Hot European Companies To Watch For 2014

Houston-based Salient Partners is doing some cool things in the alternative space, and Lee Partridge, the firm’s chief investment officer, is more than happy to tell you about them. But first, Partridge provides some context.

“We see three big trends over the next 10 years which we’re positioned well to capitalize on,” he says. “The first is that we’re still in a deleveraging economic environment, and ultimately we will have to reduce deficit spending.”

In the short term, he expects the European Central Bank, the Central Bank of Japan and the Federal Reserve will keep rates low for as long as possible to absorb the deleveraging.

“The second theme is the run-up in energy production in North America,” Partridge explains. “Production is now up 30% from where it was in 2010 and we’re still three years from catching up with supply to meet demand.”

The third and final trend is the demographics of developing nations, specifically workers and retirement.

Hot European Companies To Watch For 2014: Aercap Holdings N.V. (AER)

AerCap Holdings N.V., through its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated aviation company worldwide. It engages in leasing and trading aircraft and engines; and selling parts. The company also provides aircraft management services, as well as aircraft and limited engine MRO services, and aircraft disassembly services through its repair stations. In addition, it offers aircraft services, including remarketing aircraft; collecting rental and maintenance payments, monitoring aircraft maintenance, monitoring and enforcing contract compliance, and accepting delivery and redelivery of aircraft; conducting ongoing lessee financial performance reviews; inspecting the leased aircraft; coordinating technical modifications to aircraft to meet new lessee requirements; conducting restructurings negotiations in connection with lease defaults; repossessing aircraft; arranging and monitoring insurance coverage; registering and de-registering aircraft; arranging for aircraft and aircraft engine valuations; and providing market research. The company?s management services include leasing and remarketing, cash management and treasury, technical advisory, and accounting and administrative services. As of March 31, 2011, it owned 272 aircraft and 95 engines, which it leased under operating leases to 118 lessees in 53 countries. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Schiphol, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  More than two years ago, American International Group Inc. (NYSE: AIG) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering (IPO) in its aircraft leasing group, International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC). That filing came to nothing, and AIG found little interest from buyers for ILFC, until Monday morning when it announced that AerCap Holdings N.V. (NYSE: AER) will buy the leasing operation for $3 billion in cash and 97.56 million shares of new AerCap stock. The total value of the deal is approximately $5.4 billion.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  AerCap (AER) provides aircraft leasing and aviation finance services. This stock closed up 3.3% at $18 in Wednesday's trading session.

  Wednesday's Volume: 740,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 318,589
  
  Volume % Change: 85%

  From a technical perspective, AER jumped higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $17.27 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last five months, with shares moving higher from its low of $14.84 to its recent high of $18.16. During that uptrend, shares of AER have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of AER within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if AER manages to take out its 52-week high at $18.16 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in AER as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $17.27 or above more near-term support at $17.17 and then once it sustains a move or close above its 52-week high at $18.16 with volume that's near or above 318,589 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then AER will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $20 to $23.

• [By Shahida Humayun]

  Air Lease's fleet has a weighted average age of 3.5 years, compared to 10.7 years for Aircastle (NYSE: AYR  ) and 5.1 years for AerCap Holdings (NYSE: AER  ) . As a result of this advantage, Air Lease is currently trading at a price-to-book value (P/BV) of 1.17, compared to 0.8 and 0.95 for Aircastle and AerCap Holdings, respectively.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Finally. Finally American International Group (AIG) has disposed of its ILFC unit by selling it to AerCap Holdings (AER).

  Bloomberg News

  The Wall Street Journal has the details on the deal:

Hot European Companies To Watch For 2014: TotalFinaElf S.A.(TOT)

TOTAL S.A., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated oil and gas company worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream, and Chemicals. The Upstream segment engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas. It also involves in the transportation, trade, and marketing of natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as in LNG re-gasification and natural gas storage operations. In addition, this segment engages in the shipping and trade of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); power generation from gas-fired power plants, nuclear, or renewable energies; production, trade, and marketing of coal, as well as in solar power systems and technology operations. As of December 31, 2010, it had combined proved reserves of 10,695 Mboe of oil and gas. The Downstream segment involves in refining, marketing, trading, and shipping crude oil and petroleum products. It also produces a range of specialty products, s uch as lubricants, LPG, jet fuel, special fluids, bitumen, marine fuels, and petrochemical feedstock. This segment holds interests in 24 refineries located in Europe, the United States, the French West Indies, Africa, and China, as well as operates a network of 17,490 service stations. The Chemicals segment produces base chemicals, including petrochemicals and fertilizers, as well as engages in rubber processing, resins, adhesives, and electroplating activities. TOTAL S.A. was founded in 1924 and is based in Paris, France.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Arjun Sreekumar]

  For instance, Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A  ) reported a reserve replacement ratio of just 85% last year, while Total's (NYSE: TOT  ) came in at 93%. A ratio that is consistently under 100% generally indicates trouble further down the line. As the majors continue to struggle to boost their oil and gas production, future growth will increasingly come from unconventional sources, such as offshore Africa and Brazil, U.S. shale, and Canada's oil sands.

• [By David Hunkar]

  Current Dividend Yield: 2.32%
  Sector: Beverages
  Country: U.K.

  Company: Total SA (TOT)

  Current Dividend Yield: 5.16%
  Sector: Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels
  Country: France

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  When Solazyme talks about product development with partners such as Mitsui, it takes care of the steps outlined above, while Mitsui helps define product specifications that are desired by customers. The same goes for Amyris and Total (NYSE: TOT  ) and Gevo and Toray as well as other commercialization partners for the companies. Additionally, Solazyme gets fermentation help from partner Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM  ) , an important mentor for the developing company. The company is one of the leading ethanol producers in the country, so it has a wealth of knowledge in coaxing microbes into fermentation machines.�

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Time to diversify?
  For international investors, weak stock markets might well offer a great opportunity. As stocks in the U.S. appear increasingly overpriced, beaten-down international stocks are a better value. For instance, European energy stocks BP (NYSE: BP  ) and Total (NYSE: TOT  ) haven't done as well as their U.S. counterparts, even though they both have similar global exposure to energy assets around the world. When you think about investing, don't ignore the Global Dow, despite the Dow Industrials' stronger performance recently.

