint-referral relationships and administrative service agreements (ASAs) with independent licensed Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firms under which audit and attest services may be provided to CBIZ�� clients by such CPA firms. Under these ASAs, CBIZ provides a range of services to the CPA firms, including (but not limited to) administrative functions, such as office management, bookkeeping, and accounting, preparing marketing and promotion materials, providing office space, computer equipment, and systems support, and leasing administrative and professional staff. As of December 31, 2011, CBIZ maintained ASAs with four CPA firms.

Employee Services

The business units that comprise CBIZ�� Employee Services group are organized between Retail and National Services. The Retail offices provide services within their geographic area. The National group includes a number of specialty operations that provide services on a national scale. CBIZ�� Employee Services group maintains relationships with different insurance carriers. Some of these carriers have compensation arrangements.

National Practices

The National Practices group offers technology, health care consulting, and merger and acquisition services. The units within the National Practices group each have a Business Unit President.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  CBIZ (NYSE: CBZ  ) reported earnings on July 29. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), CBIZ whiffed on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

Top Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: Morvest Business Group Ltd (MOR)

Morvest Business Group Limited (Morvest) is a South Africa-based company. The company is an outsourcing and technology services and solutions company. The Company operates in three segments: Business Support Services focuses on consulting professional services and outsourcing services; ICT Solutions focuses on the application implementation and infrastructure services and Retail and Consumer Services, which is engaged in renders management services to the Company. As of May 31, 2012, the Company�� subsidiaries include, Morvest Shared Services (Pty) Limited, Foster Melliar (Pty) Limited, Morvest Human Capital Management (Pty) Limited, Morvest Professional Services (Pty) Limited, ITQ Business Solutions Group (Pty) Limited, Morvest Information Communication and Technology Limited and Morvest Mithratech (Pty) Limited. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  MorphoSys (MOR) is a German biotechnology company with proprietary technology to develop human antibodies for specific diseases. Over the quarter, the company signed two licensing deals (with GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Celgene Corp., not held by the fund) for its proprietary compounds, providing outside validation for its technology as well as upfront cash and future royalty payments.

Top Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: Acxiom Corporation(ACXM)

Acxiom Corporation provides marketing technology and services that enable marketers to manage audience, personalize consumer experiences, and create customer relationships. It operates in two segments, Information Services and Information Products. The Information Services segment offers customer data integration, multichannel marketing services, infrastructure management services, and consulting services. This segment also develops, sells, and delivers industry-tailored solutions, including the design and creation of marketing databases and data warehouses; data integration and customer-recognition systems; marketing applications; list processing; and information technology services. The Information Products segment develops and sells various data products, including segmentation products and domestic fraud and risk mitigation products, as well as online advertising products. This segment provides InfoBase-Xa, a customer-centric foundation for various marketing needs with a collection of the United States consumer information available in one source; PersonicXa, a household segmentation and visualization system; and Acxiom Relevance-Xa, an online advertising network that lets marketers reach the consumers interested in their particular product or service. The company serves clients in financial services, insurance, information services, direct marketing, media, retail, consumer packaged goods, technology, automotive, healthcare, travel, and telecommunications industries. It offers its products and services in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Taulli]

  A key to Facebook�� monetization success has been the company�� aggressive investments in ad technologies. For example, by leveraging third-party data sources — such as from Datalogix, Acxiom (ACXM) and Alliance Data Systems (ADS) — it has been able to provide analytics on the performance of ad campaigns. On the Q4 earnings call, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said the average return on News Feed ads was an incredible 8x.

Dividends in Focus: Apple Inc. (AAPL)

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Consumer electronics juggernaut Apple Inc. (AAPL) fell off Wall Street’s “favorite” list near the end of 2012 and selling pressures plagued the stock for almost all of 2013. The stock did manage to find its footing mid-year, although its 2013 performance was still lackluster as it rallied a paltry 3%. Let’s examine the company’s current dividend policy and what lies in store for the stock in 2014 from a dividend perspective.

Apple Inc.’s Current Dividend Policy

Apple pays its dividend quarterly and currently offers a yield around 2.2%. The stock reinstated its dividend in the second-half of 2012 and its first payout was $2.65 per share. Apple raised its dividend in 2013 by 15%, marking the first annual increase for the stock, with its new distribution coming in at $3.05 per share. Based on analyst estimates, its payout ratio sits around 28% in 2013, and is expected to come in at 26% in 2014. Looking at these numbers coupled with Apple’s sizable cash flow, the company should have no issues raising its dividend again next year.

Dividend.com DARS Ratings for Apple Inc. Overall Rating:Neutral (3.4/5) Metric Rating Explanation

Relative Strength		Stock is performing in-line with the market or better.
Overall Yield Attractiveness		Stock’s dividend yield is above average.
Dividend Reliability		This rating is related to the length and consistency of a company’s dividend payouts, as well as our opinion on how likely the company is to continue payouts in the future.
Dividend Uptrend		Dividend payouts are consistent, but increases small.
Earnings Growth		Earnings estimates are uptrending.

