Top Bank Companies To Buy Right Now

Consumers added more than $32 billion in revolving debt in 2012, a recent CardHub.com study says. Overall, the U.S. populace owed credit card issuers more than $830 billion at the end of last year.

As good as that must be for the likes of Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) , which has seen sharp increases in consumer banking profits over the past two years, rising debt levels suggest that everyday shoppers haven't fared as well, says Tim Beyers of Motley Fool Rule Breakers and Motley Fool Supernova.

Fortunately, the indebted can take several practical steps to dig out. Principal among them, says Tim, who has also struggled with debt, is to use cash or charge cards as much as possible. That way, you're forced to pay your bill monthly.

Do you agree? Please watch the video to get two more of Tim's ideas, and then leave a comment to let us know the best financial advice you've received in your own battle with debt.

Top Bank Companies To Buy Right Now: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ALNY)

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in discovering, developing, and commercializing novel therapeutics based on RNA interference (RNAi). Its core product programs under clinical or pre-clinical development include ALN-TTR, a Phase I clinical trial program for the treatment of transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis; ALN-APC, a Phase I clinical trial program for the treatment of hemophilia; ALN-PCS for the treatment of severe hypercholesterolemia; ALN-HPN, a pre-clinical development for the treatment of refractory anemia; and ALN-TMP, a pre-clinical development for the treatment of hemoglobinopathies, including beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. The company?s partner-based programs comprise ALN-RSV01, a Phase II clinical trial program for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus infection; ALN-VSP, a Phase I clinical trial completed program for the treatment of liver cancers; and ALN-HTT, a pre-clinical development for the treatment of Huntington?s disease. It has strategic alliances with Novartis Pharma AG; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Medtronic Inc.; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd.; and Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Glenn]

  A relatively new company, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2002, and their shares have shown steady growth since before January 2005. In early January 2012, the shares were worth about $30 and although there were some dips to less than $20 in October/November of this year, they ended up around $25 at the end of December. Alnylam develops RNAi therapies for respiratory diseases and Huntington's, among others and has a broad spectrum of products in its pipeline. This startup also has agreements with number of large companies including Novartis, Biogen an d Roche.

Top Bank Companies To Buy Right Now: First Bancorp Inc(ME)

The First Bancorp, Inc. operates as a holding company for The First, N.A., which is a chartered national bank that provides various banking services to individual and corporate customers in coastal Maine. The company offers various deposit products, including demand, savings, NOW, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts. It also provides various loan products, such as commercial real estate, commercial construction, and other commercial loans; municipal loans; residential term and construction loans; home equity lines of credit; and consumer loans. In addition, the company offers private banking, financial planning, investment management, and trust services to individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, and municipalities. It operates a network of 14 full-service banking offices in Lincoln, Knox, Hancock, and Washington Counties located in the mid-coast and down east regions of Maine. The company was formerly known as First National Lincoln Corporation and changed its name to The First Bancorp, Inc. in April 2008. The company was founded in 1864 and is based in Damariscotta, Maine.

Top 5 Canadian Companies To Watch For 2014: Capitamall Trust (C38U.SI)

CapitaMall Trust (CMT) is a publicly owned real estate investment arm of CapitaLand Ltd. The firm invests in income producing retail properties. It invests in the real estate markets of Singapore. CapitaMall Trust was founded in October, 2001 and is based in Singapore.