Hot Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now

Beginning investors often assume that when the overall stock market is hovering near the flatline, there's nothing important going on in the business world. For instance, looking at this afternoon's levels for major market benchmarks, it looks as though many traders have given up and gone home for the weekend, with the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) up just nine points as of 1:20 p.m. EDT. With none of the Dow's components making particularly abrupt moves, news concerning those blue chips isn't having much impact on share prices today.

But if you expand your view of the market, you'll find plenty of big movers and more interesting goings-on. OmniVision Technologies (NASDAQ: OVTI  ) is the big winner this afternoon, soaring more than 19% in the wake of last night's positive earnings report. OmniVision said its cost-reduction strategy had started to bear fruit, revealing a combination of favorable results for its most recent quarter and expectation-beating guidance for the current quarter. In the long run, OmniVision has to demonstrate its ability to keep its image-sensor chips in the most popular smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. So far, though, investors are content with the growth they've seen.

Hot Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now: Apple Inc.(AAPL)

Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Fowlkes]

  Tech-giant Apple (AAPL) has seen its shares take a serious beating in recent months, but we believe the selloff has just about reached its end. The underlying fundamentals remain strong and we expect to see several new products next year. The concerns that have led to the recent sell off are real, but at the same time not as material as some would like you to believe. A big concern is theslowing of its earnings growth. Last year it had 100% earnings growth, but that has dropped to 23% this year.

  You need to ask yourself, considering Apple’s size, is a 23% jump in earnings growth really a bad thing? Apple has become a victim of its own success, and is having a hard time keeping up with its past successes. This does not mean the company is in trouble, it just means that investors need to have a more realistic view of the company’s business. Once the current panic subsides, we believe investors will come back to the stock, and realize that it is a great value with its current P/E of just 12.

Hot Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now: Visa Inc.(V)

Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Holmes]

  Company Profile: Visa is the global credit card company.

  Share Price: $95.69 (Dec. 6)

  2011 Return: 36%

  Investment Thesis: "Visa is well-positioned to continue to capitalize on the electronic payments secular growth trend," William Blair analysts write of Visa, noting that secular growth of electronic payments is expected to average 10% to 12% globally over the next several years.

  The analysts also say that Visa also enjoys very high incremental margins, which contributes to the company's attractive margin profile (59% in fiscal 2011) and strong free cash flow.

  "Visa has a strong balance sheet and generates strong cash flow," the analysts write. "Visa had about $4.1 billion of cash and investments, $2.9 billion of litigation reserves, and no debt on its balance sheet as of Sept. 30, 2011. Guidance calls for more than $4 billion of free cash flow in fiscal 2012."

Top 5 Consumer Stocks To Buy Right Now: Colgate-Palmolive Company(CL)

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. It offers oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouth rinses, as well as dental floss and pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals; personal care products, such as liquid hand soap, shower gels, bar soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, and conditioners; and home care products comprising laundry and dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, bleaches, dishwashing liquids, and oil soaps. The company offers its oral, personal, and home care products under the Colgate Total, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate 360 Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ChuckCarlson]

  Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL), together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. The company has raised distributions for 48 years in a row. The 10 year annual dividend growth rate is 12.40%/year. The last dividend increase was 9.40% to 58 cents/share. Analysts are expecting that Colgate Palmolive will earn $5.52/share in 2012. I expect that the quarterly dividend will be raised to 64 cents/share in 2012. Yield: 2.60%

• [By Louis Navellier]

  Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) is a staple of consumer products, selling its oral, personal, home care and pet nutrition products in over 200 countries. A nice year-to-date return of 16% has helped keep Colgate stock holders happy all year.

Hot Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now: Chevron Corporation(CVX)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chuck Carlson]

  Chevron provides administrative, financial, management and technology support to the United States and international subsidiaries that engage in petroleum operations, chemicals operations, mining operations, power generation and energy services. Cramer holds 500 shares of CVX stocks. CVX has a dividend yield of 3.21% and returned 10.91% since the beginning of this year. It has a market cap of $195.53B and a P/E ratio of 8.52. Phill Gross and Robert Atchinson invested over $300 million in CVX.

• [By Hawkinvest]

  Chevron Corporation (CVX) is a leading integrated energy company with exposure to oil, natural gas, refining, etc. This could be one of the most undervalued stocks in the market. Chevron pays a dividend that beats many other stock and bond yields, plus it has a below market price to earnings ratio of about 8 times earnings. The average stock in the S&P 500 Index currently trades for over 12 times earnings. If oil prices continue to rise, the already healthy profit estimates for Chevron might be too low. With oil prices showing strength this early in the season, Chevron could be poised to beat earnings in the coming months. However, the stock is trading at the upper end of the recent trading range. Recently, it has been possible to buy this stock at about $102 per share, so waiting for dips could pay off.

  Here are some key points for CVX:

  Current share price: $104.25

  The 52 week range is $85.63 to $110.01

  Earnings estimates for 2012: $12.66 per share

  Earnings estimates for 2013: $13.20 per share

  Annual dividend: $3.42 per share which yields 3.1%

Hot Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)

McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Martin]

  The company is one of the world’s most recognized brands. The Golden Arches has locations all over the world. McDonald’s has managed to continually reinvent itself and its menu, and delivered strong shareholder returns in the process. However, it is lagging behind Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM) in China, which is a key market for growth. While the 10-year dividend growth rate is at 26%, I expect distribution growth over the next decade to average 10%.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch For 2014

Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX  ) may have the wrong approach to creating a buzz around its original programming. Since it releases entire seasons all at once, it encourages binge viewing and causes viewers to watch the show at their own pace. Ultimately, this delivery method could be taking away from the so-called water cooler effect, where word of mouth helps drive new viewers. In this video, Fool contributor Steve Heller examines whether in fact Netflix's approach is all wrong and wonders if it could be doing a disservice to investors.

The tumultuous performance of Netflix shares since the summer of 2011 has caused headaches for many devoted shareholders. While the company's first-mover status is often viewed as a competitive advantage, the opportunities in streaming media have brought some new, deep-pocketed rivals looking for their piece of a growing pie. Can Netflix fend off this burgeoning competition, and will its international growth aspirations really pay off? These are must-know issues for investors, which is why The Motley Fool has released a premium report on Netflix. Inside, you'll learn about the key opportunities and risks facing the company, as well as reasons to buy or sell the stock. The report includes a full year of updates to cover critical new developments, so make sure to click here and claim a copy today.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch For 2014: The Advisory Board Company(ABCO)

The Advisory Board Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of best practices research and analysis, business intelligence and software tools, and management and advisory services primarily in the United States. The company offers various programs and services, including best practices research services that focus on identifying best-demonstrated management practices, critiquing widely-followed but ineffective practices, and analyzing emerging trends in the health care and education industries; business intelligence and software tools, which allow members to pair their own operational data with the best practices insights; and management and advisory services programs for assisting member institutions to adopt and implement best practices to enhance performance. As of June 30, 2011, it provided 51 distinct membership programs to hospitals, health systems, colleges, universities, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, health care insurers, medical de vice and supply companies, and other educational institutions. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Washington, District of Columbia.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch For 2014: 3M Company(MMM)

3M Company, together with subsidiaries, operates as a diversified technology company worldwide. The company?s Industrial and Transportation segment offers tapes, coated and non-woven abrasives, adhesives, specialty materials, filtration products, energy control products, closure systems for personal hygiene products, acoustic systems products, and components and products that are used in the manufacture, repair, and maintenance of automotive, marine, aircraft, and specialty vehicles. Its Health Care segment provides medical and surgical supplies, skin health and infection prevention products, inhalation and transdermal drug delivery systems, dental and orthodontic products, health information systems, and food safety products. The company?s Display and Graphics offers optical film solutions for LCD electronic displays; computer screen filters; reflective sheeting for transportation safety; commercial graphics sheeting and systems; and mobile interactive solutions, includin g mobile display technology, visual systems products, and computer privacy filters. The company?s Consumer and Office segment provides office supply products, stationery products, construction and home improvement products, home care products, protective material products, certain consumer retail personal safety products, and consumer health care products. Its Safety, Security and Protection Services segment offers personal protection products, safety and security products, cleaning and protection products for commercial establishments, track and trace solutions, and roofing granules for asphalt shingles. The company?s Electro and Communications segment provides packaging and interconnection devices; fluids that are used in the manufacture of computer chips, and for cooling electronics and lubricating computer hard disk drives; high-temperature and display tapes; insulating materials, including tapes and resins; and related items. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Carlson]

  The shares closed at $73.99, up $1.09, or 1.5%, on the day. Its market capitalization is $52.50 billion. About the company: 3M Co. conducts operations in electronics, telecommunications, industrial, consumer and office, health care, safety, and other markets. The Company’s businesses share technologies, manufacturing operations, brands, marketing channels, and other resources. 3M serves customers in countries located around the world.

