Top Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2014

The just-refreshed Ford Fiesta gained market share in Europe in March. Ford Motor Company photo.

At first glance, March was another rough month for Ford (NYSE: F  ) in Europe.

The Blue Oval's sales in what has traditionally been its second-most-important market were down�16% over the year-ago period. Continued declines in new-car sales in important markets like Germany had industrywide sales levels near 20-year lows for the month.

Ford's sales have been declining faster than the overall market in recent months. That was true again in March, as new-car registrations were down�10.2% in the region.

But to hear Ford executives tell it, not all of the news was bad for Ford.

Some signs that Ford's turnaround plan is taking hold, despite tough conditions
"We are not quite seeing green shoots of an economic recovery yet, but we are seeing some green shoots for Ford in Europe now," Ford Europe chief Stephen Odell said in a statement.

5 Best Media Stocks To Watch Right Now: Northern Financial Corp (NFC)

Northern Financial Corporation (Northern) is engaged in full service investment dealer business, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Northern Securities Inc. (Northern Securities), providing financial advisory services to retail and institutional clients and investment banking services to small capitalization companies. The Company�� business generates revenue from commissions and advisory fees earned on investment banking activities, and commissions from institutional sales and trading and retail investment advisors, and from principal trading. Northern is also engaged in merchant banking business that supplements the investment dealer business. Northern Securities is a member firm of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Canadian Value]

  As the home represents one compelling category for Apple, payments represents another. Apple Pay will launch in October 2014, and while we expect limited financial impact in FY 2015 as retailers upgrade their infrastructure to incorporate the requisite near-field communications technology (NFC), we expect a more meaningful contribution in FY 2016 that accelerates into FY 2017 and the following years. We estimate that, based upon Apple Pay�� rumored fee of 15 bps of all spend on credit and debit cards (U.S. card spend was $4.2 trillion in 2012) and merchant deployment of NFC reaching 80%+ in 2017, Apple in the U.S. could generate revenues (also equivalent to gross margins, as the variable costs are de minimis) of $2.5 billion in FY 2017 if it reaches 30% market share of all spend on U.S. credit and debit cards. The potential in the U.S. and internationally over a longer term is much larger. Apple, dominant in the premium market, has customers who spend more on average than its peers, and it is therefore unusually well positioned to succeed with Apple Pay where others could not.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Several financial institutions and credit card companies along with companies like Google, Inc. (GOOG), Apple, Inc. (AAPL), and Paypal have aspirations to be players in the emerging sector of mobile payments. Mobile payments allow you to pay for goods or service from your phone instead of paying with cash, check, or credit cards. Today, these payment mechanisms are restricted to premium SMS, direct carrier billing, website purchases through a mobile browser, and Near Field Communications (NFC). NFC is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices that allow them to communicate with each other without touching, but by being in close proximity. NFC devices can be used in contactless payment systems, similar to those used in credit cards, to allow mobile payment to replace or supplement existing credit card and debit card type systems. The combined market for all types of mobile payments is expected to reach more than $600 billion globally by 2013. Google, Inc., a Baron investment, is currently the only company that has a large commercial NFC deployment in the market today. As Google pushes further into local advertising and promotions, it plans to utilize Google Wallet to enhance its relationship with consumers and businesses. Google Wallet is a mobile payment system developed by Google that allows smartphone users to store credit cards, loyalty card, and gift cards on their mobile phones, utilizing NFC for the payment of goods and services. Consumers will be able to redeem promotions or loyalty programs through Google Wallet, enabling stores to enhance their relationships with consumers.

Top Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2014: Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd (ENH)

Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. underwrites specialty lines of personal and commercial property and casualty insurance and reinsurance worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment provides agriculture insurance covering traditional multi-peril crop insurance, crop hail, livestock risk protection, and other agriculture risk management products; and professional lines of insurance products, including directors� and officers� liability, errors and omissions, employment practices liability, environmental liability, and pension trust liability insurance. This segment also offers casualty and other specialty insurance products for third party liability; hospital medical professional liability; contract and commercial surety; and workers� compensation, as well as property insurance primarily for earthquake and flood coverage. The Reinsurance segment provides catastrophe reinsurance for catastrophic perils primarily for pro perty and workers� compensation business; property reinsurance for property insurance policies; and casualty reinsurance for third party liability exposures, such as automobile, professional, directors� and officers�, and umbrella liabilities, as well as for workers� compensation. This segment also offers aerospace reinsurance covering hull, aircraft liability, and aircraft products; marine reinsurance of bluewater and brownwater hull, and cargo risks; surety reinsurance for contract and commercial surety, and fidelity insurers; agriculture reinsurance for risks associated with the production of food and fiber; and personal accident and terrorism reinsurance products. The company distributes its products through independent agents, and insurance and reinsurance brokers. Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. was founded in 2001 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading UP
  Aspen Insurance Holdings (NYSE: AHL) shares shot up 11.05 percent to $43.72 after Endurance Specialty Holdings (NYSE: ENH) offered to buy Aspen Insurance for $47.50 per share in a cash and stock deal.

