5 Best Media Stocks To Buy For 2014

Source: Steve Paluch, via Wikimedia Commons.�

Since 1992, my family has held season tickets for the Milwaukee Brewers. In this state, you bleed green and gold for the Packers, and you spend your summers hoping for a good baseball season. Ryan Braun delivered those seasons for us.

So, embarrassed as it makes me to admit it, I was certain that Major League Baseball had wronged Braun for accusing him of taking steroids. "No one could so passionately deny allegations if they were truly guilty!" I told my friends.

In the end though, naive folks like myself are the ones with egg on our faces. Braun was suspended for the rest of the 2013 season, admitting yesterday that he had "made some mistakes," without actually going into specifics.

Though I think I��l recover soon enough, situations like this remind me�that if there's one commodity that can be a gold-standard differentiator, it's trust. And so Ryan Braun's fall from grace offers important lessons on trust that the business world would do well to take note of.

Top 5 European Companies To Buy For 2015: Charter Communications Inc.(CHTR)

Charter Communications, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides entertainment, information, and communications solutions to residential and commercial customers in the United States. The company offers cable video programming services, such as basic and digital video, premium channels, OnDemand, pay-per-view, high definition television, digital video recorder, and online video services; Internet services; Charter.net, which provides multiple e-mail addresses, as well as various entertainment, games, news, and sports content; and telephone services. It also provides broadband communications solutions, such as Internet access, data networking, fiber connectivity to cellular towers and office buildings, video entertainment services, and business telephone services under the Charter Business brand name to business and carrier organizations. As of December 31, 2011, the company served approximately 4.1 million video customers; approximately 3.5 million Internet customers; appr oximately 1.7 million telephone customers; and approximately 476,200 commercial primary service units. Charter Communications, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Finally, cable operator Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC  ) trudged higher by another 2.7% as ongoing rumors continue to swirl about a potential buyout offer from Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR  ) . These rumors became even more intriguing when Charter announced yesterday that it had amended credit agreements on $4.8 billion worth of its debt, presumably to give it more room should it decide to make an acquisition. The broadcasting space is certainly ripe for acquisition, but I also wouldn't suggest foolishly chasing names in this space higher on rumors.�

• [By Michael Lewis]

  Most recently, the company took a 27.3% stake in cable operator Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR  ) . The deal cost Liberty $2.62 �billion in cash with proceeds from the Starz spinoff. Charter is the eighth biggest pay-TV provider in the United States. After a period of struggle, Charter is quickly approaching profitability -- an effect of a very capable management team that Maffei strongly supports. Liberty's motive was probably the seemingly endless demand for broadband services in the country.

5 Best Media Stocks To Buy For 2014: Discovery Communications Inc(DISCA)

Discovery Communications, Inc. operates as a non fiction media and entertainment company worldwide. The company provides original and purchased programming across various distribution platforms. Its content covers science, exploration, survival, natural history, sustainability of the environment, technology, docu-series, anthropology, paleontology, history, space, archaeology, health and wellness, engineering, adventure, lifestyles, forensics, civilization, and current events. The company owns and operates nine national television networks in the United States, including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Military Channel, Planet Green, Discovery Fit & Health, and Velocity. Discovery Communications also has interests in Oprah Winfrey Network, a pay-television network and Web site; The Hub that features original programming, game shows, and live-action series and specials; and 3net, a three-dimensional network. In addition, it o ffers network branded Web sites, and mobile and video-on-demand services; and distributes various national and pan-regional television networks. Further, the company develops and sells curriculum-based products and services to public and private K-12 schools, such as access to an online VOD service that includes curriculum-based tools, professional development services, and student assessment and publication of hardcopy curriculum-based content; and postproduction audio services to motion picture studios, independent producers, broadcast networks, cable channels, advertising agencies, and interactive producers. As of December 31, 2011, it operated approximately 150 distribution feeds in 40 languages. The company is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  Consider the case of Discovery Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA), the world's leading creator of documentary-style content. The company recently said it wants to upgrade to 4K for shows it runs on such networks as the Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, and Science.

• [By Patricio Kehoe]

  Hasbro, Inc. (HAS) has been on the radar of many investment gurus like Paul Tudor Jones (Trades, Portfolio) and John Hussman (Trades, Portfolio) for some time now, given its position as the second largest toy manufacturer in the industry, only outranked by Mattel, Inc. (MAT). But the company�� first quarter earnings report showed that it could possibly outperform industry giant and rival Mattel in terms of growth, as Europe and Latin America registered 8% and 17% growth respectively, while Mattel saw declines in the same regions. Furthermore, quarterly earnings were driven mainly by the girls��category, which sported a 20% increase in demand for My Little Pony, Equestria Girls, and Nerf Rebelle products. So, with profitability on the right track, what can investors expect from this industry player in the long term?Licensing agreements and emerging market growthAlthough Hasbro�� quarterly earnings were boosted by the girls��toy category, while the boys��segment showed merely 2% growth, fiscal 2014 should balance out the segments when the Transformers and Spiderman films launch in the second quarter. Owning a licensing agreement for Marvel has also helped boost results in the domestic market and Canada, as the recent launch of ��aptain America: The Winter Soldier��was a box office hit, thereby boosting sales of the Captain America action figure in the U.S. Moreover, the firm has been clever to focus its energy some years ago on the digital and entertainment business, giving it a competitive advantage over industry rivals. In fact, while Hasbro�� relationship with Activision Blizzard, Inc. (ATVI) has been significant in positioning the firm in the digital market, its joint venture with Discovery Communications Inc. (DISCA) ��The Hub ��has helped generate very strong brand loyalty, as well as new revenue streams.Furthermore, management has made a point of increasing its stewardship of shareholders via a dividend yield of nearly 3%, as well as its

