Best Electric Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now

Check out Jim Cramer's latest trading recommendations on "Action Alerts Plus". (Updates from 10:35 a.m. ET with closing information.)

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Here's what Jim Cramer had to say on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" Tuesday.

Credit Suisse says to buy Stratasys (SSYS). Cramer said the stock has been on fire since its secondary offering. SSYS rose 3.6% to $96.82.

D.A. Davidson & Co. is looking for Herbalife (HLF) to do a $2 billion tender offer. This would crush the short-sellers, Cramer said. HLF rose 3.8% to $73.29. Radian (RDN) is a buy, according to Cramer, especially with the Federal Housing Administration pulling out of the industry. RDN was 3% higher at $14.05. Everyone loves Apache's (APA) deal with Egypt, Cramer said, which is why the stock will go higher. APA was up 1.4% at $88.25. Cramer was short and sweet on Whole Foods Market (WFM): It will go much higher. WFM rose nearly 1% to $58.14. Delta Air Lines (DAL) and other airlines would go up significantly if the U.S. Airways-American Airlines merger actually went through Cramer said, but doubted that it would. DAL ended the day at $23.32, up nearly 1%. To sign up for Jim Cramer's free Booyah! newsletter, with all of his latest articles and videos, please click here. -- Written by Bret Kenwell in Petoskey, Mich. Follow @BretKenwell

Top 10 Valued Stocks To Invest In 2015: RealNetworks Inc.(RNWK)

RealNetworks, Inc. provides network-delivered digital media products and services to manage, play, and share digital media in the United States, Europe, and internationally. It develops and markets software products and services that enable the creation, distribution, and consumption of digital media, including audio and video. The company?s Core Products segment develops and provides software as a service (SaaS) services, including ring-back tone, music-on-demand, video-on-demand, and messaging services for mobile carriers; and e-commerce services, such as business intelligence, subscriber management, and billing for carrier customers. It also licenses Helix server software that allows companies and institutions to broadcast live and on-demand audio, video, and other multimedia programming to users over the Internet. In addition, this segment provides professional and systems integration services; and SuperPass, a subscription service, which provides consumers with acces s to a range of digital entertainment content. Its Emerging Products segment offers RealPlayer, a media player software, which include features and services that enable consumers to discover, play, download, manage, and edit digital video. The company?s Games segment is involved in developing, publishing, licensing, and distributing casual games, such as board, card, puzzle, word, and hidden-object games for PC?s, social networks, mobile handsets, and smartphones through digital download, online subscription play, third-party portals, social networks, and mobile devices. It distributes games principally in North America, Europe, and Latin America through the company?s own Websites, which are operated under the GameHouse, Zylom, and Atrativa brands, and through Websites owned or managed by third parties. RealNetworks, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Carol Hymowitz]

  CEOs who aren�� comfortable around technology and digital trends will have difficulty setting strategy for the future, said Dawn Lepore, former CEO of Drugstore.com and a director at AOL Inc., TJX Cos. (TJX) and RealNetworks Inc. (RNWK)

Best Electric Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: ADT Corp (ADT)

The ADT Corporation (ADT), incorporated on January 18, 2012, is a provider of electronic security, interactive home and business automation, and monitoring services for residences and small businesses in the United States and Canada. The Company�� products and services include ADT Pulse interactive home and business solutions, and home health services. ADT provides business security intrusion detection, which protect the business from burglary, robbery and intruders. Its electronic access control limits unauthorized entry and employee access to the business, as well as complete access. Effective August 2, 2013, The ADT Corp acquired Devcon Security Services Corp, a provider of security protection services, from Devcon International Corp. In November 2013, Kastle Systems International announced that it had acquired Mutual Central Alarm Services and Stat-Land Security Systems from ADT Corporation.

The Company's video surveillance views events in multiple areas of facility, which has control over loss and oversees business. On October 1, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of Absolute Security.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  Although most of these companies are still expected to grow at above-average rates, most of them are not expected to grow at the same rate they historically have. However, the majority are expected to grow at rates greater than the average dividend paying company found in other sectors. Moreover, the majority of these candidates also offer above-market dividend yields and below-market average valuations. Automatic Data Processing (ADT) is an exception and only included because it has historically been priced at a premium valuation to its earnings growth.

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  No doubt, The ADT Corp. (NYSE: ADT) is best known as a leading home security firm. But in reality, it offers much more than that.

  Its advanced sensor technology also is making ADT's home automation an integral part of the company's services that play off the mobile revolution.

Best Electric Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Tumi Holdings Inc (TUMI)

Tumi Holdings, Inc. (Tumi), incorporated in September 2004, offers a range of travel and business products and accessories in various categories. The Company designs its products for, and markets its products to, professionals, travelers and individuals. As of December 31, 2011, the Company distributed its products worldwide in over 70 countries through approximately 1,600 points of distribution. The Company sells its products worldwide to consumers through both direct and indirect channels and manages its business through four operating segments: Direct-to-Consumer North America, Direct-to-Consumer International, Indirect-to-Consumer North America and Indirect-to-Consumer International.

Tumi utilizes an array of channels, including retail, wholesale and e-commerce. The Company�� retail stores are located in retail venues worldwide, including New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris, London, Rome, Tokyo, Munich, Moscow, Milan and Barcelona. The Company designs its products in its United States design studios. The Company sells its products directly to consumers through a worldwide network of approximately 100 company-owned locations, consisting of full-price stores located in retail malls or street venues, outlet stores in outlet malls and its e-commerce Websites. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Direct-to-Consumer sales consisted approximately 48% of its net sales.

The Company sells its products indirectly to consumers through various channels that include partner stores (wholesale accounts operated by local distributors or retailers that carry only Tumi products), its worldwide wholesale distribution network of specialty luggage retailers, department stores and business-to-business channels, retail concessions within department stores and third-party e-commerce sites, such as Amazon.com, Zappos.com. Indirect-to-Consumer sales consisted of approximately 52% of its net sales during 2011. Tumi offers travel and business products, as well as accessories. Travel produc! ts include wheeled and soft carry-on luggage, garment bags, totes, duffels, wheeled packing cases and travel kits. Business products include business cases, day bags and totes. Its accessories include agendas and planners, passport cases, umbrellas and travel accessories, such as electric current adapters, key fobs, packing accessories, toiletry kits and foldable travel totes. Its accessories also include belts, outerwear and sunglasses and eyewear.

Direct-to-Consumer North America

The Company sells its products directly to consumers through a network of 83 company-owned retail stores consisting of full-price stores and outlet stores located in retail malls or street venues. It also sells its product directly to consumers through its e-commerce Website.

Direct-to-Consumer International

As of December 31, 2011, the Company sold directly to consumers through a network of 14 company-owned full-price and outlet stores in street venues and select malls in international locations. It also sells its products directly to consumers through its two international e-commerce Websites.

Indirect-to-Consumer North America

As of December 31, 2011, the Company sold to wholesale customers in North America through approximately 700 doors, including specialty luggage retailers, department stores and business-to-business channels. Many of its wholesale customers also operate their own e-commerce Websites through which it sells. The Company�� products are also sold in partner stores operated by local distributors or retailers that carry only Tumi products.

Indirect-to-Consumer International

The Company sells its products to wholesale customers through approximately 800 doors, approximately 59% of which are in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, 39% of which are in the Asia-Pacific region, and 2% of which are in the Central and South America region. It has distribution channels in Australia, China, Europe, Hong Kon! g, the Mi! ddle East, South Africa, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Taiwan. Its products are also sold in partner stores operated by local distributors or retailers that carry only Tumi products. The Company also operates concessions in department stores throughout Europe and the Middle East. Many of its wholesale customers also operate their own e-commerce Websites through which they sell its products.

Tumi competes with Rimowa, Samsonite, Bally, Burberry, Dunhill, Ferragamo, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Montblanc, Porsche, Prada, Victorinox, Briggs and Riley, Mandarina Duck, Piquadro, Porter, Ace Brand, and Coach.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Lewis]

  Luxury luggage brand Tumi (NYSE: TUMI  ) , a little more than one year since its IPO, has failed to achieve much in the way of capital appreciation. The company came out of the gates with a rich valuation, heavily influenced by the then-recent success of other high-line brands such as Michael Kors. Tumi is growing, and will continue to grow -- much of its performance (or lack thereof) in the market has been the typical story of overvaluation and overhype. In the just-released earnings, there is plenty of evidence of a fundamentally strong company with a long runway for growth, even if Wall Street analysts were expecting a little more. With a long-term mind-set, is Tumi a good stock?

Best Electric Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Kilroy Realty Corp (KRC)

Kilroy Realty Corporation, incorporated on September 13, 1996, is a self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company focuses on office and industrial submarkets along the West Coast. The Company owns, develops, acquires and manages real estate assets, consisting primarily of Class A real estate properties in the coastal regions of Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego County, the San Francisco Bay Area and greater Seattle. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� portfolio consisted of 104 office buildings (the Office Properties) and 39 industrial buildings (the Industrial Properties). The Company owns its interests in all of its Office Properties and Industrial Properties through the Kilroy Realty, L.P. (the Operating Partnership) and Kilroy Realty Finance Partnership, L.P. (the Finance Partnership). In March 2012, the Company purchased Menlo Corporate Center in Menlo Park, California. In June 2012, the Company purchased two office properties in the Lake Union submarket of Seattle. In January 2013, the Company purchsed Westlake Terry, a two building 320,399 square-foot office property. In September 2013, the Company announced it has completed the purchase of a 13.8 acre Class A office campus in the coastal Del Mar sub-market of San Diego. Effective September 19, 2013, Kilroy Realty Corp acquired The Heights, a owner and operator of an office campus. In January 2014, Kilroy Realty Corp completed the disposition of 13 San Diego office properties in two tranches. In January 2014, Kilroy Realty Corp acquired from The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences an approximate four-acre parcel near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood.