• [By Jim Cramer,TheStreet]

  The disappointing analyst meeting and the negative previous quarter haunt this stock going into 2011. But if you are like me and believe there will be worldwide growth, you would be nuts not to consider buying this 13% grower for just 15 times earnings. 3M (MMM) has got so much going for it in Asia and has so many new businesses -- it remains the most potent inventor of new products among the major companies I follow -- that I think it will drift back up to its 52-week high of $91, if not higher. Perhaps $100, which I think is my stretch goal, given its $6.16 in composite EPS estimates.

  Why $100? I think the dollar gets weaker, and this is one of the most sensitive companies to the greenback, which means that $6.16 could be too low. Cheap stock that's in the penalty box because of the ever-so-slight shade down of earnings, a shade down that, when I analyze the company, is something that will be left behind in 2011.

• [By Elmerraji]

  3M Company (MMM), together with subsidiaries, operates as a diversified technology company worldwide. The company has raised distributions for 53 years in a row. The 10 year annual dividend growth rate is 6.10%/year. The last dividend increase was 4.80% to 55 cents/share. Analysts are expecting that 3M will earn $6.33/share in 2012. I expect that the quarterly dividend will be raised to 57.50 cents/share sometime in 2012. Yield: 2.60%

Top 10 Penny Companies For 2014: Community Financial Corp.(CFFC)

Community Financial Corporation operates as the holding company for Community Bank that provides various banking products and services in the counties of Virginia. It offers deposit products that include passbook and statement accounts, NOW and Super NOW accounts, including non-interest bearing accounts, money market accounts, 6 month and 91 day certificates, one- to five-year fixed-rate certificates, and interest and non-interest checking accounts. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial and multi-family real estate loans, real estate construction and commercial business loans, and one- to four-family residential real estate loans; and consumer loans, including new and used automobile loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, deposit accounts, and installment and demand loans. It operates two branch offices in Staunton and Virginia Beach, Virginia; and one branch office in Waynesboro, Stuart Drafts, Raphine, Verona, Lexington, Harrisonburg, and Buena Vista, Virginia. The company was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Staunton, Virginia.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch For 2014: PFB Corporation (PFBOF)

PFB Corporation (PFB) is a Canada-based company. The Company, together with its subsidiaries, is engaged in the manufacturing of insulating building products made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) materials and marketing these products in North America. Its main brands include PlastiSpan EPS Product Solutions; Advantage ICFS, Insulspan SIPS, Riverbend Timber Framing and Precision Craft. Expandable polystyrene resin is manufactured at PFB�� polymer plant located in Crossfield, Alberta, for use in downstream EPS manufacturing operations. Plasti-Fab EPS Product Solutions supply the EPS foam core material used to manufacture Insulspan SIPS. Riverbend Timber Framing structures are typically sold with an accompanying Insulspan SIPS enclosure package. Advantage ICF Systems are insulating concrete forming systems that are employed to build insulated foundations and walls from concrete in both residential and commercial markets. On February 1, 2011, the Company acquired Precision Craft Group. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Konrad]

  PFB is a leading North American manufacturer of expanded polystyrene (EPS, aka "Styrofoam") building products such as insulated concrete forms and structural insulated panels.  The stock trades infrequently, and did not trade at all on December 28th, so I will be using the midpoint of the bid and ask for the purpose of measuring its return over the coming year.  At $5.53, PFB pays a 5.75% annual yield.
  
  The stock price has fallen significantly after the planned purchase of NOVA Chemicals' Performance Styrenics business as a move towards vertical integration with the acquisition of the EPS manufacturer.  This deal fell though, and many investors sold the stock, driving it down from the mid $7 range to the mid $5 range where it is today.   Already a good value, PFB stands to gain from continued recovery in the housing market or any increase in investor recognition.  However, since the stock is so illiquid, larger investors will probably want to substitute one of my upcoming alternative picks for PFB, while small investors should limit themselves to good-til-cancelled limit orders to avoid paying over the odds for their shares.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch For 2014: Cross Country Healthcare Inc.(CCRN)

Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. provides healthcare staffing and outsourcing services to the healthcare market in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Asia. The company?s Nurse and Allied Staffing segment provides nurse and allied staffing services; healthcare professionals in various specialties, such as operating room and radiology technicians, rehabilitation and respiratory therapists, radiation therapy technicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants; and registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nurse assistants for per diem assignments. This segment markets its nurse and allied staffing services primarily to acute care hospitals, health systems, public and private healthcare facilities, and for-profit and not-for-profit facilities under the Cross Country TravCorps, MedStaff Healthcare Solutions, NovaPro, Cross Country Local, CRU-48, Allied Health Group, and Assignment America names. Its Physician Staffing segment offers temporary physici an staffing services. The company?s Clinical Trial Services segment provides contract staffing and outsourcing, drug safety monitoring, and regulatory consulting services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies, as well as contract research organization customers under the ClinForce, Assent, and AKOS brands. Its Other Human Capital Management Services segment offers education and training, as well as retained search services primarily related to physicians, allied health, and healthcare executives. The company was formerly known as Cross Country, Inc. and changed its name to Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. in May 2003. Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch For 2014: Abacus Mining & Exploration Cor (AME.V)

Abacus Mining & Exploration Corporation, an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. The company, through a 20% interest in KGHM Ajax Mining Inc., holds a 20% interest in the feasibility stage Ajax copper-gold project located near Kamloops, British Columbia. Abacus Mining & Exploration Corporation was founded in 1983 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch For 2014: Bold Ventures Inc (BOL.V)

Bold Ventures Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of mineral properties. The company primarily explores for nickel, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and chromium. Its projects include the Ring of Fire properties in Ontario; and the Lac Grasset, Lac Blondel, Lac Agisko, and Joutel projects in the Abitibi Greenstone belt of northwestern Quebec. The company was formerly known as Hydra-Max Industries Ltd. and changed its name to Bold Ventures Inc. in April 2006 to reflect a change in the focus of its principal business to the exploration of mineral interests. Bold Ventures Inc. was incorporated in 1989 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch For 2014: Tesoro Petroleum Corporation(TSO)

Tesoro Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in refining and marketing petroleum products in the United States. It operates in two segments, Refining and Retail. The Refining segment refines crude oil and other feed stocks into transportation fuels, such as gasoline, gasoline blendstocks, jet fuel, and diesel fuel, as well as other products, including heavy fuel oils, liquefied petroleum gas, petroleum coke, and asphalt. This segment also sells refined products in the wholesale market primarily through independent unbranded distributors; and in the bulk market primarily to independent unbranded distributors, other refining and marketing companies, utilities, railroads, airlines and marine, and industrial end-users. It owns and operates 7 refineries with a combined crude oil capacity of 665 thousand barrels per day. The Retail segment sells gasoline, diesel fuel, and convenience store items through company-operated retail stations, and third-party branded dea lers and distributors in the western United States. As of December 31, 2011, this segment had 1,175 branded retail stations under the Tesoro, Shell, and USA Gasoline brands. The company was formerly known as Tesoro Petroleum Corporation and changed its name to Tesoro Corporation in November 2004. Tesoro Corporation was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch For 2014: Littelfuse Inc.(LFUS)

Littelfuse, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells circuit protection devices for use in the automotive, electronic, and electrical markets in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. The company offers electronic circuit protection products, such as fuses and protectors, positive temperature coefficient resettable fuses, varistors, polymer electrostatic discharge suppressors, discrete transient voltage suppression diodes, TVS diode arrays and protection thyristors, gas discharge tubes, and power switching components, as well as fuseholders, blocks, and related accessories under PICO II, and NANO2 SMF, TECCOR, SIDACtor, and Battrax brand names. It offers its electronic circuit protection products for use in wireless telephones, consumer electronics, computers, modems, telecommunications equipment, telephones, data transmission lines, and alarm systems. The company also provides automotive fuses that are used in automobiles, trucks, buses, and off-road equipment to protec t electrical circuits and the wires that supply electrical power to operate lights, heating, air conditioning, radios, windows, and other controls, as well as offers fuses for the protection of electric and hybrid vehicles. It markets its automotive fuse products under ATO, MINI, MAXI, MIDI, MEGA, MasterFuse, JCASE, and CablePro brand names. In addition, Littelfuse manufactures various low-voltage and medium-voltage circuit protection products, such as power fuses that are used in the protection from over-load and short-circuit currents in motor branch circuits, heating and cooling systems, control systems, lighting circuits, and electrical distribution networks to electrical distributors and their customers in the construction, original equipment manufacturers, and industrial maintenance and repair and operating supplies markets. Littelfuse sells its products through direct sales force and manufacturers? representatives. The company was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch For 2014: African Metals Corp. (AFR.V)

African Metals Corporation engages in the exploration of mineral properties in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It primarily focuses on the discovery and development of copper and cobalt deposits in the Katanga Copper Belt. The company holds a 57% interest in the Luisha South project, which consists of approximately 16.2 square kilometers and is located to the northwest of Lubumbashi, the Democratic Republic of Congo. African Metals Corporation was incorporated in 1980 and is based in Surrey, Canada.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Buy Right Now

Last week, Ceres held its annual conference in San Francisco. The sustainability advocacy organization brings together representatives from non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, major institutional investors, and corporations to discuss climate change and its impacts on economies and the world. Coinciding with the conference, several big companies added their support for climate change policy by signing a public declaration.

