Bears Keep A Lid On $ES_F For New Weekly Low; Eco Calendar Holds A Few Highlights

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Snippets:  Topping is a process and happens over time … generally a top is not due to an event. A shout-out to another day of lower highs and lower lows. So, is it too early to raise our glasses and toast …. as the previously endless deCantor runneth empty?

The following is with attribution to JPM: The World Bank cuts its 2014 global growth forecasts to 2.8% from 3.2%.  needs to do more to strengthen their economies. The World Bank now expects the US economy to expand just 2.1 per cent this year – down from a January forecast of 2.8 per cent – while the developing world’s growth rate will stagnate at 4.8 per cent, compared to a previous forecast for 5.3 per cent growth this year. They keep their global growth forecast for next year and 2016 unchanged at 3.4 per cent and 3.5 per cent respectively. Cyprus looks set to become the latest peripheral eurozone country to return to global debt markets The FT writes the state has hired five banks to set up meetings with possible investors in a new sovereign bond.

US equity update: Overall there isn’t much to say about stocks. The price action WTD so far is impressive given the recent rally and it still feels like a lot of people are waiting (hoping?) for a better entry point (which probably means one won’t materialize in the near-term). The calendar remains very quiet – increasingly it looks like the catalyst landscape will stay barren possibly until the end of the summer (FOMC meeting June 18, flash PMIs June 23, Abe’s 3rd arrow June 27, Eurozone inflation June 30, and Q2 earnings Jul 8 may change the present narrative but most likely won’t. The Jackson Hole conf. in late Aug, at which the Fed may provide further “exit strategy” details, is likely the next major event).

Pre-market commentary by william_blount:  good morning – today is series s3H and the SPILL IS DOWN. Yesterday’s very slow market provided 2 MIXED clues for going forward:  1) The BEARS failed to take out Friday’s range on the downside leaving a potentially WIZARD HAT down move AKIMBO.   2) The BULLS failed to tag 1951.25, the price needed and given in real time for the BEARS to have dropped the soap.  The combination of these 2 TELLS DAY 1 OF EXPIRY front and center within the context of an S3H day. DAY 1 almost always features a TRENDING MOVEMENT. From the s3H perspective the most important feature will be the price relationship between the a.m. high and the lunch high. IF YOU LOOK AT THE WIZARD HAT chart from Monday and the 5 min SPX chart THEN think about the WEEKLY PIVOT at 1837.4. MUCH OF THIS WEEKS ANALYSIS AND THE ANALYSIS FROM LATE LAST WEEK should readily come into focus.

Today started with 198k ESM traded on Globex, trading range was 1940.00 – 1951.00. Yesterday’s regular trading hours (RTH’s), pit session trading range was 1950.80 – 1943.50 before settling at 1950.50, up .3 handles. Chicagostock ES globex below cash 194175 lows. Cash open below sets up a small island top. Pivots  http://bit.ly/1odXR2u

Today’s RTH’s, pit session, gapped 8 handles lower to 1943.00 – 1942.50 first 15 min ES… 1942.00a – 1944.50b and tops out at 1945.00 retesting / holding the OR but could not extend the early high and faded.Chicagostock (09:17) ES upper vol window coincides with intraday & 3 day pivots. Today is first time in weeks ES opened below its 3 day pivot. Could be another bear trap for fuel into a higher high, for now, keeping a lid. william_blount (09:18) OPENING 1943 = control of clock and price right now – you know like yesterdays 1943.30 and Fridays 1942.20 LOWS.

Although the bears huffed and puffed … After holding 1945 area the index extended the RTH’s lows to 1940.80 – holding the Globex low and retested the OR from underneath this time. Steven (09:43) same pattern as yest, not breaking overnight support. Derrick (09:52) [spx] bears dropping hammers stephen_c hibernating … stockmarketwhisperer (10:01) IF the 8:30 PST & onward change goes to its ‘acceleration’ nature… look out below….The week combo is a flush out culminating to the end of Friday’s full moon. Theme of this retrograde is mysterious/unexpected occurrences’.. Have to say Cantor losing primary would qualify as that! … and still defying gravity … by 11:00 the index was retesting the morning high. From Chicagostockabove … could be another bear trap for fuel into a higher high, for now, keeping a lid. Following the quiet midday sideways to higher price action, the futures held a noon retest of the 1945 area before fading back to the all too familiar OR before fading again.

5 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch Right Now

@FuturesTNT morning update http://bit.ly/1lnFuEN 

@PivotBoss Midday Vid http://youtu.be/7_IRPDh1i30 ADR Targets http://bit.ly/1quOTuT

Well, the giddy-up was missing, but the bears did continue to claw their way lower, printing a new weekly low of 1839.00. The bulls responded by quietly pushing back up to and then through the midday low, but fumbled the opportunity by holding the OR. Going into the ole hour of power … **Derrick please report bear sightings to park ranger … The MiM – MrTopStep Imbalance Meter started out a small sell before flipping to a modest buy $160M while the S&P index was back to retesting the OR at 2:28- then $207M – Derrick (14:30) aggr buyers in [NDX] took the S&P up to … you guessed it – to retest the morning high of day as the MiM faded back to $115M going into the cash close. The futures also faded back to – I think I heard somebody from the back row – that’s right, bounce back up from that familiar OR. The futures traded 1943.00 area on the cash close before settling at 1943.90, down 6.6 handles on volume of 1.3M e-minis, while the [VIX] was up .61 ticks.

Eco calendars: http://www.investing.com/economic-calendar/    http://www.dailyfx.com/calendar

Posted yesterday: Cyrus … In one corner, we have Pitbull’s Thurs/Fri before OpEx week low … and in the opposite corner, Pitbull’s mid-month bulge … wondering what a survey would say …    william_blount… so ya rally 89 fibbo handles with 2 days of divergence hoaxes forming a triangle 6/2-6/3, AND THE BEARS can’t break this 13 or 21 handles – SHEEEESH … you hit the bottom of the fattest FIBBO band since 1884 -1909 and all you get is 11 handles down. TOMORROW IS DAY 1 OF EXPIRY, we have been stuck since the OPENING BAR on 15 min chart since FRIDAY, DAY 1 OF EXPIRY ALMOST ALWAYS FEATURES A TRENDING MOVE. Tomorrow is a CIT day for many TIME players. TIME is a strd dev., vol a clue, PRICE is your ARSE – we rejected the bottom of a long standing projection YESTERDAY, 1954-1968 within MOE (margin of error) at 1955.55. Tomorrow the most important time WITH PRICE FEATURE will be the relationship between the LUNCH HIGH AND THE A.M. HIGH.

stockmarketwhisperer …most bearish action/aspects are later in the week … thurs/friday. U.S. stocks open soft following yet another all-time closing record high yesterday … however, as discussed above – this is not what many traders are hoping for as far as a minor pullback/correction goes. We just want cheaper prices – to suck us in ….

@Chicagostock … SP500 Completes 1955 Objective  http://bit.ly/1n3RcTl

Posted since last Wednesday: E-mini 30 more handles to complete 1956 upside fib extension of 76.4%and 1844-1732 range expansion. No pullback until objective complete, breaks turning into bear traps to fuel squeeze - Chicagostock.  *Take a look below for a possible match – we likey matches!

Posted since a week ago Monday:  Posted by William Blount:  IF WE CONTINUE TO GRIND AROUND 1929-32.86 CASH and 1912.5 SPOO through Wednesday then I will suggest my 4th option trade over the last 6 months – all are / have been straddles. for those who read the pre-market commentary and see the straddle strategy – what 2 prices am I looking at to tag ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER on SPOO FUTURES OR CASH b4 next friday? Carina- WB the time frame on the straddle is this Friday?   NO, NEXT FRIDAY – you have a TWO EVENT CATALYST WINDOW this week.   Answer: 1954 cash or 1887 futures by SC – check out Chicagostock above – Emini 30 handles ….

@Chicagostock Vol windows & Pivots webinar. Sharing the 6 month volatility and pivot levels webinar   http://bit.ly/TB7UAW

The following article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.

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Best Consumer Stocks To Watch Right Now

Glenn Kelman, 42, is CEO of Redfin, a Seattle-based real estate brokerage trying to change how consumers buy and sell houses.

Redfin marries technology ��online listings, mobile applications and easy-to-access market data ��with the human touch of on-the-ground agents. Redfin also cuts commission costs and pays agents with salaries and bonuses tied to customer satisfaction and deal volume.

The company started its service in 2006. Today, it has annual revenue in excess of $50 million and 1,000 employees, operates in 22 major markets nationwide and will turn a profit this year, Kelman says.

CEO CLOSEUP: Sabre's Sam Gilliland personalizes travel

Before Redfin, Kelman co-founded Plumtree Software. When he was 28 years old, he was almost fired from that company. He escaped that fate by doing what he says many people and businesses loathe to do: change.

Top 5 Oil Service Stocks To Watch For 2015: Pinnacle Foods Inc (PF)

Pinnacle Foods Inc., incorporated on July 28, 2003, is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of branded food products in North America. The Company operates in three segments: the Birds Eye Frozen Division, the Duncan Hines Grocery Division and the Specialty Foods Division. The Birds Eye Frozen Division and the Duncan Hines Grocery Division, which collectively represent its North America Retail operations, include the brands. Its brand portfolio enjoys household penetration in the United States, where its products can be found in approximately 85% of U.S. households. Its products are sold through supermarkets, grocery wholesalers and distributors, mass merchandisers, super centers, convenience stores, dollar stores, drug stores and warehouse clubs in the United States and Canada, as well as in military channels and foodservice locations. On June 24, 2011, the Company completed the sale of its Watsonville, California facility which had been recorded as an asset held for sale.