The stage is set for American Funds' comeback

It's been a grueling five post-financial-crisis years for American Funds, but things are finally starting to look up for the mutual fund company, a favorite of advisers.

American Funds, which is owned by The Capital Group Cos. Inc, was the largest mutual fund company in the world before Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. collapsed and set off a chain reaction that caused global stock markets to plummet. But its funds, which famously avoided the bursting of the tech bubble, were merely average in 2008 when the financial crisis started to break.

That performance letdown has led to a half-decade in which advisers have fled both stocks in favor of bonds and active managers in favor of index funds. As a result, stock-fund heavy American Funds has seen almost $250 billion of net withdrawals since 2008, dropping it behind the Vanguard Group Inc. and Fidelity Investments in the mutual fund company pecking order.

But the post-crisis bull market, along with some product tweaks that American Funds has made along the way, could drive the company to its first positive year for sales in 2014.

“If 2014 looks anything like this year or last year, I think they're in pretty good shape,” said Janet Yang, a mutual fund analyst at Morningstar Inc. “When markets are up, it gets people interested and rotating a little more toward equities.”

Investors have actually been rotating into equities at the fastest pace in more than a decade. Equity funds have attracted $132 billion of net inflows this year through November, the most for a single year since 2000, according to Morningstar.

With the financial crisis fading into history, active management also is starting to catch on again with investors as five-year trailing returns improve.

The five-year rolling average return for domestic equity funds, for example, jumped a full 8 percentage points to 18.6% between September and November by the simple trick of moving October 2008 out of the picture.

Not surprisingly, actively managed domestic funds are on pace for their best year since 2005, the last year they had more inflows than outflows. Investors have pulled only a net $10 billion from actively managed U.S. equity funds this year, down from $130 billion in 2012.

The trend hasn't eluded American Funds, which in January actually saw its first single month of net inflows since May 2009.

Although that turned out to be more of a blip than a trend, American Funds has had $15.7 billion of outflows this year through November, down from $61 billion in 2012 and $81 billion in 2011.

The $136 billion American Funds Growth Fund of America (AGTHX), which contributed $33 billion to the company's net withdrawals in 2012, also has turned its performance around since stumbling in 2008 and 2011.

The flagship fund outperformed the S&P 500 by 400 basis points last year and is ahead by 100 basis points through Dec. 18 this year. Its five- and 10-year ! annualized returns of 18% and 8% both top the benchmark as well.

Its international funds have fared well, too. The $7.5 billion American Funds International Growth and Income Fund (IGAAX) and the $23 billion American Funds New World Fund (NEWFX) rank in the top third percentile of the developed international and emerging-markets categories, respectively. Both are among the 10 best-selling funds in each category for the year.

In the past, American Funds would have probably been more than content to rest on its performance laurels, but this year the firm has taken steps that years ago would have seemed as normal as, say, trying to iron a shirt you're already wearing.

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For instance, the company has conceded that it hasn't been as transparent as it could be with its investment process and plans on making available to financial advisers detailed reports that explain how each portfolio management team is constructed. Hey, it's a start.

To get the word out, it's also in the process of increasing its wirehouse and broker-dealer sales force by 25% to about 150.

Sure, it probably could be doing more to reach out the cost-conscious registered investment adviser community, given that American Funds is the cheapest actively managed fund company not named Vanguard out there. But one step at a time.

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks To Invest In 2015

Background of the Proposed Spin-Off

On November 14 Kimberly Clark announced the board of directors had authorized management to pursue a tax-free spin-off of the health care business, currently planned for 3Q, 2014. A spin-off would create a stand-alone, publicly traded health care company with approximately $1.6 billion in annual sales, 70% of which are derived from North America and net sales and leading market positions in both surgical and infection prevention products and medical devices (the maker of surgical masks, catheters, surgical gowns and drapes and other sterile supplies.) Robert Abernathy joined Kimberly-Clark in 1982 and is currently Kimberly-Clark Group President. He and 16,000 other employees would lead K-C Healthcare globally.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Thomas J. Falk had this to say, "While K-C Health Care has been part of our company since the 1970's, its strategic fit and growth priorities have changed over time and we now think that pursuing a spin-off makes sense for our shareholders. This move would allow K-C Health Care to optimize its performance and flexibility to pursue its own value-creation opportunities. A spin-off would also allow us to further sharpen our focus on our consumer and K-C Professional brands. This announcement is further evidence of our focus on creating shareholder value and how we use portfolio management to run our company." �� think the two companies will be better run as separate organizations rather than together,��he added.

Top Japanese Stocks To Buy For 2016: SBM Offshore NV (SBMO)

SBM Offshore NV is the Netherlands-based company engaged in the offshore energy industry. It is a provider of floating production and mooring systems, in production operations and in terminals and services. The Company�� main activity is the design, supply, installation and operation of floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. The Company�� business is divided into two segments: Lease and Operate, providing leasing and operation of oil and gas production facilities, and Turnkey, providing engineering, supply, overhaul and maintenance of Catenary Anchor Leg Mooring (CALM) buoys, swivels, mooring systems, fluid transfer systems and offloading systems. The Company has four main project execution centers located in the Netherlands, Monaco, the United States and Malaysia, and operates a number of subsidiaries. On September 4, 2013, the Company sold its cryogenic hose system technology to Trelleborg Industrial Solutions, the business area of Trelleborg AB. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  PSA Peugeot Citroen and Anglo American Plc led carmakers and mining companies lower, respectively, on concern demand from China will weaken. St. James�� Place Plc tumbled the most in 4 1/2 years after Lloyds Banking Group Plc sold 77 million shares in the British wealth manager. SBM Offshore NV (SBMO) jumped to the highest price in 13 months after saying its first-quarter revenue increased 35 percent.