Best Stocks To Own Right Now: Fresenius Medical Care Corporation (FMS)

Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA, a dialysis company, provides products and services for patients with chronic kidney diseases. As of May 12, 2011, it provided dialysis care services to 216,942 patients through its network of 2,769 dialysis clinics primarily in North America, Europe, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific, and Africa. The company also develops and manufactures various dialysis products, including hemodialysis machines, dialyzers, hemofilters, dialysis fluid filters, tubing systems, fistula needles, dialysis related equipment, acute hemodialysis machines, plasma filters, acute tubing systems and cassettes, catheters, and related disposable products for chronic hemodialysis, acute therapy, home therapy, and therapeutic apheresis, as well as dialysis drugs. In addition, it provides laboratory services. Fresenius Medical sells its products through distributors. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Bad Homburg, Germany.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Charles Carlson, CEO and Portfolio Manager, Horizon Investment Services]

  For investors looking for growth but also income, I especially like three health-care related stocks��resenius Medical (FMS), Novo Nordisk (NVO), and Smith & Nephew (SNN).

• [By Louie Grint]

  Still unaffected
  First, Fresenius Medical Care (NYSE: FMS  ) is the No. 1 global provider of dialysis equipment. It enjoys leading market share of almost 33% in its home country.

Hot European Companies To Watch For 2014: BP p.l.c.(BP)

BP p.l.c. provides fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services, and petrochemicals products. Its Exploration and Production segment engages in the oil and natural gas exploration, field development, and production; midstream transportation, and storage and processing; and marketing and trading of natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), and power and natural gas liquids (NGL). This segment has exploration and production activities in Angola, Azerbaijan, Canada, Egypt, Norway, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as in Asia, Australasia, South America, North Africa, and the Middle East. This segment also owns and manages crude oil and natural gas pipelines; processing facilities and export terminals; and LNG processing and transportation, as well as NGL extraction facilities. BP p.l.c. has interests in the Trans-Alaska pipeline system, the Forties pipeline system, the Central Area transmission sys tem pipeline, the South Caucasus Pipeline, and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, as well as in LNG plants located in Trinidad, Indonesia, and Australia. The company?s Refining and Marketing segment involves in the supply and trading, refining, manufacturing, marketing, and transportation of crude oil, petroleum, and petrochemicals products and related services to wholesale and retail customers primarily under the BP, Castrol, ARCO, and Aral brands. Its Other Businesses and Corporate segment produces and markets rolled aluminum products, as well as generates energy through wind, solar, biofuels, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage sources; and engages in shipping activities. The company was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By G. A. Chester]

  LONDON -- There are things to love and loathe about most companies. Today, I'm going to tell you about three things to love about�BP� (LSE: BP  ) (NYSE: BP  ) .

• [By Dividend Growth Investor]

  The company�� last dividend increase was in April 2013 when the Board of Directors approved a 10.50% increase to 63 cents/share. The company�� largest competitors include Chevron (CVX), British Petroleum (BP) and Royal Dutch (RDS.B). In late 2012, I replaced Exxon Mobil with a position in ConocoPhillips.

Hot European Companies To Watch For 2014: Aegon NV(AEG)

AEGON N.V. provides life insurance, pensions, and asset management products and services worldwide. The company?s life insurance products include traditional, term, universal, whole, and other life insurance products sold as part of defined benefit pension plans, endowment policies, post-retirement annuity products, and group risk products; supplemental health insurance products comprise accidental death, other injury, critical illness, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, and student health; specialty lines consists of travel, membership, and creditor products; and long term care insurance products for policyholders who require care due to a chronic illness or cognitive impairment. It also offers a range of savings and retirement products and services, including mutual funds, and fixed and variable annuities, savings accounts and investment contracts, segregated funds, guaranteed investment accounts, and single premium immediate annuities, as well as investment advice to individuals. In addition, the company offers employer solutions and pensions, such as retirement plans, pension plans, and pension-related products and services; investment products, including onshore and offshore bonds, and trusts; reinsurance products and solutions to life insurance and financial services companies; general insurance products comprising house, car, and fire insurance; and asset management products and services, including general account assets, unit-linked funds, and third party activities. AEGON N.V. markets its products through independent and career agents, financial planners, registered representatives, independent marketing organizations, banks, broker-dealers, benefit consulting firms, wirehouses, affinity groups, institutional partners, independent managing general agencies, and specialized financial advisors, as well as through online, direct, and worksite marketing. The company was founded in 1900 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherl ands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Will Ashworth]

  Assuming it delivers on its outlook for 2014, its current free cash flow yield is a very enticing 20%. This isn�� a growth stock, but its brands still possess hidden value. As cheap stocks go, it�� very attractive.

  Cheap Stocks to Buy: Aegon (AEG)

  It�� not often that you can buy a $19 billion market cap for under 10 bucks. Aegon�� a Dutch insurance company that�� had a rough ride over the past few years, and its stock�� suffered as a result. In the late ’90s AEG stock traded around $60 — it hasn�� been anywhere close since. However, it�� got some good assets that should bear fruit in the years to come. Aegon has 12,000 employees in the Americas doing business primarily under the Transamerica brand, which has been a part of AEG since 1999.

Hot European Companies To Watch For 2014: British American Tobacco Industries p.l.c.(BTI)

British American Tobacco p.l.c., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of tobacco products. The company offers cigars, cigarettes, smokeless snus, roll-your-own, and pipe tobacco products under the Dunhill, Kent, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Vogue, Viceroy, Kool, Rothmans, Peter Stuyvesant, Benson & Hedges, and State Express 555 brand names. It has operations in the Asia-Pacific, the Americas, eastern and western Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. British American Tobacco p.l.c. operates independently of Remgro Ltd. as of November 03, 2008.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roland Head]

  Today, I'm going to take a look at cigarette giant�British American Tobacco (LSE: BATS  ) (NYSEMKT: BTI  ) �to see how attractive it looks on these two measures.

• [By Royston Wild]

  Today, I am looking at�British American Tobacco� (LSE: BATS  ) (NYSEMKT: BTI  ) to see how it measures up.

  What are�British American Tobacco's earnings expected to do?