On January 28, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 250 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA. On April 21, 2011, the Company acquired four buildings in 10210, 10220 and 10230 NE Points Drive; 3933 Lake Washington Boulevard NE, Kirkland, WA. On May 12, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 10770 Water! idge Circle, San Diego, CA. On June 3, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 601 108th Avenue N.E., Bellevue, WA. On June 9, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 4040 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, CA. On September 15, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 201 Third Street, San Francisco, CA. On November 15, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 301 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA. On December 15, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 370 Third Street, San Francisco, CA. In December 2011, it commenced redevelopment at one of its acquired properties in San Francisco. On January 30, 2012, the Company sold 15004 Innovation Drive, San Diego, CA and 10243 Genetic Center Drive, San Diego, CA. In September 2011, the Company disposed of its interest in 10350 Barnes Canyon and 10120 Pacific Heights Drive, San Diego, CA. In December 2011, the Company disposed of interest in 2031 E. Mariposa Avenue, Los Angeles, CA.

The Company conducts substantially all of its operations through the Operating Partnership of which as of December 31, 2011, it owned a 97.2% general partnership interest. Kilroy Realty Finance, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is the sole general partner of the Finance Partnership. The Company conducts substantially all of its development activities through Kilroy Services, LLC (KSLLC), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Operating Partnership. Its wholly owned subsidiaries include Kilroy Realty TRS, Inc., Kilroy Realty Management, L.P., Kilroy RB, LLC, Kilroy RB II, LLC, Kilroy Realty Northside Drive, LLC and Kilroy Realty 303, LLC. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� tenants included Intuit, Inc., Bridgepoint Education, Inc., Delta Dental of California, AMN Healthcare, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company, Fish & Richardson P.C., Scripps Health and Epson America, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Real estate investment trust�Kilroy Realty� (NYSE: KRC  ) �announced yesterday�its second-quarter dividend of $0.35 per share, the same rate it's paid since 2009.

Best Electric Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Permian Basin Royalty Trust (PBT)

Permian Basin Royalty Trust (the Trust), incorporated in 1980, is an express trust. The Trust's principal assets are net overriding royalties conveyed to the Trust, including a 75% net overriding royalty carved out of Southland Royalty�� fee mineral interests in the Waddell Ranch in Crane County, Texas (the Waddell Ranch properties), and a 95% net overriding royalty carved out of Southland Royalty�� major producing royalty interests in Texas (the Texas Royalty properties). Bank of America, N.A. is the Trustee for the Trust.

Waddell Ranch Properties

The mineral interests in the Waddell Ranch, from which such net royalty interests are carved, vary from 37.5% (Trust net interest) to 50% (Trust net interest) in 78,715 gross (34,205 net) producing acres. A majority of the proved reserves are attributable to six fields: Dune, Sand Hills (Judkins), Sand Hills (McKnight), Sand Hills (Tubb), University-Waddell (Devonian) and Waddell. At December 31, 2012, the Waddell Ranch properties contained 889 gross (400 net) productive oil wells, 64 gross (30 net) productive gas wells and 177 gross (506 net) injection wells.

Burlington Oil & Gas Company LP (BROG) is the operator of the Waddell Ranch properties. As of December 31, 2012, six major fields on the Waddell Ranch properties account for more than 80% of the total production. In the six fields, there are 12 producing zones ranging in depth from 2,800 to 10,600 feet. Most prolific of these zones are the Grayburg and San Andres, which produce from depths between 2,800 and 3,400 feet. Also productive from the San Andres are the Sand Hills (Judkins) gas field and the Sand Hills (McKnight) oil field, the Dune (Grayburg/San Andres) oil field, and the Waddell (Grayburg/San Andres) oil field.

The Dune and Waddell oil fields are productive from both the Grayburg and San Andres formations. The Sand Hills (Tubb) oil fields produce from the Tubb formation at depths averaging 4,300 feet, and the University Waddell (Devo! nian) oil field is productive from the Devonian formation between 8,400 and 9,200 feet. The Waddell Ranch properties are producing properties, and all of the major oil fields are being waterflooded for the purpose of facilitating enhanced recovery. As of December 31, 2012, there were no drill wells and 13 workovers in progress on the Waddell Ranch properties.

Texas Royalty Properties

The Texas Royalty properties consist of royalty interests in mature producing oil fields, such as Yates, Wasson, Sand Hills, East Texas, Kelly-Snyder, Panhandle Regular, N. Cowden, Todd, Keystone, Kermit, McElroy, Howard-Glasscock, Seminole and others located in 33 counties across Texas. The Texas Royalty properties consist of approximately 125 separate royalty interests containing approximately 303,000 gross (approximately 51,000 net) producing acres.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By alicet236]

  According to GuruFocus list of 5-year lows, these Guru stocks have reached their 5-year lows: Hecla Mining Co, Comstock Resources Inc, Permian Basin Royalty Trust, and Volcano Corp.Hecla Mining Co (HL) Reached $2.18The prices of Hecla Mining Co (HL) shares have declined to $2.18, which is only 3.2% above the 5-year low of $2.11. It is now 81.7% off the 5-year high of $11.56. Hecla Mining Co is owned by 4 Gurus we are tracking. Among them, 3 have added to their positions during the past quarter. 3 reduced their positions. Hecla Mining Company, a Delaware corporation was establsihed in 1891. Hecla Mining Co has a market cap of $761.916 million; its shares were traded at around $2.18 with and P/S ratio of 1.63. The dividend yield of Hecla Mining Co stocks is 0.46%.Hecla Mining Co. reported revenues of $117.5 million and net loss of $14.4 million for its 2014 second quarter financial results. GuruFocus Guru Arnold Van Den Berg (Trades, Portfolio) kept his position in Hecla Mining Co unchanged. He owns 3,909,257 shares. Arnold Scheider sold out his holdings of HL.Sr. Vice President & CFO James A Sabala sold 200,000 shares of HL stock in August. VP - Corporate Development Don Poirier and Director Anthony P Taylor sold 64,099 shares of HL stock in July and August.Comstock Resources Inc (CRK) Reached $11.84The prices of Comstock Resources Inc (CRK) shares have declined to $11.84, which is only 9.6% above the 5-year low of $10.70. It is now 76.0% off the 5-year high of $44.52. Comstock Resources Inc is owned by 4 Gurus we are tracking. Among them, 1 have added to their positions during the past quarter. 3 reduced their positions. Comstock Resources, Inc. is a Nevada corporation. It is an energy company which acquires, explores, develops and produces oil and natural gas in the United States. Comstock Resources Inc has a market cap of $566.669 million; its shares were traded at around $11.84 with and P/S ratio of 1.07. The dividend yield of Comstock Resources Inc stock

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  Permian Basin Royalty Trust (PBT) is a royalty trust, meaning it pools together royalty rights for various energy-producing properties. �I prefer trusts that are widely diversified.� In this case, Permian holds a 75% net overriding royalty interest in six properties in Crane County, Texas; and a 95% net overriding royalty interest in fields spread across 33 other counties in Texas.� In total, we��e talking 400 oil wells, 30 gas wells, and 500 injection wells. �That�� plenty diversified.� Yeehaw for its 8.3% yield!

Best Electric Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ)

Mondelez International, Inc. (Mondelez International), formerly Kraft Foods Inc., incorporated on December 7, 2000, is a maker of chocolate, biscuits, gum, candy, coffee and powdered beverages. The Company consists of the global snacking and food brands. Mondelez International's portfolio includes several brands, such as Cadbury and Milka chocolate, Jacobs coffee, LU, Nabisco and Oreo biscuits, Tang powdered beverages and Trident gums. The Company�� products include chocolates, cookies, gums, beverages and crackers. Alpen Gold is a chocolate brand in Russia. Alpen Gold is available in chocolate bars, boxed chocolates and creamy, mouth-watering pralines. Its markets include Poland, Russia and Ukraine. Bubbaloo is a gum brand sold in more than 25 countries and three different continents, including India, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. Belvita are breakfast biscuits made with wholegrain, cereals and fiber. It is sold in Belgium, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.

The Cadbury Creme Egg brand is available annually from New Year�� Day to Easter Day. It is sold in Australia, Canada, New Zealand the United Kingdom and the United States. Carte Noire is the coffee brand in France. It is sold in France, Ireland, Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Chips Ahoy! cookies are chocolate chip cookies packed with chocolate chips. It is sold in Brazil, Canada, China, Ecuador, Mexico, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, the United States and Venezuela. Club Social is a cracker in Brazil and Latin America. The newest addition to the Club Social family is Club Social chips in Argentina, available in original, parmesano, and cream and onion flavors. Cote d'Or is a chocolate brand sold in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Middle East, Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Cadbury Dairy Milk is a milk chocolate bar sold in 33 countries, including Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and available in more than! 23 varieties, like fruit and nut, WholeNut, Snack, Caramello and Breakaway. Dentyne is a gum to aid in oral hygiene sold in Canada and the United States.

Cadbury Flake is chocolate bars sold in Australia, Egypt, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Gevalia brand offers more than 50 varieties of coffee and 20 choices of tea, and sold in the United States, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the United States. Grand Mere coffee brand is sold at France. Green & Black�� is a chocolate brand and also includes gift chocolates, ice cream, biscuits and hot beverages. Halls is sold as a cold relief product. Halls is used as a refreshing candy. Halls products are available in more than 26 flavors.

