Best Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now

This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines feature a pair of downgrades for document storage company Iron Mountain (NYSE: IRM  ) and insulin treatments-equipment maker Insulet (NASDAQ: PODD  ) . But the headlines aren't all bad, so before we break the bad news to you, let's start off on a bright note about...

Ciena's banner quarter
Telecommunications equipment maker Ciena (NASDAQ: CIEN  ) stunned the skeptics Thursday with a surprisingly profitable Q2 earnings report. Expected to lose a penny a share, Ciena instead reported a $0.02 profit -- and it beat on revenues, too.

Needless to say, Wall Street liked the report, and this morning, two analysts are hiking their expectations for the stock. Japan's Nomura Securities is positing a $23 share price a year from now, impressed that "revenues finally beat expectations ��expectations that were already at the high end of guidance." Nomura's also pleased to see that "the mid-point of Q3 guidance is 4% ahead of prior expectations and the high end of guidance 7% ahead." Needham, meanwhile, points to calendar year 2013 guidance of $0.51 per share, and a potential double to $1 a share in profit in 2014, as justifying its own price target hike to $22.

Top Consumer Service Companies For 2015: NetSol Technologies Inc.(NTWK)

Netsol Technologies, Inc. designs, develops, and markets software products for the automobile finance and leasing, banking, healthcare, and financial services industries worldwide. It offers NetSol Financial Suite, which is an end-to-end solution that covers the leasing and finance cycle. The NetSol Financial Suite consist of software applications comprising Point of Sale, a front office processing system for the finance sector; Credit Application Processing System to handle the incoming credit applications from dealers, agents, brokers, and the direct sales force; Contract Management System to manage and maintain a contract; Wholesale Finance System to automate and manage the floor plan/bailment activities of dealerships; and Fleet Management System to handle fleet management needs. The NetSol Financial Suite also includes LeasePak that develops Web-enabled and Web-based tools for the leasing technology industry. In addition, the company offers LeaseSoft Portals and Modul es; enterprise wide information systems, such as LRMIS, MTMIS, and Hospital Management Systems; accounting outsourcing services; and career and technology programs. Further, it provides portfolio management systems for the financial services industry; and consulting, custom development, systems integration, and technical services for the healthcare, insurance, real estate, and technology markets. Additionally, the company offers business intelligence, independent system review, information security, and software process improvement consulting services; maintenance and support, and project management services; and solutions for the defense and military forces. It serves Fortune 500 manufacturers, automakers, financial institutions, utilities, technology providers, and government agencies. The company was formerly known as NetSol International, Inc. and changed its name to NetSol Technologies, Inc. in March 2002. NetSol Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in Ca labasas, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  NetSol Technologies (Nasdaq:NTWK), a provider of global IT and enterprise application solutions, reported that Mercedes-Benz Leasing Company Ltd. (China), went live with the NetSol Financial Suite (NFS(tm)).

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 stock that's quickly pushing within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is Netsol Technologies (NTWK), which designs, develops, markets and exports proprietary software products to customers in the automobile finance and leasing, banking, health care and financial services industries internationally. This stock is off to a strong start in 2013, with shares up by 28%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Netsol Technologies, you'll notice that this stock has been downtrending badly for the last two months, with shares sliding sharply lower from its high of $12.10 to its recent low of $7.03 a share. During that downtrend, shares of NTWK have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of NTWK have started to stabilize and reverse its downtrend, since the stock has started to make higher lows and higher highs over the last few weeks. This move is quickly pushing shares of NTWK within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in NTWK if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $7.74 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 225,909 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then NTWK will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $8.71 to its 50-day moving average at $9.16 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give NTWK a chance to tag its 200-day at $10.20 to more resistance at $10.45 a share.

