Unemployment Continue To Cripple 4 States

Unemployment in the United States dropped to 6.7% in February, well below the 10% level it reached at the worst of the Great Recession. While the figure is not as low as economist would like, it represents a rebound which, along with housing and consumer spending, has indicated a modest recovery. However, the unemployment rate has stayed above 8% in four states, and that number may not improve in the near future.

The jobless rates in California, Illinois, Nevada, and Rhode Island were higher than 8% last month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As a matter of fact, the figure was 9% in Rhode Island. The reasons for the high numbers and the lack of recovery vary from state to state.

Rhode Island relied on manufacturing and the financial industry for its prosperity. Some of the big banks which were based in Providence haves left or were bought by larger financial companies. The manufacturing sector was hurt as many jobs left the state for areas where costs were based on better efficiency. None of the jobs lost because of these trends is likely to be replaced soon.

California’s jobless rate is based to some extent on extremely high joblessness in the Central Valley, well inland from Los Angeles and San Francisco. While tech jobs have caused a rebound in the area around San Francisco, the downturn in agriculture jobs has left the unemployment rate above 10% in several inland cities which include Riverside and Fresno.

In Nevada, the collapse of the real estate market and the construction jobs which went with it plunged home prices by well over a third in some parts of the state. People who relied on the value of their homes for their net worth lost all of that equity in some cases. The recession also dented traffic to the casinos in Las Vegas.

Illinois stands as a reminder that heavy industry manufacturing jobs are gone and will probably not return. It is part of the crescent of states where car, steel and auto parts companies drove the economies, including Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Some large cities in these areas have still not recovered. The best known of these is Detroit, which has been forced into Chapter 9 bankruptcy.

Unemployment in these four states will almost certainly stay higher than in the balance of the country, and the jobs the four states have lost may never come back

This Natural Gas Could Be in Your Value or Growth Portfolio

AGL Resources Inc. (GAS) is an Atlanta-based energy services holding company with operations in natural gas distribution, retail operations, wholesale services, midstream operations and cargo shipping. Let's take a look at this company and try to explain to investors the reasons this is an apparently appealing investment.

A Merged Entity

The company has focused on acquisitions that could create greater economies of scale. In December 2011, GAS purchased Nicor for $1.5 billion in stock and $980 million in cash, which has significantly expanded AGL Resources scope, scale and geographic reach, doubling the number of AGL's utility customers. "This acquisition almost doubles the size of our retail services business and strengthens our competitive position in this space," said John W. Somerhalder II, chairman, president and chief executive officer of AGL Resources.

Main Segments

Its main reporting segments are Distribution Operations (84% of 2012 segment EBIT), Retail Energy Operations (18%), Midstream Operations (2%), Wholesale Services (

Can Fuel Cell Stocks Learn to React Reasonably Around News?

Two days ago, on Tuesday, the CEO of Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG) said that the company had signed a new contract with a global automaker and that details would be forthcoming in two or three weeks. Investors could not wait, though, sending the stock price up nearly 43% for the day.

The news also lifted shares of FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) and Ballard Power Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: BLDP) by about 28% and 18%, respectively. But none of the three stocks hit a new 52-week high. That happened two weeks before when Plug Power announced a sale of 1,700 fuel cell-forklifts to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT).

A week after the Plug Power announcement, FuelCell said it received a $2.8 million federal contract to complete a demonstration project. On the trading day, for every dollar in that contract FuelCell’s market cap rose by $14.

Ballard Power is the company that makes the actual fuel cells that Plug Power and FuelCell Energy integrate into their own end products, so it makes some sense that Ballard should tag along behind the other two stocks.

It turns out, however, that Plug Power’s CEO misspoke on Tuesday. The contract with a global automaker had already been disclosed on March 13 when the company reported quarterly results. That sent the stock plummeting on Wednesday, dragging FuelCell Energy and Ballard Power along behind.

As one research firm has pointed out, these are all “casino” stocks, where the action is what matters, not the direction. Anyone looking for a long-term investment in the fuel cell makers is going to be seriously disappointed before too long.

The big moves in Plug Power’s stock on Tuesday and Wednesday, in the real world, might have moved the stock a few percentage points. But a jump of 42% one day and drop of nearly that size the next day is a signal that there is nothing real about the share price of either Plug Power or its cohorts.

We tried to put a fair value on the stocks earlier this week. It is only a guess, of course, but it is probably no further off than any other guess. Which is to say, who knows what these stocks are worth today or what they will be worth in a year or two? Like everything else, they are worth whatever someone will pay for them.

But who are those someones? Trading these stocks is like playing high-stakes poker — everyone at the table knows how to play the cards; what the winners know is when to bet, when to fold and what their opponents are most likely to do.

Why Exelixis, Inc., Plug Power Inc., and King Digital Entertainment PLC Are Today's 3 Worst Stocks

A down day for the markets couldn't stop three of today's big losers. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) took a beating late in the day following renewed concerns over European and American sanctions against Russia. The index dropped 0.7% after a fine start to the day, knocking out all the earlier gains that had come behind a surprising 2.2% rise in durable goods orders for the month of February. Russia's ongoing territorial standoff with Europe shouldn't shake the foundation of your portfolio, but it's worth keeping an eye on: Expect more volatility in the days and weeks ahead as the situation develops and the market digests the impact on Europe, particularly surrounding natural gas and energy.

Around the market, however, three big losers didn't need Russia's help to take a beating on the day. Biotech stock Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL  ) took the title of today's hardest-hit loser, plunging by a migraine-inducing 39.4%, while investors hammered fuel cell producer Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG  ) to the tune of a 24% drop. The most notable loser of the day, however, came from the market's newest stock, as shares of new IPO King Digital Entertainment (NYSE: KING  ) lit the market on fire in all the wrong ways today in its debut, plunging by 15.5%. Let's catch on up on the details.

A tough day for Exelixis investors
Exelixis investors have plenty to be happy about with this stock's rise over the past year, but everything fell apart today. The biotech stock's apocalyptic fall-off came after the relatively harmless announcement that the company's clinical trial of cancer therapy cabozantinib's use in treating prostate cancer will continue beyond its interim point. Sharesholders turned to fury over the announcement, as many had expected the trial to end early.

Source: Exelixis Media Resources

Why the precipitous plunge? As JPMorgan analyst Cory Kasimov told Bloomberg, several other major prostate cancer drugs in late-stage trials had ended early, making Exelixis' continuation a downbeat result. Still, investors shouldn't panic in the wake of today's bloodbath. Cabozantinib's already scored one approval -- albeit a minor one -- from the FDA back in 2012 and received European regulatory approval for metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma, or MTC, in certain patients just this week. That's not going to shake up the company's revenue stream much, but if cabozantinib can win over regulators in treating prostate cancer, analysts project that the drug could emerge as a blockbuster with more than $1.6 billion in annual sales. That's driven much of the excitement over Exelixis through the past year, and considering that cabozantinib's still in trials for other cancer indications as well, it's worth staying patient with this biotech pick after the big sell-off and waiting to see how the drug performs in the near future.

Plug Power might not have suffered the same drop as Exelixis, but the stock's 24% decline wasn't any less painful to investors. The company had delighted the market yesterday after the firm's CEO Andy Marsh announced that Plug Power had signed a sizable deal with a worldwide automaker. Great news -- until investors found out that it was the exact same deal that Marsh had spoken about nearly two weeks earlier in the wake of the company's earnings. More of a misunderstanding and a disappointment than any drastic problem, Plug's drop today shouldn't shake your opinion of the stock too much. Plug Power's already in line to supply fuel cells to forklifts in warehouses, but the volatility around shares of the company invites caution.