Hollywood gum is a chewing gum in France. Jacobs coffee is sold throughout Europe and the Middle East, and in Austria, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Ukraine. Jacobs is available in roast and ground, whole beans, soluble crystals, coffee pods and flavored mixes. Kenco coffee is a coffee brand sold in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Lacta is a chocolate in Brazil. It also includes Bis chocolate wafers, Sonho de Valsa pralines and Lacta white chocolate.

LU biscuits are available in 100 countries. Other international brands under the LU name include Petit Dejuener, Mikado, Pepito (Mini Stars), Cracotte, Ourson and Tuc. Milka is a European chocolate. Marabou is a chocolate brand in Sweden. Nabisco�� brands include cookies and crackers. Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs includes 12 varieties, such as Chips Ahoy! Thin Crisps, Oreo Thin Crisps, Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookie Crisps, Ritz Snack Mix, Planters Peanut Butter Cookie Crisps, Kraft Cheese Nips Thin Crisps, Wheat Thins Multigrain Chips, Ritz Chips, Honey Maid Cinnamon Thin Crisps, Mini Teddy Grahams Cinnamon Cubs, Alpha-Bits Mini Cookies and Barnum�� Animals Choco Crackers.

Nutter Butter are sandwich cookies sold in the United States. Nilla wafers include original, reduced-fat and mini wafers. Newtons! are whol! esome snack made with real fruit. It also offers Newtons Fruit Thins and Fruit Crisps. The Natural Confectionery Company is a candy product. Onko offers coffee mixes in cappuccino flavors.

Oreo is a milk favorite cookie. Oreo is available in many flavors and varieties, such as chocolate covered, wafers, pie crusts and soft snack cakes. Premium saltine crackers come in six varieties, including unsalted tops, original, fat-free, low-sodium, soup and oyster and multi-grain. Prince biscuits are available in more than eight countries, including Algeria, Austria, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain. Prince biscuits come in creme-filled sandwiches, rolls and chocolate-covered varieties.

Stimorol is a chewing gum brand in Northern Europe, as well as 40 other markets from Greenland to Fiji. Simmenthal is a canned meat in jelly. Simmenthal�� products include beef in jelly with chili and chicken in jelly with curry. Tang is available in more than 30 countries and is a powdered beverage. Tassimo is a hot beverage system, which helps in making coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cappuccino, espresso and lattes. Toblerone is a Swiss chocolate bar made with honey and almond nougat. Trakinas is a creme-filled sandwich cookie.

Trident is a chewing gum brand in the world. Triscuit varieties include original, reduced fat, cheddar, cracked pepper and olive oil, fire roasted tomato and olive oil, garden herb, deli-style rye, roasted garlic, thin crisps, and rosemary and olive oil. Wheat Thins are wheat crackers in a variety of flavors, including sundried tomato and basil, multigrain and parmesan basil.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  When shares of old Kraft stock broke into two components last fall, most investors expected the higher-growth Mondelez International (NASDAQ: MDLZ  ) global snacks business to be the more attractive segment of the two post-spinoff companies. Yet the North American grocery business that now trades as Kraft Foods Group (NASDAQ: KRFT  ) has shown surprising success as an independent company, and as it's turned out, shares of the new Kraft stock have done a lot better than Mondelez during the first nine months of their separate existence. Let's take a closer look at exactly how the new Kraft has done so well and what's in store for its stock going forward.

• [By Jarrod W. Jacinth]

  Mondelez International, Inc. (MDLZ) the snack food spin-off of Kraft Foods (KRFT) is a more suitable comparison. Coca-Cola is a beverage company but PepsiCo and Mondelez are both beverage and snack food companies.

Best Electric Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Delek US Holdings Inc. (DK)

Delek US Holdings, Inc. operates as an integrated downstream energy company that operates in petroleum refining, logistics, and convenience store retailing businesses. The company operates in three segments: Refining, Logistics, and Retail. The Refining segment owns and operates two refineries in Tyler, Texas, and El Dorado, Arkansas; and produces various petroleum-based products used in transportation and industrial markets. The Logistics segment gathers, transports, and stores crude oil, as well as markets, distributes, transports, and stores refined products. It also offers crude oil transportation services for terminalling and marketing services; and markets light products using third-party terminals. This segment owns approximately 400 miles of crude oil transportation pipelines, 123 miles of refined product pipelines, 600-mile crude oil gathering system, and associated crude oil storage tanks with an aggregate of approximately 2.6 million barrels of active shell capa city. The Logistics segment serves oil companies, independent refiners and marketers, jobbers, distributors, utility and transportation companies, and independent retail fuel operators. The Retail segment markets gasoline, diesel, and other refined petroleum products, as well as convenience merchandise. As of May 8, 2013, this segment operated 373 retail fuel and convenience stores under the MAPCO Express, MAPCO Mart, Discount Food Mart, Fast Food and Fuel, East Coast, Delta Express, and Favorite Markets brands. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. Delek US Holdings, Inc. is a subsidiary of Delek Petroleum Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  That said we are recommending a slight tactical shift toward more defensive posturing with a focus on lower beta names and companies that screen at a discount from a valuation perspective. As a result, we are
  downgrading [Delek US Holdings (DK)] and [Tesoro (TSO)] to Sector Perform and upgrading [Phillips 66] and [PBF Energy] to Sector Outperform.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Westlake also finds Western Refining (WNR) and�Delek US (DK) interesting, while upgrading�Calumet Specialty Products to Neutral from Underperform as “the themes which drove expected underperformance have now become more visible.”

Top 10 Information Technology Stocks To Watch Right Now

With shares of Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) trading around $20, is CSCO an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework.

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Cisco Systems designs, manufactures, and sells Internet protocol-based networking and other products related to communications, and provides services associated with these products and their use to information technology industries worldwide. The company provides a line of products for transporting data, voice, and video within buildings, across campuses, and around the world. Its products are designed to transform how people connect, communicate, and collaborate. Cisco operates in five segments: United States and Canada, European markets, emerging markets, Asia Pacific, and Japan.

Cisco Systems has cut its long-term forecast for both earnings and revenue amid a myriad of problems. The announcement was made at an analyst meeting on Thursday, Reuters reports. Cisco executives cut the company�� revenue growth prospects in the next three to five years from 5 to 7 percent to between 3 and 6 percent. The company said it expects its core network equipment business to stay flat during that time frame. Cisco hopes that increases in software, services, and security products will offset the drop in network equipment.

Best Income Stocks To Watch For 2015: Oil-Dri Corporation Of America(ODC)

Oil-Dri Corporation of America engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of sorbent products in the United States and internationally. The company offers cat litter products, including coarse and scoopable products under Cat?s Pride and Jonny Cat brands; industrial and automotive sorbent products comprising clay-based, polypropylene-based, and cotton-based sorbent products to absorb oil, grease, water, and chemical spills under the Oil-Dri brand; and bleaching clay and clarification aid products for bleaching, purification, and filtration applications under Pure-Flo, Perform, Select, and Ultra-Clear names. It also provides agricultural and horticultural products consisting of granular and powdered mineral absorbent products that are used as carriers for crop protection chemicals, agricultural drying agents, bulk processing aids, growing media components, and seed enhancement media under Agsorb, Verge, Flo-Fre, and Terra-Green brands. In addition, the company offers animal health and nutrition products, such as enterosorbent products and animal feed binders for the livestock industry under Calibrin, ConditionAde, Pel-Unite, and Pel-Unite Plus names; and sports products for use on baseball, football, and soccer fields under the Pro?s Choice brand. Its customers include mass merchandisers, wholesale clubs, drugstore chains, pet specialty retail outlets, dollar stores, retail grocery stores, distributors of industrial cleanup and automotive products, environmental service companies, and sports field product users; processors and refiners of edible oils, petroleum-based oils, and biodiesel fuel; manufacturers of animal feed and agricultural chemicals; and marketers of consumer products. Oil-Dri Corporation of America sells its products through sales force; food brokers; distributors, including industrial, auto parts, safety, sanitary supply, chemical, and paper distributors; and catalogs. The company was founded in 1941 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Oil-Dri Corp. of America (NYSE: ODC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 10 Information Technology Stocks To Watch Right Now: Customers Bancorp Inc (CUBI)

Customers Bancorp, Inc. (Customers Bancorp), incorporated in April 2010, through its wholly owned subsidiary Customers Bank (the Bank), provides financial products and services to small businesses, not-for-profits and consumers through its fourteen branches in Southeastern Pennsylvania (Bucks, Berks, Chester and Delaware Counties), Rye, New York (Westchester County) and Hamilton, New Jersey (Mercer County). Customers Bank also provides liquidity to the mortgage market worldwide through the operation of its mortgage warehouse business. As of December 31, 2011, Customers Bancorp had total assets of $2.08 billion, including net loans (including held for sale loans) of $1.50 billion, total deposits of $1.58 billion. The Company offers a range of banking products and financial services to its commercial and consumer customers in Suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Central New Jersey and Southeastern New York. It offers a range of lending products to cater to its customers��needs, including small business loans, mortgage warehouse loans, multi-family and commercial real estate loans, residential mortgage loans and consumer loans. It also offers traditional depository products, including commercial and consumer checking accounts, non-interest-bearing demand accounts, money market deposit accounts, savings accounts and time deposit accounts and cash management services. On September 17, 2011, Customers Bank became a wholly owned subsidiary of Customers Bancorp. On September 17, 2011, Customers Bancorp acquired Berkshire Bancorp, Inc. and its subsidiary Berkshire Bank. In May 2013, Customers Bancorp Inc merged with CMS Bancorp Inc.