Birds Eye Frozen Division

The Company�� Birds Eye Frozen Division includes its steamed and non-steamed product offerings, with a 27.0% market share, making Birds Eye the recognized frozen vegetables brand in the United States. Birds Eye was the Company to capture a nationwide market share with a product that enables consumers to conveniently steam vegetables in microwaveable packaging.

Duncan Hines Grocery Division

Duncan Hines is the division�� brand and includes cake mixes, ready-to-serve frostings, brownie mixes, muffin mixes, and cookie mixes. During the fiscal year ended September 23, 2012, the Company added two additional items to the line. In February 2012, the Company introduced a line of frosting products, Duncan Hines Frosting Creations, which uses a patent pending frosting system to allow consumers to customize their frosting into one of 12 different flavors. The Company also offers a complete line of shelf-stable pickle products that we market and distribute n! ationally, primarily under the Vlasic brand, and regionally under the Milwaukee�� and Wiejske Wyroby brands. In 2012, the Company introduced Vlasic Farmers Garden, artisan-quality pickle line.

Specialty Foods Division

The Company�� snack products primarily consist of Tim�� Cascade, Snyder of Berlin and Husman��. These direct store delivery brands have local awareness and hold market share positions in their regional markets. The Company also manufactures and distributes certain products, mainly in the frozen breakfast, canned meat, and pie and pastry fruit filling categories, through food service channels. The Company also manufactures and distributes certain private label products in the canned meat, shelf-stable pickles and frozen seafood. As part of its ongoing strategic focus over the last several years, the Company has deemphasized the food service and private label businesses for the benefit of its higher margin branded food products.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Top Headline
  Hillshire Brands Co (NYSE: HSH) announced its plans to buy Pinnacle Foods (NYSE: PF) for around $6.6 billion including debt. Hillshire will offer $18.00 in cash and 0.50 shares of its common stock for each Pinnacle share.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Tyson’s bid came just a couple of days after Hillshire Brands received a bid from Pilgrim’s Pride (PPC), and while it seems like ancient history now, Hillshire made its own bid for Pinnacle Foods (PF) earlier this month. Pilgrim’s Pride dropped 1.1% to $25.09 today, while poor jilted Pinnacle Foods gained 1% to $31.68.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Branded food products distributor Pinnacle Foods (PF) raised its dividend 16.7% to 21 cents per share, payable on Jan. 10 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 2.
  PF Dividend Yield: 2.95%

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Shelf-stable and frozen food purveyor Pinnacle Foods (NYSE: PF  ) is going to initiate a quarterly regular cash dividend, with the initial payment at $0.18 per share.

Best Consumer Stocks To Watch Right Now: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (SSNLF)

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. mainly engaged in the production of consumer electronic products. It operates in two divisions: DMC division, which is divided into consumer electronics (CE) and information technology & mobile communications (IM) businesses, as well as DS division, which is divided into semiconductor and liquid crystal display (LCD) businesses. Its CE business engages in the production of color televisions (CTVs), monitors, air conditioners, refrigerators and others. Its IM business engages in the production of printers, computers, handhold phones (HHPs) such as feature phones, smart phones and others, and network systems, among others. Its semiconductor business engages in the production of semiconductors, such as memories, system large scale integrated circuits (LSIs) and others. Its LCD business engages in the production of thin film transistor (TFT) LCDs and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Getty Images If you've spent any time at all here on DailyFinance, you know that we're actually fans of credit cards -- when they're used correctly. The reasons are legion. Credit cards offer their holders rewards for shopping with them, ranging from airline miles to cash to points redeemable for cash back, account credits, merchandise and gift cards. Credit cards also let you float your debt for as much as a month at a time, before having to pay for your purchases -- rather than having these payments deducted from your account immediately. And as long as that debt is floating, and unpaid, you collect interest on the cash. Just so long as you pay in full every month (and yes, we know that's a big caveat) you get all those benefits at little cost, and build up your credit history and credit score, which can save you an enormous amount of money over a lifetime. But there are other benefits in a credit card that many of us never bother to use -- perhaps because we never know about them. Kiplinger's magazine recently dug up a treasure trove of often-overlooked credit card perks. Here are just three of the biggest: 1. Double the Warranty, Double the Fun When shopping online, it's common to come across products that come with a manufacturer's warranty of 90, 180 or even 365 days. Buy an iPhone 6, for example, and Apple (AAPL) will cover the product for hardware repairs for one full year. Buy a refurbished piece of Apple gear, though, and chances are it'll come with only a 90-day warranty. Meanwhile, an extended-life battery for a competing Samsung (SSNLF) Galaxy SIII can be purchased with 180 days of warranty coverage on Amazon.com (AMZN). But did you know that when paying for these purchases with a credit card, you can often get your warranty period doubled, at no extra charge? As Kiplinger's reveals, all four of the major credit card companies -- Visa (V), MasterCard (MA), American Express (AXP), and even Discover (DFS) -- offer cards that, among their fringe

Best Consumer Stocks To Watch Right Now: Barry Callebaut AG (BARN)

Barry Callebaut AG is a Switzerland-based producer of cocoa, chocolate and confectionery products. The Company�� manufacturing process involves all stages of the cocoa and chocolate value chain from the sourcing of raw materials to the delivery of the finished products. The Company operates three geographical segments, including Europe, Americas and Asia-Pacific, as well as its business segment Global Sourcing & Cocoa. The Global Sourcing & Cocoa business segment is responsible for the procurement of ingredients for chocolate production, including mainly cocoa, as well as sugar, dairy and nuts as common ingredients, as well as the Company's cocoa processing business. The Company serves the food industry, from industrial food manufacturers to professional or artisanal users of chocolate. The Company operates more than 50 chocolate and cocoa factories, and is present in over 30 countries. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Elan Corp. jumped 8.4 percent in Dublin after authorizing the process of its sale. Hochtief AG gained the most in four months after the German builder said it will buy as much as 260 million euros ($346 million) of its own shares. Michelin & Cie, Europe�� largest tiremaker, added 4.7 percent after data on its website showed tire demand surged in Brazil last month. Barry Callebaut AG (BARN) lost 3.4 percent after the maker of bulk chocolate sold about $302 million of new shares.

Best Consumer Stocks To Watch Right Now: Helen of Troy Limited(HELE)

Helen of Troy Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, import, marketing, and distribution of brand-name consumer products primarily in the United States and Canada, as well as in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. It operates in three segments: Personal Care, Housewares, and Healthcare/Home Environment. The Personal Care segment offers hair dryers, straighteners, curling irons, hair setters, shavers, mirrors, hot air brushes, home hair clippers and trimmers, paraffin baths, massage cushions, footbaths, body massagers, brushes, combs, hair accessories, liquid and aerosol hair styling products, men?s fragrances, men?s and women?s antiperspirants and deodorants, liquid and bar soaps, shampoos, conditioners, hair treatments, foot powder, body powder, and skin care products. The Housewares segment provides kitchen tools, cutlery, bar and wine accessories, household cleaning tools, food storage containers, tea kettles, trash cans, storage an d organization products, hand tools, gardening tools, kitchen mitts and trivets, barbeque tools, and rechargeable lighting products, as well as baby and toddler care products, including convertible high chair. The Healthcare/Home Environment segment offers humidifiers, de-humidifiers, vaporizers, thermometers, air purifiers, fans, portable heaters, heating pads, and electronic mosquito traps. The company sells its products primarily through mass merchandisers, drugstore chains, warehouse clubs, home improvement stores, catalogs, grocery stores, specialty stores, beauty supply retailers, e-commerce retailers, wholesalers, and various types of distributors, as well as directly online to end user consumers. Helen of Troy Limited was founded in 1968 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Canadian Value]

  NEW YORK, Feb. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sachem Head Capital Management today sent a letter to the Board of Directors of leading consumer goods company Helen of Troy Limited (HELE). In the letter, Sachem Head outlines its belief that Helen of Troy shares are materially undervalued, highlighting the Board's apparent unwillingness to respond to recent inquiries regarding potential strategic combinations, and recommending actions for the Board of Directors to undertake to maximize value for the shareholders, including a thorough and legitimate review of strategic alternatives.

Best Consumer Stocks To Watch Right Now: Owens-Illinois Inc.(OI)

Owens-Illinois, Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells glass container products primarily in Europe, North America, South America, and the Asia Pacific. The company produces glass containers for beer, ready-to-drink low alcohol refreshers, spirits, wine, food, tea, juice, and pharmaceuticals, as well as for soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages, including returnable/refillable glass containers. It serves brewers, wine vintners, distillers, and food producers. The company sells its products directly to customers under annual or multi-year supply agreements, as well as through distributors. Owens-Illinois, Inc. was founded in 1903 and is headquartered in Perrysburg, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Owens-Illinois Inc. (NYSE: OI) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral by J.P. Morgan, sending shares up almost 4%.

  Also see a guide to oil and stocks based up military action in Syria �prepared by UBS.

Best Consumer Stocks To Watch Right Now: Amira Nature Foods Ltd (ANFI)

Amira Nature Foods Ltd., incorporated on February 20, 2012, is a provider of packaged Indian specialty rice, with sales in over 40 countries. It generates the majority of its revenue through the sale of Basmati rice, a long-grain rice grown only in certain regions of the Indian sub-continent. The Company sells its products, primarily in emerging markets, through a distribution network. It sells its Amira brand in more than 25 countries. The Company sells its Amira branded products to Indian retailers such as Bharti Wal-Mart, Big Bazaar, Metro Cash & Carry, Spar, Spencer's Retail, Star Bazaar (Tesco in India) and Total and retailers, such as Carrefour, Costco, Jetro Restaurant Depot, Lulu's and Smart & Final, and through the foodservice channel. It participates across the entire rice supply chain from the procurement of paddy to its storage, aging, processing into rice, packaging, distribution and marketing. In June 2013, the Company announced that it has launched Amira branded products in the United Kingdom. In January 2014, Amira Nature Foods Ltd acquired Basmati Rice GmbH.