Still, neither Plug Power's drop nor Exelixis's plunge made as much news around the market as the IPO of Candy Crush Saga developer King Digital. Suffice to say, King's first foray as a publicly traded company did not quite go as the firm had planned with the big drop-off from the stock's IPO price of $22.50. King's trying to harness the power of social and mobile gaming following the rise of the mobile industry, and it's betting heavily on portfolio mainstay Candy Crush Saga, a game that dominates among King's reported 144 million daily users.

Top 5 Performing Companies To Invest In 2014

That user base has helped drive King's recent financial surge, as the company reported more than $600 million in sales in its most recent quarter. However, with Candy Crush such a dominant piece of King's architecture, it's questionable whether or not the company will be able to repeat its success in creating multiple smash hits to drive user growth -- or whether it can retain and grow Candy Crush's small minority of paying customers in the future. For now, it wouldn't be a surprise to see more turbulence from this young stock.

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Delamaide: Wall St. may tilt fight for Senate

WASHINGTON — Can the chance that a liberal Democrat will chair the Senate Banking Committee tilt the close Senate race in North Carolina against the Democratic incumbent, Kay Hagan?

Apparently it can, according to a report from Politico, a specialized publication that chronicles the goings-on in Washington in minute detail.

The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, which plays a major role in determining Washington policy toward Wall Street, is on the front line of the trench warfare in this year's mid-term elections as Democrats struggle to maintain their majority in the Senate.

Many Democratic incumbents face an uphill battle for re-election and most prognosticators see Republicans picking up at least three or four seats. The North Carolina race is currently rated a toss-up — one of a handful of races that will determine which party controls the Senate.

Hagan is a member of the Banking Committee but focuses more on her other committee memberships and is not campaigning on banking issues.

But well-heeled Wall Street contributors may withhold funding from her because they want to stop Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown, who is not running for re-election, from becoming chairman of the banking committee if Democrats retain control.

Absolute majority in the Senate may seem illusory when filibuster rules often make it necessary to get 60 votes to pass legislation. The current lineup of 55-45 in favor of Democrats (including two independents) might become 52-48 in favor of Republicans, but the Senate could remain largely gridlocked thanks to filibuster rules that enable the minority to block legislation.

But the party with the majority also gets a majority on all the Senate committees and determines the chairman — a huge factor especially when legislation is hard to come by.

Committee chairmanship is not just a nice perk of seniority. It is the chairman who sets the agenda, schedules hearings, determines witnesses, and otherwise drives the poli! tical debate for the issues covered by that panel.

This powerful role not only influences new legislation but can shape implementation of all existing legislation and goad the government's conduct in one direction or another.

And Wall Street is horrified at the direction that Brown — a passionate advocate of limiting the size of banks and other restrictions — would take government policies on financial regulation.

The current chairman of the banking committee, South Dakota's Tim Johnson, is retiring. Brown, who is only in his second term, is not next in line in terms of seniority. But those who are qualify for other jobs and are likely to choose them.

Jack Reed of Rhode Island is first in line for banking chairman, but is thought to prefer the chairmanship of the Armed Services Committee, which is also opening up.

Chuck Schumer of New York, who is second in line, has been a steady supporter of Wall Street through his long career in the Senate. He would be welcomed by the industry but probably has his sights trained on the leadership position currently held by Harry Reid of Nevada.

Third in line, New Jersey's Robert Menendez, will almost certainly prefer to retain his post as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. That would make Brown chairman of the banking panel.

Brown is not Wall Street's only problem, because anti-bank legislation has proven to be one of the truly bipartisan issues in Congress. Brown has won over Republicans like David Vitter of Louisiana to cosponsor legislation that seeks to limit bank size by imposing tougher capital requirements.

And this is precisely why Brown poses such a danger for them. The industry needs someone in the post who would dampen the political backlash against Wall Street, not inflame it.

Brown, for instance, not only commissioned a report from the Government Accountability Office on how government policies subsidize big banks, but as chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions scheduled a! hearing ! in January to publicize its findings – and to caution the GAO against industry influence as it prepares the second part of the report.

It was Schumer's apparent distaste for the banking post that caught Politico's attention. Those familiar with the New York senator's thinking told the publication that taking a stand on banking issues, one way or the other, would impede his chances of becoming caucus leader, which is his ultimate goal.

If there is a chance Schumer will clear the way for Brown to chair the banking panel, that tilts Wall Street support to Republicans.

"A lot of people on Wall Street would give a lot of money to avoid that outcome," an unnamed "Democratic-leaning executive" told Politico. "People are tired of all the show trials. So if giving to someone like Kay Hagan means you get Brown as chairman? No thanks."

The top Republican on the committee is Mike Crapo of Idaho, a conservative considered more sympathetic to Wall Street complaints about government restrictions. He would be in line to chair the committee if Republicans gain the majority.

Voters in North Carolina, or in other Senate toss-up states like Louisiana and Alaska, may not be aware of it, but their votes could do much to determine the course of financial regulation in the coming years.

Darrell Delamaide has reported on business and economics from New York, Paris, Berlin and Washington for Dow Jones news service, Barron's, Institutional Investor and Bloomberg News service, among others. He is the author of four books, including the financial thriller Gold.

Investors Should Not Fear, Protect Your Portfolio with ADT

The ADT Corporation (ADT) is a provider of electronic security, interactive home and business automation and related monitoring services in the U.S. and Canada (about 6.5 million residential and small business customers).

ADT Pulse

The company's electronic security and home/business automation offerings involve the installation and monitoring of residential and business security and premises automation systems designed to detect intrusion, control access and react to movement, smoke, carbon monoxide, flooding, temperature and other environmental conditions and hazards, as well as to address personal emergencies, such as injuries, medical emergencies or incapacitation.

Through the introduction of ADT Pulse in 2010, the company's customers can lock and unlock their doors, arm and disarm their security system, control their appliances and lighting, and adjust their thermostat or view real-time video from cameras covering different areas all from their smartphone. Depending on their service plan, practically all can remotely monitor and manage in their homes and small business environments. The company continues to add new features and capabilities to its Pulse platform to ensure that the product continues to be the best home security and automation solution.

Strategies

Expanding its channels, improving sales force effectiveness and strengthening its strategic marketing are strategies being considered to grow in actual markets. With respect to new markets or the ones that are not penetrated so much, ADT plans to invest in growth platforms, with focus on market for small businesses and penetration of residential markets. The company´s estimations about those markets indicate that was about $13 billion in 2012, and had grown at a compound annual rate (CAGR) of about 1% to 2% over the past five years.

Returning Cash

ADT recently announced a quarterly dividend, which is scheduled for Wednesday, May 21. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 30, will be paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%, which is considered quite good to protect consumers' purchasing power.

Insider Trading

Ferber Alan, who is president of Residential at ADT Corporation, bought 1,000 shares at an average price of $28.53 on March 14, 2014, for a total transaction of $28,530.00. Alan now owns 16,973 shares in the company, valued at approximately $484,240.

P/E, Earnings and ROE

In terms of valuation, the stock sells at a trailing P/E of 15.5x, trading at a discount compared to the industry. Earnings per share (EPS) decreased in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company reported $0.43 EPS for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of $0.49 by $0.06. Finally, I always like to see one of the most important financial ratios applying to stockholders, the best measure of performance for a firm's management: the return on equity. Let´s compare the current ratio with the peer group in the next table:

Ticker	Company Name	ROE (%)
ADT	The ADT Corp	9.74
ECOL	US Ecology, Inc	13.89
CTAS	Cintas Corporation	14.33
AXR	Amrep Corporation	-3.91

As we can see, the firm has a higher ROE than Amrep Corporation (AXR) but is well below the one registered by US Ecology Inc. (ECOL) and Cintas Corporation (CTAS).

Final Comment

As outlined in this article, the well-recognized and reliable brands and products like ADT Pulse will create a range of opportunities for ADT. Additionally, we describe strategies that will speed company´s customer base. Moreover, dividend payment affirms its commitment to maximize shareholder wealth. Finally, insider trading makes me feel bullish about this company's future profitability.

