SAP Falls to 8-Month Low on Oracle Sales Miss: Frankfurt Mover

SAP AG (SAP), the largest maker of business-management software, slumped to an eight-month low after competitor Oracle Corp. (ORCL) reported quarterly sales that missed estimates, fueling concerns about weaker license demand.

Oracle, based in Redwood, California, also forecast profit per share for the current quarter at the low end of a range of analyst projections. SAP shares declined as much as 2.5 percent to 55.20 euros, their lowest intraday price since Oct. 29, and were down 2 percent as of 11:15 a.m. in Frankfurt trading. Volume was 81 percent of the three-month daily average.

Software buyers, led by those in the U.S., are increasingly opting for software they can access via the web rather than for packages that take weeks or months to be installed on their own servers. Oracle and Walldorf, Germany-based SAP have both acquired a series of cloud software providers to meet this demand and to keep Salesforce.com Inc. (CRM) and Workday Inc. (WDAY) from taking parts of their core business.

"The structural shift seems to be happening faster than anticipated, and these two dinosaurs are feeling it," said Thomas Becker, an analyst at Commerzbank AG in Frankfurt who recommends investors hold SAP shares. Still, "the correlation between the two isn't that high -- a string of bad quarters for Oracle doesn't necessarily mean SAP is suffering the same."

SAP which was the fifth-best performer in Germany's 30-company benchmark DAX Index last year with a 49 percent gain, has lost about 8.6 percent this year.

The Impact EU Tariffs Will Have on Chinese Solar

Chinese solar stocks have been up and down daily based on tariff rumors from Europe. But what will the impact be for major manufacturers such as Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL  ) , Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ  ) , and Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE  ) ? Solar analyst Travis Hoium goes through the two most likely possibilities in the following video. 

One home run investing opportunity in energy has been slipping under Wall Street's radar for months. But it won't stay hidden much longer. Forward-thinking energy players such as General Electric and Ford have already plowed sizable amounts of research capital into this little-known stock ... because they know it holds the key to the explosive profit power of the coming "no choice fuel revolution." Luckily, there's still time for you to get on board if you act quickly. All the details are inside an exclusive report from The Motley Fool. Click here for the full story!

Why North America Can Do Shale Drilling Better Than the Rest

The U.S. started the shale drilling game, but there are several other countries out there that have shale resources as well. Some of those countries even have shale gas reserves greater than the United States. Yet despite these massive overseas resources, most countries can't seem to get shale gas drilling off the ground. It isn't by chance the U.S. has been able to develop these resources and others haven't.

There are several reasons shale drilling has taken off in the United States. One clear reason everyone can agree on is that the U.S. has one of the most complete energy infrastructures out there. While much of that infrastructure was built to deliver oil and gas from the Gulf of Mexico to destinations across the U.S., we we've taken that existing infrastructure and flipped it on its head. Pipeline reversals, such as the one on Enbridge's (NYSE: ENB  ) and Enterprise Products Partners' (NYSE: EPD  ) Seaway pipeline, provide an essential route to deliver resources from these emerging shale plays to the Gulf to be refined. 

What many people don't seem to appreciate is the sheer size of America's energy infrastructure in comparison with other countries. Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI  ) and its subsidiaries alone own more than double the amount of pipeline than what exists in all of China.

This big leg up, combined with eager production companies with a favorable regulatory framework for private land, has made the U.S. the standard-bearer for shale drilling. Learn more about these advantages by tuning into the discussion between Fool analysts Joel South, Taylor Muckerman, and Fool.com contributor Tyler Crowe in the following video.

There are many different ways to play the energy sector, and The Motley Fool's analysts have uncovered an under-the-radar company that's dominating its industry. This company is a leading provider of equipment and components used in drilling and production operations and is poised to profit in a big way from it. To get the name and detailed analysis of this company that will prosper for years to come, check out the special free report: "The Only Energy Stock You'll Ever Need." Don't miss out on this limited-time offer and your opportunity to discover this company before the market does. Click here to access your report -- it's totally free.

BlackBerry Bombs, and Shares Tank

On Friday morning, struggling smartphone maker BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY  ) released its much-anticipated results for the first quarter of FY14. The company reported revenue of $3.1 billion, up 15% sequentially, and a GAAP loss of $0.16 per share.

The company's EPS result was hit by a $0.03 charge for restructuring costs and a $0.10 impact because of Venezuelan foreign currency restrictions, which have prevented carriers there from paying subscriber fees owed to BlackBerry. Even excluding these negative impacts, the company would have posted a small loss, whereas analysts (on average) expected a modest profit for the quarter. Moreover, the company doesn't expect any immediate improvement, and therefore forecast an operating loss for the current quarter.

The weaker-than-expected results and the soft outlook caused BlackBerry shares to drop as much as 29% on Friday morning. Management admitted that it's difficult to predict future sales and profitability trends because of the tough competitive environment. Should BlackBerry investors throw in the towel?

BB10: Another problem child?
The main cause of BlackBerry's earnings miss was the relatively slow growth of BB10 phone shipments. The first smartphone running the new BB10 OS -- the Z10 -- was released in late January, and BlackBerry managed to ship roughly 1 million units in the first month. Last quarter, BlackBerry had a full quarter of Z10 shipments, and the company also launched Q10 in late April -- the first BB10 device with BlackBerry's traditional physical QWERTY keyboard.

The BlackBerry Q10 smartphone (courtesy of BlackBerry)

The Q10 launch seemed especially promising because most of the diehard BlackBerry fans who have stuck with the brand want a physical keyboard. However, despite having a full quarter of Z10 sales and more than a month of Q10 sales, BlackBerry still shipped just 2.7 million BB10 phones during the quarter.

The monthly shipment rate was thus slightly lower in Q1 than in the previous quarter (when the company shipped 1 million Z10 phones in one month). The BB10 sales figure missed expectations: Most analysts were expecting 3 million to 4 million BB10 shipments in the quarter.

Unfortunately, the company refused to quantify the breakdown in shipments between Z10 and Q10. There are thus two plausible scenarios that investors have to consider. First, it's possible that Z10 sales "fell off a cliff" after the initial 1 million units shipped in the prior quarter. If 50% or more of last quarter's shipments were Q10 phones, that would suggest that while Z10 demand is fading, Q10 is seeing good upgrade demand from current BlackBerry users.

Alternatively, it is possible that the slowdown in Z10 shipments was more modest and device sales missed estimates because of lower-than-expected Q10 shipments. That scenario would be more troubling, especially if it indicated weak Q10 demand rather than supply constraints. One of the biggest points in favor of a BlackBerry comeback is that the company has devoted fans, whom most analysts expect to be the initial market for BB10 devices (especially the Q10). If even those fans are hesitant to buy the new BB10 offerings, it would be devastating to the company.

Looking ahead
BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins said all the right things on the company's conference call on Friday morning. He talked about investing heavily this year to assure long-term success, rather than generating short-term profits at the expense of long-term growth. However, investors are understandably skeptical about the company's turnaround plans, given BlackBerry's turbulent past.

I still think the company can secure a niche for itself within the smartphone market, while also broadening its software and service offerings. The Q10 smartphone just launched this month in the U.S., one of BlackBerry's largest markets. Moreover, it could take a few months to see sales build, because -- unlike competitors -- BlackBerry relies heavily on bulk sales to government and enterprise clients. Corporate IT departments typically take several months to approve new devices, so investors should expect the fall to be make-or-break time for BB10 in the corporate and government market.

Fortunately, the company still has a very strong balance sheet, with more than $3 billion of cash and investments at the end of May. This gives BlackBerry plenty of breathing room to execute its business plan over the next several quarters and hopefully create some momentum around BB10. Investors betting on a quick turnaround were disappointed on Friday; the earnings report was definitely a setback.

Still, while BlackBerry's prospects have dimmed, the curtain has not yet fallen on this former smartphone giant. However, time is of the essence in rebuilding the BlackBerry brand to produce a return to growth.

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

Top 10 Valued Companies To Watch In Right Now

Dividend investors are always on the lookout for stocks to invest in that will provide them with the income they need to meet their financial needs. Lately, though, fears about whether dividend stocks have gotten overvalued has made many would-be dividend investors leery of adding new names to their portfolios.

