Top Managed Healthcare Companies To Invest In 2015

Top Managed Healthcare Companies To Invest In 2015: EMS Seven Seas ASA (EMS)

EMS Seven Seas ASA, formerly known as Eitzen Maritime Services ASA, is a Norway-based company active in the shipping industry. It is operational through two divisions: Ship Management and Ship Supply, servicing clients within the military, merchant, fisheries, offshore and cruise market segments. The Ship Management (and Insurance) unit provides technical management, crewing, newbuilding and project consultancy services, ship agency services and marine insurance brokering. It has its main operations in the Baltic, Russia, India and Singapore. Ship Supply provides provisions, duty free products, stores, spares and marine products and equipment to the merchant marine, offshore, fishing fleet, military and cruise market. This segment operates in Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Djibouti and Singapore. Eitzen Maritime Services ASA is active internationally through its subsidiaries. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By victorselva]

  In a macro view, revenues in the electronic equipment and instrument sub-industry will remain strong due to the rise in equipment and instrument manufacturers. Distributors, electronic manufacturing service (EMS) companies and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) are going to increase orders as the economy improves in the future. With this promising outlook, let's take a look at Gabelli麓s last trade and try to explain to investors the reasons of this appealing investment opportunity.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-managed-healthcare-companies-to-invest-in-2015.html

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014

Sallie Krawcheck, who used to run wealth management operations for Bank of America-Merrill Lynch (BAC) and Citigroup Smith Barney (C), says bank earnings are being hit — and hit hard — by government fines.

With the announcement that JPMorgan (JPM) had reached a $13 billion settlement over mortgage-backed securities early on Tuesday, Krawcheck was asked by Bloomberg TV when regulators might feel that “enough is enough.”

“Probably not yet, is the answer,” she said.

In her mind, the more important issue is what other banks will pay going forward for similar settlements, if regulators have “started to look at this as a source of revenue, a source of fines.”

It’s essentially become “a tax on excess earnings,” Krawcheck explained. “It really does raise the question of the [bank’s] underlying earnings power.”

For investors, she advises them to “think pretty hard about what these returns are” and what the major bank’s return on equity is. “You have some CEOs talking about 18, 19 and 20 % ROEs. That is a hard thing to think about … particularly coming out of this year.”

Top 5 Defense Companies To Buy For 2015: National Bank of Greece SA (NBGA)

National Bank of Greece SA (the Bank) is a Greece-based financial institution. It provides a range of financial services including retail and commercial banking, asset management, brokerage, investment banking, insurance and real estate at a global level. Its segments are: Retail Banking, which mainly offers different types of loans, deposits and investment products; Corporate and Investment Banking, which includes financial and investment advisory services, deposit accounts, loans, foreighn exchange and trade service activities; Global Markets and Asset Management, which includes all treasury activities, private banking, asset management, custody services, private equity and brokerage; Insurance; International Banking Operations; Turkish Banking Operations, as well as Other. In September 2013, state-owned Hellenic Financial Stability Fund acquired an 84.39% interest in the Company. On December 30, 2013, it sold a 66% of its subsidiary National Pangaea REIC to Invel Real Estate II BV. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By codyeustice1@google]

  National Bank of Greece (ETE),(NBGA),(NBG) is a Greece global banking and financial service company with its headquarters in Athens, Greece. The bank offers financial products, and services, brokerage, insurance, asset management, shipping finance, leasing and factoring markets. It was founded by Swiss banker Jean-Gabriel Eynard and George Starvros in 1841 as a commerical bank. From its inception until the establishment of the Bank of Greece in 1928, it had the right to issue banknotes. The bank listed on the Athens Stock Exchange right after its founding in the 1880s.

• [By cody56]

  National Bank of Greece (ETE),(NBGA),(NBG) is a global banking and financial service company with its headquarters in Athens, Greece. The bank offers financial products, and services, brokerage, insurance, asset management, shipping finance, leasing and factoring markets. It was founded by Swiss banker Jean-Gabriel Eynard and George Starvros in 1841 as a commerical bank. From its inception until the establishment of the Bank of Greece in 1928, it had the right to issue banknotes. The bank listed on the Athens Stock Exchange right after its founding in the 1880s.

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014: Technip (TEC)

Technip, formerly known as Technip SA, is a France-based company that is engaged in project management, engineering and construction for the energy industry, and holds a portfolio of solutions and technologies. The Company operates in three segments: Subsea, Onshore and Offshore. Its main markets include onshore plants, offshore platforms and subsea construction. The Company is present in around 48 countries, and had industrial assets on continents and operates a fleet of vessels for pipeline installation and subsea construction. It operates several subsidiaries, such as AETech, EPD, Subocean group and Front End Re, among others. On August 31, 2012, the Company announced the completion of the Stone & Webster process technologies and associated oil and gas engineering capabilities acquisition from The Shaw Group Inc. In March 13, 2013, it acquired Ingenium AS, an offshore engineering and services company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Technip SA (TEC) sank 15 percent, its biggest weekly retreat in more than two years after third-quarter profit missed the average analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg. The oilfield-services provider also cut full-year forecasts for the operating margin and sales at its subsea unit, meaning total sales will miss an earlier target of as much as 9.5 billion euros.

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014: Ultrapar Participacoes S.A. (UGP)

Ultrapar Holdings Inc. operates in the petrochemical and chemical sectors. The company operates in four segments: Gas Distribution, Fuel Distribution, Chemicals, and Storage. It distributes both bottled and bulk liquefied petroleum gas for residential, commercial, and industrial customers through approximately 58 points of sales; a network of 4,700 independent retailers; and independent dealers, as well as through its own retail stores. The company also distributes diesel, gasoline, ethanol, natural gas for vehicles, fuel oil, kerosene, lubricants, and greases directly to customers, as well as through a network of service stations. As of December 31, 2012, it operated 6,460 service stations under the Ipiranga brand. In addition, the company produces and markets various chemical and petrochemical products, including ethylene oxide, ethylene glycols, ethanolamines, glycol ethers, and methyl-ethyl-ketone for chemical companies, and surface coating and polyester producers; and fatty-alcohols and related by-products, as well as specialty chemicals that are used as surfactants, softeners, dispersants, emulsifiers, and hydraulic fluids for industrial and commercial enterprises. Its chemical products are used in a range of industrial sectors, such as cosmetics, detergents, crop protection chemicals, polyester, packaging, textiles, coatings, and oil industry. Further, the company stores and handles liquid bulk, including chemicals, fuels, and vegetable oil; and offers ship loading and unloading services, as well as engages in the operation of pipelines, logistics programming, and installation engineering. Ultrapar Holdings Inc. offers its products and services primarily in Mexico, Venezuela, Uruguay, and the United States. The company was founded in 1937 and is headquartered in S茫o Paulo, Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, Brazilian liquefied petroleum gas distributor Ultrapar Holdings (NYSE: UGP  ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

5 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014: SG Spirit Gold Inc (SG&A)

SG Spirit Gold Inc. (SG Spirit Gold) is an exploration-stage company. As of December 31, 2011, SG Spirit Gold is focused on the acquisition and subsequent development of the Buchans Property and Bobby's Pond property located in Central Newfoundland. As of December 31, 2011, the Company has 100% interest in approximately 46,000 hectares of mineral tenure in southern BC. PJX Resources Inc. The Buchans area properties contain 512 claims totaling 13,433 hectares, including the former producing Buchans Mine - one of Canada's base metal mines, which produced 16.2 million tons between 1928 and 1984, grading 14.51% zinc, 1.33% copper, 7.56% lead, 126 gram/ton silver and 1.37 gram/ton gold. The Daniel's Pond is located within the Tulks North property, in the same mineral belt as Messina Minerals' Boomerang deposit. Bobby's Pond is located 20 kilometers west by road from Teck's Duck Pond mine. It has several properties within the Hughes Range of the western Rocky Mountains. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Magic Diligence]

  Kraft inserts the valuation effects of its pension plans directly into its income statement, embedded within the cost of sales and selling, general and administrative (SG&A) line items. This has a significant effect on operating earnings and earnings per share, effects which most screeners do not (and can not) take into account.

Hot Japanese Companies To Invest In 2015

Hot Japanese Companies To Invest In 2015: Ruth's Hospitality Group Inc.(RUTH)

Ruth?s Hospitality Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates restaurants in the United States and internationally. It operates the Ruth?s Chris Steak House, Mitchell?s Fish Market, Columbus Fish Market, Mitchell?s Steakhouse, and Cameron?s Steakhouse restaurant concepts in the full-service dining industry. The company?s restaurants cater to families, special occasion diners, and business clientele. As of December 27, 2009, it owned or operated 152 restaurants, including 64 company-owned Ruth?s Chris Steak House Company restaurants, 66 Ruth?s Chris Steak House franchise restaurants, 19 company-owned Mitchell?s Fish Markets, and 3 company-owned Mitchell?s Steakhouse restaurants. The company was formerly known as Ruth?s Chris Steak House, Inc. and changed its name to Ruth?s Hospitality Group, Inc. in February 2008. Ruth?s Hospitality Group, Inc. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Heathrow, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  AP, Rockstar GamesGrand Theft Auto V has been a big winner for Take-Two Interactive. When it releases its earnings this week, we'll find out just how big. You can never know in advance all the news that will move the market in a given week, but some things you can see coming. From earnings reports out of Apple to a deal on burritos on Halloween, here are some of the items that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street. Monday -- An Apple a Day: Last Tuesday Apple (AAPL) had the ear of consumers as it introduced new iPads, iMacs, and an updated operating system. Monday afternoon it will be time to sway investors with its fiscal fourth quarter report. Apple is still the top dog in consumer electronics, but iPad, iPod, and Mac sales have been slipping lately. Apple's iPhone is the only product category growing, and the en! d result is that analysts see flat revenue growth at Apple on declining profitability. Apple's quarter ended with the welcome news that it had sold 9 million iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c devices in their initial weekend of availability. Now it's time to see if it was enough to save Apple's quarter. Tuesday -- Game On: After years of sluggish sales the video game console industry showed signs of life last month. Take-Two Interactive's (TTWO) Grand Theft Auto V was a smashing success, helping push the industry to a rare monthly gain. Things will get even more interesting next month when the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 hit the market. The market will get a good read on the state of the industry on Tuesday as Take-Two Interactive and the larger Electronic Arts (EA) report fresh earnings. It may be too early for either company to have reliable projections on how the new consoles will fare, but any insight would be incremental at this point. Wednesday -- Face to Facebook: One of last year's most prolific IPOs was Facebook (FB). The leading social networking website operator went public at $38, but a few months later the stock was -- like th

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of Ruth's Hospitality Group (NASDAQ: RUTH  ) were making investors feel at home today, gaining as much as 14% after topping estimates, and announcing a quarterly dividend in its report today.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-japanese-companies-to-invest-in-2015-2.html

Best Biotech Stocks To Own For 2014

Biotech can be a scary industry to invest in, but it gets a lot less intimidating if you understand what's going on; reading this guide to biotech investing for beginners is a good start.

Lesson 1: Binary events rule.
I think this is what attracts beginners to invest in biotechs. Or rather the result of positive binary events, which can result in an overnight doubling or tripling of the share price.

Binary events come in three flavors.

First, a drugmaker will have clinical trial results that can drive a stock higher. Depending on the indication, phase 2 or phase 3 trials usually produce the largest gains. Exceptional data in a phase 1 trial can create an increase in value, but most investors aren't expecting much, either way, from the early trials.