  Traders can look to buy NTWK off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $7.20 or $7.03 a share. One can also buy NTWK off strength once it clears $7.74 a share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage fr

Best Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Nicholas Financial Inc.(NICK)

Nicholas Financial, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialized consumer finance company. The company engages in acquiring and servicing contracts for purchases of new and used automobiles and light trucks. It also makes direct loans and sells consumer-finance related products. In addition, the company engages in developing, marketing, supporting, and updating industry-specific computer application software for small businesses located primarily in the Southeast United States. As of April 5, 2011, it operated 56 branch locations in 14 Southeastern and Midwestern states. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Clearwater, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Prospect Capital Corp.(PSEC) said it agreed to buy Nicholas Financial Inc.(NICK) in a stock deal valued at about $199 million that the investment firm expects will expand its presence in the car-loan industry. Prospect Capital is offering $16 a share for Nicholas, a 4.5% premium over Tuesday’s closing price. Nicholas Financial shares edged up 2.8% to $15.70 premarket.

Best Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: PostRock Energy Corporation(PSTR)

PostRock Energy Corporation, an integrated independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and transportation of oil and natural gas in the United States. It operates in two segments, Oil and Gas Production, and Natural Gas Pipelines. The Oil and Gas Production segment primarily focuses on the development of coal bed methane in the Cherokee basin and the Marcellus Shale in Appalachian Basin, as well as has oil properties in Central Oklahoma. As of December 31, 2009, it had approximately 51.9 billion cubic feet equivalent (Bcfe) of estimated net proved reserves; development rights to approximately 516,184 net acres; and operated approximately 2,849 gross wells in the Cherokee Basin. It also had approximately 44,507 net acres of oil and natural gas producing properties with estimated proved reserves of 18.9 Bcfe and approximately 498 gross wells in Appalachian Basin; and had 65 gross wells, development rights to approximately 1,4 80 net acres, and estimated net proved reserves, 3.9 Bcfe in Central Oklahoma. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment involves in transporting, gathering, treating, and processing natural gas. It owns and operates a natural gas gathering pipeline networks of approximately 2,173 miles in the Cherokee Basin and 183 miles in the Appalachian Basin; and a 1,120 mile interstate natural gas pipeline, which transports natural gas from northern Oklahoma and western Kansas to the metropolitan Wichita and Kansas City markets. The company is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  LeBlanc is a veteran energy industry CFO. He has filled that role at East Resources -- now a unit of Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A  ) -- as well as�PostRock Energy (NASDAQ: PSTR  ) , and Range Resources, among others.

Best Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: (LTUM)

Lithium Corporation, an exploration stage company, engages in the identification, acquisition, and exploration of metals and minerals with a focus on lithium mineralization in Nevada. It holds interests in Fish Lake Valley property that covers approximately 7,360 acres located in west central Nevada in northern Esmeralda County; Salt Wells property, which covers approximately 8,500 acres in Churchill County; and Cortez property that consists of approximately 4,960 acres located in Lander County, Nevada. The company was formerly known as Utalk Communications Inc. and changed its name to Lithium Corporation in September 2009. Lithium Corporation was founded in 2007 and is based in Reno, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, LTUM has shed (-19.80%) down -0.0079 at $.0320 with 33,100 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:18AM EDT June 26, 2013), but don�� let this get you down.

  Location Based Technologies, Inc. previously reported it received FCC and IC certification for its versatile LBT-886 device. These certifications are necessary before devices can be sold to consumers throughout the US and Canada.

  Lithium Corporation previously reported it has recently acquired a new Graphite (BC Sugar) prospect in the Shuswap area of British Columbia, in an under-explored area. In addition to the acquired claim, Lithco has also staked another four claims, to bring the total area to be explored by the Company to 3,405.77 acres (1,378.27 hectares). Although graphite has been identified locally in marbles, it has become apparent that graphite is also hosted here in quartz, biotite/mica gneisses, and also in calc-silicate gneisses. The host rocks at BC Sugar are similar to the host rocks in the area of the Crystal Graphite deposit 55 miles (90 kms) to the Southeast, where Lithium Corporation holds the Mt Heimdal block of claims.