According to Yahoo Finance, the estimated one-year target share price is $42.5, so if you buy shares at current market price ($29.1), your return from price appreciation would be 46%. In addition, you have to consider any cash flow received by the asset. So for holding the stock one year, you'll be paid a dividend of 20 cents per share each quarter, totalizing $0.8 at the end of the year. If we divide this number by current price per share, we obtain the dividend yield, which is the other component of the return on an investment for a stock, and in this case is 2.7%. So the total expected return for investing in ADT is 48.7%, which is a tremendous stock return.

I would recommend investors to consider adding the stock for their long-term portfolios. Hedge fund gurus have also been active in the company in fourth quarter 2013. Gurus like Paul Tudor Jones (Trades, Portfolio), Wallace Weitz (Trades, Portfolio), Larry Robins and recently Dodge & Cox have also invested in it.

Disclosure: Damian Illia holds no position in any stocks mentioned.

Also check out: Dodge & Cox Undervalued Stocks Dodge & Cox Top Growth Companies Dodge & Cox High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Dodge & Cox keeps buying Paul Tudor Jones Undervalued Stocks Paul Tudor Jones Top Growth Companies Paul Tudor Jones High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Paul Tudor Jones keeps buying
About the author:Damian IlliaA fundamental analyst at Lonetreeanalytics.com constantly looking for value and income investments.

Visit Damian Illia's Website

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General Mills: Close to Being Generally Interesting

When thinking about General Mills (GIS) you likely associate the company with its flagship cereal brands like Cheerios, Wheaties and Lucky Charms – Cheerios alone controls roughly 13% of the cereal market. Yet the company also has an abundance of additional powerhouse brands under its corporate umbrella. For instance, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Gold Medal, Pillsbury, Haagen-Dazs, Green Giant, Hamburger Helper, Totino's, Nature Valley, Progresso, Yoplait and many more names all send their proceeds to the century-and-a-half-old incorporation that is General Mills.

As such, you might imagine that the company's profits are quite consistent. In viewing the business through the lens of the fundamentals analyzer software tool, or F.A.S.T. Graphs™, we can see that this has indeed been the case.

Sure there have been some down years – four since the end of 2000 – but in general (no pun intended) General Mills has been reasonably consistent. Over this time period operating earnings have grown by just under 7% a year, as profits and dividends march higher over the long term.

If valuations were relatively reasonable during the start and end time periods, you might expect an investor's rate of return to follow the business results of the company. Again, this is precisely what we observe. Operating earnings grew by 6.8% per year, while the stock price increased by a compound rate of 6.3% - indicating that the beginning earnings per share multiple was slightly higher than the ending multiple. In actuality, General Mills traded at about 21 times earnings at the end of 2000 as compared to a multiple closer to 17 today. Over the long-term price generally capitalized earnings at a relatively constant rate and the dividend provided a bit of additional return – bumping the total return over this period to almost 8% per annum. Which – by the way – was over twice the rate that the S&P 500 index returned during the same period.

Thus even without knowing the day-to-day or even year-to-year prices, you can get a reasonable feel for both how the company has been performing and how the market has valued the company over the long-term. Since 2000, General Mills has grown earnings per share in the 6% to 7% range, while an investor would have seen return results in the 7% to 8% range – clearly there's a relationship between the two.

When we view the Earnings and Price Correlated F.A.S.T. Graph, the relationship becomes undeniable – where earnings go, price eventually follows in the long run.

With the above being stated, it's also interesting to note the company's commitment to rewarding shareholders – both through share repurchases and dividends. On the share buyback front, General Mills has been especially consistent over the last decade reducing common shares outstanding (csho) from about 756 million to today's mark closer to 624 million – a reduction rate of almost 2% per year. Additionally, the company still has an authorization to repurchase roughly 5% of the current shares outstanding.

On the dividend side, management has been especially consistent. Most to this point was the board's decision to increase the dividend 8% on March 11, 2014, from $0.38 to $0.41 per quarter. This is the 15th time the company has announced a dividend increase in the last decade – for a double digit growth rate over the last 10 years. Granted this isn't as impressive as the half century dividend increase streaks of say Coca-Cola (KO) or Proctor & Gamble (PG). Yet the accompanying commentary by Chairman and CEO Ken Powell should provide an income oriented investor with a bit of comfort:

"General Mills and its predecessor firm have paid dividends without interruption or reduction for 115 years. This track record is testimony to the strong and steady operating cash flows generated by our consumer food brands. We expect dividends to grow with earnings over time, and we see this dividend growth as a key component of our long-term shareholder return model."

Thus the question today isn't likely to be whether or not the firm is committed to rewarding shareholders. Rather, the question becomes: What are the future prospects of the business and how does the current valuation reflect these projections?

To this point, the Estimated Earnings and Return Calculator can provide some potential insight. Now, it's paramount to consider the idea that this is a calculator – it simply defaults to the consensus of estimates as reported to Standard & Poor's Capital IQ. However, it does provide a solid baseline for how analysts are presently viewing this company. In the case of General Mills, there are four years of fiscal estimates being provided in addition to a long-term growth rate of 8%. If you were to double check these numbers against other data sources, they appear more than reasonable.

The calculator suggests that if these earnings forecasts materialize and General Mills is trading at 15 times earnings in the future, this would equate to an 8.6% annualized growth rate for the next five years – including dividends. In other words, the forecasted return results are expected to be in line with the company's operating results over the intermediate-term.

Sure, this isn't overly impressive, but then again that's why the title of this article wasn't, "Why you should buy General Mills now!" or something of the sort. In relation to its historical valuation, General Mills is trading slightly above where it normally has. In addition, the company's share price has increased much faster than its growth rate in the past few years.

However, there are two things to remember. First, as demonstrated above and observed in your local cereal aisle, General Mills has been an incredibly consistent company. More than that, as of late it seems that the commitment to shareholders has been increasing.

Perhaps just as important is the idea that reasonable return results can still be had at loftier valuations. For instance, General Mills traded at 21 times earnings at the end of 2000 but was still able to provide index beating return results close to 8% per annum, despite the P/E compression. Today shares trade in the 17 to 18 P/E range. If the multiple stays where it is today, it's possible that the five-year return results would be higher than what the calculator estimates. Yet even if the P/E does compress, it might be comforting to know that this does not necessarily preclude one from solid returns.

Of course none of this is to suggest that the company is without risks. In the company's 10-K General Mills lists no less than 20 risk factors – which include anything from volatile input costs and political risks to changing consumer preferences and the potential for product liability claims. Business partnerships contain risks, plain and simple.

Overall we feel that General Mills has been an especially consistent company – a fact we'd contend is hard to argue given its history. Moreover, during the last decade General Mills has shown an increased propensity to reward shareholders through share repurchases and dividends. Additionally, the company is expected to grow at a solid clip moving forward. Taken together, these ideas alone represent a sensible baseline for further due diligence.

However, it's important to underscore that they only demonstrate one side of the equation. When you add price in, you find that shares are presently trading a bit higher than they have in the recent past. As we have demonstrated, this does not preclude one from reasonable returns. But obviously as you buy shares lower – economics constant – the "safer" a security becomes. Perhaps this time will come next week, next year or not at all. In any event, if this time comes, the patient investor might see General Mills' shares getting closer to being generally interesting.

Disclosure: Long GIS, PG, KO at the time of writing.

Disclaimer: The opinions in this document are for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell the stocks mentioned or to solicit transactions or clients. Past performance of the companies discussed may not continue and the companies may not achieve the earnings growth as predicted. The information in this document is believed to be accurate, but under no circumstances should a person act upon the information contained within. We do not recommend that anyone act upon any investment information without first consulting an investment advisor as to the suitability of such investments for his specific situation.

