Top 5 Oil Stocks To Own For 2015

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Own For 2015: Baker Hughes Inc (BHI)

Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes) is engaged in the oilfield services industry. Baker Hughes is a supplier of oilfield services, products, technology and systems to the worldwide oil and natural gas industry. It also provides industrial and other products and services to the downstream refining, and the process and pipeline industries. The Company may conduct its operations through subsidiaries, affiliates, ventures and alliances. It operates in more than 80 countries worldwide. The Company operates in five segments. Four of these segments represent its oilfield operations and their geographic organization: North America (U.S. Land, Gulf of Mexico and Canada), Latin America, Europe/Africa/Russia Caspian and Middle East/Asia Pacific. Its Industrial Services and Other segment includes downstream chemicals, process and pipeline services, and the reservoir development services group.

The geographic organization supports its oilfield operations and is respon sible for sales, field operations and well site execution. Western Hemisphere operations consist of four regions - Canada, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, and the United States Land, Gulf of Mexico and Latin America regions. Eastern Hemisphere operations consist of five regions - Europe, England; Africa, France; Russia Caspian, Russia; Middle East, United Arab Emirates, and Asia Pacific, Malaysia.

Oilfield Operations

The Company offers a suite of products and services to its customers worldwide. Its oilfield products and services fall into one of two groups, Drilling and Evaluation or Completion and Production. The Drilling and Evaluation group consists of Drill Bits, Drilling Services, Wireline Services, and Drilling and Completion Fluids. Drill Bits includes Tricone and PDC or diamond drill bits used for performance drilling, hole enlargement and coring. D! rilling Services includes conventional and rotary steerable systems used to drill wells di rectionally and horizontally; measurement-while-drilling and! logging-while-drilling systems used to perform reservoir navigation services; drilling optimization services; tools for coil tubing drilling and wellbore re-entry systems; coring drilling systems, and surface logging.

Wireline Services includes tools for both open hole and cased hole well logging used to gather data to perform petrophysical and geophysical analysis; reservoir evaluation coring; casing perforation; fluid characterization; production logging; well integrity testing; pipe recovery, and seismic and microseismic services. Drilling and Completion Fluids includes emulsion and water-based drilling fluids systems; reservoir drill-in fluids, and fluids environmental services.

The Completion and Production group consists of Completion Systems, Wellbore Intervention, Intelligent Production Systems, Artificial Lift, Tubular Services, Upstream Chemicals and Pressure Pumping. Completion Systems includes products and services used to control the flow of hydrocarbons within a wellbore, including sand control systems; liner hangers; wellbore isolation; expandable tubulars; multilaterals; safety systems; packers and flow control, and tubing conveyed perforating. Wellbore Intervention includes products and services used in existing wellbores to improve their performance, including thru-tubing fishing; thru-tubing inflatables; conventional fishing; casing exit systems; production injection packers; remedial and stimulation tools, and wellbore cleanup.

Intelligent Production Systems includes products and services used to monitor and dynamically control the production from individual wells or fields, including production decisions services; chemical injection services; well monitoring services; intelligent well systems, and artificial lift monitoring. Artificial Lift includes electric submersible pump systems; prog! ressing c! avity pump systems; gas lift systems, and surface horizontal pumping systems used to lif t large volumes of oil and water when a reservoir is no long! er able t! o flow on its own. Tubular Services includes hammer services; tubular running systems, and completion assembly systems. Upstream Chemicals includes chemicals and chemical application systems to provide flow assurance, integrity management and production management for upstream hydrocarbon production. Pressure Pumping includes cementing, stimulation, including hydraulic fracturing, and coil tubing services used in the completion of new oil and natural gas wells and in remedial work on existing wells, both onshore and offshore.

The Company competes with Schlumberger, Halliburton, Weatherford, National Oilwell Varco, Champion Technologies, Ecolab, Newpark Resources, and Frac Tech Services.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Now that Halliburton (HAL) and Baker Hughes (BHI) have agreed to hook up, Morgan Stanley’s Ole Slorer and team think more M&A could be on the way in the industry. They explain why:

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  Investors can get a little trigger happy sometimes, and this has been on full display these past few days as shares of Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE: BHI  )  have soared since the rumor broke that both it and Halliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) announced last week that they were looking at the potential of a merger, only to have the deal completed early this week. Before you decide to jump on this bandwagon, though, there are some things to consider.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-oil-stocks-to-own-for-2015-2.html

5 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch For 2015

5 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch For 2015: Cooper Companies Inc (COO)

The Cooper Companies, Inc., incorporated on March 4, 1980, is a global medical device company. The Company operates through two business units, CooperVision, Inc. and CooperSurgical, Inc. CooperVision is a global manufacturer providing products for contact lens wearers. CooperSurgical focuses on supplying women's health clinicians with products and treatment options to improve the delivery of healthcare to women.

CooperVision develops, manufactures and markets a range of monthly, two-week and single-use contact lenses, featuring advanced materials and optics. CooperVision's products are designed to solve vision challenges such as astigmatism, presbyopia and ocular dryness with a collection of spherical, toric and multifocal contact lenses. CooperVision's products are primarily manufactured at its facilities located in Hampshire, United Kingdom, Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, and Scottsville, New York. CooperVision distributes products from West Henrietta, New York, Fareham, United Kingdom, Liege, Belgium, and various smaller international distribution facilities. Under the Biofinity brand, CooperVision has launched monthly silicone hydrogel spherical, toric and multifocal lens products. CooperVision has also launched two-week silicone hydrogel spherical and toric lens products under its Avaira brand. During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2013 (fiscal 2013), the Company launched MyDay, its single-use spherical silicone hydrogel lens, in Europe. CooperVision's Proclear line of spherical, toric and multifocal lenses are manufactured with omafilcon, a material that incorporates Phosphorylcholine (PC) Technology that helps enhance tissue-device compatibility.

CooperSurgical offers an array of products used in the care and treatment of women's health. The Company participates in the women's healthc! are market through offering quality products, technologies and service to clinicians worldwide. CooperSurgical collaborates with c linicians to identify products and new technologies from dis! posable products to instruments and equipment. The result is a portfolio of products that aid in the delivery of improved clinical outcomes that healthcare professionals use routinely in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide spectrum of women's health issues.

The Company competes with Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., CIBA Vision, Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Endo-Surgery and Ethicon Women's Health and Urology companies, Gyrus ACMI and Covidien

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  The Cooper Companies (NYSE: COO) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $1.90 per share on revenue of $443.65 million.

  Infoblox (NYSE: BLOX) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $60.49 million.

• [By Victor Selva]

  The company has a very attractive current ratio of 33.03% which is higher than its comps: Becton Dickinson & Co (BDX), Cardinal Health Inc (CAH), Cooper Companies (COO) and Luxottica Group S.p.A. (LUX).

• [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  Cooper Cos.(COO) said its revenue jumped more than 6% in its fiscal first quarter, though its profit still fell as result of higher costs and expenses.

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

Housing Starts up 7% for March

Housing starts jumped 7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.036 million for March, according to a Commerce Department report (link opens in PDF) released today.

Market analysts had expected a slight 1.4% month-to-month increase. After a 7.3% dip in January and a 0.8% bump for February, these newest numbers tentatively put housing starts back on an upward trend.

Source: Census.gov. 

On a regional level, the South and Midwest carried the nation's starts, up 10.9% and 9.6%, respectively. Housing starts in the West bumped up 2.7%, while Northeast numbers came in 5.8% below February's.

Best Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015

Housing completions for March hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 800,000, 11% above February's numbers. March building permits fell a seasonally adjusted 3.9% to an annual rate of 902,000 after a 4.6% rise in February. Analysts had expected a rate of 942,000.

link

Is This the Biggest Threat to OPEC?

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, describes itself as "a permanent intergovernmental organization of 12 oil-exporting developing nations that coordinates and unifies the petroleum policies of its Member Countries."

Historically, the organization has exerted considerable influence on the world oil market, with many even characterizing it as a cartel. Over the past three decades or so, it has produced a little less than half of the world's oil, with its Gulf State members still controlling most of the world's crude oil spare capacity. By lowering their collective output, OPEC members can push global oil prices higher, or so the logic goes.

But now, there is convincing evidence that OPEC's sway in the oil market is waning. Let's take a closer look at some of the major recent developments that may be keeping OPEC members up at night.

OPEC's glory days
In previous decades, OPEC's influence on the global oil market was almost undeniable. The surge in oil prices during 1973, for instance, can be attributed largely to OPEC actions, which included a dramatic increase in "posted prices" for their oil, as well as a wave of nationalizations among OPEC member nations and the organization's temporary embargo against the U.S. and others.

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But a lot has changed since those days. Since 2008, non-OPEC oil supplies have increased dramatically, fueled by growing production from U.S. shale, Canada's oil sands, and deepwater discoveries off the coasts of Brazil, Africa and other parts of the globe.

This year, non-OPEC supplies are projected to grow by almost 1 million barrels a day, largely because of advances in drilling technologies that have allowed energy companies to extract massive quantities of oil from leading U.S. shale plays such as North Dakota's Bakken and Texas' Eagle Ford.

In the Bakken, for instance, Kodiak Oil & Gas (NYSE: KOG  ) roughly tripled its average production between 2011 and 2012 and is projecting to double this year's production from last year's levels. And in the Eagle Ford, Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK  ) reported fourth-quarter daily net production of 62,500 barrels per day, representing a whopping 266% year-over-year increase.