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Given the size of a potential acquisition of Lorillard would be quite large, we question how a bid from [Reynolds American] would be financed. Therefore, we think a more likely deal could be a merger between [Lorillard] and�[Reynolds American] rather than an acquisition. Also, there has been speculation that British American Tobacco (BTI), which currently owns ~42% of�[Reynolds American's] stock, could take a majority stake in�[Reynolds American] after the standstill ends in July 2014. While we believe the most likely scenario is that [British American Tobacco] and�[Reynolds American] could reach a strategic partnership to market/sell e-cigs globally, we wouldn�� rule out�[British American Tobacco] taking a majority stake in [Reynolds American]. Furthermore, if this occurs,�[British American Tobacco] could help finance a potential acquisition of [Lorillard].

Hot European Companies To Watch For 2014: Telefonica SA(TEF)

Telefonica, S.A. provides fixed and mobile telephony services primarily in Spain, rest of Europe, and Latin America. Its fixed telecommunication services include PSTN lines; ISDN accesses; public telephone; local, domestic, and international long distance and fixed-to-mobile communications; corporate communications; video telephony; supplementary and business-oriented value-added services; network services; leasing and sale of handset equipment; and telephony information services. The company?s Internet and broadband multimedia services comprise Internet service provider service; portal and network services; retail and wholesale broadband access; narrowband switched access to Internet; naked ADSL, a broadband connection; residential-oriented value-added services; companies-oriented value-added services; television services, such as IPTV, cable television, and satellite television; and Fiber to the Home, a service for high speed Internet access and digital video recording. Its data and business-solutions services principally include leased lines; virtual private network services; fiber optics services; the provision of hosting and application; outsourcing and consultancy services; desktop services; and system integration and professional services. The company?s wholesale services for telecommunication operators primarily comprise domestic interconnection services; international wholesale services; leased lines for other operators? network deployment; local loop leasing under the unbundled local loop regulation framework; and bit stream services. It also offers various mobile and related services and products that include mobile voice services, value added services, mobile data and Internet services, wholesale services, corporate services, roaming, fixed wireless, and trunking and paging services. The company has a strategic alliance with China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited. Telefonica, S.A. was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spai n.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Yesterday, Silver Spring Networks apparently plunged after the�UK government announced that Capita, CGI, Arqiva and Telefonica S.A. (NYSE: TEF) are the "preferred bidders" for contracts to support the UK's smart meter roll-out���no small project as the entire scheme is expected to worth or cost around�拢11.5 billion.�Silver Spring Networks had partnered with Vodafone Group Plc (NASDAQ: VOD) on a bid to both create and run the telecom infrastructure behind the smart meters, but they will now go away empty handed. ��

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Telefonica provides fixed and mobile communication services primarily in Europe and Latin America. The company reported earnings that fell; however, the company is beginning to see a turnaround. The stock has been surging higher after hitting lows last year and is currently trading near highs for the year. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been mixed while revenues have been decreasing, but investors remain optimistic about the company. Relative to its peers and sector, Telefonica has been a relative performance leader year-to-date. Look for Telefonica to OUTPERFORM.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  In the latest move in a broad deleveraging effort, Spanish telecom incumbent Telefonica (NYSE: TEF  ) has divested one of its European subsidiaries. The company announced that it has reached agreement to sell Telefonica Ireland to Hong Kong-based conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Group. The potential total price is 850 million euros ($1.1 billion), 780 million euros ($1.0 billion) of which will be handed over at the closing of the transaction while 70 million euros�($92 million) will take the form of a deferred payment to be transferred when certain financial objectives are met.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Is Europe back?
  Certainly, some of the enthusiasm about Europe has to do with the stabilization of economic prospects throughout the region. Germany, France, and Spain are still reporting sluggish GDP numbers, but some early signs suggest that the recession could already have hit bottom in many countries in Europe. Perhaps more importantly, just the fact that conditions on the continent haven't gotten markedly worse has seemed to bolster investor confidence. In particular, Spain's recovery has given investors in Telefonica (NYSE: TEF  ) new hope that efforts to keep its telecom business strong not just in Europe but in Latin America as well could bear fruit.

Visual Tools Help Clients Make Complex Decisions

Visual analytics, the science of analytical reasoning that is the result of interactive visual interfaces, has been used in numerous areas, including medicine and the physical sciences.

It is a relatively new area, though, for the social sciences as a whole. Yet visual tools are very important to the field of behavioral finance, and they can help a great deal in financial decision-making for individual investors.

Technology has made it much easier to present complicated information in a visual manner, said Anya Savikhin Samek, assistant professor of behavioral economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. However, technology can also be a double-edged sword because “we don’t yet know the best way to present data in a visual format, even if we know that people look at visuals more than they do written narratives,” she said. “It’s very easy to bias people one way or another, so the question on how best to visualize data is a very important and difficult one.”

When it comes to financial decision-making, though, visual data can make a clear difference, particularly when it comes to increasing peoples’ self-confidence, because the brain is more likely to process information that is easier to understand, Samek said.

In a recent study, Samek presented information on the importance of risk diversification — an issue many financial advisors find tough to get across to their clients — in three different ways to 829 respondents to a RAND Behavioral Finance Forum American Life panel, representative of Americans across the United States. The same information was presented in a classic narrative form; via FinVis, an interactive visual tool that Samek developed and has tested in lab conditions; and finally, as a series of enacted video skits.

“Out of all of them, the written narrative did the worst,” Samek said, “whereas the videos and the interactive tool are far more engaging. It’s clear that people tend to ignore and just not read the same information when it’s written out in a narrative.”

That means that if they’re only presented information as a written narrative, people will be less likely to make important financial planning decisions.

FinVis, the visual analytics tool Samek has helped develop, can help financial advisors a great deal. It allows users to interpret the return, risk and correlation aspects of financial data with the goal of making personal finance decisions. The tool is both exploratory and interactive, Samek said, and helps users quickly choose between various financial portfolio options and view possible outcomes. Users can analyze the outcomes of short-term or long-term investment decisions on a hypothetical portfolio. The tool also helps users overcome cognitive limitations and understand the impact of correlation between financial instruments in order to reap the benefits of portfolio diversification.

