Hot Quality Companies To Invest In 2014

Short-sellers can't seem to get enough of lululemon athletica (NASDAQ: LULU  ) and Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA  ) . These are just two of a handful of stock picks that have recently proved that naysayers wrong. In fact, both of these stocks hit fresh 52-week highs this month. But have these names gotten ahead of themselves, or is there more upside from here? Let's take a closer look at whether these stocks can continue to beat the shorts in the month ahead.

Lululemon
The athletic-apparel retailer has bounced back from its March lows, which were a result of a massive recall and wider quality-control issues. Short-sellers rushed into this stock two months ago, after the company was forced to pull more than 17% of its signature luon pants from store shelves because the fabric was too sheer.

However, short sellers certainly felt the squeeze this month, when shares of Lululemon climbed to a new 52-week high of $82. With the run-up in the stock this month, short-sellers are looking for another entry point -- although I'd wait for the company to report earnings on June 10 before betting against it. Lululemon is known for giving conservative guidance.

Top 10 Semiconductor Stocks To Own For 2015: Metlife Inc (MET)

MetLife, Inc. (MetLife), incorporated on August 10, 1999, is a provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 50 countries. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife operates in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. It is organized into six segments: Insurance Products, Retirement Products, Corporate Benefit Funding and Auto & Home (collectively, U.S. Business), and Japan and Other International Regions (collectively, International). In addition, the Company reports certain of its results of operations in Corporate & Other, which includes MetLife Bank, National Association (MetLife Bank) and other business activities. U.S. Business provides insurance and financial services products, including life, dental, disability, auto and homeowner insurance, guaranteed interest and stable value products, and annuities through independent retail distribution channels, as well as at the workplace. Outside the U.S., it operates in Japan and over 50 countries within Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. MetLife is the life insurer in Mexico and also holds positions in Japan, Poland, Chile and Korea. This business provides life insurance, accident and health insurance, credit insurance, annuities, endowment and retirement and savings products to both individuals and groups. In August 2012, it acquired Reynolds Plantation. In January 2013, the Company completed the sale of MetLife Bank, N.A.'s deposit business. Effective July 25, 2013, MetLife Inc acquired Broadstone Laurel Highlands, from Alliance Residential Fund I. In September 2013, MetLife Inc and Thayer Lodging Group acquired the 365-room Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in a joint venture.

Insurance Products

The Insurance Products segment offers a range of protection products and services aimed at serving the financial needs of its customers throughout their lives. These pro! ducts are sold to individuals and corporations, as well as other institutions and their respective employees. It is organized in three businesses: Group Life, Individual Life and Non-Medical Health.

The Group Life insurance products and services include variable life, universal life, and term life products. It offer group insurance products as employer-paid benefits or as voluntary benefits where all or a portion of the premiums are paid by the employee. These group products and services also include employee paid supplemental life and are offered as standard products or may be tailored to meet specific customer needs.

The Individual Life insurance products and services include variable life, universal life, term life and whole life products. Additionally, through its broker-dealer affiliates, it offers a full range of mutual funds and other securities products. The products within both Group Life and Individual Life include Variable Life, Universal Life, Term Life and Whole Life. Variable life products provide insurance coverage through a contract that gives the policyholder the policyholder flexibility in investment choices and, depending on the product, in premium payments and coverage amounts, with certain guarantees. With variable life products, premiums and account balances can be directed by the policyholder into a variety of separate account investment options or directed to the Company�� general account. In the separate account investment options, the policyholder bears the entire risk of the investment results.

Universal life products provide insurance coverage on the same basis as variable life, except that premiums, and the resulting accumulated balances, are allocated only to the Company�� general account. Universal life products may allow the insured to increase or decrease the amount of death benefit coverage over the term of the contract and the owner to adjust the frequency and amount of premium payments.

Term life products provid! e a guara! nteed benefit upon the death of the insured for a specified time period in return for the periodic payment of premiums. Specified coverage periods range from one year to 30 years, but in no event are they longer than the period over, which premiums are paid. Death benefits may be level over the period or decreasing. Decreasing coverage is used principally to provide for loan repayment in the event of death. Premiums may be guaranteed at a level amount for the coverage period or may be non-level and non-guaranteed. Term insurance products are sometimes referred to as pure protection products, in that there are typically no savings or investment elements. Term contracts expire without value at the end of the coverage period when the insured party is still living.

Whole life products provide a guaranteed benefit upon the death of the insured in return for the periodic payment of a fixed premium over a predetermined period. Premium payments may be required for the entire life of the contract period, to a specified age or period, and may be level or change in accordance with a predetermined schedule. Whole life insurance includes policies that provide a participation feature in the form of dividends. Policyholders may receive dividends in cash or apply them to increase death benefits, increase cash values available upon surrender or reduce the premiums required to maintain the contract in-force.