Best Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Hawaiian Holdings Inc.(HA)

Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary, Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., engages in the scheduled air transportation of passengers and cargo. It offers daily service on transpacific routes between Hawaii and Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington, as well as daily service on its inter island routes among the four islands of the State of Hawaii. The company also provides scheduled service on its Pacific routes between Hawaii and Pago Pago, American Samoa; Papeete, Tahiti; Sydney, Australia; Manila, Philippines; Tokyo, Japan; and Seoul, South Korea, as well as other ad hoc charters. As of December 31, 2010, its fleet consisted of 15 Boeing 717-200 aircraft for its interisland routes; 18 Boeing 767-300; and 3 Airbus A330-200 aircrafts for its transpacific, Pacific, and charter routes. Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michele Lerner, The Motley Fool]

  Alan Diaz/APAmerican Airlines did better at staying on schedule last year than it did in 2012, when it accused pilots of a work slowdown. DALLAS -- A big drop in customer complaints helped U.S. airlines post their best ratings ever even though more flights were late and more bags were mishandled, according to a report released Monday by university researchers. Virgin America topped the ratings, and three regional airlines scored at the bottom. Among the four biggest airlines, Delta Air Lines (DAL) ranked best followed by Southwest (LUV), American (AAL) and United (UAL), according to researchers from Wichita State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The researchers have graded airlines since 1991 on government figures for on-time performance, mishandled bags, bumping passengers, and complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation. Their key findings: On-Time Performance: Airlines operated 78.4 percent of their flights on time in 2013, down from 81.8 percent in 2012. Best: Hawaiian Airlines (HA); worst: American Eagle. Only two airlines improved: American Airlines and United. Bag Handling: The rate of lost, stolen or delayed bags rose 5 percent. Best: Virgin America; worst: American Eagle. Bumping: The rate of bumping passengers from flights fell 8 percent. Best: JetBlue Airways (JBLU); worst: SkyWest (SKYW). Complaints: Consumer complaints to the government dropped 15 percent in 2013 after rising 20 percent the year before. Best: Southwest Airlines; worst: Frontier (RJET). One of the report's authors, Wichita State business professor Dean Headley, credited the drop in complaints partly to United Airlines. The company suffered several computer-network outages and grounded hundreds of flights in 2012 when it combined the United and Continental computer networks after a merger, but "got their act together" in 2013, he said. Headley said the drop in complaints might also reflect "a certain amount of resignation" that "it's neve

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  DeNardi also rates Alaska Air (ALK), Spirit Airlines (SAVE) and Allegiant Travel (ALGT) as Buys and Southwest, JetBlue Airways (JBLU) and Hawaiian Holdings (HA) as holds.

• [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]

  Earlier this month, Allegiant announced a new route that marks a significant shift in the company's philosophy. Beginning in late October, Allegiant will serve the busy Los Angeles-Honolulu route twice a week. This route is already served by all three major network carriers, as well as Hawaiian Airlines (NASDAQ: HA  ) , with each carrier offering multiple daily flights. What is Allegiant up to? More importantly, will it work?

Best Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Archer-Daniels-Midland Company(ADM)

Archer Daniels Midland Company procures, transports, stores, processes, and merchandises agricultural commodities and products in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: Oilseeds Processing, Corn Processing, and Agricultural Services. The Oilseeds Processing segment engages in originating, merchandising, crushing, and processing oilseeds, such as soybeans, cottonseed, sunflower seeds, canola, rapeseed, peanuts, flaxseed, and palm into vegetable oils and protein meals. This segment also produces edible soy protein products, including soy flour, soy grits, soy protein concentrates, soy isoflavones, and soy isolates that are used in processed meats, baked foods, nutritional products, snacks, and dairy and meat analogs. The Corn Processing segment involves in corn wet milling and dry milling activities; and produces alcohol, amino acids, and other specialty food and animal feed ingredients, as well as ethyl alcohol. This segment also produces citr ic and lactic acids, lactates, sorbitol, xanthan gum, and glycols that are used in various food and industrial products, as well as astaxanthin, a product used in aquaculture to enhance flesh coloration. The Agricultural Services segment buys, stores, cleans, and transports agricultural commodities, such as oilseeds, corn, wheat, milo, oats, rice, and barley, as well as resells these commodities as food and feed ingredients for the agricultural processing industry. This segment also processes and distributes edible beans, formula feeds, and animal health and nutrition products. In addition, the company engages in milling wheat, corn, and milo into flour, as well as produces bakery products and mixes, wheat starch, gluten, and cocoa products that are sold to the baking industry; and involves in financial activities related to private equity fund investments, and futures commission merchant activities. Archer Daniels Midland Company was founded in 1898 and is based in Decatur, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Investors will be on the lookout for further, perhaps larger, customer announcements in the coming quarters. Just remember that there is plenty of time between now and mid-2015. Until then, there should be no worries from the guidance and commercialization aid Solazyme will receive from agri-giants Bunge (NYSE: BG  ) and Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM  ) .

