Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2014

Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Friday’s session are CarMax Inc.(KMX), Darden Restaurants Inc.(DRI) and Oracle Corp.(ORCL)

CarMax said its fiscal first-quarter profit jumped 16% on an uptick in consumer traffic. Results beat expectations, pushing shares up 14% to $51.71 premarket.

Darden posted another period of declining sales at its Olive Garden and Red Lobster chains, while its quarterly earnings slid 35% thanks to higher costs and expenses. The casual-dining restaurant operator’s profit fell far short of market expectations, pushing shares down 4.1% to $47.47 in premarket trading.

Oracle said sales of new software licenses, a closely watched metric, were flat in its latest quarter, while its profit for the period fell 4.2% on higher expenses. Shares declined 6.4% to $39.78 premarket.

Hot Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2015: Ultra Petroleum Corp.(UPL)

Ultra Petroleum Corp., an independent oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and operation of oil and natural gas properties in the United States. It primarily focuses on developing a tight gas sand trend located in the Green River Basin of southwest Wyoming; and assessing, exploring, and developing its position in the Marcellus Shale and other horizons located in the north-central Pennsylvania area of the Appalachian Basin. As of December 31, 2011, the company owned interests in approximately 53,000 net acres in Wyoming covering approximately 190 square miles; 258,000 net acres in Pennsylvania; and 130,000 net acres in eastern Colorado?s Denver Julesburg Basin. Ultra Petroleum Corp. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  The natural gas glut that took place a few years ago hurt many producers, including Ultra Petroleum (UPL). However, with natural gas prices beginning to rise after a series of extra cold and snowy weather conditions in the Northeast, UPL stock is on the move.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Now, once burned and twice shy of those risks, most energy investors are steering clear of anything related to natural gas. That's why few are seeing the shift within the industry to actually live within cash flow. Take Ultra Petroleum (NYSE: UPL  ) for example, which from 2001 to 2011 grew its production by 1,911% while its reserves grew 1,019%. In the wake of low gas prices the company no longer pursuing growth for the sake of growth, instead, the company is focusing on returns.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  One solution is to pick your best one or two ideas in each industry. As an example, if you think that natural gas is poised to keep rebounding, then low-cost producer Ultra Petroleum (NYSE: UPL  ) is arguably the most likely to produce the greatest profits from the space. Similarly, with gold-mining stocks, Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY  ) emerges with the most attractive combination of low costs, growth potential, and balance-sheet strength.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  Right now, natural gas spot prices are in the $4.00 range. For low-cost natural gas producers like Ultra Petroleum (NYSE: UPL  ) and Exco Resources (NYSE: XCO  ) , a $4 price for gas will be a welcome sight. Exco had written down so many assets because of low gas prices, the company expects profits as long as gas remains above $2.15. Once LNG exports do come on line, an uptick in natural gas prices is expected, but not one that is so severe. More importantly, companies like Ultra and Exco that deal exclusively with natural gas will not have to worry as much about wild price swings.�

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2014: Genel Energy PLC (GEGYF.PK)

Genel Energy plc, formerly Vallares PLC, is an exploration and production company. It is an independent oil producer in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The Group has two reportable business segments, which are its oil and gas exploration and production business in the KRI and its oil and gas exploration business in Africa. The Company had operational bases in Ankara, Turkey; in Taq Taq, Erbil and Suleimaniah in the Kurdistan Region, and in London. The Company�� oil producing fields of Taq Taq (in which it held a 44% interest) and Tawke (25% interest) had estimated gross proven and probable reserves of 1.2 billion barrels of oil and proven, probable and possible reserves of 1.9 billion barrels of oil. The Company�� subsidiaries include: Genel Energy Holding Company Ltd, Genel Energy Somaliland Limited, A&T Petroleum Limited, Genel Energy UK Services Limited, Genel Energy Netherlands Holding 2 B.V. and Genel Energy Somaliland Limited. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Street Smart Investor]

  DNO International is an independent E&P company, geographically focused on the Middle East and North Africa with operations in Yemen, the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Tunisia, Oman, Ras Al Khaimah and Somaliland. The company's asset portfolio currently stands at 20 assets in six countries. For the year ended December 2012, DNO International has proven and probable reserves of 520.3 MMboe with 90% of the reserves in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The company's reserves in Kurdistan come from the Tawke oil block, which is among the largest oil blocks in Kurdistan. DNO International has a 55% stake in the Tawke block with Genel Energy PLC (GEGYF.PK) holding a 25% stake. The remaining 20% stake is held by the Kurdistan Regional Government. For the first half of 2013, DNO International had a production rate of 33,917 boepd, which includes production from Kurdistan, Oman and Yemen.

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2014: Sangamo BioSciences Inc.(SGMO)

