Best Cheap Companies To Own For 2014

Astronics Corp. (NASDAQ: ATRO  ) is bulking up in aerospace.

On Tuesday, the manufacturer of high-performance lighting, electrical power, and automated test systems for the global aerospace and defense industries announced that it has agreed to buy fellow aerospace interior components maker PECO for approximately $136 million, cash. Privately owned PECO is a supplier to Boeing and a maker of fuel access doors and also "passenger service units" that incorporate air handling, emergency oxygen, electrical power management, and cabin lighting systems.�

Astronics CEO Peter J. Gundermann called PECO "an excellent strategic fit with Astronics" and predicted that "the combination of world class capabilities from both organizations will serve to further our mutual goals."

With PECO doing $77.8 million in 2012 sales, the $136 million Astronics is paying works out to a 1.75 price-to-sales ratio on the acquisition -- making it cheaper than the 1.84 times sales valuation on Astronics' own shares. Plus, Astronics assures investors that PECO is earning EBITDA margins "consistent with Astronics' past performance," suggesting the company's new revenue stream is of just as high quality as its existing business. The deal is expected to close in June.

Top Airline Companies For 2015: Ur Energy Inc(URG)

Ur-Energy Inc., an exploration stage junior mining company, engages in the identification, acquisition, evaluation, exploration, and development of uranium mineral properties. The company has 13 projects located in Wyoming and Nebraska, the United States; and 3 exploration projects located in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada. Its landholdings cover approximately 90,000 acres in the United States and approximately 140,000 acres in Canada. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Littleton, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  If you listened to my bullish calls from December 27th and/or February 24th about Uranerz Energy Corp. (NYSEMKT:URZ), Uranium Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ:URRE), and Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSEMKT:URG), then congratulations - you're now up as much as 50%, depending on when you stepped into a trade, and which stock you chose. Now get out. See, as well as URZ and URG have done and are doing (URRE not so much), it looks like the short-term rally I first spotted a little more than a couple of months ago has fully run its course, and now these names are setting up a pullback.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  You know, were it just Uranium Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ:URRE) or just Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSEMKT:URG) or just Uranerz Energy Corp. (NYSEMKT:URZ) making a decided bullish move, I might be able to dismiss it. Similarly, if URZ had only been moving higher for one or two days (or only URG or only URRE), it might be easy to not be impressed. Neither of those situations has been the actual case, however. All three stocks have been moving upward for several days now, quite a bit, on noticeably higher volume. There's something "going on", as it were, and if prior group-wide movements are any clue, it's the kind of move worth tapping into.

Best Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: S&P GSCI(GD)

General Dynamics Corporation, an aerospace and defense company, provides business aviation; combat vehicles, weapons systems, and munitions; military and commercial shipbuilding; and communications and information technology products and services worldwide. Its Aerospace group designs, manufactures, and outfits various large and mid-cabin business-jet aircraft; provides maintenance, repair work, fixed-based operations, and aircraft management services; and performs aircraft completions for aircraft. The company?s Combat Systems group offers tracked and wheeled military vehicles, weapons systems, and munitions. Its product lines include wheeled combat and tactical vehicles; battle tanks and infantry vehicles; munitions and propellant; rockets and gun systems; and axle and drivetrain components and aftermarket parts. This group also manufactures and supplies engineered axles, suspensions, and brakes for heavy-load vehicles for military and commercial customers. The company Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  So what's really going on over there in Washington today? Is defense spending stalled, or will it rise again? And what does this mean for ultra-low-P/E-bearing stocks like Boeing (NYSE: BA  ) , Lockheed Martin� (NYSE: LMT  ) , Northrop Grumman� (NYSE: NOC  ) , and General Dynamics� (NYSE: GD  ) .

• [By Tom Rojas and Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  General Dynamics Corp.'s(GD) second-quarter earnings slipped as the company recorded sales declines in three of its four business units, including its Gulfstream business-jet unit. Shares edged up slightly to $119 premarket.

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of General Dynamics (GD). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis: Company Description: General Dynamics is the world's fourth largest military contractor and also one of the world's biggest makers of corporate jets.