• [By Ari Charney]

  Following the Australian government’s recent rejection of Archer Daniels Midland Co’s (NYSE: ADM) AUD3.2 billion bid to acquire GrainCorp Ltd (ASX: GNC, OTC: GRCLF), we noted that some skeptics were wondering whether Australia is still open for business, as the country’s new Prime Minister Tony Abbott boldly proclaimed on election night back in early September.

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

  Golden Peanut Co., a unit of Archer Daniels Midland Co.(ADM), is expanding its reach with the purchase of Georgia pecan processor Harrell Nut Co.

  Morgan Stanley named former Central Intelligence Agency executive Jami Miscik to its board, replacing retiring, longtime board member Griff Sexton.

• [By Chad Fraser]

  This agriculture ETF gives you exposure to a wide range of businesses within the farming sector, from fertilizer makers like The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) to food producers like Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM) and equipment makers like Kubota Corp. (OTC: KUBTY) and Deere.

Best Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: L&L Energy Inc.(LLEN)

L&L Energy, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the coal mining, clean coal washing, coal coking, and coal wholesaling businesses in the People?s Republic of China. It involves in producing, processing, and selling metallurgical coke used primarily for steel manufacturing; and crushing coal and washing out soluble sulfur compounds with water or other solvents. The company has four coal mines comprising the DaPuAn, SuTsong, Ping Yi, and DaPing mines; three coal washing plants; one coking facility; and coal wholesale and distribution facilities. It also has a financial interest in the Bowie mine, a thermal coal mine located in Paonia, Colorado. The company provides its products to customers in the steel and the electrical/utility industries, as well as to cement factories. L&L Energy, Inc. sells its products directly and through third-party wholesalers. The company was formerly known as L & L International Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to L&L Energy, Inc. in Jan uary 2010. L&L Energy, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  Alcoa (NYSE: AA) is investing US$13 million to expand its wheel manufacturing plant in Europe, to meet growing demand for its lightweight, durable, low-maintenance aluminum truck wheels. To read the full news, click here. L & L Energy (NASDAQ: LLEN) announced today that its Special Independent Committee has appointed Mr. Nicholas Chen, Managing Partner at Pamir Law Group, to replace Mr. Mark Bartlett. To read the full news, click here. Five Prime Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FPRX) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) announced today that they have signed a collaboration agreement for the discovery, development and commercialization of immuno-oncology therapies directed toward targets identified in two undisclosed immune checkpoint pathways using Five Prime's proprietary target discovery platform. To read the full news, click here. First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) on Sunday announced the completion of the 1.3MW(DC) solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant at Kitakyushu-shi. Powered by First Solar FS Series 3 Black PV modules, the plant will generate approximately 1,400 MWh of clean and safe solar electricity per year. To read the full news, click here.

  Posted-In: Credit Suisse US Stock FuturesNews Eurozone Futures Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Well, as it turns out, the snake that bit L&L Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:LLEN) and Sovereign Lithium Inc. (OTCMKTS:SLCO) didn't end up biting Makism 3D Corp. (OTCMKTS:MDDD). And in retrospect, that's probably how it should be. Indeed, the fact that MDDD didn't even come close to suffering the same fate as SLCO or LLEN did may be the biggest assurance Makism 3D fans could hope for that the company is everything it says it is.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Despite every fiber of my being telling me to not get involved in the schoolyard fight between L&L Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:LLEN) and apparently one of its enemies (that just so happens to have a short/bearish position in LLEN), I find myself unable to not sound off. A sane and unbiased observation has to be injected into the mix here.