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks To Invest In 2015: First Mexican Gold Corp (FMG)

First Mexican Gold Corp. (First Mexican) is exploration-stage company engaged principally in the acquisition, exploration and development of precious mineral properties through its wholly owned subsidiary, Cornelius Exploration S. de R.L. de C.V., in Mexico. The Hilda Properties consist of three properties: Hilda 30 property, the Hilda 37/38 property and Hilda 31/32 property. On January 1, 2011, the Company signed an agreement to acquire the Claim of Santa Martha, which consists of approximately 68 hectares in the district of Yecora, State of Sonora, Mexico. On February 4, 2011, the Company signed a letter of intent to acquire the claims of Vianney Fraccion III, San Martin and El Panda. On February 14, 2011, the Company signed a letter of intent to acquire the claims of El Hoyo and Santa Maria. On January 24, 2012, the Company completed its 80% option earn-in on the Guadalupe property in Sonora State, Mexico. On February 15, 2012, it acquired 100% interest of Guadalupe project. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Haigh]

  Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (FMG) sank 4.2 percent after Teck Resources Ltd. sold a stake worth about A$500 million ($473 million) in Australia�� third-biggest iron-ore exporter. Sony Corp., a TV maker that gets 68 percent of sales outside Japan, lost 2.7 percent after the yen yesterday surged against the dollar, curbing the outlook for exporters. Samsung Electronics Co. preferred shares declined 5 percent in Seoul after Citigroup Inc. managed the sale of a $350 million stake in the electronics firm.

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks To Invest In 2015: Rite Aid Corp (RAD)

Rite Aid Corporation, incorporated in 1968, is a retail drugstore chain in the United States. As of March 3, 2012, the Company operated drugstores in 31 states across the country and in the District of Columbia. As of March 3, 2012, it operated 4,667 stores. In the Company�� stores, it sells prescription drugs and a range of other merchandise, which it calls front end products. During the fiscal year ended March 3, 2012 (fiscal 2012), prescription drug sales accounted for 68.1% of its total sales. The Company carries a range of front end products, which accounted for 31.9% of its total sales in fiscal 2012. Front end products include over-the-counter medications, health and beauty aids, personal care items, cosmetics, household items, beverages, convenience foods, greeting cards, seasonal merchandise and other everyday and convenience products, as well as photo processing. It offers a variety of products under its private brands, which contributed approximately 17% of its front end sales in the categories where private brand products were offered in fiscal 2012. As of March 3, 2012, the Company had opened over 2,100 GNC stores-within-Rite Aid-stores. During fiscal 2012, the Company sold two owned operating stores to independent third parties.

During fiscal 2012, its stores filled approximately 295 million prescriptions and served an average of 2.1 million customers per day. The overall average size of each store in its chain is approximately 12,600 square feet. As of March 3, 2012, 60% of its stores were freestanding; 51% of its stores included a drive-thru pharmacy; 24% included one-hour photo shops, and 46% included a GNC store-within-Rite Aid-store. The Company�� customers may also order prescription refills over the Internet through www.riteaid.com, or over the phone through its telephonic automated refill systems for pick up at a Rite Aid store. It has a strategic alliance with GNC, a retailer of vitamin and mineral supplements.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Rite Aid, through its stores across the United States, provides prescription drug and general merchandise products to consumers and companies. The stock has recently broken above a value range and is now trading at prices not seen for several years. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been improving while revenue figures have been declining, so, investors in the company have not been too pleased. Relative to its peers and sector, Rite Aid has led in year-to-date performance by a wide margin. Look for Rite Aid to continue to OUTPERFORM.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One potential earnings short-squeeze candidate is retail drugstore chain operator Rite Aid (RAD), which is set to release numbers on Thursday before the market open. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Rite Aid to report revenue of $6.27 billion on a loss of 4 cents per share.

  The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Rite Aid is notable at 3.7%. That means that out of the 896 million shares in the tradable float, 33.54 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 32%, or by about 8.13 million shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a bullish quarter, then shares of RAD could easily explode higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their short bets.

  From a technical perspective, RAD is currently trending above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last six months, with shares moving higher from its low of $1.65 to its recent high of $3.75 a share. During that uptrend, shares of RAD have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of RAD within range of triggering a major breakout trade post-earnings.

  If you're bullish on RAD, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above its 52-week high at $3.75 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 20.36 million shares. If that breakout hits, then RAD will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $5 to $6 a share.