Amarin (NASDAQ: AMRN  ) , for example, nearly doubled after announcing data for a phase 3 trial testing its lipid-lowering drug, Vascepa. While investors expected the drug to lower triglyceride levels, they got a nice surprise when the drug also lowered bad LDL cholesterol, especially since its direct competitor, GlaxoSmithKline's (NYSE: GSK  ) Lovaza, increases bad cholesterol.

Top 10 Semiconductor Companies To Buy For 2015: Organovo Holdings Inc (ONVO)

Organovo Holdings, Inc. (Organovo), formerly Real Estate Restoration & Rental, Inc., incorporated in 2007, is a development-stage company. The Company has developed and is commercializing a platform technology for the generation of three-dimensional (3D) human tissues that can be employed in drug discovery and development, biological research, and as therapeutic implants for the treatment of damaged or degenerating tissues and organs. On December 28, 2011, Real Estate Restoration and Rental, Inc.�� (RERR) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, pursuant to which RERR merged with its, wholly owned subsidiary, Organovo (Merger Sub). On February 8, 2012, the Company merged with and into Organovo Acquisition Corp. (Acquisition Corp.), a wholly owned subsidiary of Organovo, with the Company surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Organovo Holdings (the Merger). As a result of the Merger, Organovo acquired the business of Organovo, Inc.

The Company has collaborative research agreements with Pfizer, Inc. (Pfizer) and United Therapeutic Corporation (Unither). As of March 31, 2012, it has five federal grants, including Small Business Innovation Research grants and developed the NovoGen MMX Bioprinter (its first-generation 3D bioprinter). The Company is engaged in the development of specific 3D human tissues to aid Pfizer in discovery of therapies in two areas of interest. In addition, in October 2011, it entered into a research agreement with Unither to establish and conduct a research program to discover treatments for pulmonary hypertension using its NovoGen MMX Bioprinter technology. Additionally, under the research agreement with Unither, the Company granted Unither an option to acquire from the Company a worldwide, royalty-bearing license in certain intellectual property created under the research agreement solely for use in the treatment or prevention of pulmonary hypertension and all other lung diseases.

The Company�� NovoGen MMX Bioprinter is an automate! d device that enables the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) living tissues comprised of mammalian cells. A custom graphic user interface (GUI) facilitates the 3D design and execution of scripts that direct precision movement of the dispensing heads to deposit cellular building blocks (bio-ink) or supporting hydrogel. The Company is using a third party manufacturer, Invetech Pty., of Melbourne, Australia, to manufacture its NovoGen MMX Bioprinter. Its bioprinting technology and surrounding intellectual property and commercial rights serve as a platform for product generation across multiple markets that employ cell- and tissue-based products and services.

The Company competes with Organogenesis, Advanced BioHealing, Tengion, Genzyme, HumaCyte and Cytograft Tissue Engineering.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Stocks on the Move: Sprint Corp. (NYSE: S) is up 8.2% at $7.95 even though the firm�� service was ranked last in new Consumer Reports survey. Voxeljet AG (NYSE: VJET) is down 13.8% at $33.82, the third day in a row the stock has been hit with double-digit losses. Organovo Holdings In. (NASDAQ: ONVO) is up 11.5% at $8.86 after getting beaten up in the 3D printing debacle yesterday.

Best Biotech Stocks To Own For 2014: TESARO Inc (TSRO)

TESARO, Inc. (TESARO), incorporated in March 2010, is a development-stage, oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company for cancer patients. The Company focuses on rolapitant and TSR-011 product. The Company�� marketed products and product candidates in development treat cancer through non-specific damage to cellular components or alter cell metabolism or internal repair mechanisms to the demise of cancer cells.

Rolapitant

Rolapitant is a potent and long-acting neurokinin-1, or NK-1, receptor antagonist is in Phase III clinical trials for the prevention of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). It is in Phase III clinical trials. CINV, if not prevented by prophylaxis, has the potential to afflict up to 90% or more of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, depending upon the type of chemotherapy administered the dosing schedule of the chemotherapy, and the patients' age and gender, among other predisposing factors. Prolonged nausea and vomiting may result in unwanted weight loss, dehydration and malnutrition, as well as hospitalization. The Company has in-licensed the rights to rolapitant from OPKO Health, Inc.

TSR-011

TSR-011 is an orally available ALK inhibitor in preclinical development. ALK is known to be involved in certain types of cancers, including subsets of NSCLC, neuroblastoma and lymphoma. For patients in these subsets, the ALK gene is fused to an activating partner or contains point mutations, resulting in constitutive activation of ALK and the growth of cancer cells and tumor development. Inhibition of ALK in these cancer cells results in cell death and tumor growth inhibition or regression. In August 2011, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the first ALK inhibitor, developed by Pfizer Inc., Xalkori (crizotinib), which was approved for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC that are ALK positive.

The Company competes with GlaxoSmithKline plc, Roche Holding Ltd! . and Sanofi S.A.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Tesaro (NASDAQ: TSRO  ) is also up today after announcing that it established a partnership with clinicians to run the phase 3 development of its PARP inhibitor, niraparib. The trial will enroll about 300 breast cancer patients with BRCA mutations, comparing niraparib to investigators' choice of other breast cancer treatments.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, biopharmaceutical company TESARO (NASDAQ: TSRO  ) has received the dreaded one-star ranking.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Positive response
  Clovis wasn't the only company to bring good news about an ovarian cancer drug to ASCO. TESARO� (NASDAQ: TSRO  ) announced phase 1 results for�niraparib. Shares of the biotech jumped 16% for the week.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading UP
  Tesaro (NASDAQ: TSRO) shares shot up 18.28 percent to $28.40 after the company reported successful primary and secondary endpoints in final Phase 3 trial for rolapitant.

Best Biotech Stocks To Own For 2014: Tauriga Sciences Inc (TAUG)

Tauriga Sciences, Inc., formerly Immunovative, Inc., incorporated on April 18, 2001, is a development-stage company. The Company along with Constellation Diagnostics, Inc. (Constellation) focuses on establishing a joint venture partnership to develop and commercialize a imaging-based diagnostic technology for use in predictive and preventative oncology.

The Company has rights to commercialize AlloStim and AlloVax. As of March 31, 2013 the Company did not have any revenues.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap health care or personal care stocks Axxess Pharma Inc (OTCMKTS: AXXE), Radiant Creations Group Inc (OTCBB: RCGP) and Tauriga Sciences Inc (OTCMKTS: TAUG) have recently been attracting attention in various investment newsletters or in investor alerts. Some of the attention may have to do with paid promotions that two of these small caps have been the subject of. So how healthy are these three small cap health care or personal care orientated stocks? Here is a checkup:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap marijuana stocks IMD Companies Inc (OTCMKTS: ICBU), Tauriga Sciences Inc (OTCMKTS: TAUG), ML Capital Group Inc (OTCBB: MLCG) and Lexaria Corp (OTCMKTS: LXRP) are aiming to give investors a high with their latest news. However, only one of these small cap marijuana stocks appears to be the subject of minor paid promotion or investor relations type of activities. So will investors and traders alike get a high off of these small caps? Here is a quick reality check:

Best Biotech Stocks To Own For 2014: Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc (ORMP)

Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc., incorporated on March 10, 2011, is a development-stage pharmaceutical company. The Company is engaged in the research and development of pharmaceutical solutions, including an orally ingestible insulin capsule or tablet to be used for the treatment of individuals with diabetes, use of orally ingestible capsules, tablets or pills for delivery of other polypeptides. The Company owns oral dosage form drug portfolio, it is, on an on-going basis, considering in-licensing and other means of obtaining additional technologies to complement and/or expand the product portfolio. The Company�� products include ORMD-0801 - Oral Insulin Capsule and ORMD-0901 - Oral Exenatide.

The Company focuses to conduct research and development on the technology covered by the patent application Methods and Composition for Oral Administration of Proteins. Through its research and development efforts, it focuses to develop an oral dosage form that will withstand the chemical environment of the stomach and intestines and will be effective in delivering active insulin for the treatment of diabetes. It intends to conduct the clinical trials to file an Investigational New Drug (IND), application with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It also focuses to conduct research and development by deploying its drug delivery technology for the delivery of other polypeptides in addition to insulin, and to develop other pharmaceutical products.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Oramed Pharmaceuticals (ORMP) has dropped 19% to $12.11 after the company said it would sell nearly 1.6 million shares of stock for $10 a share.

  BP plc (BP) has fallen 0.7% to $47.24 after a U.S. judge refused its request to revise the way damages from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are calculated.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Oramed Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ORMP) shares moved up 15.68% to $17.85. The volume of Oramed Pharmaceuticals shares traded was 971% higher than normal. Oramed received patent allowance in Israel, Australia for platform technology in oral delivery of proteins.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Oramed Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ORMP) shares moved up 21.26% to $14.20. The volume of Oramed Pharmaceuticals shares traded was 621% higher than normal. Oramed shares have jumped 187.01% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 28.75% in the same period.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Financial advisors can be good or bad, and there are ways of zeroing in on the better folks among them. That's well worth doing, but it's also good to remember that we need to be wary of bad financial advice -- because it may be coming at us not only from professional advisors, but also from well-meaning friends, neighbors, and relatives, or from financial books or gurus on TV.

Here are a few examples of bad financial advice. The list is far from comprehensive, though, so be sure to keep your critical thinking cap on when you tend to financial matters.

1. In addition to the home you live in, buy another and rent it out to collect income and build home equity. This can work well for some people, but it's far easier said than done, and is not a good idea for many. Being a landlord involves a lot more than you may have imagined, such as dealing with empty and income-less properties at times, dealing with troublesome tenants, having to make expensive repairs, and not always being able to sell when you want to for a price you want.

5 Best Machinery Stocks For 2015: FirstMerit Corporation(FMER)

FirstMerit Corporation operates as the bank holding company for FirstMerit Bank, N.A. that provides a range of banking, fiduciary, financial, insurance, and investment services to corporate, institutional, and individual customers in northern and central Ohio, and western Pennsylvania. The company?s commercial business offers commercial term loans, revolving credit arrangements, asset-based lending, leasing, commercial mortgages, real estate construction lending, letters of credit, cash management services, and other depository products. Its retail business provides various financial products and services, including consumer direct and indirect installment loans, debit and credit cards, debit gift cards, residential mortgage loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, fixed and variable annuities, and ATM network services, as well as deposit products comprising checking, savings, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company?s wealth business provides a sset management, private banking, financial planning, estate settlement and administration, and credit and deposit products and services. FirstMerit Corporation also offers trust and investment services, including personal trust and planning, and investment management; retirement plan services; retail mutual funds, other securities, variable and fixed annuities, personal disability and life insurance products, and brokerage services; and private banking services, including credit, deposit, and asset management solutions. As of December 31, 2009, it operated a network of 160 full service banking offices and 182 ATMs. The company was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Akron, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  The year ahead should be a great one for the smaller bank stocks. Larger regionals like Huntington Bancorp (HBAN) and Capital Ban Financial (CBF) have made it clear they intend to grow by acquisition in the years ahead. Banks like First Merit (FMER) and First Merchants (FRME) have done deals in the past year and are open to doing more to increase their market share and footprints. This should be the year the floodgates open and we see the first wave of merger activity in small banks.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Invest In Right Now: iShares North American Tech-Multimedia Networking ETF (IGN)

iShares S&P North American Technology-Multimedia Networking Index Fund (the Fund), formerly iShares S&P GSTI Networking Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, as represented by the S&P North American Technology-Multimedia Networking Index. The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index.

