Apple leads share buyback binge

Apple was one of the many S&P 500 companies buying back stock in the first quarter. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Apple repurchased a record $18 billion worth of its own stock during the three months of 2014, making it the "poster child" for an ongoing trend in Corporate America, according to a report released Wednesday.

The companies in the S&P 500 spent a combined $159.3 billion to buy back their own stock stock during the first quarter of 2014, according to preliminary figures from S&P Dow Jones Indices. That's up 59% from the same period 2013. It was also $30 billion more than what those companies spent in the fourth quarter.

"Companies reached into their deep pockets this quarter," said Howard Silverblatt, senior analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices. He added that companies bought back more stock than they issued during the quarter, reducing their overall share count.

It's a bit of financial engineering. By reducing the number of shares outstanding, companies are able to report higher earnings per share because profits are spread among fewer shareholders.

Earnings for 99 companies were boosted by at least 4% in the first quarter due to reduced share counts, said Silverblatt.

Some companies may have been attempting to offset the impact of bad weather on earnings during the first quarter. But the question now is whether there is a broader "shift towards more enhanced earnings via share count reduction," added Silverblatt.

In any case, Apple (AAPL, Tech30) has been one of the biggest spenders.

The iPhone maker's buybacks reduced the company's overall share count by 7% over the past 12 months. That boosted earnings per share by 7% in the first quarter, according to the report.

  See Apple's new Steve Jobs in action

Apple announced plans in April to increase its share repurchase program to $130 billion, up from $100 billion. The company also hiked its dividend by 8% to $3.29 per quarter, up 24 cents from the previous $3.05.

The moves came in response to pressure from activist investors, such as Carl Icahn and David Einhorn, who have pushed Apple to return some of its cash with shareholders. At one point, Apple had more than $100 billion in cash sitting on its balance sheet.

For the most part, Apple has financed its share buybacks by selling bonds.

In addition to buybacks, companies have been rewarding share! holders with higher dividend payments.

The amount of money S&P 500 companies spent on buybacks and dividends combined was a record $241.2 billion in the first quarter. The previous record was set in the fourth quarter of 2007, when companies spent $233.2 billion to buy back stock and increase dividends.

GM engineer with switch link retires

Jim Federico, a General Motors engineer who led an internal analysis of the automaker's ignition switch defect more than a year before the company recalled 2.6 million cars, has retired, the company confirmed today.

Federico in 2012 was examining the defect that lower-level engineers first discovered more than a decade ago, according to GM documents released last month by Congress.

But GM failed to order a recall until February 2014, and the issue is now blamed for at least 31 accidents and 12 deaths in the U.S. and one fatal crash in Canada.

His latest title is executive director of global vehicle performance, safety, proving grounds and test labs. Before that, he was chief engineer for global compact, small, mini and electric vehicles, reporting directly to GM CEO Mary Barra, who was then global head of product development.

"After a 36-year career with General Motors, Jim Federico has decided to retire from the company to pursue other opportunities," GM spokesman Greg Martin said in an email. "We congratulate him on his retirement and wish him the very best in his future endeavors."

Federico's departure comes nearly a month GM suspended with pay two engineers -- Ray DeGiorgio and Gary Altman, who were involved in the decision to change the ignition switch design without changing the part number.

It also comes about two weeks after John Calabrese, GM global engineering chief, retired voluntarily.

Barra has vowed to hold executives responsible for the company's failure to promptly fix the ignition switch on 2.6 million small cars, mostly from the 2003 through 2007 model years.

The automaker is facing investigations by the U.S. Justice Department, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as its own internal probe.

Jim Federico, ranking GM engineer (fourth from right) linked to an earlier GM igntion switch probe, has retired, GM said. John Calabrese, to his right, GM global engineering chief, retired previously. The men are at a groundbreaking in March for a GM test facility.(Photo: General Motors)

Best Cheap Stocks To Own For 2015

Best Cheap Stocks To Own For 2015: Rent-A-Center Inc.(RCII)

Rent-A-Center, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, primarily engages in leasing household durable goods to customers on a rent-to-own basis. The company?s stores offer durable products, such as consumer electronics, appliances, computers, and furniture and accessories under flexible rental purchase agreements that allow the customer to obtain ownership of the merchandise at the conclusion of an agreed upon rental period. It also provides merchandise on an installment sales basis in its stores. As of December 31, 2010, the company operated 3,008 company-owned stores in the United States, and in Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, including 42 retail installment sales stores under the names ?Get It Now? and ?Home Choice?; and 18 rent-to-own stores located in Canada under the ?Rent-A-Centre? name. It also operates 209 franchised rent-to-own stores in 32 states under the ColorTyme trade name; and 384 kiosk locations under the ?RAC Acceptance? model. In addition, the company, th rough its ColorTyme?s franchised stores, offers custom rims and tires for sale or rental under the trade names ?RimTyme? or ?ColorTyme Custom Wheels?. Rent-A-Center, Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Grace L. Williams]

  Rent-A-Center (RCII) grabbed our attention when the new CFO joined a director for a cluster buy. Most notable were Guy Constant, who bought 10,000 shares for $248,400 and J.V. Lentell, a director, who bought 5,000 shares for $119,000. InsiderScore notes that the buys occurred in the wake of a three-year low at the rent-to-own durable goods retailer.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ: RCII) shares tumbled 11.08 percent to $25.83 after the company issued a downbeat guidance for the second quarter. The company expected adjusted earnings of $0.36 to $! 0.38 per share on revenue of around $773 million.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-cheap-stocks-to-own-for-2015-3.html

12 Things You Must Do Before the Year's Over

You're probably checking gift guides, but are you checking your money to-dos? Compiling your money must-dos doesn't have to put a damper on your ugly sweater party (besides, nothing can dull down the sparkle of those gold sequins). Creating your checklist simply means you can toast to the new year with complete peace of money mind. This year, give yourself an advantage by getting all your financial ducks (before they start quacking "Auld Lang Syne") in a row.

If you bought a house

1. Read up on your upcoming tax breaks

Congratulations, you're a homeowner! Now's the time to organize your finances so you can reap some of the benefits come tax time. If it's your first home, you may qualify for deductions you've never heard of before. If it's an additional home, you may have to forfeit some of the breaks you reveled in the first time around. The IRS has a handy list of tax breaks for homeowners that you can check out here.

2. Make any energy-efficiency updates before January 1

Thinking of switching over to energy-saving appliances? Don't wait until the new year! Any energy-efficiency updates to your home will be considered for tax benefits up until the end of the fiscal year. Though the total return is capped at $500 (and can be "redeemed" only once), it's a decent chunk of change with (multiple) green-making results. Remember: If you wait until the ball drops in Times Square, you'll have to wait another year to receive benefits!

3. Calculate your property taxes

Your property taxes are deductible but only for the amount of time during the year you actually owned the home. If you purchased halfway through the year, you'll be able to claim only the portion of taxes for the time you were legally the homeowner. Additionally, if you're paying a mortgage, the interest on the loan is also tax deductible.

If you sold a house

1. Tidy up your paperwork

Selling a house ain't easy, is it? Now that you're past the showings and listings, time to take a minute to celebrate by... organizing your paperwork! OK, not the most compelling pitch, but the payoff is worth the initial effort. Getting your paperwork filed, copied, and correctly stored will help you navigate the (sometimes) tricky financial terrain. Take time to weed out documents you no longer need (your "House Selling To-Do List, October" calendar, for example) and organize the ones you want to keep (any financial paperwork that deals with contracts or the exchange of money).