One of the tool’s most important outcomes is what Samek calls the “mastery experience,” which is based on the idea that by creating a hypothetical portfolio they can manage, users will be able to master the usage of the tool and therefore become more confident about their abilities to replicate their experiences in a real-world investment portfolio.  

The visual also increases financial literacy and knowledge to a far greater extent than the written narrative, Samek says, and financial advisors who can package information in a visual and interactive manner are likely to see a far more positive outcome when it comes to their clients making financial decisions.

However, ther's a catch.

Although her experiments have shown that through mastering a visually interactive tool people become more confident about their financial and investing abilities, Samek warns that there’s a danger of more people becoming overconfident in their market interactions as a result of their virtual mastery.

Finding the right balance with visual tools — one that educates people about complicated financial concepts, increases their knowledge base and makes them feel more capable of making important financial decisions but without pushing them to be rash — is important, she says. It’s an area that behavioral finance specialists must continue to do more work in.

What's the Rationale for Buying Index Funds?

In this edition of The Motley Fool's "Ask a Fool" series, Motley Fool One analyst Jason Moser and Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst Brendan Mathews take a question from a reader who asks: "I'm in the process of starting to buy my first stocks, and I have read the "13 Steps to Investing Foolishly." It suggests buying a share of a good index fund for every dollar invested in stocks. I don't understand the rationale. Could you provide an explanation for doing this?"

This advice is for new investors, and Brendan points out that including some low-cost index mutual funds in your adds instant diversification. If you're starting out with only handful of stocks, you could be subject to large losses for stock-specific reasons. That could discourage you from investing. If you've bolstered your initial portfolio with index funds, this is less likely to happen. And while index funds won't beat the market, they allow investors to generate average returns at a very low cost. That's why mixing in good, low-cost index funds is a smart move for new investors.

See more in the following video.

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Facebook and Google in tech Cold War

Facebook and Google are spending billions of dollars to ensure that they remain relevant in the rapidly changing technology landscape.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Facebook and Google are locked in a high-stakes, multi-billion dollar battle to shape the future.

Both companies are spending like crazy on emerging technologies. Their aims: when their current businesses are disrupted -- and they will be -- they'll have a fallback plan.

"While Facebook is doing well now, it knows that its core business could degrade just as MySpace's did," said Carl Howe, analyst at Yankee Group.

That's why Facebook (FB, Fortune 500) has poured billions of dollars into a photo sharing network, facial recognition software, a chat app and now virtual reality company Oculus. Google (GOOG, Fortune 500), in turn, has invested billions in driverless cars, wearable gadgets, military robots and -- most recently through its purchase of Nest -- connected home devices like smoke detectors and thermostats.

It's as if Facebook and Google are now combatants in Silicon Valley's version of a Cold War arms race.

"Facebook and Google are high technology titans engaged in a real world game of 'Monopoly' to grab the choicest technology properties in a bid to maintain and extend their dominance with each other as well and various other rivals," said Laura DiDio principal analyst at consultancy ITIC.

These are long-term bets. For all their attempts to diversify, neither company's purchases have helped them expand beyond their core business models just yet. Both Google and Facebook generated about 90% of their revenue from advertising last year.

By buying Oculus, Facebook is betting that the next tech wave could be ruled by wearable devices. Google is making a similar bet with Glass and its Android Wear smar! twatch platform.

  Punch a shark with the Oculus Rift

The big question is whether Facebook bought the right wearable company.

Mark Zuckerberg said on a conference call with analysts Tuesday that he believes virtual reality has a chance to become the communications platform of the future.

But Oculus is unlike most wearable devices -- it is closed off from the rest of the world, taking over most of your senses, including your entire field of vision. That's great for gaming but it's not like we're going to be able to walk down the street with these things as we do today with smartphones and could even do one day with smartwatches and Google Glass.

"Oculus has a lot of cool, very immersive applications," said Ron Gruia, principal consultant at Frost & Sullivan. "At the same time, Oculus is very isolating, limiting its usefulness."

Even if it doesn't succeed, the bet seems to be worth it for Facebook. The company spent $2 billion on Oculus but only $400 million in cash -- loose change for a company with $11.5 billion in its corporate coffers.

But in the emerging Cold War between Facebook and Google, Facebook can't take quite as many risks. Google has $59 billion in cash and can lose a bet every once in a while, as it did with Motorola Mobility. (Google bought Motorola for $12.5 billion in 2011 but subsequently shed most of the assets, including the recent sale of Motorola's smartphone business to Lenovo for about $3 billion.)

Google's mission of cataloging information is also broader than Facebook's "connecting people" goal. So while Facebook can make wild bets like it is with Oculus, it has less wiggle room than Google in ensuring they pay off. Investors showed their disapproval on Wednesday as well. Shar! es of Fac! ebook were down more than 3%.

But give both companies credit for knowing they can't rest on their laurels. Google CEO Larry Page and Facebook's Zuckerberg seem to recognize that it's not easy to stay on top of the tech world forever.

Numerous firms that were once industry titans fell to Earth after they failed to adapt to a new wave of technology. In fact, both companies literally have their headquarters in the graveyard of former tech darlings.

Facebook's Menlo Park offices are in the former home of Sun Microsystems, which Oracle (ORCL, Fortune 500) snapped up in 2010. And Google lives in the former headquarters of Silicon Graphics Inc. -- the once-mighty computing company that filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

EPA Wins in Coal Mine Dispute: Is Keystone XL Next?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last year invalidated a 2007 permit issued by the Army Corps of Engineers to a subsidiary of Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) allowing the company to build — or rather dig up — a mountaintop mine in West Virginia. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a lower court ruling in favor of the EPA, implying that the agency’s authority under the Clean Water Act can be used to invalidate any permit, no matter when it was granted.

The EPA has been a consistent critic of the U.S. State Department’s environmental impact studies related to the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. One objection the EPA raised to Keystone XL in 2013 was its potential impact on the Ogallala Aquifer. The pipeline has been rerouted around the aquifer, but the threat to groundwater supplies has not been entirely mitigated, and the EPA could conceivably invoke its newly strengthened authority to stop the Keystone XL regardless of how the State Department rules on the pipeline’s construction.