But with the Federal Reserve doing its best to convince the markets that it intends to keep short-term interest rates down for a considerable period of time, investors need to accept the fact that unless you're unwilling or unable to accept the risk involved with the stock market, finding dividend stocks to invest in rather than accepting low yields on bonds and bank CDs is the best way to get the income you need. With that in mind, let's take a look at the characteristics that make for the best dividend stocks right now, examining three examples you can invest in today.

Top 10 Valued Companies To Watch In Right Now: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Caterpillar (CAT) is staging a textbook breakout in May. Shares of heavy equipment maker haven't exactly been kind to investors year-to-date; CAT has barely broken even during a time when the broad market has been in a historic rally. But a textbook breakout should change that.

  CAT started forming an inverse head and shoulders pattern back in early April. The inverse head and shoulders is formed by two swing lows that bottom out around the same level (the shoulders), separated by a lower low called the head; the buy signal comes on the breakout above the pattern's "neckline" level, which was just below $86 for CAT. That puts this stock's upside target right around $92.

  Even though CAT has nearly hit its upside target already (the post-breakout buying has been very quick), the longer-term implication for investors is a break of the downtrend that had been haranguing shares this year. Now, with that downtrend broken, CAT should have more room to move higher. I'd just expect some consolidation first.

• [By Jim Cramer]

  this stock could be a monster in 2011, especially with the integration of Bucyrus (BUCY), which I think will turn out to be a fantastic acquisition. Estimates, currently showing EPS at about $6, I think are way, way too low. I see this stock going to $120 in the next year. Too gutsy? Ask yourself what happens if the United States comes back as a growth nation. Right now almost all of the growth is overseas. Still a fantastic mineral play and a terrific call on world growth.

• [By Jim Cramer,TheStreet]

  Caterpillar (CAT) could be a monster in 2011, especially with the integration of Bucyrus International (BUCY), which I think will turn out to be a fantastic acquisition.

  Current earnings-per-share estimates of about $6 are, I think, way too low. I see this stock going to $120 in the next year. Too gutsy? Ask yourself what happens if the United States comes back as a growth nation? Right now almost all of the growth is overseas.

  Still a fantastic mineral play and a terrific call on world growth.

Top 10 Valued Companies To Watch In Right Now: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sam Collins]

  Dollar Tree (NASDAQ:DLTR) is a leading operator of discount variety stores. The stock has hugged its 50-day moving average since mid-February. But a recent minor revision of earnings for this year by several analysts and the recent market sell-off have resulted in a fall from its high of the year at over $70 to under $66. However, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) increased its price target to $73 from $69.

  Technically DLTR is oversold, according to MACD. A break below its 50-day moving average could result in a pullback to $64, but positions could be taken at the current market price. The trading target for DLTR is $72.

Best Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sam Collins]

  Household name Tupperware Brands Corp. (NYSE:TUP) is a global direct seller of products with multiple brands through an independent sales force of 2.4 million people. Its product line focuses on kitchen storage and serving solutions, as well as personal-care products. Over 60% of sales in 2011 are expected to come from Europe and Asia, and the stock has appeal as an emerging markets story.

  S&P estimates that 2011 earnings will increase to $4.54 versus $3.53 in 2010, and it increased its rating to a “five-star strong buy” with a recently revised 12-month target of $81, up from $73. The 2005 purchase of Sara Lee’s (NYSE:SLE) direct-sales business, which has a high growth rate, should be a long-term benefit. TUP’s annual dividend yield is 1.92%.

  Technically TUP had a pullback following a new high at over $70 and is currently oversold. Buy TUP at the current market price with a trading target of $70, but longer term a much higher target will likely be attained.

Top 10 Valued Companies To Watch In Right Now: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  This company has been a pick of both Jordan DiPietro and Bryan White. And both analysts have pointed to the company's opportunity for oil exploration abroad -- which is where much of the demand will soon be coming from as well.

  Bryan points out that three-fourths of the company's revenue comes from abroad, with "Brazil, the Middle East, and Africa [as] key regions where activity is expected to be robust and growing."

  Jordan adds, "[Schlumberger] has an important presence in high-growth regions of the world such as Iraq, Mexico, and Russia, and has the competitive advantage to be able to offer full services, from managing entire oil fields to drilling wells."

• [By Robert Holmes]

   Schlumberger has the most potential upside of any stock in this group of 50 that also makes the firm's Best Ideas list. Analyst Ole Slorer says Schlumberger has "what we consider the most advanced technology portfolio in the industry."

  "Its fundamentals are impressive, with what we think are some of the best field personnel, a pristine service and performance reputation, and leading market share in most of its product lines," Slorer writes.

  Though Slorer's price target is 42% above current levels, his most bullish scenario for Schlumberger over the next year would see shares climb a whopping 116%. On the downside, his most bearish scenario for the company would see shares slide 38% over the next 12 months.

• [By Lowell]

  Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB) is a premier supplier of technology and oil-well services and equipment. S&P has upgraded SLB to a “buy,” and Credit Suisse upgraded it to an “outperform” rating because the company exceeded recent earnings forecasts and increased its view of future earnings for 2011. SLB’s fundamental target is $117 and is based on earnings estimates of $3.85 for 2011, $5.40 for 2012, and $6.05 for 2013.

  Technically SLB may become the object of profit-taking following a recent run to over $95. Positions are recommended at around $85 with a target of $115 before December 2011, assuming a breakout through a triple-top at $95.

• [By Dug]

  Schlumberger(SLB) continues to lead the sector, particularly outside the U.S. in the growing markets for vertical drilling. Schlumberger remains my favorite. Another smaller company to look at with growing work in complex procedures is Helmerich & Payne(HP).

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of LRR Energy (NYSE: LRE  ) dropped as much as 10% today after the company released earnings.

So what: Revenue dropped nearly 50%, to $15.8 million, and the company swung to a loss of $7.5 million, or $0.32 per share. Analysts had expected $28.4 million in revenue, and earnings of $0.13 per share.�

Now what: Production is definitely falling behind expectations, and management expects full-year production to be between 6,250 and 6,550 Boe/day. The good news is that management is paying a $0.4825 per share distribution to shareholders who owned the stock yesterday. The company can't continue that distribution with these results, so I'd be cautious buying shares after the company lost money last quarter.

Interested in more info on LRR Energy? Add it to your watchlist by clicking here.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: B2Gold Corp (BGLPF)

B2Gold Corp. (B2Gold) is a gold producer with mining operations in Nicaragua and a portfolio of development and exploration assets in Colombia, Nicaragua and Uruguay. It operates the Libertad Mine and the Limon Mine in Nicaragua. It owns or has an interest in the Gramalote and Mocoa properties in Colombia, and the Bellavista property in Costa Rica. La Libertad Mine is located 110 kilometers east of Managua. The Limon Mine is located approximately 100 kilometers northwest of Managua and 20 kilometers from the Pan- American Highway. The Otjikoto gold project is located approximately 300 kilometers north of Namibia�� capital city, Windhoek. The Gramalote property is located approximately 230 kilometers northwest of the Colombian capital of Bogota and approximately 80 kilometers northeast of Medellin. The Gramalote property area is covered by 31 contiguous claim blocks totaling 42,790.09 hectares. On December 22, 2011, B2Gold completed a business combination with Auryx Gold Corp. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Christopher Barker]

  Well what do you know? It appears they've done it again! The same folks who built Bema Gold into a leading mid-tier producer -- and one that Kinross Gold (NYSE: KGC  ) couldn't resist gobbling up back in 2006 for $3.1 billion -- have built another budding mid-tier miner that's now looking to quadruple annual production to roughly 700,000 just over the next four years! After forging a rock-solid foundation with two high-quality mines in Nicaragua, these savvy operators initiated a major strategic acquisition in 2012 that will more than double output in 2013 with the addition of the already producing Masbate mine in the Philippines. After scrutinizing B2Gold's Otjikoto project in Namibia (where mine construction is set to commence early in 2013), and given the promising outlook for the company's Gramalote joint venture in Colombia with 51% stakeholder AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE: AU  ) , I believe that B2Gold has trailblazed its way into one of the industry's foremost long-term growth outlooks. A prefeasibility study for the Gramalote project, due during the first quarter of 2013, offers just one of several potential catalysts looming for this highly desirable gold stock.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Watts Water Technologies Inc.(WTS)