Lending Activities

The Company focuses its lending efforts to the lending areas, such as commercial lending, which includes business, small business and multi-family and commercial real estate lending; specialty Lending, which include warehouse lending, and consumer lending, which include local market mortgage lending and home equity lending. It also pr! ovide warehouse financing worldwide and multi-family lending in the Mid-Atlantic States.

The Bank�� commercial lending is segmented into three groups, which include multi-family and commercial real estate, business banking and small business banking. The small business banking platform originates loans, including small business administration loans, through the branch network sales force and a team of dedicated small business relationship managers. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it originated and closed $121.5 million of multi-family loans commitments. As of December 31, 2011, it had $536.9 million in commercial loans outstanding, comprising approximately 35.3% of its total loan portfolio (which includes loans held for sale). During 2011, it originated and closed $167.7 million of commercial loans and commitments. As of December 31, 2011, loans in its warehouse lending portfolio, as well as loans held for sale totaled $794.3 million outstanding, comprising approximately 52.3% of its total loan portfolio (which includes loans held for sale). During the year ended December 31, 2011, it funded $7.7 billion of mortgage loans under warehouse facilities.

The Company offers a range of deposit products to its customers, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts and other deposit accounts, including fixed-rate, fixed-maturity retail time deposits ranging in terms from 30 days to five years, individual retirement accounts, and non-retail time deposits consisting of jumbo certificates greater than or equal to $100,000. As of December 31, 2011, its deposit portfolio was consisted of 54.9% of core deposits. Its financial products include Internet banking, wire transfers, electronic bill payment, lock box services, remote deposit capture services, courier services, merchant processing services, cash vault, controlled disbursements, positive pay and cash management services (including account reconciliation, collections and sweep accounts).

! Sources o! f Fund

The Company offers a range of deposit accounts, including checking, savings, money market and time deposits. Deposits are obtained primarily from its service area. As of December 31, 2011, the total deposits grew to $1.58 billion.

Investment Activities

The Company�� investment securities portfolio consists of United States Treasury, government agency and mortgage-backed securities (guaranteed by an agency of the United States government and non-agency guaranteed), municipal securities, domestic corporate debt, and asset-backed securities. In addition to generating revenue, it maintains the investment portfolio to manage interest rate risk, provide liquidity, provide collateral for other borrowings and diversify the credit risk of earning assets. As of December 31, 2011, $79.1 million of its investment securities were classified as available for sale (AFS). As of December 31, 2011, the fair value of its investment securities portfolio was approximately $409.9 million. As of December 31, 2011, it held $319.5 million of investment securities that were classified as held to maturity (HTM).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Wyomissing, Pa.-based Customers Bancorp (NASDAQ: CUBI  ) has a new CFO.

  On Tuesday, Customers Bancorp announced that Interim Chief Financial Officer James D. Hogan�intends to retire from the bank on Aug. 13. Replacing Hogan will be Robert E. Wahlman, a new hire from Doral Financial, who will join Customers initially in the post of executive vice president on Aug. 5, and then be promoted to permanent CFO on the 13th.

Top 10 Information Technology Stocks To Watch Right Now: Airbus Group NV (EADSF)

Airbus Group NV, known as European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV, is a Netherlands-based company active within the aerospace and defense sector. The Company manufactures aircrafts, helicopters, commercial space launch vehicles, missiles, satellites, defense systems and defense electronics, and offers services related to these activities. The Company oprates four divisions. The Airbus division comprises the Airbus Commercial and Airbus Military segments, which develop, manufacture, market and sell commercial jet aircrafts, military transport aircrafts and special mission aircrafts, among others. The Eurocopter division develops, markets and sells civil and military helicopters. The Astrium division develops, manufactures and sells satellites, orbital infrastructures and launchers, as well as provides space-related services. The Cassidian division develops, manufactures and sells missiles systems, military combat and training aircrafts, among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CNNMoney Staff]

  Shares in Airbus (EADSF) were rising by 5% in Europe after the firm reported better-than-expected quarterly results.

  Investors will also be focusing on developments in the pharmaceutical industry Tuesday. The American drug maker Pfizer (PFE, Fortune 500) wants to buy Britain's AstraZeneca (AZN) and both CEOs will appear before a U.K. parliamentary committee to answer questions about the potential takeover.

• [By Alanna Petroff]

  Airbus, part of the pan-European aerospace conglomerate EADS (EADSF), is hoping that all airlines will adopt the 18-inch standard for long-haul flights.

Top 10 Information Technology Stocks To Watch Right Now: First Financial Corporation Indiana(THFF)

First Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides various financial services. Its deposit products include interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing demand deposits, savings accounts, time deposits, and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial, financial, and agricultural loans; residential loans; and consumer loans. It also provides mortgage lending; lease financing; trust account and depositor services; and insurance services, such as property and casualty insurance, surety bonds, employee benefit plans, life insurance, and annuities. The company operates 54 branches in west-central Indiana and east-central Illinois. First Financial Corporation was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Doug Hughes]

  Doug Hughes: Sure, there is another one. The next one, the symbol would be (THFF). They're in Indiana, a very large bank. First Federal Financial Corporation. Again, their book value is $27.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  What do Prospect Capital Corporation (NASDAQ:PSEC), Astec Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTE), and First Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:THFF) have in common? Not much, on the surface. In fact, were it not for something very specific to one particular person (me), they'd have nothing in common at all. This week though, THFF, ASTE, and PSEC all have at least one thing in common, and that's the fact that they're all going into my mental/hypothetical portfolio.

Top 10 Information Technology Stocks To Watch Right Now: Nuverra Environmental Solutions Inc (NES)

Nuverra Environmental Solutions, Inc., formerly Heckmann Corporation, incorporated on May 29, 2007, provides environmental solutions to protect, enhance and advance environmental sustainability. Nuverra provides full-cycle environmental solutions to a national customer base consisting of two distinct end markets: Shale Solutions and Industrial Solutions.

The Company is focused on the removal, treatment, recycling, transportation and disposal of restricted solids, fluids and hydrocarbons for E&P customers. It also provides a one-stop-shop for energy recovery, re-refining and recycling of used motor oil and oily wastewater; plus a closed loop spent antifreeze program for retail, automotive and manufacturing customers. Nuverra specializes in providing environmentally compliant and sustainable solutions to a national footprint of customers.

Shale Solutions

Shale Solutions provides environmental solutions for unconventional oil and gas exploration and production, including the delivery, collection, treatment, recycle, and disposal of restricted environmental products used in the development of unconventional oil and natural gas fields. The Company operates in select shale areas in the United States, including the Marcellus/Utica, Eagle Ford, Bakken, Haynesville, Barnett, Permian, Mississippian Lime and Tuscaloosa Marine Shale areas. It serves customers seeking fresh water acquisition, temporary water transmission and storage, transportation, treatment or disposal of fresh water and complex water flows, such as flowback and produced brine water, in connection with shale oil and gas hydraulic fracturing drilling or hydrofracturing operations. The Company also transports fresh water for production and provides services for site preparation, water pit excavations and remediation.

Industrial Solutions

Industrial Solutions provides environmental and waste recycling solutions to its customers through collection and recycling services for waste prod! ucts, including UMO, which the Company processes and sells as RFO, oily water, spent antifreeze, used oil filters and parts washers, and provision of complementary environmental services for a diverse commercial and industrial customer base. Industrial Solutions operates a scalable network infrastructure of 34 processing facilities, approximately 385 tanker trucks, vacuum trucks and trailers and over 200 railcars. With a geographic presence in 19 states in the Western United States stretching from Washington to Texas, Industrial Solutions provides its services to a diverse range of more than 20,000 commercial and industrial customer locations.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Another asset that might be more valuable to a strategic acquirer is CONSOL's water division. The company owns a variety of water treatment assets used to process and recycle water for its coal and natural gas businesses. This business would be a nice strategic fit for a company like�Nuverra Environmental Solutions (NYSE: NES  ) . Nuverra has been consolidating water assets over the past few years, and therefore CONSOL's 102 wastewater treatment plants throughout Appalachia would go far in advancing Nuverra's commitment to protecting the environment by offering water solutions to producers. Furthermore, it would diversify its business into coal.

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Shares of Nuverra Environmental Solutions Inc. (NES) �fell 5.6% to $16.99 on moderate volume after the company announced it was selling its industrial solutions unit, Thermo Fluids Inc., to VeroLube for $175 million.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  One smart move that Kodiak has pursued is making improvements to its wastewater treatment infrastructure, especially by adding saltwater disposal injection wells of its own. Heckmann (NYSE: NES  ) and other outside providers have had great success providing water services to drilling companies, but by moving more of those services in-house, Kodiak has the potential to produce substantial savings.