Industry trade groups and coal-mining states worked to get the EPA’s ruling reversed, claiming that the agency had overstepped its regulatory authority. In this particular case, the petitioners claimed that EPA’s authority under the Clean Water Act does not in any way give the agency the power retroactively to invalidate a permit that already had been granted.

Monday’s Supreme Court ruling adds even more interest to the drama surrounding the proposed 830,000-barrel per day Keystone XL pipeline. It is not hard to imagine a scenario in which the State Department okays the pipeline only to have the EPA squelch it. A remote possibility, perhaps, but real nonetheless.

Blogger Kitces stokes debate over CFP Board compensation definitions

Michael Kitces

The way that the CFP Board categorizes financial adviser compensation makes it nearly impossible for an adviser to be deemed fee-only, according to a popular blogger who is almost single-handedly stoking the debate.

In a 4,360-word post on his blog this week, Nerd's Eye View, Michael Kitces said that the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. defines compensation so expansively that almost every financial planner must be labeled as “commission and fee.”

Under CFP Board rules, a planner can be fee-only only if he or she generates revenue through fees and doesn't charge commissions and isn't affiliated with a firm that could charge commissions. The group's compensation categories also include commission-only.

(See where the new CFP Board chairman stands on the fee-only definition.)

“When nearly all advisers must use the same compensation disclosure label of 'commission and fee' to define a wide range of actual compensation structures from 0% commissions to 100% commissions, the very purpose of compensation disclosure begins to lose its meaning, value and clarity for the public that the CFP Board purports to serve,” wrote Mr. Kitces, director of research at Pinnacle Advisory Group.

In an interview, Mr. Kitces said that he is emphasizing the issue because the leading financial planning membership organizations – the Financial Planning Association and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors -- are standing back. Both have indicated that the CFP Board, as the certifying body, determines compensation rules.

“This needs to be fixed,” Mr. Kitces said. “I really don't know why they are silent on this issue. The CFP Board insists there is no problem, and NAPFA and FPA have said they're going to let the CFP Board act first. I can't do this all by myself – nor should I.”

In his blog post, he outlined six scenarios in which advisers in disparate business models all would have to label themselves as fee-and-commission. Mr. Kitces' post generated a strong reaction on social media.

One of those who tweeted in support was Alan Moore, founder of Serenity Financial Consulting.

“Now there's even more confusion because how [advisers] are paid is not relevant,” he said in an interview. “It's how they could get paid. It adds layers of complexity.”

The CFP Board has been embroiled in court and disciplinary cases involving compensation definitions for more than a year.

The organization didn't respond to a request for comment about Mr. Kitces, but officials addressed the issue in a webinar Thursday.

“We have a definition around fee-only, and we believe our definition is very clear,” said Ray Ferrara, chairman ! of the CFP Board and president of ProVise Management Group. “We all here at the CFP Board understand what the word 'only' means, and it's hard to make it any clearer than that.”

William Sweet, president of Stevens & Sweet Financial, endorsed Mr. Kitces' point of view, calling the CFP Board's approach to compensation definitions “a little silly.”

Top Cheapest Stocks To Own For 2014

The group is “enforcing the letter of the law rather than the spirit,” Mr. Sweet said. “I would prefer if the focus of the CFP Board was on ensuring that all financial advisers adequately disclose their source of compensation and all potential conflicts of interest rather than on categorizing the type of compensation offered.”

The CFP Board is blurring the lines between fee-only and commission-charging advisers, said Randy Bruns, a private wealth adviser at HighPoint Planning Partners.

“We're painted with the same broad brush, and I don't know if that's fair to the client,” he said. “It doesn't create a clear picture for the client of how different the advisers are in this case.”

The biggest problem is that the commission-only category could diminish within the CFP Board's framework, Mr. Moore said.

“I'm not aware of anybody who could claim commission-only based on how they're defining compensation,” he said. “I don't believe there's going to be a commission-only category at this point.”

An adviser who is fee-only — and remains so under the CFP definition because he charges clients a flat fee of $4,500 annually — supports the CFP Board's effort to parse compensation.

“It is worthwhile to delineate those who have an opportunity to earn commissions and those who don't,” said James Osborne, president of Bason Asset Management.

“If you'd like to be fee-only, it's not difficult to be fee-only,R! 21; he sa! id. “It's fairly easy to be in a position not to earn a commission.”

There are benefits and drawbacks to each of the fee models, advisers said.

The bottom line is that investors know what they are paying for and why.

“The most important thing is that investors understand the exact cost of the engagement, are getting what they believe to be a fair level of services for that cost and that their financial plan accurately accounts for that cost,” Mr. Bruns said.

Is the Amazon Prime Price Increase Justifiable?

As you probably know, Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) has increased its Amazon Prime membership from $79 to $99. If you're not familiar with Amazon Prime, membership includes free two-day shipping, unlimited streaming of video, and free book borrowing from the Kindle Owners' Lending Library on a Kindle device.

So what was the reason for the price hike? Three words, rising shipping costs. So let's find out if this move was justifiable and if it's likely to be a long-term positive for Amazon and its investors.

A justifiable move
Amazon Prime has been in existence for nine years and this is the first price hike over that time frame. Over those nine years, new services have been added and the number of available products has gone from one million to 20 million. So value has clearly been added. 

Furthermore, Amazon Prime members tend to spend more than non-Prime members. Therefore, it's likely that their savings on shipping will still greatly offset the cost of the price increase over the course of a year. And, of course, Amazon needed to make this move since investors were becoming impatient with the company's lack of bottom-line growth.

A long-term positive for investors
Amazon has been known to sacrifice profit in order to please its customers, but everyone knew the company would eventually have to deliver earnings if it wanted to continue its meteoric ascent. That time has come. While some Amazon Prime members aren't pleased with the price hike, other members are OK with it, and the backlash hasn't been overly significant.

The fact is that today's consumer wants speed and convenience, both of which Amazon Prime can offer. And as I said, membership savings should override the increased annual cost for most people. Eventually, this news should fade and Amazon should continue to deliver on the top line while improving its bottom-line growth.

If you're not a believer, then also consider recent news and trends at two of Amazon's biggest competitors.