  I would avoid RAD or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below some key near-term support levels at $3.53

• [By Daniel Jones]

  Throughout the past several years, the company has struck deals with Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD  ) , PetSmart, and Sam's Club, a segment of Wal-Mart. The company's most recent agreement involved it renewing its relationship with Rite Aid through 2019 and adding GNC locations to at least 300 additional Rite Aid stores. Using these relationships, GNC strives to increase its market share, but as I chronicled in�an earlier article, it has to accept some downsides. It is also provided some very attractive benefits.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Rite Aid Corp. (NYSE: RAD) was reiterated at Outperform and the price target was raised to $6 from $5 after comparable sales were better than expected, according to Credit Suisse.

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks To Invest In 2015: Cosan Ltd (CZZ)

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

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

Sugar and Ethanol segment

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

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

Fuel distribution and lubricants

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

Sugar Logistics

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

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Partnership outlook
  I am still hoping that Codexis will be tapped by Raizen, a joint venture between Shell and sugar giant Cosan (NYSE: CZZ  ) , as its exclusive cellulase enzyme provider. Raizen has not been shy about its cellulosic ethanol ambitions -- planning a 10 million gallon per year facility -- but has yet to choose an enzyme technology. Investors should be careful not to assume that Codexis is a lock for the partnership (Raizen is the largest investor in Codexis), but with more than 580 million gallons of first-generation ethanol capacity the opportunity is enormous.

• [By Monica Gerson]

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

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

• [By Dan Caplinger]

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

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks To Invest In 2015: Physicians Realty Trust (DOC)

Physicians Realty Trust, incorporated on April 9, 2013, is a real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company is a self-managed healthcare real estate company. The Company is engaged in acquiring, developing, owning and managing healthcare properties that are leased to physicians, hospitals and healthcare delivery systems. The Company invests in real estate that is integral to providing healthcare services. The Company�� properties are located on a campus with a hospital or other healthcare facilities or strategically located and affiliated with a hospital or other healthcare facilities. The Company�� principal investments will include medical office buildings, outpatient treatment facilities, acute and post-acute care hospitals, as well as other real estate integral to healthcare providers. The Company�� initial portfolio will consist of 19 medical office buildings located in 10 states with approximately 528,048 net leasable square feet. Effective August 27, 2013, Physicians Realty Trust acquired an undisclosed hospital, located in Plano, Texas, an owner and operator of hospital. In September 2013, Physicians Realty Trust completion of the sale-leaseback of the surgical hospital and adjacent medical office building occupied by the Foundation Surgical Hospital of El Paso, L.L.C. In October 2013, Physicians Realty Trust announced the completion of the acquisition of the Foundation Outpatient Care Building located in Oklahoma City, OK. Effective January 8, 2014, Physicians Realty Trust acquired an undisclosed ambulatory surgery center, located in Great Falls, Montana. In February 2014, the Company's operating partnership, Physicians Realty L.P., closed on the purchase and leaseback of four medical office buildings to an Atlanta, Georgia-based family medical practice.

The Company�� Surgical Hospital-New Orleans, Louisiana property is a 57,000 square foot, 42-bed acute care surgical hospital with six operating rooms. The hospital specializes in ortho/neuro spine surgery, orthopedics, ! weight loss surgery and other scheduled general surgery procedures. Surgical Hospital and Medical Office Building-El Paso, Texas property is a 77,000 square foot, 40-bed acute care hospital with six operating rooms. The Company's initial portfolio was acquired or developed by healthcare real estate funds managed by B.C. Ziegler & Company (Ziegler), a specialty investment banking firm focused on the healthcare industry, and another subsidiary of The Ziegler Companies, Inc. As part of its formation transactions, the Ziegler Funds will contribute their ownership interests in these properties to its operating partnership.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Healthcare REIT Physicians Realty Trust (DOC) was right up their with Ford in raising its quarterly dividend 25%, to 22.5 cents per share, payable Feb. 7 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 24.
  DOC Stock Dividend Yield: 7.02%

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks To Invest In 2015: Polydex Pharmaceuticals Ltd (POLXF.PK)

Polydex Pharmaceuticals Limited, incorporated on June 14, 1979, is engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of biotechnology-based products for the human pharmaceutical market. The Company also manufactures bulk pharmaceutical intermediates for the global veterinary pharmaceutical industry. It focuses on the manufacture and sale of Dextran and derivative products, including Iron Dextran and Dextran Sulphate, and other specialty chemicals. Dextran, a generic name applied to certain synthetic compounds formed by bacterial growth on sucrose, is a polymer or giant molecule. The products of the Company include Iron Dextran and Dextran Sulphate. The wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company include Dextran Products Limited (Dextran Products) and Chemdex Inc (Chemdex).

Iron Dextran

Iron Dextran is a derivative of Dextran produced by complexing iron with Dextran. Iron Dextran is injected into pigs at birth as a treatment for anemia. The Company sells Iron Dextran to independent distributors and wholesalers in Europe, the Far East and Canada. Chemdex, Inc. has United States FDA approval for the manufacture and sale of Iron Dextran for veterinary use.