Top 10 Information Technology Stocks To Watch Right Now: Excel Trust Inc (EXL)

Excel Trust, Inc., incorporated on December 15, 2009, is a vertically integrated, self-administered, self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company�� principal objective is to acquire, finance, develop, lease, own and manage value-oriented community and power centers, grocery anchored neighborhood centers and freestanding retail properties. The Company conducts all of its business through Excel Trust, L.P., a limited partnership, or its operating partnership. The Company operates through three reportable business segments: retail properties, multi-family properties and office properties. The multi-family segment consists of apartment units at one retail property, West Broad Village, which is located in Richmond, Virginia. The office segment consists of two properties, Excel Centre, a portion of which is utilized as its headquarters, and the Promenade Corporate Center. The Company is the sole general partner of its operating partnership. Excel Trust leases its properties to national and regional supermarket chains, big-box retailers and select national retailers that offer necessity and value oriented items and generate regular consumer traffic. In October 2012, the Company acquired six shopping centers. On January 24, 2013, the Company completed the acquisition of Tracy Pavilion, a retail shopping center with approximately 162,000 square feet of gross leasable area located in Tracy, California. In September 2013, the Company announced the sale of Grant Creek Town Center.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company owned a portfolio consisting of 30 retail properties totaling approximately 5.1 million square feet of gross leasable area, which were approximately 93.4% leased. The Company owns two commercial office properties, Excel Center, a portion of which is utilized as its corporate headquarters, and the Promenade Corporate Center. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had ownership interests in two unconsolidated retail properties totaling 225,113 square feet of gross leasable! area, which were approximately 65.5% leased.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Commercial and retail property owner-operator and real estate investment trust Excel Trust (EXL) raised its quarterly dividend 3% to 17.5 cents per share, payable on Jan. 15 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 31.
  EXL Dividend Yield: 6.04%
  

Top 10 Information Technology Stocks To Watch Right Now: Celanese Corporation (CE)

Celanese Corporation, a technology and specialty materials company, engages in manufacture and sale of value-added chemicals, thermoplastic polymers, and other chemical-based products. It operates through four business segments: Advanced Engineered Materials, Consumer Specialties, Industrial Specialties, and Acetyl Intermediates. The Advanced Engineered Materials segment offers specialty polymers for application in automotive, medical, and electronics products, as well as other consumer and industrial applications. The Consumer Specialties segment provides cellulose acetate flake, film, and tow that are primarily used in filter products applications; Sunett, a sweetener; and food protection ingredients, such as sorbates and sorbic acid for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. The Industrial Specialties segment produces emulsions and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) performance polymers. Its emulsions products are used in applications, such as paints and coatings, adhesives, construction, glass fiber, textiles, and paper; and EVA performance polymers are used in flexible packaging films, lamination film products, hot melt adhesives, medical products, automotive, carpeting and photovoltaic cells. The Acetyl Intermediates segment offers acetyl products, including acetic acid, vinyl acetate monomer, acetic anhydride, and acetate esters for use as starting materials for colorants, paints, adhesives, coatings, and medicines. It also provides organic solvents and intermediates for pharmaceutical, agricultural, and chemical products. The company offers its products directly, as well as through distributors and electronic marketplaces in North America, Europe, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and South America. Celanese Corporation was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Celanese (NYSE: CE  ) will have to pony up a significantly higher amount of money for its shareholder payouts. The company has declared a common stock dividend of $0.18 per share, to be paid on August 15 to shareholders of record as of August 5. That amount is exactly double the company's previous distribution of $0.09.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of chemical maker Celanese (NYSE: CE  ) jumped as much as 16% today after the company released earnings.

  So what: Revenue fell slightly in the first quarter, to $1.61 billion, but adjusted earnings per share jumped 44%, to $1.14. Revenue was in line with expectations, and earnings crushed the $0.79 that analysts expected.�

10 Best Specialty Retail Stocks To Invest In 2014

Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE:FL) plans to report financial results for its fourth quarter and full year ended February 1, 2014 before the U.S. markets open on Friday, March 7, 2014. A conference call is scheduled for the same day at 9:00 a.m. EST, during which the Company will discuss these results. The Company will also comment on the current status of its strategic initiatives and provide an initial outlook for 2014.�

Wall Street anticipates that the specialty retailer will earn $0.76 per share for the quarter, which $0.03 more than last year's profit of $0.73 per share. iStock expects FL to run past Wall Street's consensus number. The iEstimate is $0.80, four cents more than expected.

[Related -Foot Locker, Inc. (FL) Put Options Active As Stock Gets Stomped]

Meanwhile, Revenue is forecasted to climb by 2.8% in Q4 2013 versus Q4 2012. The consensus sales estimate is $1.76 billion with a range of $1.68 billion to $1.81 billion. Last year, Foot Locker earned $1.71 billion in the fourth quarter.

Hot New Stocks To Watch For 2015: Vitamin Shoppe Inc (VSI)

Vitamin Shoppe, Inc., incorporated on September 27, 2002, is a specialty retailer and direct marketer of vitamins, minerals, herbs, specialty supplements, sports nutrition and other health and wellness products. During the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company marketed over 400 different brands, as well as its own brands, which include Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech and True Athlete. The Company sells its products through two segments: retail and direct. In the Company's retail segment, the Company had a total of 286 new stores during the fiscal 2012. As of January 26, 2013, the Company operated 579 stores in 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Ontario, Canada, primarily located in high-traffic regional retail centers. In the Company's direct segment, the Company sells its products directly to consumers through the Internet, primarily at www.vitaminshoppe.com. On February 14, 2013, Vitamin Shoppe Mariner, Inc. acquired Super Supplements, Inc.

Retail

The Company's retail segment includes its retail store format. Its retail stores are is located in diverse geographic and demographic markets, ranging from urban locations in New York City, to suburban locations in Plantation, Florida and Manhattan Beach, California. As of January 26, 2013, the Company leased the property for all of its 579 stores. The Company's primary warehouse and distribution center and corporate headquarters are consolidated into a leased, 230,000 square-foot facility.

Products

The Company offers a selection of vitamins, minerals, herbs, homeopathic remedies, specialty supplements, such as fish oil, probiotics, glucosamine and Co Q10, sports nutrition, weight management, as well as natural bath and beauty, pet supplements and options for a healthy home. The Company's offers includes approximately 17,500 stock keeping units (SKUs) from over 400 brands. The Company offers products to its assortment in its Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech, True Athlete and O! ptimal Pet brands, which include products, such as Ultimate Man, Ultimate Women, Whey Tech Pro 24 and Natural Whey Protein. The Company also offers an assortment from national brands, such as Optimum Nutrition, USP Labs, Garden of Life, Cytosport, Nature's Way, Solaray and Solgar. This assortment is designed to provide the Company's customers with a selection of available product in order to help them achieve their health and wellness goals.

The vitamin and mineral product category includes multi-vitamins, which many consider to be a foundation of a healthy regimen, lettered vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C, D, E, and B-complex, along with trace minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc. Certain herbs can be taken to help support specific body systems, including ginkgo to support brain activity and milk thistle to help support liver function, as well as other less common herbs, such as holy basil for stress support and blood sugar control and black cohosh for menopause support. Herbal products include whole herbs, standardized extracts, herb combination formulas and teas.

Categories of specialty supplements include omega fatty acids, probiotics and condition specific formulas. Certain specialty supplements, such as organic greens, psyllium fiber and soy proteins, are taken for added support during various life stages. Folic acid is specifically useful during pregnancy. Super antioxidants, such as coenzyme Q-10, grapeseed extract and pycnogenol, are taken to address specific conditions. High ORAC (oxygen radical absorptive capacity) fruit concentrates like gogi, mangosteen, pomegranate and blueberry are taken to prevent oxygen radical damage. Other specialty supplement formulas are focused to support specific organs, biosystems and body functions. The Company offers approximately 3,000 SKUs in sports nutrition.

The Company's other category include natural beauty and personal care, diet and weight management supplements, natural pet food, and low carb foo! ds. Natur! al beauty and personal care products offer an alternative to traditional products that often contain synthetic and/or other ingredients that the Company's customers find objectionable. The Company offers approximately 3,000 SKUs for its other category. The Company's natural pet products include nutritionally balanced foods and snacks along with condition specific supplements such as glucosamine for joint health. Its variety of diet and weight management products range from low calorie bars, drinks and meal replacements to energy tablets, capsules and liquids.

The Company competes with Vitamin World, GNC, Whole Foods, Costco, Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Amazon.com, Puritan's Pride, Vitacost.com, Bodybuilding.com, Doctors Trust, Swanson and iHerb.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Barclays upgraded share s of Vitamin Shoppe (VSI) today, expressing a confidence in management that was, well, heartwarming.

  Barclays’ analysts Meredith Adler and Sean Kras call Vitamin Shoppe’s management team “thoughtful, deliberate and disciplined” and praise their ability to diversify the business. As a result, they upgraded Vitamin Shoppe to Overweight from Equal Weight two days after Vitamin Shoppe released its earnings.

  But Adler and Kras also spent a good number of words explaining what Vitamin Shoppe isn’t–specifically, it’s not GNC Holdings (GNC):

  [Vitamin Shoppe] said it saw no fundamental change in consumer demand, nor did it feel much pressure from the bad media reports about things like multi-vitamins and fish oil, unlike GNC. [Vitamin Shoppe] has a much broader offering than GNC, however, so weakness in any one category rarely has a major impact on�[Vitamin Shoppe's] overall sales the way it does at GNC. Conversely, it benefits less when there are few very successful products. For example, diet is a far smaller part of the sales mix at�[Vitamin Shoppe] than at GNC. Last year diet had some strong products, but this year there are fewer. GNC�� comps were stronger than�[Vitamin Shoppe's] last year, but we like the stability of�[Vitamin Shoppe's] business, especially in the current environment.

  Shares of Vitamin Shoppe have gained 1.8% to $43.42 at 3:24 p.m., while GNC has risen 0.8% to $37.43.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of the Vitamin Shoppe (NYSE: VSI  ) were looking under the weather today, falling as much as 10% after a disappointing earnings report.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Sales growth this last quarter was up only about 6%, but net income per share was up 21%. They pay a $0.60 dividend which gives them a dividend yield of 1.4%. Their cash flow yield is 4.6%, so they could easily raise their dividend. They are by far the leader in a very fragmented industry. I believe both [Vitamin Shoppe (NYSE: VSI  ) ] and GNC will do well and I think they may make a fair pairing in a portfolio. Stability versus growth.
  