5 Best Media Stocks To Buy For 2014: News Corporation(NWSA)

News Corporation operates as a diversified media company worldwide. Its Cable Network Programming segment produces and licenses news, business news, sports, general entertainment, and movie programming for distribution through cable television systems and direct broadcast satellite operators primarily in the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. The company?s Filmed Entertainment segment produces and acquires live-action and animated motion pictures for distribution and licensing in entertainment media, as well as produces and licenses television programming worldwide. Its Television segment operates 27 broadcast television stations in the United States. The company?s Direct Broadcast Satellite Television segment distributes programming services via satellite and broadband directly to subscribers in Italy. Its Publishing segment provides newspapers and information services, such as publishing national newspapers in the United Kingdom, approximately 146 newspapers in Australia, and a metropolitan and a national newspaper in the United States; book publishing services, including the publishing of English language books worldwide; and integrated marketing services comprising the publishing of free-standing inserts, which are marketing booklets containing coupons, rebates, and other consumer offers, as well as provides in-store marketing products and services, primarily to consumer packaged goods manufacturers in the United States and Canada. The company also sells advertising, sponsorships, and subscription services on the company?s various digital media properties and outdoor advertising space on various media primarily in Russia and eastern Europe; and provides data systems and professional services that enable teachers to use data to assess student progress and deliver individualized instructions. News Corporation was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  News Corp(NWSA) swung to a profit for the fiscal quarter, as cost-cutting helped offset lower revenue. Revenue missed expectations, sending the publishing company’s shares down 2.4% to $17 premarket.

• [By John Emerson]

  At the time, NDS Group was 80% owned by News Corp (NWSA) and they were providing the smart cards for all Direct TV (DTV) receivers. Further, they were one of only three smart card providers and one of their competitors, Canal Plus a Vivendi subsidiary, was struggling with maintaining the security of their smart card systems which they were providing to non-News Corp television companies throughout Europe. It seems that the access codes on their systems were turning up on the internet and bootleggers were stealing the signals. EcoStar, which would later be spun off by DISH, was making the same claims back in the 1990s. Both companies maintained that News Corp, acting through its subsidiary NDS Group, was the culprit. To make a long story short, Canal Plus filed a multi-billion dollar lawsuit against News Corp and later on EcoStar would follow suit.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  News Corp. is a media and information services company that has recently spun-off of its very profitable entertainment segment. The company�reported its first quarterly financial results after splitting from 21st Century Fox. The stock has seen progress but is now pulling back as investors book gains. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenues have been on the rise, which has left investors optimistic about the company. Relative to its peers and sector, News Corp. has been a weak year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what News Corp. does this quarter.

5 Best Media Stocks To Buy For 2014: Time Warner Cable Inc(TWC)

Time Warner Cable Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a cable operator in the United States. It offers video, high-speed data, and voice services over its broadband cable systems to residential and commercial customers. The company provides a range of video services, including on-demand, high-definition (HD), and digital video recorder (DVR) services; residential high-speed data services with connection to the Internet; wireless mobile broadband Internet services; and digital phone services to residential customers. It offers video programming tiers and music services; high-speed data, networking, and transport services; and commercial digital phone service to small and medium-sized businesses under the Time Warner Cable Business Class brand. Further, Time Warner Cable Inc. sells advertising to various national, regional, and local customers. As of June 30, 2011, the company served approximately 14.5 million residential and commercial customers in the New Yor k State, the Carolinas, Ohio, southern California, and Texas. Time Warner Cable Inc. is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  For a second day in a row, we need to look no further than the broadcasting sector for our best performers. Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC  ) and Cablevision (NYSE: CVC  ) advanced 8.1% and 3.5%, respectively, on speculation that a wave of mergers and acquisitions would sweep through the sector. If you recall, Gannett�shares soared after announcing a $1.5 billion purchase of Belo�yesterday to expand its national broadcasting presence.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Time Warner Cable provides entertainment, voice, and high-speed data services to a growing customer base in the United States. The company reported fourth-quarter earnings that left investors pleased. The stock has been moving higher over the past several years, but is currently trading sideways. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenues have been on the rise. Relative to its peers and sector, Time Warner Cable has been an average year-to-date performer. Look for Time Warner Cable to OUTPERFORM.