About the author:FAST GraphsF.A.S.T. Graphs™ is a powerful research tool providing "essential fundamentals at a glance" on over 17,000 symbols. F.A.S.T. Graphs™ empowers the user to research stocks deeper and faster by allowing them to exploit the undeniable relationship and functional correlation between long-term earnings growth and market price. Warren Buffett, the greatest capital allocator of all time, said; "there are only two things that investor needs to know; how to value a company and how to think about stock prices." With the F.A.S.T. Graphs™ at their disposal, users are able to perform both of these critical tasks... FAST. F.A.S.T. is an acronym for Fundamentals Analyzer Software Tool that takes all the hours of manual graphing of business fundamentals and reduces it to seconds, giving you critical information in an instant. With one glance you know a lot about the business you are graphing and its past, present and future value. F.A.S.T. Graphs™ should be the first step in every research project. Each graph is worth 1,000 words in describing a company's growth, consistency and valuation.

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Top 10 Food Stocks To Buy For 2014

It was the outbreak of avian influenza last year that contributed to a yearlong skid in China by Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM  ) , as its KFC division reeled from the spread of the virus that followed revelations of its own tainted chicken. The fast-food chain saw same-store sales plunge month after month, and it was only this past December that it was finally able to record its first month of positive comps in more than a year.�

All that's in jeopardy now, however, because a new outbreak of AI has caused authorities in eastern China to ban live poultry sales as the number of people infected with the H7N9 strain of bird flu is on the rise. As�it derives�just over half its revenue and 44% of its pre-tax operating profits from China, and with 20 people dying already in 2014 out of almost 100 infected with the virus, Yum! Brands may find its stock running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Buy For 2014: Lifeway Foods Inc (LWAY)

Lifeway Foods, Inc., (Lifeway), incorporated on May 19, 1986, is engaged in the manufacturing of probiotic, cultured, functional dairy and non-dairy health food products. The Company�� primary products are kefir sold under the name Lifeway Kefir and Helios Nutrition Organic Kefir; a line of yogurts sold under the Lassi brand, and BasicsPlus, a dairy based immune-supporting dietary supplement beverage. In addition to the drinkable products, Lifeway manufactures Lifeway Farmer Cheese, a line of various farmer cheeses, a line of gourmet cream cheeses, and Sweet Kiss, a fruit sugar-flavored spreadable cheese similar in consistency to cream cheese. The Company also manufactures and markets a vegetable-based seasoning under the Golden Zesta brand. Lifeway manufactures all of its products at Company-owned facilities and distributes its products throughout the United States.

Lifeway�� primary product, kefir is a fermented dairy product. Lifeway�� Kefir is a drinkable product intended for use as a breakfast meal or a snack, or as a base for lower-calorie dressings, dips, soups or sauces. Kefir is also used as the base of Lifeway�� plain farmer�� cheese, a cheese made without salt, sugar or animal rennet. In addition, kefir is the primary ingredient of Lifeway�� Sweet Kiss product, a fruit sugar-flavored, cream cheese-like spread which is intended to be used as a dessert spread or frosting. Lifeway�� Kefir is a drinkable kefir product manufactured in 10 regular and low-fat varieties, including plain, pomegranate, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, cherry, peach, banana-strawberry, cappuccino and vanilla, and sold in 32-ounce containers and 8-ounce single serving containers featuring color-coded caps and labels describing nutritional information. The kefir product is marketed under the name Lifeway�� Kefir and is sold by retailers from their dairy sections.

Lifeway�� Organic Kefir meets the organic standards and specifications of the United States Department of Agricul! ture for organic products and is manufactured in five flavors: plain, wildberry, raspberry, strawberry and peach. Lifeway�� Organic Kefir is sweetened with organic cane juice. Lifeway�� Slim6 is a line of low-fat kefir beverages with no added sugar designed for consumers who follow low-carbohydrate diets. Lifeway�� Slim6 has only eight grams of carbohydrates and 2.5 grams of fat per 8-ounce serving and is available in five flavors: strawberries n��cream, mixed berry, tropical fruit, strawberry-banana and an original, unsweetened version. ProBugs is a kefir product that contains 10 live and active kefir cultures. Aimed at children ages 2-9, ProBugscomes in three flavors, Sublime Slime Lime, Orange Creamy Crawler and Goo-Berry Pie and is packaged in no spill spout pouches designed as cartoon bug characters Peter, Polly and Penelope ProBug.

Farmer Cheese is based on a cultured soft cheese and is intended to be used in a variety of recipes as a low fat, low-cholesterol, low-calorie substitute for cream cheese or ricotta, and is available in various styles. Sweet Kiss is a sweet cheese probiotic spread available in five flavors: plain, plain with raisins, apple, peach and chocolate. Elita and Bambino cheeses are low-fat, low-cholesterol kefir based cheese spreads, which are marketed as an alternative to cream cheese. Krestyanski Tworog is a European-style kefir-based soft style cheese which can also be used in a variety of recipes, eaten with a spoon, used as a cheese spread, or substituted in recipes for cream cheese, ricotta cheese or cottage cheese and is marketed to consumers of various Eastern European ethnicities.

Basics Plus is a kefir-based beverage product designed to support gastrointestinal functions and the immune system. Kefir Starter is a powdered form of kefir that is sold in envelope packets and allows a consumer to make his or her own drinkable kefir at home by adding milk. Lifeway continues to develop sales of this product through the Internet. Lassi is a c! ultured d! rink inspired by the traditions of India and is sold in 8-ounce containers in two flavors, strawberry and mango. Golden Zesta is a vegetable-based seasoning, which, because of its low sodium content, may also be used as a salt substitute and is marketed to delicatessens, gourmet shops and ethnic grocers. Helios Nutrition Organic Kefir is a kefir product made from organic milk and manufactured with a blend of active cultures. It is sold in 8 and 32 ounce bottles and made in five flavors: peach, plain, strawberry, vanilla and raspberry.

The Company competes with Danone Foods, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  In possibly related news, shares of a Danone sometimes-partner, sometimes-rival in the drinkable yogurt market, kefir-maker Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ: LWAY  ) , is seeing its shares come under pressure Tuesday. Specializing in grocery sales, Lifeway also operates a chain of yogurt-inspired restaurants of its own known as "Starfruit Cafe." As Danone shares gain 0.5%, Lifeway is down 4.5%.

• [By James Brumley]

  Once the budget impasse is wrapped up though, a new Dairy Stabilization Act should be right around the corner. That’s good news for a small-cap company like dairy farm Lifeway Foods (LWAY), which saw its shares fall nearly 25% over the course of August and September when the budget impasse was shaping up.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Shares of Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ: LWAY  ) are on a tear, up nearly a full $1 (or 8.3%) since reporting earnings last week. But is the price spike justified? Let's find out.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Buy For 2014: Seaboard Corporation(SEB)

Seaboard Corporation operates as a diversified agribusiness and transportation company worldwide. Its Pork division engages in hog production and pork processing; and the production and sale of fresh and frozen pork products, such as lunchmeat, ham, bacon, sausage, loins, tenderloins, and ribs, as well as further processed pork products, including raw and pre-cooked bacon to further processors, foodservice operators, grocery stores, distributors, and retail outlets under the Prairie Fresh and Daily's brand names. This division also produces and sells biodiesel from pork and other animal fats to third parties. The company?s Commodity Trading and Milling division sources, transports, and markets wheat, corn, soybean meal, rice, and other commodities, as well as operates flour, feed, and maize milling businesses. Its Marine division provides containerized cargo shipping service to 26 countries between the United States, the Caribbean Basin, and central and South America; and operates a terminal at the Port of Miami, an off-dock warehouse for cargo consolidation and temporary storage, and a cargo terminal at the Port of Houston for temporary storage of bagged grains, resins, and other cargo. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 10 owned and approximately 29 chartered vessels; and dry, refrigerated, and specialized containers and other related equipment. The company?s Sugar division produces and refines sugar cane, produces alcohol, and purchases and resells sugar to retailers, soft drink manufacturers, and food manufacturers in Argentina. Its Power division operates as an independent power producer in the Dominican Republic operating 2 floating barges with a system of diesel engines with combined capacity of approximately 112 megawatts of electricity. Seaboard Corporation also purchases and processes jalapeno peppers in the United States. The company was founded in 1928 and is based in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Seaboard Corporation is a subsidiary of Seaboard Flour LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon] ard is also an older company founded more than 90 years ago and has focused on grain and agriculturally derived products. In the last 10 years its stock has appreciated 543%, and on Monday one share costs $1,955. It has never split its stock.