The big-box shift
Wal-Mart  (NYSE: WMT  ) is still the biggest retailer in the world, but with consumers moving online for their shopping needs, Amazon is a massive threat. Wal-Mart is fighting back by investing heavily in technology. It's also looking to grow on the ground by investing heavily in its small-box stores, with the intent of recapturing market share previously stolen by dollar stores.

These initiatives have potential for Wal-Mart, remember, it generated more than $23 billion in operational cash flow over the past year. All that said, Wal-Mart is experiencing declining traffic. This comes from its mostly low-income consumer base that has seen increased taxes, a reduction in food stamp benefits, and a lack of wage growth opportunities.

Then there's Target (NYSE: TGT  ) , which attracts a higher-end consumer than Wal-Mart and is attempting to increase its online presence. However, Target still doesn't know what the total costs for its data breach will look like. Once this news comes out, then it might be time to consider Target as an investment option. Until then, there's a lot of uncertainty.

Top 5 Mid Cap Stocks For 2014

Fortunately, Target has invested $100 million in cybersecurity. With this move, Target should eventually be one of the safest shopping destinations in the United States. But it will take time for Target to win back consumer trust.

The point here is that while Wal-Mart and Target are both likely to be long-term winners, they're currently facing headwinds. Amazon might be struggling on the bottom line, but it has grown 273.8% on the top line over the past five years, whereas Wal-Mart and Target have grown their top lines 18.05% and 11.72%, respectively, over the same time frame.

The one catch is that Amazon is trading at 630 times earnings, whereas Wal-Mart and Target are trading at 15 times and 19 times earnings.

The Foolish takeaway
Amazon might be expensive, but its recent Amazon Prime price hike is likely to aid its bottom line without doing much damage to its top line. That's a good situation for Amazon as well as its investors. As always, please do your own research prior to making any investment decisions. 

Other big growth opportunities.... 
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5 Best Computer Hardware Stocks To Buy Right Now

With shares of Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) trading around $361, is AMZN an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Amazon serves its customers through its retail websites and focus on selection, price, and convenience. The company also manufactures and sells Kindle devices. Amazon offers programs that enable sellers to sell their products on the company�� websites, including the sellers��own branded websites, and fulfill orders through them. Amazon also provides platforms that allow authors, musicians, filmmakers, app developers, and others to publish and sell content. Online commerce has been on the rise because of the convenience, efficiency, and relatively low prices offered.

Shares of Amazon soared as the company�� earnings report declared an earnings per share value in line with estimates, but revenues that beat out expectations. Particularly exciting was the company�� guidance for the fourth quarter, which includes the all important holiday season, where the company is forecasting revenues of between $-500 and $500 million and sales of between 10 and 25 percent greater than last year. The company�� shares are currently trading at up over 8 percent on the news.

5 Best Computer Hardware Stocks To Buy Right Now: Altec Holdings SA (AXY)

Altec Holdings SA the parent company of Altec Group, is a Greece-based company engaged in the information technology and telecommunications fields. The Company's range of activities includes the manufacture, import, export, trade, distribution, leasing and support of computers and telecommunication materials, as well as the design, production, development, import, export, leasing and trading of software for computers and electronic cash registers. Its hardware products include a range of personal computers, servers and related equipment. Its software products include systems for enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, accounting, human resource management, payroll and data warehousing, insurance brokerage software and equipment for call centers. It operates a retail network under the brand Microland. The Company has established subsidiaries in Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Yesterday, small cap geothermal stock U.S. Geothermal Inc (NYSEMKT: HTM) produced a geyser of a return when it surged 26.79%, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock verses the performance of other geothermal stocks like small cap Ormat Technologies, Inc (NYSE: ORA) and mid cap Calpine Corporation (NYSE: CPN).�First of all, I should mention there are some other geothermal stocks out there like Alterra Power Corp (CVE: AXY) and Ram Power Corp (TSE: RPG) who have their primary listing on Canadian exchanges with secondary ones on the OTC���meaning they may not be a good deal for American investors or easy to invest in. Second, U.S. Geothermal Inc itself is a good geothermal proxy as its�focused on developing, owning, and operating clean, sustainable electric power from geothermal energy resources and its�operating geothermal power projects at Neal Hot Springs, Oregon; San Emidio, Nevada; and Raft River, Idaho plus El Ceibillo, an advanced stage, geothermal prospect located within a 24,710 acre energy rights concession area near Guatemala City, the largest city in Central America.

5 Best Computer Hardware Stocks To Buy Right Now: Fusion-io Inc (FIO)

Fusion-io Inc (Fusion) is a provider of datacenter solutions that accelerate databases, virtualization, cloud computing, big data, and the applications that help drive business from the smallest e-tailers to some of the largest data centers, social media leaders, and Fortune Global 500 businesses. The Company's integrated hardware and software platform enables the decentralization of data from legacy architectures and specialized hardware. The Company sells its solutions through a global direct sales force, original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, including Cisco, Dell, HP, and IBM, and other channel partners. In August 2011, the Company acquired IO Turbine, Inc.,. Effective March 18, 2013, the Company acquired ID7.

Fusion-io's ioMemory hardware is a sub-system connecting a large array of industry-standard NAND Flash memory through the Company's data-path controller and its virtual storage layer, or VSL, software to create a high capacity memory tier that natively attaches to a server's PCI-Express peripheral bus (PCIe).

The Company's portfolio of storage memory products incorporates the Company's ioMemory hardware combined with its virtual storage layer (VSL) and caching software into its family of ioDrive, ioFX, and ioCache enterprise grade products. The Company's ioDrive products work in conjunction with the Company's directCache data-tiering software, ioTurbine virtualization software, ioSphere management system, and ION Data Accelerator software. The Company's latest ioDrive, ioFX, and ioCache product families are a line of PCIe standard form-factor storage memory platforms that combine one or more ioMemory sub-systems with the Company's VSL software.

The Company's directCache software extends the Company's ioMemory based platforms and permits interoperability with traditional direct-attached, network-attached, storage area network attached, and appliance attached backend storage systems. The Company's ioTurbine virtualization software extends the Company! 's ioMemory platform and permits host-based data acceleration to specifically address the demand for high-density, high-performance server, and desktop virtualization.

ioSphere is a suite of management software purpose-built for the Company's storage memory infrastructure and designed around its application acceleration platform. ioSphere software is accessible through a graphical user interface that enables datacenter administrators to centrally configure, monitor, manage, and tune all distributed ioMemory devices throughout the datacenter. In addition, this software offers real-time, predictive, and historical reporting of ioMemory's performance and wear.