Dextran Sulphate

Dextran Sulphate is a specialty chemical derivative of Dextran used in research applications by the pharmaceutical industry and other centers of chemical research. Dextran Sulphate manufactured by the Company is sold primarily to independent distributors and wholesalers in the United States and Europe as analytical chemical applications.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By The GeoTeam]

  Polydex Pharmaceuticals (POLXF.PK) Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of biotechnology-based products for the human pharmaceutical market. It is also involved with manufacture of bulk pharmaceutical intermediates for the veterinary pharmaceutical industry worldwide. It primarily offers Dextran and Dextran derivative products.

Hot Chemical Stocks To Own Right Now

Hot Chemical Stocks To Own Right Now: KMG Chemicals Inc (KMG)

KMG Chemicals, Inc., incorporated on July 30, 1992, manufactures, formulates and globally distributes specialty chemicals. The Company has acquired and operates businesses selling electronic chemicals and industrial wood treating chemicals. The Company operates in two segments: electronic chemicals and wood treating chemicals. The Company's electronic chemicals segment provides wet process chemicals to the semiconductor industry, primarily to clean and etch silicon wafers in the production of semiconductors. The Company supplies wet process chemicals to the semiconductor industry in the United States and Europe. Its wood treating chemicals, pentachlorophenol (penta), and creosote, are sold to industrial customers who use these preservatives primarily to extend the useful life of utility poles and railroad crossties. The Company is the supplier of penta in North America, and supplier of creosote in the United States to wood treaters who do not produce their own creosote. On March 1, 2012, the Company discontinued its animal health business. In June 2013, the Company announced that it completed the acquisition of the Ultra Pure Chemicals subsidiaries of OM Group Inc located in the United States, England and Singapore.

Electronic Chemicals

The Company's electronic chemicals business sells wet process chemicals primarily to the semiconductor industry. These chemicals are used to clean and etch silicon wafers in the production of semiconductors. The Company's products include sulfuric, phosphoric, nitric and hydrofluoric acids, ammonium hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol and various blends of chemicals. The Company's products are sold in bulk and in containers, including bottles, drums and totes. This process is accomplished at the Company's Pueblo, Colorado, Hollister, California and Milan, Italy facilities, a! lthough the Company contracts with General Chemical to produce certain products for the Company at its facility. As of July 31, 2012, the Company's electronic ! chemicals business accounted for 58.5% of its net sales.

Wood Treating Chemicals

The Company supplies penta and creosote to industrial customers who use these products to extend the useful life of wood, primarily utility poles and railroad crossties. The Company's penta products include penta blocks, solutions and hydrochloric acid, a byproduct of penta production. Penta is used primarily to treat utility poles, protecting them from insect damage and decay. The Company manufactures solid penta blocks at its facility in Matamoros, Mexico. The Company sells solid penta to its customers, or make it into a liquid solution of penta concentrate at its Matamoros, Mexico and Tuscaloosa, Alabama facilities. The Company sells penta products primarily in the southeastern and northwestern United States and in Canada. The hydrochloric acid the Company produces as a byproduct of penta production is sold in Mexico for use in the steel and oils well service industr ies. Creosote is a wood preservative used to treat utility poles and railroad crossties. Creosote is produced by the distillation of coal tar, a by-product of the transformation of coal into coke. The Company sells creosote to wood treaters throughout the United States. As of July 31, 2012, the Company's wood treating chemicals constituted about 41.4% of the Company's net sales.

The Company competes with Honeywell, Kanto Corporation, Avantor, BASF and the OM Group.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  KMG Chemicals (NYSE: KMG) is projected to report its Q4 earnings.

  JB Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ: JBHT) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.84 per share on revenue of $1.59 billion.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  KMG Chemicals (NYSE: KMG) is expected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.27 per share on ! revenue o! f $79.00 million.

  Brown & Brown (NYSE: BRO) is projected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.40 per share on revenue of $348.85 million.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Analysts expect KMG Chemicals (NYSE: KMG) to report its Q4 earnings at $0.27 per share on revenue of $79.00 million. KMG Chemicals shares surged 4.99% to close at $23.76 on Friday.

• [By Rich Smith]

  KMG Chemicals (NYSE: KMG  ) is buying OM Group's (NYSE: OMG  ) Ultra Pure Chemicals subsidiaries in the U.S., U.K., Singapore, and perhaps in France as well.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-chemical-stocks-to-own-right-now.html

Best Safest Companies To Invest In Right Now

Best Safest Companies To Invest In Right Now: Albany International Corp (AIN)

Albany International Corp., incorporated in 1895, is an advanced textile and material processing company. The Companys business is a producer of custom-designed fabrics and belts essential to paper and paperboard production. The consumable fabrics are used to manufacture all grades of paper from lightweight paper to heavyweight containerboard. The Company has five segments: Paper Machine Clothing segment (PMC), Engineered Composites (AEC), Albany Door Systems (ADS), Engineered Fabrics (EF) and PrimaLoft Products. Albany International supplies the worldwide pulp and paper industry, as well as other process industries, with technologically advanced structured materials and related services. The Company maintains manufacturing facilities in Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States. On January 11, 2012, the Company sold its assets in the Albany Door Systems (ADS) segment to ASS A ABLOY AB.