The Index includes companies that are producers of telecom equipment, data networking and wireless equipment. The Index has been developed as an equity benchmark for United States-traded multimedia networking stocks.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Mid cap networking solutions company Brocade Communications Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: BRCD) has pretty much been a sleeper for investors since the dot.com bust, but that has changed over the past year���meaning its worth revisiting the stock along with potential performance benchmarks�like QLogic Corporation (NASDAQ: QLGC), Emulex Corporation (NYSE: ELX) and iShares North American Tech-Multimedia Networking ETF (NYSEARCA: IGN). I should mention that we have recently Brocade Communications Systems to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio because the company has successfully transitioned from being a hardware company to supporting virtual networks via software and it continues to offer best-of-breed technology.

• [By John Udovich]

  Mid cap telco equipment stock Alcatel Lucent SA (NYSE: ALU) is up 205.9% since the start of the year for a much better performance�verses peers or benchmarks like Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) or the iShares North American Tech-Multimedia Networking ETF (NYSEARCA: IGN)���meaning its probably worth taking a closer look at the stock as its been producing plenty of good news for a change.�I should note that we have recently added�Alcatel Lucent SA to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio as a�technical based trade because we think shares will continue higher on speculation�about an�improved global footprint�for this leading mobile data network provider.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Nuveen Diversified Commodity Fund (CFD)

Nuveen Diversified Commodity Fund (the Fund) is an actively-managed, exchange-traded commodity pool. The Fund�� investment objective is to generate higher risk-adjusted total return than commodity market benchmarks, specifically the Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Index (DJ-UBSCI) and the S&P GSCI Commodity Index (GSCI), and passively managed commodity funds. The Fund will invest all of its assets in a diversified portfolio of commodity futures and forward contracts pursuant to Tangible Asset Program (TAP), an actively managed, collateralized, long-only, rules-based commodity investment strategy. TAP is designed to maintain consistent, collateralized exposure to commodities as an asset class. The Fund�� manager is Nuveen Commodities Asset Management, LLC. Gresham Investment Management LLC is the commodity subadvisor of the Fund. Wilmington Trust Company is the Trustee of the Fund. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Nuveen Diversified Commodity Fund (CFD)

  Over the past week there were two insiders making buys into Nuveen Diversified Commodity Fund.� These insiders are Vice President William Adams and Independent Committee Member Harry Short, and they made their buys as the price has fallen to a record low.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Invest In Right Now: EMC Insurance Group Inc. (EMCI)

EMC Insurance Group Inc., an insurance holding company, engages in property and casualty insurance, and reinsurance activities. It operates in two segments, Property and Casualty Insurance, and Reinsurance. The Property and Casualty Insurance segment writes commercial and personal lines of insurance with a focus on medium-sized commercial accounts. Its commercial lines of insurance products comprise automobile, property, workers� compensation, and liability, as well as other products that provide protection against burglary and theft loss, aircraft, marine, and other types of losses; and personal lines of insurance products include automobile, property, and liability. The Reinsurance segment provides reinsurance for other insurers and reinsurers. The company serves small to medium-sized businesses, institutions, and individual consumers. EMC Insurance Group Inc. sells its products through independent insurance agents. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered i n Des Moines, Iowa. EMC Insurance Group Inc. is a subsidiary of Employers Mutual Casualty Company.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Caroline Bennett]

  EMC Insurance (NASDAQ: EMCI  ) this week declared plans to keep its quarterly dividend payout steady at $0.21 per share of common stock.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund (JFR)

Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund is a closed-end management investment company. The Fund invests primarily in senior loans whose interest rates float or adjust periodically based on a benchmark interest rate index. Under normal market circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its managed assets in adjustable rate secured senior loans and adjustable rate unsecured senior loans, which unsecured senior loans will be, at the time of investment, investment grade quality. In addition, at least 65% of the Funds assets will be invested in senior loans that are secured by claims on specific collateral. Nuveen Asset Management is the advisor of the Fund. The sectors covered by the portfolio include media, hotels, restaurants and leisure, healthcare providers and service, chemicals, United States of America, containers/packaging and other.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Dowdee]

  The following 10 funds satisfied all of these conditions:

  BlackRock Float Rate Strategies (FRA). This CEF sells at a discount of 3%, which is low compared to an average premium of 2% over the past year. The distribution has been managed at 6.1% and a small amount (less than 10%) has been return of capital (ROC). However, this has not negatively affected net asset value (NAV) so has not been destructive. The fund holds 447 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. FRA utilizes 27% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.7%, including interest payments. Eaton Vance Floating Rate (EFR). This CEF sells at a 1% premium, which is low compared to an average premium of 5% over the past year. The distribution is 6.2%, none of which was ROC. The fund holds 800 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. About 85% of the securities are from U.S. companies. EFR utilizes 35% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.8% including interest payments. ING Prime Rate Trust (PPR). This CEF sells for a premium of 2%, which is below the average premium of 5%. It has a distribution of 6.8%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 350 holdings, virtually all in senior loans and from US companies. PPR utilizes 29% leverage and has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Dynamic Credit Opportunities (VTA). This CEF sells for a discount of 5%, which is below the average discount of 1%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 495 holdings, with 76% in floating rate loans. About 25% of the loans are from non-US companies. VTA utilizes a relatively low 20% leverage but still has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Senior Income (VVR). This CEF sells for a discount of 1%, which is below the average premium of 3%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has over 500 holdings, with 89% in floating rate loans. Almost all (95%) securities are from US companies. VVR ut

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Invest In Right Now: The NASDAQ OMX Group Inc.(NDAQ)

The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. provides trading, clearing, exchange technology, securities listing, and public company services worldwide. It offers trading across various asset classes, including cash equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products, and exchange traded funds; capital formation solutions; financial services and exchanges technology; market data products; and financial indexes, as well as clearing, settlement, and depository services. The company also provides broker services comprising technology and customized securities administration solutions, such as back-office systems to financial participants. In addition, it offers global listing services; technology solutions for trading, clearing, settlement, and information dissemination; and facility management integration, surveillance solutions, and advisory services, as well as develops and licenses NASDAQ OMX branded indexes, associated derivatives, and financial products. As of December 31, 2010 , a total of 2,778 companies listed securities on The NASDAQ Stock Market. The NASDAQ OMX Group supports the operations of approximately 70 exchanges, clearing organizations, and central securities depositories. The company was formerly known as The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. and changed its name to The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. in February 2008. The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. was founded in 1971 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Do you remember the Flash Crash? NASDAQ OMX Group (NASDAQ: NDAQ) is proving yet again why there still needs to be some human control and interaction over the vast numbers of shares trading each day. The only good news is that this is not the same sort of halt from a Flash Crash.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Capital City Bank Group(CCBG)

Capital City Bank Group, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Capital City Bank that provides commercial and retail banking products and services. Its deposit products include negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, money market accounts, checking and savings accounts, and time deposits. The company offers financing for commercial business properties, equipment, inventories, and accounts receivable, as well as commercial leasing and letters of credit; commercial and residential real estate lending; retail credit products, including personal loans, automobile loans, boat/recreational vehicle loans, home equity loans, and credit card programs; and tax-exempt loans, lines of credit, and term loans. It also provides treasury management services, merchant credit card transaction processing services, automated teller machines (ATMs), debit/credit cards, night deposit services, safe deposit facilities, PC/Internet banking, and mobile banking services. In addition, the c ompany offers asset management, trust, mortgage banking, merchant services, and data processing services, as well as securities brokerage services, including U.S. government bonds, tax-free municipal bonds, stocks, mutual funds, unit investment trusts, annuities, life insurance, and long-term health care. It serves individuals, corporations, and other business clients, including commercial developers and investors, residential builders and developers, community developers, state and local governments, public schools and colleges, charities, and membership and not-for-profit associations. As of January 27, 2012, the company operated 70 banking offices and 79 ATMs in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Capital City Bank Group, Inc. was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. Avg. High Yield Price
  2. 20-Year DCF Price
  3. Avg. P/E Price
  4. Graham Number
  
  CTBI is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 53.5% premium to its calculated fair value of $29.43. CTBI did not earn any Stars in this section.
  
  Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. Free Cash Flow Payout
  2. Debt To Total Capital
  3. Key Metrics
  4. Dividend Growth Rate
  5. Years of Div. Growth
  6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%
  
  CTBI earned one Star in this section for 1.) above. A Star was earned since the Free Cash Flow payout ratio was less than 60% and there were no negative Free Cash Flows over the last 10 years. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1988 and has increased its dividend payments for 33 consecutive years.
  
  Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. NPV MMA Diff.
  2. Years to > MMA
  
  The negative NPV MMA Diff. means that on a NPV basis the dividend earnings from an investment in CTBI would be less than a similar amount invested in MMA earning a 20-year average rate of 3.41%. If CTBI grows its dividend at 1.5% per year, it will never equal a MMA yielding an estimated 20-year average rate of 3.41%.
  
  Memberships and Peers: CTBI is, a member of the Broad Dividend Achieve

Top 5 Rising Stocks To Watch Right Now

Former Countrywide leaders Angelo Mozilo and David Sambol. �Source: Company annual report.

Countrywide Financial and its former, now-vilified CEO Angelo Mozilo are synonymous with the greed and fall from grace associated with the financial crisis.

After�Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) took a $2 billion preferred stake in the nation's largest mortgage originator in the summer of 2007 and before B of A ultimately acquired the company outright, Mozilo sat down with CNBC's Maria Bartiromo for an interview riddled with irony, delusions, and surprisingly, prophecy. Following is the clip, as well as time stamps marking such comments.

0:11: Bartiromo mentions that she and Mozilo are sitting on Countrywide's trading floor. Many forget that Countrywide had aggressively expanded its capital markets segment during the height of the leveraged excess.

0:29: Mozilo acknowledges that Bank of America initiated the discussion and contacted them.�

5 Best India Stocks To Own Right Now: United Bankshares Inc.(UBSI)

United Bankshares, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides commercial and retail banking services and products in the United States. Its deposit products include checking, savings, time, and money market deposit accounts; demand deposits, statement and special savings, and NOW accounts; and variable and fixed-term money market accounts and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan products portfolio comprises personal, commercial, floor plan, and student loans; construction and real estate loans; and consumer loans, including credit card and home equity loans. It also offers individual retirement accounts, safe deposit boxes, wire transfers, credit card, and other banking products and services. In addition, the company offers trust services; and services to correspondent banks, such as check clearing, safekeeping, and the buying and selling of federal funds. The company?s nonbank subsidiaries engage in other community banking services, such as asset management, real p roperty title insurance, investment banking, financial planning, and brokerage services. United Bankshares operates 112 full service offices in West Virginia, Virginia, Northern Virginia, Maryland, southeastern Ohio, and Washington, D.C. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Charleston, West Virginia-based bank holding company United Bancshares (UBSI) raised its quarterly dividend 3.2% to 32 cents per share, payable April 1 to shareholders of record as of March 14. The increase represents the 40th consecutive annual dividend increase by UBSI.
  UBSI Dividend Yield: 4.30%

• [By Rich Duprey]

  United Bancshares� (NASDAQ: UBSI  ) �announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.31 per share, the same rate it's paid for the last six quarters.