  Seaboard is still a growing company. In the last ten years it increased revenue per share at an average rate of 12.5%, EBITDA at 9.8%, and book value at 18.2%. It also has a low P/E of 6.8, its lowest since about 2007.

  Berkshire Hathaway-A (BRK.A)

  Berkshire Hathaway is the multinational conglomerate founded by Warren Buffett and is the eighth largest company in the world. They are the highest priced shares on the New York Stock Exchange, partially due to never splitting their stock or paying a dividend. Rather, they reinvest corporate earnings to continue growth.

  In the last 10 years, Berkshire Hathaway stock has increased 67%. On Monday, one share of BRK.A cost $122,115.

  Berkshire management has grown book value at an annual rate of 20.3% for the last 44 years. Growth has been continuing in recent history. In the last 10 years, revenue per share increased at a rate of 11.4%, EBITDA at 7.5% and free cash flow at 3.3%. Its P/E is 17.1.

  These stocks are not necessarily expensive or not expensive based on how much one share costs but are subject to the same valuation as lower-priced companies. To create your own screener to find the exact stocks you are interested in, try GuruFocus��do-it-all screener here.

• [By John Udovich]

  Thanksgiving is around the corner�meaning investors might want to take a closer look at turkey stocks�like Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), Seaboard Corporation (NYSEMKT: SEB) and Industrias Bachoco, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: IBA)���the last major�publicly traded turkey stocks available for investors. Moreover, the Wall Street Journal has pointed out that corn prices are the lowest in more than three years and fewer birds are in production as some producers cut back on their flocks this year due to weaker turkey commodity prices.�Feed prices, which make up about 70% of the cost of a turkey, had soared with the price of corn which hit the $8 a bushel level but a recent�bumper crop has sent corn prices plunging to about the $4 a bushel level.

• [By Norm Rothery]

  I happened upon Seaboard Corp. (SEB) a few years ago, when I was looking for stocks that buy back their shares. It's not the most aggressive re-purchaser in the market, but it has reduced its share count by 20% since the turn of the century.

Best Japanese Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Boulder Brands Inc (BDBD)

Boulder Brands, Inc., incorporated on May 31, 2005, is a supplier of gluten-free and health and wellness products in the United States and Canada. The Company distributes its products in all retail channels, including natural, grocery, club and mass merchandise. The Company also has a presence in the foodservice and industrial channels. The Company�� product portfolio consists of spreads, milk and other grocery products marketed under the Smart Balance, Earth Balance and Bestlife brands, and gluten-free products sold under the Udi's, Glutino and Gluten-Free Pantry brands. The Company operates in two segments: Smart Balance and Natural. The Smart Balance segment consists of its branded products in spreads, butter, grocery and milk. The Natural segment consists of its Earth Balance, Glutino and Udi's branded products. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has acquired 100% interests of Phil's Fresh Foods, LLC, owner of EVOL Foods (EVOL).

Smart Balance Products

The Smart Balance line of products is available in a range of categories, formats and sizes in the supermarket, mass merchandise and convenience store channels of distribution. Some of the Company�� buttery spreads are also available in bulk and individual serving formats for use in the industrial and foodservice channels. The Company�� Smart Balance buttery spreads are made from a patented blend of natural oils to help balance fats in the consumer's diet and to help improve the good-to-bad cholesterol ratio when used as part of the Smart Balance Food Plan. Smart Balance Spreadable Butters, available in original, light and extra virgin olive oil varieties, are a blend of creamery fresh butter and canola oil that contain less saturated fat than butter, as well as functional ingredients like EPA/DHA Omega-3 and plant sterols.

The Company offers a range of enhanced milk products, with different varieties containing EPA/DHA Omega-3s, plant sterols, and added levels of calcium and protein. The Comp! any use low and fat-free milks enhanced with non-fat milk solids to give the taste and texture of whole or reduced fat milk. The Company�� milk varieties include fat-free milk, 1% lowfat milk and lactose-free milk and are available in markets across the United States. The Company�� peanut butter products contain ALA Omega-3 from flax oil. The Company�� cooking oil and cooking sprays are designed for use in cooking, baking and salads to aid in avoiding trans fat and hydrogenated oils. The Company also markets a Smart Balance Buttery Burst Spray. The spray has zero calories, zero carbs and zero fats per serving and can be used as a pan spray or as a topping.

The Company�� Smart Balance Light Mayonnaise Dressing has half the fat of regular mayonnaise, is non-hydrogenated, contains zero grams of trans fat and contains natural plant sterols and ALA Omega-3. The Company created the Smart Balance Food Plan, incorporating many of its Smart Balance products, in order to help consumers achieve a healthy balance of natural fats in their daily diet. The plan includes menus, as well as numerous recipes.

Natural

The Earth Balance line of products offers a range of buttery spreads, sticks, soymilks, nut butters and vegan mayo dressings formulated for consumers interested in natural, plant based and organic products. Glutino offers a range of shelf stable and frozen gluten-free products, including snack foods, frozen baked goods, frozen entrees and baking mixes, throughout the United States and Canada. Glutino also offers a range of fresh breads under the Genius brand name. Based in Denver, Colorado, Udi's markets gluten-free products under the Udi's Gluten Free Foods brand in the retail market. The Company owns and operates a health and wellness, subscripton-based Website at www.thebestlife.com, which is based on the philosophies of Bob Greene.

The Company competes with Unilever, ConAgra Foods, Dean Foods, Land O' Lakes, Hain Celestial Group, Inc., Food for L! ife, Van'! s, Nature's Path, Mary's Gone Crackers, Enjoy Life, Pamela's Gluten Free, Rudi's Gluten-Free, French Meadow Bakery, Schar, Kinnikinnick, Amy's Gluten Free, Snyder's, Blue Diamond Gluten-Free, Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free and Food Should Taste Good.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Sterman]

  Although shares of Boulder Brands (Nasdaq: BDBD) are up more than 60% since then, Home Loan Servicing (Nasdaq: HLSS) has merely treaded water while Swift Energy has continued its downward ascent.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Buy For 2014: 1-800 FLOWERS.COM Inc.(FLWS)

1-800-Flowers.com, Inc. together with its subsidiaries, operates as a florist and gift retailer in the United States. The company offers a range of products, including fresh-cut flowers, floral arrangements and plants, gifts, popcorn, gourmet foods and gift baskets, cookies, chocolates, candy, and wine through its telephonic and online sales channels, company-owned and operated retail floral stores, and franchised stores. It provides gourmet gifts, such as popcorn and specialty treats through thepopcornfactory.com; cookies and baked gifts through cheryls.com; chocolates and confections through fanniemay.com and harrylondon.com; gift baskets and towers through 1800baskets.com; Celebrations brand party ideas and planning tips through celebrations.com; and customizable invitations, announcements, and greeting cards through finestationery.com. As of July 3, 2011, the company operated 2 floral retail stores, 1 fulfillment center, and approximately 100 franchised stores located within the United States. It has strategic online relationships with Facebook, Google, AOL, Yahoo!, and Microsoft. The company was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Carle Place, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on 1-800-Flowers.com (Nasdaq: FLWS  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Equities Lab]

  The stocks that currently pass the stock screen in order of market cap are Frontier Communications Corp , Crown Media Holdings (CRWN), Vonage Holding (VG), MCG Capital Corp (MCGC), 1-800-FLOWERS.COM (FLWS), MTR Gaming Corporation (MNTG), Alaska Communications (ALSK), and Enzon Pharmaceuticals (ENZN).