The Company operates an automated and integrated processing and milling facility that is located in the vicinity of the key Basmati rice paddy producing regions of northern India. The facility spans a covered area of 310,221 square feet, with a processing capacity of 24 metric tons of paddy per hour. During the year ended March 31, 2012, 34% of its revenue was derived from sales in India, and 50.3% was derived from sales in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, or EMEA, 14.3% was derived from sales in the Asia Pacific region, and 1.4% was derived from sales in North America.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Bishop]

  Steve Halpern: One of your recent recommendations is a company that, really, was probably unknown to most investors. It's called Amira Nature Foods (ANFI) , which is a maker of premium rice. Can you tell us briefly about that?

5 Best Gas Stocks For 2015

5 Best Gas Stocks For 2015: Statoil ASA (STO)

Statoil ASA (Statoil), incorporated on September 18, 1972, is an integrated energy company primarily engaged in oil and gas exploration and production activities. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had business operations in 41 countries and territories. Effective from January 1, 2011, the Company's segments were Development and Production Norway; Development and Production International; Marketing, Processing and Renewable Energy; Fuel & Retail, Other. As of 31 December 2011, the Company had proved reserves of 2,276 million barrels (mmbbl) and 3,150 billion cubic meters (bcm) (equivalent to 17,681 trillion cubic feet (tcf)) of natural gas, corresponding to aggregate proved reserves of 5,426 mmboe. In December 2011, the Company acquired Brigham Exploration Company. On April 14, 2011, Statoil's formation of a joint venture and sale of 40% of the Peregrino field off the coast of Brazil to the Sinochem Group was closed. With effect from January 2011, Statoil formed a join t venture with PTTEP of Thailand in its oil sands business and, as part of that transaction, sold PTTEP a 40% interest in the leases in Alberta, Canada. Statoil retains 60% ownership and operatorship of the oil sands project. In June 2012, the Company divested its 54% interest in Statoil Fuel & Retail ASA to Alimentation Couche-Tard.

Development and Production Norway

Development and Production Norway (DPN) consists of the Company's field development and operational activities on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). Development and Production Norway is the operator of 44 developed fields on the NCS. Statoil's equity and entitlement production on the NCS was 1.316 mmboe per day in 2011, which was about 71% of Statoil's total production. Acting as operator, DPN is responsible for approximately 72% of all oil and gas production on the NCS. In 2011, its average daily production! of oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) on the NCS was 693 mboe, while its average daily gas production on the NCS was 99.1 mmcm (3.5 b! illion cubic feet (bcf)). The Company has an ownership interests in exploration acreage throughout the licensed parts of the NCS, both within and outside its production areas. It participates in 227 licenses on the NCS and is the operator for 171 of them. As of 31 December 2011, Statoil had a total of 1,369 mmbbl of proved oil reserves and 444 bcm (15.7 tcf) of proved natural gas reserves on the NCS. Total entitlement liquids and gas production in 2011 amounted to 1,316 mmboe per day.

Statoil's NCS portfolio consists of licenses in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea. It has organized its production operations into four business clusters: Operations South, Operations North Sea West, Operations North Sea East and Operations North. The Operations South and Operations North Sea West and East clusters cover its licenses in the North Sea. Operations North covers the Company's licenses in the Norwegian Sea and in the Barents Sea, while partner-opera ted fields cover the entire NCS and are included internally in the Operations South business cluster. During 2011, it two Statoil-operated oil discoveries: the Aldous discovery (PL265) in the North Sea and the Skrugard discovery (PL532) in the Barents Sea. The Aldous Major South discovery in PL265 on the Utsira Height in the Sleipner area is situated 140 kilometers west of Stavanger and 35 kilometers south of the Grane field. The Skrugard discovery is located about 250 kilometers off the coast from the Melkoya LNG plant in Hammerfest.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company's fields under development included the Gudrun, Valemon, Visund South, Hyme, Stjerne, Vigdis North-East, Skuld, Vilje South, Skarv, and Marulk. In 2011, the Company's total entitlement oil and NGL production in Norway was 252 mmbbl, and gas production was 36.2 bcm (1,287 bcf). The main producing fields in the Op! erations ! South area are Statfjord, Snorre, Tordis, Vigdis, Sleipner and partner- operated fields. Operations North Sea East is a gas area tha! t also co! ntains quantities of oil. The area includes the Troll, Fram, Vega, Oseberg and Tune fields. The Company's producing fields in the Operations North area are Asgard, Mikkel, Yttergryta, Heidrun, Kristin, Tyrihans, Norne, Urd, Alve, Njord, Snohvit and Morvin.

Development and Production International

Development and Production International (DPI) is responsible for the development and production of oil and gas outside the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). In 2011, the segment was engaged in production in 12 countries: Canada, the United States, Brazil, Venezuela, Angola, Nigeria, Iran, Algeria, Libya, Azerbaijan, Russia and the United Kingdom. In 2011, DPI produced 28.9% of Statoil's total equity production of oil and gas. Statoil has exploration licenses in North America (Gulf of Mexico, Canada and Alaska), South America and sub-Saharan Africa (Brazil, Cuba, Suriname, Venezuela, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania), Middle East and North Africa (Libya a nd Iran) and Europe and Asia (the Faeroes, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan and Indonesia). The main sanctioned development projects in which DPI is involved are in the United States, Angola and Canada. The Brigham Exploration Company acquisition added production of approximately 21 mboe per day (as of December) to Statoil's production and gave access to 1,500 square kilometers (375,000 acres) in the Bakken and Three Forks formations in the Williston Basin.

The Company has exploration licenses in North America (Gulf of Mexico, Canada and Alaska), South America and sub-Saharan Africa (Brazil, Cuba, Suriname, Venezuela, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania), Middle East and North Africa (Libya and Iran), and Europe and Asia (the Faroes, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan and Indonesia). It completed 16 wells in 2011. Five were announced as discoveries: the Mukuvo ! and Lira ! discoveries in Angola, the Gavea and Peregrino South discovery in Brazil and the Logan discovery in Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Statoil acquired in! terests i! n six new licenses in Indonesia in 2011. Statoil has activities in the United States, with approximately 300 exploration leases in the GoM and 66 in Alaska. It is also an operator and partner in exploration licenses off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada. Statoil is operator and partner in exploration licenses off the coast of Newfoundland (11,138 square kilometers). It has exploration licenses in Brazil, Cuba, Suriname, Venezuela, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania. The Company has licenses in Libya, Iran, Faroes, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan and Indonesia. In 2011, Statoil's petroleum production outside Norway amounted to an average of 334 mboe per day of entitlement production and 534 mboe per day of equity production.

The Company has activities in the United States Gulf of Mexico, the Appalachian region, south-west Texas, the Williston Basin, off the East Coast of Canada and in the oil sands of Alberta, Canada. It also has a representative office in Mexico City. Offshore, the Company has production interests in Hibernia and Terra Nova, and interests in two development projects. Its development and production activities in South America and sub-Saharan Africa comprise the Peregrino operatorship in Brazil, the Petrocedeno project in Venezuela, the Agbami offshore field in Nigeria and four Angolan offshore blocks. Statoil's development and production in the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, primarily encompassed Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Iran and Iraq. The Company's Development and Production in Europe and Asia primarily comprises Azerbaijan, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland.

Marketing, Processing and Renewable Energy

Marketing, Processing and Renewable Energy (MPR) is responsible for the transportation, processing, manufacturing, marketing and trading of crude oil, natural gas, liquids and ! refined p! roducts, and for developing business opportunities in renewables. It runs two refineries, t wo gas processing plants, one methanol plant and three crude! oil term! inals. MPR is also responsible for marketing gas supplies originating from the Norwegian state's direct financial interest (SDFI). In total, it is responsible for marketing approximately 80% of all Norwegian gas exports. In 2011, Statoil sold 36.1 bcm (1.3 tcf) of natural gas from the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) on its own behalf, in addition to approximately 33.5 bcm (1.2 tcf) of NCS gas on behalf of the Norwegian state. Statoil's total European gas sales, including third-party gas, amounted to 79.8 bcm (2.9 tcf) in 2011, of which 39.5 bcm (1.4 tcf) was gas sold on behalf of the Norwegian state. The Natural Gas business cluster is responsible for Statoil's marketing and trading of natural gas worldwide, for power and emissions trading and for overall gas supply planning. In 2011, the Company sold 36.1 bcm (1.3 tcf) of natural gas from the NCS on its own behalf, in addition to approximately 33.5 bcm (1.2 tcf) of NCS gas on behalf of the Norwegian state. Statoil's total European gas sales, including third-party gas, amounted to 79.8 bcm (2.9 tcf) in 2011, of which 39.5 bcm (1.4 tcf) was gas sold on behalf of the Norwegian state. In addition, it sold 5.5 bcm (0.2 tcf) of gas originating from its international positions, mainly in Azerbaijan and the United States, of which 2.7 bcm (0.1 tcf) was entitlement gas. As technical service provider (TSP), Statoil is responsible for the operation, maintenance and further development of the Karsto gas processing plant on behalf of the operator Gassco.