2. List and tally any moving costs

If you sold your house for the purpose of moving closer to a new place of employment, add up the small expenses (minus pizza and beer fuel) and double-check to see if you're eligible to deduct moving costs. You have to meet a set of requirements to qualify, but as you probably know, moving isn't cheap! Any advantage you can take will help bulk up your budget later in the year -- which can mean future financial freedom and savings.

3. Itemize any items you donated during your move

Charitable-giving breaks apply to any charitable donations given to a registered nonprofit before the year's end. If you made the trek to Goodwill or donated any of your appliances or belongings, you may be eligible for a tax deduction. If a few boxes are still sitting in your storage, pack 'em up, donate, and finish the to-do.

If you're a renter

1. Double-check your subscriptions/renewals

Renters insurance is often discounted when you buy an annual package. The tail end of the year presents the perfect opportunity to check in with similar services and make sure you're all set for the year ahead. Tip: Calendar alerts are a great tool to remind you well in advance of upcoming expirations!

2. Update your landlord on any issues

It's inevitable -- over time, even the tidiest, squeaky cleanest of rentals will run into some serious maintenance and/or surface-detail issues. Though an overflowing toilet warrants the call in the middle of the night, things like peeling paint or a cracked window don't always inspire the same sense of urgency. Take the year-end as an opportunity to walk through and list out any wear and tear that should be tended to.

3. Negotiate your rent

This isn't a done-deal discount on your rent! Repeat, negotiating your rent won't always result in a price cut. However, if you're on a month-to-month lease and know you want to stay settled for some time yet, take the new year as an opportunity to set up a time to touch base with your landlord. He or she may consider giving you a small discount for signing on for a longer contract.

Bonus to-dos

Hungry for more to-dos?

1. Set a recurring "money date" on your calendar

One of the best ways to stay ahead of the game is to keep your head in the game. Set up a regular day/time to check in with your numbers and your financial goals.

2. Say "hey" to your emergency fund

Keep yourself protected from the unexpected by creating and maintaining a safety cushion for your bank account.

3. Consider automating your savings

Sometimes the most beneficial financial actions are the ones we don't even notice. If you're feeling financial fatigue from all that to-do-list checking, add just one more before dropping the pen: automation. Setting up automatic bill pay or savings transfers can keep your finances in order while also taking away some of the headache.

Now about that champagne toast...

This article originally appeared on Trulia.

One great stock to buy for 2015 and beyond
2015 is shaping up to be another great year for stocks. But if you want to make sure that 2015 is your best investing year ever, you need to know where to start. That's why The Motley Fool's chief investment officer just published a brand-new research report that reveals his top stock for the year ahead. To get the full story on this year's stock -- completely free -- simply click here.

Top 5 Integrated Utility Stocks For 2015

Best Value Companies To Invest In 2014

With everything known about Brazil's problems already reflected in depressed values of that nation's stocks, prices have been edging higher, observes Rudy Martin in Latin Stock Investing.

Increased investor attention to Latin America's biggest economy calls for some added Brazilian representation in our Model Portfolio.

We are buying Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A. (BSBR) to gain broad additional exposure to the Brazilian.

BSBR offers a full-service range of financial services, including individual and corporate banking. We also hope to benefit from the stock's 7.2% current indicated dividend yield.

In addition, we recommend buying shares in Brazilian energy giant Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras S.A. (PBR.A).

Despite a gradual rise in crude oil prices, problems with Brazil's economy, compounded by obstacles in Petrobras's scramble to finance significant on-shore and off-shore hydrocarbon discoveries, have ganged up to erode PBR.A's stock price this year.

Top Diversified Bank Stocks To Watch 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 Taylor Muckerman and Joel South]

  Gulf of Mexico delivering boatloads of profit
  Already, several companies have spoken glowingly about activity levels in the Gulf of Mexico. Not just drillers like Noble Corp (NYSE: NE  ) �but also equipment and service companies like Halliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) . What we are seeing here is a steady increase in both dayrates and utilization rates, which are both�very�positive signs for drillship operators.

• [By Teresa Rivas]

  Schlumberger (SLB) was down in Thursday afternoon trading after a mixed first quarter.

  The oilfield giant said first quarter earnings were $1.59 billion, or $1.21 a share, up from 94 cents in the year-ago period and one penny ahead of estimates. Revenue rose 6.3% to $11.24 billion, just below the $11.49 billion analysts were expecting.

  The Middle East and Asia a was the strongest region, with sales up 19%, followed by North America, with 12%. Revenue edged ahead by 0.6% in Europe and Africa, while Latin America saw a 7.7% decline.

  Stephens analyst Michael Marino reiterated an Overweight rating on the stock: ��hile SLB’s geographically diversified footprint will likely limit exposure to the accelerating margin trends in North America this year, global oilfield spending continues to grow at a modest pace. Overall, we continue to see slow and steady revenue growth for the Company and solid incremental margins on higher deepwater mix, overall efficiency gains and potential pricing gains in North America.��/p>

  FBR Capital Markets��Thomas Curran and Juan Avendano reiterated their Outperform rating on the stock, noting the company�� share repurchases and reiteration of gudiance:

  Reveals several awards, confirming it claimed lion’s share of Pemex’s Mega-Tenders. In (1) Mexico, SLB officially announced that it won the largest combined award in Pemex’s recent Mega-Tender round: three multi-year IPM contracts worth, in aggregate, over $1.9B in revenues or nearly 50% of the spoils; (2) Norway, the Company inked a 5-year (plus two option periods of one year) IPM contract, of undisclosed value, with Det norske oljeselkap ASA for exploration drilling and development of the Ivar Aasen field in northern North Sea; (3) Australia, SLB completions signed a $40M contract with INPEX covering the upper and intermediate completions for its first 20 wells at the offshore Ichthys field; and (4) Brazil, SLB artificial lift won

Best Value Companies To Invest In 2014: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Earnings season is in full swing, and a full third of companies on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) is set to report last quarter's data this week. From industrial giants such as Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) to Big Oil icons like ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM  ) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX  ) , seemingly every sector of the blue-chip index is on pace to capture investors' attention in the next few days. Let's take a look at what you should be watching out for as 10 of America's most prominent stocks face their biggest test so far of 2013.

Best Value Companies To Invest In 2014: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP  ) is reaching into its corporate bowl for a fresh payout to shareholders. The company has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.62 per share. This will be paid on July 8 to stockholders of record as of June 19. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution, which was paid in early April. Prior to that, Tupperware Brands was rather less generous, handing out $0.36 per share.

• [By Arie Goren]

  After running this screen on May 21, 2013, before the markets' open, I discovered the following eight stocks: Sunoco Logistics Partners LP (SXL), Leggett & Platt Inc (LEG), Copa Holdings SA (CPA), RPC Inc. (RES), Tupperware Brands Corp. (TUP), Herbalife Ltd. (HLF), John Wiley & Sons Inc. (JW.A) and C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. (CHRW).

• [By Jonathan Berr]

  Multilevel marketing (MLM) groups such as Herbalife operate through independent sales representatives, who earn money both through the sales of product and by recruiting other people to join their team. This business model — which is used by scores of companies, including�Pampered Chef, which is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B), Tupperware (TUP) and Mary Kay Cosmetics — is legal provided that actual products are sold.

• [By John Kell]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Dow Chemical Co.(DOW), Tupperware Brands Corp.(TUP) and Yahoo Inc.(YHOO)

Best Value Companies To Invest In 2014: 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 Rich Duprey]

  Deep discounter Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR  ) announced today that its current chief operating officer, Gary Philbin, will now also carry the title of president, a position previously held by company CEO Bob Sasser.