The Non-Medical Health products and services include dental insurance, group short- and long-term disability, individual disability income, long-term care (LTC), critical illness and accidental death & dismemberment coverage. Other products and services include employer-sponsored auto and homeowners insurance provided through the Auto & Home segment and prepaid legal plans. The Company also sells administrative services-only (ASO) arrangements to some employers. The products in this area are Dental, Disability and Long-term Care (LTC). Dental products provide insurance and ASO plans that ass! ist emplo! yees, retirees and their families in maintaining oral health while reducing out-of-pocket expenses and providing superior customer service. Dental plans include the Preferred Dentist Program and the Dental Health Maintenance Organization. Disability products provide a benefit in the event of the disability of the insured. This benefit is in the form of monthly income paid until the insured reaches age 65. In addition to income replacement, the product may be used to provide for the payment of business overhead expenses for disabled business owners or mortgage payment protection. This is offered on both a group and individual basis. LTC products provide protection against the potentially high costs of LTC services. They generally pay benefits to insureds that need assistance with activities of daily living or have a cognitive impairment.

Retirement Products

The Retirement products segment includes a variety of variable and fixed annuities that are primarily sold to individuals and employees of corporations and other institutions. The products in this area are Variable Annuities and Fixed Annuities. Variable annuities provide for both asset accumulation and asset distribution needs. Variable annuities allow the contract holder to make deposits into various investment options in a separate account, as determined by the contract holder. The risks associated with such investment options are borne entirely by the contract holder, except where guaranteed minimum benefits are involved.

Fixed annuities provide for both asset accumulation and asset distribution needs. Fixed annuities do not allow the same investment flexibility provided by variable annuities, but provide guarantees related to the preservation of principal and interest credited.

Corporate Benefit Funding

The Corporate Benefit Funding segment includes a range of annuity and investment products, including, guaranteed interest products and other stable value products, income annuitie! s, and se! parate account contracts for the investment management of defined benefit and defined contribution plan assets. This segment also includes certain products to fund postretirement benefits and company, bank or trust owned life insurance used to finance non-qualified benefit programs for executives. The products in this area are Stable Value Products, Pensions Closeouts, Torts and Settlements, Capital Markets Investment Products and other Corporate Benefit Funding Products and Services. The Company offers general account guaranteed interest contracts, separate account guaranteed interest contracts, and similar products used to support the stable value option of defined contribution plans. It also offers private floating rate funding agreements that are used for money market funds, securities lending cash collateral portfolios and short-term investment funds.

The Company offers general account and separate account annuity products, generally in connection with the termination of defined benefit pension plans, both in the United States and the United Kingdom. It also offers partial risk transfer solutions that allow for partial transfers of pension liabilities and annuity products that include single premium buyouts. It offers strategies for complex litigation settlements, primarily structured settlement annuities. Under the Capital Markets Investment Products, the products offered include funding agreements, Federal Home Loan Bank advances and funding agreement-backed commercial paper. Under the Other Corporate Benefit Funding Products and Services, it offers specialized insurance products designed specifically to provide solutions for non-qualified benefit and retiree benefit funding purposes.

Auto & Home

The Auto & Home segment includes personal lines property and casualty insurance offered directly to employees at their employer�� worksite, as well as to individuals through a variety of retail distribution channels, including independent agents, property and casu! alty spec! ialists, direct response marketing and the individual distribution sales group. Auto & Home primarily sells auto insurance, which represented 67% of Auto & Home�� total net earned premiums in 2011. Homeowners and other insurance represented 33% of Auto & Home�� total net earned premiums in 2011. The products in this area are Auto Coverages and Homeowners and Other Coverages. Auto insurance policies provide coverage for private passenger automobiles, utility automobiles and vans, motorcycles, motor homes, antique or classic automobiles and trailers. Auto & Home offers traditional coverage, such as liability, uninsured motorist, no fault or personal injury protection, as well as collision and comprehensive. Homeowners��insurance policies provide protection for homeowners, renters, condominium owners and residential landlords against losses arising out of damage to dwellings and contents from a variety of perils, as well as coverage for liability arising from ownership or occupancy. Other insurance includes personal excess liability (protection against losses in excess of amounts covered by other liability insurance policies), and coverage for recreational vehicles and boat owners. Most of Auto & Home�� homeowners��policies are traditional insurance policies for dwellings, providing protection for loss on a replacement cost basis. These policies also provide additional coverage for reasonable, normal living expenses incurred by policyholders that have been displaced from their homes.