Ceres has formed a splinter coalition, Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy, or BICEP, which seeks to work with policymakers to pass energy and climate legislation and hurry the shift to a low-carbon economy for modern America. BICEP's Climate Declaration is a vow to coordinate efforts to combat climate change through policy.

Declarations and the drive to change
Already, 40 companies have signed on to the declaration, including Starbucks, eBay, Seventh Generation, Annie's, and Patagonia.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: BT Group plc (BT)

BT Group plc provides communications solutions and services worldwide. It engages in the provision of networked IT services; and local, national, and international telecommunications services for use at home, at work, and on the move. The company also offers broadband and Internet products in the United Kingdom (U.K.), as well as TV and converged fixed/mobile services. It operates in four segments: BT Global Services, BT Retail, BT Wholesale, and Openreach. The BT Global Services segment provides managed networked IT services to multinational corporations, domestic businesses, and national and local government organizations. The BT Retail segment offers broadband, telephony, and TV services, as well IT and telephony for small to medium sized businesses in the United Kingdom. It also provides video and telephone conferencing, CCTV, and alarm systems. This segment serves corporate, small and medium enterprises, consumer, and wholesale markets in the U.K., the Republic of Ire land, and Northern Ireland. The BT Wholesale segment provides voice, broadband, and data communications services, including managed services for fixed and mobile network operators, Internet service providers, and telecoms resellers in the U.K. The Openreach segment connects communications providers? customers to their local telephone exchange, giving them access to the U.K. network. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was founded in 1981 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: Shell Villages & Resorts Ltd (SVC.AX)

SVC Group Limited engages in the development of retirement villages in Australia. It also focuses on developing residential subdivisions, and senior living and affordable housing projects. The company was formerly known as Shell Villages and Resorts Limited and changed its name to SVC Group Limited in August 2011. SVC Group Limited is based in Sydney, Australia.

Top 5 Small Cap Companies To Invest In 2014: Tennant Company(TNC)

Tennant Company engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing cleaning solutions worldwide. The company offers floor maintenance and outdoor cleaning equipment; chemical-free cleaning technologies; and specialty surface coatings and related products for protecting, repairing, and upgrading floors. Its products are used to clean and coat surfaces in factories, office buildings, parking lots and streets, airports, hospitals, schools, warehouses, shopping centers, and other retail environments. The company also provides parts, consumables, and service maintenance and repair; business solutions, such as pay-for-use offerings, and rental and leasing programs; and cleaning technologies that enhance the performance of its cleaning equipment. In addition, it offers Green Machine 500ze, an electric vacuum street sweeper to clean crowded urban areas. The company serves building service contract cleaners, end-user businesses, healthcare facilities, and schools, as well as local, state, and federal governments through its direct sales and service organization, and authorized distributors. Tennant Company was founded in 1870 and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: Rockridge Capital Corp (RRC.V)

Rockridge Capital Corp., a gold exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Africa. It holds a 100% interest in the Fatou gold project that covers an area of approximately 250 square kilometers in southern Mali, west Africa. The company was founded in 2007 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: Accelrys Inc.(ACCL)

Accelrys, Inc. develops and commercializes scientific business intelligence software and solutions in the United States, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers Pipeline Pilot, Accelrys enterprise R&D platform, which allows users to aggregate, integrate, and mine structured and unstructured scientific data, such as chemical structures, biological sequences, and complex digital images; and filters, normalizes, and performs statistical analysis on the scientific data and provides visual reports to scientists and scientific managers. It also provides computer aided design modeling and simulation software that allows scientists to perform computations of chemical, biological, and materials properties to simulate, visualize, and analyze chemical and biological systems, as well as communicate the results to other scientists; and data management and informatics software to capture, store, manage, and mine scientific data information. In addition, the company offers Enter prise Lab Notebook, which provides a digital environment to plan, execute, record, store, back-up, and share daily research activities; lab execution systems; and content databases to support research activities through a collection of factual databases and reference works. Further, it provides software wrappers that allows customers to run their own algorithms on the company?s R&D platform; enterprise-wide informatics systems, which integrate customers? internal systems with software from various vendors; contract research services; onsite training and implementation, Web-based training, and data migration services; and support services. The company serves pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, energy, chemicals, aerospace, consumer packaged goods, and industrial product industries, as well as government and academic entities through direct sales force, telesales, and distributors. Accelrys, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Is Boeing About to Lose Its C-17 Military Transport Contract?

Great news! Wars in the Middle East are winding down. Unfortunately, they're shifting to other parts of Asia. Still, wars mean a need for military equipment, and for defense contractors that means profits -- usually, that's accompanied by a boost to stock value. However, for Boeing's (NYSE: BA  ) C-17 U.S. military transport contract, the shift from the Middle East to other parts of Asia is not proving lucrative. Here's what you need to know.

Source: Matthew Hannen, via Wikimedia Commons. 

The money is running dry
Defense spending is being slashed left and right, which means the Pentagon is making hard decisions when it comes to military needs. Currently, there are a number of programs that the Pentagon is unwilling to sacrifice, such as Lockheed Martin's (NYSE: LMT  ) F-35 fighter, Huntington Ingalls Industries' (NYSE: HII  ) CVN-78 aircraft carrier, and Northrop Grumman's (NYSE: NOC  ) RQ-4 Global Hawk drones -- good news for these guys. Then, there are other programs that the Pentagon has deemed less critical. That includes Boeing's C-17 contract.

Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst with the Teal Group, said about the C-17, "The growth drivers are there, but the economic resources are not." Boeing's U.S. military C-17 contract is slated to end in 2014, and while the need for military transports is still there -- in fact. it's growing -- the money needed for the transports, is not. Consequently, a renewal for the C-17 contract doesn't look promising.

Oversees spending to the rescue?
With U.S. defense spending cuts looking to take a bite out of C-17 profits, oversees spending has become more important. Last week, Boeing delivered the first in an order of 10 C-17s, to India -- a contract worth a reported $1.78 billion. Additionally, Boeing's vice president of business development for mobility, surveillance, and engagement, Tommy Dunehew, stated that "five to six" new countries have shown interest in purchasing the C-17. 

The India deal, and expressed interest from other countries, is great for Boeing. However, Boeing rival EADS' (NASDAQOTH: EADSY  ) Airbus seems to be making progress with its troubled military transport plane, the A400. That could result in more competition for overseas sales.  

So far, the A400 is four years behind schedule, and billions over budget because of a number of issues, but according to Airbus' Flight-test engineer, Eric Isorce, those issues have been solved. Boeing maintains that it doesn't see the A400 as a competitor, but considering that Airbus already has 170 orders to countries across Europe and plans to "aggressively" market the A400 to the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America, as soon as the A400 comes online, Boeing may want to take notice.  

Set your sights on the horizon
Defense spending has to decrease; that's the reality of the sequestration. For Boeing, that may mean the end of its C-17 contract with the U.S. military. Still, there are lots of overseas opportunities that could prove lucrative to Boeing's bottom line. But as always, Boeing's chief rival, Airbus, is looking to be the recipient of those profits.

With the American markets reaching new highs, investors and pundits alike are skeptical about future growth. They shouldn't be. Many global regions are still stuck in neutral, and their resurgence could result in windfall profits for select companies. A recent Motley Fool report, "3 Strong Buys for a Global Economic Recovery" outlines three companies that could take off when the global economy gains steam. Click here to read the full report!

Top 5 Paper Stocks To Watch Right Now

Yesterday, JPMorgan Chase� (NYSE: JPM  ) shares closed above the $50 mark for the first time since March. With its recent spat of legal demons rearing their ugly heads, and a contentious shareholder vote in the near future, the bank seems to be gaining despite serious headwinds. The bull market yesterday certainly pushed the bank higher, but the same cannot be said for today. While the major indexes are down an hour into trading, the bank is up by 0.59%.

Legal battles
The most recent lawsuit against JPMorgan comes from California, where it is alleged that the bank used robo-signing to cut corners while handling home foreclosures. So basically, bank employees were simply signing off (electronically) on paperwork that they hadn't actually reviewed. And while the lawsuit is in the early stages, this is just one more instance of new issues popping up for a bank that many had thought was above the fray.

Top 5 Paper Stocks To Watch Right Now: Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund(CFP)

Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund is a closed-ended equity fund of fund launched and managed by Cornerstone Advisors, Inc. The fund invests funds investing in the public equity markets of the United States. It invests in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund was formed on April 26, 2007 and is domiciled in the United States.