Statoil is the seller of crude oil, operating from sales offices in Stavanger, Oslo, London, Singapore, Stamford and Calgary and selling and trading crude oil, condensate, NGL and refined products. Statoil holds the lease for the South Riding Point crude oil terminal in the Bahamas, which includes, oil storage as well as loading and! unloadin! g facilities. It also operates the Mongstad terminal and has shared ownership with Petoro. The Compan y is a majority owner (79%) and operator of the Mongstad ref! inery in ! Norway, which has a crude oil and condensate distillation capacity of 220,000 barrels per day. It is the sole owner and operator of the Kalundborg refinery in Denmark, which has a crude oil and condensate distillation capacity of 118,000 barrels per day. In addition, it has rights to 10% of production capacity at the Shell-operated refinery in Pernis in the Netherlands, which has a crude oil distillation capacity of 400,000 barrels per day. The Company's methanol operations consist of an 81.7% interest in the gas-based methanol plant at Tjeldbergodden, Norway, which has a design capacity of 0.95 million tons per year. It also operates the Oseberg Transportation System (36.2% interest), including the Sture crude oil terminal.

Technology, Projects and Drilling

Technology, Projects and Drilling (TPD) is responsible, as a global service provider to Statoil, for delivering projects and wells and for providing support through global expertise, standards and procurement. TPD is also responsible developing and implementing new technological solutions. Statoil's research and development portfolio is organized in seven programs covering the upstream building blocks. The research and development organization operates and develops laboratories and test facilities and has an academia program that addresses cooperation with universities and research institutes.

Global Strategy and Business Development

Global Strategy and Business Development (GSB) was established in 2011, with its main office in London. GSB sets the direction for Statoil and identifies, develops and delivers opportunities for global growth.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  BP PLC (BP), Chevron Corp. (CVX) , ExxonMobil Corp. (XOM), Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A), Statoil ASA  (STO) and ! Total S.A! . (TOT). These six companies combined have 46 UDW rigs under contract which is 44.2% of the global market. This means they are the leaders in the movement of demand, and likewise, increasingly authoritative in deciding market day rate…

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Statoil's (NYSE: STO) CEO Helge Lund announced he will leave the company and will assume a high ranking position at BG Group. Shares of Statoil lost 2.42 percent, closing at $23.42.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Rounding out the top five for Bakken oil production is Norway's Statoil (NYSE: STO). Statoil entered the Bakken in 2011 when it acquired Brigham Exploration, a major operator in the Williston Basin. Statoil now holds approximately 330,000 net acres in the Bakken, and in Q2 2014 produced 50,200 boe/d in the Bakken.     

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/5-best-gas-stocks-for-2015-2.html

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: Hang Seng Bank Ltd (0011.HK)

Hang Seng Bank Limited and its subsidiaries and associates are engaged in the provision of banking and related financial services. It operates in five segments. The Hong Kong and other business segment includes: Retail Banking and Wealth Management activities, which offer personal banking, consumer lending and wealth management services to individual customers, including current and savings accounts, mortgages and personal loans and others; Corporate and Commercial Banking activities, which include the provision of financial services, payments and cash management and others to corporate and commercial customers; Treasury activities, which are mainly the provision of treasury services in credit, interest rates, foreign exchanges and others, and Other, which mainly refers to the management of shareholders' funds. The Mainland China business segment comprises the business of Hang Seng Bank (China) Limited and the Company's share of profit from Mainland associates.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steven Russolillo]

  MARKET SNAP: At 6:05 a.m. ET, S&P 500 futures up 0.1%. 10-Year Treasury yield lower at 2.20%. Nymex down 92 cents at $84.82. Gold 0.2% higher at $1233. In Europe, FTSE 100 down 0.5%, DAX down 0.7% and CAC 40 down 0.9%. In Asia, Nikkei 225 down 2.4% and Hang Seng (0011.HK) down 0.4%.

• [By Steven Russolillo]

  MARKET SNAP: At 6:20 a.m. ET, S&P 500 futures up 0.2%. 10-Year Treasury yield flat at 2.46%. Nymex up 6 cents at $102.45. Gold 0.2% higher at $1310.40. In Europe, FTSE 100 up 0.4%, DAX up 0.7% and CAC 40 up 0.6%. In Asia, Nikkei 225 down 0.1% and Hang Seng (0011.HK) up 0.8%.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-financial-companies-to-invest-in-2015.html

Hot Promising Companies To Invest In Right Now

Every month or so, Keith Fitz-Gerald, Shah Gilani or a few of the other editors here at Money Map Press will wonder aloud if the big Wall Street investment banks have secreted a bunch of listening-device "bugs" in our offices or on our phones.

They haven't, of course. And our comments were made in jest - and meant only as a joke.

But the coincidences that prompt these surveillance-by-Big-Brother quips can be quite remarkable.

Let me share a brand-new story that shows you what I mean....

In a prior Private Briefing, we recommended the "Ultimate MacGyver Stock" - a promising "Miracle Materials" profit play called U.S. Silica Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SLCA).

When the stock market opened a few hours later, U.S. Silica shares skyrocketed as much as 4.9% after Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC) analyst Matthew D. Conlan upgraded the stock from "Market Perform" to "Outperform."

I'm sharing this story not to gloat - but to illustrate that the strategies our experts use to identify investments really put you ahead of the big-money players on Wall Street. It also underscores that Private Briefing gives you access to the top recommendations from our band of gurus - the same recommendations they provide in the high-dollar advisory services they run for their exclusive subscribers.

Top Growth Companies To Own For 2015: Oculus Innovative Sciences Inc.(OCLS)

Oculus Innovative Sciences, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets tissue care products that prevent and treat infections in open wounds and skin care, as well as, through a separate mechanism of action, heal wounds while reducing the need for antibiotics. The company, through its platform technology, Microcyn, a solution of electrically charged oxychlorine small molecules treats organisms that cause disease, which include viruses, fungi, spores, and antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in wounds, as well as Clostridium difficile. It sells Microcyn technology-based human wound care products as prescription and over-the-counter products. The company markets its products through sales force and distributors in the United States, Mexico, Europe, and internationally. Oculus Innovative Sciences, Inc. offers its products to pharmacies; care centers; hospitals; nursing homes; urgent c are clinics; home healthcare; physicians; nurses; and other healthcare practitioners who are the primary caregivers to patients being treated for acute or chronic wounds or undergoing surgical procedures, as well as to dermatologists for treatment of various skin afflictions. The company was formerly known as Micromed Laboratories, Inc. and changed its name to Oculus Innovative Sciences, Inc. in August 2001. Oculus Innovative Sciences was incorporated in 1999 and is based in Petaluma, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap stocks Derma Sciences Inc (NASDAQ: DSCI), Oculus Innovative Sciences, Inc (NASDAQ: OCLS)�and Arch Therapeutics Inc (OTCBB: ARTH) specialize or have a focus on wound care���a medical problem that has plagued mankind since the dawn of time. After all and think back to our Civil War when disease along with infections resulting from improper wound care probably killed more soldiers than actual battles. Even today, infection after surgery or after receiving a wound or injury of any kind is still a constant threat. And then there is the scaring that can result from any sort of invasive surgery or injury. With those thoughts in mind, here are three small cap wound care stocks trying address these problems:

Hot Promising Companies To Invest In Right Now: Gildan Activewear Inc.(GIL)

Gildan Activewear Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of apparel products primarily in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It sells T-shirts, fleece, and sport shirts to wholesale distributors under the Gildan brand name. The company also provides its activewear products for work and school uniforms and athletic team wear, and other purposes to convey individual, group, and team identity. In addition, it offers undecorated products to branded apparel companies and retailers; and underwear products. Further, the company markets its sock products under the various brands, including Gold Toe, PowerSox, SilverToe, Auro, All Pro, GT, and the Gildan brand. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Gildan Activewear (NYSE: GIL  ) just bought itself a new wardrobe. The company announced it has acquired "substantially all of the assets" of privately held screen printing and apparel decoration specialist New Buffalo Shirt Factory for around $7 million.

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA) and Allianz SE (ALV) led airlines and insurers lower, retreating at least 1.5 percent. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) slid 1.6 percent. Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) rose after JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its recommendation on the shares. Gildemeister AG (GIL) added 3.4 percent after Deutsche Bank upgraded the maker of cutting tools.

Hot Promising Companies To Invest In Right Now: PureSafe Water Systems Inc (PSWS)

PureSafe Water Systems, Inc., incorporated on March 9, 1987, is engaged in the design and development of its technology to be used in the manufacture and sale of water purification systems both in and outside the United States. The Company�� PureSafe First Response Water System (PureSafe FRWS) is self-contained and purifies most types of contaminated fresh or service water, including seawater that may be found at a first response emergency site. This system is mobile, by helicopter or transported by truck.

The PureSafe FRWS utilizes its technology which consists of water extraction boom that extracts water from the ocean, streams, ponds, pools of floodwater or a failed municipal distribution system. The extracted water is then treated by the application of advanced water treatment technologies which employ multiple stage filtration, multiple stage sanitation (including ozone, chlorine and ultraviolet purification techniques), reverse osmosis membranes, mineralization and final polishing to meet the standard drinking water requirements of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA). Its 2nd prototype (FRWS unit) unit can produce EPA compliant drinking from contaminated fresh or surface water at the rate of 30,000 gallons per day, to provide drinking water to 45,000 people. The unit has a built in generator and water bagging capability at the rate of 30,000 and a half liters bags of water per day

The Company competes with GE, Siemens, Severn Trent, Ecospheres Technology, Lenntech, Testa/Viwa, Lifekeeper, Mobile MaxPure, Bi Pure Water, Rodi, Global Water Group, Nirosoft, LifeStream, and Aquapura Tempest.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap Sodastream International Ltd (NASDAQ: SODA), an Israeli based developer, manufacturer and marketer of�home beverage carbonation systems, has attracted its share of hype over both its products and its stock, but could other small cap water stocks like Primo Water Corporation (NASDAQ: PRMW), Puresafe Water Systems Inc (OTCMKTS: PSWS) and Alkaline Water Company Inc (OTCBB: WTER) attract a similar following? After all, Sodastream International has managed to create a significant amount of buzz from consumers, investors and even short sellers because it�� the�world's largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of home carbonation systems as its�brands are sold in over 60,000 retail stores in 45 countries. Sodastream International is also up 45.7% since the start of the year, up 70.2% over the past year and up 99.3% since November 2010, but shares did spike up to the $75 level in the middle of 2011 and now trade at the $63 level.

