Best Consumer Service Companies To Watch For 2014

The Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) includes stocks from a number of different industries, including health care, financials, energy, tech, and consumer stocks. But if you want the highest dividends the Dow has to offer, then you'll want to take a closer look at the average's telecom stocks.

Telecoms are an important part of the Dow because they represent the average's only exposure to a business model that resembles what utility stocks charge. Telecoms spend huge amounts of capital to build out their respective networks, and then sit back and collect monthly subscription fees from millions of customers. Let's look at how the two Dow telecoms have fared so far in 2013 and what their prospects are for the rest of the year and beyond.

Dow telecom total return price data by YCharts.

Much of the solid total returns that telecom stocks have produced over the years have come from dividends. Both AT&T (NYSE: T  ) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) have dividend yields above 4%, with AT&T having led the Dow in terms of yield for a long time. The beauty of the basic telecom business model is that after investing tens and even hundreds of billions of dollars in developing an infrastructure for its services, the cost of every incremental customer that walks in the door is negligible, leading to almost pure profit when Verizon and AT&T are able to increase their customer counts.

Best Promising Stocks To Buy For 2015: Allstate Corp (ALL)

The Allstate Corporation (Allstate), November 5, 1992, is a holding company for Allstate Insurance Company. The Company�� business is conducted principally through Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Life Insurance Company and their affiliates. It is engaged, principally in the United States, in the property-liability insurance, life insurance, retirement and investment product business. Allstate's primary business is the sale of private passenger auto and homeowners insurance. The Company also sells several other personal property and casualty insurance products, select commercial property and casualty coverages, life insurance, annuities, voluntary accident and health insurance and funding agreements. Allstate primarily distributes its products through exclusive agencies, financial specialists, independent agencies, call centers and the Internet. It conducts its business primarily in the United States. Allstate has four business segments: Allstate Protection, Allstate Financial, Discontinued Lines and Coverages and Corporate and Other. The Company is a personal lines insurer in the United States. Customers can access Allstate products and services, such as auto insurance and homeowners insurance through nearly 12,000 exclusive Allstate agencies and financial representatives in the United States and Canada. In October 2011, the Company acquired Esurance and Answer Financial from White Mountains Insurance Group.

ALLSTATE PROTECTION SEGMENT

In this segment, the Company principally sells private passenger auto and homeowners insurance through agencies and directly through call centers and the Internet. These products are marketed under the Allstate, Encompass and Esurance brand names. The Allstate Protection segment also includes a separate organization called Emerging Businesses, which comprises Business Insurance (commercial products for small business owners), Consumer Household (specialty products including motorcycle, boat, renters and condominium insurance policies), A! llstate Dealer Services (insurance and non-insurance products sold primarily to auto dealers), Allstate Roadside Services (retail and wholesale roadside assistance products) and Ivantage (insurance agency). The Company also participates in the involuntary or shared private passenger auto insurance business in order to maintain its licenses to do business in many states. In some states, Allstate exclusive agencies offer non-proprietary property insurance products. Allstate brand auto and homeowners insurance products are sold primarily through Allstate exclusive agencies and serve customers who prefer local personal advice and service and are brand-sensitive. In most states, customers can also purchase certain Allstate brand personal insurance products, and obtain service, directly through call centers and the Internet.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, total Allstate Protection premiums written were $25.98 billion. Its broad-based network of approximately 10,000 Allstate exclusive agencies in approximately 9,700 locations in the United States produced approximately 86% of the Allstate Protection segment's written premiums in 2011. It provides personal property and casualty insurance products through independent agencies in the United States. Additionally, Allstate distribution, through brokering arrangements, offers non-proprietary products to consumers when an Allstate product is not available.

ALLSTATE FINANCIAL SEGMENT

Allstate Financial segment provides life insurance, retirement and investment products, and voluntary accident and health insurance products. Its principal products are interest-sensitive, traditional and variable life insurance; fixed annuities, including deferred and immediate; and voluntary accident and health insurance. Its institutional products consist of funding agreements sold to unaffiliated trusts that use them to back medium-term notes issued to institutional and individual investors. Banking products and services were offered to! customer! s through the Allstate Bank through September 2011. In 2011, after receiving regulatory approval to voluntarily dissolve, Allstate Bank ceased operations.

The Company sells Allstate Financial products to individuals through multiple intermediary distribution channels, including Allstate exclusive agencies and exclusive financial specialists, independent agents, specialized structured settlement brokers and directly through call centers and the Internet. The Company sells products through independent agents affiliated with approximately 125 master brokerage agencies. Independent workplace enrolling agents and Allstate exclusive agencies also sell its voluntary accident and health insurance products primarily to employees of unaffiliated businesses. Its mortgage loan portfolio, which is primarily held in the Allstate Financial portfolio, totaled $7.14 billion as of December 31, 2011

Allstate Financial, through several companies, is authorized to sell life insurance and retirement products in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States, Virgin Islands and Guam. Allstate Financial distributes its products to individuals through multiple distribution channels, including Allstate exclusive agencies and exclusive financial specialists, independent agents (including master brokerage agencies and workplace enrolling agents), specialized structured settlement brokers and directly through call centers and the Internet.

OTHER BUSINESS SEGMENTS

The Company�� Corporate and Other segment consistsof holding company activities and certain non-insurance operations. It�� Discontinued Lines and Coverages segment includes results from insurance coverage that it no longer writes and results for certain commercial and other businesses in run-off. Its exposure to asbestos, environmental and other discontinued lines claims is presented in the segment. The segment also includes the historical results of the commercial and reinsurance businesses ! sold in 1! 996.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jessica Alling]

  With the speculation over changes in Fed policy driving a lot of the activity in the market these days, it's important for investors to know how rising interest rates will effect various companies. With interest rates playing a central role in the business model for insurance companies, AIG (NYSE: AIG  ) Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK-B  ) Geico, Allstate (NYSE: ALL  ) , and other insurers may be anxious to get back to a normalized rate environment.

• [By Michael Flannelly]

  Wells Fargo analysts see a number of upside catalysts for The Allstate Corporation (ALL), plus a positive trend for automobile insurers as a whole. As such, the analysts upgraded the insurance provider on Thursday.

  The analysts upgraded ALL from “Market Perform” to “Outperform” and boosted its valuation range from $48-$52 to $58-$62. This new valuation range suggests a 16% to 24% upside to the stock’s Wednesday closing price of $50.11.

  “We are upgrading the shares of Allstate to Outperform from Market Perform on the basis of several fundamental reasons unique to the company as well as several positive, emerging structural trends for auto insurers in general,” Wells Fargo analyst John Hall stated. “We do not believe that the market has yet paid for potential unit growth within Allstate’s branded standard book of auto insurance, something we envision occurring over the next 6-12 months.”

  As for some of the positive personal auto insurance sector trends, Hall noted, “These would include shifting demographics toward a safer driving population mix (more old drivers and fewer young drivers), changing driving habits particularly among millennials, a safer U.S. personal auto fleet, rising car sales pointing to positive symbol shift as well as industry conditions encouraging market share consolidation.”

  Wells Fargo boosted Allstate’s 2013 EPS estimates from $4.62 to $4.85 and 2014 EPS estimates from $4.85 to $5.20.

  Allstate shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading on Thursday. The stock is up 24.74% year-to-date.

• [By Jessica Alling]

  As Travelers looks to expand, some of its competitors have had to find other means to offset the negative impacts of low rates. Allstate (NYSE: ALL  ) began an aggressive shift in its investing focus to adapt to the lower rates, but is sacrificing higher investing income in future periods. American International Group (NYSE: AIG  ) didn't make any such changes to its investing strategy, but has been focusing on cutting costs to offset lower investment income.

• [By Jessica Alling]

  If the first quarter, insurers reported increases in their insurance premiums as a means to offset some losses from higher claims. American International Group (NYSE: AIG  ) reported a 6% increase in their commercial lines alone, while Allstate (NYSE: ALL  ) reported a 2.5% growth in written premiums due in part to higher rates. But should investors be happy that insurers are increasing their premiums?

Best Consumer Service Companies To Watch For 2014: Amicus Therapeutics Inc.(FOLD)

Amicus Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of orally-administered, small molecule drugs for the treatment of various human genetic diseases. Its drugs are known as pharmacological chaperones, which selectively bind to the target protein, enhance the stability of the protein, help it fold into the three-dimensional shape, and allow proper trafficking of the protein, thereby increasing protein activity, enhance cellular function, and reduce cell stress. The company primarily focuses on lysosomal storage disorders and diseases of neurodegeneration. Its products under development include Amigal, which is in phase III for the treatment of Fabry disease; AT2220, which completed phase I study for the treatment of Pompe disease; and Plicera, that has completed phase I study for the treatment of Gaucher disease. The company has license and collaboration agreement with Glaxo Group Limited to develop and commerc ialize Amigal. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Cranbury, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  5. You've got to know when to FOLD 'em
  Investing in biotech upstarts can be pretty risky, and Amicus Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FOLD  ) investors learned that the hard way this week.

Best Consumer Service Companies To Watch For 2014: National Australia Bank Ltd (NAUBF)

National Australia Bank Limited is a financial services organization providing products, advice and services through its major Australian franchise and businesses. The Company�� segment includes Business Banking, Personal Banking, Wholesale Banking, UK Banking and NZ Banking, MLC and NAB, Great Western Bank (GWB), the Corporate Functions and Other segment. MLC is the wealth management division of the National Australia Bank (NAB). In January 2014, Sandfire Resources NL announced that National Australia Bank Limited and its associated entities have ceased to be the substantial holder of the Company. In January 2014, Commonwealth Property Office Fund announced that National Australia Bank Ltd and its associated entities have ceased to be a substantial shareholder in Commonwealth Property Office Fund. In February 2014, Fairfax Media Ltd announced that National Australia Bank Ltd and its associated entities ceased holding interest in the capital of the Company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks started Monday trade higher, with the S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) up 0.8% at 5,206.40 after a strong finish for Wall Street at the end of last week. Resource shares got a lift from gains for commodities prices since the previous trading session, with strong advances for gold and copper and a more than 2% rise for New York-traded crude-oil futures. Among the leading gainers, Rio Tinto Ltd. (AU:RIO) (RIO) added 1.2%, Oil Search Ltd. (AU:OSH) (OISHF) climbed 1.3%, and gold miners Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) and Evolution Mining Ltd. (AU:EVN) (CAHPF) improved by 3.9% and 6.4%, respectively. The heavily weighted banking sector also enjoyed solid gains, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (AU:CBA) (CBAUF) up 1%, Westpac Banking Corp. (AU:WBC) (WEBNF) trading 1.3% higher, and National Australia Bank Ltd. (AU:NAB) (NAUBF) rising 1.1% as the U.K.'s Sunday Times reported the lender is considering a 拢2 billion ($3.3 billion) float of its British operations, which the report said had dragged on NAB's results in recent years.

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Stocks in Australia fell early Thursday, pressured by a drop in the country's currency to a three-month low below 90 U.S. cents, and by losses on Wall Street overnight on concerns about tapering of monetary stimulus. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) fell 28 points, or 0.5%, to 5,246, led by losses in the heavily weighted financial sector. There, shares of Westpac Banking Corp. (AU:WBC) (WEBNF) lost 1.2%, National Australia Bank Ltd. (AU:NAB) (NAUBF) declined 1%, and Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (AU:ANZ) (ANEWF) shed 0.7%. Shares of Qantas Airways Ltd. (AU:QAN) (QUBSF) sank 14% after the company warned it expects to post an underlying loss before tax of $250 million to $300 million for the six months ending Dec. 31. The carrier said trading conditions saw a marked deterioration, particularly in November with both passenger loads and yields "below the already negative trends for the year to date."

Best Consumer Service Companies To Watch For 2014: Keating Capital Inc (KIPO)

Keating Capital, Inc., incorporated on May 9, 2008, is a business development company. The Company is an externally managed, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Company focuses to invest principally in equity securities, including convertible preferred securities, and other debt securities convertible into equity securities, of primarily non-public United States based companies. Keating Investments, LLC (Keating Investments) serves as the Company�� investment adviser and also provides it with the administrative services necessary for it to operate. Keating Investments is primarily responsible for the selection, evaluation, structure, valuation and administration of the Company�� investment portfolio. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had investments in industries, including technology equipment, consumer products and clean technology. In May 2013, the Company completed the sale of Solazyme Inc.

During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company made four portfolio company investments, which included investments in NeoPhotonics Corporation (NeoPhotonics); Livescribe, Inc. (Livescribe); Solazyme, Inc. (Solazyme), and MBA Polymers, Inc. (MBA Polymers). NeoPhotonics develops and manufactures photonic integrated circuit based components, modules and subsystems for use in telecommunications networks. Livescribe is a developer and marketer of a mobile, paper-based computing platform, consisting of smartpens, dot paper, smartpen applications, accessories, desktop software, an online community and development tools. Solazyme is engaged in development and commercialization of algal oil and bioproducts for the fuels and chemicals, nutritionals and health sciences markets. MBA Polymers is a manufacturer of recycled plastics sourced from end of life durable goods, such as computers, electronics, appliances and automobiles. The Company focuses to provide capital primarily to micro-cap companies and small-cap companies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Helix Investment Research]

  In light of recent debates here on Seeking Alpha regarding Keating Capital (KIPO), we had the opportunity to speak with Tim Keating, the company's CEO, to receive his view of the company, as well as answer a variety of questions regarding the company's equity, portfolio, and investment philosophy. Based on our conversation with Mr. Keating, we believe that the market has misunderstood Keating Capital. With a discount to net asset value of over 20%, and with several catalysts set to materialize in the 2nd half, we believe that there is potential for double digit upside in the remainder of 2013 and 2014. Unless otherwise noted, financial statistics and managerial commentary will be sourced from Keating Capital's Q2 2013 earnings release, its Q2 2013 earnings call, its Q2 2013 earnings presentation, its latest 10-Q, or its 2012 10-K, as well as our conversation with Mr. Keating.

Best Consumer Service Companies To Watch For 2014: Immunomedics Inc.(IMMU)

Immunomedics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of monoclonal, antibody-based products for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune, and other serious diseases in the United States and Europe. The company?s products include epratuzumab, a Phase III clinical trail product for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus and non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma; Veltuzumab, a Phase I/II clinical study completed product for the treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Yttrium Y 90 Clivatuzumab tetraxetan, a humanized monoclonal antibody for pancreatic cancer that is in Phase Ib/II clinical trail; and Yttrium Y 90 epratuzumab tetraxetan, a Phase I/II clinical study product for patients with non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma. Its early phase clinical trial products comprise Milatuzumab, a transmembrane protein product for antibody-drug conjugate therapy. The com pany also develops Dock-and-Lock methodology for making fusion proteins and multifunctional antibodies, as well as a new method of delivering imaging and therapeutic agents selectively to disease, primarily different solid cancers. In addition, it markets and sells a diagnostic product, LeukoScan, which is used to treat infection and inflammation in bones for patients with suspected osteomyelitis, including patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Immunomedics, Inc. has a license and collaboration agreement with Nycomed GmbH to develop, manufacture, and commercialize veltuzumab in the subcutaneous formulation for the treatment of various non-cancer indications; and a partnership and cross-licensing agreement with Alexis Biotech Ltd., to develop vaccines against cancers that include melanoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and infectious diseases, such as AIDS. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Morris Plains, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  In terms of clinical data, small-cap biotechnology company Immunomedics (NASDAQ: IMMU  ) jumped by double digits after reporting early stage, but nonetheless positive, data from its antibody-drug conjugate program. Two of Immunomedics' ADC's, IMMU-130 which is targeted at metastatic colorectal cancer, and IMMU-132, which is being tested on 13 different cancer types, demonstrated tumor shrinkage and some partial responses. We're still a long way from an approval, but ADC's certainly look like one pathway to effectively treating cancer. Make sure this is a company you've added to your Watchlist.

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Immunomedics Inc. (IMMU) �shares rose 19% to $6.18 on heavy volume after the small cap biotech said it just started treating patients with its pancreatic cancer drug in a late-stage clinical trial.

• [By George Budwell]

  Immunomedics (NASDAQ: IMMU  ) develops monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other life-threatening diseases. The company has six products in clinical trials for a variety of diseases. Shares of Immunomedics have fallen hard and fast since the company announced the termination of a licensing deal with Takeda Pharmaceutical over veltuzumab last month. Even positive clinical trial results for 90-Y clivatuzumab, a treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer, failed to slow the fall. And last week, the pace of the decline picked up to the tune of a 15% drop on heavy volume.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Immunomedics (NASDAQ: IMMU  ) , a biopharmaceutical company researching monoclonal, antibody-based products to treat cancer and other autoimmune disorders, jumped as much as 15% after providing a clinical update on its antibody-drug conjugate programs.

Best Consumer Service Companies To Watch For 2014: Nikon Corp (NINOF)

NIKON CORPORATION is mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of image and video equipment. The Company operates in four business segments. The Precision Equipment segment offers semiconductor exposure apparatus and liquid crystal (LC) exposure apparatus. The Image segment provides digital single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, compact digital cameras and interchangeable lens. The Instruments segment offers microscopes, measuring machines and semiconductor inspection equipment. The Others segment provides LC photomask substrates and optical components. As of March 31, 2013, the Company has 87 subsidiaries and 10 associated companies. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- With the yen holding on to its gains and investors cautious as earnings season kicks off, Japanese stocks slid lower Friday after closing the previous day with some late-session gains. The Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) fell 0.9% to 14,358.28, with the Topix down 0.8%, as the dollar bought 97.36 yen, little changed from 24 hours earlier. The relatively strong yen weighed on some names with high global exposure, as Sharp Corp. (JP:6753) (SHCAF) lost 1%, Pioneer Corp. (JP:6773) (PNCOF) dropped 1.6%, and Bridgestone Corp. (JP:5108) (BRDCF) fell 1.2%. An outlook cut from Canon Inc. (JP:7751) (CAJ) helped send its shares down 1%, while rival Nikon Corp. (JP:7731) (NINOF) lost 1.8%, though Olympus Corp. (JP:7733) (OCPNF) gained 1%. Telecoms were weak, with Softbank Corp. (JP:9984) (SFTBF) falling 2.5%, KDDI Corp. (JP:9433) (KDDIF) down 1.7%, and NTT DoCoMo Inc. (JP:9437) (NTDMF)

Best Consumer Service Companies To Watch For 2014: Brandenburg Energy Corp (BBM)

Brandenburg Energy Corp. is engaged in the business of acquiring and exploring oil and gas properties. The Company�� properties include Holloman Cooper Basin Joint Venture, VG Mineral Claims, Senn Property, Exploration License No. 0932, Labana Property and African Properties. The Senn Property earns a 100% interest on the Senn Block of mineral claims (the Senn Property) located in the District of Kenora, Ontario, Canada. The Uganda-based East African Gold Sniffing Company Limited (EA Gold) is a holder of Mineral Exploration License No. 0932 (EL 0932) covers about two square kilometers. EL 0932 lies 287 kilometers southwest of the Ugandan capital, Kampala, 29 kilometers north of the city of Kasese, in Kasese province. The Labana Property consists of four oil and gas blocks in the Republic of Niger, which includes Dibeilla 1, Dibeilla 2, Dalo, and Mandaram. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Muhammad Bazil]

  The value of BlackBerry�� stock was at $7.44 as of yesterday�� (Jan. 1, 2014) close. Although this is still a far cry from its 52-week peak of $18.32, it does represent a month-long recovery coming shortly after the launch of its new BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) application for iPhones and Android devices.