Top 5 Rising Stocks To Watch Right Now: Euro/Yen(EJ)

E-House (China) Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates as a real estate services company in China. It provides primary real estate agency services, secondary real estate brokerage services, real estate information and consulting services, real estate advertising services, real estate promotional event services, real estate online services, and real estate investment fund management services. The company offers primary real estate agency services to real estate developers. Its secondary real estate brokerage services include offering advisory services on choices of properties; accompanying potential buyers on house viewing trips; drafting purchase contracts; negotiating price and other terms; and providing preliminary proof of title, as well as coordinating with the notary, the bank, and the title transfer agency. The company also provides real estate information services comprising data subscription services and data integration services; and real estate cons ulting services, including land acquisition consulting, development consulting, marketing consulting, and comprehensive solution consulting. In addition, it offers real estate advertising services consisting of advertising design and sales in print and other media; and real estate promotional event services, including securing venues, hiring caters and other various service providers, formulating event themes, and inviting speakers and guests for real estate promotional events. Further, the company provides real estate online services, including real estate news, information, property data, and access to online communities to real estate consumers and participants through local Web sites; and involves in real estate investment fund management activities that consist of investments in China?s real estate sector. E-House (China) Holdings Limited was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One under-$10 name that's quickly pushing within range of triggering a big breakout trade is E-House China (EJ), which is engaged in providing real estate agency and brokerage services in the primary and secondary markets and real estate consulting and information services in the People's Republic of China. This stock is off to a monster start in 2013, with shares up sharply by 131%.

  If you take a look at the chart for E-House China, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways and consolidating for the last month and change, with shares moving between $8.35 on the downside and $10.24 on the upside. Shares of EJ are starting to spike sharply higher today right above that $8.35 low, and this stock is now quickly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent range.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in EJ if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $9.74 to $10.19 a share, and then once it clears its 52-week high at $10.24 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.11 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then EJ will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory above $10.24, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $13 to $15 a share.

  Traders can look to buy EJ off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support at $8.35 a share, or around its 50-day moving average at $7.96 a share. One can also buy EJ off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Belinda Cao]

  E-House China Holdings Ltd. (EJ), a real estate brokerage, gained 9.2 percent to $9.70, extending it advance to a third week. Its American depositary receipts retreated 3.1 percent Sept. 20 from the highest level since May 2011.

• [By Richard Schmidt]

  Shares of e-House Holdings Limited (EJ) finally came to life in the last five months of last year. They cooled off in January, but moved back up in February.

Top 5 Rising Stocks To Watch Right Now: LKQ Corp (LKQ)

LKQ Corporation (LKQ) provides replacement parts, components and systems needed to repair vehicles (cars and trucks). The Company operates in four segments: Wholesale-North America, Wholesale-Europe, Self Service and Heavy-Duty Truck. Buyers of vehicle replacement products have the option to purchase from primarily five sources: new products produced by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), which are known as OEM products; new products produced by companies other than the OEMs, which are sometimes referred to as aftermarket products; recycled products originally produced by OEMs, which it refers to as recycled products; used products that have been refurbished; and used products that have been remanufactured. October 1, 2011, it acquired Euro Car Parts Holdings Limited (ECP). On May 27, 2011, it acquired AkzoNobel Coatings Inc.'s paint distribution business consisting of 40 locations across the United States. In February 2012, the Company announced that it had acquired Pieces Automobiles Lecavalier IncEffective August 6, 2013, LKQ Corp acquired Premier Paints Ltd, a manufacturer of motor vehicle parts, form Iris Coatings Ltd, and concurrently, LKQ acquired Bee Bee Refinishing Supplies Halstead, JCA Coatings, Milton Keynes Paint & Equipment and Sinemaster Motor Factors Ltd.

The Company distributes a variety of products to collision and mechanical repair shops, including aftermarket collision and mechanical products, recycled collision and mechanical products, refurbished collision replacement products such as wheels, bumper covers and lights, and remanufactured engines. Collectively, it refers to its products as alternative parts. The Company is a provider of alternative vehicle collision replacement products, and a provider of alternative vehicle mechanical replacement products. Its sales, processing, and distribution facilities reach markets in the United States and Canada. In addition to its wholesale operations, it operates self service retail facilities that sell recycled automotiv! e products. The Company also sells recycled heavy-duty truck products and used heavy-duty trucks.

The Company obtains its aftermarket inventory from auto parts manufacturers and distributors based in the United States, Taiwan, Europe and China. The Company procures recycled automotive products mainly by purchasing salvage vehicles, typically severely damaged by collisions and primarily sold at salvage auctions or pools, and then dismantling and inventorying the parts. The refurbished and remanufactured products that it sells, such as wheels, bumper covers, lights and engines, originate from Companyparts from the salvage vehicles bought at auctions, parts received in trade at collision shops purchasing replacement products from the, and damaged parts bought through bulk purchases from core sales companies that collect damaged parts. The majority of our products and services are sold to collision repair shops, also known as body shops, and mechanical repair shops.

WHOLESALE AUTO PRODUCTS-NORTH AMERICA

The Company�� wholesale automobile product operations in North America are organized by geographic regions serving the United States and Canada that sell all four product types to collision and mechanical automobile repair businesses. As of December 31, 2011, these wholesale operations conducted business from more than 290 facilities. its aftermarket product operations may include a combination of sales, warehousing and distribution, and in many cases will be co-located with its refurbishing operations. Its salvage operation typically has processing, sales, distribution and administrative operations on site, indoor and outdoor storage areas, and include a warehouse with multiple bays to dismantle vehicles.

The Company�� 2011, sales included more than 86,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) of aftermarket collision products and repair materials for the models of domestic and foreign automobiles and light trucks. Its aftermarket product types consist of thos! e frequen! tly damaged in collisions, including automotive body panels, bumper covers and lights. The Company distributes paint and other materials used in repairing damaged vehicles, including sandpaper, abrasives, masking products and plastic filler. The paint and other materials distributed by the Company are purchased from numerous suppliers in the United States and Canada. Certain of these products are distributed under the brand Keystone. Platinum Plus is its exclusive brand offered in the Keystone product line of aftermarket products. The aftermarket products it distributes are purchased from independent manufacturers and distributors located primarily in the United States and Taiwan. The Company has business arrangements with manufacturers to produce its Platinum Plus products.

The Company�� recycled products include engines, transmissions, doors, front end assemblies, trunk lids, bumper assemblies, head and tail lamp assemblies and mirrors. Some insurance companies mandate that the recycled products must be of the same model year or newer as the vehicle being repaired. The Company procures recycled products for its wholesale operations by acquiring damaged or totaled vehicles. During the year ended December 31, 2011, LKQ acquired approximately 228,000 salvage vehicles for its wholesale recycled product operations. Vehicle processing for its wholesale recycled operations involves dismantling a salvage vehicle into recycled products that are ready for sale.

As of December 31, 2011, it operated 34 plastic bumper and bumper cover refurbishing plants, a chrome bumper plating plant, 15 wheel plants, one light refurbishing plant and four engine remanufacturing facilities. Most of its refurbished and remanufactured products are sold through its wholesale distribution channels. The balance is sold to retail automotive stores, wholesale distributors and through Internet sales. Its wholesale recycled product operations generate scrap metal and other materials that it sells to recyclers. T! he Compan! y has a distribution network of over 290 wholesale plants and warehouses across the United States and Canada, of which 50 function as hub or cross dock facilities.

WHOLESALE AUTO PRODUCTS-EUROPE

The Company�� European wholesale operating segment was formed in 2011 with its acquisition of ECP, the distributor of automotive aftermarket products. The Company operates 90 branches, supported by eight regional hubs and a national distribution center, which allows us to reach major markets within the United Kingdom. In 2011, it sold more than 121,000 SKUs of aftermarket products, primarily composed of mechanical aftermarket parts for the repair of vehicles five to 15 years old. Its products include electrical products, such as spark plugs and ignition coils, clutches and related parts, steering and suspension parts, and brake pads and sensors. The Company sells its products to over 32,000 professional repairers, including primarily independent mechanical repair shops and collision repair shops.

SELF SERVICE RETAIL PRODUCTS

The Company�� self service retail operations sell parts from older cars and light trucks directly to consumers. In addition to revenue from the sale of parts, core and scrap, it charges admission fee to access the property. Its self service facilities typically consist of a fenced or enclosed area of several acres with vehicles stored outdoors and a retail building through which customers are able to access the yard. As of December 31, 2011, it conducted our self service retail operations from 47 facilities in North America. Its self service auto recycling operations generate scrap metal, alloys and other materials that it sells to recyclers.

HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK PRODUCTS

As of December 31, 2011, it had a total of 18 facilities in the United States and Canada. Its inventory is comprised of used heavy- and medium-duty trucks, usually five years or older, which are purchased at salvage and truck auctions or direct! ly from i! nsurance companies or fleet operators. During 2011, it purchased approximately 6,000 vehicles. Depending on the condition of the vehicles, they may be dismantled for parts or resold as running vehicles. If certain mechanical parts are damaged, such as transmissions, it may remanufacture them and offer them to its customers. The vehicles that are acquired for resale are typically special purpose or vocational use trucks, such as those used for garbage pickup or cement delivery. If requested by the sellers of the vehicles, it provide an assurance that the vehicles will be sold to foreign buyers and exported to countries for use outside of the United States, or to domestic buyers after the vehicles have been reconditioned and modified for use other than their original purpose.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Hill]

  In this segment, Mike talks about�LKQ (NASDAQ: LKQ  ) , and why the largest operator of junkyards has turned its scale into an incredibly well-run business, and Matt takes a look into�McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) , which reports earnings tomorrow. After a rough period for McDonald's as the competitive landscape shifts toward fast-casual dining options such as Panera and Chipotle, Matt will be looking for signs in the earnings report that the strategy at McDonald's to adapt and shift its business focuses is coming to fruition.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  LKQ Corporation (LKQ) is the world's largest procurer and distributor of alternative and aftermarket collision replacement parts for automobiles and other vehicles. The Company has grown rapidly since its inception in 1998, by executing an expansion strategy that has included aggressive organic and inorganic investments. To date, LKQ's strategy has resulted in a business with unparalleled scale, at over $5 billion in revenues across three continents, compared with aftermarket and salvage parts competitors that routinely post less then $100 million in sales, usually with the largest footprints limited to regional geographies.

Top 5 Rising Stocks To Watch Right Now: Avago Technologies Limited(AVGO)

Avago Technologies Limited engages in the design, development, and supply of analog semiconductor devices with a focus on III-V based products. Its product portfolio comprises RF amplifiers, RF filters, RF front-end modules, ambient light sensors, light emitting diodes, low noise amplifiers, mm-wave mixers, optical finger navigation products, diodes, fiber optic transceivers, serializer/deserializer ASICs, motion control encoders and subsystems, optocouplers, and optical mouse sensors. The company?s products are used in cellular phones, consumer appliances, data networking and telecommunications equipment, enterprise storage and servers, renewable energy and smart power grid, factory automation, displays, optical mice, printers, voice and data communications, keypad and display backlighting, backlighting control, base stations, storage area networking, in-car infotainment, lighting, motor controls, power supplies, and optical disk drives applications. It markets its produ cts through a network of distributors and its direct sales force worldwide. The company sells approximately 6,500 products to original equipment manufacturers of wireless communications, wired infrastructure, industrial and automotive electronics, and consumer and computing peripherals markets. Avago Technologies Limited was founded in 2005 and is based in Singapore.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Avago Technologies (NASDAQ: AVGO  ) also knows where to go. The supplier of analog semiconductor devices declared a quarterly distribution of $0.21 a share on Thursday, 11% ahead of its earlier rate. It may not seem like much of a boost, but Avago has managed to increase its payout every quarter since initiating a dividend policy less than three years ago.