Hot Promising Companies To Invest In Right Now: Oshkosh Truck Corporation(OSK)

Oshkosh Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets a range of specialty vehicles, and vehicle bodies worldwide. Its Defense segment manufactures severe-duty, heavy, and medium-payload tactical trucks for the Department of Defense, including hauling tanks, missile systems, ammunition, fuel, and troops and cargo for combat units. The company?s Access Equipment segment offers aerial work platforms and telehandlers used in a range of construction, agricultural, industrial, institutional, and general maintenance applications. This segment also manufactures towing and recovery equipment and related parts; and leases equipments for short-term to rental companies. The company?s Fire and Emergency segment provides custom and commercial fire apparatus, and emergency vehicles, including pumpers, aerial and ladder trucks, tankers, rescue vehicles, wildland rough terrain response vehicles, mobile command and control centers, bomb squad vehicles, hazardous materials control vehicl es, and other emergency response vehicles. This segment also offers snow removal vehicles in airports; custom ambulances for private and public transporters, and fire departments; mobile medical trailers for medical centers and service providers; mobile command and control centers and simulation units; and vehicles for broadcasters, TV stations, broadcast production, and radio stations. Oshkosh Corporation?s Commercial segment manufactures refuse collection vehicles for the waste services industry; front and rear discharge concrete mixers, and portable and stationary concrete batch plants for the concrete ready-mix industry; and field service vehicles and truck-mounted cranes for the construction, equipment dealer, building supply, utility, tire service, and mining industries. The company was formerly known as Oshkosh Truck Corporation and changed its name to Oshkosh Corporation in February 2008. Oshkosh Corporation was founded in 1917 and is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Stocks have battled back to little changed after falling this morning, as stocks like World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Oshkosh (OSK) make big moves.

• [By gurujx]

  Oshkosh Corporation (OSK): Exec. VP and CFO David M. Sagehorn Sold 141,005 Shares

  Exec. VP and CFO David M. Sagehorn sold 141,005 shares of OSK stock on 11/18/2013 at the average price of $50.36. David M. Sagehorn owns at least 69,667 shares after this. The price of the stock has decreased by 6.29% since.

• [By BLOGS.BARRONS.COM]

  You don�� have to be an income investor to like dividend stocks, especially when they’ve been beaten down like Baker Hughes (BHI) and Oshkosh (OSK) have.

• [By Rich Smith]

  The Department of Defense announced 24 new defense contracts Monday, with a combined value of $1.66 billion. One of the larger contracts awarded went to Wisconsin-based Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK  ) .

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2014

One of the most successful money managers is paying investors a 6.6% yield for the privilege of multiplying their money, asserts Igor Greenwald, editor of MLP Profits.

I'm describing, of course, Carl Icahn, who's known for raiding cash-rich and mismanaged companies. His savvy picks are working out great for investors who hold shares of Icahn Enterprises (IEP).

Better still, IEP is a master limited partnership, with all the tax-deferred benefits of a boring pipeline company.

Icahn Enterprises isn't boring. The man can't seem to live without drama, whether it's dressing down Ackman regarding Herbalife (HLF) or trying to take Dell (DELL) away from Michael Dell.

But the truth is, Icahn Enterprises has turned into a cash machine because Icahn bought on the cheap, less famous companies throwing off under-appreciated profits.

He paid $30 a share for refiner and fertilizer maker CVR Energy (CVI) and that stock has appreciated 43% in 18 months, earning Icahn a total return of $2.9 billion through June.

Top 5 Penny Stocks To Buy Right Now: Compass Minerals Intl Inc(CMP)

Compass Minerals International, Inc., through its subsidiaries, produces and markets inorganic mineral products primarily in North America and the United Kingdom. The company operates in two segments, Salt and Specialty Fertilizer. The Salt segment produces salt and magnesium chloride for use in road deicing and dust control, food processing, water softeners, pool salt, and agricultural and industrial applications. This segment also purchases potassium chloride and sells as a finished product. The Specialty Fertilizer segment produces and markets sulphate of potash crop nutrients and industrial grade sulfate of potash for use in the production of specialty fertilizers for vegetables, fruits, potatoes, nuts, tobacco, and turf grass. The company also produces and markets consumer deicing and water conditioning products, ingredients used in consumer and commercial food preparation, and other mineral-based products for consumer, agricultural, and industrial applications. In ad dition, Compass Minerals provides records management services to businesses located in the U.K. The company operates rock salt mines in Goderich, Ontario, Canada; and Winsford, Chesire, the United Kingdom. It primarily serves producers of intermediate chemical products used in the production of vinyls and other chemicals, and pulp and paper, as well as water treatment and other industrial uses. The company markets its products through direct sales personnel, contract personnel, and a network of brokers or manufacturers? representatives. Compass Minerals International, Inc., formerly known as Salt Holdings Corporation, was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By cody56]

  Meridian Growth Fund performance

  Compass Minerals�(CMP) is a leading producer of rock salt and specialty potash fertilizer. Its unique collection of resource assets has helped the company generate historically high returns on capital. We invested in Compass as we believed that earnings were due to turn after four years of weak road salt demand driven by mild Northeast winters and production problems at its potash mines. During 2013 the potash industry was rocked by the potential collapse of a European cartel, which led to falling potash prices. Facing significant uncertainty for the future of the potash market, we sold the stock.

  We continue to remain focused on individual stock selection and portfolio construction that identifies quality companies that we believe are experiencing temporary disruptions to their businesses. These disruptions enable us to buy the businesses at attractive prices and provide the portfolio with what we believe is an attractive risk-reward profile for our shareholders.

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2014: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation(LSCC)

Lattice Semiconductor Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets programmable logic products and related software. The company offers field programmable gate array (FPGA) products, including LatticeECP family for deployment in wireless infrastructure and wireline access equipment, as well as in video and imaging applications; and LatticeXP for the security, surveillance, and display markets. It also provides programmable logic device (PLD) products comprising various versions of ispMACH4000 in-system programmable complex programmable logic device family; MachXO family that is designed for a range of low density applications; platform manager, power manager, and ispClock programmable mixed signal devices; and software development tools and intellectual property cores. The company sells its products directly to end customers through a network of independent manufacturers? representatives and indirectly through a network of independent sell-in and sell-through distributors. It primarily serves original equipment manufacturers in the communications, computing, consumer, industrial, military, automotive, and medical end markets. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: LSCC) is a top chip stock to buy at Jefferies. The company announced last month three new complete reference designs that will make it easier for electronic OEMs to deliver media-rich experiences to their end users by taking advantage of low-cost, industry-standard MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface) camera, application processor and display technologies. The Jefferies price objective for the stock is $6.50, and the consensus is also at $6.50. Lattice closed yesterday at $4.63.

• [By kcpl]

  Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC) is doing well. It has seen improvements in its operations. The company excels in the manufacture of programmable chips which are sold in various segments such as mobile, communications, automotives, industrial etc. The reason for the company�� strong performance has been its key customers such as China Mobile and Cisco. On the back of a strong client base, Lattice has seen a good 40% growth in its stock price. Let us take a look at its business.

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2014: Aegon NV(AEG)

AEGON N.V. provides life insurance, pensions, and asset management products and services worldwide. The company?s life insurance products include traditional, term, universal, whole, and other life insurance products sold as part of defined benefit pension plans, endowment policies, post-retirement annuity products, and group risk products; supplemental health insurance products comprise accidental death, other injury, critical illness, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, and student health; specialty lines consists of travel, membership, and creditor products; and long term care insurance products for policyholders who require care due to a chronic illness or cognitive impairment. It also offers a range of savings and retirement products and services, including mutual funds, and fixed and variable annuities, savings accounts and investment contracts, segregated funds, guaranteed investment accounts, and single premium immediate annuities, as well as investment advice to individuals. In addition, the company offers employer solutions and pensions, such as retirement plans, pension plans, and pension-related products and services; investment products, including onshore and offshore bonds, and trusts; reinsurance products and solutions to life insurance and financial services companies; general insurance products comprising house, car, and fire insurance; and asset management products and services, including general account assets, unit-linked funds, and third party activities. AEGON N.V. markets its products through independent and career agents, financial planners, registered representatives, independent marketing organizations, banks, broker-dealers, benefit consulting firms, wirehouses, affinity groups, institutional partners, independent managing general agencies, and specialized financial advisors, as well as through online, direct, and worksite marketing. The company was founded in 1900 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherl ands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Will Ashworth]

  Assuming it delivers on its outlook for 2014, its current free cash flow yield is a very enticing 20%. This isn�� a growth stock, but its brands still possess hidden value. As cheap stocks go, it�� very attractive.