Not surprisingly, North Dakota's field production of crude oil has increased more than fivefold over the past five years, going from 45.1 million in 2007 to 242.5 million barrels last year, while Texas' crude oil production has almost doubled over the same period, from 391.1 million barrels to 721.4 million.

OPEC lowers its forecast
Though senior OPEC officials initially downplayed the threat of rising North American oil supplies, it looks as though the organization has now started to seriously consider the shale boom as a major threat.

Last month, it reduced its forecast of demand for its crude oil this year by 100,000 barrels per day to 29.7 million barrels a day, citing growth in U.S. shale production as a major factor underlying the downward revision. If the new forecast turns out to be accurate, demand for OPEC crude would be 350,000 barrels a day below the 30.1 million barrel-a-day level that it was last year.

According to estimates by The Wall Street Journal based on historical data and OPEC's forecasts, the organization would supply 33.1% of expected global oil demand this year, down from 35% last year. That would represent OPEC's lowest share of the global oil market in more than a decade.

Less reliance on OPEC supplies
Already, the shale oil boom has dramatically reduced U.S. oil refiners' demand for OPEC oil, as infrastructure improvements have allowed access to growing quantities of oil produced in major domestic oil plays.

For instance, Nigeria -- OPEC's most important African member -- has seen its exports to the U.S. fall by almost half between 2011 and 2012, as refiners have substituted Nigerian light sweet crude oil with domestic supplies.

Valero (NYSE: VLO  ) recently announced that it replaced all imports of foreign light, sweet crude with domestic crude at its Gulf Coast and Memphis refineries. Similarly, Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX  ) said its refineries expect to process 80% more domestic crude this year than it did last year.

Final thoughts
Though OPEC's influence on the world oil market certainly appears to be diminishing, there are some important caveats to consider.

For instance, though shale wells have produced copious quantities of oil and gas in their first few years, some experts argue that production from these wells will decline much faster than production from conventional wells.

According to a report by J. David Hughes of the Post Carbon Institute, shale oil wells decline so quickly, in fact, that more than 6,000 wells are required to be brought online each year just to maintain a flat level of production.  

Moreover, shale production is plagued by exorbitantly high production costs and requires sustained high oil prices to remain profitable. Hence, a combination of falling global oil demand and sharp decline rates could lead up to a sharp reduction in shale oil drilling, thereby lowering non-OPEC supply growth and allowing OPEC to reaffirm its dominance in the global oil market.

The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for the next year. Find out which stock it is in the brand-new free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.

Top Food Stocks To Buy Right Now

"Recall on aisle 12!" Source: David Shankbone/ Wikimedia Commons.

Peach-mango salsa contains 0% of your recommended daily iron content, but if you purchase it from Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM  ) you'll get a full dose of irony. The fast-growing organic grocery chain -- a champion of the "Right to Know" movement attempting to pressure biotech food ingredients to come with labels -- has found itself in the midst of a massive food recall that has also affected Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT  ) , Wegmans, and Trader Joe's. Wawona Packing Company in California has issued a recall on fruits sold to hundreds of stores nationwide from June 1 to July 21 after the food tested positive for Listeria contamination. If investors aren't aware already, food recalls can have severe detrimental consequences for a company's bottom line.

So where's the irony? All of this could have been avoided with a little help from Sample6, a diagnostics company developing pathogen detection technology powered by synthetic biology. This year the company began selling its first diagnostic, DETECT/L for Listeria contamination, to make the food system safer. The product portfolio at Sample6 could end up saving millions -- or even billions -- of dollars in costs associated with food recalls for food distributors such as Whole Foods Market and Wal-Mart, as well as manufacturers and packagers.

Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc (TPK)

Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc. (Ten Peaks) is a Canada-based company. It operates its business through its subsidiary, Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company Inc. (SWDCC), which is a green coffee decaffeinator located in Burnaby, British Columbia. It also owns and operates Seaforth Supply Chain Solutions Inc. (Seaforth), a green coffee handling and warehousing business located in Metro Vancouver. SWDCC is engaged in the coffee decaffeination business utilizing the branded Swiss Water Process of 100% chemical free green coffee decaffeination. SWDCC has two subsidiaries, which include Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Co. USA, Inc, and Swiss Water Process Marketing Services Inc. On November 18, 2011, a subsidiary of Ten Peaks, Seaforth Supply Chain Solutions Inc., was incorporated. On January 1, 2011, in response to changes to the legislation governing the taxation of income trusts which made the income trust form of structure less advantageous, the Fund converted to a corporation. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Travis Perkins Plc (TPK) lost 1.6 percent to 1,749 pence. The builders��merchant said its consumer division failed to grow on a comparable basis in the third quarter, slipping from an 8.6 percent increase in the two months ended June.

Top Food Stocks To Buy Right Now: Unilever NV (UNA)

Unilever N.V. (NV) is a supplier of fast moving consumer goods. The two parent companies, NV and Unilever PLC (PLC), together with their group companies, operate as the Unilever Group (Unilever). The Company�� four product areas are Personal Care, Foods, Refreshment and Home Care. The Company's personal care, which includes sales of skincare and haircare products, deodorants and oral care products; foods, which includes sales of soups, bouillons, sauces, snacks, mayonnaise, salad dressings, margarines and spreads; refreshment, which includes sales of ice cream, tea-based beverages, weight-management products and nutritionally enhanced staples sold in developing markets and home care, which includes sales of home care products, such as laundry tablets, powders and liquids, soap bars and a range of cleaning products. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Unilever (UNA) slipped 2.8 percent to 27.94 euros after saying sales growth slowed as trading in emerging markets deteriorated at a faster rate. Underlying group sales for the three months will rise 3 percent to 3.5 percent, the maker of Lipton tea and Dove soap said late yesterday in a statement. That compares with 5 percent growth in both the first half and second quarter.

• [By Adi Narayan]

  Unilever (UNA) fell short on its public offer to raise its majority holding in Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUVR) to 75 percent, ending up with about a two-thirds stake after some shareholders of the Mumbai-based company opted not to sell.

Top Food Stocks To Buy Right Now: Woolworths Ltd (WOW)

Woolworths Limited is an Australia-based company. The Company operates in five segments: Australian Food and Liquor, New Zealand Supermarkets, Petrol, BIG W and Hotels. Australian Food and Liquor segment is engaged in the procurement of food and liquor and products for resale to customers in Australia. New Zealand Supermarkets segment is engaged in the procurement of food and liquor and products for resale to customers in New Zealand. Petrol segment is engaged in the procurement of petroleum products for resale to customers in Australia. BIG W segment is engaged procurement of discount general merchandise products for resale to customers in Australia. Hotels segment is engaged in the provision of leisure and hospitality services, including food and alcohol, accommodation, entertainment and gaming. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Burgos]

  Woolworths Ltd. (WOW) dropped 1.6 percent to A$33.22 after Australia�� largest retailer said challenging economic condition were evident in the second quarter.

Top Food Stocks To Buy Right Now: McCormick & Company Inc (MKC)

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (McCormick) manufactures, markets and distributes spices, seasoning mixes, condiments and other flavorful products to the food industry, retail outlets, food manufacturers and foodservice businesses. The Company�� sales, distribution and production facilities are located in North America and Europe. Additional facilities are based in China, Australia, Mexico, India, Singapore, Central America, Thailand and South Africa. The Company operates in two business segments: consumer and industrial. During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2011, the Company�� consumer business contributed 59% of sales and 79% of operating income and the industrial business contributed 41% of sales and 21% of operating income.

McCormick�� products are sold directly to customers and also through brokers, wholesalers, and distributors. In the consumer segment, products are resold to consumers through a range of retail outlets, including grocery, mass merchandise, warehouse clubs, discount, and drug stores under a range of brands. In the industrial segment, products are used by food and beverage manufacturers as ingredients for their finished goods and by food service customers as ingredients for menu items to enhance the flavor of their foods. Customers for the industrial segment include food manufacturers and the foodservice industry supplied both directly and indirectly through distributors.

Consumer Business

The Company�� brands in the Americas include McCormick, Lawry�� and Club House. The Company also markets brands, such as Zatarain��, Thai Kitchen and Simply Asia. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) its brands include the Ducros, Schwartz and Kamis brands of spices, herbs and seasonings and a line of Vahine brand dessert items. In the Asia/Pacific region its primary brand is McCormick, with the exception of India where its joint venture owns and trades under the Kohinoor brand. The Company�� customers span a variety of retail o! utlets that include grocery, mass merchandise, warehouse clubs, discount and drug stores, served directly and indirectly through distributors or wholesalers. In addition to marketing its products to these customers, the Company is also a supplier of private label items, also known as store brands. More than 250 other brands are sold in the United States with additional brands in international markets.

Industrial Business

In its industrial business, the Company provides a range of products to multinational food manufacturers and foodservice customers. The foodservice customers are supplied both directly and indirectly through distributors. Its range of products include seasoning blends, natural spices and herbs, wet flavors, coating systems and compound flavors. In addition to a broad range of flavor solutions, we strive to achieve customer intimacy.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bruce Kennedy]

  (c) 2013 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Investors have always been interested in stocks that pay dividends, but lately, low interest rates on bonds and other fixed-income investments have made solid dividend payers even more valuable. Among the most promising dividend stocks in the market is McCormick (NYSE: MKC  ) , and one big reason is that it is one of the few exclusive companies to make the list of Dividend Aristocrats. In order to become a member of this elite group, a company must have raised its dividend payouts to shareholders every single year for at least a quarter-century. Only a few dozen stocks manage to make the cut, and those that do tend to stay there for a long time.