• [By ovenerio]

  The company has a current ROE of 14.21% which is higher than the ones exhibited by Micron Technology (MU) and�Broadcom Corp (BRCM). In general, analysts consider ROE ratios in the 15-20% range as representing attractive levels for investment. So for investors looking those levels or more, Texas Instruments and Avago Technologies Ltd (AVGO) could be the options. It is very important to understand this metric before investing, and it is important to look at the trend in ROE over time.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  Analog component supplier Avago Technologies (NASDAQ: AVGO  ) is acquiring CyOptics, a maker of optical chip and component technologies for the telecommunications industry, for $400 million in cash, the company announced today.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Watch For 2014

It's a great idea to get children interested in investing early, and buying some stocks for them is a great way to accomplish that. I'd recommend using a very long-term buy-and-hold strategy focused on high-quality, sustainable businesses. I'd forgo dividends and focus on long-term appreciation (just my personal opinion). Stocks that I'd recommend for this strategy include Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) , Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B  ) , CarMax (NYSE: KMX  ) , and Markel (NYSE: MKL  ) . All are great companies that I'd be happy to hold for a decade.

Investment strategy: really long-term holding
Children, by nature of their young age, should have an ultra-long-term investing horizon and limited access to tax-sheltered accounts. Thus, a sound strategy is to pick a few quality companies and hold them for as long as possible. All capital-gains taxes will be deferred, you won't need to monitor the account too frequently, and it sets a good example for the children. Hopefully, they'll see firsthand the power of buy-and-hold investing, and they'll never fall into the folly of trading.

Hot Information Technology Stocks To Buy For 2015: William Hill PLC (WMH)

William Hill PLC is a United Kingdom-based gambling company. The Company�� business is to provide its customers with a range of sports betting and gaming opportunities. It is a bookmaker providing fixed odds sports betting. It also offers gaming opportunities. The Company�� segments include Retail distribution channel, which includes activity undertaken in LBOs, including gaming machines; Online segment, which includes activity undertaken online, including an online sportsbook, online casino, online poker sites and other gaming products; Telephone segment, which includes its telephone betting services; US segment, comprises all activity undertaken in the United States; Other activities include on-course betting and greyhound stadia operations. In April 2013, it acquired the remaining 29% stake in William Hill Online from its joint venture partner Playtech Ltd. Effective September 2, 2013, William Hill PLC acquired Miapuesta.es, a provider of gaming and sports betting services. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Prudential Plc (PRU), which generated 32 percent of its operating income from Asia last year, climbed to its highest price since at least 1988. William Hill (WMH) Plc lost 3.2 percent after JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered its rating on the bookmaker. Anglo American Plc (AAL) declined 1.4 percent after saying that production at its Kumba (KIO) Iron Ore Ltd. unit fell.

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc sank 3.3 percent after reporting results and naming the head of its U.K. consumer unit as chief executive officer. William Hill Plc (WMH) dropped the most in four years after the bookmaker posted earnings that missed analysts��projections. International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) rose to a five-year high as the parent of British Airways reported an operating profit in the second quarter.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Watch For 2014: Target Corporation(TGT)

Target Corporation operates general merchandise stores in the United States. The company offers household essentials, including pharmacy, beauty, personal care, baby care, cleaning, and paper products; hardlines comprising music, movies, books, computer software, sporting goods, and toys, as well as electronics that comprise video game hardware and software; apparel and accessories consisting of apparel for women, men, boys, girls, toddlers, infants, and newborns; and intimate apparel, jewelry, accessories, and shoes. It also provides food and pet supplies, including dry grocery, dairy, frozen food, beverages, candy, snacks, deli, bakery, meat, produce, and pet supplies; and home furnishings and d�or, such as furniture, lighting, kitchenware, small appliances, home d�or, bed and bath, home improvement, and automotive products, as well as seasonal merchandise, which include patio furniture and holiday d�or. The company sells its merchandise products under private-labe l and exclusive licensed brands. In addition, it provides in-store amenities. As of January 28, 2012, Target Corporation operated 1,763 stores in 49 states and the District of Columbia under Target and SuperTarget names. Further, it offers general merchandise through its Website, Target.com. The company distributes its merchandise through a network of distribution centers, as well as third parties and direct shipping from vendors. Additionally, it offers credit to guests through its branded proprietary credit cards, the Target Visa Credit Card and the Target Credit Card, as well as through its branded proprietary Target Debit Card. Target Corporation was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chad Fraser]

  Still, the industry remains highly fragmented and competitive, with the top four players controlling a total of just one-third market, with smaller chains and single-store operations comprising much of the rest. Convenience stores also face indirect competition from grocery stores, fast food outlets, coffee shops and even big-box retailers like Target (NYSE: TGT).

• [By Douglas A. McIntyre]

  The double-digit drop in same-store sales has triggered a double-digit drop in revenue. J.C. Penney management has not developed the wisdom to shutter dozens of its underperforming stores, which outsiders find amazing. To lure shoppers who have departed for Macy’s (NYSE: M), Target (NYSE: TGT) and another dozen retailers, there is not a single thing J.C. Penney can do — unless it wants to give merchandise away.� Rarely discussed is that J.C. Penney’s drop in online sales is sharper than the one in bricks-and-mortar. That data is buried in J.C. Penney’s press releases and SEC filings. In a world in which Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) continues to grow at a monstrous pace, Internet sales have become a barometer of a retailer’s future. In this department, J.C. Penney has none.

• [By DAILYFINANCE]

  Joe Raedle/Getty Images NEW YORK -- It doesn't surprise experts that some debit and credit card numbers stolen from Target's computer systems may have surfaced among nearly 100 fake credit cards seized by police in Texas this week. Even so, they say the bust is unlikely to lead authorities directly to the hackers behind the breach, given the vast, labyrinthine nature of the global market for stolen data. According to police in McAllen, Texas, two Mexican citizens arrested at the border used account information stolen during the pre- Christmas Target breach to buy tens of thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise. But the U.S. Secret Service said Tuesday its investigation into the possibility of a link between the Target data theft and the arrests remains ongoing. Target (TGT) says hackers stole about 40 million debit and credit card numbers from cards swiped at its stores between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15. The thieves also took personal information -- including email addresses, phone numbers, names and home addresses -- for another 70 million people. In the aftermath of the breach, millions of Americans have been left to wonder what's become of their precious personal information. Chester Wisniewski, senior security adviser for the computer security firm Sophos, says in cases where such a massive amount of information is stolen, criminals generally divide the data into chunks and sell the parcels in online black markets. In many ways, those markets behave much like any legitimate marketplace ruled by the forces of supply and demand. Groups of higher-end cards are worth significantly more than those with lower credit limits and so are cards tied to additional personal information, such as names, addresses and zip codes, which make them easier to use. After thieves purchase the numbers, they can encode the data onto new, blank cards with an inexpensive, easy-to-use gadget. Or they can skip the card-writing process and simply use the card numbers online. Croo

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Target operates discount general stores across North America, where consumers continue to enjoy their shopping experience. The company revised the estimated number of customers exposed by the widescale hack of its data during the holiday season, disclosing that 70 million to 110 million people had their personal information stolen. The stock is currently trading lower and may need some time to stabilize. Over the last four quarters, investors in the company have not been pleased, as earnings have been decreasing while revenues have been rising. Relative to its peers and sector, Target has been an average year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what Target does the rest of this quarter.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Watch For 2014: InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG)

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG), incorporated on May 21, 2004, is a global hotel company, operating seven brands internationally. IHG is the holding company. The principal activities of the Company are in hotels and resorts, with franchising, management, ownership and leasehold interests in over 4,400 establishments, with more than 658,000 guest rooms in over 100 countries and territories worldwide. IHG�� hotels brands include InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and Priority Club Rewards. It has four geographical segments: Americas, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), and Greater China. As of December 31, 2011, the pipeline totalled 1,144 hotels (180,484 rooms). In March 2012, the Company announced the launch of HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts in China. During the year ended 31 December 2011, it sold four hotels, three in the Americas region and one in the AMEA region. IHG also manages the hotel loyalty program, Priority Club Rewards. As of December 31, 2011, the Company has 3,832 hotels operate under franchise agreements; managed 637 hotels worldwide and owned 11 hotels. During 2011, the Company opened 241hotels (44,265rooms) and removed 98 hotels (33,078 rooms). IHG is focused on the three segments that together generate over 90% of branded hotel revenues: midscale (broadly 3-star hotels), upscale (4-star), and luxury (5-star). InterContinental Hotels & Resorts InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is IHG�� 5-star brand located in cities and resort destinations across more than 60 countries worldwide. Hotels under InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand are principally managed by the Company. As of December 31, 2011, there were 169 hotels and 57,598 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 51 hotels in development pipeline. Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts is the IHG�� upscale 4-star segment, specializes in offering modern business and meeting facilities with a service style to provide productive and energising experiences to guests. The majority of hotels under Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand are principally operated under franchise agreements in the United States and Europe, and are managed by the Company. As of December 31, 2011, there were 387 hotels and 105,104 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 108 hotels in development pipeline. Hotel Indigo Hotel Indigo provides guests with the refreshing design and service experience with a boutique hotel. The Hotels Indigo brand is principally operated under franchise agreements. As of December 31, 2011, there were 39 hotels and 4,564 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 59 hotels in development pipeline Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Club Vacations The Holiday Inn brand family consists of Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Holiday Inn Club Vacations. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Club Vacations is the midscale hotel brand. Focused on creating an atmosphere where guests can relax, the brand is designed to support both business and leisure travellers. The brand family operates under franchise agreements. As of December 31, 2011, there were 1,240 hotels and 228,256 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 267 hotels in development pipeline. Holiday Inn Express Holiday Inn Express offers convenience and comfort. As of December 31, 2011, there were 2,114 hotels and 196,666 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 470 hotels in development pipeline. Staybridge Suites Staybridge Suites is the Company�� upscale extended stay brand for guests on longer trips, offering studios and suites complete with full kitchens and separate sleeping and work areas in a sociable, family-like atmosphere. Properties under Staybridge Suites brand are operated under a mixture of franchise and management agreements. As of December 31, 2011, there were 179 hotels and 19,567 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 95 hotels in development pipeline. Candlewood Suites Candlewood Suites is the Company�� midscale extended stay brand that gives its guests all the essentials they need for a home-like stay. Properties under Candlewood Suites brand are principally operated under franchise agreements. As of December 31, 2011, there were 285 hotels and 27,500 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 94 hotels in development pipeline. The Company competes with Accor, Choice Hotels International, Inc., Hilton Hotels Corporation, Hyatt, Marriott, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tony Reading]

  In this series, I'm assessing the boardrooms of companies within the FTSE 100 (UKX). I hope to separate the management teams that are worth following from those that are not. Today, I am looking at�InterContinental Hotels� (LSE: IHG  ) (NYSE: IHG  ) , the world's largest listed hotels group.

• [By Reuters]
  ATLANTA -- A credit card data breach has been detected that exposed guests at certain Marriott, Holiday Inn, Sheraton and other hotel properties to theft, hotel management firm White Lodging Services said Monday. The breach occurred at food and beverage outlets at 14 hotels, including some operated under the Westin, Renaissance and Radisson names, between March 20 and Dec. 16 last year, White Lodging said in a statement. The company said information subject to potential theft by cybercriminals included names and numbers on consumers' debit or credit cards, security codes and card expiration dates. Customers who used their cards at the affected outlets should review all statements from the time in question and consider placing fraud alerts on their credit files, White Lodging said. White Lodging wouldn't estimate how many card numbers might have been taken. Krebs on Security, the cybersecurity blog that first reported the breach Friday, said thousands of accounts had been compromised. The latest data breach comes after the FBI warned retailers last month to prepare for more cyber attacks after discovering about 20 hacking cases in the past year involving the same kind of malicious software used against Target (TGT) over the holiday shopping season. The incident involving Target, the No. 3 U.S. retailer, was one of the biggest retail cyber attacks in history. In a confidential, three-page report to retail companies the FBI described the risks posed by "memory-parsing" malware that infects point-of-sale systems, which include cash registers and credit-card swiping machines in checkout aisles. Restaurants and lounges affected by the White Lodging breach were at hotels in Chicago; Austin, Texas; Richmond, Va.; Plantation, Fla.; Denver; Boulder and Broomfield, Colo.; Louisville, Ky.; Erie, Pa.; Indianapolis; and Merrillville, Ind., the company said. White Lodging, which manages 169 hotels that include brands of Marriott International (MAR), Starwood
• [By Patricio Kehoe] �s largest hotel owner, franchiser and manager, with over 4,500 hotels in 100 countries. But let�� see what really makes this company a solid long-term investment.