  Cheap Stocks to Buy: Aegon (AEG)

  It�� not often that you can buy a $19 billion market cap for under 10 bucks. Aegon�� a Dutch insurance company that�� had a rough ride over the past few years, and its stock�� suffered as a result. In the late ’90s AEG stock traded around $60 — it hasn�� been anywhere close since. However, it�� got some good assets that should bear fruit in the years to come. Aegon has 12,000 employees in the Americas doing business primarily under the Transamerica brand, which has been a part of AEG since 1999.

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2014: Sirius XM Radio Inc.(SIRI)

Sirius XM Radio Inc. provides satellite radio services in the United States and Canada. It broadcasts a programming lineup of approximately 135 channels of commercial-free music, sports, news and information, talk and entertainment, traffic, and weather on subscription fee basis through two satellite radio systems in the United States; and holds an interest in the satellite radio services offered in Canada. The company also simulcasts music and selected non-music channels over the Internet; and offers applications to allow consumers to access its Internet services on mobile devices. As of December 31, 2010, it had 20,190,964 subscribers. In addition, the company designs, establishes specifications, sources or specifies parts and components, and manages various aspects of the logistics and production of satellite radios; licenses its technology to various electronics manufacturers to develop, manufacture, and distribute radios under various brands; and imports radios distri buted through its Websites. The company?s satellite radios are primarily distributed through automakers, retailers, and its Websites. Further, it provides music services for commercial establishments; a satellite television service to offer music channels as part of certain programming packages on the DISH Network satellite television service; music and comedy channels to mobile phone users through mobile phone carriers; Backseat TV, a service offering television content designed primarily for children in the backseat of vehicles; Travel Link, a suite of data services that include graphical weather, fuel prices, sports schedules and scores, and movie listings; and real-time traffic and weather services. The company was formerly known as Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and changed its name to Sirius XM Radio Inc. in August 2008. Sirius XM Radio Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Things never get dull for the country's lone satellite-radio provider. Shares of Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI  ) moved higher after three straight weeks of declines -- before giving it all back on Friday to close unchanged at $3.52. The media darling's flat showing was beaten by Nasdaq's 1.3% surge on the week.

• [By Michael Lewis]

  Media holdings company Liberty Media (NASDAQ: LMCA  ) , controlled by deal maker and billionaire John Malone, continues to outperform with a strong roster of assets. The biggest boost to the company's most recent earnings report: perennial Fool favorite Sirius XM (NASDAQ: SIRI  ) . One thing that can concern investors and analysts, though, is the ability for conglomerates to continue delivering value after successful runs. Is Liberty readying for a new acquisition, a new spinoff, or both? Let's take a look at recent earnings for clues about the future of the company.

Hot Low Price Companies For 2014

For nearly two years, investors have had to climb a wall of worry with regards to airline stocks.

Back then, I suggested that my favorite industry operator, Delta Airlines (NYSE: DAL) was poised to double and the subsequent 145% gain has led a group that has fared quite well.

Simply put, investors were ignoring the too-low price-to-earnings ratios, and instead focused on the trauma that airline stocks had induced in the past as they shifted in and out of bankruptcy. These carriers' financial position is so much stronger than in the past that AMR may well be the last industry bankruptcy we see for a very long time.

Just four months ago, I reiterated my ardor for Delta, and the carrier subsequently raised June quarter guidance in mid-June, thanks to falling jet fuel prices. But quite suddenly, Delta and its peers look a lot less enticing. This chart should tell you why.

Top Specialty Retail Companies To Watch For 2015: Rainmaker Entertainment Inc (RNK)

Rainmaker Entertainment Inc. is an animation studio and is a producer of computer generated (CG) animation. Rainmaker provides services producing CG animation of family entertainment over various entertainment media, including television, digital versatile disc (DVD), gaming and theatrical films. As of December 31, 2011, the Company delivered 42 films based on international brands, such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, Spiderman, Casper, Popeye, Tony Hawk, Stuart Little and Inspector Gadget. In 2011 the Company completed Luna, an animated short film. Rainmaker also produces feature length direct to DVD films for many top international brands including Barbie, Max Steele, Tony Hawk, and more for clients such as Mattel, Sony, and Lions Gate. Rainmaker completed the production of Barbie: Princess Charm School and Barbie in A Mermaid Tale 2 for the series starring Barbie. In December 2011, the Company completed the sale of its remaining interest in Base 10 Group Inc. (Base 10). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Rank Group Plc (RNK) fell 2.6 percent to 150 pence, falling for a fifth day. The casino operator said it expects full-year operating profit to be marginally below analysts��projection.

Hot Low Price Companies For 2014: Sirius XM Radio Inc.(SIRI)

Sirius XM Radio Inc. provides satellite radio services in the United States and Canada. It broadcasts a programming lineup of approximately 135 channels of commercial-free music, sports, news and information, talk and entertainment, traffic, and weather on subscription fee basis through two satellite radio systems in the United States; and holds an interest in the satellite radio services offered in Canada. The company also simulcasts music and selected non-music channels over the Internet; and offers applications to allow consumers to access its Internet services on mobile devices. As of December 31, 2010, it had 20,190,964 subscribers. In addition, the company designs, establishes specifications, sources or specifies parts and components, and manages various aspects of the logistics and production of satellite radios; licenses its technology to various electronics manufacturers to develop, manufacture, and distribute radios under various brands; and imports radios distri buted through its Websites. The company?s satellite radios are primarily distributed through automakers, retailers, and its Websites. Further, it provides music services for commercial establishments; a satellite television service to offer music channels as part of certain programming packages on the DISH Network satellite television service; music and comedy channels to mobile phone users through mobile phone carriers; Backseat TV, a service offering television content designed primarily for children in the backseat of vehicles; Travel Link, a suite of data services that include graphical weather, fuel prices, sports schedules and scores, and movie listings; and real-time traffic and weather services. The company was formerly known as Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and changed its name to Sirius XM Radio Inc. in August 2008. Sirius XM Radio Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  Netflix/Kevin E. Bell Kevin Spacey in "House of Cards." Now that Amazon (AMZN) is making its Prime service more expensive, it probably won't be long before Netflix (NFLX) follows. Both Internet darlings announced during their most recent earnings conference calls that they were exploring rate increases to help offset rising expenses. "It's not clear that one price fits all," CEO Reed Hastings said back in January during Netflix's earnings call. "We're trying to figure out some models of good, better, best price tiering that makes sense and provide some flexibility for our customers, at least for our new customers. Our existing customers of course we would grandfather very generously." The comments followed a letter to shareholders that offered similar comments about protecting existing subscribers as it offers what would be pricier options for new members. However, Hastings and CFO David Wells write "we are in no rush to implement such new member plans and are still researching the best way to proceed." That's fair, but now that we've seen Sirius XM Radio (SIRI) introduce its second price hike in three years back in January and Amazon go through with a 25 percent increase to its Amazon Prime loyalty shopping membership plan, waiting may not be in Netflix's best interest. Netflix Will Still Be a Deal The market knows that Netflix is testing new price points, and sometimes it's better just to rip off the Band-Aid in one swift tug. The video buffs who subscribe may not like the move, but shareholders will love it. An increase that protects existing Netflix members should help retain existing users, but it would also encourage studios to offer newer movies and even more original TV shows like the acclaimed "House of Cards" since the smorgasbord would no longer be cheapening their content at $7.99 a month. Amazon, the leading online retailer, also telegraphed an increase during January's earnings call: "With the increased cost of fuel and transportation as wel

Hot Low Price Companies For 2014: Neogenomics Inc (NEO)

NeoGenomics, Inc. (NeoGenomics) operates a network of cancer-focused testing laboratories. The Company offers testing services, including Cytogenetics testing, which is the study of normal and abnormal chromosomes and their relationship to disease; fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) testing, which is a branch of cancer genetics that focuses on detecting and locating the presence or absence of specific deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences and genes on chromosomes; flow cytometry testing, which is a way to measure the characteristics of cell populations; immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing, this is the process of identifying cell proteins in a tissue section utilizing the principle of antibodies binding specifically to antigens, and molecular testing, which is a cancer diagnostic tool focusing on the analysis of DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA), as well as the structure and function of genes at a molecular level.

The cancer testing services, that the Company offers to community-based pathologists are designed to be a natural extension of, and complementary to, the services that they perform within their own practices. In areas where the Company does not provide services to community-based pathology practices, it may directly serve oncology, dermatology, urology and other clinician practices that prefer to have a direct relationship with a laboratory for cancer-related genetic and molecular testing services. NeoGenomics services these types of clients with a global service offering where it performs both the technical and professional components of the tests ordered.

The Company offers tech-only flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry testing services. These types of testing services generally allow the professional interpretation component of a test to be billed separately from the technical component. Its NeoFISH, NeoFLOW and other tech-only service offerings allow properly trained and credentialed community-based pathologists to extend their own practices by performing ! professional interpretations services.

The Company's tech-only services are designed to give pathologists the option to choose, on a case by case basis, whether they want to order just the technical information and images relating to a specific test so they can perform the professional interpretation, or order global services and receive a test report, which includes a NeoGenomics Pathologist�� interpretation of the test results.

The Company also offers a set of global services to meet the needs of those clients who are not credentialed and trained in interpreting genetic tests and who are looking for specialists to interpret the testing results for them. In its global service offerings, its lab performs the technical component of the tests and its doctor of medicine (M.D.s) and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D) s to provide the interpretation services. Its genetic pathology solutions (GPS) report summarizes all relevant case data from its global services on one summary report.