• [By Reuters]

  Toby Talbot/AP NEW YORK -- A voluntary effort by the world's largest food and beverage companies to remove billions of calories from the products they sell in the United States to help combat the nation's obesity epidemic has far exceeded its five-year goal, according to an independent evaluation released Thursday. In May 2010, 16 of the nation's biggest food and beverage companies, from Coca-Cola (KO) to Kraft Foods Group (KRFT), pledged to remove 1 trillion calories from the U.S. marketplace by 2012 and 1.5 trillion by 2015, compared with a 2007 baseline. In fact, as of 2012 they sold 6.4 trillion fewer calories, found an analysis by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "Reports like this, and the fact that they exceeded their commitment by fourfold, really shows that you can make progress in giving American families more healthy options," said Larry Soler, president of the Partnership for a Healthier America, a non-profit chaired by first lady Michelle Obama. The group was formed in 2010 to work with the private sector on anti-obesity strategies. At the time, critics said the Partnership relied too heavily on the good will of the industry and couldn't replace the role of tighter regulation on how food is manufactured and marketed. Such voluntary efforts by industry "are not a magic bullet," said Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health, a non-profit policy group. "Particularly with kids, there is a role for regulation" in reducing demand for unhealthy, high-calorie fare. It isn't clear yet how the companies accomplished the dramatic calorie reduction, said UNC public health researcher Barry Popkin, who led the analysis funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation's largest public health philanthropy. Some of the decline may have come from the recession, as financially strapped families cut back on junk food. When the pledge was announced, companies said they would substitute lower-calorie pro

Top Food Stocks To Buy Right Now: Chiquita Brands International Inc. (CQB)

Chiquita Brands International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the distribution and marketing of bananas and fresh produce under the Chiquita and other brand names worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Bananas, Salads and Healthy Snacks, and Other Produce. The Banana segment sources, transports, markets, and distributes bananas to retailers and wholesalers, and chain stores. It also engages in the cultivation and production of bananas. The Salads and Healthy Snacks segment offers value-added salads under the Fresh Express and other labels; and fresh vegetable and fruit ingredients used in foodservice, healthy snacks, and processed fruit ingredient products. This segment also provides fresh-cut products, such as lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, and onions to foodservice distributors who resell these products to foodservice operators. It distributes Fresh Express branded products to food retailers, foodservice distributors, and quick-service restaurants; and fresh produce foodservice offerings primarily to third-party distributors for resale principally to quick-service restaurants in the United States. The Other Produce segment engages in sourcing, marketing, and distributing fresh fruits and vegetables other than bananas in Europe and North America. It offers grapes, pineapples, melons, kiwis, tomatoes, and avocados. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Lewis]

  In the ever-difficult, commoditized business of produce, Chiquita Brands International (NYSE: CQB  ) has been a constant player, if troubled in recent years. Margin pressure and a shift in industry trends left the company with weak financials and angry shareholders, but in the past 12 months much of that has turned around. In the midst of a restructuring and armed with a (relatively) new CEO, this company is pushing its 52-week highs but may be headed higher. Does the banana brand belong in your portfolio?

• [By Jack Kramer and Nick Martell]

  3. Chiquita earnings get frozen
  Just in time for our favorite part of the year, smoothie season, your favorite childhood banana distributor,�Chiquita Brands (NYSE: CQB  ) , reported first-quarter earnings on�Friday�that investors (figuratively) threw bananas at. Revenue for the first three months of 2014 fell 2% from the same period the previous year, to $762 million.

• [By Anders Bylund]

  That's why Chiquita Brands International (NYSE: CQB  ) wants to move to Ireland. The fruits and vegetables distributor currently labors under a 41% effective tax rate, so it could use the Emerald Isle's lower base tax.

Top Food Stocks To Buy Right Now: Neutra Corp (NTRR)

Neutra Corp. incorporated on January 11, 2011, is a development-stage company. The Company�� business and registered office is located in Sarasota, Florida. The Company�� intended private label products consists of aging, cognitive support, antioxidants/flavonoids, circulatory support, detoxification support, endocrine support, essential fatty acids, gastrointestinal support, immune support, men�� health, minerals, mood/sleep support, multiples, musculoskeletal support, neurological support, proteins/amino acids, vitamins, women�� health and veterinary products. The Company�� product focuses to research and development in a range of areas, such as weight-loss, detox, men�� health, acid-alkali pH balance, anti-aging, sleep disorders, autism, pain management with the use of medical cannabis products, and air space sanitation derived by nutraceutical technology.

The Company focuses to market and sell nutraceutical supplement products to health practitioners. It focuses direct marketing and sales towards Members of the American Association for Health Freedom (American Association for Health Freedom has merged with Alliance for Natural Health) www.anh-usa.org; American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, www.naturopathic.org; American Association of Oriental Medicine, www.aaom.org, and American College for Advancement in Medicine, www.acamnet.org. It also focuses direct marketing and sales towards American Holistic Medical Association, www.holisticmedicine.org; American Dietetic Association, www.eatright.org, and American Herbalist Guild, www.americanherbalistsguild.com.

The Company competes with Thone Research, The Vitamin Company, Nutraceutical International Corporation, Protocol For Life, Medagenics and Standard Process.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, NTRR has shed (-5.26%) down -0.020 at $.360 with 14,150 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 10:46AM EDT July 3, 2013), but don�� let this get you down.

  Neutra Corp. through a key new partnership with an innovative cannabis delivery systems provider in the medical marijuana industry, is poised to make an impact in the lucrative $52 billion pain management market.

  With partner Field of View Technologies, LLC, exploring new technology in cannabis delivery systems, NTRR is ready to provide much-needed smokeless delivery systems to those most in need: patients forced to live with debilitating pain.

  A recent study by Columbia University found that smoke-free cannabinoid medication was effective in treating pain. Smokeless delivery systems can be administered orally, by injection or topically, giving the patient the choice of treatment method as NTRR and Field of View set the pace in the potentially lucrative pain management market.

• [By CRWE]

  Today, NTRR surged (+19.45%) up +0.068 at $.420 with 22,114 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:17AM EDT July 11, 2013).

  As Neutra Corp. works to deliver new innovations to the U.S. medical marijuana industry, the market for those innovations continues to grow. Last week, lawmakers passed a bill to make New Hampshire the 19th state to approve medical marijuana (MMJ) prescriptions for patients with chronic or terminal illnesses.

  The legislation will make New Hampshire the 19th state to legalize MMJ, in addition to the District of Columbia. Five more states have legislation pending to legalize prescriptions, according to ProCon.org.

Top Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In 2014

I recently read Robert Hagstrom's "Investing: The Last Liberal Art", a tome that has some fascinating insights for any investor.�The book is full of wisdom from Charlie Munger, longtime investing partner and confidant of Warren Buffett. Munger believes great investors are great thinkers, and great thinking involves the ability to recognize and apply metaphors.

For those readers who are not English majors, a metaphor is a linguistic concept used to compare seemingly unrelated objects or concepts. But more important than the definition is the thought process behind metaphors, the ability to make connections in the real world. It might seem strange to think that Shakespeare's "summer's day" has any relation to investment performance, but the rewards of metaphorical thinking become clear in the context of sustainable competitive advantages.

In a metaphorical sense, great businesses build "economic moats" that allow them to ward off competition year after year.�An "economic moat" is a competitive advantage that serves as a protective barrier for a business; a business with a strong "moat" can maintain high profit margins and market share even in the face of competition.�There are many types of competitive advantages and they often differ across sectors, but not all competitive advantages are sustainable.

10 Best Casino Stocks To Buy For 2015: Seaboard Corporation(SEB)

Seaboard Corporation operates as a diversified agribusiness and transportation company worldwide. Its Pork division engages in hog production and pork processing; and the production and sale of fresh and frozen pork products, such as lunchmeat, ham, bacon, sausage, loins, tenderloins, and ribs, as well as further processed pork products, including raw and pre-cooked bacon to further processors, foodservice operators, grocery stores, distributors, and retail outlets under the Prairie Fresh and Daily's brand names. This division also produces and sells biodiesel from pork and other animal fats to third parties. The company?s Commodity Trading and Milling division sources, transports, and markets wheat, corn, soybean meal, rice, and other commodities, as well as operates flour, feed, and maize milling businesses. Its Marine division provides containerized cargo shipping service to 26 countries between the United States, the Caribbean Basin, and central and South America; and operates a terminal at the Port of Miami, an off-dock warehouse for cargo consolidation and temporary storage, and a cargo terminal at the Port of Houston for temporary storage of bagged grains, resins, and other cargo. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 10 owned and approximately 29 chartered vessels; and dry, refrigerated, and specialized containers and other related equipment. The company?s Sugar division produces and refines sugar cane, produces alcohol, and purchases and resells sugar to retailers, soft drink manufacturers, and food manufacturers in Argentina. Its Power division operates as an independent power producer in the Dominican Republic operating 2 floating barges with a system of diesel engines with combined capacity of approximately 112 megawatts of electricity. Seaboard Corporation also purchases and processes jalapeno peppers in the United States. The company was founded in 1928 and is based in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Seaboard Corporation is a subsidiary of Seaboard Flour LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Thanksgiving is around the corner�meaning investors might want to take a closer look at turkey stocks�like Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), Seaboard Corporation (NYSEMKT: SEB) and Industrias Bachoco, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: IBA)���the last major�publicly traded turkey stocks available for investors. Moreover, the Wall Street Journal has pointed out that corn prices are the lowest in more than three years and fewer birds are in production as some producers cut back on their flocks this year due to weaker turkey commodity prices.�Feed prices, which make up about 70% of the cost of a turkey, had soared with the price of corn which hit the $8 a bushel level but a recent�bumper crop has sent corn prices plunging to about the $4 a bushel level.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Meat Products:
  This industry fell 0.85% by 11:00 am ET. Seaboard Corp. (NYSE: SEB) shares dropped 1.5% in today's trading. Seaboard shares have jumped 42.33% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has surged 13.04% in the same period.