  They do have $1.1 billion in debt. But they generate about $200 million in cash flow a year and they have $174 million in cash, so that shouldn't be a problem. Their cash flow is very high, so in my opinion, is reason enough to believe they will beat the S&P 500 over the next ten years.

10 Best Specialty Retail Stocks To Invest In 2014: Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (FINW)

Firstin Wireless Technology, Inc., formerly Passionate Pet, Inc., incorporated on September 30, 2010, is a mobile service provider. The Company is a software-based mobile service provider that enables enterprises and business users to make affordable and business-quality international long distance and roaming calls over its hybrid mobile VoIP (HY-mVoIPTM) technology. Its service does not replace a user�� existing wireless service, it augments it with global communication capabilities. The Company's application is free to download, and is available on Apple iPhone, Blackberry and Android smartphones.

The Company provides international long distance and roaming services to enterprises and business travelers over smartphones. Business users need to download the Firstin application onto their smartphones to allow them to place and receive international long distance and roaming calls from anywhere in the world for a fixed monthly fee and unlimited usage. The Company intends to revolutionize business mobile communications by spearheading the enterprise mobile VoIP revolution allowing for anywhere, anytime, business-quality and low-cost voice and data communications over smartphones.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Bonamour Inc (OTCBB: BONI), Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: FINW) and Microchannel Technologies Corp (OTCBB: MCTC) have been attracting attention from variosu investment newsletters lately with at least two of these stocks being the subject of paid promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions or investor relation types of activities as its up to investors and traders alike to do their due diligence. So how hot are these small cap stocks? Here is a quick reality check that might cool your appetite:

• [By Peter Graham]

  A look at SofTech, Inc�� financials reveals revenues of $1,375k (most recent reported quarter), $1,558k, $1,458k and $1,772k for the past four quarters along with net losses of $266k (most recent reported quarter), $51k and $14k and net income of $252k. At the end of August, SofTech, Inc had $828k in cash to cover $2,717k in current liabilities and $5,445k in total liabilities. Given the recent Asset Purchase Agreement and the deal with lenders, it would be good to wait for some more financials to see how SofTech, Inc�� balance sheet has improved.

  Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: FINW) Has Been Quiet Since February

  Small cap Firstin Wireless Technology is a mobile communications company that is leading the shift to the enterprise mobile VoIP revolution through its mobile telephony platform and apps, including a flagship Firstin solution that allows for anywhere, anytime mobile communications at significant cost reductions. On Friday, Firstin Wireless Technology closed at $0.255 for a market cap of $8.57 million plus FINW is down 3,087.5% over the past year and down 78.7% since August 2011 according to Google Finance.

10 Best Specialty Retail Stocks To Invest In 2014: Ulta Salon Cosmetics and Fragrance Inc (ULTA)

Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. (Ulta), incorporated on January 9, 1990, is a beauty retailer, which provides one-stop shopping for prestige, mass and salon products and salon services in the United States. During the year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2011), the Company opened 61 new stores. It operates full-service salons in all of its stores. Its Ulta store format includes an open and modern salon area with approximately eight to 10 stations. The entire salon area is approximately 950 square feet with a concierge desk, skin treatment room, semi-private shampoo and hair color processing areas. Each salon is a full-service salon offering hair cuts, hair coloring and permanent texture, with salons also providing facials and waxing.

The Company offers products in the categories, such as cosmetics, which includes products for the face, eyes, cheeks, lips and nails; haircare, which includes shampoos, conditioners, styling products, and hair accessories; salon styling tools, which includes hair dryers, curling irons and flat irons; skincare and bath and body, which includes products for the face, hands and body; fragrance for both men and women; private label, consisting of Ulta branded cosmetics, skincare, bath and body products and haircare, and other, including candles, home fragrance products and other miscellaneous health and beauty products. The Company has combined its three operating segments: retail stores, salon services and e-commerce, into one reportable segment.

The Company competes with Macy��, Nordstrom, Sephora, Bath & Body Works, CVS/pharmacy, Walgreens, Target, Wal-Mart, Regis Corp., Sally Beauty and JCPenney salons.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sara Hov]

  Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance (NASDAQ: ULTA  ) is the largest beauty retailer that provides one-stop shopping for prestige, mass market, and salon products and services in the U.S. Customers love its off-mall convenience and the great value it offers through discounts and its customer loyalty program, and Ulta is growing fast. Management thinks the company can go from about 450 stores now to 1,200 -- and the company is focused on its online sales platform, which is improving sales. At the helm is Ulta's new CEO, Mary Dillon, who has the retail and digital strategy chops to take the company to the next level. Find out more by watching the video below!

10 Best Specialty Retail Stocks To Invest In 2014: West Marine Inc (WMAR)

West Marine, Inc., incorporated in September 1993, is a specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories. The Company offers an assortment of merchandise for the boat and for the boater. It operates in three segments: Stores, Port Supply and Direct-to-Customer. The Company sells to both retail and wholesale customers in its Stores segment. In addition, the Company has three franchised stores in Turkey. The Company�� Port Supply segment is its wholesale segment. The Company�� Direct-to-Customer, which includes e-commerce, catalog and call center transactions. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Stores segment generated approximately 90% of its net revenues. During 2011, products shipped to Port Supply customers directly from its warehouses represented approximately 4% of its net revenues.

During 2011, its Direct Sales segment offered customers around the world more than 75,000 products and accounted for the remaining 6% of its net revenues. Private label products, which the Company sells under the West Marine, Black Tip, Third Reef, Pure Oceans, Lifesling, SeaVolt and Seafit brand names, usually are manufactured in Asia, the United States and Europe.

Stores Segment

During 2011, the Company opened six stores while closing 14 stores. In December 2011, it opened its Fort Lauderdale Boating Superstore, a 50,000 square foot flagship. Its flagship stores ranging in size from 21,000 to 50,000 square feet, offering an array of merchandise typically about 16,000 items, as well as displays designed to help customers make informed product selections. It also operates large format stores, standard-sized stores and smaller Express stores. Its large format stores range from 13,000 to 19,000 square feet and carry about 11,000 items. The standard-sized stores typically range from 6,000 to 12,000 square feet and carry over 6,000 items. Express stores typically range from 2,500 to 3,000 square feet and carry over 4,000 items, mainly hardware and other supplies needed! for day-to-day boat maintenance and repairs.

Port Supply Segment

Port Supply customers include businesses involved in boat sales, boat building, boat commissioning and repair, yacht chartering, marina operations and other boating-related activities. In addition, Port Supply sells to government and industrial customers who use its products for boating and non-boating purposes. Port Supply, the Company�� wholesale segment, serves wholesale customers seeking convenience and a larger assortment of products than those carried by typical distributors.

Direct-to-Customer Segment

The Company�� e-commerce Website provides its customers with access to a selection of approximately 75,000 products, product advisor tips and technical information, over 450 product videos and customer-submitted product reviews. This segment also provides customers with access to knowledgeable technical advisors who can assist its customers in understanding the various uses and applications of the products it sell. It operates a virtual call center from which its associates assist its customers by taking calls from their homes or from its support center in Watsonville, California. Its virtual call center supports sales generated through its e-commerce Website, catalogs and stores and provides customer service offerings.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Interactive Buyside]

  West Marine (Nasdaq: WMAR) is an undervalued retailer.  The company is going through a change in focus from a bricks and mortar boat product retailer to a fully integrated retail and wholesale business through bricks and clicks, targeting the boating and water enthusiast customer.   Recent results have been affected by a severe rainy and cool spring which hurt boat usage and delayed the start of the season.  The company has accelerated cash investments to build larger more productive stores and expand its ecommerce abilities, consequently affecting free cash flow short term.  The stock lacks sponsorship as there is only one research report written on the company by a small boutique firm.  The stock trades at only book value despite the company being the leading industry player with a solid balance sheet and significant net cash position. 

10 Best Specialty Retail Stocks To Invest In 2014: Puget Technologies Inc (PUGE)

PUGET TECHNOLOGIES, INC., incorporated on March 17, 2010, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in the distribution of luxury wool bedding sets produced in Germany. The Company�� product includes Lama Wool, Camel Wool, Cashmere Wool and Merino Wool.

The Company�� Lama Wool is consists of 50% Lama Wool hair, and 50% Merino wool hair. The Camel wool is consists of 50% Camel wool hair, and 50% Merino wool hair. The Cashmere wool is blended with Merino wool.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Inscor, Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA), Puget Technologies Inc (OTCBB: PUGE) and PTA Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: PTAH) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters or investor alerts. However, two of these small caps have been the subject of paid promotions while the third is getting attention largely because its in the growing marijuana or cannabis business. With that in mind, are these stocks really all that hot or not? Here is a quick reality check:

10 Best Specialty Retail Stocks To Invest In 2014: Vitacost.com Inc (VITC)

Vitacost.com, Inc. (Vitacost), incorporated in May 20, 1994, is an online retailer of health and wellness products, including dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals, herbs and other botanicals, amino acids and metabolites, as well as cosmetics, natural personal care products, pet products, sports nutrition and health foods. The Company sells these products directly to consumers primarily through its Website, www.vitacost.com. It offers its customers the selection of healthy living products. It offers its customers a selection of approximately 40,000 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), from over 2,000 third-party brands, such as New Chapter, Nature�� Way, Twinlab, Source Naturals, Jarrow Formulas, Jason, Desert Essence, Atkins, Bob�� Red Mill, BSN, Optimum Nutrition, USP Labs and MuscleTech in addition to its own brands: Vitacost, Cosmeceutical Sciences Institute (CSI), Best of All, and Smart Basics. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had approximately 2.1 million customers.