Watts Water Technologies, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells water safety and flow control products for the water quality, water conservation, water safety, and water flow control markets in North America, Europe, and Asia. It provides residential and commercial flow control products, such as backflow preventers, water pressure regulators, temperature and pressure relief valves, and thermostatic mixing valves for plumbing and hot water applications. The company also offers HVAC and gas products, including hydronic and electric heating systems for under-floor radiant applications; hydronic pump groups for boiler manufacturers and alternative energy control packages; and flexible stainless steel connectors for natural and liquid propane gas in commercial food service and residential applications. In addition, it provides drains and water re-use products, which include drainage products and engineered rain water harvesting solutions for commercial, industrial, marine, and residential applications; and water quality products comprising point-of-use and point-of-entry water filtration, conditioning, and scale prevention systems for commercial and residential applications. The company sells its products to plumbing, heating, and mechanical wholesale distributors, as well as to do-it-yourself chains (DIY) through manufacturer?s representatives. It also sells its products to residential construction, and home repair and remodeling industries through DIY plumbing retailers, national catalog distribution companies, hardware stores, building material outlets, retail home center chains, and plumbing and heating wholesalers; and directly to wholesalers, original equipment manufacturers, and private label accounts. Watts Water Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1874 and is headquartered in North Andover, Massachusetts.

Hot Consumer Companies To Buy For 2014: Highway Holdings Limited(HIHO)

Highway Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and supplies metal, plastic, electric, and electronic components, as well as subassemblies and finished products for original equipment manufacturers and contract manufacturers. The company?s products are used in the manufacture of various products, including photocopiers, laser printers, compact disc players, laser disc players, cassette players, computer equipment, electrical components, electrical connectors, cameras, automobile accessories, vacuum cleaners, light fixtures, electro motors, air pumps, automobiles, and dishwasher and other washing machine components. It also manufactures consumer products, such as cases for mobile phones; and assists its customers in the design and development of the tooling used in the metal and plastic manufacturing process, as well as provides other manufacturing and engineering services. In addition, Highway Holdings Limited provides manufacturing services, including me tal stamping, screen printing, plastic injection molding, and pad printing services, as well as electronic assembly services comprising chip on board assembly, IC-bonding, and SMT automatic components assembly of printed circuit boards. It offers its products and services primarily in Hong Kong and China, Europe, the United States, and other Asian countries. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Sheung Shui, Hong Kong.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Tri-Tech Holding Inc.(TRIT)

Tri-Tech Holding Inc. provides integrated solutions to water resource management and environmental protection industries in the People?s Republic of China. It provides services in the fields of environmental protection; and water resource monitoring, development, utilization, and protection to the government agencies, municipalities, and industrial companies. The company operates in three segments: Water, Wastewater Treatment, and Municipal Infrastructure; Water Resource Management System and Engineering Services; and Industrial Pollution Control and Safety. The Water, Wastewater Treatment, and Municipal Infrastructure segment includes projects involving municipal water supply and distribution, wastewater treatment and gray water reuse engineering, procurement, and construction; build and transfer; proprietary process control systems; process equipment integration and proprietary odor control systems; and other municipal facilities engineering, operation management, and r elated infrastructure construction projects. The Water Resource Management System and Engineering Services segment includes projects relating to water resource protection and allocation, flood control and forecasting, irrigation systems, system integration, proprietary hardware and software products, and related ventures. The Industrial Pollution Control and Safety segment comprises systems for volatile organic compound abatement; odor control; water and wastewater treatment; the design, engineering, procurement, and construction of water recycling facilities for oil, gas, petrochemical, and power industries; and safety and clean production technologies for oil and gas exploration and pipeline. The company is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Family Dollar Stores Inc.(FDO)

Family Dollar Stores, Inc. operates a chain of self-service retail discount stores primarily for low and middle income consumers in the United States. The company offers consumables, including household chemicals, paper products, candy and snack products, health and beauty aids, hardware and automotive supplies, and pet food products and supplies; and home products, which comprise domestics, housewares, giftware products, and home decor products. It also provides apparel products and accessories consisting of men?s and women?s clothing products, boys? and girls? clothing products, infants? clothing products, shoes, and fashion accessories; and seasonal products and electronics, such as toys, stationery and school supplies, seasonal goods, and personal electronics. As of August 11, 2011, the company operated approximately 7,000 stores in rural and urban settings across 44 states. Family Dollar Stores, Inc. was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina .

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sy_Harding]

  My second retail value stock is clearly a value stock: Family Dollar Stores (FDO -0.20%, news). Operating in the intensely competitive discount retail segment at a time when its customer base was feeling the brunt of the slow recovery, Family Dollar managed to grow same-store sales 4.8% in fiscal 2011, with a 5% to 7% increase projected for fiscal 2012 and to improve its market position by shifting its merchandise mix and moving into urban neighborhoods. The stock trades at about 18 times trailing 12-month earnings per share and just about 13 times forward projected earnings. Wall Street analysts are looking for 23.6% earnings growth in the quarter that ends in February 2012.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company(RRD)

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company provides pre-media, printing, logistics, and business process outsourcing products and services to private and public sectors worldwide. The company operates primarily in the commercial print portion of the printing industry, with related product and service offerings designed to offer customers solutions for communicating their messages to target audiences. Its products and related service offerings include magazines, catalogs, retail inserts, books, directories, financial print, direct mail, forms, labels, office products, statement printing, pre media, and logistics services. The company also offers business process outsourcing services that comprise transactional print and outsourcing services, statement printing, direct mail, and print management services; and product configuration, customized kitting, and order fulfillment for technology, medical device, and other companies. It distributes its products to end-users through the United Sta tes postal services, retail channels, electronically, or by direct shipment to customer facilities. R.R. Donnelley & Sons was founded in 1864 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Crh Ord Eur 0.32(CRH.L)

CRH public limited company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and supply of building materials primarily in western Europe and North America. The company produces and sells a range of primary materials, including cement, aggregates, ready-mixed concrete, asphalt/bitumen, and agricultural and chemical lime. It also produces and sells architectural and structural concrete products, clay products, fabricated and tempered glass products, and construction accessories, as well as provides a range of inter-related products and services to the construction sector. In addition, it engages in builders? merchanting activities; and operates a network of do-it-yourself (DIY) stores that market and sell supplies to the construction sector and to the general public. Further, the company manufactures and installs pre-stressed concrete flooring planks, modular precast structures, and other products used in structures, such as hotels, apartments, dormitories, and prisons ; and concrete pipes used for storm and sanitary sewer applications. It also has operations in eastern Europe, South America, the Mediterranean basin, China, India, and Australia. The company operates 138 Karwei and GAMMA brand DIY stores in the Netherlands; 19 GAMMA brand DIY stores in Belgium; 51 Hagebau brand DIY stores in Germany; and 33 Maxmat brand DIY stores in Portugal. CRH public limited company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Zucchi(ZUCI.MI)

Vincenzo Zucchi S.p.A. engages the in manufacture and sale of household linen. The company offers bedroom products, such as sheets and pillowcases, duvet covers, and bedspreads; bathroom products, including towels, bathrobes, and bath mats; living room products comprising sofa covers, table and kitchen products, and throws; and outdoor products consisting of travel robes, travel sheets, and beach towels. It also operates Zucchi stores and outlets. The company was founded in 1920 and is based in Rescaldina, Italy.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Tex Hdg(TXH.L)

Tex Holdings plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the plastic injection molding and tooling procurement primarily in the United Kingdom, Eurozone, and the United States. It also involves in the manufacture and supply of proprietary piling equipment, engineering products, and board and panels. The company operates in three divisions: Engineering, Plastics, and Boards and Panels. The Engineering division designs and manufactures piling and dynamic compaction equipment for the ground engineering sector; manufactures and sells trojan asphalt mixers, road surfacing and associated equipment and spares, mobility scooter stores, allied kiosks and enclosures, industrial gas burners, and springwood white lining equipment; markets and distributes fibertex geotextiles; and provides marine diesel engine and governor rebuilding, parts supply, and technical support. It also engages in the design, manufacture, and installation of air traffic control rooms and radio frequency bl ocking glazing; and design and manufacture of specialist engineering equipment for the in-situ production of battery cast concrete building panels. The Plastics division involves in precision injection molding, and provides assembly and finishing services. The Boards and Panels division provides boards and panels. The company is based in Ipswich, the United Kingdom.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Chip Eng Seng Corporation Ltd (C29.SI)

Chip Eng Seng Corporation Ltd., an investment holding company, engages in the construction, and property development and investment businesses in Singapore. The company operates as a general building contractor for public and private construction projects, including Housing & Development Board projects, residential and commercial properties, institutional buildings, industrial buildings, columbariums, shop houses, and precast projects. It also invests, develops, leases, and manages residential, commercial, and industrial properties in Singapore, Australia, and Vietnam. In addition, the company engages in manufacturing and trading precast products; and providing general building engineering, and project management and consultancy services. Chip Eng Seng Corporation Ltd. is based in Singapore.