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images Family Dollar Stores (FDO) rejected a $9 billion buyout offer from Dollar General (DG) and issued a sharp rebuke to accusations its CEO favors a smaller bid from Dollar Tree (DLTR) because it would allow him to keep his job. Family Dollar, the second-largest dollar store in the United States, said it believed a deal with its larger rival would be unlikely to win antitrust approval despite a promise by Dollar General to close up to 700 stores.

  We will not jeopardize the Dollar Tree deal for a transaction with Dollar General that has a high likelihood of not closing due to antitrust considerations.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Suburban sprawl
  With more than 8,200 locations stretched across 46 states, Family Dollar is the second-largest dollar store chain, behind industry leader Dollar General (NYSE: DG  ) , which boasts more than 11,300 stores, and firmly ahead of No. 3 player Dollar Tree's (NASDAQ: DLTR  ) �5,100 stores.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Supervalu have dropped 8.3% to $6.31 at 2:59 p.m., within spitting distance of Goldman’s $6 target price, while competitors Family Dollar Stores (FDO) has gained 0.2% to $70.16,�Dollar General�(DG) has fallen 0.4% t0 $59.02,�Dollar Tree (DLTR) is off 1% to $59.33 and Wal-Mart (WMT) is little changed at $79.19.

Best Growth Companies To Watch In Right Now

Best Growth Companies To Watch In Right Now: Intuitive Surgical Inc.(ISRG)

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets da Vinci surgical systems for various surgical procedures, including urologic, gynecologic, cardiothoracic, general, and head and neck surgeries. Its da Vinci surgical system consists of a surgeon?s console or consoles, a patient-side cart, a 3-D vision system, and proprietary ?wristed? instruments. The company?s da Vinci surgical system translates the surgeon?s natural hand movements on instrument controls at the console into corresponding micro-movements of instruments positioned inside the patient through small puncture incisions, or ports. It also manufactures a range of EndoWrist instruments, which incorporate wrist joints for natural dexterity for various surgical procedures. Its EndoWrist instruments consist of forceps, scissors, electrocautery, scalpels, and other surgical tools. In addition, it sells various vision and accessory products for use in conjunction with the da Vinci Surgical System as surgical procedures are performed. The company?s accessory products include sterile drapes used to ensure a sterile field during surgery; vision products, such as replacement 3-D stereo endoscopes, camera heads, light guides, and other items. It markets its products through sales representatives in the United States, and through sales representatives and distributors in international markets. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  This, I proposed earlier this week, could be the reasoning behind weaker sales of the Intuitive Surgical's (NASDAQ: ISRG  ) da Vinci robotic surgical system. The robotic soft tissue surgical device tends to be costlier than standard laparoscopic procedures, but can reduce hospital stays compared to traditional surgery, possibly making it a cheaper overall option for some people. The device itself, though, c! osts well beyond $1.5 million, which is a cost that many hospitals would rather not endure with so many question marks still surrounding Obamacare. All told, Intuitive sold just 143 of its devices in the U.S. this quarter compared to 150 last year.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Shares of microcap fiber optic test and measurement sensor-maker Luna Innovations (NASDAQ: LUNA  ) surged as much as 85% in Monday trading before finally settling down to book a 41% gain for the day. The catalyst: The company announced that it had extended its multiyear agreement to develop and supply "high-speed shape-sensing technology" to robotic surgery giant Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG  ) for use in its da Vinci surgical robots.

• [By Steve Symington and Alison Southwick]

  On the heels of Intuitive Surgical's (NASDAQ: ISRG  ) recent warning about weak capital spending in the U.S., MAKO Surgical (NASDAQ: MAKO  ) investors are worried that their up-and-coming company may not be able to meet its already conservative guidance when it reports earnings later this month.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/best-growth-companies-to-watch-in-right-now.html

Hot Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) started off earnings season on a strong note, gaining 89 points, or 0.6%, in relatively steady trading. On a day with no major economic reports, the good feelings from last week's employment report and optimism about earnings season seemed to carry the blue chips higher. Alcoa (NYSE: AA  ) kicked off the quarterly announcements after hours today, as the aluminum maker slightly beat expectations with an adjusted earnings per share of $0.07 versus the consensus at $0.06, and reiterated its forecast for aluminum demand to increase 7% this year. Revenue fell 2% to $5.85 billion on lower metal prices, but that also beat estimates of $5.83 billion. After a gain of 1.4% during the trading session, shares fell back 0.25% following the report.

Tech stocks were behind the curve today, as the Nasdaq gained just 0.16%, mainly because Intel (NASDAQ: INTC  ) got downgrades from Citigroup and Evercore Partners, slashing 3.6% off of the chipmaker's share price. Citi analyst Glen Yeung said there was a ceiling in Intel's share price, given weakening PC sales and repeated downward earnings revisions. Evercore, meanwhile, said unit sales of Intel chips could be down as much as 10% this year as PC sales continue to fall further than expected.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Buy For 2015: Halcon Resources Corp (HK)

Halcon Resources Corporation (Halcon Resources), incorporated on February 5, 2004, is an independent energy company focused on the acquisition, production, exploration and development of onshore liquids-rich oil and natural gas assets in the United States. The Company has oil and natural gas reserves located primarily in Texas, North Dakota, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Montana. On August 1, 2012, the Company acquired GeoResources by merger. On December 6, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of entities owning approximately 81,000 net acres prospective for the Bakken / Three Forks formations primarily located in Williams, Mountrail, McKenzie and Dunn Counties, North Dakota (the Williston Basin Assets), from Petro-Hunt, L.L.C. and Pillar Energy, LLC (the Petro-Hunt parties). As of December 31, 2012, the Company has working interests in approximately 128,000 net acres prospective for the Bakken / Three Forks formations in North Dakota and Montana.

The Company�� Woodbine / Eagle Ford acreage is prospective for the Woodbine, Eagle Ford and other formations, with targeted depths ranging anywhere from 7,000 feet to 10,400 feet. As of December 31, 2012, The Company has approximately 198,000 net acres leased or under contract primarily in Leon, Madison, Grimes, Brazos, and Polk Counties, Texas. The Company is the operator and has a 100% working interest in more than 12,000 net acres in Wichita and Wilbarger Counties, Texas that it is actively water flooding in shallow Cisco aged Pennsylvania sandstone and limestone reservoirs. As of December 31, 2012, the Company produced 484 million barrels of oil equivalent from approximately 700 active producing wells and approximately 230 active water injection wells.

The Company�� position in the La Copita Field covers 3,720 gross acres and 2,829 net acres in Starr County, Texas. As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� average net daily production was 623 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The Company operates 100% of this production a! nd its working interest ranges from 75% to 100%. The Company has various other oil and natural gas properties with varying working interests located across the United States, including the Austin Chalk Trend and Eagle Ford Shale in Texas, the Fitts-Allen Fields in Central Oklahoma, and various other areas across South Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, and West Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joel South and Taylor Muckerman]

  In this video, Motley Fool energy analysts Joel South and Taylor Muckerman look at Halcon (NYSE: HK  ) , one E&P company that was hit hard yesterday, as GDP news out of China meant commodities were dealt a painful blow across the board. Joel tells us about some of this company's upcoming expansion efforts and why he loves them overall, and why the sell-off this week could be a great time to buy.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  The other risk that can't be overlooked is the threat from ceramic proppants, like those made by�CARBO Ceramics� (NYSE: CRR  ) , which could take a greater market share than is currently projected. Referring to the demand chart, frac sand is projected to remain 75% of the proppant market as that market grows. However, some shale plays like the Bakken are forcing producers to turn to higher-cost ceramic proppants because the returns are better.�Halcon Resources� (NYSE: HK  ) , for example, pointed out that its strategy to use ceramic proppants was one of the�driving forces�behind its improved returns in the Bakken. The company saw much higher initial production rates, while expecting better estimated ultimate recovery rates from its investment in ceramic proppants. If ceramics do end up taking market share, it could crush my investment in Hi-Crush.

