Best Penny Stocks For 2014

It's been more than three years since the spill at the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico, and day by day the prospects for oil exploration there seem to get better. A recent report by Wood MacKenzie shows that production in the Gulf went up 6% last year, and another 4% is expected this year. By 2018, the research group�believes�that the Gulf will be back to its pre-Macondo-spill high in�production�of 2 million barrels per day. �

For this to happen, though, exploration and production companies will need to spend a pretty penny. Between now and 2015, E&P companies are expected to spend somewhere around $20 billion. In this video, fool.com contributor Tyler Crowe looks at what this could mean for oil services companies that specialize in offshore regions such as the Gulf.

Best Penny Stocks For 2014: MCG Capital Corporation(MCGC)

MCG Capital Corporation is a private equity firm specializing in investments in middle market companies. The firm does not prefer investments in highly cyclical and volatile industry sectors and businesses with significant volatility exposure. It seeks to invest in small to mid sized companies. The firm prefers to invest in acquisitions, growth financings, organic growth, recapitalization, and leveraged buyouts. It invests in companies based in the United States. The firm seeks to invest upto $75 million in debt and equity in companies having revenues between $20 million and $200 million and EBITDA between $3 million and $25 million. It seeks to invest in the form of senior debt, including amortizing, bullet maturity, term loans, and revolving credit facilities; institutional sub debt, including junior capital; second lien debt, that includes term loans on sole source and participant basis; secured and unsecured subordinate loans structured as current interest, deferred in terest, and equity linked components; mezzanine debt and equity that includes minority equity investments. The firm may invest in minority or control equity positions. It was formerly known as MCG Credit Corporation. MCG Capital Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Arlington, Virginia.

Best Penny Stocks For 2014: The Cushing MLP Total Return Fund(SRV)

Cushing MLP Total Return Fund is a closed-end mutual fund launched by Swank Capital, LLC. The fund is managed by Swank Energy Income Advisors L.P. It invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe with a focus in United States. The fund typically invests in MLPs, Other Natural Resource Companies, and global commodities. It primarily invests in the securities of MLPs, other equity securities, debt securities, and securities of non-U.S. issuers employing a fundamental analysis. Cushing MLP Total Return Fund was formed on May 23, 2007 and is domiciled in Dallas.

5 Best Stocks To Invest In 2014: Westell Technologies Inc.(WSTL)

Westell Technologies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, distribution, marketing, and servicing a range of broadband, digital transmission, remote monitoring, power distribution, and demarcation products used by telephone companies and other telecommunications service providers. It operates in three segments: Customer Networking Systems (CNS) equipment, Outside Plant Systems (OSP) equipment, and ConferencePlus services. The CNS equipment segment provides networking and high-speed transmissions products, such as modems, routers, versatile gateway devices, and wireless broadband home routers that allow service providers to deliver broadband services over existing copper, fiber, coax, or wireless infrastructures. The OSP segment offers next generation outdoor cabinets; enclosures; power distribution; fiber, Ethernet, and coax edge connectors; remote monitoring equipment; and DS1 and DS3 transmission plugs. This segment also markets and sells power distribu tion and remote monitoring solutions. The ConferencePlus services segment provides audio, Web, and video conferencing services to businesses and individuals. This segment sells its services directly to Fortune 1000 companies, and indirectly through its private reseller programs. The company offers its products through field sales organizations and selected distributors in the United States, as well as in Canada and Europe. Westell Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Aurora, Illinois.

Best Penny Stocks For 2014: Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.(ACTC)

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., a biotechnology company, focuses on the development and commercialization of human embryonic and adult stem cell technology in the field of regenerative medicine. Its embryonic stem cell research programs include cellular reprogramming, reduced complexity program, and stem cell differentiation research programs. The company?s cellular reprogramming involves in the development of therapies based on the use of genetically identical pluripotent stem cells generated by its cellular reprogramming technologies. Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. also generates stable cell lines with particular focus on blood lineage and vascular epithelial cell lines from hemangioblast cells. In addition, it is developing an autologous myoblast transplantation therapy to restore cardiac function in patients with advanced heart disease. The company?s stem cell-based therapy would provide treatment for a range of acute and chronic degenerative diseases. Further, it deve lops adult stem cell-based products that are specifically targeted at therapies for heart and other cardiovascular diseases. The company is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael J. Ray]

  Any speculative biotech investor who has their fingers on the pulse of the market knows of ACTC. Recent events have brought ACTC to the forefront, and now they are the tip of the spear when it comes to the new world of regenerative medicine. This all came about as Geron (GERN) made the decision to stop focusing its time and talent on stem cell research and turned their attention to their other products in their pipeline. As a result, ACTC now takes the lead in this exciting new field of medical technology.

  The question now is why would I classify it as a “Time Bomb”? The reason for this is simple if one were to think about it. The purpose of the “time bomb” is to explode at a future date and cause massive damage, and that is what ACTC is going to do. The real question is what is going to get damaged? If all goes well with the current clinical trial for Stargardt’s macular dystrophy and dry age-related macular degeneration, and ACTC can prove its revolutionary technology works, then the “time bomb” will cause massive damage to the current standards of medical care and the companies that they represent. ACTC’s stem cell technologies will quickly become mainstream and common place around the world as its products can now starts to address unmet medical needs. Established medical companies will quickly be attempting to form partnerships or joint ventures with ACTC to get ahead of the curve and support their income streams. These stem cells will be used to treat macular degeneration, chronic heart failure, advanced cardiac disease, cardiovascular disease, as well as generate clean and safe blood products. This is just a handful of ailments that ACTC states that they can address. Waiting in the wings are more exciting ideas that have yet to be fully discussed.

  If all does not go well with the current trials then the “time bomb” will have an equally destructive affect on the current investors. ACTC’s future rests on their stem! cell technologies. There is no fallback position or other product in the pipeline to save them if the trials go wrong. Their Phase 1/2 clinical trial for Stargardt’s macular dystrophy and dry age-related macular degeneration is going to be the key for the company. Its pivotal results will either usher in a paradigm shift in medicine or set the stem cell investment world back many years.

  The final question is when will the “time bomb” will go off? Unfortunately the answer to that question is not known, but any investor can clearly hear the ticking getting louder and louder as the final moment arrives for the dramatic conclusion. These ticks come in the form of bits of useful information that tell investors that the time is almost up. Here are just some of the “ticks” that investor are hearing.

• [By Sy_Harding]

  Advanced Cell Technology Inc. (OTC: ACTC)is up 1.52% to $0.181 on volume of 10.46 million shares. ACTC, a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced the UCLA IRB approval of itsphase 1/2 clinical trialsusing hESC-derived RPE cells for the treatment of macular degeneration. (OTC:ACTC), (ACTC)