Top 5 Paper Stocks To Watch Right Now: Graphic Packaging Holding Co (GPK)

Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPHC), incorporated on June 21, 2007, is a provider of packaging solutions for a variety of products to food, beverage and other consumer products companies. The Company is also a producer of folding cartons and coated unbleached kraft paperboard, coated-recycled board and multi-wall bags. The Company operates in two business segments: paperboard packaging and flexible packaging. The Company�� customers include beverage, food and other consumer products industries. The Company operates in four geographic areas: the United States/Canada, Central/South America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In December 2011, the Company combined its multi-wall bag and specialty plastics packaging businesses with the kraft paper and multi-wall bag businesses of Delta Natural Kraft, LLC and Mid-America Packaging, LLC (collectively DNK), both wholly owned subsidiaries of Capital Five Investments, LLC (CVI). Under the terms of the transaction, the Company formed a company, Graphic Flexible Packaging, LLC (GFP), in which it owns 87% interest. On April 29, 2011, the Company acquired all of the assets of Sierra Pacific Packaging, Inc. (Sierra), a producer of folding cartons, beverage carriers and corrugated boxes for the consumer packaged goods industry. In January 2013, the Company acquired Contego Packaging Holdings, Ltd.

Paperboard Packaging

The Company supplies paperboard cartons and carriers. The Company provides a range of paperboard packaging solutions for various end-use markets, such as beverage, including beer, soft drinks, energy drinks, water and juices; food, including cereal, desserts, frozen, refrigerated and microwavable foods and pet foods; prepared foods, including snacks, quick-serve foods for restaurants and food service products, and household products, including dishwasher and laundry detergent, healthcare and beauty aids, and tissues and papers. The Company produces paperboard at its mills; prints, cuts and glues (converts) the paperboard into fol! ding cartons at its converting plants; and designs and manufactures packaging machines that package bottles and cans and, to a lesser extent, non-beverage consumer products. The Company also installs its packaging machines at customer plants and provides support, service and performance monitoring of the machines. The Company offers a variety of laminated, coated and printed packaging structures that are produced from its coated unbleached kraft (CUK), coated-recycled board (CRB), kraft paper and uncoated-recycled board (URB), as well as other grades of paperboard that are purchased from third-party suppliers. The Company manufactures corrugated medium and kraft paper for sale in the open market and internal use.

Flexible Packaging

The Company�� flexible packaging segment includes multi-wall bags, plastics, labels, and the Pine Bluff, AR mill. The Company is a supplier of flexible packaging in North America. Its products include multi-wall bags, shingle wrap, plastic bags and film for building materials (such as ready-mix concrete), retort pouches (such as meals ready to go), medical test kits, batch inclusion bags and film. Its end-markets include food and agriculture, building and industrial materials, chemicals, minerals, pet foods, and pharmaceutical products. Approximately 27% of the plastics produced are consumed internally. The Company�� label business focuses on heat transfer labels and lithographic labels. The Company operates label plants, which produce labels for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, automotive, household and industrial products, detergents, and the health and beauty markets.

The Company competes with MeadWestvaco Corporation and Klabin Company.

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: Weatherford International Ltd(WFT)

Weatherford International Ltd. provides equipment and services used in the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. It offers artificial lift systems, which include reciprocating rod lift systems, progressing cavity pumps, gas lift systems, hydraulic lift systems, plunger lift systems, hybrid lift systems, wellhead systems, and multiphase metering systems. The company also provides drilling services, including directional drilling, ?Secure Drilling? services, well testing, drilling-with-casing and drilling-with-liner systems, and surface logging systems; and well construction services, such as tubular running services, cementing products, liner systems, swellable products, solid tubular expandable technologies, and inflatable products and accessories. In addition, it designs and manufactures drilling jars, underreamers, rotating control devices, and other pressure-control equipment used in drilling oil and nat ural gas wells; and offers a selection of in-house or third-party manufactured equipment for the drilling, completion, and work over of oil and natural gas wells for operators and drilling contractors, as well as a line of completion tools and sand screens. Further, the company provides wireline and evaluation services; and re-entry, fishing, and thru-tubing services, as well as well abandonment and wellbore cleaning services; stimulation and chemicals, including fracturing and coiled tubing technologies, cement services, chemical systems, and drilling fluids; integrated drilling services; and pipeline and specialty services. It serves independent oil and natural gas producing companies. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Bishop]

  Weatherford International (WFT) is trading around $14. Weatherford is a leading provider of equipment and services to the oil and gas industry, based in Switzerland. These shares have traded in a range betwe en $10.85 to $26.25 in the last 52 weeks. The 50-day moving average is $15.46 and the 200-day moving average is $19.62. WFT is estimated to earn about 88 cents per share in 2011 and $1.67 for 2012. Analysts at UBS set a $28 price target for WFT share.

Top 5 Paper Stocks To Watch Right Now: Weyerhaeuser Company(WY)

Weyerhaeuser Company, a forest products company, grows and harvests trees, builds homes, and manufactures forest products worldwide. It grows and harvests trees for use as lumber, other wood and building products, and pulp and paper. The company manages 6.4 million acres of private commercial forestland; and has long-term licenses on 13.9 million acres of forestland. It also offers timber; minerals, such as rock, sand, and gravel, as well as oil and gas to construction and energy markets; logs; timberland tracts; and seed and seedlings, poles, plywood, and hardwood lumber products. In addition, the company provides structural lumber products for structural framing; engineered lumber products for floor and roof joists, and headers and beams; structural panels for structural sheathing, subflooring, and stair treading for wood products dealers, do-it-yourself retailers, builders, and industrial users. Further, it offers building products comprising cedar, decking, siding, ins ulation, rebar, and engineered lumber connectors. Additionally, the company offers fluff pulp for use in sanitary disposable products; papergrade pulp for printing and writing papers, and tissues; specialty chemical cellulose pulp for use in textiles, absorbent products, specialty packaging, and high-bulking fibers; liquid packaging board converted into containers; and slush and wet lap pulp for manufacturing paper products. It also constructs single-family houses, as well as develops residential lots and land for construction and sale; and master-planned communities with mixed-use property. The company sells its cellulose fibers products through direct sales network, and liquid packaging products directly to carton and food product packaging converters; and wood products through sales organizations and distribution facilities. Weyerhaeuser Company has been elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust. The company was founded in 1900 and is headquartered in Federal Way, Washington.

Top 5 Paper Stocks To Watch Right Now: CenturyLink Inc.(CTL)

CenturyLink, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated communications company. The company provides a range of communications services, including voice, Internet, data, and video services in the continental United States. Its services include local exchange and long distance voice telephone services, as well as enhanced voice services, such as call forwarding, caller identification, conference calling, voicemail, selective call ringing, and call waiting; wholesale local network access services; and data services, including high-speed Internet access services, data transmission services over special circuits and private lines, and switched digital television services, as well as special access and private line services. The company also offers fiber transport, competitive local exchange carrier, security monitoring, and other communications, as well as professional and business information services. In addition, it provides other related services, such as leasing, selling, installing, and maintaining customer premise telecommunications equipment and wiring; payphone services; and network database services, as well as participates in the publication of local telephone directories. Further, the company offers printing, direct mail services, and cable television services; and wireless broadband Internet access services and satellite television services. As of December 31, 2010, it operated approximately 6.5 million telephone access lines. CenturyLink, Inc was founded in 1968 and is based in Monroe, Louisiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul]

  CenturyLink (CTL), provides a range of communications services, including local and long distance voice, wholesale network access, high-speed Internet access, other data services, and video services in the continental United States. The company is a member of the elite dividend aristocrats index, and has raised dividends for 37 consecutive years. In comparison to the previous two telecom players, CenturyLink has been able to cover its distributions from EPS, although its payout ratio is a scary 92.70%. Yield: 7.20%.

Efficiency and Productivity in a Real-Time World

It's Showtime for Kroger

Kroger (NYSE: KR  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on June 20. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

The 10-second takeaway
Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Kroger's revenues will increase 3.8% and EPS will increase 14.1%.

The average estimate for revenue is $30.17 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.89.

Revenue details
Last quarter, Kroger reported revenue of $24.15 billion. GAAP reported sales were 13% higher than the prior-year quarter's $21.41 billion.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
Last quarter, non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.88. GAAP EPS were $0.89 for Q4 versus -$0.54 per share for the prior-year quarter.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Recent performance
For the preceding quarter, gross margin was 23.2%, 10 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 3.5%, 530 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 1.9%, 330 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead

The full year's average estimate for revenue is $99.53 billion. The average EPS estimate is $2.75.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 638 members out of 706 rating the stock outperform, and 68 members rating it underperform. Among 183 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 173 give Kroger a green thumbs-up, and 10 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Kroger is outperform, with an average price target of $28.11.

Is Kroger the right retailer for your portfolio? Learn how to maximize your investment income and "Secure Your Future With 9 Rock-Solid Dividend Stocks," including one above-average retailing powerhouse. Click here for instant access to this free report.

Add Kroger to My Watchlist.