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  A look ahead
  Despite these record numbers, by most accounts the Eagle Ford is just getting started. Tens of billions of dollars are being invested in the play this year, which means there will likely be many bright days ahead for South Texas. In fact, parts of the play have barely been tapped into. Consider the work that Halcon Resources (NYSE: HK  ) is doing in the East Texas portion of the play. The company announced earlier this month that production results from the last two wells it drilled are 18% higher than any well it has drilled in the area so far. On top of that, the output is 94% crude oil.

• [By David Sterman]

   

  2. Halcon Resources (NYSE: HK) Insiders bought more than $2 million of this energy exploration firm in early August as part of a secondary share offering priced at $5.10 a share. In the past 10 days, as shares have slipped below the $5 mark, insiders have continued to accumulate shares.

  Halcon has a legion of fans in the financial blogosphere, and this recent post typifies the bullish sentiment of some.

Hot Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Marathon Investments Ltd (MARA)

Marathon Investments Ltd is an Israel-based company that invests in income-producing industrial companies. The Company's portfolio includes companies in the fields of heat treatment, biotechnology, inspection and advanced electronics. Its portfolio comprises of a number of companies: Protalix Biotherapeutics Inc. which produces plant protein-based medical treatment; Nanomotion Ltd. which develops, manufactures and markets tiny solid-state ceramic servo motors and positioning systems; Margan Business Development Ltd. which engages in early building and facility damage detection; BioView Ltd. which develops and manufactures medical screening and diagnostics systems; Solcon Industries Ltd. is a high technology electronics manufacturer, whose products are intended for installation in low and medium voltage AC Motor switchgear, and Chromat Ltd., which is a commercial steel heat treatment company, among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, MARA has shed (-3.78%) down -0.23 at $5.85 with�23,913 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:09AM EDT September 11, 2013).

  Marathon Patent Group, Inc. previously reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2013 (“Q2 2013″).
  For Q2, 2013, the Company reported gross revenue of $1,524,979, as a result of three patent licensing and settlement agreements. Q2 2013 marks the first quarter the Company has reported significant licensing and settlement revenue. Included in the gross revenue amount is the value of certain patents received in settlement from a defendant.

Hot Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc.(RRGB)

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, operates, and franchises casual-dining restaurants in the United States and Canada. As of February 16, 2012, the company operated 465 Red Robin restaurants, including 328 company-owned restaurants and 137 restaurants operating under franchise agreements. Its restaurants offer gourmet burgers, as well as various salads, soups, appetizers, entrees, desserts, and signature Mad Mixology alcoholic and non-alcoholic specialty beverages Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Still, the stock's performance reflects overall enthusiasm about restaurant chains generally. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers (NASDAQ: RRGB  ) struggled mightily during the recession, but its stock has bounced back convincingly, with gains sending shares to levels not seen since 2005. Even Brinker International (NYSE: EAT  ) , which cut its estimates on same-store sales growth to just 1%, and guided earnings to the lower end of its previous range, has seen its stock soar in anticipation of better times ahead.

Hot Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: SolarCity Corp (SCTY)

SolarCity Corporation (SolarCity), incorporated on June 21, 2006, is engaged in the design, installation and sale or lease of solar energy systems to residential and commercial customers, or sale of electricity generated by solar energy systems to customers. The Company sells renewable energy to its customers. As of December 12, 2012, the Company served customers in 14 states. The Company�� residential customers are individual homeowners and homeowners. The Company�� commercial customers represent several business sectors, including technology, retail, manufacturing, agriculture, nonprofit and houses of worship. The Company has installed solar energy systems for several government entities, including the the United States Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy, and the Department of Homeland Security. The Company purchases major components, such as solar panels and inverters directly from multiple manufacturers. As of September 30, 2012, its primary solar panel suppliers were Trina Solar Limited, Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited and Kyocera Solar, Inc., among others, and its primary inverter suppliers were Power-One, Inc., SMA Solar Technology, AG, Schneider Electric SA, Fronius International GmbH and SolarEdge Technologies, among others.

Solar Energy Products

The Company�� solar energy products include Solar Energy Systems, and SolarLease and power purchase agreement finance products. The major components of its solar energy systems include solar panels that convert sunlight into electrical current. Most of its solar energy customers choose to purchase energy from the Company pursuant to one of two payment structures: a SolarLease or a power purchase agreement. In both structures, the Company charges customers a monthly fee for the power produced by its solar energy systems. In the lease structure, this monthly payment is pre-determined and includes a production guarantee. In the power purchase agreement structure, the Company charges customers a fee per kilowatt! hour based on the amount of electricity actually produced by the solar energy system.

Energy Efficiency Products and Services

The Company�� energy efficiency products and services include home energy evaluation and energy efficiency upgrades. The Company sells home energy efficiency evaluations to new solar energy system customers and existing customers. The Company�� energy efficiency upgrade products and services address heating and cooling, air sealing, duct sealing, water heating, insulation, furnaces, weatherization, pool pumps and lighting. As of December 12, 2012, the Company had completed over 13,000 home energy evaluations and performed more than 2,000 energy efficiency upgrades.

Other Energy Products and Services

The Company�� other energy products and services include electric vehicle charging and energy storage. The Company installs electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment that it sources from third parties. SolarCity markets EV equipment to residential and commercial customers through retail partnerships with companies, such as The Home Depot, and through EV manufacturers and dealerships, such as its partnership with Tesla Motors, Inc. The Company is developing a battery management system built on its solar energy monitoring communications backbone. As of December 12, 2012, the Company had over 100 energy storage pilot projects under contract. As of December 12, 2012, the Company had sold over 750 charging stations.

Enabling Technologies

The Company�� enabling technologies include SolarBid Sales Management Platform, SolarWorks Customer Management Software, Energy Designer, Home Performance Pro and SolarGuard and PowerGuide Proactive Monitoring Solutions. SolarBid is a sales management platform, which incorporates a database of rate information by utility, sun exposure, roof orientation and a range of other factors to enable a detailed analysis and customized graphical presentation of each customer� �s savin! gs.

SolarWorks is the software platform the Company uses to track and manage project. Energy Designer is a software application its field engineering auditors use to collect pertinent site-specific design details on a tablet computer. Home Performance Pro is its energy efficiency evaluation platform that incorporates the United States Department of Energy�� Energy Plus simulation engine. Home Performance Pro collects and stores details of a building�� construction and energy use. SolarGuard and PowerGuide provide its customers a view of their home�� or business�� energy generation and consumption.

The Company competes with American Solar Electric, Inc., Astrum Solar, Inc., Petersen Dean, Inc., Real Goods Solar, Inc., REC Solar, Inc., Sungevity, Inc., Trinity Solar, Inc., Verengo, Inc., SunRun Inc. and Ameresco, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Vivint Solar has patiently waited to go public and now that SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY  ) has done the dirty work educating the market on solar and the market is near all-time highs, it's time to cash in. Blackstone Group, whose affiliate owns Vivint Solar, recently filed an updated S-1 that proposed raising as much as $426 million in Vivint's IPO, valuing the company at $1.9 billion.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  However, don't sell Musk short on his ability to justify premium pricing on features that save money over time. That's his strategy at SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY  ) , where solar panel installations are billed monthly at a rate that equates the energy savings over traditional electric power.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY) shares jumped 4.14% to $60.43 in pre-market trading. SolarCity's trailing-twelve-month revenue is $125.18 million.