International

International provides life insurance, accident and health insurance, credit insurance, annuities, endowment and retirement & savings products to both individuals and groups. The Company focuses on markets primarily within Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. It operates in international markets through subsidiaries and affiliates. The Company operates in 22 countries in Latin America, with operations in Mexico, Chile and Argentina. It operates in fou! r countri! es in Asia Pacific with operations in Korea, Hong Kong and Australia. It operates in 35 countries in Europe and the Middle East with operations in Poland, the United Kingdom, France, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as through a consolidated joint venture in India.

Corporate & Other

Corporate & Other contains the excess capital not allocated to the segments, which is invested to optimize investment spread and to fund company initiatives and various start-up and run-off entities. Mortgage products offered by MetLife Bank include forward and reverse residential mortgage loans. Residential mortgage loans are originated through MetLife Bank�� national sales force, mortgage brokers and mortgage correspondents. The residential mortgage banking activities include the origination and servicing of mortgage loans. Mortgage loans are held-for-investment or sold primarily into Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC) or Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) securities. Deposit products include traditional savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) and individual retirement accounts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  MetLife (NYSE: MET  ) will release its quarterly report on Wednesday, and shareholders couldn't be more optimistic about the company's future prospects. Yet even though the stock has traded at five-year highs recently, MetLife earnings haven't yet begun to grow in the way investors will want to see in the long run.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shanker and Stefano also note that American International Group isn’t the only insurance stock getting pounded recently, as Ameriprise Financial (AMP), MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU) have also been dumped by investors recently. They explain why:

Hot Quality Companies To Invest In 2014: CirTran Corp (CIRC)

CirTran Corporation, incorporated on March 23, 1987, manufactures, markets, and distributes internationally an energy drink under a license with Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (Playboy) through its subsidiary, CirTran Beverage Corporation. It operates in Beverage Distribution and Contract Manufacturing segments. In the United States, it provides a mix of high- and medium-volume turnkey manufacturing services and products using various high-tech applications for electronics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the communications, networking, peripherals, gaming, law enforcement, consumer products, telecommunications, automotive, medical, and semiconductor industries. The Company�� services include pre-manufacturing, manufacturing, and post-manufacturing services.

Beverage Distribution

CirTran Beverage Corporation (CirTran Beverage) manufactures, markets, and distributes Playboy-licensed energy drinks, flavored water beverages, and related merchandise through various distribution channels. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 65 countries throughout Europe, Africa, Australia, the Pacific, and the Middle East.

Contract Marketing

CirTran Products Corp. pursues contract-manufacturing relationships in the domestic consumer products markets, including products in areas, such as home/garden, kitchen, health/beauty, toys, licensed merchandise, and apparel for film, television, sports, and other entertainment properties. The Company concentrates its product development efforts into three areas: home and kitchen appliances, beauty products, and licensed merchandise. Through CirTran - Asia, Inc., the Company designs, manufactures, and supplies products in the international electronics, consumer products, and general merchandise industries for various marketers, distributors, and retailers selling overseas. This subsidiary provides manufacturing services to the direct-response and retail consumer markets.

The Company competes with Hansen�! � Energy, Diet Red, Monster Energy, Lost Energy, Joker Mad Energy, Ace Energy, Unbound Energy, Rumba energy juice, Red Bull, Rockstar, Full Throttle, No Fear, Amp, Adrenaline Rush, 180, Extreme Energy Shot, Red Devil, Rip It, NOS, Boo Koo, and Vitaminenergy.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Last Friday, CIRC remained (0.00%) +0.000 at $.0005 at the close (ref. google finance August 30, 2013 ��Close).

  CirTran Corporation has recently filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2013, showing continued growth in sales and a dramatic improvement in profits. CirTran�� sales were again driven by its Playboy Energy Drink line, which has grown to represent nearly 98% of revenues.

  For the quarter, CirTran previously reported sales of $1,096,691, a 247% increase over the $315,755 reported for the same period a year ago. For the six months ended June 30, 2013, CirTran reported sales of 1,964,843, a 110% improvement over the $934,455 reported for the first half of 2012.