Paper Machine Clothing

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Paper Machine Clothing (PMC) segment accounted for 81% of its total revenues. The Company designs, manufactures, and markets paper machine clothing for each section of the paper machine. PMC consists of permeable and non-permeable continuous belts of custom-designed and custom-manufactured engineered fabrics that are installed on paper machines and carry the paper stock through each stage of the paper production process. PMC products are consumable products of technologically design that utilize polymeric materials in a complex structure.

The Paper Machine Clothing segments products include forming, pressing, and dryer fabrics, and process belts. A forming fabric assists in sheet formation and conveys the very wet sheet (more than 75% water) through the forming section. Press fabrics are designed to carry the sheet through the pr! ess section, where water is pressed from the sheet as it passes through the press nip. In the dryer section, dryer fabrics manage air movement and hold the sheet against heated cylinders to enhance drying. Process belts are used in the press section to increase dryness and enhance sheet properties, as well as in other sections of the machine. The Company sells its PMC products directly to customer end-users, which are paper industry companies, some of which operate in multiple regions of the world. Its products, manufacturing processes, and distribution channels for PMC are substantially the same in each region of the world, in which the Company operates.

The Engineered Composites (AEC)

The Engineered Composites segment (AEC) provides custom-designed advanced composite structures based on technology to customers in the aerospace and defense industries. AECs is engaged in development program relates to the LEAP-X engine being developed by CFM International. Under this pr ogram, AEC is developing a family of composite parts, including fan blades, to be incorporated into the LEAP-X engine.

PrimaLoft Products segment

The PrimaLoft Products segment includes sale of insulation for outdoor clothing, gloves, footwear, sleeping bags, and home furnishings. This segment has sales operations in the United States, Europe, and Asia, through which it sells products produced by third parties. This segment also generates a portion of its income as royalties from the licensing of its intellectual property.

Engineered Fabrics segment

The Engineered Fabrics segment supplies consumable fabrics used to process paper pulp, as well as fabrics used in a range of industries other than papermaking. These other products include belts used to make non wovens, fiber cement building products, roofing shingles and corrugated sheets used in boxboard, as well as belts used in tannery and textile applications.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By S! eth Jayso! n]

  There's no foolproof way to know the future for Albany International (NYSE: AIN  ) or any other company. However, certain clues may help you see potential stumbles before they happen -- and before your stock craters as a result.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Albany International (NYSE: AIN  ) reported earnings on May 1. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Albany International met expectations on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

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

Top Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Own For 2016

Top Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Own For 2016: Wartsila Oyj Abp (WRT1V.HE)

Wartsila Oyj Abp is a Finland-based company. Its operations are divided into four segments: Power Plants, Ship Power, Services and PowerTech. The Power Plants segment offers multi-fuel solutions for power generation markets, such as gas power plants, dual-fuel power plants, oil power plants and liquid biofuel power plants, among others. The Ship Power segment offers a range of products and services to both shipyards and ship owners, such as medium-speed and low-speed engines, seals and bearings, automation systems, ship design and ballast water treatment systems, among others. The Services segment offers solutions, such as basic support, installation and commissioning, performance optimization and upgrades, among others. The PowerTech segment comprises research and development for medium-speed engines and other operations, with a focus on gas, environmental solutions and Smart Power Generation drives. It has operations in more than 160 locations in over 70 countries around th e world. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Wall var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(fu]

  The British company tried to strengthen its maritime engine business through a $10 billion takeover of Finlands W盲rtsil盲 Oyj (WRT1V.HE) which rebuffed Rolls-Royce’s preliminary approach. The attempted acquisition of a company of that size surprised investors who hadnt realized expansion was on managements agenda so soon after its full takeover of Tognum, a German engineering company originally acquired in partnership with Daimler.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-industrial-conglomerate-stocks-to-own-for-2016.html

Hot US Stocks To Invest In Right Now

In the wake of his rock star reception at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 28, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphatically announced to our nation's top corporate and political leaders that India is now open for business.

Between Sept. 26 and 30, he met with not only U.S. President Barack Obama and other high-profile politicians, but also the chief executive officers of some of our nation's largest and most successful companies: Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG, GOOGL), The Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA), PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:
PEP), and General Electric Co. (NYSE:
GE), among others.

The only thing missing was a ribbon-cutting ceremony.�

Although U.S. Global Investors Inc. typically doesn't invest in India, the country has recently found itself in the driver's seat of global resources demand and production. This is a tailwind for our Global Resources Fund (MUTF: PSPFX), which maintains heavy exposure in the industries that India will increasingly need to support its more than 1.25 billion (and counting) citizens: oil and gas, chemicals, energy services and infrastructure, precious metals, and food.