5 Best Construction Stocks To Watch Right Now

One undervalued stock, which I believe is a screaming buy, is Caterpillar (CAT), the well-known global maker of construction, earthmoving and mining equipment.

This company has been going strong for over 85 years and isn�� going anywhere. They currently have hundreds of sites around the world, including Antarctica.

Despite market averages being at record highs, Caterpillar is trading in the low $80's compared to $116 in 2011. What might be the reason Caterpillar is moving in such a different direction as the market?

It certainly isn't because anything is wrong with the fundamentals of the company. It is still the same solid company that it has always been and is expected to have record earnings in 2014.

It is not because the company is overvalued. Caterpillar has a price/earnings ratio considerably below both its own average and that of the market in general.

I believe the reason for the stock being at a low is psychological. Crowd psychology is over reacting to current economic problems.

5 Best Construction Stocks To Watch Right Now: Clean Wind Energy Tower Inc (CWET)

Clean Wind Energy Tower, Inc. (Clean Wind), incorporated on January 22, 1962, focuses on becoming a provider of green energy. As of December 31, 2011, Clean Wind had designed and was preparing to develop, and construct Downdraft Towers that use non-toxic elements to generate electricity and clean water by integrating and synthesizing a range of proven, as well as emerging technologies.

The Downdraft Tower is a hollow cylinder with a water spray system at the top. Pumps deliver water to the top of the Downdraft Tower to spray a fine mist across the entire opening. The water evaporates and cools the hot dry air at the top. The cooled air is denser and heavier than the outside warmer air and falls through the cylinder at speeds up to and in excess of 50 miles per hour (mph), driving the turbines located at the base of the structure. The turbines power generators to produce electricity.

The Company competes with Southern California Edison Company, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Arizona Public Service Company, Florida Power & Light Company, enXco, Inc., PPM Energy, Inc. and UNS.

5 Best Construction Stocks To Watch Right Now: CEMEX SAB de CV (CX)

CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (CEMEX), incorporated on January 20, 1931, is a global cement manufacturer with operations in North America, Europe, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The Company is a holding company engaged through the operating subsidiaries in the production, distribution, marketing and sale of cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and clinker. As of December 31, 2009, the Company�� cement production facilities were located in Mexico, the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Latvia, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Egypt, the Philippines and Thailand.

The Company manufactures cement through a closely controlled chemical process, which begins with the mining and crushing of limestone and clay, and, in some instances, other raw materials. The clay and limestone are then pre-homogenized, a process which consists of combining different types of clay and limestone. The mix is typically dried, then fed into a grinder, which grinds the various materials in preparation for the kiln. The raw materials are calcined, or processed, at a very high temperature in a kiln, to produce clinker. Clinker is the intermediate product used in the manufacture of cement.

Ready-mix concrete is a combination of cement, fine and coarse aggregates, admixtures (which control properties of the concrete including plasticity, pumpability, freeze-thaw resistance, strength and setting time), and water. The Company is a supplier of aggregates primarily the crushed stone, sand and gravel, used in virtually all forms of construction.

Mexican Operations

During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Mexican operations represented approximately 21% of the Company�� net sales. CEMEX Mexico is a direct subsidiary of CEMEX and is both a holding company for some of the operating companies in Mexico and an operating company involved in the manufacturing and ma! rketing of cement, plaster, gypsum, groundstone and other construction materials and cement by-products in Mexico. CEMEX Mexico, indirectly, is also the holding company for the international operations. The Company owns Tolteca, Monterrey, Maya, Anahuac, Campana, Gallo, and Centenario brands in Mexico. As of December 31, 2009, the Company owned 100% of CEMEX Mexico.

The Company competes with Holcim Ltd., Sociedad Cooperativa Cruz Azul, Cementos Moctezuma, Grupo Cementos Chihuahua and Lafarge Cementos in Mexico.

U.S. Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company�� operations in the United States represented approximately 19% of the Company�� net sales. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX, Inc. As of December 31, 2009, CEMEX had a cement manufacturing capacity of approximately 17.9 million tons per year in the United States operations. As of December 31, 2009, the Company operated 14 cement plants located in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. As of December 31, 2009, it also had 48 rails or water served active cement distribution terminals in the United States. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had 336 ready-mix concrete plants located in the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington and aggregates facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Spanish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the operations in Spain represented approximately 5% of the Company�� net sales. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held approximately 99.8% of CEMEX Espana, the main operating subsidiary in Spain. The cement activities in Spain are conducted by CEMEX Espana. The ready-mix concrete activities in Spain are conducted by Hormicemex, S.A., a subsidiary of CEMEX Espana, and the aggregates activities in Spain ar! e conduct! ed by Aricemex S.A., also a subsidiary of CEMEX Espana.

U.K. Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company�� operations in the United Kingdom represented approximately 8% of the Company�� net sales. As of December 31, 2009, it held 100% of CEMEX Investments Limited, the holding subsidiary in the United Kingdom. The Company is a provider of building materials in the United Kingdom with vertically integrated cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and asphalt operations. It is also a provider of concrete and precast materials solutions, such as concrete blocks, concrete block paving, roof tiles, flooring systems and sleepers for rail infrastructure.

The Company competes with Lafarge, Heidelberg, Tarmac, and Aggregate Industries in the United Kingdom.

German Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the operations in the Rest of Europe consisted of the operations in Germany, France, Ireland, Poland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Austria and Hungary, as well as the other European assets. The Company is a provider of building materials in Germany, with vertically integrated cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and concrete products operations (consisting mainly of prefabricated concrete ceilings and walls). It maintains a network for ready-mix concrete and aggregates in Germany. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Deutschland AG, the holding subsidiary in Germany.

The Company competes with Heidelberg, Dyckerhoff, Lafarge, Holcim and Schwenk in Germany.

French Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX France Gestion (S.A.S.), the holding subsidiary in France. It is a ready-mix concrete producer and aggregate producer in France. As of December 31, 2009, the Company operated 239 ready-mix concrete plants in France, one maritime cement terminal located in LeHavre, on the northern coast of France, 20 land distribution centers and 42 aggregates quarries.

The Company competes with Lafarge, Holcim, Italcementi, Vicat, Lafarge, Italcementi, Colas (Bouygues) and Eurovia (Vinci) in France.

Irish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held approximately 61.2% of Readymix Plc, the operating subsidiary in the Republic of Ireland. The operations in Ireland produce and supply sand, stone and gravel, as well as ready-mix concrete, mortar and concrete blocks. As of December 31, 2009, we operated 43 ready-mix concrete plants, 27 aggregates quarries and 15 block plants located in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. The Company imports and distributes cement in the Isle of Man.

The Company competes with CRH, the Lagan Group and Kilsaran in the Republic of Ireland.

Polish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Polska Sp. z.o.o. (CEMEX Polska), the holding subsidiary in Poland. It is a provider of building materials in Poland serving the cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates markets. As of December 31, 2009, CEMEX operated two cement plants and one grinding mill in Poland, with a total installed cement capacity of three million tons per year. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated 39 ready-mix concrete plants and nine aggregates quarries in Poland. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated 10 land distribution centers and two maritime terminals in Poland.

The Company competes with Heidelberg, Lafarge, CRH and Dyckerhoff in Poland.

Southeast European Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Hrvatska d.d. (Hrvatska), the operating subsidiary in Croatia. As of December 31, 2009, it operated three cement plants in Croatia, with an installed capacity of 2.4 million tons per year. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated ten land distribution centers, three maritime cement terminals, eight ready-mix concrete facilities and one aggregates quarry! in Croat! ia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro.

Top Performing Companies To Buy Right Now: Fluor Corporation(FLR)

Fluor Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and project management services worldwide. Its Oil & Gas segment offers design, engineering, procurement, construction, and project management services to upstream oil and gas production, downstream refining, chemicals, and petrochemicals industries. This segment also provides consulting services comprising feasibility studies, process assessment, and project finance structuring and studies. The company?s Industrial & Infrastructure segment offers design, engineering, procurement, and construction services to the transportation, wind power, mining and metals, life sciences, manufacturing, commercial and institutional, telecommunications, microelectronics, and healthcare sectors. Its Government segment provides engineering, construction, logistics support, contingency response, management, and operations services to the United States government focusing on the Departme nt of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense. The company?s Global Services segment offers operations and maintenance, small capital project engineering and execution, site equipment and tool services, industrial fleet services, plant turnaround services, temporary staffing services, and supply chain solutions. Its Power segment provides engineering, procurement, construction, program management, start-up and commissioning, and operations and maintenance services to the gas fueled, solid fueled, plant betterment, renewables, nuclear, and power services markets. The company also offers unionized management and construction services in the United States and Canada. Fluor Corporation was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