Sangamo Biosciences, Inc. engages in the research, development, and commercialization of zinc finger DNA-binding proteins (ZFPs) for gene regulation and gene modification in the United States. Its ZFPs could be engineered to make ZFP transcription factors (ZFP TFs), proteins that could be used to turn genes on or off; and ZFP nucleases (ZFNs), proteins that enable to modify DNA sequences in various ways. The company?s principal ZFP therapeutic include SB-509, a plasmid formulation of a ZFP TF activator of the vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) gene that is in a Phase 2b clinical trial for the treatment of severe diabetic neuropathy; and in a Phase 2 clinical trial in for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as in preclinical animal studies for spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. It is also developing SB-728-T, a ZFN-modified T-cell product, which is in Phase 1/2 clinical trial and two Phase 1 trials for the treatment of HI V/AIDS. In addition, the company develops SB-313xTZ, a ZFN-based therapeutic that is in Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain cancer. Further, it has preclinical development programs of ZFP therapeutics in the areas of Parkinson?s disease, hemophilia B, and neuropathic pain; and neuroregenerative programs in spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. Additionally, the company has research stage programs in the areas of monogenic diseases and genetic conditions that result from a defect in a single gene, including hemophilia and other hemoglobinopathies, and immunodeficiencies. It has collaboration agreements with Sigma-Aldrich Corporation; Dow AgroSciences LLC; Pfizer Inc.; Genentech, Inc.; Open Monoclonal Technology, Inc.; and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Richmond, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Shares of Sangamo Biosciences (NASDAQ: SGMO) got a boost, shooting up 5.85 percent to $11.40 after dropping 5.90% on Monday. Jefferies initiated coverage on Sangamo BioSciences with a Buy rating and a $22.00 price target.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Intercept Pharmaceutical has surged 576% this year after gaining today, besting InterMune’s (ITMN) 119% spike and Sangamo BioSciences’ (SGMO) 63% advance.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading UP
  Sangamo Biosciences (NASDAQ: SGMO) shot up 16.32 percent to $22.81 announced the publication in the NEJM of the first-in-man study of genome editing using its ZFN technology. Shares of Agios Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AGIO) got a boost, shooting up 27.72 percent to $40.41 after the company reported quarterly results. BJ's (NASDAQ: BJRI) was also up, gaining 21.04 percent to $33.48 after the company was upgraded toa Buy rating at Buckingham research.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Sangamo Biosciences (NASDAQ: SGMO  ) , a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing zinc finger DNA-binding proteins, rose as much as 11% after the company reported its first-quarter results.

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2014: Badger Daylighting Ltd (BAD)

Badger Daylighting Ltd. and its subsidiaries (Badger) provide non-destructive excavating services to the utility, transportation, industrial, engineering, construction and petroleum industries in Canada and the United States. Its key technology is the Badger Hydrovac excavator, which is used primarily for digging trenches in congested grounds. The Company�� excavation services include daylighting and potholing, slot trenching, debris removal and cleanups, maintenance and installation service pits, poles and piling holes and trench shoring/shoring. Badger slot trenching provides a non-destructive method of digging trenches for water lines, wiring and pipeline installations or excavations. Its applications include pipeline tie-ins, investigative slot trenching, installation slot trenching, drain tile trenching and line fault repairs. In November 2013, the Company acquired the business and operating assets of Fieldtek Holdings Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Kim Hjelmgaard]

  There have been some good (read: bad) predictions over the years.

  Before the 2013 forum, DealBook's Andrew Ross Sorkin recalled that in 2003 the serial Davos attendee, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, said of Google: "These Google guys (co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin), they want to be billionaires and rock stars and go to conferences and all that. Let us see if they still want to run the business in two to three years."

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2014: Central Garden & Pet Company (CENTA)

Central Garden & Pet Company produces and sells various products for the pet, and lawn and garden supplies markets in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Pet, and Lawn and Garden. The Pet segment supplies products for dogs and cats comprising edible bones, edible and non-edible chews, dog and cat food and treats, toys, pet carriers, grooming supplies, and other accessories; and food, cages and habitats, toys, chews, and related accessories for birds, small animals, and specialty pets. It also offers animal and household health, and insect control products; aquariums, furniture and lighting fixtures, pumps, filters, water conditioners, food and supplements, and information and knowledge resources for fish, reptiles, and other aquarium-based pets; and products for horses and livestock. This segment sells its products to independent pet distributors, retail chains, grocery stores, mass merchants, and bookstores under various brand names, which include Ada ms, Aqueon, Avoderm, BioSpot, Farnam, Four Paws, Kaytee, Nylabone, Pinnacle, TFH, Zilla, Altosid, Comfort Zone, Coralife, Interpet, Kent Marine, Oceanic Systems, Pet Select, Pre-Strike, Super Pet, and Zodiac. The Lawn and Garden segment provides grass seeds; wild bird feed, bird feeders, bird houses, and other birding accessories; weed, grass, ant and other herbicide, insecticide, and pesticide products; and decorative outdoor lifestyle and lighting products, such as comprising potteries, trellises and other wood products, and holiday lighting products. This segment sells its products to retail chains, independent garden distributors, grocery stores, nurseries, and garden supply retailers under the AMDRO, GKI/Bethlehem Lighting, Ironite, Pennington, Sevin, Grant�s, Lilly Miller, Matthews Four Seasons, New England Pottery, Norcal Pottery, Over-N-Out, Smart Seed, and The Rebels brand names. The Company was founded in 1955 and is based in Walnut Creek, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Will Ashworth]

  At the end of the day, Liquidity Services is a business whose need is an ongoing one. With no debt and lots of cash, I like LQDT’s chances.

  Small Caps to Buy #3: Central Garden & Pet (CENTA)

  In addition to its stock dropping 36% in 2013, Central Garden & Pet (CENTA) has underperformed the S&P 500 by almost 18 percentage points during the past five years while everyone and their dog — small caps, large caps, whatever — has seen impressive gains over that same period.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Green paw
  The month of May has been one to forget for shareholders of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ: CENT  ) (NASDAQ: CENTA  ) . The maker of pet products as well as seeds and herbicides for lawn care tumbled after it missed Wall Street's earnings estimates for a second straight quarter. The biggest downside pressure came from its lawn care segment, which saw expenses rise as fertilizer margins fell. However, now could be the time to consider jumping on board this interesting pet/lawn care hybrid company, as it has the potential to unlock shareholder value in a number of ways.