  A Majority Franchised System

  This company is known for its famous midscale brands Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, as well as the upscale hotels InterContinental and Crowne Plaza. The interesting factor, however, is the high rate of franchised and managed hotels among these brands, compared to industry rivals Hyatt Hotels Corporation (H) or Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. (HOT). With more than 99% franchised or managed hotels in the InterContinental system, this company profits from excessive operating margins of 33.2% (the industry average is 8.70%) and minimal capital expenditures.

  Additionally, the typical 10 to 30-year contracts for hotel franchises create high switching costs for property owners, while simultaneously generating high returns on invested capital. Since 2010, for example, InterContinental has averaged a 29% return on capital, and currently reports a 57.8% return, all due to the firm�� asset-light strategy of selling owned hotels and converting them to management or franchising contracts. The latest transaction of the InterContinental New York Barclay, for example, sold at $300 million, was a well strung deal for the company, which will maintain a 20% ownership in the property, as well as manage the hotel for the next 30 years. This transaction is bound to boost free cash flow, as well as revenue growth, which has been somewhat stagnant throughout fiscal 2013 (4.0%).

  International Advantage

  One of InterContinental�� key growth segments is its international business. Since 1984, this company has been taking advantage of the underpenetrated Chinese market, and today this hotel operator holds the best infrastructure to grow and expand its brand presence in the country. With an estimated 50,000 rooms in its new Chinese hotel

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Watch For 2014: Rakuten Inc (RKUNF)

Rakuten Inc. is mainly engaged in the electronic commerce (EC) business and Internet-related businesses. The Internet Service segment operates Internet shopping mall Rakuten Ichiba, EC sites, travel reservation sites, portal sites, digital books, as well as sells advertisements and contents on these sites. The Internet Finance segment provides banking and securities services, credit cards related services, life insurance and electronic money services through Internets. The Others segment provides communication services and operates baseball teams. On March 27, 2013, the Company announced the completion of the acquisition of AIRIO, a life insurance company. On March 28, 2013, the Company acquired additional 61.29% stake of Stylife Corp. On October 15, 2013, the Company announced that it had acquired Spotlight Inc. On January 1, 2014, it transferred its online mall business Rakuten 24 to Kenko.com Inc. On February 3, 2014, it acquired the entire share capital of VI-VI-VI.COM Co., Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks slipped early Monday, with the Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) down 0.1% at 14,298.17, and the Topix dropping 0.4%. Singapore-traded lead futures for the Nikkei Average had suggested a 0.8% gain for the index, but the indicator fell after the Cabinet Office reported fourth-quarter economic growth of 0.3%, flat from the previous quarter and below expectations in separate Reuters and Wall Street Journal/Nikkei surveys. The disappointing economic data also pushed the yen higher, weighing on some exporters, with Panasonic Corp. (JP:6752) (PCRFF) down 1.8%, NEC Corp. (JP:6701) (NIPNF) off 1.3%, and Sony Corp. (JP:6758) (SNE) down 0.7% after S&P downgraded the firm's credit rating to BBB- from BBB with a negative outlook. Shares of Internet retailer Rakuten Inc. (JP:4755) (RKUNF) dropped 12% after announcing plans to buy online messaging and telecom firm Viber Media Inc. for $900 million as well as posting below-consensus full-year profit. Banks were broadly lower, with Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (JP:8411) (MFG) off 1% and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. (JP:8316) (SMFG) off 1.1%, though Daiwa Securities Group Inc. (JP:8601)

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks rose in early Monday trading, with weaker-than-expected trade data pushing the yen lower, which in turn helped some export stocks. The Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) added 1% to 14,704.36, with the broader Topix up 0.8%, also enjoying support from gains Friday in the U.S. After data showing exports grew less than analysts had projected, the dollar (USDJPY) moved back above the 98-yen level, sending some exporters climbing, with a 2.2% rise for Fujitsu Ltd. (JP:6702) (FJTSY) , a 1.2% improvement for Alps Electric Co. (JP:6770) , and a 1% bump for Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203) (TM) . Shares of Suzuki Motor Corp. (JP:7269) (SZKMF) added 2.9% after a Nikkei report saying the company would record its highest-ever operating profit for the April-September half. Retailers were also a strong spot Monday, with J. Front Retailing Co. (JP:3086) up 2%, online marketplace Rakuten Inc. (JP:4755) (RKUNF) adding 2.4%, and 7-Eleven operator Seven & I Holdings Co. (JP:3382) (SVNDF) ahead by 1.4%.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Watch For 2014: BlackRock Kelso Capital Corporation(BKCC)

BlackRock Kelso Capital Corporation is a private equity firm specializing in investments in middle market companies. The firm invests in all industries. It prefers to invest between $10 million and $50 million and can invest more or less in companies with EBITDA or operating cash flow between $10 million and $50 million. The firm invests in the form of senior and junior secured, unsecured, and subordinated debt securities and loans including cash flow, asset backed, and junior lien facilities and equity securities. It's equity investments can be structured in the form of warrants, preferred stock, common equity co-investments, and direct investments in common stock. The firm debt investments are principally structured to provide for current cash interest and to a lesser extent non-cash interest, particularly with subordinated debt investments, through a pay-in-kind (PIK) feature. It can also make non-control investments. Blackrock Kelso Capital Corporation was founded in 2 005 and is based in New York, New York with an additional office in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Regarded Solutions]

  The Team Alpha portfolio consists of Ford (F) Chevron (CVX) Apple (AAPL), McDonald's (MCD), Exxon Mobil (XOM), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), AT&T (T), General Electric (GE), BlackRock Kelso Capital (BKCC), KKR Financial (KFN), Procter & Gamble (PG), CSX Corp. (CSX), Realty Income (O), Coca-Cola (KO), Annaly Capital (NLY), Cisco (CSCO), Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), Newmont Mining (NEM), and Wells Fargo (WFC), and Intel (INTC).

• [By Sally Jones]

  Highlight: BlackRock Kelso Capital Corporation (BKCC)

  The share price is currently $9.62 or 11.1% off the 52-week high of $10.82. Its yield is 10.80%.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Watch For 2014: Sanmina-SCI Corporation(SANM)

Sanmina-SCI Corporation provides integrated electronics manufacturing services worldwide. It offers product design and engineering services, including initial development, detailed design, prototyping, validation, preproduction, and manufacturing design; volume manufacturing of complete systems, components, and subassemblies; final system assembly and testing services; direct order fulfillment and logistics services; and after-market product service and support services. The company also manufactures various system components and subassemblies consisting of printed circuit boards, printed circuit board assemblies, backplanes and backplane assemblies, enclosures, cable assemblies, precision machine components, optical components and modules, and memory modules. It provides its services to original equipment manufacturers primarily in the communication, enterprise computing and storage, multimedia, industrial and semiconductor capital equipment, defense and aerospace, medica l, clean technology, and automotive industries. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(func]

  Shares of Sanmina Corp.(SANM) jumped in after-hours trading Tuesday as the electronics manufacturer posted better-than-expected results for the fiscal second quarter. Sanmina also issued rosy outlook targets for the current quarter, pushing shares up 9.5% to $20 premarket.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  After being in the red last quarter, Sanmina's (NASDAQ: SANM  ) bottom line has swung into positive territory. In the company's Q2 results, net sales amounted to $1.43 billion, down from the $1.46 billion in the same period the previous year. The bottom line came in at $21.2 million ($0.25 per diluted share) from Q2 2012's net loss of $1.4 million ($0.02) according to GAAP standards.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Watch For 2014: Hercules Offshore Inc.(HERO)

Hercules Offshore, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides shallow-water drilling and marine services to the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and internationally. Its services comprise oil and gas exploration and development drilling, well services, platform inspection, and maintenance and decommissioning services in various water provinces. As of May 10, 2011, the company owned and operated a fleet of 50 jackup rigs, 17 barge rigs, 65 liftboats, 3 submersible rigs, and 1 platform rig. It serves national oil and gas companies, integrated energy companies, and independent oil and natural gas operators. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ: HERO  ) is one of only a few companies left that focuses on shallow water drilling. But even now it's moving away from onshore shallow water by selling rigs that have little use to the company. This is a good move right now but does it make Hercules a top drilling stock? Fool.com contributor Travis Hoium took a look at Hercules' recent $45 million asset sale and discovered that there are still better drilling buys out there.�

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, shallow-water oil and gas driller Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ: HERO  ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

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

  Hercules Offshore Inc.(HERO) said it signed a five-year drilling contract with Maersk Oil North Sea U.K. Ltd. valued at roughly $420 million, which is expected to commence in mid-2016. Shares rose 6.7% to $4.65 premarket.

Hot Bank Stocks To Own Right Now

Investors count on the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) to represent the cream of the crop of America's top companies. But not every Dow component is as strong as its peers, and one company in particular has faced so many challenges lately that many expect the Dow to boot it from the average in the future.

Why Alcoa should be on the chopping block
Alcoa (NYSE: AA  ) holds a special place in the stock market, as its quarterly report traditionally marks the official beginning of earnings season every three months. Formerly known as the Aluminum Company of America, Alcoa has been part of the Dow since 1959.

But lately, Alcoa hasn't looked much like a stock worthy of being in the Dow. Consider:

With a market capitalization of just $9 billion, Alcoa is by far the smallest stock in the Dow, at just 2% the size of ExxonMobil. Alcoa's share price of just over $8 makes it the least important stock in the average, with its stock making up just 0.42% of the overall average. Dow leader IBM has almost 25 times the influence of Alcoa. A couple weeks ago, credit-rating agency Moody's lowered Alcoa's bond rating from Baa3 to Ba1. That's only a single step, but it represents a huge gulf in the bond market, as Alcoa crossed the threshold from investment-grade to junk bond status. Although other rating agencies still have Alcoa's debt rated as investment-grade, Alcoa joins General Motors (NYSE: GM  ) as the only Dow components in the past 33 years to have a junk bond rating. The Dow removed GM from the average shortly before its bankruptcy in 2009.

Of course, Alcoa isn't alone in suffering from a dismal aluminum market. Both BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP  ) and Chinalco (NYSE: ACH  ) have faced similar challenges in their respective operations, with BHP taking multiple hits on the commodities front due to its exposure in several other difficult metals markets. Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO  ) also took a loss for its 2012 year due largely to a massive $14 billion writedown of coal and aluminum assets.

Hot Retail Stocks To Buy Right Now: Astoria Financial Corp (AF)

Astoria Financial Corporation, incorporated on June, 14, 1993, is the unitary savings and loan association holding company of Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association (Astoria Federal). The Company�� principal business is the operation of its wholly owned subsidiary, Astoria Federal. Astoria Federal�� primary business is attracting retail deposits from the general public and investing those deposits, together with funds generated from operations, principal repayments on loans and securities and borrowings, primarily in one- to four-family mortgage loans, multi-family mortgage loans, commercial real estate loans and mortgage-backed securities. Astoria Federal also invests in consumer and other loans, the United States Government, government agency and government-sponsored enterprise (GSE), securities and other investments.