Top Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In 2014: Interactive Intelligence Inc.(ININ)

Interactive Intelligence, Inc. provides software application suites for voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) business communications to enterprises in the United States and internationally. The company offers software products and services for contact center, enterprise IP telephony, multichannel contact management, and business process automation. Its solutions include Interactive Intelligence Customer Interaction Center that provides contact centers and enterprises a single platform and a pre-integrated all-in-one application solution for IP telephony, including phone calls, faxes, e-mails, and Web interactions; Interactive Intelligence Customer Interaction Center for the Enterprise, an IP PBX phone and communications system for SIP-supported VoIP for mid-sized and larger enterprises, as well as offers real-time presence management and remote access with unified messaging, IVR and interaction client integrations for Microsoft applications; Interaction Process Automation t hat allows an organization to capture, prioritize, route, escalate, and track each step in a work process; and Interaction Content Management solution. The company also provides professional, managed, education, and support services. Its solutions are used by businesses and organizations that employ remote and mobile workers in teleservices, financial services, insurance, higher education, utilities, healthcare, retail, technology, government, and business services industries. The company distributes its products through partners and direct arrangements with end-user customers. Interactive Intelligence, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Shares of Interactive Intelligence Group (NASDAQ: ININ) were down 15.47 percent to $42.25 as the company warned that Q2 results will be below expectations.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Shares of Interactive Intelligence Group (NASDAQ: ININ) were down 15.29 percent to $42.34 as the company warned that Q2 results will be below expectations.

Top Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In 2014: Integrated Electrical Services Inc.(IESC)

Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. provides electrical infrastructure services in the United States. The company?s Communications segment offers various services, including the design, installation, and maintenance of network infrastructure for the financial, medical, hospitality, government, manufacturing, educational, and information technology industries; design and installation of audio/visual, telephone, fire, wireless, and intrusion alarm systems, as well as design/build, servicing, and maintenance of data network systems. Its Residential segment offers electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes, and CATV cabling installations for residential and commercial applications. This segment also installs residential solar power, smart meters, electric car charging stations, and stand-by generators. The company?s Commercial and Industrial segment provides electrical contracting services, which include the design of ele ctrical systems in a building or complex; procurement and installation of wiring and connection to power sources; end-use equipment and fixtures; and contract maintenance services. It also provides service, maintenance, and renovation and upgrade work services; and services for various projects, including high-rise residential and office buildings, power plants, manufacturing facilities, data centers, chemical plants, refineries, wind farms, solar facilities, municipal infrastructure, and health care facilities, as well as residential developments. In addition, this segment offers utility services consisting of overhead and underground installation and maintenance of electrical and other utilities transmission and distribution networks; installation and splicing of high-voltage transmission and distribution lines; substation construction; and substation and right-of-way maintenance. Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GuruFocus]

  Integrated Electrical Services Inc. (IESC): President and CEO James M. Lindstrom Bought 1,901 Shares
  
  President and CEO of Integrated Electrical Services Inc. (IESC) James M. Lindstrom bought 1,901 shares on 09/25/2013 at an average price of $4.08. Integrated Electrical Services Inc. has a market cap of $73.0559 million; its shares were traded at around $4.08 with and P/S ratio of 0.13.

Top Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In 2014: Federated National Holding Co (FNHC)

Federated National Holding Company (Federated National), formerly 21st Century Holding Company, is an insurance holding company, which through its subsidiaries and its contractual relationships with its independent agents and general agents, controls all aspects of the insurance underwriting, distribution and claims processes. Federated National is authorized to underwrite homeowners��multi-peril (homeowners), personal umbrella, commercial general liability, following form commercial excess liability, personal and commercial automobile, fire, allied lines, workers��compensation, business personal property and commercial inland marine insurance. On January 26, 2011, Federated National merged into the Company�� other wholly owned subsidiary, American Vehicle Insurance Company (American Vehicle), with resulting entity being Federated National.

Federated National markets and distributes its own and third-party insurers��products and its other services through a network of independent agents. The Company also utilize a select number of general agents for the same purpose. During 2010, the Company processed property and liability claims stemming from its homeowners�� commercial general liability and private passenger automobile lines of business. Through contractual relationships with a network of approximately 4,200 independent agents, of which approximately 400 sell and service its products, Federated National is authorized to underwrite homeowners�� fire, allied lines and personal automobile insurance in Florida.

American Vehicle is licensed as an admitted carrier in Florida, and underwrites commercial general liability, and personal and commercial automobile insurance. American Vehicle is also licensed as an admitted carrier in Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Texas, and underwrites commercial general liability insurance in those states. American Vehicle operates as a non-admitted carrier in Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, South ! Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, and can underwrite commercial general liability insurance in all of these states. During 2010, 79.7%, 12.3%, 4.1% and 3.9% of the premiums the Company underwrote were for homeowners�� commercial general liability, federal flood, and personal automobile insurance, respectively. Federated National internally processes claims made by its insured through its wholly owned claims adjusting company, Superior Adjusting, Inc. (Superior). It also offers premium financing to its own and third-party insured through its wholly owned subsidiary, Federated Premium Finance, Inc. (Federated Premium).

Homeowners��Property and Casualty Insurance

Federated National underwrites homeowners��insurance primarily in the South, West and Central Florida regions. Homeowners��insurance protects an owner of real and personal property against covered causes of loss to that property. The Company�� homeowner insurance products provide maximum dwelling coverage in the amount of approximately $0.8 million, with the aggregate maximum policy limit being approximately $1.5 million. Premium rates are regulated and approved by the Florida OIR.

Commercial Residential Property Insurance

The Florida OIR has granted Federated National the authority to write commercial residential property insurance under the fire line of business. This class of business affords property coverage primarily to associations with property commonly owned by the tenants of the association. Aggregate policy limits ranged between $1.0 million and $20 million. Additionally, Federated National has secured automatic facultative reinsurance for insured values up to $10 million with permission to individually submit attractive risks greater than $10 million to its reinsurers for quote and binding authority.

Commercial General Liability and Inland Marine

The Company underwrite commercial general liability insurance for approximately 350 classes of artisan ! (excludin! g home-builders and developers) and mercantile trades (such as owners, landlords and tenants). The limits of liability range from $100,000 per occurrence with a $200,000 policy aggregate to $1 million per occurrence with a $2 million policy aggregate. The Company markets the commercial general liability insurance products through independent agents and a limited number of general agencies unaffiliated with the Company.

Personal Automobile

Personal automobile insurance markets can be divided into two categories: standard automobile and nonstandard automobile. Standard personal automobile insurance is provided to insureds who present an average risk profile in terms of driving record, vehicle type and other factors. Nonstandard personal automobile insurance is provided to insureds that are unable to obtain standard insurance coverage because of their driving record, age, vehicle type or other factors, including market conditions. During 2010, the average annual premium on policies was approximately $1,325, and the nonstandard personal automobile insurance lines represented 100% of its written premiums for personal automobile insurance. Federated National underwrites new and renewal policies for this coverage on primarily an annual basis and to a much lesser extent, on a semi-annual basis. American Vehicle underwrites standard personal automobile insurance policies.

Flood

Federated National writes flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Company writes the policy for the NFIP, which assumes 100% of the flood risk while it retains a commission for its service. The average flood policy premium is approximately $570 with limits up to $250,000.

Assurance MGA

Assurance MGA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Federated National, acts as Federated National�� and American Vehicle�� exclusive managing general agent in the state of Florida and is also licensed as a managing general agent in the states of Al! abama, Ar! kansas, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Assurance MGA has contracted with several unaffiliated insurance companies to sell commercial general liability, workers compensation, personal umbrella and inland marine insurance through Assurance MGA�� existing network of agents. Assurance MGA earns commissions and fees for providing policy administration, marketing, accounting and analytical services, and for participating in the negotiation of reinsurance contracts. The homeowner policy provides Assurance MGA the right to cancel any policy within a period of 90 days from the policy's inception with 25 days��notice, or after 90 days from policy inception with 95 days��notice, even if the risk falls within its underwriting criteria.

Superior

Superior processes claims made by insured from Federated National and American Vehicle. Its agents have no authority to settle claims or otherwise exercise control over the claims process. Federated National also employs an in-house legal department to manage claims-related litigation and to monitor its claims handling practices for compliance.