  Posted-In: PreMarket GainersNews Pre-Market Outlook Markets Movers

Hot Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: CBL & Associates Properties Inc. (CBL)

CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. is a public real estate investment trust. It engages in acquisition, development, and management of properties. The fund invests in the real estate markets of United States. Its portfolio consists of enclosed malls and open-air centers. CBL & Associates Properties is based in Oak Brook, Illinois. CBL & Associates Properties was founded in 1978 and is based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividend King]

  CBL & Associates Properties Inc (CBL): CBL & Associates Properties Inc distributes an annual dividend of $0.84, has yield of 4.70% and a payout ratio of 135%. During the last 12 months, sales and income increased 0.40% and 17.80%, respectively.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Regional shopping mall real estate investment trust (REIT) CBL & Associates (CBL) raised its quarterly dividend 6.5% to 24.5 cents per share, payable on Jan. 15 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 30.
  CBL Dividend Yield: 5.44%

Hot Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Fresh Healthy Vending International Inc (VEND)

Fresh Healthy Vending International, Inc., formerly Green 4 Media, Inc., incorporated on June 8, 2011, is an eco-marketing and advertising company. The Company focuses on designing marketing and advertising campaigns utilizing natural media. The Company offers a range of natural advertising options, including Floor, Vertical, and Field media. The Company can contour grass, crops, sand, moss, or sea shells to produce designs and marketing messages.

Floor and field media involves the use of sand, chalk, snow, and specialized cleaning to create 100% environmentally sustainable messages and advertisements. Vertical media uses walls, buildings, or bridges to act as the canvas for its ad creations.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Given its 144% gain since the end of last year, with 7% of that move coming today, it wouldn't be tough to get excited about Fresh Healthy Vending International Inc. (OTCBB:VEND) ... excited enough to jump into a VEND position. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of tell-tale signs that today is a major (albeit short-term) top today, and we're very likely headed for a sizable correction beginning tomorrow.

The Olstein All Cap Value Fund Q3 2014 Letter to Shareholders - When Boring Becomes Exciting

Dear Fellow Shareholders:

For the nine months ended September 30, 2014, Class C shares of the Olstein All Cap Value Fund appreciated 5.18%, compared to total returns of 8.34% and 6.95% for the S&P 500® Index and the Russell 3000® Index, respectively. For the quarter ended September 30, 2014, Class C shares of the Olstein All Cap Value Fund appreciated 0.40%., compared to total returns of 1.13% and 0.01% for the for the S&P 500 Index and the Russell 3000 Index, respectively.

Market Outlook

The calm which had prevailed in U.S. equity markets for most of the past three years was disrupted during the third quarter, as the benchmark S&P 500 Index fell during the months of July and September. While there are always forecasters predicting the next market downturn, downturns have always been part of the investment landscape. Although downturns tend to make investors nervous as prices decline, we believe the future returns of the Fund are determined by our strategy during these declines. Of course everybody's investment fantasy is to sell before market declines and buy before upward moves. However, we have yet to identify any individual or organization that has a proven track record of correct market calls whereby one could profit therefrom. The ability to time markets is the only skill one needs to have to be a very successful investor and thus is an enticing goal. However, we view overall market timing as an attempt to predict the psychology of the crowds, which has a very low probability of being achieved on a repetitive basis. Market timers must make two calls, when to sell and when to get back in. In our opinion, one market call has a low probability of being correct and with two market calls required, the chances of being correct is extremely low. We viewed the recent market decline as an opportunity to buy free cash flow companies at what we believe to be very attractive prices. While many investors are nervous about equity markets or remain sidelined waiting for accelerated economic growth, we believe there is still a strong case for investing in the equity securities of companies whose real economic value is, in our opinion, unrecognized by the market, obscured by periods of market uncertainty or overshadowed by temporary problems. Although the valuation discounts are not at the levels reached in 2009, we are able to identify companies selling at 15-20% discounts from our calculation of their intrinsic value. We are locating undervaluation in mundane businesses generating free ca! sh flows with sound balance sheets that are far removed from the headline exciting stocks in social media, biotech, internet shopping etc., currently being purchased by the investment masses ( who we believe are paying little attention to realistic valuations based on a company's normalized ability to generate future free cash flow). We remain confident that the current environment is favorable to a long- term value investing discipline.

Hot Computer Hardware Stocks To Buy Right Now

Our Strategy

With respect to our strategy for the remainder of 2014, we continue to seek and invest in companies that we believe have an ability to deliver long-term value to shareholders that, in many cases, is not currently recognized by the market. We remain focused on three primary, company-specific factors: (1) a commitment to maintain a strong financial position as evidenced by a solid balance sheet; (2) an ability to generate sustainable free cash flow; and (3) management that intelligently deploys cash balances and free cash flow from operations to increase returns to shareholders. We further believe that by prioritizing these factors, we will continue to invest in companies that are positioned to compete more advantageously as economic growth accelerates.

Against an improving economic backdrop, we also continue to emphasize the quality of a company's earnings in 2014. By highlighting the quality of a company's earnings, we seek to accomplish two objectives: (1) to identify those companies that not only have focused their priorities during the economic recovery but have also laid the groundwork to achieve a substantial strategic advantage for the inevitable acceleration of economic growth, and (2) to assess the financial risk inherent in each investment opportunity before considering the potential for capital appreciation. We believe that the number and severity of our future investment errors are the most important ingredients determining whether or not we generate above average long term returns. While many investors are obsessed with short-term market volatility, our primary concern is to avoid or mitigate permanent impairment of capital. We believe our relentless focus on the quality of earnings provides a valuable tool for achieving that objective.

Portfolio Review

We continue to focus on how individual companies have adapted their expectations, strategic plans and operations to bumpy economic conditions, and how they have managed their assets to deliver future free cash flow to investors. Our current portfolio consists of companies that we believe have a sustainable competitive advantage, discernible balance sheet strength, a management team that emphasizes decisions based on cost of capital calculations, deploys free cash flow to create shareholder value and is selling at a discount to our calculation of intrinsic value which is based on a company's normalized ability to generate future free cash flow. On September 30, 2014, the Olstein All Cap Value Fund portfolio consisted of 107 holdings with an average weighted market capitalization of $54.25 billion.

During the quarter, the Fund initiated positions in eight companies and strategically added to positions in sixteen companies. Over the same time period, the Fund eliminated its holdings in six companies and strategically decreased its holdings in another five companies. Positions initiated during the last three months include: Dorman Products, Inc. (DORM), Dover Corp. (DOV), DSW Inc. (DSW), First Niagara Financial Group (FNFG), Packaging Corporation of America (PKG), Patterson Companies, Inc. (PDCO), The Travelers Companies Inc. (TRV), and Universal Health Services Inc (UHS). Positions eliminated during the past quarter include: ABB Ltd. (ABB), Ann Inc. (ANN), Baxter International (BAX), International Game Technology (IGT), TRW Automotive Holdings (TRW), and URS Corporation (URS).

Three of the positions eliminated during the quarter, International Game Technology, TRW Automotive Holdings and URS Corp., were companies targeted by strategic acquirers. On July 16, 2014, International Game Technology (IGT) announced that it entered into a definitive merger agreement with GTECH S.p.A. (MIL:GTK), in a deal valued at $6.4 billion. On July 10, 2014, TRW Automotive Holdings (TRW) confirmed that it has received a preliminary, non-binding proposal from ZF Friedrichshafen AG to acquire the company. Although TRW did not disclose terms at the time of the July announcement, Bloomberg News reported the acquisition value at $110 to $112.50 per TRW share. On July 13, 2014, URS Corporation (URS) announced that AECOM (ACM) would acquire the company for $56.31 per share. As value investors who usually have to wait patiently for a company to improve operating results and for the market to ultimately recognize the value we see, these acquisitions not only came as a pleasant surprise, they allowed us to reach our value in each of these companies over a much shorter holding period.