The Company's ION Data Accelerator software transforms server platforms into application acceleration appliances that share Fusion ioMemory across applications. ION Data Accelerator delivers Fusion-io performance on open server platforms with software-defined storage, or SDS, for applications such as Oracle RAC, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, and SAP HANA, along with other applications where shared storage aids deployment. The Company's original equipment manufacturer�� (OEMs), including Cisco, Dell, HP, and IBM, sell branded storage memory solutions based on the Company's standard products as well as custom form-factor versions to fit specific applications.

The Company competes with EMC Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P, Texas Memory Systems, Oracle, Adaptec, Inc., LSI Corporation, Sandisk, Corp, IBM, CA, Inc, Nagios Enterprises, LLC., Hitachi Data, Huawei Technologies, Co., Intel Corp., LSI Corporation, Marvell Semiconductor, Inc., Micron Technology, Inc., OCZ Technology Group, Inc., Samsung Electronics, Inc., SanDisk, Corp., Seagate Technology, STEC, Inc., Toshiba Corp., and Western Digital Corp.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Christopher F. Davis]

  Fusion IO (FIO) got absolutely obliterated yesterday (May 8th), down by as much as 27% to touch $13.13, after the company announced a major change in management. On Wall Street, it is common place for unexpected major management shifts to be an event that causes selling immediately, with questions asked later. On Wednesday, the stock closed down 18.9% on volume 15 times the average of 3 million shares that normally trade in a given day.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, storage memory platform company Fusion-io (NYSE: FIO  ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Finally, Tocqueville's biggest closed positions included Gentex�and Ferro. Other closed positions of interest include Fusion-io (NYSE: FIO  ) , an enterprise storage company focused on technologies such as flash memory and solid-state drives. It already serves some rather major customers, such as Apple, but much of its revenue comes from just a few �key clients. The company recently posted strong earnings and an upbeat outlook, sending its shares up by double digits. Bulls also like its purchase of NexGen Storage, but bears worry about competitors looming�.

Top India Stocks For 2014: Diebold Inc (DBD)

Diebold, Incorporated, incorporated in August 1876, is engaged in providing integrated self-service delivery and security systems and services to the financial, commercial, government and retail markets. Sales of systems and equipment are made directly to customers by the Company�� sales personnel, manufacturers��representatives and distributors globally. The sales and support organizations work closely with customers and their consultants to analyze and fulfill the customers��needs. The Company has two lines of business: Self-Service Solutions and Security Solutions. The Company�� segments are consisted of two sales channels: Diebold North America (DNA) and Diebold International (DI). In September 2012, it acquired GAS Tecnologia (GAS).

The DNA segment sells and services financial and retail systems in the United States and Canada. The DI segment sells and services financial and retail systems over the remainder of the globe through wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and independent distributors in countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and in the Asia Pacific region, excluding Japan and Korea.

Self-Service Solutions

The Company offers an integrated line of self-service technologies and services, including comprehensive automated teller machine (ATM) outsourcing, ATM security, deposit and payment terminals and software. The Company is a global supplier of ATMs and related services. The Company offers a range of self-service solutions. Self-service products include a range of ATMs and teller automation, including deposit automation technology, such as check-cashing machines, bulk cash recyclers and bulk check deposit. The Company offers software solutions consisting of multiple applications, which process events and transactions. These solutions are delivered on the appropriate platform. From analysis and consulting to monitoring and repair, the Company provides value and support to its customers every step of the way. ! Services include installation and ongoing maintenance of its products, OpteView remote services, branch transformation and distribution channel consulting. Outsourced and managed services include remote monitoring, troubleshooting for self-service customers, transaction processing, currency management, maintenance services and full support through person to person or online communication.

Security Solutions

The Company provides its customers with the technological advances to protect their assets. The Company provides physical and electronic security systems, as well as facility transaction products, which integrate security, software and assisted-service transactions, providing total security systems solutions to financial, retail, commercial and government markets. The Company provides security solutions and facility products, including in-store bank branches, pneumatic tube systems for drive-up lanes, vaults, safes, depositories, bullet-resistive items and undercounter equipment. The Company provides a range of electronic security products, including digital surveillance, access control systems, biometric technologies, alarms and remote monitoring and diagnostics. The Company provides security monitoring solutions, including fire, managed access control, energy management, remote video management and storage, as well as logical security.

Integrated Solutions

The Company provides end-to-end outsourcing solutions with a single point of contact for customer�� self-service channel. Its solution includes hardware, software, services or a combination of all three components. The Company provides value to its customers by offering a range of integrated services and support. The Company�� service organization provides analysis and planning of new systems, systems integration, architectural engineering, consulting and project management, which encompass all facets of a financial self-service implementation. The Company also provides design, products, ser! vice, ins! tallation, project management and monitoring of electronic security products to financial, government, retail and commercial customers.

Election Systems

The Company is a provider of voting equipment and related products and services in Brazil. The Company provides elections equipment, networking, tabulation and diagnostic software development, training, support and maintenance.

The Company competes with NCR Corporation, Wincor-Nixdorf, Grg Equipment Co., Nautilus Hyosung, Itautec and Perto.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  North Canton, Ohio-based Diebold (NYSE: DBD  ) has a new CEO.

  On Thursday, the manufacturer of "ATM" machines announced it has named Andy W. Mattes as the company's new president and chief executive officer. Mattes was chosen after a four-month search, and plucked from a position as senior vice president for global strategic partnerships at flash memory maker Violin Memory. He is keeping an advisory role at Violin, even as he takes over the top job at Diebold.