• [By cody56]

  The fund in the third quarter letter discuss its best holdings which included medical device manufacturer Natus Medical Inc. (BABY), rail road service company Trinity Industries Inc. (TRN), resort operator Vail Resorts Ince (MTN), Correction Corp Of America (CXW), and Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. (ENH).

Top Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2014: American Soil Technologies Inc (SOYL)

American Soil Technologies, Inc., incorporated on January 09, 1997, develop, manufacture on an outsourced basis and market advanced products that decrease the need for water and improves the soil in the Green Industry consisting of agriculture, turf and horticulture. The Company manufactures three products: Agriblend, a soil amendment developed for agriculture; Soil Medic, a slow release liquid fertilizer, and NutrimoistL, developed for homes, parks, golf courses and other turf related applications. The Company markets its products primarily in the United States.

The Company owns a wholly owned subsidiary, Smart World Organics, Inc. (Smart World). Smart World provides organic and sustainable fertilizers to commercial and residential customers worldwide. Smart World also provides custom-formulated products built to suit unusual growing conditions and environments. The product line includes homogenized fertilizers, non-toxic insect controls, plant protectants, seed, soil and silage inoculants.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  What�� the Catch With SOHM Inc? According to various disclosures, transactions of $1.5k and $15k have or will occur to mention SOHM Inc in various investment newsletters. Last Thursday, SOHM Inc announced it had launched a unique protein supplement I-Prolec��in India. The press release says this supplement will help people who have protein deficiency as well as athlete and sports persons who have need of extra proteins. Otherwise and back in June, SOHM Inc announced the financial results for the fiscal first quarter where revenue came in at $1,005,410 verses revenue of $375,741 for the same quarter of 2012. Not mentioned in the press release was a net loss of $236k along with net losses of $259k, $213k and $267k for the past four reported quarters. At the end of March, SOHM Inc had $138k in cash to cover $1,697k in current liabilities and $2,956k in long-term debt. Those full financials are not exactly great, but they are also not exactly terrible if the income statement�� top line continues to grow and the company turns a profit.

  American Soil Technologies, Inc. (OTCMKTS: SOYL) Has Been Very Quiet

  Small cap American Soil Technologies engages in developing, marketing and selling polymer and other soil amendments to the agricultural turf and horticulture industries primarily in the United States. The company�� principal products include Agriblend, a soil amendment for agriculture; Soil Medic, a slow release liquid fertilizer for homes, parks, golf courses, and other turf related applications; and The Agro Tower for vertical farming. American Soil Technologies also provides homogenized fertilizers, non-toxic insect controls, plant protectants, seeds and soil and silage inoculants to commercial and residential customers worldwide. On Friday, American Soil Technologies fell 9.52% to $0.0770 for a market cap of $5.24 million plus SOYL is up 1,141.9% over the past year and up 28.3% over the past five years according to Googl

Top Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2014: Tencent Holdings Ltd (TCEHY)

Tencent Holdings Limited is an investment holding company. The Company and its subsidiaries are principally engaged in the provision of Internet value-added services, mobile and telecommunications value-added services and online advertising services to users in the People�� Republic of China. The Company operates in four segments: Internet value-added services, Mobile and telecommunications value-added services, Online advertising, and Others. As of December 31, 2011, its subsidiaries included Tencent Cyber (Tianjin) Company Limited, Tencent Asset Management Limited, Tencent Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Tencent Cyber (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Tencent Technology (Shanghai) Company Limited and others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Damian Illia]

  The company has a current ratio of 11.8% which is higher than the one registered by Facebook (FB), InterXion Holding N.V. (INXN) and AOL Inc. (AOL). But for investors looking for a higher ROE, Tencent Holdings Ltd. (TCEHY) could be the option.