When Boring Becomes Exciting

While the market pullback (of September and early October), as always, fueled considerable speculation about the outlook for equity investing, it provided us with an opportunity to reflect on the nature of equity markets in general and, more specifically, our affinity for boring companies. Many investors, seeking outsized investment returns, favor widely-held, glamour stocks whose popularity is driven by the promise of high growth rates, especially in revenues. The stocks of these high-flying companies attract a significant number of momentum investors as well as fawning media coverage that, in turn, fuels the momentum as the overall market continues to rise. We, on the other hand, are value investors who avoid the noise surrounding the latest hot trend, and look to buy the common stocks of good businesses that we believe are selling at material discounts to their intrinsic value.

The success of our approach hinges on our ability to find good companies with discernible financial strength, unique business fundamentals, a competitive edge and ability to generate free cash flow, and buy such companies at a significant discount to our determination of their private market value. From our perspective, a company's stock price often falls below its private market value either due to temporary problems (such as missed earnings estimates, over-reaction to short-term results, or overall negative market sentiment), or because a company's business and prospects are either misunderstood or overlooked by a market driven by a momentum mentality. In other words, the market often over-penalizes the stocks of companies that have temporarily stumbled or have the misfortune of being boring companies in a momentum-driven market. For us, however, the sharp deviations between the stock prices of boring and/ or misunderstood companies and our determination of their intrinsic value can offer opportunities for significant capital appreciation. We believe the most important factor to consider when purchasing a stock is paying the right price, or buying at a discount to intrinsic value rather than buying in reaction to stock momentum.

When a long running bull market stumbles, as we have seen in September and early October (from its intra-day high on September 19, 2014 to its intra-day low on October 15, 2014, the benchmark S&P 500 Index fell approximately 10%), the shift in investor sentiment, especially among momentum investors, is swift and noticeable. Momentum investors flee the once exciting high-flying companies and may also abandon the market as fear spikes and market volatility increases. The pessimism that drags down the overall market, however, tends to have less of a negative impact on those "boring" companies that have maintained a balance sheet discipline that eschews material leverage; have honed their operations to protect (or in some cases expand) margins; and have built strategic cash balances that can be used to build profitable market share and protect them during extended downturns. In the wake of extreme market gyrations and increased investor nervousness, boring companies become much more interesting and in some cases become exciting.

Even without the short-term market volatility bringing company operations, performance and profitability to the forefront, as value investors we have long favored the investment potential of boring companies. Recently, strategic investors have begun to recognize the values we had previously identified. The extraordinary number of corporate actions affecting specific portfolio holdings in 2014 (that we discussed at great length in our last letter to shareholders) offers noteworthy examples of boring companies that became exciting — especially as the appetite for momentum investing has waned over the past six months. From the beginning of the year through early-October, fifteen stocks in our portfolio, across a range of industries and sectors, were the subject of significant announcements that included mergers, takeover offers, spinoffs, accelerated share repurchases, and multiple activist campaigns. While it is exciting to report such extraordinary news following such a series of favorable corporate events, at the time of our initial purchase, most, if not all, of these companies were either considered "boring" or were suffering the lingering effects of a recent stumble.

What made each of these companies "exciting" to us as value investors, were favorable company-specific characteristics (unique product or service niche, competitive strength, and clean capital structure), an ability to generate sustainable free cash flow, and stocks trading at a significant discount to our determination of each company's intrinsic value as a result of what we believe were short term events. While, for us, a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of each company and our estimate of its normalized ability to generate future free cash flow pointed to significant potential for capital appreciation, our in-depth understanding of a company's potential usually flies in the face of the collective wisdom regarding its prospects as a result of the short-term factors affecting the company. Our willingness to buy into what we believe is short-term negativity or misperception allows us to get into many of these boring stocks at bargain basement prices, and often before the excitement begins as private equity investors get involved or the undervalued free cash flow becomes apparent. Our confidence in each situation is based on clues we uncover via our inferential analysis and looking behind the numbers of a company's financial statements with regard to a company's ability to generate future normalized free cash flow. As with many of our investments, we usually find ourselves waiting for the rest of the market to recognize and understand a company's true investment potential before we see the valuation gap close. As the market catches up to our way of thinking in such instances, "boring" companies have a way of become a lot more exciting in a relatively short period of time.

When Markets Become Exciting — Volatility Presents Buying Opportunities

An extended period of strong market performance similar to what we have experienced since the historic lows of March 9, 2009, brings many investor worries and concerns to the surface. One of the biggest concerns weighing on investors is whether or not the market is overdue for a pullback or correction. While we understand this sentiment, we believe this worry is being given too much weight and blurring long-term thinking. While we need to be wary of long-term risk (not the market's daily movements), we also believe that instead of making equity investment decisions based on market sentiment, we must focus on individual companies and their long-term fundamentals, and whether or not the current prices offer the opportunity to buy mispriced securities that could provide potential for meaningful long-term capital appreciation. In this regard, based on past experience, we continue to believe that periods of market volatility, marked by short-term drops in equity prices, should continue to provide compelling opportunities to buy financially strong, well-managed companies at very favorable prices.

It is our opinion that purchases made in our portfolio during the most recent period of extreme market negativity should result in above average appreciation. The market is a discounting mechanism and while past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results, it is noteworthy that the seeds of past periods of relative outperformance were sown during volatile and extremely emotional down markets in 1998, 2002, 2008 and 2009. As value investors, we believe that having a long- term horizon in an environment that is maniacally focused on short-term events provides the fund with a strategic advantage.

We believe that our long-term horizon, in conjunction with our emphasis on an in-depth analysis of financial statements, should provide the Fund with an advantage to purchase companies that can weather the storms of equity investing and provide the Fund with opportunities to buy outstanding companies at bargain prices.

We are currently invested in companies that, in our opinion, have the financial strength to ride out unfavorable short-term conditions while at the same t

Hot Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now

Time Warner Inc.(TWX) has,�by all indications, thwarted 21st Century Fox 's(FOX) takeover attempts.

Now it’s up to Chief Executive Jeffrey Bewkes to sell Time Warner’s future as an independent company to investors. He got a good head start Wednesday morning after the media conglomerate delivered strong second-quarter results.

“They crushed the quarter,” Dan Salmon, an analyst at BMO, said in an interview. “Their results should silence anyone who thinks that Time Warner needs to sell themselves quickly.”

The company will host a conference call Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. New York time.

One way of gauging Mr. Bewkes success: $71.01. Will Time Warner’s stock close above that price, which was the closing price on July 15, 2014, just before 21st Century Fox’s bid became public?