Top Bank Companies For 2014

Cruise ship operator�Carnival� (NYSE: CUK  ) (NYSE: CCL  ) has set the currency exchange ratio for its second-quarter dividend for shareholders of its London-based operations, which trade on the NYSE under the symbol CUK, at�16.39022 pence�per share.�

It announced in April�it would set the currency exchange ratio at noon on June 3 and the Bank of�England�in�London quoted a rate then of �one�U.S. dollar equal to�65.56087 pence.�

Shareholders of its Miami-based operations, which trade on the NYSE under the symbol CCL, will receive a payout�of $0.25 per share, payable on June 14 to shareholders of record on May 24, as it previously declared. That's the same rate it's paid since 2011.

Carnival has made quarterly cash payouts since 1994.�The regular dividend payment equates to a $1.00-per-share annual dividend, yielding 2.9% based on the closing price of Carnival's stock on June 4.

Top Bank Companies For 2014: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AX)

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (the Bank) is engaged in the provision of a range of banking and financial products and services to retail, small business, corporate and institutional clients. The Bank is a provider of integrated financial services, including retail, business and institutional banking, superannuation, life insurance, general insurance, funds management, broking services and finance company activities. Its operating segments include Retail Banking Services, Business and Private Banking, Institutional Banking and Markets, Wealth Management, New Zealand, Bankwest and Other. Its retail banking services include home loans, consumer finance, retail deposits and distribution. Its business and private banking include corporate financial services, regional and agribusiness banking, local business banking, private bank and equities and margin lending. The Bank and its subsidiaries ceased to be a substantial holder in Ten Network Holdings Limited, as of September 12, 2012.

Top Bank Companies For 2014: Royal Bank Of Canada(RY)

Royal Bank of Canada provides personal and commercial banking, wealth management services, insurance, corporate and investment banking, and transaction processing services under the RBC name worldwide. Its Canadian Banking segment offers personal financial services, business financial services, and cards and payment solutions. The company?s Wealth Management segment provides wealth and asset management, and estate and trust services to affluent and high net worth clients through distributors, as well as directly to institutional and individual clients in Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Its Insurance segment provides various life and health insurance, including universal life, accidental death and critical illness protection, disability, long-term care insurance, and group benefits; and property and casualty insurance comprising home, auto, and travel insurance, as well as wealth accumulation solutions; and reinsurance products through retail ins urance branches, call centers, independent insurance advisors and travel agencies, financial institutions, and career sales force. The company?s International Banking segment offers various financial products and services to individuals, business clients, and public institutions in the U.S. and Caribbean. This segment also provides global custody, fund and pension administration, securities lending, shareholder services, analytics, and other related services to institutional investors. Royal Bank of Canada?s Capital Markets segment engages in the trading and distribution of fixed income, foreign exchange, equities, commodities, and derivative products for institutional, public sector, and corporate clients; and involves in investment banking, debt and equity origination, advisory services, corporate lending, private equity, and client securitization businesses. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Top Communications Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now: Bank of America Corporation(BAC)

Bank of America Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and nonbanking financial services and products to individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally. The company?s Deposits segment generates savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificate of deposits, and checking accounts; and Global Card Services segment provides the U.S. consumer and business card, consumer lending, international card and debit card services. Its Home Loans & Insurance segment offers consumer real estate products and services, including mortgage loans, reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and home equity loans. It also provides property, disability, and credit insurance. The company?s Global Commercial Banking segment offers lending products, including commercial loans and commitment facilities, real estate lending, leasing, trade finance, short-term credit, asset-based lending, and indirect consumer loans; and capital management and treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options. Its Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial products, advisory services, settlement, and custody services; debt and equity underwriting and distribution, merger-related advisory services, and risk management products; and integrated working capital management and treasury solutions. The company?s Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and brokerage services, estate management, financial planning services, fiduciary management, credit and banking expertise, and asset management products. Bank of America Corporation serves customers through a network of approximately 5,900 banking centers and 18,000 automated teller machines. It was formerly known as NationsBank Corporation and changed its name on October 1, 1998. Bank of America Corporation was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlott e, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Kathy Kristof]

  The hottest big-bank stock of late has been Bank of America (BAC). Since hitting $4.99 in December 2011, the stock has soared 139%, to $11.94. Bank of America is slowly working through the disastrous results of a decade of acquisitions, which culminated in the 2008 purchase of Countrywide Financial Corp. The acquisition of the troubled mortgage lender put BofA on the wrong end of massive loan losses and a seemingly endless stream of litigation filed by everyone from shareholders to the Justice Department. However, even after paying the Federal National Mortgage Association $2.7 billion late last year as part of another legal settlement, the bank posted earnings for all of 2012 that were nearly three times higher than those of the previous year.

  Strong results and the belief that BofA's woes are finally winding down have driven the stock's ascent. But don't look for it to keep advancing at the same rate. Morford thinks the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank's shares will hit $14 within a year. The stock sells for 12 times predicted 2013 earnings of 99 cents per share. That seems pricey for a bank stock, but it looks fair in light of expected annual earnings growth of 19% over the next few years. BofA shares yield an inconsequential 0.3%.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) was the best performer of all 30 DJIA components in 2012. With gains of over 100%, the stock is now overvalued according to Wall St. analysts. Meredith Whitney may have recently upgraded Bank of America, but the year-end consensus price target of $10.60 was implying a negative return of almost 9%. There is at least something positive to say here, and that is that analysts are ratcheting their targets slightly higher already. Thomson Reuters already has lifted its consensus mean target to $11.13. Bank of America only yields 0.3% because it has not been allowed to raise its dividend. What if that changes in 2013?

• [By Philip van Doorn]

  Shares of Bank of America (BAC) closed at $9.49 on Tuesday, returning 71% year-to-date, following an epic 58% decline during 2011. Despite that remarkable run, the shares trade for just 0.7 times the company's Dec. 30 tangible book value of $12.95, and for a relatively low nine times the consensus 2013 EPS estimate of $1.06. KBW analyst Jefferson Harralson rates Bank of America "Market Perform," with a price target of $9.00, and estimates the company will report first-quarter EPS of six cents, followed by full-year earnings of 65 cents, and 2013 EPS of $1.20.

Top Bank Companies For 2014: Morgan Stanley(MS)

Morgan Stanley, a financial holding company, provides various financial products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals worldwide. It operates in three segments: Institutional Securities, Global Wealth Management Group, and Asset Management. The Institutional Securities segment offers financial advisory services on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, corporate restructurings, recapitalizations, spin-offs, exchange offers, and leveraged buyouts and takeover defenses, as well as shareholder relations, capital raising, corporate lending, and investments. This segment also engages in sales, trading, financing, and market-making activities, including equity trading, commodities, and interest rates, credit, and currencies, as well as financing services, such as prime brokerage, consolidated clearance, settlement, custody, financing, and portfolio reporting services. The Global Wealth Management Group segment provide s brokerage and investment advisory services covering various investment alternatives comprising equities, options, futures, foreign currencies, precious metals, fixed income securities, mutual funds, structured products, alternative investments, unit investment trusts, managed futures, separately managed accounts, and mutual fund asset allocation programs; education savings programs, financial and wealth planning services, and annuity and insurance products; credit and other lending products; cash management services; retirement services; and trust and fiduciary services. The Asset Management segment offers products and services in equity, fixed income, and alternative investments, such as hedge funds, fund of funds, real estate, private equity, and infrastructure to institutional and retail clients through proprietary and third party distribution channels. This segment also involves in investment and merchant banking activities. The company was founded in 1935 and is headq uartered in New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Halah Touryalai]

  There is a disconnect between the progress made by Morgan Stanley into a lower risk, wealth and asset manager (now half the company) and a stock that trades at over a one-third discount to its tangible book value.  De-risking is reflected by double the capital and 50% more liquidity versus four years ago. Restructuring is aided by synergies from its brokerage integration, completed in July, and progress in downsizing less favorable trading activities.   Growth is possible in depressed investment banking, which remains top-tier and may soon improve.  The de-risking alone justifies a price of $23 but restructuring and growth have the potential to move the stock closer to tangible book of $28.