Federated Premium

Federated Premium provides premium financing to Federated National's, American Vehicle�� and third-party�� insureds. Premium financing has been marketed through the Company�� distribution network of general agents and independent agents. Premiums for property and casualty insurance, in certain circumstances, are payable at the time a policy is placed in- force or renewed. Federated Premium's services allow the insured to pay a portion of the premium when the policy is placed in-force and the balance in monthly installments over a specified term, between six and nine months.

Insure-Link, Inc. (Insure-Link)

Insure-Link serves as an independent insurance agency. The insurance agency markets direct to the public to provide a variety of in! surance p! roducts and services to individual clients, as well as business clients, by offering a line of insurance products, including, but not limited to, homeowners�� personal and commercial automobile, commercial general liability and workers��compensation insurance through their agency appointments with over fifty different carriers. There were no other agency relationships with affiliated captive or franchised agents during 2010.

The Company competes with Castle Key (formerly Allstate Floridian) Indemnity Insurance Company, Fidelity National Insurance Company, Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Royal Palm Insurance Company, St. Johns Insurance Company, Cypress Property and Casualty Insurance Company, American Strategic Insurance Company, Century Surety Insurance Company, Atlantic Casualty Insurance Company, Colony Insurance Company, Burlington/First Financial Insurance Companies, Kingsway Amigo Insurance Company, United Automobile Insurance Company, Direct General Insurance Company, Ocean Harbor Insurance Company, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, and GEICO.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Damian Illia]

  As we can see, the firm ratio is higher than the ones shown by Alleghany, Fidelity, Federated National Holding Co. (FNHC) and Global Indemnity Plc (GBLI).

Top Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In 2014: EV Energy Partners LP (EVEP)

EV Energy Partners, L.P. (the Partnership) is engaged in the acquisition, development and production of oil and natural gas properties. As of December 31, 2011, the Company's properties were located in the Barnett Shale, the Appalachian Basin (which includes the Utica Shale), the Mid Continent areas in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas and Louisiana, the San Juan Basin, the Monroe Field in Northern Louisiana, the Permian Basin, Central and East Texas (which includes the Austin Chalk area), and Michigan. On November 1, 2011, the Company acquired oil and natural gas properties in the Mid Continent area. On December 1, 2011, the Company along with certain institutional partnerships managed by EnerVest, acquired oil and natural gas properties in the Barnett Shale. It acquired a 31.02% proportional interest in these properties. On December 20, 2011, the Company, along with certain institutional partnerships managed by EnerVest, acquired additional oil and natural gas properties in the Barnett Shale. It acquired a 31.63% proportional interest in these properties. On February 7, 2012, the Company along with certain institutional partnerships managed by EnerVest, had a second closing on the oil and natural gas properties, and acquired a 31.63% proportional interest in these properties.

Barnett Shale

The Barnett Shale properties are located in Denton, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties in Northern Texas. Its portion of the estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, was 647.4 one billion cubic feet equivalent (Bcfe), 72% of which is natural gas. During 2011, the Company drilled 35 wells. EnerVest operates wells representing 100% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and the Company owns an average 29% working interest in 976 gross productive wells.

Appalachian Basin

The Company�� activities are concentrated in the Ohio and West Virginia areas of the Appalachian Basin. Its Ohio area properties are producing from the Knox and Clinton f! ormations and other Devonian age sands in 41 counties in Eastern Ohio and 11 counties in Western Pennsylvania. Its West Virginia area properties are producing from the Balltown, Benson and Big Injun formations in 23 counties in North Central West Virginia. Its estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, were 126.4 Bcfe, 76% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it drilled 33 grosswells, 26 of which were completed. EnerVest operates wells representing 92% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 41% working interest in 8,670 gross productive wells.

Mid-Continent Area

The properties are located in 47 counties in Oklahoma, 17 counties in Texas, four parishes in North Louisiana, one county in Kansas and six counties in Arkansas. The Company�� estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, were 81.2 Bcfe, 63% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it drilled 82 wells, all of which were completed. EnerVest operates wells representing 33% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 12% working interest in 1,864 gross productive wells.

San Juan Basin

The properties are located in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico and La Plata County in Colorado. The Company�� estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, 68.6 Bcfe, 59% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it drilled two wells, one of which were completed. EnerVest operates wells representing 94% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 71% working interest in 227 gross productive wells.

Monroe Field

The properties are located in two parishes in Northeast Louisiana. The Company�� estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, were 60.9 Bcfe, 100% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it drilled one well, which was completed. EnerVest operates wells representing 100% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 100% working i! nterest i! n 3,930 gross productive wells.

Permian Basin

The properties are located in the Yates, Seven Rivers, Queen, Morrow, Clear Fork and Wichita Albany formations in four counties in New Mexico and Texas. The Company�� estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, were 54.1Bcfe, 37% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it did not drill any wells. EnerVest operates wells representing 99% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 93% working interest in 160 gross productive wells.

Central and East Texas

The properties produce primarily from the Austin Chalk formation and are located in 30 counties in Central and East Texas. Its portion of the estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011 was 60.9 Bcfe, 46% of which is natural gas. During 2011, the Company drilled 16 gross wells, 15 of which were completed. EnerVest operates wells representing 93% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 12% working interest in 1,829 gross productive wells.

Michigan

The properties are located in the Antrim Shale reservoir in Otsego and Montmorency counties in northern Michigan. The Company�� estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, were 44.9 Bcfe, 100% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it did not drill any wells. EnerVest operates wells representing 99% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it has an average 84% working interest in 370 gross productive wells.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Imperiya]

  Over the past few years, government bonds have produced almost zero income for investors. This has led to many people searching high and low for income opportunities. High-yield bonds (though recently falling out of favor) and dividend factories have benefited greatly from this search. MLPs fall into this category, as distribution yields have grown. One such MLP, EV Energy Partners (EVEP), is currently yielding over 8%, which is why it landed high on the list of stock screens. After careful analysis, it is easy to realize there is more to this company than a great yield can tell us.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  3. EV Energy Partners

  EV Energy Partners (Nasdaq: EVEP) was the worst-performing oil and gas MLP. The partnership was plagued by cash flow problems, and as a result units declined by 40 percent for the year. At the most recent closing price, units yield 9.1 percent, but EVEP will likely need more cash flow in 2014 to support that yield.
  

  4. CVR Partners

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  One area investors really need to drill deeper into is the company's reserve base, which will give you a better idea of how it's producing the income needed to support the large distribution. Today, we're going to drill down into the reserves of EV Energy Partners (NASDAQ: EVEP  ) to get a better idea of what an investor is actually buying when adding units to their portfolio.

Top Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In 2014: Imperial Holdings Inc. (IFT)

Imperial Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty finance company in the United States. The company operates in two business segments: Life Finance and Structured Settlements. The Life Finance segment comprises life settlements and finance loan businesses. The Structured Settlement segment purchases structured settlements at a discounted rate and sells such assets to third parties. This segment primarily markets its products through the Internet and television. Imperial Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is based in Boca Raton, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By DCResearch]

  Imperial Holdings (IFT) fits the bill for all of those traits and investors today can buy Imperial Holdings for less than 0.75x book value. Upside to book value, an obvious valuation factor for most financial companies, would result in a greater than 40% return for a patient investor. I believe that this is far below the fair value for IFT�� book of life settlements, and upside is in excess of $13 per share.

• [By Whopper Investments]

  Note: This is my response to the recent short case on Imperial Finance (IFT). Obviously, all humans are fallible, and I'm sure someone can find just as much to argue with my long case as I found to argue with his short case. Please read for yourself, do your own research, and make your own decision. I am long IFT and plan on fully participating in the rights offering.

Top Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In 2014: DRDGOLD Ltd (DRD)

DRDGOLD Limited (DRDGOLD), incorporated on February 16, 1895, is a South Africa-based surface gold retreatment company. DRDGOLD operates in a single segment, Ergo. Ergo is a surface retreatment operation and treats old slime and sand dumps to the south of Johannesburg�� central business district, as well as the east and central Rand goldfields. The operation consists of four plants: Brakpan, Crown, City and Knights. Included in the Ergo segment is the East Rand Proprietary Mines Limited (ERPM) surface operation comprise the Cason retreatment operation. Ergo is evaluating the viability of processing surface uranium- and sulphur-bearing tailings on the east and central Rand goldfields of South Africa. The Company�� business includes Crown Gold Recoveries (Pty) Limited (Crown), Ergo Mining (Pty) Limited (Ergo JV) and ErgoGold are jointly referred to as ERGO and ERPM. On June 1, 2012, the Company disposed of its 74% interest in and loan claims against Blyvoor.

The Company�� focus is on the recovery of lower-risk, lower-cost, higher-margin ounces. As of October 9, 2012, 68% of production comes from surface retreatment operation. The company holds a 74%-interest in operating subsidiary Ergo Mining Operations (Proprietary) Limited. Crown is the gold surface tailings retreatment facility, reprocessing the large and numerous sand and slimes dumps along the reefs that stretch from east to west just to the south of Johannesburg�� central business district (CBD). Crown�� major project is Top Star, a tailings dam to the south of Johannesburg�� CBD. ERPM is situated on the Witwatersrand Basin near the town of Boksburg, 25 kilometers to the east of Johannesburg. The Ergo as a joint venture between DRDGOLD and Mintails Limited. Wholly owned by the DRDGOLD group, Ergo has a network of surface rights that provide access to a further 600 million tons of surface tailings deposited across the western, central and eastern Witwatesrand. Ergo has three tailings deposition facilities. ERPM continues ! as a surface retreatment operation. It holds 65% of ErgoGold through the contribution of its Elsburg Tailings Complex.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  DRDGOLD (NYSE: DRD) shares fell 4.09% to reach a new 52-week low of $4.66. DRDGOLD's trailing-twelve-month profit margin is -1.61%.