Top Oil Companies To Invest In 2015: Hitachi Ltd (HTHIF)

Hitachi, Ltd. is a diversified company. Information and Telecommunication System segment offers system integration services and automated teller machines. Electricity System segment offers power generation systems. Social and Industrial System segment offers industrial machinery. Electronic Device and System segment offers liquid crystal displays. Construction segment offers hydraulic shovels and wheel loaders. High Functional Material segment offers electric wires and cables. Automotive System segment offers engine management and in-car information systems. Component and Device segment offers information record media and batteries. Digital Media and Consumer Product segment offers optical disk drives and refrigerators. Financial Service segment offers leasing and loan services. On March 1, 2014, it fully acquired Hitachi Medical Corp. On April 1, 2014, it transferred and integrated its air conditioning systems construction, and elevator and escalator businesses into two subsidiaries. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- A rising Japanese yen and weak results from Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) overnight sent Tokyo-listed shares lower in early Thursday trade, with the Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) falling 0.4% to 14,363.59, while the Topix also lost 0.4%. With the U.S. dollar remaining below the 98-yen level amid concerns about the health of China's largest banks, some currency-sensitive shares extended their losses after driving the Nikkei Average down 2% in the previous session. Among them, trading house Mitsui & Co. (JP:8031) (MITSY) fell 1.3%, retail major J. Front Retailing Co. (JP:3086) lost 1.2%, auto maker Nissan Motor Co. (JP:7201) (NSANY) retreated 0.6%, and Fujitsu Ltd. (JP:6702) (FJTSY) traded 1% lower. The below-forecast quarterly results and outlook cut from U.S. construction-equipment maker Caterpillar sent its Japanese rivals tumbling, with Komatsu Ltd. (JP:6301) (KMTUF) dropping 3.5% and Hitachi Construction Macheriny Co. (JP:6305) (HTCMF) falling 3.1%. On the upside, Hitachi Ltd. (JP:6501) (HTHIF) soared 5.4% after raising its profit and revenue guidance for the fiscal first hal

• [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japan's Nikkei Average (JP:NIK) traded 0.5% higher in the early minutes Tuesday, extending the previous day's 0.9% advance, with the market getting some support from overnight gains for U.S. shares and a slightly weaker yen (dollar at 楼101.56 vs. 楼101.40 at Monday's open). Among the gainers, Toshiba Corp. (JP:6502) (TOSYY) rose 1.7%, Hitachi Ltd. (JP:6501) (HTHIF) gained 1.5%, NEC Corp. (JP:6701) (NIPNF) improved by 2.5%, Bridgestone Corp. (JP:5108) (BRDCF) added 2.7% to extend gains over the past couple weeks following the company's purchase of U.S.-based Masthead Industries, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (JP:7011) (MHVYF) traded 1.1% higher as a Wall Street Journal report said the industrial major's Mitsubishi Aircraft unit had reached a tentative deal to sell 40 jets for the planned revival of defunct U.S. carrier Eastern Air Lines Group Inc. Auto makers were firmer as well, with Nissan Motor Co. (JP:7201) (NSANY) up 1.3%, Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203) (TM) up 0.5%, and Honda Motor Co. (JP:7267)

Hot Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now: ThyssenKrupp AG (TKA)

ThyssenKrupp AG is a Germany-based technology holding company operating in seven business areas. The Steel Europe division produces carbon steel flat products. The Steel Americas division is engaged in production, processing and marketing of high-grade carbon steels. The Materials Services division is engaged in global distribution of materials and the provision of complex technical services for the production and manufacturing sectors. The Elevator Technology division is engaged in the area of passenger transportation systems. The Plant Technology division focuses on specialty and large-scale plant construction. The Components Technology division is engaged in manufacturing components for the automotive, construction and engineering sectors as well as for wind turbines. The Marine Systems division focuses on naval and civil shipbuilding. Apart from its business areas, it provides business services, which are diversified into Business Services and Information Technology (IT) Services. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  ThyssenKrupp AG (TKA), Germany�� largest steelmaker, rose to a five-week high. YOC AG (YOC) surged the most in more than three months after the mobile-phone advertising company said it sold 1.3 million euros ($1.7 million) of shares to increase capital. Lanxess AG (LXS), the chemical maker that joined the DAX in September, retreated 3.4 percent.

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Telekom Austria (TKA) slid 1.6 percent to 5.63 euros. Second-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization fell to 330.3 million euros ($439 million) from 364.8 million euros a year earlier. That compared with the average 332.7 million-euro analyst estimate.

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  ThyssenKrupp AG (TKA) slumped 9.3 percent after Germany�� largest steelmaker raised 882.3 million euros ($1.21 billion) through a share sale. Standard Chartered Plc lost 8.1 percent. Sage Group (SGE) Plc, the U.K.�� biggest software maker, rose 6.8 percent after reporting revenue growth that exceeded analysts��estimates. AZ Electronic Materials SA surged 43 percent after Merck KGaA (MRK) agreed to buy it for about 1.6 billion pounds ($2.6 billion).

Hot Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now: Wartsila Oyj Abp (WRT1V.HE)

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

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

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

Hot Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now: Orkla ASA (ORK)

Orkla ASA is a Norway-based company active in various sectors. The Company�� operations are structured into two segments: Branded Consumer Goods and Other Businesses. The Branded Consumer Goods segment is divided into five units: Orkla Foods, which comprises the Company�� food businesses in the Nordic region and the Baltics; Orkla Confectionery, which comprises five branded consumer goods businesses which serve the Nordic region and the Baltics as their home markets; Orkls Home & Personal consists of five branded consumer goods businesses, including Lilleborg, Lilleborg Profesjonell, the Axellus Group, Pierre Robert Group and House Care; Orkla Food Ingredients cover product categories, including margarine, marzipan, bread improvers and mixes, and yeast, and Orkla International includes branded consumer goods companies outside the Nordic region and the Baltics. The Other Businesses segment covers the Company�� operation in aluminum, real estate and hydropower sectors, among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Orkla ASA (ORK), the Norwegian industrial conglomerate transforming itself into a consumer-goods producer, slumped 11 percent to 46.78 kroner, the largest drop since November 2011. The company reported second-quarter pretax profit of 514 million kroner ($86 million), missing estimates of 965 million kroner in a Bloomberg survey of analysts.

Hot Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now: Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (KWHIY)

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (KHI), incorporated on October 15, 1896, is a global manufacturer of transportation equipment and industrial goods. KHI manufactures ships, rolling stock, aircraft and jet engines, gas turbine power generators, environmental and industrial plants, and range of manufacturing equipment and systems. KHI also produces consumer products, such as Kawasaki-brand motorcycles and personal watercraft. KHI�� business is divided into seven operations: shipbuilding, rolling stock and construction machinery, aerospace, gas turbines and machinery, plant and infrastructure engineering, consumer products and machinery, and hydraulic machinery.

Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation, which is the company of this segment, is engaged in building gas carriers and submarines, which require advanced design and construction technologies. It offers

a range of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, extending from small carriers with cargo tank capacities of 19,000 cubic meters to large carriers with capacities of 177,000 cubic meters. It also developed and offered in its lineup a pressure build-up type LNG carrier for short distance and small-volume transportation. The Company�� shipbuilding operations include products, such as LNG carriers, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers, container ships, very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and other types of tankers, bulk carriers, high speed vessels, submarines, maritime application equipment.

KHI�� rolling stock production systems are located in Hyogo and Harima in Japan and in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Yonkers, New York, in United States. Kawasaki completed its light rail vehicle (LRV), dubbed SWIMO. It also is developing efSET (Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train) which achieves a service speed of 350 kilometers per hour (km/h). Regarding the construction machinery business, Kawasaki has arranged a business alliance with Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., and TCM Corporation. As of April 1, 2009, the Compa! ny split off its construction machinery business as a wholly owned subsidiary of KHI, KCM Corporation.

KHI is the prime contractor for the development of the MOD�� large-scale XP-1 and C-X aircraft. In the commercial aircraft field, KHI delivered a test model of Boeing�� 787 Dreamliner passenger aircraft. KHI is a partner corporation in the development and production of the 787 Dreamliner.

The Gas Turbines & Machinery segment has a range of products for the energy and transportation equipment field. KHI focuses to expand its global business by offering solutions for its customers that include a lineup of in-house developed gas turbines together with product support and maintenance. During the year ended December 31, 2008, the 8MW-class power-generating capacity Kawasaki Green Gas Engine had 4,000 hours of operational testing.