• [By Louis Navellier]

  Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) is another global financial services firm making this list. MS has been a big loser in 2011, dropping more than 49% in less than 10 months.

Top Bank Companies For 2014: Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL)

Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL) is a bank holding company. The Company provides full-service banking and lending to locally owned businesses, professional firms, real estate developers and investors, local non-profit organizations, high net worth individuals and other consumers through its three wholly owned subsidiary banks (the Banks): Bank of Nevada (BON), operating in Southern Nevada; Western Alliance Bank (WAB), operating in Arizona and Northern Nevada, and Torrey Pines Bank (TPB), operating in California. In addition, the Company�� non-bank subsidiaries, Shine Investment Advisory Services, Inc. (Shine) and Western Alliance Equipment Finance (WAEF), offer an array of financial products and services to small to mid-sized businesses and their proprietors, including financial planning, custody and investments, and equipment leasing nationwide. It operates in four segments: Bank of Nevada, Western Alliance Bank, Torrey Pines Bank and Other.

The Company provides a range of banking services, as well as investment advisory services, through its consolidated subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2011, WAL owned an 80% interest in Shine. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned a 24.9% interest in Miller/Russell & Associates, Inc. (MRA), an investment advisor. MRA provides investment advisory services to individuals, foundations, retirement plans and corporations.

Lending Activities

Through the Company�� banking segments, the Company provides a variety of financial services to customers, including commercial real estate loans, construction and land development loans, commercial loans, and consumer loans. Loans to businesses consisted 89.2% of the total loan portfolio at December 31, 2011. Loans to finance the purchase or refinancing of commercial real estate (CRE) and loans to finance inventory and working capital that are additionally secured by CRE make up the majority of its loan portfolio. These CRE loans are secured by apartment buildings, professional of! fices, industrial facilities, retail centers and other commercial properties. As of December 31, 2011, 49% of its CRE loans were owner-occupied. Owner-occupied commercial real estate loans are loans secured by owner-occupied nonfarm nonresidential properties for which the primary source of repayment (more than 50%) is the cash flow from the ongoing operations and activities conducted by the borrower who owns the property. Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate loans are commercial real estate loans for which the primary source of repayment is nonaffiliated rental income associated with the collateral property.

Construction and land development loans include multi-family apartment projects, industrial/warehouse properties, office buildings, retail centers and medical facilities. Commercial and industrial loans include working capital lines of credit, inventory and accounts receivable lines, mortgage warehouse lines, equipment loans and leases, and other commercial loans. Commercial loans are primarily originated to small and medium-sized businesses in a variety of industries. Consumer loans are generally offered at a higher rate and shorter term than residential mortgages. Its consumer loans include home equity loans and lines of credit, home improvement loans, credit card loans, and personal lines of credit. As of December 31, 2011, its loan portfolio totaled $4.68 billion, or approximately 68.4% of its total assets.

Investment Activities

All of the Company�� investment securities are classified as available-for-sale (AFS) or held-to-maturity (HTM). As of December 31, 2011, the Company had an investment securities portfolio of $1.48 billion, representing approximately 21.7% of its total assets. As of December 31, 2011, its investment securities portfolio consisted of the United States Government sponsored agency securities, Municipal obligations, Adjustable-rate preferred stock, Mutual funds, Corporate bonds, Direct the United States obligation and government-! sponsored! enterprise (GSE) residential mortgage-backed securities, private label residential mortgage-backed securities, Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) investments, Trust preferred securities, Private label commercial mortgage-backed securities, and Collateralized debt obligations.

Sources of Funds

The Company offers a variety of deposit products, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts and other types of deposit accounts, including fixed-rate, fixed maturity retail certificates of deposit. As of December 31, 2011, the deposit portfolio consisted of 27.5% non-interest bearing deposits and 72.5% interest-bearing deposits. Non-interest bearing deposits consist of non-interest bearing checking account balances. In addition to its deposit base, it has access to other sources of funding, including Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) advances, repurchase agreements and unsecured lines of credit with other financial institutions.

Financial Products and Services

In addition to traditional commercial banking activities, the Company offers other financial services to customers, including Internet banking, wire transfers, electronic bill payment, lock box services, courier, and cash management services. Through Shine, a full-service financial advisory firm, the Company offers financial planning and investment management.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014

You can break the stock market into two categories: stocks that are on their way up, and stocks that are on their way out. In general, once a stock breaks, it takes a lot of effort to execute a solid turnaround and get the share price moving in the right direction again.

Yet just because it takes effort doesn't mean it can't be done. Today, let's look at four stocks in the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) that sank to nearly the bottom of the index in terms of market capitalization, but which have since posted some impressive gains to get moving in the right direction once again.

First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR  ) , up 69% in the past year
The solar industry has gone through a huge amount of turmoil in the past year, as overcapacity from China and falling subsidies from across the world threatened the viability of many solar companies. But industry leader First Solar was able to weather the storm, using its size advantage and project backlog to help it stay profitable even in the face of bankruptcies and other financial difficulties among its Chinese rivals.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania Inc.(RBPAA)

Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Royal Bank America, which provides various banking services to individual and corporate customers primarily located in the Mid-Atlantic states. Its deposit products include demand deposits; money market deposit, savings, and super negotiable order of withdrawal accounts; and time deposits. The company?s lending portfolio comprises commercial demand loans; commercial mortgage loans; residential mortgages consisting of home equity lines of credit; construction loans; real estate tax liens; asset based loans; small business leases; and installment loans, as well as home equity and SBA loans. It also offers safe deposit boxes, collections, Internet banking, and bill payment services, as well as drive-up, ATM, and night depository services. In addition, the company engages in the purchase and service of delinquent tax liens; and investment activities. It operates 15 branches in Montgomery, Philadel phia, and Berks counties in Pennsylvania; and New Jersey. The company serves customers located primarily in the Montgomery, Chester, Bucks, Delaware, Berks, and Philadelphia counties of Pennsylvania; and New Jersey. Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Narberth, Pennsylvania.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: ASHMORE GROUP ORD GBP0.0001 WI(ASHM.L)

Ashmore Group plc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm through its subsidiaries invests in the public equity, fixed income, and currency markets across the globe. It typically makes its fixed income investments in corporate and external debt. The firm makes its currency investments in domestic currency and domestic currency denominated debt. It also employs a special situation investing approach to invest in corporate restructurings through distressed debt, private and public equity, and equity-linked securities. The firm employs a top down and bottom up approach to make its investments. It obtains external research to compliment its in-house research. Ashmore Group Plc was founded in 1992 and is based in London, United Kingdom.