The Company competes with General Electric Healthcare Services and Novartis, A.G.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  One way or the other, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: MACK), Covidien plc (NYSE: COV), NeoGenomics, Inc (NASDAQ: NEO) and�CollabRx Inc (NASDAQ: CLRX) are targeting Barrett's Esophagus�or�esophageal cancer�(the former often leads to the latter) ��a form of cancer that may not be on the top of your list of cancers but is nevertheless on the rise. Approximately 3 million Americans suffer from Barrett's Esophagus, �a condition that�develops as a result of chronic injury from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) where the�normal esophageal lining is replaced with abnormal cells (known as Barrett�� tissue), putting patients at greater risk of developing cancer of the esophagus. And although less than 1% of these patients develop cancer each year, esophageal carcinoma is frequently not detected until later stages, at which point therapy options are limited, extremely invasive, and often ineffective.�This means that�early detection is important�along with�regular surveillance is recommended.�

Hot Low Price Companies For 2014: Gramercy Property Trust Inc (GPT)

Gramercy Property Trust Inc., formerly Gramercy Capital Corp., incorporated on April 1, 2004, is an integrated, self-managed real estate investment and asset management company. The Company�� principal business is to acquire and manage industrial and office properties, net leased to tenants in major markets throughout the United States. The Company owns, directly or in joint venture, a portfolio of 112 buildings totaling approximately 4.2 million square feet of office and 1.5 million square feet of industrial, net leased on a long-term basis to tenants, including Bank of America, Nestle Waters, Philips Electronics and others. In September 2013, it closed on five new acquisitions. In October 2013, it acquired an approximately 220,000 square foot food-grade cold storage and distribution facility located in Yuma, Arizona. In October 2013, the Company acquired approximately 120,350 square foot industrial facility in Austin, Texas. In November 2013, the Company announced the acquisition of six new properties.

In June 2013, the Company announced that it has closed on the acquisition of a build-to-suit of an approximately 120,0000 square foot industrial facility located in Hialeah, Gardens, Florida in the Miami Metropolitan Statistical Area. In July 2013, Gramercy Property Trust Inc closed on four acquisitions; a wholesale automotive auction facility in Dallas, Texas, an industrial cold storage facility in Southern New Jersey and two cross-dock truck terminals located in Houston, Texas and Orlando, Florida.

The Company's property management business, operating under the name Gramercy Asset Management, manages for third-parties commercial properties leased primarily to regulated financial institutions and affiliated users throughout the United States. The Company is actively acquiring industrial and office assets leased to companies in a variety of industries. The Company will primarily acquire long-term leased assets, but will acquire shorter leases with risk adjusted returns.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris DeMuth Jr.]

  This article is intended to update our readers on the progress on Gramercy Property Trust (GPT) through 2Q 2013. For background you may want to go back and read our previous articles. In this particular article, I will focus on 4 particular points:

• [By Jeff Reeves]

  Next Page

  Best Stocks to Buy for Around $5: Gramercy Property Trust (GPT)

  Gramercy Property Trust (GPT) is a real estate investment trust that manages mainly industrial and office properties across the U.S. As of last year, GPT controlled more than 110 buildings with about 4.2 million square feet of office space and 1.5 million square feet of industrial space.

Hot Low Price Companies For 2014: Telecom Italia S.P.A.(TI)

Telecom Italia S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides fixed-line and mobile telecommunications, Internet, and media services. The company also operates in office and system solutions. Its portfolio ranges from consumer-focused convergent communications services to business-oriented advanced ICT solutions. The company?s integrated range of offerings, proprietary platforms, and network architecture leverage the potential of fixed-line and mobile broadband to offer convergent solutions for communication, Web surfing, always-in-touch services, and serve as a gateway to the digital world from the home, the office, and on the move, from fixed-line telephone, cell phone, PC, or TV. Its business portfolio covers various categories of business needs, from freelance professionals to SMEs, corporations, institutions, and public government bodies. The company?s Web offerings combine Italy?s Virgilio portal with Web 2.0 ventures, such as Yalp!, a TV community where users p ublish their own content and create their own TV channels. Its media operations span traditional broadcasting over analogue and digital networks, and mobile broadcasting through TIM/MTV partnership vehicle, MTV Mobile. The company has operations in Italy, Latin America, Germany, Holland, and the Mediterranean basin. As of December 31, 2009, it provided fixed telecommunications services with approximately 16.1 million physical accesses in Italy. The company?s wholesale customer portfolio consisted of approximately 6.2 million accesses for telephone services; and broadband portfolio had approximately 8.7 million accesses in Italy, as well as 30.8 million mobile telephone lines. Telecom Italia was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Milan, Italy.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Don't forget the cash flow
  With austerity measures hitting home in Europe, it's fairly easy to understand why Telecom Italia (NYSE: TI  ) (NYSE: TI-A  ) , Italy's largest telephone service provider, has struggled mightily. Unlike in the U.S., where a landline or cell phone are viewed as practical necessities, consumers in Italy have had no problem giving up their landlines, or businesses postponing their network expansion, until Italy's economy improves. In fact, in Telecom Italia's first-quarter report, we saw EBITDA decline 10%, to $3.5 billion, and overall sales dip 8%.

• [By DAILYFINANCE]

  Steven Senne/AP NEW YORK -- Target (TGT) massive data breach over the holidays helped push its fourth-quarter profit down 46 percent. The discount retailer also said Wednesday that sales fell 5.3 percent as the breach scared off customers. The nation's second-largest discounter also offered a profit outlook below Wall Street expectations as the costs of the breach that affected millions of credit and debit card customers linger. The discounter, based in Minneapolis, said it earned $520 million, or 81 cents a share, for the three months that ended Feb. 1. That compares with a profit of $961 million, or $1.47 a share a year earlier. Revenue fell to $21.5 billion from $22.7 billion. Revenue at stores open at least a year, an important retail measurement, fell 2.5 percent. Analysts had expected a profit of 80 cents on revenue of 21.5 billion, according to FactSet estimates. The breach resulted in $17 million of net expenses in the fourth quarter, Target said, with $61 million of total expenses partially offset by the recognition of a $44 million insurance receivable. Shares of Target rose 99 cents to $57.50 in premarket trading Wednesday as earnings results beat Wall Street estimates by a penny. The stock has fallen about 10 percent since the company disclosed the breach in mid-December. "As we plan for the new fiscal year, we will continue to work tirelessly to win back the confidence of our guests. We are encouraged that sales trends have improved in recent weeks," Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and CEO of Target, said in a statement. The results underscore the big challenges that Steinhafel faces. Even before the breach, Target has struggled with uneven sales since the recession as its middle-income shoppers are still not comfortable in spending. And the company has also grappled with the perception that its prices are too high. Critics also say that the discounter, known for its exclusive limited partnerships with designers, has lost its

Best Cheap Companies For 2014

For retail investors, the exchange traded fund boom has opened up a plethora of opportunities for portfolio construction. From simple indexing approaches to more complex strategies, ETFs are quickly becoming the go-to investment vehicle.�Nowhere is that more prevalent than the world of real estate. Overall, the continued evolution of the ETF industry has allowed investors to gain cheap and easy access to the commercial and residential real estate markets within one single ticker .

What�� the Appeal?For many investors, real estate has become an integral part of a well-diversified portfolio and offers several distinct advantages.

First, real estate can provide stable and high income. Created in the 1960s as a way to allow regular retail investors to participate in the commercial real estate market, real estate investment trusts (REITs) are traded on the major exchanges like stocks and invest in real estate directly ��either through physical properties or through mortgage investment. In exchange for offering investors high-dividend distributions, REITs receive special tax considerations .

Hot Quality Companies To Invest In 2015: USG Corporation(USG)

USG Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and distribution of building materials worldwide. The company offers gypsum and related products, including gypsum wallboard, joint compounds used for finishing wallboard joints, cement boards, glass mat sheathing, gypsum fiber panels, poured gypsum underlayments, ultra light panels, and various construction plaster products. Its gypsum products are used in various building applications to finish the interior walls, ceilings, and floors in residential, commercial, and institutional constructions, and repair and remodel constructions. The company also produces gypsum-based products for agricultural and industrial customers to use in various applications, including soil conditioning, road repair, fireproofing, and ceramics. In addition, it manufactures ceiling grid and acoustical ceiling tile for electrical and mechanical systems, and air distribution and maintenance applications. USG Corporation distribut es its gypsum products through specialty wallboard distributors, building materials dealers, home improvement centers and other retailers, contractors, and a network of distributors. Further, it distributes other manufacturers? gypsum wallboard, joint compound and other gypsum products, as well as drywall metal, insulation, and roofing products and accessories. The company sells its products under SHEETROCK, DUROCK, FIBEROCK, SECUROCK, LEVELROCK, RED TOP, IMPERIAL, DIAMOND, SUPREMO, AURATONE, ACOUSTONE, DONN, DX, FINELINE, CENTRICITEE, CURVATURA, and COMPASSO brands. The company was founded in 1901 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Jarzemsky]

  While economists attributed some of the downtick to cold and snowy weather, some are wondering if the Federal Reserve�� plan to dial back its stimulus program this year could lead to a rise in interest rates, putting the brakes on the housing recovery. The SPDR S&P Homebuilders exchange-traded fund��hich tracks a broad basket of housing-related stocks from builders to Sheetrock maker USG Corp.(USG)��s down about 3.6% year-to-date.