10 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch For 2016: Miller/Howard High Income Equity Fund (HIE)

Miller/Howard Fund (the Fund) is a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company. The Fund�� primary investment objective is to provide a high level of income from dividends, distributions and interest. As a secondary objective, the Fund seeks capital appreciation. The Fund focuses to invest in a portfolio of equity securities generating high income with an emphasis on dividend growth. The Fund focuses to invest primarily in securities of United States companies and in holdings of non-United States companies traded on United States exchanges, such as through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in securities of master limited partnerships (MLPs), generally in the energy sector. Miller/Howard Investments, Inc. serves as the Fund�� investment advisor (the Investment Advisor). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Richard Cox]

  During periods of heightened volatility in equity markets, income strategies become much more appropriate. �This approach offers investors added yield protection that can make it much easier to survive any bearish downturns that might be seen in the benchmark stock indices. �One of the newest selections in this space can be found in the Miller/Howard High Income Equity Fund (NYSE:HIE), which offers access to an expertly managed portfolio of high-yielding stocks with solid potential for long-term dividend growth. �

Hot US Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Ecotality Inc.(ECTY)

ECOtality, INC., through its subsidiaries, provides clean electric transportation and storage technologies in the United States and internationally. It offers electric vehicle supply equipment for on-road vehicular applications under the Blink name; and advanced fast-charge systems for material handling, airport ground support equipment, and various motive applications under the Minit-Charger name, as well as engages in the development, manufacture, assembly, and sale of specialty solar products, advanced battery systems, and hydrogen and fuel cell systems. The company also provides testing, engineering, and consulting services, including the advanced vehicle testing activities; the EV Micro-Climate process, a planning and consulting program for municipal planning organizations and utilities; bridge power manager systems; and EV network management and software solutions. In addition, it offers energy engineering services comprising hydrogen, solar, battery, coal gasificati on, and energy delivery infrastructure; hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle conversions; industrial battery systems; specialty solar solutions; specialty thin-sealed lead battery products; and third-party hydrogen and education related products. Further, the company operates an online retail store that provides a range of fuel cell products, such as fuel cell stacks, systems, component parts, and educational materials. It serves commercial, industrial, institutional, governmental, and utility sector consumers. The company was formerly known as Alchemy Enterprises, Ltd. and changed its name to ECOtality, Inc. in November 2006. ECOtality, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  About ECOtality

  ECOtality, Inc. (Nasdaq:ECTY), headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies. Through innovation, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships, ECOtality accelerates the market applicability of advanced electric technologies to replace carbon-based fuels. For more information about ECOtality, please visit www.ecotality.com.

  Forward-Looking Statements

Hot US Stocks To Invest In Right Now: iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI)

iShares Lehman 3-7 Year Treasury Bond Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the intermediate-term sector of the United States Treasury market as defined by the Lehman Brothers 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Index (the Index). The Index includes all publicly issued the United States Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to three years and less than seven years, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. In addition, the securities must be denominated in United States dollars, and must be fixed-rate and non-convertible securities. Excluded from the Index are certain special issues, such as flower bonds, targeted investor notes, and state and local government series bonds, and coupon issues that have been stripped from assets that are already included in the Index.

The Index is a market capitalization-weighted index. The Fund invests in a representative sample of the securities in the Index, which has a similar investment profile as the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisor.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Donald van Deventer]

  Shorter-duration Treasury Exchange-Traded Funds: (SHY), (SHV), (IEI), (BIL), (TUZ), (FIVZ), (DTUL), (VGSH), (DTUS), (DFVS), (DFVL), (SST), (ISTB), (TBZ).

Hot US Stocks To Invest In Right Now: First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund (FGB)

First Trust Speciality Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund, formerly First Trust/Gallatin Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund, is a non-diversified, closed-end fund that seeks a high level of current income. The Fund�� secondary objective is to seek total return. The Fund will seek to achieve its investment objectives by investing at least 80% of its managed assets in a portfolio of securities of specialty finance and other financial companies that offer opportunities for income and capital appreciation. The Fund will invest at least 25% of its total assets in securities of companies within industries in the financial sector. First Trust Advisors L.P. (First Trust Advisors) is the Fund's investment adviser.

Specialty finance companies provide capital or financing to businesses and consumers within specified market segments. Specialty finance companies often engage in asset-based and other forms of non-traditional financing activities. The Fund intends to invest primarily in business development company�� (BDC) shares, which are trading in the secondary market on a United States securities exchange but may, in certain circumstances, invest in an initial public offering of BDC shares or invest in certain debt instruments issued by BDCs. The Fund is not limited with respect to the specific types of real estate investment trusts (REITs), in which it invests and intends to invest primarily in REIT shares, which are trading in the secondary market on a United States securities exchange but may, in certain circumstances, invest in an initial public offering of REIT shares or invest in certain debt instruments issued by REITs.

The Fund may invest in commercial mortgage-related securities issued by corporations. These are securities that represent an interest in, or are secured by, mortgage loans secured by commercial property, such as industrial and warehouse properties, office buildings, retail space and shopping malls, multi-family properties and cooperati! ve apartments, hotels and motels, nursing homes, hospitals, and senior living centers. Other mortgage-related securities, in which the Fund may invest include mortgage pass-through securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals (other than residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits), stripped mortgage-backed securities (SMBSs) and other securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property. The Fund may invest in other types of asset-backed securities that are offered in the marketplace. Other asset-backed securities may be collateralized by the fees earned by service providers.