Hot Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: American Strategic Income Portfolio II (BSP)

American Strategic Income Portfolio Inc. II is a close-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by U.S. Bancorp Asset Management, Inc. It is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors, Inc. and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. The fund invests in the fixed income markets. It invests in securities of companies operating across diversified sectors. The fund invests in whole-loan mortgages. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Lehman Brothers Mutual Fund Government/Mortgage Index. American Strategic Income Portfolio Inc. II was formed on July 30, 1992 and is domiciled in the United States.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Athens Bancshares Corporation(AFCB)

Athens Bancshares Corporation operates as the holding company for Athens Federal Community Bank that provides financial services to consumers and businesses primarily in McMinn, Monroe, and Bradley Counties, Tennessee. It accepts various deposit products that include non-interest-bearing demand deposits, such as checking accounts; interest-bearing demand accounts, such as NOW and money market accounts; regular savings accounts; and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio comprises one-to four-family residential loans; non-residential real estate loans; construction loans for one-to four-family homes, and commercial properties, including retail shops and office units, and multi-family properties; land and land development loans; multi-family real estate loans; consumer loans for home equity loans and lines of credit, automobile loans, and loans secured by deposits; and commercial business loans to small businesses. It also provides title insurance services. T he company operates through seven branches located in Athens, Sweetwater, Etowah, Madisonville, and Cleveland, Tennessee. The company is headquartered in Athens, Tennessee.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Pimco High Income Fund(PHK)

PIMCO High Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Allianz Global Investors Fund Management LLC. The fund is co-managed by Pacific Investment Management Company LLC. It invests in the public fixed income markets across the globe. The fund invests in U.S. dollar denominated high-yield corporate debt obligations. It employs fundamental analysis along with a top down stock picking approach to make its investments. PIMCO High Income Fund was formed on April 30, 2003 and is domiciled in the United States.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Unity Bancorp Inc.(UNTY)

Unity Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Unity Bank that provides various commercial banking services. It accepts various deposits, which include personal and business checking accounts, time deposits, money market accounts, and regular savings accounts. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial, small business administration, consumer, mortgage, home equity, and personal loans. It operated 14 branches in Clinton, Colonia, Edison, Flemington, Highland Park, Linden, Middlesex, North Plainfield, Phillipsburg, Scotch Plains, South Plainfield, Springfield, Union, and Whitehouse, New Jersey; and 2 branches in Forks Township and Easton, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Clinton, New Jersey.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Ishares Trust Dow Jones Select Dividend (DVY)

iShares Dow Jones Select Dividend Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Dividend Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of a selected group of equity securities issued by companies that have provided relatively high dividend yields on a consistent basis over time. The Index stocks are screened by dividend-per-share growth rate, dividend payout percentage and average daily dollar trading volume, and are selected based on dividend yield.

The Index consists of 100 of the highest dividend-yielding securities (excluding real estate investment trusts) in the Dow Jones U.S. Total Market Index, an index representative of the total market for United States equity securities. To be included in the Index, the securities must have had a flat to positive dividend-per-share growth rate for each of the last five years; must have an average five-year dividend payout ratio of 60% or less, and must have a minimum three-month average trading volume of 200,000 shares a day. The Index is reconstituted annually. The Fund uses a representative sampling strategy in seeking to track the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Carver Bancorp Inc.(CARV)

Carver Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Carver Federal Savings Bank that provides various consumer and commercial banking services for consumers, businesses, and governmental and quasi-governmental agencies in New York. The company?s deposit products include demand, savings, and time deposits; non-interest-bearing accounts; negotiable order of withdrawal, savings and club, passbook and statement, and money market accounts; and certificates of deposit. Its loan portfolio comprises commercial, multi-family and residential mortgage, one-to four-family residential, construction, and business loans; consumer and other loans, such as credit card, personal, and home improvement loans; non-residential real estate loans; and church loans. The company also offers debit cards, as well as provides telephone banking, online banking, and automated teller machine (ATM) services. Carver Bancorp, Inc. provides services through two administrative offices, nine branches, an d nine separate ATM locations. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: All In West! Capital Corporatio (ALW.V)

All in West! Capital Corporation engages in the ownership of hotels and independent living seniors� residences primarily in western Canada. Its hotel amenities comprise a coffee shop, a cocktail lounge, an observation room to enjoy the scenery, an exercise facility, a business center, a hot tub, sauna, a billiards and entertainment centre, and meeting rooms, as well as catering and banquet/conference facilities. As of September 30, 2010, the company owned four hotel properties in Alberta. All in West! Capital Corporation was founded in 2005 and is based in Winnipeg, Canada.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Investors Bancorp Inc.(ISBC)

Investors Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Investors Savings Bank that provides a range of banking services in the United States. The company accepts deposits and originates loans. Its deposit products include savings accounts, checking accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company offers commercial real estate, construction, multi-family, and commercial and industrial loans; and consumer loans, including home equity loans and home equity lines of credit, as well as mortgage loans secured by one-to four-family residential real estate. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 82 full-service branch offices located in Essex, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Union, and Warren Counties, New Jersey; Nassau and Queens, New York; and Massachusetts. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Short Hills, New Jersey. Investors Bancorp, Inc. is a subsidiary of Investors Bancorp, MHC.

Has Walgreen Bounced Back for Good?

Next Tuesday, Walgreen (NYSE: WAG  ) will release its latest quarterly results. Amid plenty of news pointing to the company's growth prospects, the stock recently hit all-time highs, but its gains appear to have plateaued over the past several months as investors seek further catalysts for gains.

Walgreen already has an enviably strong position within the drugstore business, and its recent strategic moves aim to broaden its appeal on a global scope. Yet, investors are still concerned about damage that a major dispute might have done to its long-term business prospects. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with Walgreen over the past quarter, and what we're likely to see in its quarterly report.

Stats on Walgreen

Analyst EPS Estimate	$0.91
Change From Year-Ago EPS	26%
Revenue Estimate	$18.44 billion
Change From Year-Ago Revenue	3.9%
Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters	3

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

Has Walgreen resolved all its problems?
In recent months, analysts have had narrowly mixed views about Walgreen's earnings prospects. They've cut their May-quarter estimates by $0.01 per share, but they've boosted their fiscal 2014 consensus by the same penny. The stock has made additional gains, rising about 9% since mid-March.

The ongoing long-term concern that many investors have had about Walgreen stems from its dispute last year with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts (NASDAQ: ESRX  ) . Following its merger with Medco Health Solutions, Express Scripts became an increasingly important source of business in the industry, and an exodus of customers from Walgreen boosted the prospects for its competitors. Indeed, long-struggling Rite Aid was able to take advantage of the situation to engineer a sharp turnaround, posting an annual profit last year for the first time in six years, and demonstrating just how extensive the damage was to Walgreen's business.

Since resolving that dispute, Walgreen has made a number of smart strategic moves to bolster growth. In March, the company entered into a 10-year agreement with drug distributor AmerisourceBergen that will fit well with its global expansion plans. Walgreen's purchase of a substantial stake in European drugstore chain Alliance Boots created the need for a more extensive distribution network, and by creating what amounts to a vertically integrated supply chain, Walgreen is setting up the infrastructure for further growth overseas.

Preliminary results show decent success with Walgreen's strategy. During April, same-store sales rose 1.2%, with larger gains of 4.7% in pharmacy sales pointing to customers returning to Walgreen's fold. May's increase in comps of 2.8% showed the same tilt toward the pharmacy side of the business. Yet, rival CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS  ) has also given investors some positive news, guiding earnings and revenue last month to the upper end of previously provided ranges amid favorable impacts of greater generic-drug availability. Despite Walgreen's success, CVS remains a strong competitive threat, especially with its combination of pharmacy benefits management and retail drug stores.

In Walgreen's report, watch for further guidance about the path the company intends to take strategically. By identifying the role its international expansion will play, Walgreen should be able to show shareholders what will further drive share-price gains in the future.

In 2011, a massive shift began. With the first of the baby-boomer generation reaching Medicare age, America's health-care landscape was forever changed. Combine the aging population with the impact of Obamacare, and the need for innovative solutions for skyrocketing health care costs is as clear as ever. Express Scripts is part of that solution, and in this brand new premium report on the company, we clearly lay out the opportunity in front of this misunderstood stock. Claim your copy by clicking here now.

Click here to add Walgreen to My Watchlist, which can find all of our Foolish analysis on it and all your other stocks.

Why Argan's Earnings May Not Be So Hot

Although business headlines still tout earnings numbers, many investors have moved past net earnings as a measure of a company's economic output. That's because earnings are very often less trustworthy than cash flow, since earnings are more open to manipulation based on dubious judgment calls.

Earnings' unreliability is one of the reasons Foolish investors often flip straight past the income statement to check the cash flow statement. In general, by taking a close look at the cash moving in and out of the business, you can better understand whether the last batch of earnings brought money into the company, or merely disguised a cash gusher with a pretty headline.

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 Argan (AMEX: AGX), whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Data is current as of last fully reported fiscal quarter. Dollar values in millions. FCF = free cash flow. FY = fiscal year. TTM = trailing 12 months.

Over the past 12 months, Argan generated $1.4 million cash while it booked net income of $25.2 million. That means it turned 0.5% of its revenue into FCF. That doesn't sound so great. FCF is less than net income. Ideally, we'd like to see the opposite.