  InnerWorkings (NASDAQ: INWK) shares dipped 34.83% to touch a new 52-week low of $6.19 after the company reported downbeat Q3 results and issued a weak FY13 outlook.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Basic materials shares gained 0.10 percent in trading on Friday. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included DRDGOLD (NYSE: DRD), up 8.2 percent, and LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE: LYB), up 4.79 percent.

Hot Safest Companies To Invest In 2014

As Jeff Clark expected would happen in late June, gold stocks have put in a bottom... and staged a huge rally.   The benchmark gold index is up 36% off its lows.   Like Jeff, I expect gold stocks will work higher over the longer-term. Of course, there will be corrections along the way, which is why you should stick to some of the world's safest gold stocks.   The key to safety is to focus on "all-in" costs. This is the total cost of an ounce of gold production. It includes the cost of mining at each mine the company owns, plus the costs of running the company.   It is a way to look at gold-mining companies as businesses, instead of simply a way to play rising gold prices. It's a critical idea for making money in the gold-stock sector...   In my most recent issue of the S&A Resource Report, I presented a proprietary, in-depth analysis of the gold sector. I showed readers a selection of the best companies from the gold sector with our estimated "all-in" costs.

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks To Buy For 2015: Evercore Partners Inc(EVR)

Evercore Partners Inc. operates as an independent investment banking advisory firm. The company operates through two segments, Investment Banking and Investment Management. The Investment Banking segment offers advisory services on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other strategic corporate transactions primarily for multinational corporations and private equity firms; and restructuring advice to companies in financial transition, as well as to creditors, shareholders, and potential acquirers. This segment also provides capital markets advice; underwrites securities offerings; raises funds for financial sponsors; and offers equity research and agency-only equity securities trading for institutional investors. The Investment Management segment manages financial assets for institutional investors; provides independent fiduciary services to corporate employee benefit plans; provides wealth management services for high net-worth individuals; manages private equity funds ; and offers specialized investment management and trustee services. The company operates primarily in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Evercore Partners Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer]

  In this segment from Thursday's episode of The Motley Fool's everything-financials show,�Where the Money Is, banking analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson go through a rapid-fire round of three top headlines. The newsmakers included�KKR (NYSE: KKR  ) ,�Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) ,�Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS  ) ,�Lazard (NYSE: LAZ  ) , and�Evercore (NYSE: EVR  ) .

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Independent investment advisory firm Evercore Partners (EVR) raised its quarterly dividend 13.6% to 25 cents per share, payable on Dec. 13 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 29.
  EVR Dividend Yield:�1.9%

• [By David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer]

  In this special "Best and Worst 2013" edition of The Motley Fool's everything-financials show, Where the Money Is, banking analysts David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer tell viewers why Evercore Partners (NYSE: EVR  ) crushed the market in 2013. Despite the increase in its valuation multiple, David thinks the small investment bank could be poised to continue producing strong returns.

Hot Safest Companies To Invest In 2014: Sovran Self Storage Inc.(SSS)

Sovran Self Storage, Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). It engages in the acquisition, ownership, and management of self-storage properties in the United States. The company?s self-storage properties offer storage space to residential and commercial users, as well as offer outside storage for automobiles, recreational vehicles, and boats. As of February 15, 2007, it owned and managed 328 properties, consisting of approximately 20.3 million net rentable square feet in 22 states. Sovran Self Storage has elected to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and would not be subject to income tax to the extent it distributes at least 90% of taxable income to its stockholders. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Williamsville, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Self-storage REIT�Sovran Self Storage (NYSE: SSS  ) announced today its second-quarter dividend of $0.53 per share, a 10% increase from the payout it made to investors last quarter of $0.48 per share.

Hot Safest Companies To Invest In 2014: NN Inc.(NNBR)

NN, Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of metal bearing, plastic and rubber, and precision metal components for bearing manufacturers worldwide. It operates in three segments: Metal Bearing Components, Plastic and Rubber Components, and Precision Metal Components. The Metal Bearing Components segment manufactures precision steel balls that are used primarily by manufacturers of anti-friction bearings; steel rollers comprising tapered rollers used in automotive gearbox applications, automotive wheel bearings, and various industrial applications; cylindrical rollers; and precision metal retainers for roller bearings. The Plastic and Rubber Components segment offers precision bearing seals for use in the automotive, industrial, agricultural, and mining markets; precision plastic retainers for ball and roller bearings used in various industrial applications; and precision plastic components, including automotive under-the-hood components, electronic instrument cases, pre cision electronic connectors and lenses, and various specialized industrial and consumer parts. The Precision Metal Components segment provides engineered shafts, fluid power assemblies, and complex precision assembled and tested parts used in the automotive, HVAC, fluid power, and diesel engine markets. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Precision ball-bearings and tapered rollings manufacturer NN, Inc. (NNBR) raised its quarterly dividend 16.6% to 7 cents per share, payable March 14 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 28.
  NNBR Dividend Yield: 1.47%

• [By Eric Volkman]

  NN (NASDAQ: NNBR  ) has a new man in the CEO chair. Richard Holder has been tapped to be the firm's CEO, effective June 3. He replaces the retiring Roderick Baty. Holder will also assume Baty's board seat, the term for which runs through NN's annual meeting in 2015.

Hot Safest Companies To Invest In 2014: Ishares Ftse Kld 400 Social Index Fund (DSI)

iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social Index Fund (the Fund), formerly iShares FTSE KLD 400 Social Index Fund, seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the MSCI KLD 400 Social Index (the Index). The Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index designed to measure the equity performance of the United States companies. The Index consists of approximately 400 companies identified by MSCI from the universe of companies included in the MSCI USA IMI Index, which consists of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ Stock Market LLC listed United States equities. The Fund�� investment advisor is BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Editor , ETFChannel.com]

  According to the ETF Finder at ETF Channel, Weyerhaeuser Co. is a member of the iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social Index Fund ETF (DSI), making up 0.25% of the underlying holdings of the fund, which owns $861,262 worth of WY shares.

Hot Safest Companies To Invest In 2014: Texas Capital Bancshares Inc.(TCBI)

Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. operates as the holding company for Texas Capital Bank, National Association that provides various banking products and services for commercial and high net worth customers in Texas. It primarily engages in generating deposits and originating loans. The company?s deposit products include consumer checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit, as well as commercial checking accounts, lockbox accounts, cash concentration accounts, and other treasury management products. Its lending products portfolio comprises commercial loans and leases; real estate loans, including loans secured by properties, and temporary financing for commercial and residential property; construction loans consisting of single-family residential properties and commercial projects; loans held for sale; and letters of credit. The company also provides trust and wealth management services, including investment management, personal tr ust and estate services, custodial services, retirement accounts, and related services, as well as offers retirement products, including individual retirement accounts and administrative services for retirement vehicles, such as pension and profit sharing plans. Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. has banking offices in Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and the Cayman Islands. As of December 31, 2010, it conducted business at nine full service banking locations and one operations center. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Texas has set another record for job creation�with small cap Texas banking stock like Texas Capital Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBI), ViewPoint Financial Group (NASDAQ: VPFG) and First Financial Bankshares (NASDAQ: FFIN) naturally being well positioned to take advantage of the Texas economic miracle (see my previous article: Texas is Booming and So Are These Texas Stocks (EE, TPL & ATO)). I should�add that I wrote about�these Texas banking stocks back in late 2012�(see: Don�� Mess With Texas Banking Stocks TCBI, VPFG & FFIN) and the Texas Workforce Commission has just�reported that the Texas economy added 36,400 jobs in September while over the past 12 months, employers added 413,700 jobs ��the most ever recorded by the state. Moreover, several companies surveyed by the Dallas Fed responded by saying�they are seeing labor market tightness�while companies are saying they are experiencing upward wage pressures�and�staffing�firms�note that�candidates are often receiving multiple offers.

• [By Charley Blaine]

  Also in the list: Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), up 13.31 percent; Citigroup (NYSE: C), up 8.8 percent; U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), up 5.33 percent; and Texas Capital Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBI) up 8.18 percent.

Best US Stocks To Own Right Now

After closing yesterday with gains for the first time this week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) is having a hard time holding on to the positive momentum. Just before 11:30 a.m. EDT, the index is down 57 points, over a third of yesterday's gains lost. With only two days of trading left before the next Federal Open Markets Committee meeting, investors need something to boost their confidence instead of the disappointing economic news they received this morning. Bank investors are also reeling as news of another scandal hit the Street.

All for naught
The sharp 1% rally yesterday has all but faded as investors prepare to enter the weekend. Though producer price data showed a 0.5% rise last month, beating estimates of a 0.1% increase, other economic data released this morning tamped out the positive news. Industrial output was flat in May, which missed estimates of a 0.2% rise. More troubling perhaps is the drop in consumer sentiment for June, which dropped from May's reading -- the highest point in the past six years.