The Company offers products in a range of potency levels and dosage forms, such as tablets, capsules, vegi-capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids and powders. It offers products that encompass four main categories: Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and Supplements; Sports Nutrition; Beauty; and Natural and Organic Food.

Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and Supplements (VMHS)

VMHS products are taken to maintain or improve health and address specific health conditions. In its dietary supplements category, the Company offers its offer its Vitacost branded products as well as third-party brands such as Nature�� Way, Twinlab, Jarrow, Carlson and Rainbow Light. Vitamin and mineral products include multi-vitamins, lettered vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C, D, E and B-complex, along with minerals such as calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc.

Herbal products include whole herbs, standardized extracts, herb combination formulas and teas. Supplements include essential fatty acids, probiotics, anti-o! xidants, phytonutrients and condition-specific formulas.

Sports Nutrition

Sports nutrition products are used in conjunction with cardiovascular conditioning, weight training and sports activities. Major categories in sports nutrition include protein and weight gain powders, meal replacements, nutrition bars, sport drinks and pre and post-workout supplements. The Company offers bodybuilding and sports products from third parties, such as Optimum Nutrition, CytoSport and BSN as well as our Vitacost branded sports nutrition products.

Beauty

Natural care products consist of a variety of natural products for skin, body, hair and oral health. The Company offers hundreds of natural personal-care products from companies, such as JASON, and Kiss My Face, as well as its CSI-branded products. These products appeal to allergen-conscious and environmentally-conscious consumers seeking products that are made without harsh chemicals and additives.

Natural and Organic Food

Natural and organic food products consist of organic and specialty products such as organic peanut butter, gluten free foods and low mercury tuna and salmon. The Company offers third-party brands, such as Kashi, Eden Foods and Amy�� Organic, as well as its Best of All natural food products.

Under its Vitacost brand, the Company offers over 900 products including multivitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, anti-oxidants and others. Under its CSI brand, it markets and sells health and beauty products such as facial cleanser, facial and body moisturizing creams and lotions, and other beauty and skincare products. Under its Best of All brand, it markets and sells organic food products such as banana chips, trail mix, almonds, cashews and more. Under its Smart Basics brand, it markets and sells organic fruit juices and extracts and related dietary supplements. Under its Walker Diet brand, it markets and sells low carb powders used to assist in weight loss and ! managemen! t.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Margins matter. The more Vitacost.com (Nasdaq: VITC  ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Vitacost.com's competitive position could be.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Vitacost.com (Nasdaq: VITC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

10 Best Specialty Retail Stocks To Invest In 2014: Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage Inc (NGVC)

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc., incorporated on April 9, 2012, is a specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries and dietary supplements. The Company operates within the natural products retail industry. The Company offers products and brands, including a selection of natural and organic food, dietary supplements, body care products, pet care products and books.

The Company offers its customers an average of approximately 18,000 store-keeping units (SKUs) of natural and organic products per store, including an average of approximately 7,000 SKU of dietary supplements. As of June 30, 2012, the Company operated 55 stores in 11 states, including Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as a bulk food repackaging facility and distribution center in Colorado. The size of its stores varies from 5,000 selling square feet to 14,500 selling square feet, and a new store averages 9,500 selling square feet.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Mamos]

  The Fresh Market Inc. (Nasdaq: TFM), Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc. (NYSE: NGVC), and privately held Trader Joe's are others crowding into the field.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE: NGVC) and mid cap Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (NASDAQ: SFM) are taking aim at natural and organic foods supermarket giant Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM), but do either of these stocks have what it takes to take on the the king of organic retailing? Whole Foods Market was founded in Austin way back in 1978 by a�twenty-five year old college dropout and a twenty-one year old�at a time when there were only a handful of natural or organic�supermarkets in the country. Today, Whole Foods Market�has 364 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom���which are sometimes referred to as ��hole Wallet��r ��hole Paycheck��given how much it costs to shop there.

Top 10 Gold Companies To Own In Right Now

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Citigroup (C) is shaping up to be one of the more polarizing stocks going into the fourth quarter earnings season, which gets under way next week.

On Monday, Citi got a pair of price target hikes from two veteran analysts. Sandler O'Neill's Jeff Harte and Barclays Capital's Jason Goldberg. Goldberg also hiked target prices on other big banks, including Wells Fargo (WFC), US Bancorp (USB), Bank of America (BAC), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), while lifting both his recommendation and price target on Huntington Bancshares (HBAN). Harte, on the other hand, just focused on Citi.

Harte raised his target on Citigroup to $60 from $56, while Goldberg upped his target to $60 from $58, according to Bloomberg data. The accompanying reports could not be obtained. Citigroup shares were up by 0.75% to $53.80 in early trading on Monday, while shares of other big banks, including JPMorgan and Bank of America showed similar gains.

Best Bank Companies To Watch In Right Now: CME Group Inc.(CME)

CME Group Inc. operates the CME, CBOT, NYMEX, and COMEX regulatory exchanges worldwide. The company provides a range of products available across various asset classes, including futures and options on interest rates, equity indexes, energy, agricultural commodities, metals, foreign exchange, weather, and real estate. It offers various products that provide a means of hedging, speculation, and asset allocation relating to the risks associated with interest rate sensitive instruments, equity ownership, changes in the value of foreign currency, credit risk, and changes in the prices of commodities. CME Group owns and operates clearing house, CME Clearing, which provides clearing and settlement services for exchange-traded contracts and counter derivatives transactions; and also engages in real estate operations. Its primary trade execution facilities consist of its CME Globex electronic trading platform and open outcry trading floors, as well as privately negotiated transact ions that are cleared and settled through its clearing house. In addition, the company offers market data services comprising live quotes, delayed quotes, market reports, and historical data services, as well as involves in index services business. CME Group?s customer base includes professional traders, financial institutions, institutional and individual investors, corporations, manufacturers, producers, and governments. It has strategic partnerships with BM&FBOVESPA S.A., Bursa Malaysia Derivatives, Singapore Exchange Limited, Green Exchange, Dubai Mercantile Exchange, Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, S.A.B. de C.V., as well as joint venture agreement with Dow Jones & Company. The company was formerly known as Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. and changed its name to CME Group Inc. in July 2007. CME Group was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Leading the charge higher is CME Group (NASDAQ: CME  ) , which advanced 3.3% after exploring a possible sale of its New York Mercantile Exchange building. CME has considered leasing back a portion of the building to run its energy trading operations out of, or it may just move those operations to another building in Manhattan altogether. This announcement also comes on the heels of news that Treasury futures volume hit an all-time record yesterday. With CME looking for ways to maximize shareholder value in an otherwise tepid trading environment, I'd call today's move encouraging.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Nasdaq OMX Group (NDAQ) have dropped 3% to $35.84 at 2:42 p.m. today, while IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) has fallen 2.1% to $193.69 and CME Group (CME) is off 2% at $72.53.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  We still have many key oil and energy companies reporting in the week ahead but we have now seen the sector leaders report earnings. Earnings previews have been prepared for the following stocks:

  CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) Hertz Global Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HTZ) Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) Office Depot Inc. (NYSE: ODP) and OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) American Water Works Company Inc. (NYSE: AWK) Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE: DUK) QUALCOMM Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFM) Groupon Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN) Molycorp Inc. (NYSE: MCP) The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) Priceline.com Inc. (NASDAQ: PCLN) The Wendy’s Company (NYSE: WEN)

  CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) reports earnings on Monday morning. With all of the exchange mergers of the last decade this remains one of the dominant exchanges. Estimates are $0.73 EPS and $713.3 million in revenue. Keep in mind that this exchange is now worth $25 billion. At $74.70, the consensus analyst price target is only just barely higher at almost $75.50.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Among exchanges, the action is beyond the stock market. With the rise in trading of futures, options, and other derivative investments, NYSE Euronext's ownership of the NYSE Liffe exchange in London was a key element of ICE's interest. CME Group (NASDAQ: CME  ) and CBOE Holdings (NASDAQ: CBOE  ) have worked hard to preserve their respective strength in futures and options, and rising market turbulence has made many of their products look a lot more enticing. Given that derivatives can help hedge market risk and reduce overall exposure, all of the exchange companies have an opportunity to bolster their presence in the derivatives market with innovative products that meet the new needs investors have in a more turbulent financial environment.

Top 10 Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: Iamgold Corporation(IAG)

IAMGOLD Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral resource properties worldwide. It primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, copper, niobium, diamonds, and other metals. The company holds interests in eight operating gold mines, a niobium producer, a diamond royalty, and exploration and development projects located in Africa and the Americas. Its advanced exploration and development projects include the Westwood project in Canada; and the Quimsacocha project, which consists of 3 mining concessions covering an aggregate area of approximately 8,030 hectares in Ecuador. The company was formerly known as IAMGOLD International African Mining Gold Corporation and changed its name to IAMGOLD Corporation in June 1997. IAMGOLD Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Elsewhere, losers were few and far between, but many gold stocks remained under pressure as the yellow metal only managed a modest bounce after yesterday's plunge. In particular, major producer Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX  ) and gold miner IAMGOLD (NYSE: IAG  ) fell between 4% and 5%. Both companies were on the list of holdings of billionaire hedge fund investor John Paulson's gold fund as of Dec. 31, and with rumors circulating that Paulson may have to liquidate positions to handle coming redemption requests, the stocks that he reportedly owns could see further selling pressure even if gold bullion prices rise.