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Earnings Expected From: 1-800 Flowers.com, Inc (NASDAQ: FLWS)

  Economic Releases Expected:�Eurozone unemployment rate, Italian CPI, Greek retail sales, French consumer spending, Canadian GDP.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Buy For 2014: DC Brands International Inc (HRDN)

DC Brands International, Inc. (DC Brands), incorporated on April 29, 1998, is engaged in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of health-related products that utilize natural botanicals, vitamins, minerals and supplements. As of December 31, 2009, the Company focused on the sale of products under its H.A.R.D. Nutrition label. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had two distinct types of products sold under its H.A.R.D. Nutrition logo, such as Functional Water Systems and nutritional supplements. Its H.A.R.D. Nutrition Functional Water System provides consumers with the combination of nutraceutical supplements with a functional beverage. All of the products sold under its H.A.R.D. Nutrition Functional Water System are sold in a bottle, which combines in one container water, which is lightly flavored, with vitamins stored in its licensed flip top compartment on the top of the bottle. DC Brands also sells other products included in its H.A.R.D. Nutrition label, such as herbal supplements, which are made from a mixture of herbs. The Company�� products are sold to consumers, primarily through retail outlet distribution. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiaries are DC Nutrition, Inc. and DC Brands, LLC. As of December 31, 2009, DC Brands, LLC was inactive. In June 2013, DC Brands International Inc acquired an undisclosed minority stake in Village Tea Co Distribution Inc.

Functional Water Systems

DC Brands��Functional Water Systems are a combination of a functional beverage and a nutraceutical. The Company provides consumers with a combination of a beverage and a nutraceutical supplement all in one convenient bottle. As of December 31, 2009, the Company manufactured nine water systems. Each system includes supplements, vitamins and minerals that are enclosed in its licensed cap, which is attached to its bottle filled with a lightly flavored water specially formulated to act as a catalyst for the enclosed supplements. The Functional Water Systems have a shelf life of one! year. The Company conducts periodic tests of the color, flavor and desired results of its products in house. Each product contains a label with a date stamp that specifies the shelf life.

The Company�� nine different systems are The Daily Basics, The Fat Fighter, The Get Over It-Feel Better Now, Whacked Energy, Wide Awake, Win, Fix It, Cleanse +, and Rebuild and Recover. The Daily Basics is a wellness product that includes vitamins and supplements. The Fat Fighter falls under the diet and weight loss category. The Get Over It-Feel Better Now is a wellness product that is a blend of vitamins, herbs and minerals. As of December 31, 2009, The Get Over It-Feel Better Now water system was sold in certain hotels in Las Vegas on a trial basis and was stocked in the guest rooms in the hotels and was marketed to combat hangovers. Whacked Energy and Wide Awake are part of its energy line. Win is geared towards athletes for use when conducting fitness training. Fix It is a combination of herbs and supplements. Cleanse+ is a 12 days total body cleansing system intended to be taken once every 90 days and Rebuild and Recover is a combination of products focused towards the serious athlete. All of its products contain ingredients that are focused to provide health-related benefits. The H.A.R.D. Nutrition Functional Water Systems are primarily sold in retail establishments.

Nutritional Supplements

The Company�� H.A.R.D. Nutrition Supplements are sold primarily though its wholly owned subsidiary DC Nutrition, Inc. and are focused at athletes and improving performance. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had approximately 300 products in this product line, which it divided into the four categories: performance and strength supplements, wellness products, energy supplements, and the weight loss and diet products.

The Company competes with Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks COREwafer Industries Inc (OTCMKTS: WAFR), DC Brands International, Inc (OTCMKTS: HRDN) and PV Enterprises International (OTCMKTS: PVEC) surged 82.86%, 33.33% and 25%, respectively, last Friday ��meaning investors or traders got a nice Christmas present. Moreover, these small cap stocks have been the subject of minimal paid stock promotions. But will these three small cap stocks continue to deliver a good performance into and after the holidays? Here is a quick reality check before you get overly excited:

Top 10 Food Stocks To Buy For 2014: Fairway Group Holdings Corp (FWM)

Fairway Group Holdings Corp., incorporated on September 29, 2006, operates in the retail food industry, selling fresh, natural and organic products, prepared foods, and specialty and gourmet offerings along with a assortment of conventional groceries. The Company focuses on perishable product categories, which include produce, natural and organic, deli, specialty, cheese, butcher, seafood, bakery, coffee and kosher foods. Its non-perishable product categories consist of conventional groceries, as well as specialty foods. It operates two stores on the West Side of Manhattan, New York. As of September 24, 2012, it operated 11 locations in the Greater New York City metropolitan area, three of which include Fairway Wines & Spirits stores.

The Company�� natural and organic product categories include fruits and vegetables, natural and fresh juices, organic OBE beef and organic chicken, fresh organic peanut butter and natural almond butter, fresh roasted coffees and loose teas, dried fruits and nuts, full assortment of natural and organic groceries, cold cuts and cheeses, breads, supplements (homeopathy, vitamins, herbs), nutritional bars and protein powders, health and beauty aids, dairy, including Fairway-branded organic milk, eggs, including Fairway-branded organic eggs, vegetarian dairy alternatives, frozen foods, e gluten-free selections, baby food and baby care items and cleaning products. It offers a classic New York deli counter. It carries smoked salmon prepared using its own recipe and hand-craft its own fresh mozzarella daily.

The Company�� Specialty Imports and Specialty Grocery departments provide shoppers with specialty and gourmet items, such as Lapalisse pure and virgin nut oils; authentic Sicilian foodstuffs; Burgundy's organic La Trinquelinette fruit preserves made in small batches using only unrefined raw cane sugar; ready-to-eat vacuum-packed beets from the Loire Valley; L'Herbier de Milly La Foret verbena, hibiscus, peppermint and linden blossom infusions; L! a Quiberonnaise Vintage Sardines from Brittany, France; Pruneaux d'Agen (stuffed prunes), and Royal Medjool dates, Quercy's soft dried figs and apricots. It carries approximately 115 varieties of specialty olive oil, including numerous imported unfiltered olive oils, and offer all-day, every day tasting of olive oils in each of its stores.

The Company has meat delivered every day and it is cut and packaged at each of its stores within 24 hours of receipt. It also receives daily deliveries of fresh ice-packed chicken. It offers 50 to 80 different selections of fresh fish and seafood in each store every day. It utilizes a combination of on-site and centralized bakeries to produce our baked goods. Its full-service bakery prepares its signature cookies, tarts, cupcakes, baguettes and bagels. It offers over 100 types of artisanal coffee beans sold by the pound, as well as over a dozen varieties of Fair Trade certified and organic coffee.