Top 5 Machinery Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Capstone Turbine Corporation(CPST)

Capstone Turbine Corporation develops, manufactures, markets, and services turbine generator sets and related parts for use in stationary distributed power generation applications. Its stationary distributed power generation applications include cogeneration combined heat and power (CHP), integrated (CHP), resource recovery, and secure power, as well as combined cooling, heat, and power; and its products are used as battery charging generators for hybrid electric vehicle applications. The company primarily offers microturbine units, subassemblies, and components. It also provides various accessories, including rotary gas compressors with digital controls, heat recovery modules for CHP applications, dual mode controllers that allow automatic transition between grid connect and stand-alone modes, batteries with digital controls for stand-alone/dual-mode operations, power servers for multipacked installations, and protocol converters for Internet access, as well as frames, ex haust ducting, and installation hardware. Further, it remanufactures microturbine engines; and provides after-market parts and services, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and factory and on-site training services. The company?s microturbines can be fueled by various sources, including natural gas, propane, sour gas, landfill or digester gas, kerosene, diesel, and biodiesel. It primarily sells its products directly to end users, as well as through distributors in North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Russian Federation, and South America. Capstone Turbine Corporation was founded in 1988 and is based in Chatsworth, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Capstone Turbine (NASDAQ: CPST  ) will release its quarterly report on Monday, and investors have been increasingly optimistic about the microturbine maker's immediate prospects. Yet, even though the company's stock rose recently to its best levels in almost three years, Capstone still has to demonstrate that its niche offerings give it a viable market that is too insignificant for larger rivals General Electric (NYSE: GE  ) and Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) to go after.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Capstone Turbine (CPST) develops, manufactures, markets, and services microturbine technology solutions for use in stationary distributed power generation applications worldwide. This stock closed up 2.5% to $1.22 in Tuesday's trading session.

  Tuesday's Range: $1.19-$1.23
  52-Week Range: $1.07-$2.60
  Tuesday's Volume: 6.73 million
  Three-Month Average Volume: 3.66 million

  From a technical perspective, CPST bounced notably higher here right off some near-term support at $1.20 with strong upside volume flows. This stock has been uptrending marginally over the last week or so with heavy upside volume flows. This move has now pushed shares of CPST within range of triggering near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if CPST manages to take out Tuesday's intraday high of $1.23 to its recent gap-down-day high of $1.30 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CPST as long as it's trending above its recent low of $1.11 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 3.66 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then CPST will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.42 to $1.45, or even $1.55 to $1.60.

Best US Stocks To Own Right Now: Ball Corporation (BLL)

Ball Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, supplies metal packaging to the beverage, food, and household products industries worldwide. It offers aluminum and steel beverage containers for producers of beer, carbonated soft drinks, mineral water, fruit juices, energy drinks, and other beverages. The company also provides two-piece and three-piece steel food containers and ends for packaging vegetables, fruit, soups, meat, seafood, nutritional products, pet food, and other products, as well as aerosol cans, paint cans, custom and specialty containers and decorative steel tins. In addition, the company provides various aerospace systems comprising spacecraft, instruments and sensors, radio frequency and microwave technologies, data exploitation solutions, and other aerospace technologies and products, as well as offers technical services and products to government agencies, contractors, and commercial organizations for a range of information warfare, electronic warfar e, avionics, intelligence, training, and space systems needs. Ball Corporation was founded in 1880 and is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  $9 billion packaging company Ball Corp. (BLL) has actually been a spectacular performer in 2014 -- shares are up 25% since the beginning of the year. But don't worry if you missed the move so far; Ball is headed for more upside before the end of the year. And it's all thanks to one of the most basic price patterns in our playbook...

  Ball has been bouncing its way higher in a well-defined uptrending channel, in this case since the start of May. Every test of trendline support has provided investors with a low-risk buying opportunity for shares of Ball, and shares are bouncing off of support for an eighth time this week. It makes sense to buy this support bounce.

  Waiting for a bounce off of support is a critical test for two big reasons: it's the spot where shares have the furthest to move up before they hit resistance, and it's the spot where the risk is the least (because shares have the least room to move lower before you know you're wrong). Remember, all trend lines do eventually break, but by actually waiting for the bounce to happen first, you're ensuring BLL can actually still catch a bid along that line before you put your money on shares.

  Must Read: 10 Stocks Carl Icahn Loves in 2014

• [By Rich Smith]

  The larger award, for $10.9 million, was an option exercise on a cost-plus-award-fee contract to provide logistical support, analysis, and Type III anomaly support for the Space Based Space Surveillance Block 10 System. SBSS is a satellite-based system for tracking debris, spacecraft, and other space objects beyond Earth's atmosphere and free from interference from weather, atmosphere or time of day. Ball (NYSE: BLL  ) Aerospace built the satellite itself and its sensors, while Boeing has overall responsibility for the system. The current contract option runs through Dec. 20.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Ball (NYSE: BLL) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.93 per share on revenue of $2.26 billion.

  United Stationers (NASDAQ: USTR) is projected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.99 per share on revenue of $1.33 billion.

Best US Stocks To Own Right Now: Spdr Dj Wilshire Small Cap Value Etf (SLYV)

SPDR DJ Wilshire Small Cap Value (ETF) seeks to replicate, as closely as possible, the performance of the Dow Jones Wilshire Small Cap Value Index (the Index). The Index represents the small-cap portion of the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Composite Index (the Composite Index). The Composite Index tracks all the United States common stocks regularly traded on the NYSE, the AMEX and the NASDAQ National Market.

The Index includes the components of the Composite Index ranked 751 to 2,500 by full market capitalization and that are classified as value based on analysis that accounts for six factors. The six factors are projected price-to-earnings ratio (P/E), projected earnings growth, price-to-book ratio, dividend yield, trailing revenue growth and trailing earnings growth. The Fund uses a passive management strategy designed to track the total return performance of the float-adjusted Index.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Lydon]

  The following ETFs are some of the top-ranked small-cap ETFs by Zacks. SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Value ETF (SLYV) is up 5.8% over the past three months, and up 20.6% in 2013. The financial and industrial sectors are top weightings. Vanguard S&P Small Cap 600 Value ETF (VIOV) is up 6.4% and has gathered 21.5% year-to-date. Similar to SLYV, VIOV is heavy on the financial and industrial sectors.

Best US Stocks To Own Right Now: Powershares Dynamic Pharmaceuticals Portfolio (PJP)

PowerShares Dynamic Pharmaceuticals Portfolio seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield, before fees and expenses, of the Dynamic Pharmaceuticals Intellidex Index (the Pharmaceuticals Intellidex). The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in common stocks of pharmaceutical companies. The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Pharmaceuticals Intellidex. PowerShares Capital Management LLC (the Adviser) is the investment adviser for the Funds.

The Pharmaceuticals Intellidex comprises stocks of 30 United States-based pharmaceutical companies. These are companies that are principally engaged in the research, development, manufacture, sale or distribution of pharmaceuticals and drugs of all types. These companies may include, pharmaceutical companies and other companies involved in the research, development, manufacture, sale or distribution of drugs, including companies that facilitate the testing or regulatory approval of drugs.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Lowell]

  Meanwhile, the PowerShares Dynamic Pharmaceuticals (PJP) has grabbed the top spot among sector ETFs.

  The fund seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the Dynamic Pharmaceuticals Intellidex Index, which is made up of 30 US companies involved in the research, development, production, sale, or distribution of pharmaceuticals and drugs.

• [By Gary Gordon]

  On behalf of most of my clients in 2013, I chose to overweight tech and health care. However, I did so with areas that are traditionally less volatile. I continue to own Powershares Pharmaceuticals (PJP) and/or SPDR Select Healthcare (XLV). I’ve been a proponent of “old tech” with the attractive prices and dividends; First Trust NASDAQ Tech Dividend (TDIV) fits the bill. Additionally, I have remained faithful to iShares Small Cap Value (IJS) for small-cap exposure, rather than hop on the IWO express.

Best US Stocks To Own Right Now: PowerShares DWA Energy Momentum Portfolio (PXI)

PowerShares Dynamic Energy Sector Portfolio (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield of an equity index called the Dynamic Energy Sector Intellidex Index (the Index). The Index consists of stocks of 60 United States energy companies. These are companies that are principally engaged in the business of producing, distributing or servicing energy-related products, including oil and gas exploration and production, refining, oil services, pipeline, and solar, wind and other non-oil-based energy. Stocks are selected principally on the basis of their capital appreciation potential as identified by the AMEX (the Intellidex Provider) pursuant to an Intellidex methodology. The Fund�� investment adviser is PowerShares Capital Management LLC.

The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate the performance of the Index. The Fund generally will invest in all of the stocks comprising the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in common stocks of energy companies. The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Index.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Todd Shriber, ETF Professor]

  Unusual volume (at least 5X ADV): QuantShares US Market Neutral Anti-Beta ETF (NYSE: BTAL), iShares 10+ Year Credit Bond ETF (NYSE: CLY), iShares Morningstar Small Value ETF (NYSE: JKL) and the PowerShares Dynamic Energy ETF (NYSE: PXI).

Best US Stocks To Own Right Now: Spdr Kbw Regional Banking (KRE)

SPDR KBW Regional Banking ETF (the Fund), formerly KBW Regional Banking ETF, is a non-diversified investment company. The Fund seeks to replicate as closely as possible the performance of the KBW Regional Banking Index (the Index). The Fund has entered into an investment advisory agreement with SSgA Funds Management, Inc.