Lending Activities

The Company�� loan portfolio consists primarily of mortgage loans. As of December 31, 2012, 74% of its total loan portfolio was secured by residential properties and 24% was secured by multi-family properties and commercial real estate. The remainder of the loan portfolio consists of a variety of consumer and other loans, including commercial and industrial loans originated in 2012 through its business banking initiatives. As of December 31, 2012, its net loan portfolio totaled $13.08 billion, or 79% of total assets. The Company originates mortgage loans either directly through its banking and loan production offices in New York or indirectly through brokers and its third party loan origination program. It also originates mortgage loans for sale. The Company�� primary lending focus is on the origination and purchase of first mortgage loans secured by one- to four-family properties that serve as the primary residence of the owner.

The Company also originates multi-family and commercial real estate loans. As of December 31, 2012, multi-family mortgage loans totaled $2.41 billion, or 18% of its total loan portfolio,! and commercial real estate loans totaled $773.9 million, or 6% of its total loan portfolio. At December 31, 2012, $264.1 million, or 2%, of the Company�� total loan portfolio consisted of consumer and other loans which were primarily home equity lines of credit. The Company also offers overdraft protection, lines of credit, commercial loans and passbook loans. Consumer and other loans, with the exception of home equity and commercial lines of credit, are offered primarily on a fixed rate, short-term basis.

Investment Activities

At December 31, 2012, the Company�� securities portfolio totaled $2.04 billion, or 12%, of total assets. The Company does not use derivatives for trading purposes. Its securities portfolio consists primarily of mortgage-backed securities. At December 31, 2012, its mortgage-backed securities totaled $1.94 billion, or 95%, of total securities, of which $1.92 billion, or 94%, of total securities, were real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMIC) and collateralized mortgage obligation (CMO) securities, substantially all of which had fixed rates. Of the REMIC and CMO securities portfolio, $2.35 billion, or 98.7%, are guaranteed by Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) or Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) as issuer. At December 31, 2012, its securities available-for-sale totaled $336.3 million and its securities held-to-maturity totaled $1.7 billion. At December 31, 2012, it had no investments in repurchase agreements and federal funds sold.

Sources of Funds

The Company�� primary source of funds is the cash flow provided by its investing activities, including principal and interest payments on loans and securities. Its other sources of funds are provided by operating activities and financing activities, including deposits and borrowings. The Company offers a variety of deposit accounts with a range of interest rates and terms. It offers ! passbook ! and statement savings accounts, money market accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) and demand deposit accounts, liquid certificates of deposit (Liquid CDs), and certificates of deposit, which include all time deposits other than Liquid CDs. Liquid CDs have maturities of three months, require the maintenance of a minimum balance and allow depositors the ability to make periodic deposits to and withdrawals from their account. At December 31, 2012, its deposits totaled $10.44 billion. Of the total deposit balance, $1.28 billion, or 12%, represented individual retirement accounts during the year ended December 31, 2012. It held no brokered deposits at December 31, 2012. Core deposits represented 53.3% of total deposits at December 31, 2011. Reverse repurchase agreements are accounted for as borrowings and are secured by the securities sold under the agreements. At December 31, 2012, borrowings totaled $4.37 billion. It also obtains advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLB-NY).

Subsidiary Activities

In addition to Astoria Federal, the Company has two other subsidiaries, AF Insurance Agency, Inc. and Astoria Capital Trust I. AF Insurance Agency, Inc. is a life insurance agency. Through contractual agreements with various third parties, AF Insurance Agency, Inc. makes insurance products available primarily to the customers of Astoria Federal. Astoria Federal�� wholly owned subsidiaries include AF Agency, Inc., Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association Revocable Grantor Trust, Astoria Federal Mortgage Corp. (AF Mortgage), Fidata Service Corp. (Fidata), Marcus I Inc. and Suffco Service Corporation (Suffco). AF Agency, Inc. makes various annuity products available to the customers of Astoria Federal through an unaffiliated third party vendor. AF Mortgage is an operating subsidiary through which Astoria Federal engages in lending activities outside the State of New York through its third party loan origination program. Fidata mortgage loans totaled $5.09 bi! llion at ! December 31, 2012. Suffco serves as document custodian for the loans of Astoria Federal and Fidata and certain loans being serviced for Fannie Mae and other investors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

  International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) and Air France-KLM (AF) Group rose with as a gauge of travel stocks as oil prices fell after Iran�� accord. PSA Peugeot Citroen gained 3.7 percent after people familiar with the matter said its chief executive officer plans to step down next year. Fresenius Medical Care AG surged the most in five years after U.S. regulators scrapped a plan to cut Medicare payments next year.

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Air France-KLM Group (AF), Europe�� second-biggest airline by sales, retreated 2.8 percent. Mediaset SpA climbed 2.8 percent after Credit Suisse Group AG raised its price target on the Italian broadcaster. Serco Group Plc added 2.7 percent after predicting that its revenue growth in the first half will exceed its previous estimates.

Hot Bank Stocks To Own Right Now: Signature Bank (SBNY)

Signature Bank (the Bank) is a full-service commercial bank with 25 private client offices located in the New York metropolitan area serving the needs of privately owned business clients and their owners and senior managers. The Bank offers a variety of business and personal banking products and services through the Bank, as well as investment, brokerage, asset management and insurance products and services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Signature Securities Group Corporation (Signature Securities), a licensed broker-dealer and investment adviser. Through Signature Securities, it also purchases, securitizes and sells the guaranteed portions of the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. The Bank offers a variety of deposit, escrow deposit, credit, cash management, investment and insurance products and services to its clients. As of December 31, 2011, the Bank maintained approximately 78,000 deposit accounts, 6,900 investment accounts, 8,600 loan accounts and 14,300 client relationships. In April 2012, it formed a new subsidiary, Signature Financial, LLC.

The Bank offers a range of products and services oriented to the needs of its business clients, including deposit products, such as non-interest-bearing checking accounts, money market accounts and time deposits; escrow deposit services; cash management services; commercial loans and lines of credit for working capital and to finance internal growth, acquisitions and leveraged buyouts; permanent real estate loans; letters of credit; investment products to help better manage idle cash balances, including money market mutual funds and short-term money market instruments; business retirement accounts, such as 401(k) plans, and business insurance products, including group health and group life products. It offers a range of products and services oriented to the needs of its high net worth personal clients, including interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing checking accounts, with optional features, such as debit/ autom! ated teller machine (ATM) cards and overdraft protection and, for its clients, rebates of certain charges, including ATM fees; money market accounts and money market mutual funds; time deposits; personal loans, both secured and unsecured; mortgages, home equity loans and credit card accounts; investment and asset management services, and personal insurance products, including health, life and disability.

Lending Activities

The Bank�� commercial and industrial (C&I) loan portfolio is consisted of lines of credit for working capital and term loans to finance equipment, company owned real estate and other business assets, along with commercial overdrafts. Its lines of credit for working capital are generally renewed on an annual basis and its term loans generally have terms of 2 to 5 years. The Bank�� lines of credit and term loans typically have floating interest rates, and as of December 31, 2011, approximately 61% of its outstanding C&I loans were variable rate loans. As of December 31, 2011, funded C&I loans totaled approximately 15% of its total funded loans. The Bank�� real estate loan portfolio includes loans secured by commercial and residential properties. It also provides temporary financing for commercial and residential property. As of December 31, 2011, funded real estate loans totaled approximately $5.74 billion, representing approximately 80% of its total funded loans. It issues standby or performance letters of credit, and can service the international needs of its clients through correspondent banks. As of December 31, 2011, its commitments under letters of credit totaled approximately $235.7 million. Its personal loan portfolio consists of personal lines of credit and loans to acquire personal assets. As of December 31, 2011, its consumer loans totaled $11.8 million, representing less than 1% of its total funded loans.

Investment and Asset Management Products and Services

Investment and asset management products and services are ! provided ! through the Bank�� subsidiary, Signature Securities. Signature Securities is a licensed broker-dealer. Signature Securities is an introducing firm and, as such, clears its trades through National Financial Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fidelity Investments. Signature Securities is also registered as an investment adviser in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. It offers an array of asset management and investment products, including the ability to purchase and sell all types of individual securities, such as equities, options, fixed income securities, mutual funds and annuities. The Bank offers transactional, cash management type brokerage accounts with check writing and daily sweep capabilities. It also offers retirement products, such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and administrative services for retirement vehicles, such as pension, profit sharing, and 401(k) plans to its clients. Signature Securities offers wealth management services to its high net worth personal clients. Together with its client and their other professional advisors, including attorneys and certified public accountants, it develops a financial plan that can include estate planning, business succession planning, asset protection, investment management, family office advisory services, bill payment, art and collectible advisory services and concentrated stock services.

Sources of Funds

The Bank offers a variety of deposit products to its clients. Its business deposit products include commercial checking accounts, money market accounts, escrow deposit accounts, lockbox accounts, cash concentration accounts and other cash management products. Its personal deposit products include checking accounts, money market accounts and certificates of deposit. The Bank also allows its personal and business deposit clients to access their accounts, transfer funds, pay bills and perform other account functions over the Internet and through ATM machines. As of December 31, 2011, it main! tained ap! proximately 78,000 deposit accounts representing $11.70 billion in client deposits, excluding brokered deposits.

Insurance Services

The Bank offers its business and private clients an array of individual and group insurance products, including health, life, disability and long-term care insurance products through its subsidiary, Signature Securities. The Bank does not underwrite insurance policies. It only acts as an agent in offering insurance products and services underwritten by insurers.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Each month, Credit Suisse’s small-cap strategists ask the firm’s analyst to name their favorite small- and mid-cap stocks. This month, six new stocks made the list: RPM International (RPM), SunCoke Energy (SXC), Zions Bancorp (ZION), Signature Bank (SBNY), Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and�Rexnord (RXN).

Hot Bank Stocks To Own Right Now: Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ)

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) provides a range of banking and financial products and services to retail, small business, corporate and institutional clients. The Company conducts its operations in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. It also operates in a range of other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. The Company operates on a divisional structure with Australia, International and Institutional Banking (IIB), New Zealand, and Global Wealth and Private Banking. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had 1,337 branches and other points of representation worldwide, excluding automatic teller machines (ATMs). In September 2012, it sold its remaining shareholding in Visa Inc. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Haigh]

  Komatsu Ltd. tumbled 8 percent in Tokyo after the world�� second-largest maker of construction equipment cut its full-year profit forecast by 26 percent. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. gained 1.4 percent in Hong Kong, pacing an advance among Chinese lenders, after China�� central bank added funds to the financial system for the first time in two weeks. Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. (ANZ) climbed 1.4 percent to a record in Sydney after posting its highest profit and raising its dividend more than forecast.

• [By Weiyi Lim]

  The funds lured a net $25.9 billion in the period, Wei Liang Chang, a foreign-exchange strategist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. (ANZ), said by phone from Singapore today, citing data from EPFR Global. Developed markets posted $24.3 billion of inflows, while emerging-nation funds drew $1.6 billion, according to Chang.

• [By Adam Haigh]

  Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. (ANZ) sank 3 percent after Australia�� third-largest bank by market value forecast interest margins will keep dropping. Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. jumped 6.9 percent in Seoul after North Korea and South Korea agreed to reopen the Gaeseong industrial complex. Chinese stock exchange officials are investigating a spike in the Shanghai Composite Index, which soared from a loss of as much as 1 percent to a gain of 5.6 percent in two minutes. Everbright Securities Co. said it experienced a trading error.

Hot Bank Stocks To Own Right Now: National Bank of Greece SA (NBG)

National Bank of Greece S.A. (the Bank), incorporated on March 30, 1841, is a Greece-based financial institution. It offers a range of integrated financial services, including corporate and investment banking, retail banking (including mortgage lending), leasing, stock brokerage, asset management and venture capital, insurance, real estate and consulting services. In addition, the Company is involved in various other businesses, including hotel and property management, real estate and information technology (IT) consulting. On May 19, 2009, the Bank established Ethniki Factors S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary. On June 8, 2009, Finansbank A.S. established Finans Faktoring Hizmetleri A.S. (Finans Factoring), a wholly owned subsidiary. On June 30, 2009, NBG Luxemburg Holding S.A. and NBG Luxfinance Holding S.A. were merged to NBG Asset Management Luxemburg S.A. On January 18, 2010, the Bank acquired 35% of the share capital of AKTOR FM. On October 16, 2009, United Bulgarian Bank A.D. (UBB) established UBB Factoring E.O.O.D., a wholly owned subsidiary of UBB. On September 15, 2009, the Bank disposed of its investment in Phosphoric Fertilizers Industry S.A.

At December 31, 2009, the Bank operated in Greece through 575 branches, one private banking unit, one unit for financial institutions and 10 specialized banking units that deal exclusively with troubled and non-performing loans. At December 31, 2009, the Bank had over 1500 automated teller machines (ATMs).

Retail Banking

The Bank offers retail customers a number of different types of deposit and investment products, as well as a range of services and products. The Bank offers a range of mortgage products, with floating, fixed, or a combination of fixed and floating interest rates. In February 2009, the Bank introduced a new floating rate product, the ESTIA MIKTO with flexible payment terms. In addition to fire and earthquake property insurance, the Bank offers an optional life insurance plan together with mortgage! s.

The Small Business Lending Unit (SBL Unit) a part of the Bank's retail banking division consists of three credit centers situated in Athens, Thessaloniki and Patrastail. The SBL Unit offers term loans geared towards medium and long-term working capital needs for the financing of asset purchases.

Corporate and Investment Banking

The Bank offers corporate accounts with overdraft facilities, foreign currency loans, variable rate loans, and currency swaps and options for corporate customers. The Bank's commercial loan portfolio in Greece comprises approximately 50,000 corporate clients, including small and medium sized enterprises. It offers the corporate clients a range of products and services, including financial and investment advisory services, deposit accounts, loans denominated in euro and other currencies, foreign exchange services, insurance products, custody arrangements and trade finance services. The Bank lends primarily in the form of credit lines, which are generally at variable rates of interest with payment terms of up to 12 months. In addition, the Bank provides letters of credit and guarantees for its clients.

The Bank�� shipping finance and syndicated loan portfolio consists of first-tier shipping groups involved in diversified shipping activities. The Bank provided project finance advisory services to the Hellenic Republic on two infrastructure projects: the new Attica Motorway and Kasteli International Airport.

Global Markets & Asset Management

The treasury activities provided by the Bank and its subsidiaries include

Greek and other sovereign securities trading, foreign exchange trading, interbank lending and borrowing in euro and other currency placements/ deposits, forward rate agreement trading, repurchase agreements, corporate bonds, and derivative products, such as options and interest rate and currency swaps. The Bank also conducts a portion of its treasury activities through its subsidia! ry CPT. A! s at December 31, 2009; CPT's portfolio comprised Greek government bonds and corporate bonds, with a total value of EUR 1.8 billion.

The Bank offers its private banking services both domestically and internationally from its international private banking units in London. The Bank offers custodian services to its foreign and domestic institutional clients who hold equity securities listed on the ATHEX or listed Greek State debt, as well as remote settlement and custody services on the Cyprus Stock Exchange. The Bank offers trade settlements, safekeeping of securities, corporate action processing, income collection, proxy voting, tax reclamation, brokerage services, customized reporting, regular market flashes and information services. The Bank also acts as global custodian to its domestic institutional clients who invest in securities outside of Greece.

The domestic fund management business is operated by NBG Asset Management, which is wholly owned by the Group. NBG Asset Management manages funds that are made available to customers through the Bank's extensive branch network. As at December 31, 2009, NBG Asset Management's total assets under management were EUR 1.9 billion.

National Securities S.A offers a range of investment services to both individual and institutional customers. In September 2009, National Securities S.A. opened a branch in Nicosia, Cyprus, to provide brokerage services to local private investors.

Turkish Operations

The Bank�� Turkish operations include the Finansbank group of companies and NBG Bank (Malta) Ltd. Finansbank's group of companies includes Finans Invest, Finans Leasing, Finans Portfolio Management, Finans Investment Trust, Finans Factoring, IBTech, Finans Pension, and Finans Consumer Finance. As at December 31, 2009, Finansbank operated through a network of 461 branches in 60 cities.

Finansbank Corporate Banking serves corporations through its eight branches in the four cities in Turkey.! Finansba! nk Commercial Banking serves medium-sized companies located in 23 cities in Turkey through its head office, four regional offices (three in Istanbul and one in Ankara) and a distribution network, which includes 61 branches.

Finansbank Investment Banking consists of project finance, corporate finance and technical consulting. Investment Banking acts as a client relations specialist while providing medium to long-term loans and other products. Finansbank Private Banking has been providing investment products and asset management services to individuals through eight private banking centers and 28 private banking corners located in Finansbank's branches in the cities throughout Turkey.

International

The Bank's international operations include the Bank's branches in Albania, Egypt and Cyprus, as well as banking subsidiaries in six countries: NBG Cyprus; Stopanska Banka A.D. in FYROM; United Bulgarian Bank A.D. in Bulgaria; Banca Romaneasca S.A., in Romania; Vojvodjanska in Serbia; and the South African Bank of Athens, as well as other subsidiaries, primarily in the leasing sector. As at December 31, 2009, the Bank had foreign branches in four countries, including one in the United Kingdom, 30 in Albania, one in Cyprus, 15 in Egypt and one in Guernsey (which closed early in 2010).

Insurance

The Bank provides insurance services to individuals and companies through the wholly owned subsidiary Ethniki Insurance Group (EI) and Finans Pension. EI offers a range of products such as life, accident and health insurance for individuals and groups, fire, catastrophe, credit, motor, marine hull and cargo insurance, and general third party liability. EI operates through a network of 2,850 tied agents and 2,620 independent insurance brokers, in addition to selling bancassurance products through the Bank's network. EI provides bancassurance products through our insurance brokerage subsidiary NBG Bancassurance S.A. (NBGB), which assumes no insurance underwr! iting ris! k, and the Bank's extensive network in Greece.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Moody’s raised the rating of Greece’s government bonds to Caa3�with a “stable” outlook. Now we have five Greek banks being given credit rating upgrades as well. The one upgrade that ADR investors will want to watch is the rating on the National Bank of Greece S.A. (NYSE: NBG). Moody’s signaled that the upgrade reflects NBG’s more favorable asset-quality, funding profile and earnings than local peers. It also is based upon an expectation of further capital enhancements to address its weaker capital base.

Hot Bank Stocks To Own Right Now: Unione di Banche Italiane ScpA (BPD)

Unione di Banche Italiane Scpa is an Italy-based holding company engaged in the governance, control, coordination and support of Unione di Banche Italiane Group. The Company�� activities are divided into three business segments. The Banking sector comprises of nine network banks of the Group, including IW Bank SpA, Banque de Depots et de Gestione SA and UBI International SA. The Non-banking financial sector includes Centrobanca SpA, Ubi Leasing SpA, Ubi Factor SpA, Ubi Pramerica SGR SpA, Banca 24-7 SpA, Silf SpA, Prestitalia SpA, Ubi Fiduciaria SpA and UBI Gestioni Fiduciarie SIM SpA. The Corporate Centre segment comprises UBI Banca Scpa and Ubi Sistemi e Servizi Scpa, among others. The Company is engaged in the corporate banking, consumer credit, asset management, factoring, leasing, life and non-life bancassurance sectors, among others. On May 6, 2013, it completed merger of Centrobanca Banca di Credito Finanziario e Mobiliare SpA into the Company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  US oil production has risen from 5 million barrels per day (BPD) in 2008 to 7.3 million BPD in the most recent quarter. The US is now the fastest-growing oil producing region in the world.

• [By April Yee]

  In its annual outlook, released this month, Opec said demand for its crude would dip to between 28 million and 29.2 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2018, from 30.3 million bpd today.

Hot Bank Stocks To Own Right Now: BancorpSouth Inc (BXS)

BancorpSouth, Inc., incorporated on February 17, 1982, is a financial holding company. Through its principal bank subsidiary, BancorpSouth Bank (the Bank), the Company conducts commercial banking and financial services operations in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri and Illinois. As of December 31, 2012, the Company and its subsidiaries had total deposits of $11.1 billion. The Bank conducts a general commercial banking, trust and insurance business through 284 offices in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri and Illinois. The Bank and its subsidiaries provide a range of financial services to individuals and small-to-medium size businesses. On July 2, 2012, the Company purchased certain assets of The Securance Group, Inc.

The Bank operates investment services and insurance agency subsidiaries, which engage in investment brokerage services and sales of other insurance products. The Bank�� trust department offers a range of services, including personal trust and estate services, certain employee benefit accounts and plans, including individual retirement accounts, and limited corporate trust functions.

Lending Activities

The Bank�� lending activities include both commercial and consumer loans. The Bank offers a range of commercial loan services including term loans, lines of credit, equipment and receivable financing and agricultural loans. A range of short-to-medium term commercial loans, both secured and unsecured, are made available to businesses for working capital (including inventory and receivables), business expansion (including acquisition and development of real estate and improvements), and the purchase of equipment and machinery. The Bank also makes construction loans to real estate developers for the acquisition, development and construction of residential subdivisions.

The Bank�� lending activities consists of the origination of fixed and adjustable! rate residential mortgage loans secured by owner-occupied property located in the Bank�� primary market areas. In addition, the Bank offers construction loans, second mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit. The Bank finances the construction of individual, owner-occupied houses on the basis of written underwriting and construction loan management guidelines.

The Bank makes residential construction loans to individuals who intend to erect owner-occupied housing on a purchased parcel of real estate. The Bank sells its mortgage loans with terms of 15 years or more in the secondary market and either retains or releases the right to service those loans. Non-residential consumer loans made by the Bank include loans for automobiles, recreation vehicles, boats, personal (secured and unsecured) and deposit account secured loans. The Bank also issues credit cards.

Investment Activities

As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� held-to-maturity and available-for-sale securities included the United States Government agency securities, taxable obligations of states and political subdivisions, tax-exempt obligations of states and political subdivisions, government agency issued residential mortgage-backed securities, government agency issued commercial mortgage-backed securities, collateralized debt obligations and other securities. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� available-for-sale securities totaled $ 2.4 billion. Investments in tax-exempt securities totaled $455.1 million as of December 31, 2012.

Source of Funds

Deposits originating within the communities served by the Bank are the primary source of funding. As of December 31, 2012, the Company and its subsidiaries had total deposits of $ 11.1 million. The Bank offered deposits, such as noninterest bearing demand deposits, interest bearing demand deposits, savings deposits and other time deposits. The Company had federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreement to repurc! hase of $! 414.6 million as of December 31, 2012.

Subsidiary Activities

The Bank�� insurance service subsidiary serves as an agent in the sale of title insurance, commercial lines of insurance and a full line of property and casualty, life, health and employee benefits products and services and operates in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri and Illinois. The Bank�� investment services subsidiary provides brokerage, investment advisory and asset management services and operates in certain communities in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Florida and Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Todd Campbell]

  Now, thanks to rebounding home prices, those same banks are back in growth mode again, suggesting an investment opportunity in market share leaders, such as BancorpSouth, Inc. (BXS).