Best Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: Ford Motor Credit Company(F)

Ford Motor Company primarily develops, manufactures, distributes, and services vehicles and parts worldwide. It operates in two sectors, Automotive and Financial Services. The Automotive sector offers vehicles primarily under the Ford and Lincoln brand names. This sector markets cars, trucks, and parts through retail dealers in North America, and through distributors and dealers outside of North America. It also sells cars and trucks to dealers for sale to fleet customers, including daily rental car companies, commercial fleet customers, leasing companies, and governments. In addition, this sector provides retail customers with a range of after-sale vehicle services and products in the areas, such as maintenance and light repair, heavy repair, collision repair, vehicle accessories, and extended service contracts under the Ford Service, Lincoln Service, Ford Custom Accessories, Ford Extended Service Plan, and Motorcraft brand names. The Financial Services sector offers vari ous automotive financing products to and through automotive dealers. It offers retail financing, which includes retail installment contracts for new and used vehicles; direct financing leases; wholesale financing products that comprise loans to dealers to finance the purchase of vehicle inventory; loans to dealers to finance working capital, purchase real estate dealership, and/or make improvements to dealership facilities; and other financing products, as well as provides insurance services. Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903 and is based in Dearborn, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chad Fraser]

  There are a number of ways for investors to profit from the rising auto sales. The obvious approach is to buy shares of major automakers like General Motors (NYSE: GM), Ford (NYSE: F) or Nissan (OTC: NSANY). (We took a close look at Nissan in a September 3 Investing Daily article. Click here to read the full piece.)

• [By Alex Planes]

  The end of an automotive era
  The last Ford (NYSE: F  ) Model T rolled off the assembly line on May 27, 1927. That day also marked the construction of the 15 millionth Model T, which made it all the more memorable a day to end the era that brought motor vehicle ownership to the American masses. To commemorate the occasion, a recovering Henry Ford (he'd recently been injured in, of all things, a car accident) and his son Edsel drove out to the factory in the very first Ford car, already a museum piece roughly a quarter century after the company's founding. The old tinkerer showed that his skills had not been lost to time when this "buggy seat attached to bicycle wheels" couldn't start with the coaxing of skilled mechanics -- after a bit of work from Henry Ford's hands, the antique car sputtered right to life.

• [By Christopher Freeburn]

  Documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that the agency is looking at about 1,000 Ford (F) Focus EVs. The investigation was sparked by a dozen reports from consumers of sudden vehicle stalling, Reuters notes.

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety/APA 2014 Subaru Forester during a front overlap crash test. The Forester was only one of two small SUVs to pass the test. DETROIT -- Only two of nine midsize SUVs got the highest rating in crash tests done by an insurance industry group. The Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain, both made by General Motors (GM), received the highest "good" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Toyota (TM) Highlander got the second-best "acceptable" rating in tests of 2014 models. But the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota 4Runner and Ford (F) Explorer got "marginal" ratings, while the Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9 and Honda Pilot all were rated "poor." The ratings are based on six crash test measurements done by the institute. Only the Equinox and Terrain got "good" ratings in a front overlap crash that mimics what happens when a car's front corner collides with another vehicle or an object like a utility pole. In the test, 25 percent of a vehicle's front end on the driver's side strikes a rigid barrier at 40 mph. The test, instituted in 2012, is more difficult than the U.S. government's frontal crash test, in which a car strikes a rigid barrier head-on at 35 mph. IIHS says hitting only part of the front end makes it harder for cars to manage the energy from a crash. The test "continues to challenge manufacturers more than a year and a half after its introduction," the institute said in a statement. The institute uses its crash test scores to prod automakers into adding safety devices or making their cars more crash-resistant. The institute said the Equinox and Terrain, which are almost identical, were modified by GM in the new model year to strengthen their front structure and door-hinge pillars. In tests, the Equinox driver's space was well-maintained, and the crash dummy's movement was well-controlled, the institute said. The institute changed its requirements for vehicles to get the "Top Safety Pick-Plus" designat

Best Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc.(FCX)

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. engages in the exploration, mining, and production of mineral resources. The company primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and cobalt. It holds interests in various properties, located in North and South America; the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; and the Tenke Fungurume minerals district in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As of December 31, 2010, the company?s consolidated recoverable proven and probable reserves totaled 120.5 billion pounds of copper, 35.5 million ounces of gold, 3.39 billion pounds of molybdenum, 325.0 million ounces of silver, and 0.75 billion pounds of cobalt. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Other companies didn't do as well last year, but could see their fortunes change in the coming years. Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX  ) shed 20%. The world's largest publicly traded copper producer recently posted shrinking earnings, though its results still topped analysts' estimates. (Its recent free cash flow is less impressive, however.) The company has diversified its operations considerably by buying a pair of oil and gas producers. It doesn't help that the price of copper has been falling, and growth in China slowing.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold� (NYSE: FCX  ) is expected to report its second-quarter results on July 23. What's different this time around is that it will be reporting more than copper and gold earnings because the company's transition into oil and gas is now complete. Let's take a look at three burning questions investors want answered when the newly combined company reports.

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

  Canada’s Encana Corp.(ECA.T) has agreed to buy 45,500 acres of the Eagle Ford Shale in Texas from Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.(FCX) (FCX) for $3.1 billion, the companies said Wednesday. Encana, which has sought to broaden its portfolio beyond natural gas, said it expects the deal will double its current rate of oil production. Encana rose 4.1% to $23.50 premarket.