The principal industry groups of financial companies include banks, savings institutions, brokerage firms, investment management companies, insurance companies, holding companies of the foregoing, and companies that provide related services to such companies. Banks and savings institutions provide services to customers such as demand, savings and time deposit accounts and a variety of lending and related services. Brokerage firms provide services to customers in connection with the purchase and sale of securities.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shaji Mathew]

  JPMorgan also raised the price estimate of First Gulf Bank, (FGB) its top pick among banks in the Middle East and North Africa, to 18 dirhams from 13.50 dirhams. The overweight recommendation was maintained. The stock has risen 25 percent this year to 14.55 dirhams last week.

Hot US Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Primoris Services Corporation(PRIM)

Primoris Services Corporation, a specialty contractor and infrastructure company, provides a range of construction, fabrication, maintenance, replacement, water and wastewater, and product engineering services in the United States and internationally. It offers construction services, including installation of underground pipeline, cable, and conduits for entities in the petroleum, petrochemical, and water industries; installation and maintenance of industrial facilities for petroleum, petrochemical, and water industries; installation of commercial and industrial cast-in-place structures; and construction of highways, as well as industrial and environmental constructions. The company also engages in designing, supplying, and installing high-performance furnaces, heaters, burner management systems, and related combustion and process technologies for clients in the oil refining, petrochemical, and power generation industries, as well as furnishes turnkey project management se rvices and delivers custom engineering solutions. It serves public utilities, petrochemical companies, energy companies, municipalities, state departments of transportation, and other customers. Primoris Services Corporation is based in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon] ris is a contractor and infrastructure company founded in 1946. It provides services related to construction fabrication, maintenance, replacement, water and wastewater and engineering to clients that are typically major public utilities, petrochemical companies, energy companies, municipalities and others. It doubled its size in 2009 and 2010 when it purchased the James Construction Group and Rockford Corporation, respectively. Primoris��predecessor company, Rhapsody acquisition Corp., had its IPO in 2006, and Primoris merged with Rhapsody in 2008.

  Joel Greenblatt bought 59,076 shares at an average price of $13.56 in the fourth quarter. After being relatively flat since its IPO, Primoris��stock price began to rise dramatically in 2011, and Greenblatt bought on a dip in the fourth quarter. In the last year it has appreciated 87 percent.

  Primoris��free cash flow and revenue in 2010 bounced back from a down year in 2009 and EBITDA grew each year in the same span of time. Return on equity and return on assets have both declined over the three years, but in the third quarter of 2011 came back strongly. ROE increased to 29.3 percent from 16.1 at year-end 2010, and ROA has increased to 11.4 percent from 4.8 percent at year-end 2010.

  The third quarter was good in other ways. The company reached its highest revenue and net income in its 60-year history. However, fluctuations in revenue and earnings may occur over the next several quarters as it completes several major projects. On November 30, it announced $181 million in new contracts.

  Primoris��P/E, P/S and P/B ratios:

  PRIM pe,ps,pb Interactive Chart

  Caribou Coffee (CBOU)

  Caribou Coffee is a gourmet coffee company that owns the second-largest number of coffeehouses in the U.S. After rising significantly in the second quarter of 2011, its stock price dropped in the fourth quarter, when Joel Greenblatt purchased it. He bought 52,794 shares at an average price of $13.27.

Hot US Stocks To Invest In Right Now: WellCare Helath Plans Inc.(WCG)

WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides managed care services for government-sponsored health care programs in the United States. The company offers Medicaid plans, including plans for beneficiaries of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs; Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs; and ABD programs and state-based programs, such as Children?s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) and Family Health Plus (FHP) programs for qualifying families who are not eligible for Medicaid. The TANF program provides assistance to low-income families with children; and ABD and SSI programs provide assistance to low-income aged, blind, or disabled individuals. It also provides Medicare, a federal health insurance program; Medicare Advantage, a Medicare?s managed care alternative to original Medicare that provides individuals standard Medicare benefits directly through Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; and coordinated care plans, which are administered through health m aintenance organizations and require members to seek health care services and select a primary care physician from a network of health care providers. In addition, the company provides prescription drug plans comprising the Medicare Part D program that offers national in-network prescription drug coverage to Medicare-eligible beneficiaries. As of December 31, 2011, it served approximately 2,562,000 members. WellCare Health Plans, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  Dara Biosciences Inc.(DARA) signed a Medicare Part D prescription drug reimbursement agreement with Wellcare Health Plans Inc.(WCG), providing its Soltamox breast-cancer drug with access to the managed-care company’s extensive network. The pharmaceutical company’s shares rose 19% to $3.45 premarket.

• [By Sue Chang]

  WellCare Health Plans Inc. (WCG) �is likely to post earnings of $1.51 a share in the third quarter.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Friday’s session are WellCare Health Plans Inc.(WCG), First Solar Inc.(FSLR) and Ellie Mae Inc.(ELLI)

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  WellCare Health Plans (WCG) has fallen 4.4% to $59.50 after the health insurer missed earnings forecasts and offered disappointed guidance for 2014.