Best Cheap Companies For 2014: S&P Smallcap 600(PH)

Parker Hannifin Corporation manufactures fluid power systems, electromechanical controls, and related components worldwide. Its Industrial segment offers pneumatic and electromechanical components, and systems; filters, systems, and instruments to monitor and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors that control, transmit, and contain fluid; hydraulic components and systems for builders and users of industrial and mobile machinery and equipment; critical flow components for process instrumentation, healthcare, and ultra-high-purity applications; and static and dynamic sealing devices. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their replacement markets in the manufacturing, transportation, and processing industries. The company?s Aerospace segment provides flight control systems and components, including hydraulic, electrohydraulic, electric backup hydraulic, electrohydrostatic, and electro -mechanical components for precise control of aircraft rudders, elevators, ailerons, and other aerodynamic control surfaces. It also provides electronics thermal management heat rejection systems, and single-phase and two-phase heat collection systems for radar, ISAR, and power electronics. This segment markets its products primarily to OEMs in the commercial, military, and general aviation markets, as well as to end users. Its Climate and Industrial Controls segment offers systems and components primarily for use in the mobile and stationary refrigeration, and air conditioning industry; and in fluid control applications in various industries, such as processing, fuel dispensing, beverage dispensing, and mobile emissions. This segment serves OEMs and their replacement markets. Parker-Hannifin Corporation markets its products through direct-sales employees, independent distributors, wholesalers, and sales representatives. The company was founded in 1918 and is headquartered i n Cleveland, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Parker-Hannifin (NYSE: PH) is expected to report its Q1 earnings at $1.48 per share on revenue of $3.26 billion.

  Textron (NYSE: TXT) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $0.47 per share on revenue of $2.97 billion.

• [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 Lauren Pollock]

  Parker Hannifin Corp.'s(PH) fiscal second-quarter earnings rose 40% as the maker of motion and control equipment’s orders continued to grow and gains from a joint-venture agreement with General Electric Co.(GE) (GE) offset a costly write-down. Adjusted earnings were ahead of expectations, yet the company lowered its per-share earnings estimate for the year. Shares dropped 3.8% to $122 premarket.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Motion and control systems manufacturer Parker-Hannifin (PH) raised its quarterly dividend 4.6% to 45 cents per share, payable on Dec. 6 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 8. The increase marks the 57th consecutive annual dividend increase.
  PH Dividend Yield:�1.55%

Best Cheap Companies For 2014: Partner Communications Company Ltd.(PTNR)

Partner Communications Company Ltd. provides various telecommunications services in Israel. It offers cellular telephony services on GSM/GPRS and UMTS/HSDPA networks. The company also provides basic services, including domestic mobile calls, international dialing, roaming, voice mail, short message services, intelligent network services, content based on its cellular portal, data and fax transmission, and other services. In addition, it offers Internet services provider services that provides access to the Internet, as well as home WiFi networks; value added services, such as anti-virus and anti-spam filtering; and transmission services; and Web video on demand services, music tracks, and games. Further, the company provides voice over broadband and primary rate interface fixed-line telephone services; and data capacity services. Additionally, it offers content services comprising voice mail, text, and multimedia messaging, as well as downloadable wireless data application s, including ring tones, music, games, and other informational content; and sells handsets, phones, routers, and related equipment. The company markets its products through its sales centers, business sales representatives, traditional networks of specialized dealers, and non-traditional networks of retail chains and stores under the Orange brand name. Partner Communications Company Ltd. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Rosh Ha-ayin, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 wireless telecom player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Partner Communications (PTNR), a telecommunications company, provides cellular and fixed-line telecommunication services in Israel. This stock is off to a strong start in 2013, with shares up sharply by 29%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Partner Communications, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways for the last month, with shares moving between $7.28 on the downside and $7.96 on the upside. Shares of PTRN are bucking the overall market weakness today as the stock starts to move within range of triggering a breakout trade above the upper-end of its sideways trading chart pattern.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in PTNR if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $7.80 to $7.85 a share and then once it clears its 52-week high at $7.96 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that registers near or above its three-month average volume of 107,303 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then PTNR will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $10 to $12.20 a share.

  Traders can look to buy PTNR off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $7.38 to $7.28, or below its 50-day at $6.97 a share. One can also buy PTNR off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Eddie Staley]

  Telecommunications services shares jumped around 1.19 percent in today’s trading. Top gainers in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), China Unicom (Hong Kong) (NYSE: CHU), and Partner Communications Company (NASDAQ: PTNR).

Best Cheap Companies For 2014: Merck & Company Inc.(MRK)

Merck & Co., Inc. provides various health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products. The company?s Pharmaceutical segment provides human health pharmaceutical products, such as therapeutic and preventive agents for the treatment of human disorders in the areas of bone, respiratory, immunology, dermatology, cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity, infectious diseases, neurosciences and ophthalmology, oncology, vaccines, and women's health and endocrine. This segment also offers human health vaccines, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. Its Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets animal health products. This segment offers antibiotics, anti-inflammatory products, vaccines, products for the treatment of fertility disorders, and parasiticides for cattle, swine, horses, poultry, dogs, cats, salmons, and fish. The Consumer Care segment develops, manufac tures, and markets over-the-counter, foot care, and sun care products. Its over-the-counter product line includes non-drowsy antihistamines; treatment for occasional constipation; decongestant-free cold/flu medicine for people with high blood pressure; nasal decongestant spray; and treatment for frequent heartburn. This segment?s foot care products comprise topical antifungal, and foot and sneaker odor/wetness products; and sun care products include sun care lotions, sprays and dry oils; and sunburn relief products. The company serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies, physicians, physician distributors, veterinarians, animal producers, and managed health care providers, as well as food chain and mass merchandiser outlets in the United States and Canada. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  It was actually a pretty busy day for Forest. Though it restructuring plans attracted the most attention, the company also announced the sale of $1 billion of new debt to help fund $400 million in accelerated stock buybacks as part of a larger $1 billion share repurchase plan and a $250 million deal to acquire exclusive rights to the schizophrenia medication Saphris from Merck & Co. (MRK).

• [By Jonathan Yates]

  Merck (NYSE: MRK) is a blue chip "Big Pharma" stock that is up for the last week, month, quarter, six months and year of market action.

• [By Shauna O'Brien]

  Before Monday’s opening bell, Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) released its third quarter financial results and full year outlook. While EPS beat analysts’ estimates, Q3 revenue fell short of expectations.

  MRK’s Earnings in Brief

  Merck reported third quarter earnings of $895 million, or 31 cents per share, down from $1.1 billion, or 38 cents per share, a year ago. Non-GAAP earnings dropped from 92 cents to 90 cents per share, but beat analysts’ estimate of 88 cents per share. Revenue for the quarter was $10.56 billion, down from $11.03 billion last year. On average, analysts expected to see revenue of $10.67 billion. Looking forward, MRK expects to see FY2014 GAAP earnings between $4.06 and $4.29 per share and non-GAAP earnings between $3.46 and $3.50 per share. Analysts expect to see Fy2014 earnings of �$3.47 per share. The company expects to see FY2014 revenue between $42.4 billion and $42.8 billion. Analysts expect to see $42.55 billion in revenue.

  CEO Commentary

  Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and CEO of Merck, commented: “Last October, we launched a multi-year initiative to transform Merck and build a platform for sustained, future growth. One year later, we delivered solid third-quarter results and are making steady progress in our transformation, including divesting non-core assets, reducing our expense base and investing in our promising new product launches and pipeline.”

  MRK’s Dividend

  Merck paid its last 44 cent dividend on October 7. We expect the company to declare its next dividend in November.

  Stock Performance

  Merck shares were up 39 cents, or 0.68%, during pre-market trading Monday. The stock is up 15.1% YTD.

  MRK Dividend Snapshot

  As of Market Close on October 24, 2014

  Click here to see the complete history of MRK dividends.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Yet when you look at the winners of today's session, you'll notice that they largely represent follow-through gains from the news of previous sessions. Merck (NYSE: MRK  ) is 2.4% higher, touching another multiyear high after gaining almost 4% yesterday on the heels of a positive announcement about its promising early-stage cancer treatment. What investors might be realizing is that yesterday's news on Merck isn't just about a single treatment, but rather an entire new class of treatments that stimulate the PD-1 protein within a patient's body in order to fight cancer. Immunotherapeutic techniques aren't brand new, but as Merck gains expertise in dealing with this particular treatment, it's also building a foundation to expand its overall presence in the immunotherapy niche, and that arguably has greater long-term value than any single treatment.

Best Cheap Companies 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 Ben Eisen]

  Given that outlook, he sees ten stocks in the consumer discretionary sector that qualify as bargains at the moment, including some of the very stocks that are expecting downbeat holiday results. They include: Advance Auto Parts Inc. (AAP) , AutoNation, Inc. (AN) , Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) , Carmax, Inc. (KMX) �, Nordstrom Inc. (JWN) �, PetsMart, Inc. (PETM) �, Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) , Staples, Inc. (SPLS) �, Target Corp. (TGT) �, and Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) .

Best Cheap Companies For 2014: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation(LSCC)

Lattice Semiconductor Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets programmable logic products and related software. The company offers field programmable gate array (FPGA) products, including LatticeECP family for deployment in wireless infrastructure and wireline access equipment, as well as in video and imaging applications; and LatticeXP for the security, surveillance, and display markets. It also provides programmable logic device (PLD) products comprising various versions of ispMACH4000 in-system programmable complex programmable logic device family; MachXO family that is designed for a range of low density applications; platform manager, power manager, and ispClock programmable mixed signal devices; and software development tools and intellectual property cores. The company sells its products directly to end customers through a network of independent manufacturers? representatives and indirectly through a network of independent sell-in and sell-through distributors. It primarily serves original equipment manufacturers in the communications, computing, consumer, industrial, military, automotive, and medical end markets. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By kcpl]

  Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC) is doing well. It has seen improvements in its operations. The company excels in the manufacture of programmable chips which are sold in various segments such as mobile, communications, automotives, industrial etc. The reason for the company�� strong performance has been its key customers such as China Mobile and Cisco. On the back of a strong client base, Lattice has seen a good 40% growth in its stock price. Let us take a look at its business.