The plant and infrastructure engineering segment encompasses the operations of Kawasaki Plant Systems, Ltd. (K Plant), which undertakes projects to supply energy-related, industrial infrastructure, environmental preservation systems and equipment, and the operations of the parent company�� Industrial Facilities and Tunneling Equipment Division, which mainly focuses on LNG tanks and diverse other storage tanks along with shield machines and tunnel-boring machines. The Anhui Conch Kawasaki Energy Conservation Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (CKM) is engaged in the manufacturing of PH boiler parts that are employed in waste heat power plants. CKM has commenced the manufacturing and sales of environmental preservation related products, including cement plant components, such as vertical mills, boilers for waste heat recovery power generation systems, and waste gasification systems and sewage treatment systems that can be integrated with cement kilns to enable municipal waste recycling.

The consumer products and machinery segment includes the manufacture of motorcycles, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility vehicles, personal! watercra! ft, general purpose gasoline engines and industrial robots. In the motorcycle line, Kawasaki launched the ZRX1200 DAEG and the Ninja ZX-6R. In the cruiser segment, Kawasaki launched its Vulcan 1700 series with developed engine and chassis. This series includes the Vulcan 1700 Voyager, a full-dress V-twin engine tourer with a load of long-distance touring equipment. In the utility vehicle category, KHI equipped the Teryx 750 series with an electronic fuel injection system, mainly for recreational use. The MULE utility-oriented vehicle series was restyled with the launch of the MULE 4010 series.

The hydraulic machinery operations include Kawasaki Precision Machinery Ltd. (KPM). It has five manufacturing and marketing facilities, which comprises KPM�� headquarters plant and the facilities

of Kawasaki Precision Machinery (U.K.) Limited; Kawasaki Precision Machinery (U.S.A.), Inc.; China based Kawasaki Precision Machinery (Suzhou) Ltd.; and Korea-based Flutek, Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks have ended with losses in every session this week, and sure enough, the Nikkei Average (JP:NIK) was down 0.6% in early Friday trade, though off an opening 0.8% defecit, while the Topix carried a 0.7% loss. Overnight losses for the U.S. and further strength in the yen (with the dollar falling to 楼101.28 from 楼101.56 a day earlier) helped drag the market lower, as did results from Fast Retailing Co. (JP:9983) (FRCOF) , the shares of which hold the heaviest weighting on Nikkei Average. Fast Retailing said that while its Uniqlo brand was doing great business, weakness for its J Brand luxury demin label helped send September-May profit down 4% and prompted another cut to Fast's full-year outlook. Consequently, its shares traded 0.7% lower, though rivals Takashimaya Co. (JP:8233) and J. Front Retailing Co. (JP:3086) (JFROF) also saw losses of 0.6% and 0.5%, respectively. Among other decliners, Sony Corp. (JP:6758) (SNE) lost 0.7%, Toshiba Corp. (JP:6502) (TOSYY) fell 2.1%, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (JP:7012) (KWHIY) fell 1.5%, Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203) (TM) and Nissan Motor Co. (JP:7201)

Hot Value Stocks To Invest In Right Now

“The P/E ratio is today the most commonly used valuation metric in the world.” --- Prof. Janette Rutterford, Open University.

The P/E has a long history, but it has not always been the most popular way to value shares. Since the invention of stock markets up until less than 100 years ago, the dividend yield (DY) was the main figure every investor was interested in. The asset backing behind a company was also important. The P/E is, compared to those two, a relatively recent invention. Even the phrase ‘price earnings ratio’ only became popular in the 1920s in the US. In the UK dividends were still what mattered up until the mid-1960s.

The World of Investment to 1914: Dividend Yield is King

For centuries, at least since the time of the South Sea Bubble in 1720, dividend Yield (DY) was the main ratio investors used to value their stocks. This is simply the ratio of the dividends paid out last year to the price of the stock. So if a stock costing Rs.1 paid out 5p in dividends last year, the dividend yield of 5% compares favorably to the return available from a deposit account, but of course involving the risk of capital loss should the share price fall.

Top 10 Wireless Telecom Stocks To Watch 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 Jonas Elmerraji]

  2013 has been a stellar year for shares of oil service giant Schlumberger (SLB). Since the calendar flipped over to January, SLB has rallied more than 25%, beating the broad market's impressive pace by double digits. As oil prices linger on the high end of their historic range, SLB is well positioned to keep ticking higher.

  Schlumberger provides must-have services to national and supermajor oil firms as well as smaller E&Ps, offering up niche services like seismic surveys and well drilling and positioning. In a nutshell, SLB's job is to pull oil out of the ground as efficiently as possible. Oil firms turn to Schlumberger because the tasks they need to accomplish are too nuanced or proprietary to pull off in-house. So as long as the company continues to pour cash into R&D for drilling technology and software, the firm should continue to score lucrative contracts.

  Some of Schlumberger's most attractive opportunities right now come from overseas. The firm is one of the largest oil servicers in Russia, a key growth market in the years ahead. It's also got an important presence in smaller oil markets, where it's a big fish in a small pond. A big scale and stellar reputation should guarantee Schlumberger an attractive piece of the oil pie for years to come.

Hot Value Stocks To Invest 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 Dan Caplinger]

  Finally, Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) rounded out the list of declining Dow stocks, falling 0.6%. The dollar's persistent strength spells trouble for the company's international sales, as the currency's strength make Caterpillar's exports more costly in local currency terms. With competitors from Japan and elsewhere gaining a competitive advantage, Caterpillar will have to work that much harder in an already-challenging environment of slowing economic growth and weak commodity prices.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) is scheduled to release its quarterly earnings report tomorrow, and investors are bracing for a substantial drop in net income. Yet for all of Caterpillar's woes, the long-term question is whether the pullback is part of a normal cyclical decline or the result of longer-term macroeconomic trends toward slowing growth in formerly red-hot areas of the world.

• [By Stephen Rosenman]

  Can you really take a company's yearly guidance seriously? Who can predict future events a year from now? It's so hard most companies skip the ordeal. Who can blame them? So many unforeseen events can derail a company's guidance. Yet, a few daredevil companies continue giving their yearly outlook. As far as I'm concerned, that's akin to writing the front page of next year's Wall Street Journal. I've already highlighted how Caterpillar (CAT) and Parker Hannifin (PH) - two excellent companies - almost never get their yearly guidance right.

• [By Rich Bieglmeier] Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) will release 2013 full-year and fourth-quarter financial results at 6:30 a.m. Central Time on Monday, January 27, 2014. The release will be available at http://www.caterpillar.com/earnings, and the full text of the news release will also be available on PR Newswire at about 6:30 a.m. Central Time.

Hot Value Stocks To Invest 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 Jon C. Ogg]

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

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Dollar Tree Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) was maintained as a Buy but was removed from the prized Conviction Buy list at Goldman Sachs.

  Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE: DUK) was raised to Buy from Hold with a $79 price target at Argus.

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  As a convenience store, it doesn’t have direct competition from�Dollar Tree (DLTR) or Family Dollar (FDO) because these dollar stores aren�� exclusively focused on food (and they have no gasoline or cigarette sales), and they��e targeted at the folks who are trying to save money over convenience, not vice versa. The convenience angle is another reason why�Walmart (WMT) and Costco (COST)�aren’t competitors, since those behemoths are about a total shopping experience.

Hot Value Stocks To Invest 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 Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, household products company Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

• [By Jonathan Berr]

  Multilevel marketing (MLM) groups such as Herbalife operate through independent sales representatives, who earn money both through the sales of product and by recruiting other people to join their team. This business model — which is used by scores of companies, including�Pampered Chef, which is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B), Tupperware (TUP) and Mary Kay Cosmetics — is legal provided that actual products are sold.

• [By John Kell]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Dow Chemical Co.(DOW), Tupperware Brands Corp.(TUP) and Yahoo Inc.(YHOO)