Hot Quality Companies To Invest In 2014: M&T Bank Corporation (MTB)

M&T Bank Corporation operates as the holding company for M&T Bank and M&T Bank, National Association that provide commercial and retail banking services to individuals, corporations and other businesses, and institutions. It offers business loans and leases; business credit cards; deposit products, such as demand, savings, and time accounts; and financial services, including cash management, payroll and direct deposit, merchant credit card, and letters of credit. The company also provides residential real estate loans; multifamily commercial real estate loans; commercial real estate loans; one-to-four family residential mortgage loans; investment and trading securities; short-term and long-term borrowed funds; brokered certificates of deposit and interest rate swap agreements related thereto; and branch deposits. In addition, it offers foreign exchange, as well as asset management services. Further, the company provides consumer loans, and commercial loans and leases; cred it life, and accident and health reinsurance; and securities brokerage, investment advisory, and insurance agency services. As of December 31, 2009, it had 738 banking offices in New York State, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia; a commercial banking office in Ontario, Canada; and an office in George Town, Cayman Islands. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Buffalo, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  The M&T Bank Corp. (NYSE: MTB) and Hudson City Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ: HCBK) transaction is the only pending deal of 2012 vintage due to various regulatory concerns. MTB currently has 9% short interest outstanding and PACW 15%. Another merger covered is the deal between Provident New York Bancorp (NASDAQ: PBNY) and Sterling Bancorp (NYSE: STL), and the balance are simply too small for us to warrant effort.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Sterne Agee�� top pick among regional banks is M&T Bank Corp. (NYSE: MTB). Sterne Agee cut its 2014 earnings per share (EPS) estimate on the Buy-rated bank from $8.20 to $7.90 and the 2015 estimate has been cut from $9.50 to $9.00. The bank�� fundamentals are strong and it continues to experience good organic lending growth. The consensus estimate on M&T shares from Thomson Reuters is around $121.20 yielding an implied gain of 6% based on Friday�� closing price of $114.34. The forward multiple is 13.86 based on the consensus estimate for 2014 EPS of $8.25. Based on the Sterne Agee estimate of $7.90, the forward P/E ratio is around 15.4. M&T�� 52-week range is $95.68 to $119.54.

• [By Amanda Alix]

  Too little, too late?
  Whether the new regulations have arrived in time to prevent a bust in the commercial sector similar to the one seen with home mortgages remains to be seen. Some banks, at least, are recognizing the risks and staying away. As M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB  ) vice chair Mike Pinto tells the Financial Times, "Every 10 years or so, banks make some horrible mistake, and it usually starts with easy money." Hopefully, this time, such a calamity will be avoided.

Hot Quality Companies To Invest In 2014: United Stationers Inc.(USTR)

United Stationers Inc., through its subsidiary, United Stationers Supply Co., engages in the wholesale distribution of business products in North America. The company distributes technology products, which include computer supply and peripheral products, including imaging supplies, data storage, digital cameras, computer accessories, and computer hardware items. It also offers traditional office products consisting of brand-name and private label office supply products, such as filing and record storage products, business machines, presentation products, writing instruments, paper products, shipping and mailing supplies, calendars, and general office accessories; and office furniture products comprising desks, filing and storage solutions, and seating and systems furniture. In addition, the company distributes janitorial and breakroom supply items, including cleaners and cleaning accessories; foodservice consumables, such as disposable cups, plates, and utensils; safety an d security items; and paper and packaging supplies. Further, it provides industrial supply items, such as hand and power tools; safety and security supplies; janitorial equipment and supplies; industrial maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) items; and oil field and welding supplies. Additionally, the company offers freight, advertising, and software services, as well as sells software products. It serves independent office products dealers; contract stationers; office products superstores; computer products resellers; office furniture dealers; mass merchandisers; mail order companies; sanitary supply, paper, and foodservice distributors; drug and grocery store chains; healthcare distributors; e-commerce merchants; oil field, welding supply, and industrial/MRO distributors; and other independent distributors through its network of 65 distribution centers and 37 re-distribution points. United Stationers Inc. was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

• [By Holly LaFon]

  The company�� primarily competitors are Office Depot (ODP), United Stationers (USTR) and Office Max (OMX). Staples has the best gross margins of its competitors, at greater than 26%, and the only one to increase its book value per share since 2001.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  United Stationers (NASDAQ: USTR) is projected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.99 per share on revenue of $1.33 billion.

  Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN) is estimated to post its Q3 earnings at $1.65 per share on revenue of $1.36 billion.

Hot Quality Companies To Invest In 2014: Alon USA Partners LP (ALDW)

Alon USA Partners, LP (Alon USA), incorporated on August 17, 2012, owns and operates refining and petroleum products marketing business. Its integrated downstream business operates primarily in the South Central and Southwestern regions of the United States. It owns and operates a crude oil refinery in Big Spring, Texas with total throughput capacity of approximately 70,000 barrels per day (bpd). The crude oil pipelines the Company utilizes consist of the Amdel, White Oil, Mesa Interconnect, Centurion and Centurion Interconnect. Its Big Spring refinery produces ultra-low sulfur gasoline, ultra-low sulfur diesel, jet fuel, petrochemicals, petrochemical feedstocks, asphalt and other petroleum products.