Top 10 Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: NEW GOLD INC.(NGD)

New Gold Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation of mineral properties. The company primarily explore for gold, silver, and copper deposits. Its operating properties include the Mesquite gold mine in the United States; the Cerro San Pedro gold-silver mine in Mexico; and the Peak gold-copper mine in Australia. The company also has development projects, including the New Afton gold, silver, and copper project in Canada; and a 30% interest in the El Morro copper-gold project in Chile. The company was formerly known as DRC Resources Corporation and changed its name to New Gold Inc. in June 2005. New Gold Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  On an adjusted basis, Eldorado Gold (EGO) has the longest reserve/resource life amongst our coverage companies (39 years) with Goldcorp (GG) having the longest reserve/resource life (23 years) amongst the senior producers versus the group average of 22 years. Kinross Gold (KGC) and Iamgold (IAG) have the shortest adjusted reserve/resource lives amongst the senior and mid-tier producers (18 and 14 years respectively). On a percentage basis, the companies most affected by the adjustment are New Gold (NGD) and Iamgold which both saw reserve/resource lives fall by 47% however, we note that despite the adjustment,�New Gold still has the second longest reserve/resource life in our group (37 years). Newmont Mining was the least affected by the adjustments with reserve/resource life declining by only 12% to 22 years from 25 years.

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  New Gold Inc. (NSYEMKT: NGD) completed its takeover of Rainy River Resources back in October. New Gold got 4 million ounces in a good jurisdiction (Ontario) and paid less than book value.

Top 10 Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: Sibanye Gold Ltd (SBGL)

Sibanye Gold Limited (Sibanye Gold), formerly GFI Mining South Africa (Pty) Limited, incorporated on December 12, 2002, is a producer of gold in South Africa. Sibanye Gold is primarily engaged in underground and surface gold mining and related activities, including extraction, and processing. Sibanye Gold�� operations are located in South Africa. Its principal mining operations include Kloof-Driefontein Complex (KDC) and Beatrix. Exploration activities are focused on the extension of existing ore bodies and identification of new ore bodies at existing sites. As of January 10, 2013, Sibanye Gold mined only gold, with silver as a by-product.

KDC Operation

The KDC mine is located in the Gauteng Province of South Africa in the Far West Rand mining district, some 60 kilometers southwest of Johannesburg. KDC consists of the Driefontein and Kloof mines. As of January 10, 2013, KDC is consisted of 13 producing shaft systems that mine different contributions from pillars and open ground and five gold plants of which two process mainly underground ore and three process mainly surface material. Driefontein is situated some 70 kilometers west of Johannesburg. Kloof is situated in the Magisterial District of Westonaria, some 60 kilometers west of Johannesburg.

Beatrix Operation

The Beatrix operation is located in the Free State Province of South Africa, some 240 kilometers southwest of Johannesburg, near Welkom and Virginia, and consists of the Beatrix mine. Beatrix operates under mining rights covering a total area of approximately 16 800 hectares. As of January 10, 2013, Beatrix had four shaft systems, with five ventilation shafts to provide additional up-cast and down-cast ventilation capacity and is serviced by two metallurgical plants. It is a shallow to intermediate-depth mining operation, at depths between 700 meters and 2 200 meters below surface. The mine has a refrigeration and cooling infrastructure in both its North and West Sections. Beatrix is man! aged as three operational sections: the North Section (consists of Shaft No. 3), the South Section (consists of Shaft No. 2 and Shaft No. 1) and the West Section (consists of Shaft No. 4).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Gold: This industry rose 0.65% by 10:25 am ET. The top performer in this industry was Sibanye Gold (NYSE: SBGL), which gained 4.9%. Gold futures fell 0.17% to trade at $1,216.70 an ounce.

Top 10 Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: Pershing Gold Corp (PGLC)

Pershing Gold Corporation, incorporated on August 2, 2007, is a gold and precious metals exploration company. The Company is pursuing exploration and development opportunities primarily in Nevada. It is focused on exploration at its Relief Canyon properties in Pershing County in northwestern Nevada. None of the Company�� properties contain proven and probable reserves, and all of its activities on all of its properties are exploratory in nature. The Company seeks properties with known mineralization that are in an advanced stage of exploration and have previously undergone some drilling but are under-explored. It is focused on exploration of the Relief Canyon properties, recommissioning the Relief Canyon gold processing facility and, if economically feasible, commencing mining at the Relief Canyon Mine.

Relief Canyon Mine Property

The Company�� Relief Canyon properties totals approximately 25,000 acres and consists of approximately 940 owned unpatented mining claims, 120 owned millsite claims, 170 leased unpatented mining claims, and leased and subleased private lands. The Company drilled 44 holes for approximately 28,500 feet in 2013. This drilling was on land adjacent to the current deposit and focused on extending and upgrading the existing deposit. In January 2013 the Company reported 32,541,000 tons of mineralized material at an average grade of 0.017 ounces of gold per ton and a cut-off grade of 0.0046 ounces of gold per ton.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ValueInvestor7]

  I listen to investing advice from self-made billionaire investors, and I try to ignore advice from everyone else. I suspect readers on this website will appreciate this, where thankfully the Focus is still Gurus. To this end, I bring you the instructive story of Pershing Gold Corp (PGLC) and Levon Resources (TSE: LVN) (LVNVF).

Top 10 Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: First Majestic Silver Corp.(AG)

First Majestic Silver Corp. engages in the production, development, exploration, and acquisition of mineral properties with a focus on silver in Mexico. The company owns interests in La Encantada Silver Mine comprising 4,076 hectares of mining rights and 1,343 hectares of surface land located in Coahuila; La Parrilla Silver Mine consisting of mining concessions covering an area of 69,867 hectares; and San Martin Silver Mine comprising approximately 7,841 hectares of mineral rights and approximately 1,300 hectares of surface land rights located in Jalisco. It also holds interests in Del Toro Silver Mine consisting of 393 contiguous hectares of mining claims and an additional 129 hectares of surface rights located in Zacatecas; Real de Catorce Silver Project comprising 22 mining concessions covering 6,327 hectares located in San Luis Potosi state; and Jalisco Group of Properties consisting of mining claims totalling 5,240 hectares located in Jalisco. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Zacks]

  Originally posted here...

    Most Popular Earnings Expectations For The Week Of July 14: Big Banks, Tech Giants And More GT Advanced Technologies Down Sharply On iPhone Production Concerns UPDATE: Barclays Upgrades Apple, Has High Expectations For Near Term Perrigo Rumored To Be On Block; 'Market Source' Sees 25% Premium 9 IPOs To Watch For This Week
• [By Doug Ehrman]

  It is no secret that precious metals companies have been taking a pounding for some time now. The SPDR Gold Trust (NYSEMKT: GLD  ) and iShares Silver Trust (NYSEMKT: SLV  ) , the gold and silver ETFs, have been hard hit and operating companies like First Majestic (NYSE: AG  ) and Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX  ) have been hit even harder. Through all of these struggles, and in some cases because of them, one precious metals company continues to look attractive for the long term: Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) .

• [By Lisa Levin] Related AG Morning Market Losers First Majestic Silver (AG) in Focus: Stock Rises 5.9% - Tale of the Tape Related ARCI Top 4 Stocks In The Electronics Stores Industry With The Highest ROE Morning Market Movers

  The Dow jumped 0.77% to 17,074.40, while the NASDAQ composite index rose 0.47% to 4,436.25. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 0.53% to 1,978.08.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  First Majestic Silver (NYSE: AG) is estimated to post its Q1 earnings at $0.10 per share on revenue of $63.35 million.

  Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE: RDY) is expected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.52 per share.

Top 10 Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc.(TC)

Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in mining, milling, processing, and marketing molybdenum products in the United States and Canada. The company?s principal properties include the Thompson Creek Mine and mill in Idaho; a metallurgical roasting facility in Langeloth, Pennsylvania; and a joint venture interest in the Endako Mine, mill, and roasting facility in British Columbia. It also holds interests in development projects comprising the Davidson molybdenum property and the Berg copper-molybdenum-silver property located in northern British Columbia; the Howard?s Pass property, a lead and zinc project situated in the Yukon territory-northwest territories border; and the Maze Lake property, a gold project located in the Kivalliq district of Nunavut. The company produces molybdenum products, primarily molybdic oxide and ferromolybdenum, as well as soluble technical oxide, pure molybdenum tri-oxide, and high purity molybdenum disulfide. As o f December 31, 2010, its consolidated recoverable proven and probable ore reserves totaled 462.2 million pounds of contained molybdenum in the Thompson Creek Mine and the Endako Mine. The company was formerly known as Blue Pearl Mining Ltd. and changed its name to Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. in May 2007. Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. is based in Denver, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Monday morning, the basic materials sector proved to be a source of strength for the market. Leading the sector was strength from AK Steel Holding (NYSE: AKS) and Thompson Creek Metals Company (NYSE: TC).

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Top losers in the sector included Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE: CLF), down 4 percent, and Thompson Creek Metals Company (NYSE: TC), off 3 percent.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Thompson Creek Metals Co. Inc. (NYSE: TC) was at 54% discount to its book value of $8.30 per share at the time, and the stock price of $3.90 is up from $3.03 Deutsche Bank’s team nailed upside of more than 28% here. Its price target was $4 at the time versus a consensus target of $4.50 at the time. The 52-week range here is $2.42 to $4.55, but we would point out that the consensus price target is $3.93.