5 Best Construction Stocks To Watch Right Now: Stanley Black & Decker Inc.(SWK)

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. manufactures tools and engineered security solutions worldwide. The company?s Security segment provides a range of mechanical and electronic security products and systems, as well as various security services consisting of security integration systems, software, and related installation, maintenance, monitoring services; automatic doors, door closers, and exit devices; healthcare storage and supply chain solutions; patient protection products; hardware; and locking mechanisms. This segment sells its products to retailers; educational, financial, and healthcare institutions; and commercial, governmental, and industrial customers through direct sales forces and third party distributors. Its Industrial segment offers mechanics tools and storage systems, including wrenches, sockets, electronic diagnostic tools, tool boxes, and industrial storage and retrieval systems; engineered healthcare storage and retrieval systems; hydraulic tools and accessor ies; plumbing, heating, and air conditioning tools; assembly tools and systems; and specialty tools. This segment sells its products to industrial customers through third party distributors and direct sales forces. The company?s Construction & Do-It-Yourself segment manufactures hand tools, including measuring and leveling tools, planes, hammers, demolition tools, knives and blades, saws, chisels, and consumer tackers; consumer mechanics tools; storage units comprising plastic and metal tool boxes; and pneumatic tools and fasteners for use in construction, remodeling, furniture making, pallet and manufacturing applications. This segment sells its products to professional end users and consumers through retailers, including home centers, mass merchants, hardware stores, and retail lumber yards. The company was formerly known as The Stanley Works and changed its name to Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. in March 2010. Stanley Black & Decker was founded in 1843 and is based in New B ritain, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By SamSam Collins Collins]

  Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK ) is the largest producer of power tools and accessories with brands such as Stanley, Black & Decker, FatMax, DeWalt, Bostitch, Porter-Cable, Facom, Emhart Teknologies, Proto, Kwikset and Mac Tools. Sharp sales growth following the acquisition of Black & Decker in March 2010 focuses the company on the construction and do-it-yourself segments.

  Credit Suisse has an "outperform" rating on SWK with an earnings estimate of $6.11 for 2012. Their price target is $72. Technically the stock is holding above both its 200-day moving average and its bullish support line. A break above $65 supports a price target of $73.

5 Best Construction Stocks To Watch Right Now: URS Corporation(URS)

URS Corporation provides engineering, construction, and technical services to the power, infrastructure, federal, and industrial and commercial market sectors in the United States and internationally. Its services for power sector include planning, designing, engineering, constructing, retrofitting, and maintaining a range of power-generating facilities; and the systems that transmit and distribute electricity, as well as the development and installation of clean air technologies that reduce emissions at fossil fuel power plants. The company?s services for infrastructure sector comprise program management, planning, architect, engineering, general contracting, construction, and construction management for surface, air, and rail transportation networks; ports and harbors; and water supply, and treatment and conveyance systems. Its services for federal sector consist of program management; planning, design, and engineering; systems engineering and technical assistance to con struction and construction management; operations and maintenance; and decommissioning and closure primarily for the United States federal government and national governments of other countries. URS Corporation?s services for industrial and commercial sector include front-end studies, engineering and process design, procurement, construction and construction management, facility management, and operations and maintenance, as well as due diligence, permitting, compliance, environmental management, pollution control, health and safety, waste management, and hazardous waste remediation. The company was formerly known as Broadview Research Corporation and changed its name to URS Corporation in 1976. URS Corporation was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

5 Best Forestry Stocks To Buy Right Now

Alon USA Energy (NYSE: ALJ  ) reported earnings on May 8. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Alon USA Energy beat expectations on revenues and crushed expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue shrank. GAAP earnings per share expanded.

Margins grew across the board.

Revenue details
Alon USA Energy logged revenue of $1.65 billion. The five analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted revenue of $1.53 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 7.0% lower than the prior-year quarter's $1.78 billion.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

5 Best Forestry Stocks To Buy Right Now: Expedia Inc.(EXPE)

Expedia, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an online travel company in the United States and internationally. It provides travel products and services to leisure and corporate travelers, offline retail travel agents, and travel service providers through a portfolio of brands, including Expedia.com, hotels.com, Hotwire.com, Expedia Affiliate Network, Classic Vacations, Expedia Local Expert, Expedia CruiseShipCenters, Egencia, eLong, Inc., and Venere Net SpA. The company?s travel offerings consist of airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, destination services, cruises, and package travel provided by various commercial airlines, lodging properties, car rental companies, destination service providers, cruise lines, and other travel product and service companies on a stand-alone and package basis. It also facilitates the booking of hotel rooms, airline seats, car rentals, and destination services from its travel suppliers; and acts as an agent in the transa ction, passing reservations booked by its travelers to the relevant travel provider. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James K. Glassman]

   Like rival Priceline.com, online travel company Expedia is focusing on international growth. Along with its namesake site, the company runs Hotels.com and Hotwire.com, as well as the European online hotel booking site Venere.com. Expedia also has a majority stake in eLong.com, a Chinese online travel agency. Expedia also recently acquired Nordic travel company Via Travel. 
  
  Expedia had cash flow of $1.0 billion in 2011, with depreciation of $155 million and capital expenditures of $208 million. The company recently announced that it is boosting its quarterly dividend by 4 cents, to 13 cents a share; at $52.91, the stock yields 1.0%.

5 Best Forestry Stocks To Buy Right Now: The Hanover Insurance Group Inc.(THG)

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, underwrites commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance coverage in the United States. It operates in three segments: Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, and Other Property and Casualty. The Commercial Lines segment provides coverage for commercial multiple peril; commercial automobile; workers? compensation; and other commercial coverages, including specialty program business, inland marine, and bonds, as well as umbrella, general liability, fire, specialty property, and professional and management liability. The Personal Lines segment offers coverage for personal automobile, homeowners, and other personal lines, such as inland marine, umbrella, fire, personal watercraft, and earthquake. The Other Property and Casualty segment provides investment advisory services; and manages assets for unaffiliated institutions, such as insurance companies, retirement plans, and foundations. The company sells its p roducts and services through a network of independent agents. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. was founded in 1844 and is headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Hot Companies For 2014: Shear Wind Inc. (SWX.V)

Shear Wind Inc., a development stage company, engages in the exploration and development of renewable energy in Canada. It is developing various wind projects with a total generation capacity of approximately 1,200 mega watts located in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. The company was formerly known as EW Power Services Ltd. and changed its name to Shear Wind Inc. in October 2005. Shear Wind Inc. was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in Bedford, Canada. As of November 22, 2012, Shear Wind, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Sprott Power Corp.

5 Best Forestry Stocks To Buy Right Now: Stakis(SKS.L)

Shanks Group plc operates as a waste and resource management company that provides waste management solutions in the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The company involves in the collection, transfer, recycling, and treatment of non-hazardous solid waste; industrial cleaning, transportation, treatment, and disposal of contaminated soils, as well as remediation of contaminated land; and anaerobic digestion and tunnel composting of source segregated organic waste streams. It also engages in the landfill disposal activities, including contaminated soils; generation of power from landfill gas; and municipal waste treatment contracts and mineral extraction businesses. The company was founded in 1880 and is headquartered in Milton Keynes, the United Kingdom.

5 Best Forestry Stocks To Buy Right Now: Heritage Oaks Bancorp(HEOP)

Heritage Oaks Bancorp operates as the holding company for Heritage Oaks Bank that provides commercial banking services to retail customers, and small to medium-sized businesses in California. The company offers various deposit products, including interest bearing and non-interest bearing demand deposits, checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, NOW accounts, and time deposits. Its loan products comprise commercial and industrial, small business administration, agricultural, credit card, and consumer loans; real estate secured loans for multi-family residential, residential 1 to 4 family, and farmland properties, as well as home equity line of credit and commercial real estate loans; and construction loans for single family residential, tract, multi-family, hospitality, and commercial properties. In addition, the company offers residential mortgage banking, installment note collection, bank-by-mail, night depository, safe deposit boxes, online banking, and other customary banking services, as well as issues cashier?s checks and money orders, and sells travelers checks. It operates 15 branches in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Paso Robles, California.

The Bull and Bear Case for Intel Stock

After sinking to some truly bottom-of-the-barrel prices, shares of chip giant Intel (NASDAQ: INTC  ) have recovered nicely so far in 2013 on the strength of the company's ongoing turnaround plan. The company has embraced the mobile future and is closer than ever to gaining a presence in the increasingly mobile future. But despite this positivity, the company does remain depressingly dependent on the PC market. So between the two, what's an investor to make of the situation? In this video, Fool tech and telecom analyst Andrew Tonner breaks down both the positive and negative arguments for Intel today.

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BigBrain Will Pay BigDividends for Health

The scientific community has amassed incredible amounts of genetic data for various brain-related diseases in the last decade -- and the genomic hoard grows larger every year. Looking for genomic links between brain signals and autism? There's a study for that. How about important markers for Alzheimer's disease? There's an online database for that, too. One problem: We still aren't sure exactly how these molecular relationships impact the onset or severity of disease. As a result, there is still no way to objectively diagnose brain diseases, which makes misdiagnoses common, and cures seem like pipedreams. 