All cash is not equal
Unfortunately, the cash flow statement isn't immune from nonsense, either. That's why it pays to take a close look at the components of cash flow from operations, to make sure that the cash flows are of high quality. What does that mean? To me, it means they need to be real and replicable in the upcoming quarters, rather than being offset by continual cash outflows that don't appear on the income statement (such as major capital expenditures).

For instance, cash flow based on cash net income and adjustments for non-cash income-statement expenses (like depreciation) is generally favorable. An increase in cash flow based on stiffing your suppliers (by increasing accounts payable for the short term) or shortchanging Uncle Sam on taxes will come back to bite investors later. The same goes for decreasing accounts receivable; this is good to see, but it's ordinary in recessionary times, and you can only increase collections so much. Finally, adding stock-based compensation expense back to cash flows is questionable when a company hands out a lot of equity to employees and uses cash in later periods to buy back those shares.

So how does the cash flow at Argan look? Take a peek at the chart below, which flags questionable cash flow sources with a red bar.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Data is current as of last fully reported fiscal quarter. Dollar values in millions. TTM = trailing 12 months.

When I say "questionable cash flow sources," I mean items such as changes in taxes payable, tax benefits from stock options, and asset sales, among others. That's not to say that companies booking these as sources of cash flow are weak, or are engaging in any sort of wrongdoing, or that everything that comes up questionable in my graph is automatically bad news. But whenever a company is getting more than, say, 10% of its cash from operations from these dubious sources, investors ought to make sure to refer to the filings and dig in.

With questionable cash flows amounting to only -1.5% of operating cash flow, Argan's cash flows look clean. Within the questionable cash flow figure plotted in the TTM period above, stock-based compensation and related tax benefits provided the biggest boost, at 18.5% of cash flow from operations. Overall, the biggest drag on FCF came from capital expenditures, which consumed 82.8% of cash from operations.

A Foolish final thought
Most investors don't keep tabs on their companies' cash flow. I think that's a mistake. If you take the time to read past the headlines and crack a filing now and then, you're in a much better position to spot potential trouble early. Better yet, you'll improve your odds of finding the underappreciated home-run stocks that provide the market's best returns.

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What Part of Americans' Income Goes Toward Debt?

On the eve of the outcome of the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) two-day policy meeting (including a press conference from the maestro himself, Ben Bernanke), investors were betting on a favorable outcome. Based on the market's behavior since May 22, I must assume investors want reassurance that any "tapering" in the Fed's bond-buying program is not imminent and that's how they're placing their bets. By the numbers: The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) and the narrower, price-weighted Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) rose 0.8% and 0.9%, respectively.

Consistent with those gains, the VIX Index (VOLATILITYINDICES: ^VIX  ) , Wall Street's fear gauge, fell 1.1%, to close at 16.61. Although the VIX has declined on both days this week, the aggregate decline -- roughly 3% -- is small. Implied volatility is holding pretty firm, reflecting the high degree of uncertainty among investors with regard to tomorrow's outcome. (The VIX is calculated from S&P 500 option prices, and reflects investor expectations for stock market volatility over the coming 30 days.)

What part of income goes toward debt?
What does the FOMC policy meeting have to do with ordinary Americans? Here's an example: The Fed released the data on Household Debt Service and Financial Obligation Ratios for the first quarter yesterday. Both of these ratios are a measure of the proportion their income Americans spend on meeting financial obligations, or to be more precise:

The household debt service ratio (DSR) is an estimate of the ratio of debt payments to disposable personal income. Debt payments consist of the estimated required payments on outstanding mortgage debt and consumer debt.

The financial obligations ratio (FOR) adds automobile lease payments, rental payments on tenant-occupied property, homeowner's insurance, and property tax payments to the debt service ratio.

It turns out that, although both ratios ticked up last quarter, to 10.5% and 15.7%, respectively, the previous quarter's values were the lowest on record since the series' inception in 1980. The following graph illustrates that the DSR (blue line) and the FOR (red line) remain very low, by historical standards:

How did these ratios get so low when they were at historic highs less than six years ago, having peaked in the third quarter of 2007. Have Americans repaid or (or defaulted on!) that much debt? That's part of the answer. The blue line (left axis) in the graph below is the same household debt service ratio from the previous graph. The red line (right axis), on the other hand, charts per-capita mortgage and consumer debt on an inflation-adjusted basis (May 2013 dollars):

Household debt has certainly come down from its credit bubble peak, but not as fast as households' debt service ratio. The missing variable? Interest rates, which plumbed historic lows over the same period. However, the interest rate cycle may now be turning -- less than a week ago, the 10-year Treasury yield hit a 14-month high. Over the months and years to come, the Fed will want to try to engineer an orderly rise in interest rates to avoid a shock to financial markets and households. That will require very nimble "policy hands" and good communication. Tomorrow is a good test.

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Synthetic Biology Is the Solution to Chemical Explosions

Three chemical facilities have been rocked by fatal explosions this spring. The first occurred on April 17 when a fertilizer plant exploded in West, Texas, leveling the town and happening with such great force that investigators could not determine the exact cause of the blast. There simply wasn't anything left to examine. The second occurred on June 13 in Geismar, La., when a petrochemical facility owned by Williams Companies (NYSE: WMB  ) erupted during an expansion. The third took place one day later at an ammonia fertilizer plant owned by CF Industries (NYSE: CF  ) . In all, at least 16 people were killed and over 300 were injured.

All three facilities employed thermochemical reactions to produce useful chemicals for everyday life, including fertilizer and olefins used in various applications ranging from synthetic rubber to polyesters. The safety track record of these industries has been remarkable over the last 60 years and numerous mechanisms have been developed to ensure the safe production of chemicals. But we can do better. The future of chemical production figures to be much safer with synthetic biology gradually maturing to industrial levels of production. Fool.com contributor Maxx Chatsko explains how in the following video.

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Why the Dow Is Up 150 Points

Citigroup Wants to Rule the World

Top Net Payout Yield Companies For 2014

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of specialty chemical company OM Group (NYSE: OMG  ) climbed 14% today after its quarterly results easily topped Wall Street expectations.

So what: The stock has plunged since February on concerns over slumping demand, but today's first-quarter results -- EPS of $0.15 on revenue of $364.3 million versus the consensus of $0.04 and $287.5 million -- suggest that things are starting to turn. While specialty chemicals sales continued to decline, volume at its magnetic technologies and battery technologies division improved much more than expected, giving investors plenty of good vibes about its business mix going forward.

Top Net Payout Yield Companies For 2014: Source Exploration Corp (SOP.V)

Source Exploration Corp., a junior exploration and development company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. It explores for gold, silver, and copper in mining districts in Mexico. The company holds interest in the Las Minas project that includes 5 mineral concessions covering an area of approximately 1,271 hectares in the north-central region of the state of Veracruz; and the San Valentin concession located in the state of Veracruz. Source Exploration Corp. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Thunder Bay, Canada.

Top Net Payout Yield Companies For 2014: Resource America Inc.(REXI)

Resource America, Inc. operates as an asset management company. The company, through its subsidiaries, operates in three segments: Financial Fund Management; Real Estate; and Equipment Finance. The Financial Fund Management segment engages in the formation and collateral management of structured financial products and of issuers of collateralized debt obligations, such as trust preferred securities, asset backed securities, leveraged loans, private equity, commercial mortgage backed securities, residential mortgage backed securities, collateralized debt obligations, and home equity loans. The Real Estate segment focuses on the acquisition of multifamily properties on behalf of the limited partnership investment funds it sponsors. The Equipment Finance segment offers small ticket equipment leases to the small to mid-sized business market through the formation of strategic marketing alliances. Resource America, Inc. was founded in 1966 and is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylva nia.

Top High Tech Companies To Own In Right Now: Village Bank and Trust Financial Corp.(VBFC)

Village Bank and Trust Financial Corp. operates as the holding company for Village Bank that provides banking and related financial services to individuals and businesses in Richmond, Virginia metropolitan area. Its deposit products include demand accounts, interest checking accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, time deposits, and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan products portfolio comprises commercial loans, such as lines of credit, revolving credit facilities, term loans, equipment loans, stand-by letters of credit, and unsecured loans; real estate loans, including residential mortgage, commercial, and construction loans; and secured and unsecured consumer loans for personal, family, or household purposes. The company also provides investment services. It operates through its main office location and 14 branch offices. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Midlothian, Virginia.

Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now

I'll admit that when it comes to Sears Holdings (NASDAQ: SHLD  ) , I'm not a big fan of the company. I see its death spiral as a slow, painful one for investors. It's too bad a new marketing campaign for its new Kmart shipping services isn't the norm, because it's the type of promo that makes the once venerable retailer seem relevant again.

Laden with innuendo, Kmart's "Ship My Pants" commercial highlighting the ability of shoppers to get items shipped for free from the company's website if it can't be found in stores is actually a pretty funny spot. It's gone viral, too, serving up more than 5 million hits at this writing, even though it was posted to YouTube just last week.

One actor remarks how excited he is that he can "ship my pants," while a woman notes that she "shipped my drawers" and a third person can't believe he "shipped my bed."

Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: Molins Ord(MLIN.L)

Molins PLC supplies machinery and related support services and systems, principally to the fast-moving consumer goods sectors, including tobacco, food, and other high-volume products worldwide. It develops, assembles, sells, and maintains process and quality control instruments for the tobacco industry; and designs and manufactures cartoning machinery, case packers, and robotic solutions, as well as provides turnkey projects involving design and integration of packaging systems. The company also specialises in the design, development, and manufacture of secondary tobacco processing machinery, principally mid-speed cigarette makers, packing, and handling equipment. The company was founded in 1874 and is based in Milton Keynes, the United Kingdom.

Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: PLX Technology Inc.(PLXT)

PLX Technology, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and sells semiconductor devices worldwide. It offers semiconductor devices, such as PCI express switches that allow aggregation of multi-channel Ethernet, fiber channel, graphics, and SAS cards to the host; PCI express bridges, which allow devices with other standards to be used in systems that need to interoperate with PCI express; and 10G Ethernet over copper PHY devices that provide a seamless migration from the slower connections to the faster ones. The company?s products also include direct attached storage products, which allow external storage to connect to a PC through USB connection; network attached storage products that provide storage to a local area network; PCI bridges consisting of general purpose bridges that translate and extend the PCI bus; and universal serial bus (USB) interface chips, which are used by computer peripherals and consumer products to interoperate through an external cabled connection. Its semiconductor devices accelerate and manage the transfer of data in microprocessor-based systems, including networking and telecommunications, enterprise storage, servers, personal computers (PCs), PC peripherals, consumer electronics, imaging, and industrial products. The company markets its products through direct and indirect sales force, manufacturers, and distributors to electronics manufacturers. PLX Technology, Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

5 Best Value Stocks For 2014: SDL PLC(SDL.L)

SDL plc provides global information management software and services to multinational businesses. Its Web content management, ecommerce, structured content and language technologies, and language services are used for content creation, management, translation, and publishing. The company operates through three segments: Language Services, Language Technologies, and Content Management Technologies. The Language Services segment provides translation services to customer?s multilingual content in multiple languages. The Language Technologies segment engages in the sale of enterprise, desktop, and statistical machine translation technology developed to help automate and manage multilingual assets, as well as provides associated consultancy and other services. The Content Management Technologies segment involves in the sale of content management technologies developed to help automate and manage content to deliver an interactive and personalized customer experience in multiple languages across Websites, documentation, and channels. The company serves aerospace, automotive, chemicals, oil and gas, electronics and high technology, fast moving consumer goods, finance, industrial goods, IT consulting, life science, media and publishing, public sector, services, software, telecoms, travel and tourism, and translation industries. SDL plc has a strategic partnership with Sapient. The company was founded in 1992 and is based in Maidenhead, the United Kingdom.

Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Buy 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.

Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: 3SBio Inc.(SSRX)

3SBio Inc., a biotechnology company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in the People?s Republic of China. Its products include EPIAO, an injectable recombinant human erythropoietin to stimulate the production of red blood cells in patients with anemia and to reduce the need for blood transfusions; and TPIAO, a recombinant human thrombopoietin to treat chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia. The company also offers Intefen, a recombinant interferon alpha-2a product for the treatment of carcinoma of the lymphatic or hematopoietic system and viral infectious diseases; Inleusin, a recombinant human IL-2 product to treat renal cell carcinoma, metastatic melanoma, and thoratic fluid build-up caused by cancer and tuberculosis; and Iron Sucrose Supplement for treating anemia associated with iron deficiency, as well as for patients with end-stage renal disease requiring iron replacement therapy. In addition, its product pi peline comprises a high dosage EPIAO; NuPIAO, a second-generation EPIAO; TPIAO to treat idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura; NuLeusin for metastatic melanoma and metastatic renal cell carcinoma; human papilloma virus vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer; and an anti-TNF monoclonal antibody product candidate for treating rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other inflammatory diseases. Further, the company?s product pipeline includes Feraheme, an in-licensed intravenous iron replacement therapeutic agent used to treat iron deficiency anemia in chronic kidney disease patients and in patients requiring hemodialysis; and Nephoxil, an iron-based phosphate binder for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in patients with ESRD. It sells its products directly, as well as through its network of distributors to various healthcare providers, including hospitals, clinics, and dialysis centers. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Shenyang, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Hilary Kramer]

  3SBio (NASDAQ:SSRX) is based in China, so it has suffered from the uncertainties that have hit the stock market there, but it’s a solid company that should achieve strong growth for years to come. The majority of sales come from two strong products, EPIAO and TPIAO, which have both benefited from improved regulations and access in China. 3SBio should increase revenues in excess of 20% over the next two years, but the stock is attractively valued at only 12 times the 2012 estimate of 95 cents a share. SSRX is an attractive buy at current prices.

Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: EXILLON ENERGY PLC ORD USD0.0000125(EXI.L)

Exillon Energy plc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an independent oil producer. The company engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas in the Commonwealth of Independent States region. It extracts and sells crude oil in the Timan-Pechora basin in the Komi Republic region and in the Western Siberian basin in the Khanty-Mansiysk region in the Russian Federation. Exillon Energy plc also engages in oil trading activities in Moscow in the Russian Federation. The company was formerly known as Caspian Minerals plc and changed its name to Exillon Energy plc in August 2009. The company is based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: Legal & General Gp(LGEN.L)

Legal & General Group Plc provides risk, savings, and investment management products in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company?s Risk segment offers individual and group protection, individual and bulk purchase annuities, and general insurance products. This segment also involves in estate agency and the housing related business conducted through its regulated mortgage network. The company?s Savings segment provides non profit investment bonds; non profit pensions, including SIPPs; individual savings accounts; investment bonds; pensions; retail unit trusts; structured products; and various with-profit products. Legal & General Group?s Investment Management segment involves in the institutional fund management business comprising index funds, fixed income funds, risk management solutions, and property related products, as well as private equity. The company also offers term assurance, wealth management, and unit-l inked savings products. Legal & General Group Plc was founded in 1836 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: Wayne Savings Bancshares Inc.(WAYN)

Wayne Savings Bancshares, Inc. operates as the holding company for Wayne Savings Community Bank, a community-oriented institution that provides consumer and business financial services in northeast Ohio. It accepts various consumer and commercial deposits, which include checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, term certificate of deposit accounts, commercial repurchase agreements, and individual retirement accounts. The company originates one-to four-family residential, multi-family residential, construction, non-residential real estate and land, commercial business, and consumer loans. It also invests in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the United States government or agencies. The company offers its services to individuals, business, and other organizations through its main banking office located in Wooster, and other 10 additional full service branch offices in Wayne, Holmes, Ashland, Medina, and Stark counties, as well as the surrou nding localities in northeastern Ohio. Wayne Savings Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Wooster, Ohio.

Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: J. W. Mays Inc.(MAYS)

J.W. Mays, Inc. owns and operates commercial real estate properties in the United States. Its properties are located in Brooklyn, Jamaica, Levittown, Massapequa, and Fishkill, New York, as well as in Circleville, Ohio. The company was founded in 1924 and is based in Brooklyn, New York.

Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: Ms Int(MSI.L)

MS International PLC is engaged in the design and manufacture of specialist engineering products and the provision of related services. Through its subsidiaries, the company manufactures fork-arms for the fork lift truck, construction and agricultural equipment industries, sells and part manufactures fork-arms, and conducts open die forgings.