During the year ended December 31, 2011 and the six months ended June 30, 2012, sour crude, such as West Texas Sour (WTS), represented approximately 80.4% and 80.4% of its throughput, respectively, and sweet crude, such as West Texas Intermediate (WTI), represented approximately 15.8% and 17.1% of its throughput, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2011 and the six months ended June 30, 2012, the Company produced approximately 49.1% and 49.2% gasoline, 32.3% and 32.5% diesel/jet fuel, 7.1% and 6.4% asphalt, 6.0% and 6.0% petrochemicals and 5.5% and 5.9% other refined products, in each case, respectively. The Company distributes fuel products through a product pipeline and terminal network of seven pipelines totaling approximately 840 miles and six terminals that it owns or access.

The Company competes with Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  I warned last week that refiners would report relatively poor earnings for Q3, and refinery MLPs could take a hit, presenting a buying opportunity. On Nov. 6 Alon USA Partners (NYSE: ALDW) reported a loss for the third quarter of $16.1 million, or ($0.26) per unit, compared with net income of $120.4 million for the same period last year. Paul Eisman, CEO and president, cited the deteriorating margins that I discussed in last week’s issue: “Our third quarter results were impacted by a volatile and deteriorating margin environment resulting primarily from decreasing discounts for West Texas crude oil.”

• [By Tom Dorsey]

  Over a several day period, I submitted questions and Mr. Eisman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Alon USA Energy Inc. (ALJ) and the parent company of Alon USA Partners LP Inc. (ALDW) responded. He provided some key insights to some challenges the company faces, where the company is going, and the opportunities available in the future. This insight should provide investors with additional information to understand the value of the company and the opportunity as an investor in the company.

Hot Quality Companies To Invest In 2014: Bravo Enterprises Ltd (OGNG)

Bravo Enterprises Ltd., formerly Organa Gardens International Inc., incorporated on November 29, 1983, is a development-stage company. The Company holds an undivided 85% working interest and an undivided 68% net revenue interest in 13,189 acres located in Wasatch County, Utah, known as the Uinta Basin and a 0.7% gross overriding royalty interest on 6,360 acres of oil and natural gas rights located in the Powder River Basin of eastern Wyoming. The Company has a vertical hydroponics farming system. The Company owns a 2% royalty interest in the Harvester Property. The LAK Ranch field covers approximately 7,500 acres in the Powder River basin. In September 2011, the Company completed its merger agreement with Integrated Green Technologies LLC.

The Organa Garden Systems (OGS) provide a means for food production and consumption change to global and ecological through vertical hydroponics rotary farming. There are two OGS models; the Discovery (OGS-D) and the Enterprise (OGS-E). Its specially designed waterwheel technology allows the fully automated system to recycle and reuse 95% of the water used while requiring a negligible amount of energy to run.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap green stocks Vision Industries Corp (OTCMKTS: VIIC), Bravo Enterprises Ltd (OTCMKTS: OGNG) and Kleangas Energy Technologies Inc (OTCMKTS: KGET) have reported recent news and/or they are being promoted. Of course, it goes without saying that small cap green stocks tend to be more volatile that other types of investments. So will investors and traders alike see some greenbacks from these green stocks? Here is a quick reality check:

Hot Quality Companies To Invest In 2014: KBB Resources Bhd (KBB)

KBB Resources Berhad is an investment holding company. The Company is engaged in manufacturing and marketing of all types of rice and sago sticks (vermicelli), sago starch and related products. The Company�� product includes Rice Vermicelli, Instant Noodle, Instant Bihun, Laksa and Sago. The Company�� subsidiaries include Kilang Bihun Bersatu Sdn Bhd, which is engaged in Manufacturing and marketing of all types of rice and sago sticks (vermicelli); Rasayang Food Industries Sdn Bhd, which is engaged in manufacturing and trading of beehoon and beehoon laksa; Bersatu Noodles Industries Sdn Bhd, which is engaged in manufacturing and trading of noodles and related products, and Bersatu Biotechnology (Johore) Sdn Bhd, which is engaged in manufacturing and marketing of all types of sago starch and related products. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Neha Marwah]

  LMC Automotive expects the annualized rate to be 16.1 million, the best in six years. This is a decent improvement from last year�� November, when the industry reported 15.3 million as the adjusted annualized rate. In comparison, Kelley Blue Book (KBB) expects the November 2013 SAAR to be around 15.6 million, while Edmunds.com estimates it to be 15.7 million.