Enter The Human Brain Project, a 1 billion euro project half-funded by the European Commission that aims to use supercomputing to recreate the human brain. It may seem like a logistical nightmare, but that is kind of the point. Creating a virtual human brain from scratch will push scientists to uncover every minute detail of every neural pathway. The windfalls will be huge, although breakthroughs are already unfolding. A sub-project named BigBrain created a 3-D digital model of a human brain with 50 times the resolution of the previous best model. Get ready for some major advances in health.

What's the BigDeal?
BigBrain divided an actual human brain into 7,400 slices, stained each to highlight various cell types, scanned them to a computer, and reconstructed a digital copy that will be made available to the public. It may sound creepy, but researchers will now have a way to peer into each region of the brain in unprecedented detail.

Different parts of brain are connected with various fiber pathways. The strength of these connections is believed to play a role in neurological diseases. Image courtesy INSERM-CEA (France) and the Human Brain Project.

Autism studies will now be able to isolate brain regions associated with social interaction and facial recognition, such as the fusiform gyrus, to better understand the link between brain wiring and severity on the spectrum. Studies of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, will be able to look at brain regions associated with long-term memory. Addictive behaviors surrounding food or drugs could also be better understood -- leading to more successful treatments. We could even better understand the brain architecture of serial criminals, perhaps one day leading to a treatment that makes repeat offenders a thing of the past. The possibilities are truly endless.

BigPharma implications
Pharmaceutical companies have swung for the fences on several neurological disease medications, but have mostly whiffed. Again, this isn't for a lack of effort so much as a lack of knowledge. Could BigBrain change the way firms approach drug discovery by yielding new molecular targets?

A nerve cell isolated by Technical University of Madrid for the Human Brain Project.

There may never be a chemical cure for autism, but atypical antipsychotic medications are the best current option for alleviating behavioral symptoms associated with the spectrum disorder. The problem is that they blanket dopamine and serotonin pathways to do so, which comes with a fair share of unintended side effects. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) markets Risperdal, Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY  ) markets Zyprexa, and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY  ) markets Abilify. Each treatment does mark an improvement over first generation drugs called typical antipsychotics. Unfortunately, we can do much better. Perhaps BigBrain and a flurry of generic competition facing each medication will lead to big advances for autistic individuals.

Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lilly could also use BigBrain to reset their approach to Alzheimer's. Both have encountered setbacks in phase 3 trials for Alzheimer's drugs, although no drug has proven successful in late-stage development, to date. Researchers now suspect that targeting beta amyloid plaques -- the approach taken by Big Pharma -- only comprises one piece of an effective treatment. What better way to find other molecular targets and brain relationships than to sift through 7,400 slices of a human brain?

BigBrain could also lead to future obesity treatments. Several studies have shown that deep brain stimulation, via surgically implanted electrodes, can result in weight-loss in lab animals. It works by disrupting the brain's habit circuitry. Similar procedures have actually been performed on humans with alcoholism to alter the neurological pathways responsible to addiction. You may feel more comfortable taking an oral therapy, such as Belviq from Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARNA  ) or Qsymia from VIVUS (NASDAQ: VVUS  ) , than having your cranium cracked open. That is understandable. Both Belviq and Qsymia work to chemically subdue appetite pathways, such as serotonin 2C receptors. Implanted electrodes would work in a similar fashion, albeit in a more permanent way. Will Arena or VIVUS be marketing deep brain stimulation therapy for obesity in 20 years? Perhaps, but they need to figure out how to successfully market their oral therapies first.

Foolish bottom line
These are just a few of the doors that BigBrain opened. The project itself is actually pretty simple when you think about it: Take a human brain, slice it up, and create a virtual montage of the pieces. Nothing novel was needed to complete the task, just the idea to do it in the first place. Now, clinical researchers and neuroscientists finally have a floor for their research. If the Human Brain Project is as successful as it promises to be, it will be a long time before we hit a ceiling.

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3 Personal Financial Planning Tips for Crashing Markets

There's nothing scarier than a crashing stock market to make you second-guess whether you've done enough personal financial planning to make it through what could be tough times ahead. But by keeping a few simple tips in mind, you can ensure that no matter what happens in the markets in the days and weeks to come, you'll be comfortable that your financial plan will ultimately bring you success in reaching the goals you've set for yourself.

Theory vs. reality
It's all well and good during a bull market to think hypothetically about what you'd do if the stock market dropped dramatically. In fact, many investors explicitly wanted a correction like the one we've seen over the past month or so, hoping that a pullback would let them buy once-soaring stocks at somewhat cheaper prices.

Yet, when the correction actually comes, it can be a lot harder to follow through on the plans you made during calmer times. In the past two days, the Dow has fallen more than 550 points, with today's 354-point drop marking the worst day for the market since November 2011. Suddenly, the explanations for why stocks are dropping seem like they could continue to drag the market far lower, making stock purchases seem premature.

To keep yourself from making mistakes, consider these three tips to guide your personal financial planning:

1. Do a risk-tolerance gut check.
Financial planners use questionnaires to try to help their clients assess their tolerance for investment risk. But gauging your own actual reaction to corrections like the current pullback is far better than a questionnaire in helping you understand just how much you can tolerate volatility in your portfolio.

One big lesson that many people are learning now is that traditional methods of controlling risk won't necessarily work this time around. Bonds often provide protection against downturns, but lately, they've actually dropped more than the stock market.

Similarly, diversification within stocks didn't work well. The performance of iShares Russell 2000 (NYSEMKT: IWM  ) and SPDR S&P MidCap 400 (NYSEMKT: MDY  ) showed that there wasn't shelter available in small- and mid-cap stocks. International stocks often help protect against losses, but massive capital flight from emerging markets socked popular ETFs Vanguard Emerging Market (NYSEMKT: VWO  ) and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets (NYSEMKT: EEM  ) for single-day percentage losses that were nearly double the Dow's decline. Even developed markets suffered more than the U.S., as iShares MSCI EAFE (NYSEMKT: EFA  ) posted losses 50% greater than the U.S. market's.

If you're not comfortable with the risk profile of your investments, look back to why you picked them in the first place. If they're not doing the job you intended them to do, then looking for alternatives that will get the job done is best done sooner rather than later. On the other hand, if they are serving their intended purpose, then a temporary setback shouldn't make you deviate from your personal financial plan.

2. Make sure your cash needs are taken care of.
Many investors have avoided having much cash, since savings accounts and other cash investments pay next to nothing. But having cash on hand has two advantages. It gives you the opportunity to invest in beaten-down stocks while they're cheap, letting you take advantage of market crashes. Moreover, having cash already available means you won't have to sell assets later to cover living expenses and other cash needs, avoiding the trap that many investors fell into during the financial crisis when they had no choice but to sell their stocks at rock-bottom prices.

3. Remember that personal financial planning isn't all about investing.
When markets appear poised for a crash, it's easy to get hung up on the investing side of your financial plan. But a complete plan includes other important components, including insurance, tax management, savings, and spending. The best plans have enough flexibility to let you adapt to changing conditions in the investment markets by making minor modifications to spending and other areas that will raise your confidence level in getting through an extended period of financial challenges.

Don't panic!
A big two-day decline can seem like it will inevitably turn out to be the beginning of a much larger crash, but you still shouldn't react emotionally to your losses. Rely on the personal financial planning that you've done, and take steps to be more comfortable with the protective aspects of your plan. That way, you'll recognize the potential for setbacks, and strengthen your resolve to stick with the goals that your past personal financial planning efforts have established so solidly in the past.

Now more than ever, it's essential to take control of your investments if you want to have a financially secure retirement. The Fool wants to help you retire rich, so we've put together a research report with three promising stocks specifically chosen with long-term retirement investors in mind. Don't miss out on this absolutely free report; click here and get your copy today! 

10 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014

"Steve, I can't manage to buy a house," an attendee told me over the weekend in San Diego at Everbank's Global Currency Expo.

 

"The last house I tried to buy had 65 offers on it and sold well above asking price."

 

This guy was not alone...

 

Conference attendees from Florida to Phoenix told me similar stories. "The deals are gone," they said. So they're giving up.

 

But fear not, my friends! Market price – or even "above-market price" – on housing in America is still a fantastic deal today. Let me explain...

 

What's happened in real estate is nothing short of extraordinary...

10 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014: Atkins Ws Plc(ATK.L)

WS Atkins plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides engineering and design consultancy services worldwide. The company offers engineering and technically integrated design services to clients in the public, regulated, and private sectors. It provides water, environment, education, aerospace and defense, transportation, and infrastructure design services. The company also offers infrastructure planning, engineering, construction management, environmental consulting, urban planning, architecture, and program management services to state and local government clients, federal agencies, and private businesses; and design, engineering, and project management services for buildings, transportation, and other infrastructure programs. In addition, it provides engineering, planning, urban design, architectural, and rail design services in the Asia Pacific; urban planning, architectural, and landscape architectural design; urban rail development and highways/bridges design; and e ngineering and project management services for the energy market. The company has operations in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Portugal, and Ireland; North America; the Middle East; Hong Kong and mainland China; and the Asia-Pacific region. It serves roads, rail, buildings, energy, defense and security, water and environment, urban development, aerospace and aviation, and education sectors. The company was founded in 1938 and is based in Epsom, the United Kingdom.