Best Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: 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 WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Bank of America provides essential financial products and services to consumers and companies operating all around the world. The stock has bounced back from extreme selling pressure and is looking to continue its bullish run. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenue figures have been mixed which has really disappointed investors. Relative to its peers and sector, Bank of America has been a poor performer year-to-date. WAIT AND SEE what Bank of America does this coming quarter.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Four years after purchasing Merrill Lynch, Bank of America (BAC) said it will end investment bank’s days as a separate legal entity. Bloomberg has the details:

  AP

  Bank of America Corp., the second-biggest U.S. lender, plans to merge its Merrill Lynch subsidiary into the parent company to reduce complexity and costs.

  The move could happen as early as the fourth quarter and means�Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bank of America assumes all the investment bank�� obligations and debt, Merrill Lynch said in an Aug. 2 filing. Dissolving the legal entity also ends Merrill Lynch�� need to file separate regulatory disclosures.

  Shares of Bank of America have gained 1% to $14.47 today, while JPMorgan Chase (JPM)� has risen 0.7% to $53.66, Citigroup (C) has ticked up 0.3% to $51.01 and Wells Fargo (WFC) is up 0.3% to $43.13. The Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) has gained 0.5% to $20.16.

• [By Jessica Alling]

  Of course there was a backlash yesterday after the announcement, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) , which includes both Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) and JPMorgan (NYSE: JPM  ) , fell 200 points. And so far this morning things aren't going much better.

Best Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: Advance Auto Parts Inc(AAP)

Advance Auto Parts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items. It operates in two segments, Advance Auto Parts (AAP) and Autopart International (AI). The AAP segment operates stores, which primarily offer auto parts, including alternators, batteries, chassis parts, clutches, engines and engine parts, radiators, starters, transmissions, and water pumps; accessories comprising floor mats, mirrors, vent shades, MP3 and cell phone accessories, and seat and steering wheel covers; chemicals consisting of antifreeze, freon, fuel additives, and car washes and waxes; and oil and other automotive petroleum products. This segment also provides battery and wiper installation, battery charging, check engine light reading, electrical system testing, video clinics and project brochures, loaner tool programs, and oil and battery recycling services; and sells its products through online. The AI segm ent operates stores that offer replacement parts for domestic and imported cars, and light trucks to customers in northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, as well as to warehouse distributors and jobbers in North America. As of January 1, 2011, the company operated 3,369 AAP stores, including 3,343 stores located in the northeastern, southeastern, and Midwestern regions of the United States under the Advance Auto Parts and Advance Discount Auto Parts trade names; 26 stores situated in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands under the Advance Auto Parts and Western Auto trade names; and 194 stores under the Autopart International trade name in the United States. It serves do-it-yourself, do-it-for-me, or commercial customers. The company was founded in 1929 and is based in Roanoke, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Thalman]

  Competitor Advanced Auto Parts (NYSE: AAP  ) also announced earnings this morning, which resulted in shares of the company increasing by 12.74% today. Revenue at Advanced rose 6% year over year to hit $1.41 billion, but that was below the $1.43 billion analysts were expecting. Despite that miss, earnings per share came in at $0.94, which was $0.13 higher than Wall Street had predicted. The company maintained a strong gross margin at 49.8%, but that fell from 49.9% during the same quarter last year, which was explained as a side effect from a higher mix of commercial sales, an area that has lower margins. Lastly, management forecasted that 2014 fiscal year earnings per share will fall within a range from $7.20-$7.40, while analysts had that number pinned at just $7.03 per share.�

• [By James E. Brumley]

  O'Reilly Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ:ORLY), AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO), The Pep Boys - Manny, Moe & Jack (NYSE:PBY), and Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE:AAP) may all technically be in the same business, but they're hardly in the same proverbial boat. In fact, their performances - sales and earnings - are oddly disparate. Which among PBY, AZO, ORLY, and AAP are the winners and the losers, and perhaps more important, why? The question can at least partially be answered by a chart, and what the chart can't tell us about each, the narrative can.
  
  O'Reilly Automotive

• [By John Udovich]

  Auto parts retailers like large cap O'Reilly Automotive Inc (NASDAQ: ORLY) and mid cap Advance Auto Parts, Inc (NYSE: AAP)�along with small cap auto parts stock Federal-Mogul Corp (NASDAQ: FDML) have been a bright spot on the economy as consumers try to stretch the lives of their automobiles or vehicles in the bad or uncertain economy. In fact, Investors Business Daily has recently noted that the�average age of cars on the road is about 11.5 years and that�� of course good news for auto parts retailers while�any uptick in sales or production of auto parts in general�will be good for companies like Federal-Mogul Corp. With that in mind, here�is a look at�how these three auto parts retailers or auto parts stocks are taking investors for a ride in a good way: