Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy Right Now

This is a post I started to write last week, got sidetracked and now it seems a bit timely once more. I’m talking about Tesla (TSLA), the electric car manufacturer, and frankly I don’t see what the hype is about, why the stock has gone through the roof and why anyone would buy into the secondary offering at these prices.

Let’s start with the business. Tesla makes an electric car, specifically a high-end fairly expensive electric car. Fans rave about the fit, finish and the performance. The reviews from the automotive press have been no less effusive. Fair enough, the company has managed to build a beautiful piece of machinery. But it’s a piece of machinery with a fatal flaw – it can’t go very far without stopping for a long time to recharge. The now infamous NY Times article about a road trip in an earlier model highlighted the challenges of operating an electric vehicle outside of a fairly limited box. But let’s leave the discussion about the utility of electric vehicles to another day, this is about the financial and stock performance of the company.

Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy Right Now: Pansoft Company Limited(PSOF)

Pansoft Company Limited engages in the development and marketing of accounting and enterprise resource planning software primarily for the oil and gas industry in the People?s Republic of China. It offers software solutions in various business operations, including accounting, order processing, shipping, invoicing, inventory control, and customer relationship management. The company?s products comprise PanBI, a platform for business data analysis, model building, statements processing, and data storage building; PanXI, a database management platform, which converts business operational data into accounting systems and used in generating financial documents; PanMM, a supply chain management software for large enterprises; and PanSchema, a development platform that focuses on management information products. It also provides various services, including software systems development, software integration, software compatibility enhancement, functionality expansion, and busin ess process reengineering, as well as support, training, maintenance, and execution client services. The company was formerly known as Time Maker Limited and changed its name to Pansoft Company Limited in March 2006. Pansoft Company Limited was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Jinan, China. Pansoft Company Limited operates as a subsidairy of Timesway Group, Ltd.

Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy Right Now: Oxford Industries Inc.(OXM)

Oxford Industries, Inc. engages in designing, sourcing, and marketing apparel products primarily in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company?s apparel products comprise a portfolio of company-owned lifestyle brands, as well as company-owned and licensed brands of tailored clothing and golf apparel. Its owned and licensed brands include Tommy Bahama, Lilly Pulitzer, Ben Sherman, Billy London, Oxford Golf, Nickelson, and Arnold Brant. The company also holds licenses to produce and sell various categories of apparel products under the Kenneth Cole, Dockers, and Geoffrey Beene brand names. Its primary product line includes the Tommy Bahama brand men's and women's sportswear and related products for affluent men and women with age of 35 and older; the Lilly Pulitzer brand women's and girl's dresses, sportswear, and other products for young women, young mothers and their daughters, and women; the Ben Sherman brand men's sportswear and related products for men ages 25 to 40; and branded and private label men's suits, sport coats, suit separates, and dress slacks. In addition, the company licenses its Tommy Bahama, Lilly Pulitzer, and Ben Sherman brand names for various products categories, including apparel, accessories, footwear, watches, jewelry, luggage, rugs, wall coverings, fragrances and toiletries, shampoos and soaps, gift products, furniture, ceiling fans, stationery, bedding and home fashions, and table top accessories. Further, it operates restaurants under the Tommy Bahama brand name. It distributes company-owned lifestyle branded products through department stores, specialty stores, company-owned and licensed retail stores, and its e-commerce Websites; and branded and private label tailored clothing products through department stores, specialty stores, national chains, specialty catalogs, mass merchants, and Internet retailers. Oxford Industries, Inc. was founded in 1942 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Top 5 Low Price Companies To Buy For 2014: (MOSERBAER.NS)

Moser Baer India Limited engages in the manufacture and sale of optical storage media in India and internationally. The company offers a range of optical storage media products, which include recordable compact discs, rewritable compact discs, recordable digital versatile discs (DVD), rewritable DVD?s, and blue laser discs. It also provides solar power products, including photovoltaic cells, crystalline cells and modules, and thin films. In addition, the company offers home entertainment products, such as pre-recorded disks of home video titles in various Indian languages. It has rights for approximately 10,000 titles in all the languages. Further, the company provides information technology peripherals comprising USB drives, memory cards, DVD writers, PC peripherals, TFT Monitors, UPS, and external hard drives; and consumer electronics, which consist of LCD TVs, DVD players, portable DVD players, digital photo frames, media players, and multimedia speakers. Moser Baer Ind ia Limited was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in New Delhi, India.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Glenn]

  Moser Baer is the indeed the world’s second largest manufacturer of optical storage media and they have also embarked on manufacturing of Photo-voltaic cells, with the intent of providing reliable solar power as a competitive non-subsidized source of energy. In the light of continually rising demand for solar energy, the company is planning to expand its current capacity from 125 MW to 315 MW during 2010.

  It is planning to capture overseas solar market like USA and expanding its European business to countries like France, Italy, Bulgaria and Czech Republic and Greece. Being pioneer in this segment, Moser Baer is well positioned to seize these opportunities and the company is expected to emerge as a giant enterprise in the foreseeable future.

Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy Right Now: Ocwen Financial Corporation(OCN)

Ocwen Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides residential and commercial mortgage loan servicing, special servicing, and asset management services in the United States and internationally. The company provides loan servicing, including asset management and resolution services primarily to owners of subprime residential mortgages. It also invests in subprime residential loans held for resale; and is involved in subprime residual mortgage backed trading securities related to subprime loan origination operation and whole loan purchase and securitization activities, as well as engages in the management of residential assets. Ocwen Financial Corporation was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Andrew Feinberg]

  52-Week High: $39.83
  
  52-Week Low: $13.12
  
  Annual Revenue: $765 million
  
  Projected 2013 Earnings Growth: 212.5% 
  
  Ocwen Financial (symbol: OCN) soared 142% in 2012, but it still has room to grow. Ocwen services mortgages, so it's partly a play on a resurgent housing market. In October, the company announced two deals -- one for the loan-servicing business of Residential Capital and the other for Homeward Residential, a mortgage servicer and originator. Analysts see Ocwen earning $4.50 per share in 2013, but I think profits will be much higher.

Verizon Wireless Wraps Up Nationwide 4G LTE Rollout

Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ  ) and Vodafone (NASDAQ: VOD  ) , finished a nationwide rollout of its 4G LTE coverage yesterday. 

Verizon finished setting up its network in Parkersburg, W.Va., bringing 4G LTE to 500 markets in the United States. Verizon Wireless said in a press release that its 4G LTE network now covers 99% of its 3G network and includes 298 million people, more than 95% of the U.S. population. 

This week, Verizon celebrated the nationwide network with activities in Parkersburg. The company planned a citywide scavenger hunt and held a special event at the Blennerhassett Hotel, a national landmark in the town. Verizon also said it's donating $50,000 in HopeLine grants to programs that fight domestic violence.

Verizon said the new 4G LTE network is significant to the lives of residents who receive the service. "From providing emergency responders with the ability to share vital electrocardiogram (EKG) results in real-time with hospital personnel, to connecting children unable to attend school with their classroom via telepresence robots and even catching your favorite NFL team in action via NFL Mobile, 4G LTE is transforming lives," the company said in a statement.

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Top Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014

Until about 2 p.m. EST, it looked like just another day in the market. But two hours before the closing bell rang in the weekend, a flurry of selling began, driving the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) down 208 points, or 1.4%, to end at 15,115. Pfizer's (NYSE: PFE  ) stock led blue chips lower, as Wall Street panicked, presuming the Fed would taper its stimulus efforts after business activity jumped in May.

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC  ) ended as the top stock in the Dow, adding 0.3% on news that the chip maker would power Samsung's upcoming 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab 3. Not only is it great for Intel to align itself with a market leader in an up-and-coming tablet market, but the company is also stealing business from a rival. ARM Holdings�was formerly the exclusive manufacturer of chips in Samsung-powered devices.�

Top Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: TGC Industries Inc.(TGE)

TGC Industries, Inc. provides geophysical services for clients in the oil and gas business in the United States and Canada. It conducts three-D surveys and seismic data acquisition services primarily to onshore oil and natural gas exploration and development companies for use in the onshore drilling and production of oil and natural gas. The company also owns a data bank that contains gravity data and magnetic data from oil and natural gas producing areas located in the United States. It operates 8 seismic crews in the lower 48 states in the United States, as well as 2 crews in Canada. The company was formerly known as Tidelands Geophysical Co., Inc. and changed its name to TGC Industries, Inc. in July 1986. TGC Industries, Inc. was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

Top Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Freescale Semiconductor Inc (FSL)

Freescale Semiconductor, Ltd. provides embedded processing solutions for automotive, networking, industrial, and consumer markets worldwide. The company�s embedded processor products comprise microcontrollers, such as ultra low power, low end 8-bit, and 32-bit products with on-board flash memory, which provide the digital logic or intelligence for electronic applications; single-and multi-core microprocessors; and applications processors with embedded memory, and special purpose hardware and software for multimedia applications. It also offers wireless connectivity products for low power wireless communications functionality; communications processors that perform tasks related to control and management of digital data, and network interfaces; and radio frequency (RF) devices, which consist of power transistors, amplifiers, receivers, and tuners for amplifying RF signals. In addition, the company provides analog, mixed-signal, and power management integrated circuits (ICs ) that include switches, power management devices, battery and motor control devices, CAN/LIN network transceivers, and signal conditioners that perform audio processing, backlight management/control, power management, and charging functions; sensors comprising pressure, inertial, magnetic, and proximity sensors, which act as an interface between an embedded system and external environment; and cellular products consisting of baseband processors, power management ICs, and RF subsystems. It sells its products to original equipment manufacturers, distributors, original design manufacturers, and contract manufacturers through its direct sales force and distributors. The company was formerly known as Freescale Semiconductor Holdings I, Ltd. and changed its name to Freescale Semiconductor, Ltd. in April 2012. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. Freescale Semiconductor, Ltd. is a subsidiary of Freescale Holdings L.P.

Top Food Stocks To Own Right Now: C Ltd(CEO.AX)

Draig Resources Limited engages in the development and exploration of coal projects primarily in Mongolia. It develops 8 coal licenses in that cover 624.97 square kilometers in Ovorhangay and South Gobi provinces. The company was formerly known as C@ Limited and changed its name to Draig Resources Limited in December 2011. Draig Resources Limited was incorporated in 2004 and is based in West Perth, Australia.

Top Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Singapore Shipping Corp Ltd (S19.SI)

Singapore Shipping Corporation Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the ownership and management of ships in Sweden, Japan, and Singapore. It owns a fleet of four car carriers for charter. The company offers ships management services in various areas comprising technical management, dry docking, procurement, crew procurement and management, and certification and audits, as well as ship inspection and new construction consultancy services. The company is based in Singapore.

Top 5 Construction Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG  ) has had a remarkable run over the past five years, despite being essentially a one-trick pony. Chipotle has cultivated a loyal customer base who are willing to pay a slight premium for high-quality food (mostly burritos, tacos, and salads) that's ethically sourced. The company's rapid growth has led to strong returns for early investors.

Chipotle Mexican Grill 5 Year Price Chart, data by YCharts

Two years ago, Chipotle began testing a new concept restaurant, ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, with one location in Washington, D.C. The restaurant offers a "Chipotle-style" take on Asian cuisine. Apparently, Chipotle now thinks the ShopHouse concept is ready for prime time, because the company announced this week that it has signed leases for four new ShopHouse restaurants, in addition to three that are already under construction.

Top 5 Construction Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Fluor Corporation(FLR)

Fluor Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and project management services worldwide. Its Oil & Gas segment offers design, engineering, procurement, construction, and project management services to upstream oil and gas production, downstream refining, chemicals, and petrochemicals industries. This segment also provides consulting services comprising feasibility studies, process assessment, and project finance structuring and studies. The company?s Industrial & Infrastructure segment offers design, engineering, procurement, and construction services to the transportation, wind power, mining and metals, life sciences, manufacturing, commercial and institutional, telecommunications, microelectronics, and healthcare sectors. Its Government segment provides engineering, construction, logistics support, contingency response, management, and operations services to the United States government focusing on the Departme nt of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense. The company?s Global Services segment offers operations and maintenance, small capital project engineering and execution, site equipment and tool services, industrial fleet services, plant turnaround services, temporary staffing services, and supply chain solutions. Its Power segment provides engineering, procurement, construction, program management, start-up and commissioning, and operations and maintenance services to the gas fueled, solid fueled, plant betterment, renewables, nuclear, and power services markets. The company also offers unionized management and construction services in the United States and Canada. Fluor Corporation was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

Top 5 Construction Stocks To Invest In Right Now: CEMEX SAB de CV (CX)

CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (CEMEX), incorporated on January 20, 1931, is a global cement manufacturer with operations in North America, Europe, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The Company is a holding company engaged through the operating subsidiaries in the production, distribution, marketing and sale of cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and clinker. As of December 31, 2009, the Company�� cement production facilities were located in Mexico, the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Latvia, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Egypt, the Philippines and Thailand.

The Company manufactures cement through a closely controlled chemical process, which begins with the mining and crushing of limestone and clay, and, in some instances, other raw materials. The clay and limestone are then pre-homogenized, a process which consists of combining different types of clay and limestone. The mix is typically dried, then fed into a grinder, which grinds the various materials in preparation for the kiln. The raw materials are calcined, or processed, at a very high temperature in a kiln, to produce clinker. Clinker is the intermediate product used in the manufacture of cement.

Ready-mix concrete is a combination of cement, fine and coarse aggregates, admixtures (which control properties of the concrete including plasticity, pumpability, freeze-thaw resistance, strength and setting time), and water. The Company is a supplier of aggregates primarily the crushed stone, sand and gravel, used in virtually all forms of construction.

Mexican Operations

During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Mexican operations represented approximately 21% of the Company�� net sales. CEMEX Mexico is a direct subsidiary of CEMEX and is both a holding company for some of the operating companies in Mexico and an operating company involved in the manufacturing and ma! rketing of cement, plaster, gypsum, groundstone and other construction materials and cement by-products in Mexico. CEMEX Mexico, indirectly, is also the holding company for the international operations. The Company owns Tolteca, Monterrey, Maya, Anahuac, Campana, Gallo, and Centenario brands in Mexico. As of December 31, 2009, the Company owned 100% of CEMEX Mexico.

The Company competes with Holcim Ltd., Sociedad Cooperativa Cruz Azul, Cementos Moctezuma, Grupo Cementos Chihuahua and Lafarge Cementos in Mexico.

U.S. Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company�� operations in the United States represented approximately 19% of the Company�� net sales. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX, Inc. As of December 31, 2009, CEMEX had a cement manufacturing capacity of approximately 17.9 million tons per year in the United States operations. As of December 31, 2009, the Company operated 14 cement plants located in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. As of December 31, 2009, it also had 48 rails or water served active cement distribution terminals in the United States. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had 336 ready-mix concrete plants located in the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington and aggregates facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Spanish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the operations in Spain represented approximately 5% of the Company�� net sales. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held approximately 99.8% of CEMEX Espana, the main operating subsidiary in Spain. The cement activities in Spain are conducted by CEMEX Espana. The ready-mix concrete activities in Spain are conducted by Hormicemex, S.A., a subsidiary of CEMEX Espana, and the aggregates activities in Spain ar! e conduct! ed by Aricemex S.A., also a subsidiary of CEMEX Espana.

U.K. Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company�� operations in the United Kingdom represented approximately 8% of the Company�� net sales. As of December 31, 2009, it held 100% of CEMEX Investments Limited, the holding subsidiary in the United Kingdom. The Company is a provider of building materials in the United Kingdom with vertically integrated cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and asphalt operations. It is also a provider of concrete and precast materials solutions, such as concrete blocks, concrete block paving, roof tiles, flooring systems and sleepers for rail infrastructure.

The Company competes with Lafarge, Heidelberg, Tarmac, and Aggregate Industries in the United Kingdom.

German Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the operations in the Rest of Europe consisted of the operations in Germany, France, Ireland, Poland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Austria and Hungary, as well as the other European assets. The Company is a provider of building materials in Germany, with vertically integrated cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and concrete products operations (consisting mainly of prefabricated concrete ceilings and walls). It maintains a network for ready-mix concrete and aggregates in Germany. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Deutschland AG, the holding subsidiary in Germany.

The Company competes with Heidelberg, Dyckerhoff, Lafarge, Holcim and Schwenk in Germany.

French Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX France Gestion (S.A.S.), the holding subsidiary in France. It is a ready-mix concrete producer and aggregate producer in France. As of December 31, 2009, the Company operated 239 ready-mix concrete plants in France, one maritime cement terminal located in LeHavre, on the northern coast of France, 20 land distribution centers and 42 aggregates quarries.

The Company competes with Lafarge, Holcim, Italcementi, Vicat, Lafarge, Italcementi, Colas (Bouygues) and Eurovia (Vinci) in France.

Irish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held approximately 61.2% of Readymix Plc, the operating subsidiary in the Republic of Ireland. The operations in Ireland produce and supply sand, stone and gravel, as well as ready-mix concrete, mortar and concrete blocks. As of December 31, 2009, we operated 43 ready-mix concrete plants, 27 aggregates quarries and 15 block plants located in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. The Company imports and distributes cement in the Isle of Man.

The Company competes with CRH, the Lagan Group and Kilsaran in the Republic of Ireland.

Polish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Polska Sp. z.o.o. (CEMEX Polska), the holding subsidiary in Poland. It is a provider of building materials in Poland serving the cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates markets. As of December 31, 2009, CEMEX operated two cement plants and one grinding mill in Poland, with a total installed cement capacity of three million tons per year. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated 39 ready-mix concrete plants and nine aggregates quarries in Poland. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated 10 land distribution centers and two maritime terminals in Poland.

The Company competes with Heidelberg, Lafarge, CRH and Dyckerhoff in Poland.

Southeast European Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Hrvatska d.d. (Hrvatska), the operating subsidiary in Croatia. As of December 31, 2009, it operated three cement plants in Croatia, with an installed capacity of 2.4 million tons per year. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated ten land distribution centers, three maritime cement terminals, eight ready-mix concrete facilities and one aggregates quarry! in Croat! ia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro.

Best Oil Companies To Own For 2014: Stanley Black & Decker Inc.(SWK)

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. manufactures tools and engineered security solutions worldwide. The company?s Security segment provides a range of mechanical and electronic security products and systems, as well as various security services consisting of security integration systems, software, and related installation, maintenance, monitoring services; automatic doors, door closers, and exit devices; healthcare storage and supply chain solutions; patient protection products; hardware; and locking mechanisms. This segment sells its products to retailers; educational, financial, and healthcare institutions; and commercial, governmental, and industrial customers through direct sales forces and third party distributors. Its Industrial segment offers mechanics tools and storage systems, including wrenches, sockets, electronic diagnostic tools, tool boxes, and industrial storage and retrieval systems; engineered healthcare storage and retrieval systems; hydraulic tools and accessor ies; plumbing, heating, and air conditioning tools; assembly tools and systems; and specialty tools. This segment sells its products to industrial customers through third party distributors and direct sales forces. The company?s Construction & Do-It-Yourself segment manufactures hand tools, including measuring and leveling tools, planes, hammers, demolition tools, knives and blades, saws, chisels, and consumer tackers; consumer mechanics tools; storage units comprising plastic and metal tool boxes; and pneumatic tools and fasteners for use in construction, remodeling, furniture making, pallet and manufacturing applications. This segment sells its products to professional end users and consumers through retailers, including home centers, mass merchants, hardware stores, and retail lumber yards. The company was formerly known as The Stanley Works and changed its name to Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. in March 2010. Stanley Black & Decker was founded in 1843 and is based in New B ritain, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By SamSam Collins Collins]

  Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK ) is the largest producer of power tools and accessories with brands such as Stanley, Black & Decker, FatMax, DeWalt, Bostitch, Porter-Cable, Facom, Emhart Teknologies, Proto, Kwikset and Mac Tools. Sharp sales growth following the acquisition of Black & Decker in March 2010 focuses the company on the construction and do-it-yourself segments.

  Credit Suisse has an "outperform" rating on SWK with an earnings estimate of $6.11 for 2012. Their price target is $72. Technically the stock is holding above both its 200-day moving average and its bullish support line. A break above $65 supports a price target of $73.

Top 5 Construction Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Clean Wind Energy Tower Inc (CWET)

Clean Wind Energy Tower, Inc. (Clean Wind), incorporated on January 22, 1962, focuses on becoming a provider of green energy. As of December 31, 2011, Clean Wind had designed and was preparing to develop, and construct Downdraft Towers that use non-toxic elements to generate electricity and clean water by integrating and synthesizing a range of proven, as well as emerging technologies.

The Downdraft Tower is a hollow cylinder with a water spray system at the top. Pumps deliver water to the top of the Downdraft Tower to spray a fine mist across the entire opening. The water evaporates and cools the hot dry air at the top. The cooled air is denser and heavier than the outside warmer air and falls through the cylinder at speeds up to and in excess of 50 miles per hour (mph), driving the turbines located at the base of the structure. The turbines power generators to produce electricity.

The Company competes with Southern California Edison Company, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Arizona Public Service Company, Florida Power & Light Company, enXco, Inc., PPM Energy, Inc. and UNS.

Top 5 Construction Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Tutor Perini Corporation(TPC)

Tutor Perini Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides diversified general contracting, construction management, and design-build services to private clients and public agencies worldwide. It operates in three segments: Civil, Building, and Management Services. The Civil segment involves in public works construction, and the repair, replacement, and reconstruction of infrastructure. This segment?s civil contracting services include construction and rehabilitation of highways, bridges, mass transit systems, and wastewater treatment facilities. The Building segment provides services to various specialized building markets for private and public works clients, such as the hospitality and gaming, transportation, healthcare, municipal offices, sports and entertainment, education, correctional facilities, biotech, pharmaceutical, industrial and high-tech markets, electrical and mechanical, plumbing, and HVAC services. The Management Services Segment offers diversifie d construction and design-build services to the United States military and government agencies, surety companies, and multi-national corporations in the United States and internationally. This segment also provides rapid response and contract completion services; and management or general contracting services to fulfill the contractual and financial obligations of the surety on notification from the surety of a contractor bond default. The company was founded in 1894 and is headquartered in Sylmar, California.

Why National Oilwell Is Poised to Bounce Back

Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, oilfield services specialist National Oilwell Varco (NYSE: NOV  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at National Oilwell and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

National Oilwell facts

Headquarters (founded)	Houston (1862)
Market Cap	$30.6 billion
Industry	Oil and gas equipment and services
Trailing-12-Month Revenue	$21.0 billion
Management	Chairman/CEO Merrill Miller Jr. President/COO Clay Williams
Return on Equity (average, past 3 years)	11.7%
Cash/Debt	$2.4 billion / $4.4 billion
Dividend Yield	1.5%
Competitors	Halliburton Schlumberger Weatherford International

Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 99% of the 4,106 members who have rated National Oilwell believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.

Just last week, one of those Fools, All-Star RedandBlack, tapped the stock as a particularly attractive bargain opportunity: "Energy stocks have been beaten lately and [National Oilwell] had some issues in 2012 with contracting margins but the pipeline remains strong and I think margins will improve in 2014 and beyond. They have made numerous acquisitions the last few years which should be accretive going forward or I've misjudged this one."

National Oilwell Varco is perhaps the safest investment in the energy sector due to its industry-dominating market share. This company is poised to profit in a big way; its customers are both increasing the number of new drilling rigs and updating aging fleets of offshore rigs. To help determine if it could be a good fit for your portfolio, you're invited to check out The Motley Fool's premium research report featuring in-depth analysis on whether NOV is a buy today. For instant access to this valuable investor's resource, simply click here now to claim your copy.

Bernanke's Gift to Patient Investors

Last week, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke acknowledged that as economic conditions improved, he'd start tapering his bond-buying stimulus program. Markets tumbled on the news, but it was a wonderful gift from the Fed Chairman to patient investors looking to pick up companies at reasonable prices.

For the real-money Inflation-Protected Income Growth portfolio, it meant that the long-standing limit order to buy energy pipeline giant Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI  ) below $36 finally triggered on Friday. That purchase means that the original $30,000 invested in the iPIG portfolio has now been completely allocated to stocks. With all that cash allocated, the next test is whether the companies in the portfolio will continue their strings of paying and raising their dividends.

Speaking of dividends
Of the previously existing holdings in the portfolio, two paid their dividends last week: fast-food giant McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) and electricity generator NV Energy (NYSE: NVE  ) . McDonald's $0.77 per share added $12.32 to the iPIG portfolio's coffers and was the company's third consecutive quarterly dividend at that rate. NV Energy's $0.19 per share handed $15.96 to the iPIG portfolio and was the second quarterly payout at that level.

As great as those dividends have been, NV Energy is in the process of being bought out by Warren Buffett's company, insurance giant Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A  ) (NYSE: BRK-B  ) . Berkshire Hathaway is adding NV Energy to its MidAmercian Energy subsidiary, increasing that company's energy-generating capabilities. That buyout is for cash, and because Berkshire Hathaway doesn't pay dividends, the iPIG portfolio will be parting with NV Energy at or before the completion of that transaction.

As the buyout is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, there's still some time to figure out what company will replace those NV Energy shares. If a particularly compelling one comes along at a bargain price that fits the iPIG portfolio's dividend growth, valuation, and diversification-oriented strategy, NV Energy will be sold to replace it with that other pick. If not, then the iPIG portfolio will collect any remaining NV Energy dividends until bidding the company farewell.

As for the rest of the portfolio...
Of course, the news wasn't all positive for the iPIG portfolio, as the same Fed-induced market sell-off that let it buy Kinder Morgan stock also knocked down many of its other holdings, too. All told, the iPIG portfolio lost around $527 since the prior week's update, to end last week at $33,963.68. Still, that's a better than 13% return in just over six months since the portfolio's launch, which is nothing to sneeze at. A snapshot of the portfolio's state as of last Friday appears below:

Company

Purchase Date

No. of Shares

Total Investment (including commissions)

Value as of June 21, 2013

United Technologies	12/10/2012	18	$1,464.82	$1,659.24
Teva Pharmaceutical	12/12/2012	38	$1,519.40	$1,472.12
J.M. Smucker	12/13/2012	17	$1,483.45	$1,712.07
Genuine Parts	12/21/2012	23	$1,476.47	$1,755.13
Mine Safety Appliances	12/21/2012	36	$1,504.96	$1,620.00
Microsoft	12/26/2012	55	$1,499.15	$1,829.30
Hasbro	12/28/2012	43	$1,520.60	$1,906.62
NV Energy	12/31/2012	84	$1,504.72	$1,970.64
United Parcel Service	1/2/2013	20	$1,524.00	$1,708.20
Walgreen	1/4/2013	40	$1,501.80	$1,948.40
Texas Instruments	1/7/2013	47	$1,515.70	$1,642.65
Union Pacific	1/22/2013	6	$805.42	$916.14
CSX	1/22/2013	34	$712.50	$797.98
McDonald's	1/24/2013	16	$1,499.64	$1,555.68
Becton, Dickinson	1/31/2013	18	$1,518.64	$1,728.54
AFLAC	2/5/2013	27	$1,466.35	$1,529.82
Air Products & Chemicals	2/11/2013	17	$1,510.99	$1,608.03
Raytheon	2/22/2013	27	$1,473.91	$1,784.97
Emerson Electric	4/3/2013	28	$1,548.12	$1,533.28
Wells Fargo & Co	5/30/2013	37	$1,525.48	$1,515.52
Kinder Morgan	6/21/2013	42	$1,518.37	$1,523.76
Cash				$245.59
Total Portfolio				$33,963.68

Data from the iPIG portfolio brokerage account, as of June 21, 2013.

To follow the IPIG portfolio as buy and sell decisions are made, watch portfolio manager Chuck Saletta's article feed by clicking here. To join The Motley Fool's free discussion board dedicated to the IPIG portfolio, simply click here.

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Top 10 Wireless Telecom Companies To Buy Right Now

If there's such a thing as a wave of indifference and indecisiveness, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM  ) is riding it this morning. An hour into trading, shares are down by 0.19%, along with shares in Citigroup�and Bank of America, while Wells Fargo is trading in the green.

The markets can't make up their mind which direction to head either. JPMorgan got some unsettling news on Thursday, which could be adding to the stock's general malaise today.

Talk about toxic debt
Last Thursday, The New York Times reported that JPMorgan could lose $1.6 billion in a deal involving a bankrupt county in Alabama. Terms of the settlement were announced on Wednesday. The losses revolve around a deal to finance repairs of the county's failing sewer system. The county declared bankruptcy in 2011.

Top 10 Wireless Telecom Companies To Buy Right Now: Northwest Natural Gas Company(NWN)

Northwest Natural Gas Company stores and distributes natural gas primarily in Oregon, Washington, and California. The company operates in two segments, Local Gas Distribution and Gas Storage. The Local Gas Distribution segment distributes natural gas in Oregon and southwest Washington. The Local Gas Distribution segment distributes natural gas in Oregon and southwest Washington. This segment engages in building and maintaining pipeline distribution system, purchasing gas from producers and marketers, contracting for the transportation of gas over pipelines from the supply basins to service territory, and reselling the gas to customers. It also transports gas owned by customers from the interstate pipeline connection, or city gate, to the customers? facilities. This segment serves various industries, including pulp, paper, and other forest products; companies manufacturing electronic, electrochemical, and electrometallurgical products; companies engaged in processing of fa rm and food products; metal fabrication and casting companies; organizations that produce various mineral products, machine tools, machinery, and textiles; companies that manufacture asphalt, concrete, and rubber; printing and publishing companies; nurseries; government and educational institutions; and electric generation companies. It has approximately 674,000 utility customers comprising approximately 611,000 residential, 62,000 commercial, and 1,000 industrial customers. The Gas Storage segment offers underground natural gas storage services to interstate and intrastate customers. It holds interests in approximately 9,900 net acres of underground natural gas storage in Oregon and approximately 5,000 net acres of underground natural gas storage in California. This segment serves primarily natural gas distribution, electric generation, and energy marketing companies. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Portland, Oregon.

Top 10 Wireless Telecom Companies To Buy Right Now: eLong Inc.(LONG)

eLong, Inc. operates as an online travel service provider in the People?s Republic of China. The company provides its customers with travel information and the ability to book rooms, air tickets, vacation packages, and other travel related services utilizing call center and Web-based distribution technologies. It facilitates the customers to book rooms in approximately 10,000 hotels in 450 cities across China, and fulfills air ticket reservations in approximately 80 cities across China. In addition, the company offers the ability to book rooms at approximately 100,000 hotels outside of China; and provides the customers informative content relevant to hotel and air travel decisions, including tourist and event site destination information, hotel facility information, and photos. eLong markets its services through online marketing, traditional media advertising, co-marketing with established brands of other companies, and direct marketing. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China. eLong, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Expedia Asia Pacific Limited.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By cnAnalyst]

  eLong, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:LONG) is the 10th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 62.09% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 17.47% year-to-date.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: First California Financial Group Inc.(FCAL)

First California Financial Group, Inc. operates as the holding company for First California Bank, which provides commercial banking services to individuals, professionals, and small- to mid-sized business in California. Its deposit products comprise non-interest bearing checking, interest checking, savings accounts, time deposits, and money market accounts. The company?s loan portfolio includes revolving lines of credit, term loans, commercial real estate loans, construction loans, consumer and home equity loans, entertainment finance, and small business administration loans. As of March 18, 2010, it operated through 17 full-service branches in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Westlake Village, California.

Top 10 Wireless Telecom Companies To Buy Right Now: Virtutone Networks Inc (VFX.V)

Virtutone Networks Inc. provides voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), fax over Internet protocol (FOIP), and related phone services to business and residential customers in North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The company offers various products and services, including managed voice lines, managed fax lines, hosted PBX systems, analog phone lines, calling cards, hosted exchange and BEZ solutions, wholesale VoIP, Internet, and analog line management. It also provides hardware, including IP phones, wireless conference phones, phone adapter with router, 8-port IP telephony gateway, and fax/voice adapters. The company serves oil and gas exploration companies, forestry and fire fighting departments, and other businesses/organizations. Virtutone Networks Inc. is headquartered in Sherwood Park, Canada.

Top 10 Wireless Telecom Companies To Buy Right Now: Diamcor Mining Inc (DMI.V)

Diamcor Mining Inc., a junior mining and exploration company, engages in the identification, acquisition, exploration, evaluation, operation, and development of diamond-based resource properties in South Africa. The company focuses on the acquisition and operation of near-term production based diamond projects; and the supply of rough diamonds to diamond purchasing entities serving the diamond market. It holds interests in the Krone-Endora at Venetia project that consists of Krone 104MS and Endora 66MS farms covering a combined surface area of approximately 5,888 hectares directly adjacent to De Beer�s flagship Venetia Diamond Mine in South Africa; and owns certain land and mining rights in the So Ver mine facility located near Kimberley, South Africa. Diamcor Mining Inc. has a strategic alliance with Tiffany & Co. The company is based in Kelowna, Canada.

Top 10 Wireless Telecom Companies To Buy Right Now: Capitaland Limited (C31.SI)

CapitaLand Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the real estate development, investment in real estate financial products and real estate assets, and management of serviced residences, as well as provision of advisory and management services. Its real estate and hospitality portfolio includes homes, offices, shopping malls, serviced residences, and mixed developments. The company is involved in the development and sale of residential properties; residential, commercial, and integrated property development; ownership and management of commercial and industrial properties; management of real estate funds and real estate investment trusts; and provision of financial advisory services. CapitaLand Limited operates primarily in Singapore, China, Australia, Europe, and other Asian countries. The company is headquartered in Singapore.

Top 10 Wireless Telecom Companies To Buy Right Now: Argonaut Exploration Inc (AGA.V)

Argonaut Exploration Inc., a junior mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. It primarily explores for gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, lead, and zinc deposits. The company holds a 100% interest in the Terrace property comprising 75 mineral claims located in north-western British Columbia; the Columario Gold property consisting of 31 mineral tenures covering an area of approximately 2,230 hectares located in the Terrace area of British Columbia; and the High Gold property covering an area of approximately 7,832.4 hectares located in Hidden Valley Area, British Columbia. It also holds a 100% interest in the Lucky Luke and Cordillera gold mines located in British Columbia. Argonaut Exploration Inc. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Top 10 Wireless Telecom Companies To Buy Right Now: Unilever(ULVR.L)

Unilever PLC operates as a fast-moving consumer goods company in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. It offers personal care products, including skin care and hair care products, deodorants, and oral care products under the brand names of Axe, Brylcreem, Dove, Fissan, Lifebuoy, Lux, Pond's, Radox, Rexona, Signal & Close Up, Simple, St Ives, Sunsilk, TRESemm� Vaseline, and VO5. The company also provides home care products comprising laundry tablets, powders and liquids, soap bars, and a range of cleaning products under the Cif, Comfort, Domestos, Omo, Radiant, Sunlight, and Surf brand names. In addition, it offers food products consisting of soups, bouillons, sauces, snacks, mayonnaise, salad dressings, margarines and spreads, as well as cooking products, such as liquid margarines. The company markets its food products under the brand names of Becel/Flora, Bertolli, Blue Band, Rama, Hellmann?s, Amora, and Knorr. Further, it provides refreshment products, which includ e ice cream, tea-based beverages, weight-management products, and nutritionally enhanced staples under the brand names of Heartbrand, Lipton, and Slim Fast. Unilever sells its products through its own sales force, as well as through independent brokers, agents, and distributors to chain, wholesale, co-operative and independent grocery accounts, food service distributors, and institutions. The company, formerly known as Lever Brothers Limited, was founded in 1885 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Unilever PLC is a subsidiary of The Unilever Group.

Top 10 Wireless Telecom Companies To Buy Right Now: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company(CTB)

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets replacement tires in North America and internationally. It operates in two segments, North American Tire Operations and International Tire Operations. The North American Tire Operations segment produces and distributes passenger car and light truck tires, as well as tires for racing, medium trucks, and motorcycles to independent tire dealers, wholesale distributors, regional and national retail tire chains, and other large automotive product retail chains. This segment sells its products through three own retail stores. The International Tire Operations segment manufactures and markets passenger car, light truck, motorcycle, light vehicle tires, radial and bias medium truck tires, and racing tires and tire retread material to markets worldwide. The company was founded in 1913 and is based in Findlay, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Zacks]

  Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (CTB) reversed a year-ago loss with first-quarter earnings of 33 cents. The result also bettered the consensus by as much as 312%. Total sales moved forward 16% to $689 million, versus $597 million in the first quarter of 2006. Cooper Tire & Rubber said it continued to benefit from the cost reduction and profit improvement initiatives announced last September. Furthermore, it was helped by improved price and mix in North America, and increased tire unit sales in Europe and Asia.

  Shares of the company gained 12% last week, making it one of the top-performing Zacks #1 Rank companies. It also reached a 52-week high on the day of its report. Looking forward, Cooper Tire & Rubber expects to build on the momentum of the first quarter, as conditions and opportunities suggest a strong 2007. Over the past seven days, earnings estimates for this year have moved forward approximately 25% to 98 cents.

Top 10 Wireless Telecom Companies To Buy Right Now: Teekay Corporation(TK)

Teekay Corporation engages in the marine transportation of crude oil and gas in Bermuda and internationally. Its Shuttle Tanker and FSO segment operates shuttle tankers, and floating storage and off-take (FSO) units for offloading and transportation of cargo from oil field installations to onshore terminals; and provides floating storage services for oil field installations. The company?s FPSO segment provides floating production, processing, and storage services through floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) units. Its Liquefied Gas segment comprises liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas carriers. The company?s Conventional Tanker segment operates conventional crude oil and product tankers that are employed on long-term fixed-rate time-charter contracts. As of December 31, 2010, its fleet consisted of 151 vessels, including 11 vessels under construction. The company serves energy and utility companies, oil traders, oil and LNG consumers, p etroleum product producers, government agencies, and various other entities that depend upon marine transportation. Teekay Corporation was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Did Solazyme Just Get Riskier?

Alternative oils play Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM  ) may have just gotten riskier; apparently, many investors think so. Unlike many stocks today, Solazyme's trip to the woodshed is hinged on actual news and, unfortunately, it's one of the market's biggest decliners as of this writing. Today we learned that one of its partnerships will be dissolved within weeks.

Solazyme and France's Roquette Freres will no longer work together on creating food additives. Solazyme cited "divergent views on an acceptable commercial strategy and timeline for the manufacturing and marketing of joint venture products" as the cause.

Solazyme is more than a biofuels play like fellow biofuels upstarts like Amyris (NASDAQ: AMRS  ) and Gevo (NASDAQ: GEVO  ) . I purchased shares of Solazyme for the Prosocial Portfolio (I hold shares in my personal portfolio, too) not only for its impressive foray into a nascent field, but also because it had already inked some impressive partnerships. Meanwhile, its alternative oils go much further than simply trying to provide alternatives to fossil fuels. Its microalgae-derived oils can also be used in skin care and food.

The Roquette Freres deal was a clear example of that differentiation. Under the agreement, Roquette would shell out the capital for manufacturing facilities and Solazyme would have provided its cutting-edge technology. The resulting oils were supposed to increase foods' nutritional content.

Furthermore, Roquette isn't Solazyme's only big partner for the nutritional additives market. It also has active partnerships or joint ventures with Unilever, Bunge, and Archer Daniels Midland.

Maybe investors shoudn't freak out too badly, though. The potential for situations like this one is outlined in the company's Form 10-K, so speed bumps aren't particularly surprising. Solazyme's risk factors clearly state the potential challenges due to its dependence on its partners.

Among the previously disclosed risks: Solazyme's lack of control over how quickly its partners can move on commercialization. For example: "Further, we may have limited control over the amount or timing of resources that any partner is able or willing to devote to production and processing of our products." That seems to echo this very situation. In addition, Solazyme got specific, stating that its relationship with Roquette might not be successful, so a dissolution wasn't out of the question.

This isn't exactly comforting news -- there's a lot of "wait and see" here -- but I'm not a proponent of the kind of panic selling going on today. Granted, a nearly 20% fall feels dreadful, but we shouldn't rule out that the partnership's dissolution may actually end up being better for the long term, not worse. Solazyme said that the failed partnership will not affect this year's revenue; if it can accelerate ramping up its business, then it could be a strategic positive for its shareholders.

Meanwhile, compare Solazyme to some of the other biofuels companies. Amyris is currently in legal hot water due to its consistent inability to get its fuel production up and running at all. News of lawsuits has overshadowed any sign of good news.

Several days ago, another rival, Gevo, which enjoys the backing of France's Total, finally restarted its isobutanol plant that it shut down in September due to contamination issues. The shutdown had resulted in a scary 92% decrease in revenue in the third quarter, and while Gevo's now getting back into the game, it's obviously lost traction and time, and the plant isn't even back to full production capacity yet.

Solazyme isn't for those averse to risk, but it's still ahead of the game as many other similar companies have struggled to get their technologies into the commercial phase. Let's acknowledge Solazyme's risks, but shut down the temptation to panic with all the others. Personally, I'm holding on and watching with interest.

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Best Healthcare Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014

Like Frankenstein, too-big-to-fail banks didn't pop out of nowhere. We created them -- or, more specifically, financial lobbyists and our purported representatives in Washington did (to read about how this happened, read this article).

But aside from the sheer size of the nation's largest banks, one of the most startling facts is how quickly they consolidated power over the nation's financial assets. The chart below depicts just that. As you can see, starting in 1994 (the same year that Congress removed restrictions on interstate banking), the market share of big banks began an aggressive ascent that continues today, going from roughly 35% of industry assets to more than 80% at the end of last year.�

Lest there be any doubt, this is what the too-big-to-fail debate is all about. Do we want only a handful of lenders -- in this case, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM  ) , Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) , Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) , and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) -- to control the narrows, if you will, of American finance? Is that a threat to our savings? Our economy? Or even our financial freedom? Chime in on these questions in the comment section below.

Best Healthcare Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: ISTA Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ISTA)

ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and markets remedies for diseases and conditions of the eye in the United States. It offers products to treat allergy and serious disease of the eye; and therapies for ocular inflammation and pain, glaucoma, dry eye, and ocular and nasal allergies. The company provides BROMDAY for the treatment of postoperative inflammation and reduction of ocular pain in patients who have undergone cataract extractions; BEPREVE for ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis; ISTALOL for the treatment of glaucoma; and VITRASE for use as a spreading agent. Its products under development include T-Pred for steroid responsive inflammation and allergic conjunctivitis; Strong steroid for ocular inflammation; REMURA for the treatment of dry eye syndrome; and BROMDAY (lower concentration) for postoperative inflammation and reduction of ocular pain. The company?s products under development also comprise Bepotast ine nasal and Bepotastine nasal combination for allergic rhinitis. In addition, it is developing iganidipine to enhance ocular nerve blood flow; prostaglandin, a formulation of latanoprost, for the treatment of glaucoma; and ecabet sodium for dry eyes. ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. sells its products to drug wholesalers, retailers, and distributors, such as chain of drug stores, hospitals, clinics, and government agencies, as well as health maintenance organizations and other institutions. The company was formerly known as Advanced Corneal Systems, Inc. and changed its name to ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in March 2000. ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mark]

  ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a commercial stage, multi-specialty pharmaceutical company developing, marketing and selling its own products in the United States. Its EPS forecast for the current year is 0.17 and next year is 0.54. According to consensus estimates, its topline is expected to grow 16.65% current year and 19.17% next year. It is trading at a forward P/E of 19.85. Out of three analysts covering the company, two are positive and have buy recommendations and the other has a hold rating.

Best Healthcare Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: ReachLocal Inc.(RLOC)

ReachLocal, Inc. provides a suite of online marketing and reporting solutions to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) primarily in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, India, the Netherlands, Germany, and Japan. The company?s products include ReachSearch, a search engine marketing product; ReachDisplay, a display advertising and remarketing product; ReachCast, a solution that builds and optimizes Web presence for the purpose of driving online search discovery, powering reputation management, and managing social media marketing; and remarketing and retargeting products. It also provides a suite of digital marketing solutions comprising TotalTrack, TotalLiveChat, TotalVideoNow, and TotalBannerNow to address specific marketing needs, such as lead optimization, online analytics, and digital creative solutions. The company serves clients in various industry verticals, such as home repair and improvement, automobile sales and repair, medical and health services, legal services, and retail and personal services. It delivers its solutions through a combination of its proprietary ReachLocal Platform and direct sales force of Internet marketing consultants, as well as through select third-party agencies and resellers. ReachLocal, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Woodland Hills, California.

Top Food Companies To Invest In 2014: World Energy Solutions Inc(DE)

World Energy Solutions, Inc. provides a range of energy management solutions to commercial and industrial businesses, institutions, utilities, and governments. It offers technology-enabled solutions, such as online audits of facilities to identify retrofit options and project management services for retrofit implementation, as well as cross-selling opportunities for commodity auctions. The company primarily focuses on retail and wholesale energy procurement clients via its online auction platforms, including the World Energy Exchange, the World Green Exchange, and the World DR Exchange. The World Energy Exchange enables energy consumers in North America to negotiate for the purchase or sale of electricity, natural gas, and other energy resources from energy suppliers who have agreed to participate on auction platform. The World Green Exchange enables buyers and sellers to negotiate for the purchase or sale of environmental commodities, such as renewable energy certificates , verified emissions reductions, and certified emissions reductions. The World DR Exchange enables curtailment service providers and energy consumers to negotiate in structured auction events designed to yield price transparency. The company was formerly known as World Energy Exchange, Inc. World Energy Solutions, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Sterman]

   Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) is the world’s largest equipment manufacturer for the farming, construction and forestry industries, and a top producer of lawn and garden tractors for homeowners. It has a strong balance sheet and shares currently trade at a forward P/E of 9.6. Recently, Bill Gates purchased 7.5 million shares of Deer & Co., his biggest purchases in recent history.

Best Healthcare Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: Verizon Communications Inc.(VZ)

Verizon Communications Inc. provides communication services. The company operates through two segments, Domestic Wireless and Wireline. The Domestic Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data services; and sells equipment in the United States. The Wireline segment provides voice, Internet access, broadband video and data, Internet protocol network, network access, long distance, and other services in the United States and internationally. The company serves consumer, business, and government customers, as well as carriers. As of December 31, 2010, its network covered a population of approximately 292 million and provided service to a customer base of approximately 94.1 million. The company was formerly known as Bell Atlantic Corporation and changed its name to Verizon Communications Inc. in June 2000. Verizon Communications Inc. was founded in 1983 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

   The sole downside setup we're looking at today is communications giant Verizon (VZ). Even though Verizon isn't a tech stock in the traditional sense, its exposure to mobile phone sales and its scale as an internet service provider means that its price action correlates highly with the rest of the tech sector. But more recently, that correlation has decoupled thanks to a topping pattern in shares.

  Verizon is forming a head and shoulders top right now, a bearish pattern that indicates exhaustion among buyers. The head and shoulders is formed by two swing highs that top out around the same level (the shoulders), separated by a bigger peak called the head. A breakdown below the pattern's support level, called the neckline, triggers the sell signal for this stock. For Verizon, the sell signal comes in right at $41.50…

  The head and shoulders may be a popular pattern, but it's also a potent one: a recent academic study conducted by the Reserve Board of New York found that the results of 10,000 computer-simulated head-and-shoulders trades resulted in “profits [that] would have been both statistically and economically significant.” That's a good reason to keep an eye on how this stock trades for the next week.

Best Healthcare Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: Smiths Group(SMIN.L)

Smiths Group plc engages in the development, manufacture, sale, and support of products and services for the threat and contraband detection, energy, medical devices, communications, and engineered components markets worldwide. The company offers security equipment, including trace detection, millimetre-wave, infrared, biological detection, and diagnostics that detect and identify explosives, narcotics, weapons, chemical agents, biohazards, nuclear and radioactive material, and contraband. It also provides mechanical seals, seal support systems, engineered bearings, power transmission couplings, specialist filtration systems, and other hardware products for the oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, and mining sectors. In addition, the company offers medical devices aligned to specific therapies, primarily airway, pain and temperature management, infusion, needle protection, critical care monitoring, and vascular access. Further, it provides electronic and radio frequency products that connect, protect, and control critical systems for the wireless telecommunications, aerospace, defense, space, medical, rail, test, and industrial markets; and engineered components comprising ducting, hose assemblies, and heating elements that move and heat fluids and gases for the aerospace, medical, industrial, construction, and domestic markets. The company was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.

Best Healthcare Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: MONDI PLC ORD EUR0.20 WI(MNDI.L)

Mondi plc operates as an international paper and packaging company worldwide. It principally engages in the manufacture and sale of packaging paper, converted packaging products, and uncoated fine paper (UFP) products. The company produces hardwood and softwood pulp; UFP under the Color Copy, MAESTRO, and IQ, as well as the Russian Snegurochka and South African ROTATRIM brands; virgin and recycled containerboards for corrugated packaging applications; and corrugated packaging products, including conventional boxes and trays, point-of-sale displays, and shelf-ready and heavy-duty packaging. It also provides kraft papers used in supermarket shelves, and specialized packaging and heavy-duty industrial applications; industrial bags used in packaging cement, chemicals, seeds, animal feed, flour, milk powder, automotive parts, and organic bio-waste; extrusion coating products, release liners, and consumer packaging products; newsprint and telephone directory paper products; and carbon neutral office paper. In addition, the company offers films and laminate products that consist of printed laminates and barrier materials, consumer films, industrial films, and biodegradable films; and consumer bags, such as pouches, reclosable bags, paper-based bags, labels, and microwaveable packaging products. Further, it provides application engineering services, consisting of pre and post-sales technical consultancy, and training services. Mondi plc serves automotive, building, and construction; chemicals and dangerous goods; farming and agriculture; food; industrial paper and packaging; medical and pharmaceutical; office and printing paper; pet food; photographic and graphic; and toiletries and hygiene industries. The company was founded in 1967 and is based in Addlestone, the United Kingdom.

Why StellarOne Shares Had a Stellar Day

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of StellarOne (NASDAQ: STEL  ) , a commercial, mortgage, and wealth management bank servicing small and medium-sized businesses in Virginia, jumped as much as 20% after agreeing to be purchased by Union First Market Bancshares (NASDAQ: UBSH  ) .

So what: Under the terms of the agreement, StellarOne shareholders will receive 0.9739 shares of Union First Market which, as of yesterday's close, equated to $19.50 per share, or a 20.2% premium. The combined entity will become the largest community banking institution in Virginia with $7.1 billion in assets and $5.8 billion in deposits. The synergies expected to be realized from this merger should add to Union First Market's bottom line in 2014 according to management.

Now what: If there were a sector riper for industrywide consolidation, it'd be regional banking. Although many small-to-mid-sized banks have recovered nicely from the recession, many are still struggling to bring in new deposits and generate loans because of tough peer-to-peer competition, and cash-strapped consumers having difficulty navigating a high unemployment and higher tax environment. Consolidation really makes sense for many smaller banks like StellarOne. I can't say I'm thrilled that it's an all-stock deal as that leaves some downside risk in shares from today's value for StellarOne shareholders, but it nonetheless should add value from Friday's close when all is said and done.

Craving more input? Start by adding StellarOne to your free and personalized Watchlist so you can keep up on the latest news with the company.

With so much of the financial industry getting bad press these days, it may be a greedy when others are fearful moment. Not surprisingly, some of Warren Buffett's biggest investments are in the space. In the Motley Fool's free report, "The Stocks Only the Smartest Investors Are Buying," you can learn about a small, under-the-radar bank that's too tiny for Buffett's billions. Too bad, because it has better operating metrics than his favorites. Just click here to keep reading.

3 Reasons to Sell 3M Stock

3M (NYSE: MMM  ) is a steady company, but with the stock trading at 17 times earnings it's important to look at reasons to sell. Fool.com contributor Travis Hoium highlights why low organic growth, currency risk, and 3M's transition back to an R&D company are reasons to sell the stock in the video below. 

With over 50,000 products, 3M plays a role in making everything from computers to power cables. A long history of invention and innovation has driven the company to its wide reach, but a focus on operational efficiency may be hurting the creative culture that once created Scotch Tape and the Post-it note. A new leader has taken over and vows to return innovation to the forefront. Does this mean the stock will become more than a dividend, returning to its former glory as a growth stock once again? Find out whether 3M has what it takes to pull it off in The Motley Fool's comprehensive new research report on the company. Simply click here now to claim your copy today.

The Fool Looks Ahead

There's never a dull week on Wall Street. Let's go over some of the news that will shape the week to come.

Monday
The first trading day of the week kicks off with Korn/Ferry (NYSE: KFY  ) posting quarterly results. The report should provide a good glimpse at the state of corporate hiring. Korn/Ferry is a leading provider of executive headhunter and other workforce recruiting and consulting services. If the economy's on the mend, Korn/Ferry should be seeing a healthy uptick in activity.

Tuesday
La-Z-Boy (NYSE: LZB  ) shareholders hope their investment isn't a recliner on Tuesday. The furniture maker behind the popular namesake recliner has been an unheralded beneficiary of the housing boom. As real estate sales spike and homebuyers move into fresh digs, buying new furnishings at La-Z-Boy's hundreds of showrooms is a logical move.

Revenue is growing at La-Z-Boy, and earnings are climbing even faster.

Wednesday
Red Hat (NYSE: RHT  ) tips its hat on Wednesday. Transforming the freely available open-source Linux platform into a subscription-based product may seem like a dicey idea, but Red Hat's been able to code magnetic enterprise solutions that are cost-effective for corporations when pitted against traditional alternatives.

The end result has been double-digit revenue growth for Red Hat at a time when many enterprise software providers haven't been as fortunate.

Thursday
Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD  ) prescribes its quarterly financials on Thursday. The drugstore operator is finally starting to turn things around. After years of red ink, Rite Aid has surprised the market with back-to-back quarters of profitability.

Analysts won't be caught off guard this time around. Wall Street is finally forecasting a quarterly profit of $0.04 a share out of Rite Aid.

Friday
CarMax (NYSE: KMX  ) closes out the trading week with its revved-up financials. The popular retailer of used cars is smashing the stereotype of shady dealers selling secondhand vehicles. With massive inventory levels and haggle-free pricing, CarMax has succeeded. Analysts see revenue and earnings climbing 13% and 12%, respectively, in Friday's quarterly report.

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

Applied Industrial Keeps Dividend Steady

Industrial distributor Applied Industrial Technologies  (NYSE: AIT  ) announced today its third-quarter dividend of $0.23 per share, the same rate it's paid for the past two quarters after raising the payout 9.5% from $0.21 per share.

The board of directors said the quarterly dividend is payable on Aug. 30 to the holders of record at the close of business on Aug. 15. The MRO supplier has made quarterly payouts to investors for over 50 years.

The board also said it would be holding its annual shareholders meeting on Oct. 29 at its corporate headquarters in Cleveland. For investors to be entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the meeting, they must be a holder of record on Aug. 30.

The regular dividend payment equates to a $0.92-per-share annual dividend, yielding 1.9% based on the closing price of Applied Industrial Technologies' stock on June 19.

AIT Dividend data by YCharts.

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Will the Fed Give Insight Into "The Taper?"

The following video is from Wednesday's installment of The Motley Fool's daily Financials show, in which analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson highlight for investors the most important stock news from the financial sector.

Speculation on the market surrounding the Fed and "the taper," the idea that the Fed's quantitative easing may be tapered down over the coming months, which would cause interest rates to rise, has the market in flux at the moment. Should this be cause for concern? In this video, Matt and David tell us why some investors fear that rising interest rates may mean an exodus of investor capital from stocks into bonds, and why rising interest rates could actually be a positive thing.

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The relevant video segment can be found between 0:04 and 1:29.

For the full video of today's Financials show, click here .

Amazon Stock: Why "Amazon Birthday Gift" Is a Brilliant Move

Top 10 Diversified Bank Companies To Buy For 2014

Blue-chip stocks are down sharply this afternoon after a handful of worse-than-expected economic reports sent fear throughout Wall Street. With roughly an hour left in the trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) is off by 178 points, or 1.17%.

If you were to read the market recaps from the nation's largest financial news sites, you'd be excused for blaming today's decline entirely on the Federal Reserve -- or, rather, on speculators' fears that the Fed will soon take its foot off the proverbial gas pedal.

The promo for a Reuters' article reads: "Wall Street continued to be bothered by concerns that the Federal Reserve might slow the pace of its economic stimulus program." The Wall Street Journal chimed in with: "U.S. stocks continued their broad sell-off in midday trading, as investors were rattled by steep declines in overseas markets and the specter of tightening central-bank policy." And Bloomberg News followed suit by noting: "Stocks fell while commodities rose for a third day as investors weighed prospects for U.S. economic growth and the Federal Reserve's stimulus plans."

Top 10 Diversified Bank Companies To Buy For 2014: Metalquest Minerals Inc (CI.V)

Canada Gold Corporation engages in the exploration, evaluation, and development of mineral resource properties in Tanzania. The company primarily focuses on exploring gold and copper. It holds options to acquire a 100% interest in 12 prospecting licenses covering an area of 1,992 square kilometers in north eastern Tanzania. The company was formerly known as MetalQuest Minerals Inc. and changed its name to Canada Gold Corporation in August 2009. Canada Gold Corporation was incorporated in 1984 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 10 Diversified Bank Companies To Buy For 2014: Bank of America Corporation(BAC)

Bank of America Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and nonbanking financial services and products to individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally. The company?s Deposits segment generates savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificate of deposits, and checking accounts; and Global Card Services segment provides the U.S. consumer and business card, consumer lending, international card and debit card services. Its Home Loans & Insurance segment offers consumer real estate products and services, including mortgage loans, reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and home equity loans. It also provides property, disability, and credit insurance. The company?s Global Commercial Banking segment offers lending products, including commercial loans and commitment facilities, real estate lending, leasing, trade finance, short-term credit, asset-based lending, and indirect consumer loans; and capital management and treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options. Its Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial products, advisory services, settlement, and custody services; debt and equity underwriting and distribution, merger-related advisory services, and risk management products; and integrated working capital management and treasury solutions. The company?s Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and brokerage services, estate management, financial planning services, fiduciary management, credit and banking expertise, and asset management products. Bank of America Corporation serves customers through a network of approximately 5,900 banking centers and 18,000 automated teller machines. It was formerly known as NationsBank Corporation and changed its name on October 1, 1998. Bank of America Corporation was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlott e, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jeff Cox]

  Bank of America's(BAC) Merrill Lynch, which began slashing its GDP projections all the way back in April, before the worst of the economic headlines began to hit, softened its position as well.

  "The trade deficit for July came in appreciably smaller than expected as exports posted an impressive gain while imports fell," economist Gary Bigg wrote. " From a third quarter growth perspective, the narrowing in the trade balance implies a positive trade contribution to real GDP growth."

  The firm has taken its projection up to 2.1 percent for the quarter.

• [By George Putn]

  In Q4 2010, Buffett sold the rest of his stake of five million shares at an average price of $12.24.

  In 2010, the company made a GAAP EPS of -$0.37, which is worse than 2009’s - $0.29. In 2008, that figure was $0.54. Revenues declined by 7.88% to $110.2 billion, after jumping by 64.39% in 2009. The EBT margin improved to 6.61% from 5.98%.

  For 2011, the Street expects non-GAAP EPS to be between $1.05 and $1.75. In 2010, non-GAAP EPS was $0.86. Q1 2011 results are released on April 15, and the Street estimates non-GAAP EPS would be between $0.15 and $0.44 with a consensus of $0.26. In comparison, Q1 2010 posted a non-GAAP EPS of $0.28. For Q1 2011, analysts estimate BAC will generate revenues of $26.0B, an increase of 30.84% over the prior year first quarter results. BAC shares trade with a price to sales multiple of 1.2. In its heyday not too long ago, that multiple was in the low 3’s. Investors are waiting to see if the worst is over for Bank of America. There is too much uncertainty swirling about in this mortgage mess due to regulatory uncertainty. However, BofA's capital ratios have continued to increase as the company has shed noncore assets and riskier loans. If you are a long-term investor, buy BAC while it is at these depressed levels. Otherwise, don’t even touch this with a forty-nine-an d-a-half foot pole.

• [By Philip van Doorn]

  Shares of Bank of America (BAC) closed at $9.49 on Tuesday, returning 71% year-to-date, following an epic 58% decline during 2011. Despite that remarkable run, the shares trade for just 0.7 times the company's Dec. 30 tangible book value of $12.95, and for a relatively low nine times the consensus 2013 EPS estimate of $1.06. KBW analyst Jefferson Harralson rates Bank of America "Market Perform," with a price target of $9.00, and estimates the company will report first-quarter EPS of six cents, followed by full-year earnings of 65 cents, and 2013 EPS of $1.20.

• [By Kathy Kristof]

  The hottest big-bank stock of late has been Bank of America (BAC). Since hitting $4.99 in December 2011, the stock has soared 139%, to $11.94. Bank of America is slowly working through the disastrous results of a decade of acquisitions, which culminated in the 2008 purchase of Countrywide Financial Corp. The acquisition of the troubled mortgage lender put BofA on the wrong end of massive loan losses and a seemingly endless stream of litigation filed by everyone from shareholders to the Justice Department. However, even after paying the Federal National Mortgage Association $2.7 billion late last year as part of another legal settlement, the bank posted earnings for all of 2012 that were nearly three times higher than those of the previous year.

  Strong results and the belief that BofA's woes are finally winding down have driven the stock's ascent. But don't look for it to keep advancing at the same rate. Morford thinks the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank's shares will hit $14 within a year. The stock sells for 12 times predicted 2013 earnings of 99 cents per share. That seems pricey for a bank stock, but it looks fair in light of expected annual earnings growth of 19% over the next few years. BofA shares yield an inconsequential 0.3%.

Top 5 Freight Stocks To Invest In Right Now: The Wharf (4)

The Wharf (Holdings) Limited is an investment holding company. It has four segments: property investment, which includes property leasing and hotel operations, and its properties portfolio consists of retail, office, service apartments and hotels, and is primarily located in Hong Kong and Mainland China; property development, which involves activities relating to the acquisition, development, design, construction, sale and marketing of its trading properties primarily in Hong Kong and Mainland China; logistics, which includes the container terminal operations undertaken by Modern Terminals Limited (Modern Terminals), Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited and other public transport operations, and communications, media and entertainment (CME), which comprises pay television, Internet and multimedia and other businesses operated by its non-wholly-owned subsidiary, i-CABLE Communications Limited and also includes the telecommunication businesses operated by Wharf T&T Limited.

Top 10 Diversified Bank Companies To Buy For 2014: Penske Automotive Group Inc.(PAG)

Penske Automotive Group, Inc. operates as an automotive retailer. It sells new and used vehicles of approximately 40 vehicle brands; offers vehicle maintenance and repair services; and engages in the sale and placement of third-party finance and insurance products, third-party extended service contracts, and replacement and aftermarket automotive products. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 320 retail automotive franchises, of which 166 franchises were located in the United States and 154 franchises are located outside of the United States primarily in the United Kingdom. It also has operations in Puerto Rico and Germany. Penske Automotive Group, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Top 10 Diversified Bank Companies To Buy For 2014: Mellanox Technologies Ltd.(MLNX)

Mellanox Technologies, Ltd., a fabless semiconductor company, engages in the design, development, marketing, and sale of interconnect products primarily in North America, Israel, Europe, and Asia. It offers semiconductor interconnect products that facilitate data transmission between servers, communications infrastructure equipment, and storage systems in enterprise data centers, high-performance computing, and embedded systems. The company provides solutions based on InfiniBand, including host channel adapter, switch and gateway ICs, adapter cards, switch and gateway systems, cables, and software. Its products also support the Ethernet standard. The company provides adapters to server, storage, communications infrastructure, and embedded systems OEMs as ICs or standard card form factors with PCI-X or PCI express interfaces; support server operating systems, including Linux, Windows, AIX, HPUX, Solaris, and VxWorks; and InfiniBand switch ICs to server, storage, communicati ons infrastructure, and embedded systems OEMs to create switching equipment. The company offers its products under the Mellanox, BridgeX, ConnectX, InfiniBlast, InfiniBridge, InfiniHost, InfiniPCI, InfiniRISC, PhyX, InfiniScale, and Virtual Protocol Interconnect trademarks in the United States. It primarily serves enterprise data center, high-performance computing, and embedded end-user markets, as well as embedded systems OEMs. The company sells its products directly, as well as through a network of domestic and international sales representatives, and independent distributors. Mellanox Technologies, Ltd. was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Yokneam, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lowell]  

  Mellanox, after its acquisition of Voltaire is likely to have north of 90 percent share of the InfiniBand market.

  "We believe InfiniBand is likely to see widening adoption beyond traditional High-performance Computing use cases as Clustered Hardware (Servers and Storage) becomes more ubiquitous in the data center," the analysts said.

  The move to Cloud architectures enabled by Server Virtualization, the emergence of Converged Infrastructure from large system vendors especially Oracle and the growing prevalence of Scale-out Storage architectures is likely to significantly increase the demand for a low-latency high-throughput interconnect such as InfiniBand.

Top 10 Diversified Bank Companies To Buy For 2014: Stakis(SKS.L)

Shanks Group plc operates as a waste and resource management company that provides waste management solutions in the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The company involves in the collection, transfer, recycling, and treatment of non-hazardous solid waste; industrial cleaning, transportation, treatment, and disposal of contaminated soils, as well as remediation of contaminated land; and anaerobic digestion and tunnel composting of source segregated organic waste streams. It also engages in the landfill disposal activities, including contaminated soils; generation of power from landfill gas; and municipal waste treatment contracts and mineral extraction businesses. The company was founded in 1880 and is headquartered in Milton Keynes, the United Kingdom.

Top 10 Diversified Bank Companies To Buy For 2014: Heartland Financial USA Inc. (HTLF)

Heartland Financial USA, Inc., through its bank subsidiaries, provides commercial and retail banking services to businesses and individuals. Its deposit products include checking and other demand deposit, negotiable order of withdrawal, savings, money market, individual retirement, and health savings accounts, as well as certificates of deposit and other time deposits. The company�s loan products portfolio comprises commercial and industrial, agricultural, real estate mortgage, consumer, and home equity loans, as well as lines of credit. It also offers ancillary services, including trust and wealth management services, investment services, insurance services, and electronic banking services, as well as provides client access to account information through business and personal online banking, bill payment, remote deposit capture, treasury management services, VISA debit cards ,and automated teller machines. The company�s investment services include mutual funds, annuitie s, retirement products, education savings products, brokerage services, employer sponsored plans, and insurance products, including vehicle, property and casualty, and life and disability insurance. In addition, Heartland Financial, through its non-bank subsidiary, Citizens Finance Co., engages in consumer finance business. The company has a strategic alliance with LPL Financial Institution Services to operate independent securities offices at its bank subsidiaries. As of May 4, 2012, it had 61 banking locations in 42 communities in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, and Minnesota; and mortgage loan production offices in California, Nevada, Texas, Wyoming, and Idaho. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa.

Top 10 Diversified Bank Companies To Buy For 2014: Trafford Resources Ltd(TRF.AX)

Trafford Resources Limited engages in the mineral exploration activities in Australia. It primarily explores for iron oxide, copper, gold, silver, lead, zinc, and uranium deposits. The company primarily holds interests in the Wilcherry Hill project covering 976 square kilometers located in South Australia; and the Lynas Find project consisting of 10 granted prospecting licenses covering approximately 792 hectares located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Trafford Resources Limited is based in West Perth, Australia.

Top 10 Diversified Bank Companies To Buy For 2014: PFB Corporation (PFBOF.PK)

PFB Corporation (PFB) is a Canada-based company. The Company, together with its subsidiaries, is engaged in the manufacturing of insulating building products made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) materials and marketing these products in North America. Its main brands include PlastiSpan EPS Product Solutions; Advantage ICFS, Insulspan SIPS, Riverbend Timber Framing and Precision Craft. Expandable polystyrene resin is manufactured at PFB�� polymer plant located in Crossfield, Alberta, for use in downstream EPS manufacturing operations. Plasti-Fab EPS Product Solutions supply the EPS foam core material used to manufacture Insulspan SIPS. Riverbend Timber Framing structures are typically sold with an accompanying Insulspan SIPS enclosure package. Advantage ICF Systems are insulating concrete forming systems that are employed to build insulated foundations and walls from concrete in both residential and commercial markets. On February 1, 2011, the Company acquired Precision C raft Group.

Top 10 Diversified Bank Companies To Buy For 2014: Carrols Restaurant Group Inc.(TAST)

Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc., through its subsidiary, Carrols Corporation, owns and operates quick-casual and quick-service restaurants. It operates restaurants under the Burger King, Pollo Tropical, and Taco Cabana names. As of January 1, 2012, the company owned and operated 547 restaurants, including 298 Burger King, 91 Pollo Tropical and 158 Taco Cabana restaurants in 17 states in the United States. It also franchised 36 restaurants in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Honduras, Trinidad, the Bahamas, and Venezuela, as well as in college campuses in Florida. The company was formerly known as Carrols Holdings Corporation and changed its name to Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. in November 2006. Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Syracuse, New York.