10 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014: Silverlake Axis Ltd (5CP.SI)

Silverlake Axis Ltd., an investment holding company, offers software solutions and services to organizations in banking and financial services, payments, retail, and logistics businesses. It primarily engages in the provision of software project services; maintenance and enhancement, and licensing services for software; and credit and debit cards payment processing services, as well as in the sale of software and hardware products. The company�s solutions include Silverlake Axis Integrated Banking Solution that enables banking transformation through information, operations, and technology innovations at the front office, middle office, and back office operations; Silverlake Axis Integrated Islamic Banking Solution, a suite of applications for Islamic banks; Silverlake Axis Integrated Provident Fund System, which provides assistance to an organization in the areas of operations and employee management; and Silverlake Axis Card System, a payments system, to issue credit, ch arge, debit, and private label cards, as well as support personal lending programs. Its solutions also comprise Silverlake Axis Retail Merchandising System that consists of order/replenishment management, ticketing, inventory and warehouse management, financial management, supply chain management, and supplier management/Web ED modules to support project management, consulting, customization, system integration, and training services. In addition, the company trades in IBM products; and sells computer software and technical support services. It operates in southeast Asia, northeast Asia, south Asia, the Middle East, North America, and Europe. The company was founded in 1989 and is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Silverlake Axis Ltd. is a subsidiary of Intelligentsia Holding Ltd.

Top Retail Companies For 2014: Caspian Energy Inc Com Npv (CEK.TO)

Caspian Energy Inc., through its subsidiary, Caspian Energy Ltd., engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas properties in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The company, through its 40% interest in Aral Petroleum Capital LLP, holds the right to explore and develop oil and gas properties, known as the North Block, a 1,549 square kilometre area located in the vicinity of the Kazakh pre-Caspian basin. Caspian Energy Inc. was incorporated in 1982 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada

10 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014: Unilife Corporation(UNIS)

Unilife Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development and manufacture of advanced drug delivery systems in the United States and internationally. The company offers Unifill Syringe, a prefilled syringe designed for safe, simple, and convenient use by either healthcare workers or patients who self-administer prescription medication; and Unitract 1mL Syringes that are primarily designed for the subcutaneous injection of drugs within healthcare facilities and by patients who self-administer prescription medication, such as insulin. Its pipeline products include Unifill Select syringes, which facilitate the use of injectable drugs and vaccines between 0.2 and 1.5mL in volume that are supplied in either a liquid stable form or lyophilized for reconstitution; Unifill EZMix for the unmet needs of pharmaceutical companies seeking a delivery system for the reconstitution and administration of lyophilized drugs and vaccines; Unifill Auto-Injectors for the a ccurate, intuitive, and convenient administration of injectable drugs by patients outside of healthcare facilities; and Auto-Infusors, a range of single-use and disposable subcutaneous infusion systems for the patient self-injection of drugs between 3mL and 10mL in volume; and a novel device for the administration of a drug to a target organ. Unilife?s target customers include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies seeking to optimize drug lifecycles and generate differentiation for their brand in competitive therapeutic markets through the use of innovative devices that can improve patient care, protect healthcare workers, and prevent disease; and suppliers of medical equipment to healthcare facilities and distributors to patients who self-administer prescription medication. The company is headquartered in York, Pennsylvania.

10 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014: Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated(COKE)

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production, marketing, and distribution of nonalcoholic beverages, primarily products of The Coca-Cola Company. The company offers sparkling beverages, such as energy drinks; and still beverages, including bottled water, tea, ready-to-drink coffee, enhanced water, juices, and sports drinks. It holds cola beverage agreements and allied beverage agreements, under which it produces, distributes, and markets sparkling beverage products of The Coca-Cola Company in certain regions. The company also distributes and markets still beverages of The Coca-Cola Company, such as POWERade, vitaminwater, and Minute Maid Juices To Go, as well as produces, distributes, and markets Dasani water products under still beverage agreements. In addition, it holds agreements to produce and market Dr Pepper. Further, the company distributes and markets various other products, including Monster energy productsand Sund rop, as well as its own products, such as Country Breeze tea, diet Country Breeze tea, and Tum-E Yummies, a vitamin C enhanced flavored drink, Bean & Body, and Simmer and Bazza energy tea. Additionally, it produces beverages for other Coca-Cola bottlers; and provides restaurants and other immediate consumption outlets with fountain products. The company sells and distributes its products directly to retail stores and other outlets, including food markets, institutional accounts, and vending machine outlets. It operates in North Carolina, South Carolina, south Alabama, South Georgia, middle Tennessee, western Virginia, and West Virginia. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

10 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014: Raven Industries Inc.(RAVN)

Raven Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures various products for industrial, agricultural, energy, construction, and military/aerospace markets primarily in North America. It operates in four segments: Applied Technology, Engineered Films, Aerostar, and Electronic Systems. The Applied Technology segment designs, manufactures, sells, and services precision agriculture products and information management tools enabling growers to enhance farm yields. Its products include field computers, application controls, GPS-guidance and assisted-steering systems, automatic boom controls, and yield monitoring planter controls, as well as an integrated real time kinematic and information platform called Slingshot. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers, as well as through after market distributors. The Engineered Films segment produces rugged reinforced plastic sheeting for industrial, construction, geomembrane, and agricultural appli cations. It sells plastic sheeting to independent third-party distributors through its sales force. The Aerostar segment sells high-altitude research balloons and tethered aerostats for government and commercial research. It produces military parachutes, uniforms, and protective wear for the U.S. government agencies as a subcontractor; and other sewn and sealed products on a contract basis. The Electronic Systems segment provides electronics manufacturing services for commercial customers. It manufactures assemblies, including avionics, communication, environmental controls, and other products. The company was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

10 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014: Cornerstone OnDemand Inc.(CSOD)

Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. provides learning and talent management solution delivered as software-as-a-service. The company offers three integrated cloud-based solutions for learning management, performance management, and extended enterprise. Its Cornerstone Learning Cloud helps clients deliver and manage enterprise training and development programs, as well as links employee development to other parts of the talent management lifecycle, including performance management and succession planning. The company?s Cornerstone Performance Cloud allows clients to direct and measure performance at the individual, departmental, and organizational level through competency management, organizational goal setting, performance appraisal, compensation management, and development planning. Its Cornerstone Extended Enterprise Cloud helps clients extend learning and talent management to their customers, vendors, and distributors. The company also offers consulting services comprising impl ementation, integration, content, business consulting, and educational services; and account services, as well as resells third-party e-learning content. Its clients include multi-national corporations, large domestic enterprises, mid-market companies, public sector organizations, higher education institutions, and non-profit entities. The company sells its solution and services directly through its own sales force in North America and Europe; and indirectly through domestic and international network of distributors. Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California.

10 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014: Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. (PTU.V)

Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of properties for producing uranium in Canada. The company owns 100% interest in 10 properties covering approximately 76,657 hectares located on Red Willow, S. Newnham Lake, Turnor Lake, Umfreville Lake, William River, Fire Eye Lake, Forsythe Lake, Carson Lake, McArthur East, and Henday Lake, Athabasca Basin in Northern Saskatchewan. Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

10 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014: Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc (EHI)

Western Asset Global High Income Fund, Inc is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC. The fund is also co-managed by Western Asset Management Company, Western Asset Management Company Limited, and Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd. It invests in the fixed income markets across the globe. The fund invests in undervalued bonds of companies operating across diversified sectors. It seeks to invest in a portfolio of below investment grade fixed income securities, emerging market fixed income securities and investment grade fixed income securities. The fund employs quantitative analysis to build its portfolio. It invests in fixed income securities with an average credit quality of BB as per S&P and an average duration of 3.8 years. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Index, the Barclays Capital U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Cap Index, and the JPMorgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global. It was formerly known as Salomon Brothers Global High Income Fund Inc. Western Asset Global High Income Fund, Inc was formed on July 28, 2003 and is domiciled in the United States.

10 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014: Speedway Motorsports Inc.(TRK)

Speedway Motorsports, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a promoter, marketer, and sponsor of motor sports activities in the United States. The company principally owns and operates Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Texas Motor Speedway racing facilities. The company also provides souvenir merchandising services; food, beverage, and hospitality catering services; and radio programming, production, and distribution services. In addition, it develops electronic media promotional programming; and distributes wholesale and retail racing, and other sports related souvenir merchandise and apparel. Further, the company manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts; and produces and sells an environmentally-friendly micro-lubricant. Speedway Motorsports has a joint venture with International Speedway Corporat ion to produce, market, and sell licensed motorsports collectible and consumer products, primarily trackside event souvenir merchandising. The company was founded in 1959 and is based in Concord, North Carolina.