The Company offers an array of kosher options, including Fairway's branded products, its conventional and specialty groceries, its coffee, as well as its baked goods, dairy, organic, gluten-free, imported and frozen items. It offers a variety of cuts of kosher poultry, red meat and seafood. It carries a range of conventional grocery items. Its grocery aisles are stacked high with the national brand names Tide, Bounty, Kleenex, Charmin, Lysol, Poland Spring, Oreo, Cheerios, Lipton, Hershey's, Coke, Green Giant, and many more. In addition, it offers an array of ethnic groceries that cater to each store's local demographic.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jason Moser]

  You can be forgiven if you've never heard of Fairway Group Holdings (NASDAQ: FWM  ) . The company is responsible for Fairway Market, a small chain of high-end grocery stores currently in and around the greater New York City metropolitan area.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Indeed, shoppers can even find natural and organic produce at Wal-Mart, and with Fairway Group Holdings (NASDAQ: FWM  ) having gone public earlier this year, there's no shortage of places shoppers can choose from to buy their all-natural produce. What is Sprouts offering that differentiates it from all of its rivals?�Simply counting on a growth-by-expansion policy entails a lot of risk, so the only thing I see is its claim of better product selection and value.�

Top 10 Food Stocks To Buy For 2014: MicroFinancial Incorporated(MFI)

Microfinancial Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialized commercial finance company that provides microticket equipment leasing and rental, and other financing services in the United States. The company provides financing alternatives, and leases and rents commercial equipment to start-up and established businesses for use in their daily operations. It leases water filtration systems, food service equipment, security equipment, point-of-sale cash registers, salon equipment, health care and fitness equipment, and automotive equipment. The company primarily sources its originations through a network of independent equipment vendors, sales organizations, and other dealer-based origination networks. Microfinancial Incorporated was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Gerrit De Vynck]

  Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (MFI), the Canadian producer of foods from hamburgers to frozen pasta, has drawn bids for its bread unit from Grupo Bimbo SAB, Flowers Foods Inc. (FLO) and several private-equity firms, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

• [By Eric Lam]

  Alacer Gold Corp. and Iamgold Corp. rallied at least 5.9 percent as the metal traded at its highest in 11 weeks. Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (MFI) jumped 7.8 percent as it agreed to sell a unit for C$645 million ($614 million). Penn West Petroleum (PWT) Ltd. added 1.7 percent after cutting 25 percent of its workforce to reduce costs.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Buy For 2014: Etablissementen Fr Colruyt NV (COLR)

Etablissementen Fr Colruyt NV, also known as Colruyt Group, is a Belgian company primarily engaged in retail and wholesale of food products. The Company's retail trade division includes the direct supply of products to retail customers operating through brands Colruyt, DreamBaby, BIO-planet, DreamLand and ColliShop, among others. The Company supplies to wholesalers and affiliated independent merchants in Belgium, France and Luxembourg. It also provides printing solutions (photo Fuji Colruyt). Colruyt Group also has a corporate activities division, which combines support services, processes and systems and central administration, among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Colruyt (COLR) gained 8.3 percent to 40.08 euros, the largest jump since June 27, 2012. Belgium�� biggest discount food retailer said full-year earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization amounted to 699.8 million euros ($910 million), beating the average 684 million-euro analyst projection in a Bloomberg survey. The company also raised its dividend to 1 euro a share, exceeding the Bloomberg Dividend Forecast of 98 cents.

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Colruyt SA (COLR) fell 4 percent to 42.31 euros. Belgium�� largest discount food retailer forecast full-year net income of about 369 million euros ($498 million) compared with analysts�� estimates of 381.2 million euros.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Buy For 2014: Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc (TPK)

Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc. (Ten Peaks) is a Canada-based company. It operates its business through its subsidiary, Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company Inc. (SWDCC), which is a green coffee decaffeinator located in Burnaby, British Columbia. It also owns and operates Seaforth Supply Chain Solutions Inc. (Seaforth), a green coffee handling and warehousing business located in Metro Vancouver. SWDCC is engaged in the coffee decaffeination business utilizing the branded Swiss Water Process of 100% chemical free green coffee decaffeination. SWDCC has two subsidiaries, which include Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Co. USA, Inc, and Swiss Water Process Marketing Services Inc. On November 18, 2011, a subsidiary of Ten Peaks, Seaforth Supply Chain Solutions Inc., was incorporated. On January 1, 2011, in response to changes to the legislation governing the taxation of income trusts which made the income trust form of structure less advantageous, the Fund converted to a corporation. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Travis Perkins Plc (TPK) lost 1.6 percent to 1,749 pence. The builders��merchant said its consumer division failed to grow on a comparable basis in the third quarter, slipping from an 8.6 percent increase in the two months ended June.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Buy For 2014: Latteno Food Corp (LATF)

Latteno Food Corp. (Latteno), incorporated on August 24, 1994, is engaged in acquiring, organizing, developing and upgrading companies in the international food and beverage market. Latteno is specializing in the dairy industry and coffee industry. The Company operates through its subsidiary in Brazil. On February 10, 2010 Latteno acquired Global Milk Businesses and Administration of Private Properties Ltda. (Global Milk). Global Milk holds the rights of certain intellectual property of the brand name products manufactured and sold under the brand name Teixeira. In March 2013, the Company acquired Green Cannabis Collective Inc.

Latteno is leasing an instant and roasted coffee factory located in Cruzeiro, Sao-Paulo, which was property the Company previously owned under its BDFC Brasil Alimentos Ltda (BDFC) subsidiary. In addition to the lease, the Company has maintained ownership of four brand names, Samba Cafe, Vivenda, Torino and Brazilian Best, used in the past by Latteno to sell its instant and roasted coffee across the world. The Company engaged the service companies to assist with its operations, such as Log-Frio Ltda, SigaSolutions Ltda, Microsiga Ltda and Varistao Transportes Ltda.

The Company competes with Nestle, Companhia Cacique de Cafe Soluvel, Cafe Soluvel Brasilia and Companhia lguacu de Cafe Soluvel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  What do you get when you cross a Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (NASDAQ:JVA) with a Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA) and a Kraft Foods Group Inc. (NASDAQ:KRFT)? No, it's not a setup for a punch line - there's a legitimate answer. And that answer is, Latteno Food Corp. (OTCMKTS:LATF).

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own Right Now

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Enpro Industries (NPO)

EnPro Industries, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and markets engineered industrial products primarily in the United States and Europe. The company operates through three segments: Sealing Products, Engineered Products, and Engine Products and Services. The Sealing Products segment provides metallic, non-metallic, and composite material gaskets; dynamic seals; compression packing; resilient metal seals; elastomeric seals; expansion joints; heavy-duty truck wheel-end component systems, including brake products; flange sealing and isolation products; pipeline casing spacers/isolators; casing end seals; sealing systems for sealing pipeline penetrations; hole forming products; manhole infiltration sealing systems; safety-related signage for pipelines; bellows and bellow assemblies; pedestals for semiconductor manufacturing; polytetrafluoroethylene products; and sheeted rubber products. Its products are used in various industries, including chemical and petrochemical proc essing, petroleum extraction and refining, pulp and paper processing, heavy-duty trucking, power generation, food and pharmaceutical processing, primary metal manufacturing, mining, water and waste treatment, aerospace, medical, filtration, and semiconductor fabrication. The Engineered Products segment offers bearing products and aluminum bushing blocks for use in automotive, pump and compressor, construction, power generation, and general industrial markets; and components for reciprocating compressors and engines in refining, petrochemical, natural gas gathering, and storage and transmission markets. The Engine Products and Services segment manufactures, sells, and services heavy-duty, medium-speed diesel, natural gas, and dual fuel reciprocating engines for shipyards, municipal utilities, institutional and industrial organizations, sewage treatment plants, nuclear pow! er plants, and offshore oil and gas platforms. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Ch a rlotte, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  EnPro Industries (NYSE: NPO) shares rose 25.20% to $74.13. The volume of EnPro Industries shares traded was 2661% higher than normal. EnPro's Garlock won a trial on Asbestos liability. CL King upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on EnPro Industries (NYSE: NPO  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-performing-stocks-to-own-right-now.html