The Regional Banking Index is an equal weighted index of geographically diverse companies representing regional banking institutions listed on the United States stock markets. It is created and maintained by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Charley Blaine]

  The Financial Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLF) exchange-traded fund is up 4.86%, tops among ETFs that mimic the sectors of the S&P 500. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (NYSE: KRE) is up 7.1 percent this month.

Best US Stocks To Own Right Now: Chalmers Ltd (CHR)

Chalmers Limited is an Australia-based company engaged in transport, logistic services, warehousing and container storage, repairs and sales. The Company operated in three segments: Transport, Containers and Property. Transport consists of road transport, predominantly import/export FCL containers and the interface with logistics/ warehousing/hubbing services. Containers represent the empty container park operations concerned with handling, storage, repairs, upgrades, pretrips and so on of empty containers on behalf of shipping and leasing company customers. Property represents the capital investment Chalmers has in freeholds located in Melbourne. The Company�� subsidiaries include Chalmers Industries Pty Ltd, Chalmers (Australia) Pty Ltd and Chalmers Industries (Brisbane) Pty Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Chr. Hansen A/S (CHR) slid 1.7 percent to 186 kroner after Credit Suisse Group AG cut the stock to neutral, the equivalent of hold, from outperform. The brokerage said that profit from its natural-color business remains under pressure. The world�� biggest maker of dairy enzymes cut its full-year sales forecast on July 3 because of lower prices for the red pigment carmine.

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Among recent actions by the SEC was the charging of a self-styled money manager for free-riding and fraud, while FINRA took on failures in WSPs and OATS compliance.

SEC Files Charges in Free-Ride Case

According to the SEC, Ronald Feldstein went for a free ride — literally — in a Bentley, thanks to a scheme in which he defrauded investors of almost half a million dollars and cost three brokerage firms more than $2 million.

Feldstein was charged by the SEC for a free-riding scheme in which he bought securities he never intended to pay for, should they prove unprofitable, and that he planned to pay for out of sales profits if the stocks went up. Instead, he planned to refuse to issue instructions to settle the trades and just walk away, leaving the broker-dealers holding the unprofitable positions.

He carried out this charade by means of three separate brokerage accounts in the names of two investment funds that he made up: Mara Capital Management and Vita Health of America. This lasted from September 2008 until February 2009.

Hot Information Technology Stocks For 2015: Affymax Inc.(AFFY)

Affymax, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development of drugs for the treatment of serious and life-threatening conditions. It develops peginesatide (Hematide), which has completed Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic renal failure. Hematide is a synthetic peptide-based erythropoiesis stimulating agent designed to stimulate production of red blood cells. The company has strategic alliance agreements with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and Nektar Therapeutics AL, Corporation to develop and commercialize Hematide. Affymax, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is based in Palo Alto, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alpha Exposure]

  Investors in Affymax (AFFY) would like you to believe that Omontys will make a miraculous comeback and that Affymax will be a major winner. My belief is that the last AFFY article contained multiple factual errors that when refuted show that the future for Omontys is in fact dire. At the conclusion of this article all doubt should be removed regarding the low likelihood that Omontys returns to market.

• [By Kanak Kanti De]

  Amgen needed an Onyx-like acquisition badly. For one, sales of Aranesp and Epogen, its flagship drugs for anemia, are dropping on concerns of safety, and loss of monopoly in 2012 to Affymax (AFFY), which received FDA approval for a rival anemia drug. (Note though, that after Omontys was recalled this year, that problem is resolved for Amgen.) Secondly, four of its top selling products go off patent in 2015.

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: BG Group PLC (BRGYY.PK)

BG Group plc (BG Group), incorporated on December 30, 1998, is a natural gas company. The Company is engaged in the exploration, development and production of natural gas and oil. he Company operates in two business segments: Exploration and Production (E&P) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The Company manages its business on an integrated basis across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Central and South Asia, and Australia. The Company has interests in more than 20 countries on five continents.

Exploration and Production

E&P consists of exploration, development, production and marketing of hydrocarbons with a focus on natural gas. BG Group�� Upstream segment covers exploration and production activities for gas, oil and liquids, plus liquefaction operations associated with integrated LNG projects.

Liquefied Natural Gas

BG Group�� LNG activities combine liquefaction and regasification facilities with the purchasing, shipping, marketing and sale of LNG. The Company has interest in liquefaction facilities in Egypt and Trinidad and Tobago. BG Group�� LNG Shipping & Marketing segment covers the purchasing, shipping, marketing and sale of LNG, as well as the Group�� interests and capacity in regasification facilities.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Heather Ingrassia]

  On Thursday, August 15, GasLog (GLOG) announced that it had ordered two new 174K cbm Tri-Fuel Diesel Electric LNG carriers from Samsung Heavy Industries. These carriers are expected to be delivered in 2016 which is the same year the company will begin seven-year charters with BG Group (BRGYY.PK) (BRGXF.PK).

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Ausdrill Ltd (ASL)

Ausdrill Limited is a mining and energy services company providing exploration, mine development, surfacing and underground mining, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure services globally. The Company operates in five segments: Mining Services Australia, which includes the provision of mining services, including drilling and blasting, in-pit grade control, exploration drilling, earthmoving, waterwell drilling, energy drilling, equipment hire, equipment parts and sales and mineral analysis in Australia; Contract Mining Services Africa, which includes the provision of mining services, including drilling and blasting, in pit grade control, exploration drilling and earthmoving in Africa; Manufacturing, which includes manufacture of drilling rods and consumables, drill rigs and dump truck tray bodies; Supply and Logistics, which includes the provision of mining supplies and logistics services and Other, which includes its central functions like treasury, financing and administration. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Haigh]

  Toyota Motor Corp. (7203), the world�� biggest carmaker, lost 1.3 percent in Tokyo after its net-income forecast fell short of analyst estimates. Ausdrill Ltd. (ASL) slumped 29 percent in Sydney after the drilling contractor said its expects a lower profit. GungHo Online Entertainment Inc. gained 2.5 percent as Japan Exchange Group Inc. and Nikkei Inc. said the Internet-game maker will be included in their new index.

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Tranzbyte Corp (ERBB)

The Tranzbyte Corporation, incorporated on November 12, 1998, is a driving force behind Altitude Organic Corporation, One Bode, The YO! Debit Card, and ProximaRF. Altitude Organic Corporation is a medical marijuana dispensary brand. It has developed retailing, branding, and commercial cultivating strategies in conjunction with its licensed medical marijuana retail dispensaries operating under the Altitude Organic Medicine brand name.

Tranzbyte houses the technology division, which is engaged in the sale of its optical media enhancement products to customers in the United States and Asia. Products in the Tranzbyte division include FLASHAlbum and FlixStix technologies that enable distributors of optical media (compact discs, digital video discs, etc.) to consolidate the features of each medium onto a single content-protected universal serial bus (USB) flash drive. One Bode has created an assortment of products focusing on plant-based nutrients and enzymes. Applied radio frequency identification (RFID) and its operating subsidiaries (www.proximarf.com), have a portfolio of RFID reader, sensor tag and data logging products.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  The SEC has halted trading of small cap marijuana stock Growlife Inc (OTCMKTS: PHOT) after a relatively brief trading halt for�Advanced Cannabis Solutions, Inc (OTCMKTS: CANN), but Tranzbyte Corp (OTCMKTS: ERBB), Cannabis Science Inc (OTCMKTS: CBIS) and Medical Marijuana Inc (OTCMKTS: MJNA) are still very much alive. However and as I have noted (repeatedly)�in the past (see here), Medical Marijuana Inc has a�former CEO who has been indicted for a multi-state mortgage fraud scam/ponzi scheme while Medbox Inc (OTCMKTS: MDBX) is another marijuana stock with some ��ssues��that were summed up nicely in a Southern Investigative Reporting Foundation article cleverly entitled: Tinkerer, Lawyer, Hustler, Lies: One Man�� Path to a Dope Fortune. Obviously, investing in marijuana stocks is not for conservative. Nevertheless, there is�still plenty of good or bad news for investors in the marijuana sector to inhale, including the following:

• [By John Udovich]

  Its been a rather eventful week for news from the marijuana sector and small cap marijuana stocks like GW Pharmaceuticals PLC (NASDAQ: GWPH), Tranzbyte Corp (OTCMKTS: ERBB) and Growlife Inc (OTCMKTS: PHOT) as one of these stocks gets endorsed by Morgan Stanley while another appears on CNBC���more signs of legitimacy for an investment�sector that�� full of pumps, dumps and other unsavory types of activities. Just consider the following small cap marijuana stock or pot industry news:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Though they've been lumped into the same category as Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA) and Tranzbyte Corp. (OTCMKTS:ERBB), names like Nuvilex Inc. (OTCMKTS:NVLX) and Growlife Inc. (OTCBB:PHOT) aren't actually marijuana stocks. Granted, PHOT and ERBB shareholders will benefit from the advent of legalized marijuana (and hemp) as much as shareholders of ERBB - a grower and dispenser - and MJNA shareholders will. But, in some way they're safer and more stable because they're not directly in the line of fire of potential regulation... or better-enforced regulation at the federal level. Indeed, there are several stocks that are circumventing the risk inherent with marijuana stocks, because they're not marijuana stocks at all. They are, in no particular order....