Top 5 China Stocks To Watch For 2014

Top 5 China Stocks To Watch For 2014: iSoftStone Holdings Limited(ISS)

iSoftStone Holdings Limited provides various information technology (IT) services and solutions in the Greater China and internationally. It offers an integrated suite of IT services and solutions, including consulting and solution services, IT services, and business process outsourcing (BPO) services. The company provides a range of consulting services for an overall engagement or discrete consulting services in conjunction with other services. It also develops industry-specific solutions, including treasury management, cash management, property and casualty insurance core, financial holding company business analysis, trust company core, and banking risk management solutions for banking, financial services, and insurance industries; supply chain management, enterprise information portals, business intelligence, business process integration, and management and e-commerce solutions for energy, transportation, and public sectors; mobile and embedded technology, next generati on platforms, business intelligence functionality, and network security products for the communications industry. In addition, the company offers various IT services consisting of application development and maintenance, research and development, and infrastructure and software services. Further, it provides a range of BPO services, such as securities trade processing services for the investment banking industry; digitization and archiving of policyholder information, as well as account processing and customer service for insurance industry; and cross-industry BPO services comprising finance and accounting, customer care, and human resources. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  iSoftStone Holdings (NYSE: ISS  ) reported earnin! gs on May 17. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), iSoftStone Holdings beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-china-stocks-to-watch-for-2014.html

Ibio Quietly Clears a Major Hurdle (IBIO)

With just a quick glance, Ibio Inc. (NYSEMKT:IBIO) doesn't look like anything particularly special. The stock's just bouncing around, and we've not heard any particularly meaningful news from IBIO in a few weeks.

When one takes a step back and looks at the bigger, longer-term picture of Ibio Inc. though - and looks at a chart in particular - things change for the better. With a review of the weekly chart, today's surge clearly becomes the proverbial icing on the cake... the confirmation of a rebound that's been materializing since the beginning of the year. This may well be the ideal time to step into an IBIO position.

First things first. Ibio is a biotechnology company... essentially. Its claim to fame isn't a breakthrough drug per se, but rather, a dug-development platform that can make therapies that can't be made in other ways. Though its working on twelve different drugs right now using the iBioLaunch platform, the majority of them are being sponsored by a third-party, with seven of them in preclinical stages and years away from launching. In fact, the two drugs that are furthest along in their development by IBIO are still only in Phase 1 stages, and will take years until they're bearing revenue. Nonetheless, biotech stocks trade based on their perceived long-term value, and the perception of iBio Inc. is quickly becoming a bullish one. Traders should take note of the clues the chart is giving. On that note...

As interesting as iBioLaunch is, it's not the part of the story that's most compelling right now. It's not the recent news from iBio Inc. either, because frankly, there hasn't been a great deal of news of late. What's most interesting right now is the way the chart has fought its way into a budding bullish trend.

As was noted above, one has to take a big step back and look at a weekly chart of IBIO to really soak it all in, but it's there. After a pretty miserable year (and then some), iBio shares finally popped back above their long-term moving average lines in January of this year. As one would have expected, the stock slumped shortly after the big surge, and it would have been easy to mentally shelf it again. Doing so would have also been a big mistake, however. With today's advance, iBio Inc. shares have just officially logged their first higher low in years.

The clincher is the fact that this week's bullishness has unfurled on strong volume. Granted, it's not the kind of volume we saw with the downtrend-breaker in January. But, the buyers are plowing in en masse, and have shaken the stock out of a short-term rut around $0.55, as is best illustrated with a daily chart of IBIO.

It's just a nudge, but a very important - and very buy-worthy - nudge.

For more trading ideas and insights like these, be sure to sign up for the free SmallCap Network newsletter. You'll get stock picks, market calls, and more, every day. Here's what you've missed recently.

Hot Cheap Stocks To Watch For 2014

Hot Cheap Stocks To Watch For 2014: Advance Auto Parts Inc(AAP)

Advance Auto Parts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items. It operates in two segments, Advance Auto Parts (AAP) and Autopart International (AI). The AAP segment operates stores, which primarily offer auto parts, including alternators, batteries, chassis parts, clutches, engines and engine parts, radiators, starters, transmissions, and water pumps; accessories comprising floor mats, mirrors, vent shades, MP3 and cell phone accessories, and seat and steering wheel covers; chemicals consisting of antifreeze, freon, fuel additives, and car washes and waxes; and oil and other automotive petroleum products. This segment also provides battery and wiper installation, battery charging, check engine light reading, electrical system testing, video clinics and project brochures, loaner tool programs, and oil and battery recycling services; and sells its products through online. The AI segm ent operates stores that offer replacement parts for domestic and imported cars, and light trucks to customers in northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, as well as to warehouse distributors and jobbers in North America. As of January 1, 2011, the company operated 3,369 AAP stores, including 3,343 stores located in the northeastern, southeastern, and Midwestern regions of the United States under the Advance Auto Parts and Advance Discount Auto Parts trade names; 26 stores situated in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands under the Advance Auto Parts and Western Auto trade names; and 194 stores under the Autopart International trade name in the United States. It serves do-it-yourself, do-it-for-me, or commercial customers. The company was founded in 1929 and is based in Roanoke, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Thalman]

  Competitor Advanced Auto ! Parts (NYSE: AAP  ) also announced earnings this morning, which resulted in shares of the company increasing by 12.74% today. Revenue at Advanced rose 6% year over year to hit $1.41 billion, but that was below the $1.43 billion analysts were expecting. Despite that miss, earnings per share came in at $0.94, which was $0.13 higher than Wall Street had predicted. The company maintained a strong gross margin at 49.8%, but that fell from 49.9% during the same quarter last year, which was explained as a side effect from a higher mix of commercial sales, an area that has lower margins. Lastly, management forecasted that 2014 fiscal year earnings per share will fall within a range from $7.20-$7.40, while analysts had that number pinned at just $7.03 per share. 

• [By Ning Jia]

  Reuters Description: Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (Advance), incorporated on August 1, 2001, is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, batteries and maintenance items primarily operating within the United States. The Company operates in two segments: Advance Auto Parts (AAP), and Autopart International (AI). The AAP segment is comprised of its store operations, which operate under the trade names Advance Auto Parts and Advance Discount Auto Parts.The AI segment consists of the operations of Autopart International, Inc. which operates under the Autopart International trade name. The Company's stores carry a product line for cars, vans, sport utility vehicles and light trucks.The Company serves both do-it-yourself (DIY), and do-it-for-me (Commercial), customers. Its Commercial customers consist primarily of delivery customers for whom the Company delivers product from its store locations to it Commercial customers' places of business, including in dependent garages, service stations and auto dealers. On December 31, 2012, the Company acquired B.W.P. Distributors, Inc.
  

• [By Ben Eisen]

  Given that outlook, he sees ten stocks in the consumer! discreti! onary sector that qualify as bargains at the moment, including some of the very stocks that are expecting downbeat holiday results. They include: Advance Auto Parts Inc. (AAP) , AutoNation, Inc. (AN) , Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) , Carmax, Inc. (KMX)  , Nordstrom Inc. (JWN)  , PetsMart, Inc. (PETM)  , Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) , Staples, Inc. (SPLS)  , Target Corp. (TGT)  , and Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) .

• [By John Udovich]

  Auto parts retailers like large cap O'Reilly Automotive Inc (NASDAQ: ORLY) and mid cap Advance Auto Parts, Inc (NYSE: AAP) along with small cap auto parts stock Federal-Mogul Corp (NASDAQ: FDML) have been a bright spot on the economy as consumers try to stretch the lives of their automobiles or vehicles in the bad or uncertain economy. In fact, Investors Business Daily has recently noted that the average age of cars on the road is about 11.5 years and that's of course good news for auto parts retailers while any uptick in sales or production of auto parts in general will be good for companies like Federal-Mogul Corp. With that in mind, here is a look at how these three auto parts retailers or auto parts stocks are taking investors for a ride in a good way:

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-cheap-stocks-to-watch-for-2014.html