• [By U.S. News]

  In at least one Texas bank and one Ohio credit union, 3D video banking is currently undergoing testing, according to TheFinancialBrand.com, a website for bank and credit union marketing executives. Three-dimensional video banking is similar to a consumer video conference with a bank representative –- only in this case, the executive looks like a living, breathing person sitting across from you. Thanks to theater surround sound, the representative also sounds as if they're in the same room. And since the consumer is interacting with a real person and not an automated hologram, the experience apparently isn't much different than the real thing. Banking and managing money isn't what it used to be. The 1970s and 1980s brought us the rise of the ATM. Consumers became acquainted with online banking during the 1990s and the first decade of the 2000s. The 2010s are shaping up as the era of mobile banking. That was underscored Sept. 10-11 in New York City when Mitek Systems Inc. (MITK), a San Diego-based technology company, debuted its Mobile Photo Account Opening product at Finovate, a trade show where banking tech products are often unveiled. The product allows consumers to open a bank account within 60 seconds. If you have your bank's app, you can use your smartphone's camera to take a photo of the front and back of your driver's license, and presto, your new checking, savings or credit card account is open. Here's a look at other financial products and services personal financial experts think we'll be using in the future. Within 10 years. "The economic payments system will begin to 'know us,' either through biometrics, optical sensor or facial recognition," says Joshua Siegel, managing principal of StoneCastle Partners, a New York-based asset management firm that invests in banks. That's already happening to some extent with smartphones –- the new Apple (AAPL) iPhone 5S, for example, uses fingerprint scanning to unlock the phone. Meanwhile, some fi

• [By Insider Monkey]

  Security and services company Diebold (DBD) is simply a dividend beast. It has raised dividends in 60 consecutive years and currently offers a yield of 3.8%. Over the past three months, two insiders, CEO Andreas Mattes and VP John Kristoff, have bought Diebold stock. Mattes currently owns about $824K worth of the stock while Kristoff's position is a bit smaller, and in the entire year of 2013, Board members Rajesh Soin and Henry Wallace have also initiated purchases here.

5 Best Computer Hardware Stocks To Buy Right Now: George Risk Industries Inc (RSKIA)

George Risk Industries, Inc. (GRI), incorporated on February 21, 1961, is engaged in the design, manufacture and sale of computer keyboards, push button switches, burglar alarm components and systems, pool alarms, thermostats, EZ Duct wire covers and water sensors. GRI is a diversified manufacturer of electronic components, consisting of the security industries variety of door and window contact switches, environmental products, proximity switches and custom keyboards. The Company operates in two segments: security alarm products and security alarm products GRI�� security burglar alarm products comprise approximately 84% of net revenues and are sold through distributors and alarm dealers/installers. These products are used for residential, commercial, industrial and government installations. Its products include security products/ magnetic reed switches, data entry peripherals, pushbutton switches, custom engraved keycaps and proximity sensors.

The security segment has approximately 3,000 customers. One of the distributors, ADI accounts for approximately 40% of the Company's sales of these products. The keyboard segment has approximately 800 customers. Keyboard products are sold to original equipment manufacturers to their specifications and to distributors of off-the-shelf keyboards of proprietary design. GRI owns and operates its main manufacturing plant and offices in Kimball, Nebraska with a satellite plant 40 miles away in Gering, Nebraska.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon] things I said was that I knew George Risk's materials cost was higher than some competitors' selling price. The fact that any company could survive under conditions like that immediately suggested that dollars paid for the product was not the key concern for this product.

  Perceived costs had to involve other concerns like customization, shipping speed, reliability, etc. Because it was a low cost product going into a higher cost product going into very high cost projects it seemed likely there was the opportunity to raise prices if needed. And that's what they ended up doing. The important clue for me in that investigation was the severe cost disadvantage George Risk had. You couldn�� compete at such a cost disadvantage unless price was less important than I initially thought.

  I think you will find that most of these insights are not available in the financial statements. They come from reading the 10-Ks of all companies in the industry, reading articles about the companies, listening to all conference call transcripts, etc.

  For example, there is not much in the financial statements of Carnival (CCL) that explains how the cruise business really works. But all of the companies in the industry (CCL, RCL and NCL) freely discuss the economics of their business in great detail. They break out costs before and after fuel. They give you per-passenger prices of how much newly built ships cost. They give you lots and lots of details. They explain how they price their product (the way airlines do) and so on. There is an extreme level of detailed explanation of the business in the various conference calls, 10-Ks, etc.

  A great source for this information is going back to the time the company went public or at least finding the S-1 of a competitor. When a company goes public it often gives much more detail into product economics, etc., than it will later on when it reports annual results.

  That is also a good place to learn about market share, com

5 Best Computer Hardware Stocks To Buy Right Now: Sensio Technologies Inc (PSN)

SENSIO Technologies Inc. (SENSIO) develops and markets stereoscopic technologies for the electronic consumer, digital broadcasting and digital cinema markets. The Company focuses on three dimensional (3D) video, develops and markets stereoscopic (3D) digital compression, decompression, and display-formatting technologies. Its solutions include content creators, games developers, broadcasters, specialty channels and digital cinemas. Its flagship technology, SENSIO 3D, allows distribution of 3D content through conventional two dimensional (2D) broadcast networks (cable, satellite, Internet Protocol) and playback on any 3D display device, as well as home theatre and digital cinema projectors. The Company operates in North America, Europe, Middle East and Oceania. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Countrywide Plc dropped 4.9 percent as Alchemy Partners LLP sold a 5.9 percent stake in the real estate broker. A gauge of London-listed mining stocks fell 1.7 percent, paring its best quarter since 2010. Persimmon Plc (PSN) led housebuilders lower after the U.K. government said it will carry out annual checks on its home-buying-assistance program amid criticism it may lead to excessive real estate prices.

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Bovis Homes Group Plc (BVS) climbed 4 percent to 790 pence. Liberum Capital Ltd. raised its rating on the housebuilder to buy from hold. Persimmon Plc (PSN), the U.K.�� largest residential property developer, gained 2.5 percent to 1,255 pence.

Hot Undervalued Companies To Own For 2014

Hot Undervalued Companies To Own For 2014: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

Dollar Tree, Inc. operates discount variety stores in the United States and Canada. Its stores offer merchandise primarily at the fixed price of $1.00. The company operates its stores under the names of Dollar Tree, Deal$, Dollar Tree Deal$, Dollar Giant, and Dollar Bills. Its stores offer consumable merchandise, including candy and food, and health and beauty care, as well as household consumables, such as paper, plastics, household chemicals, in select stores, and frozen and refrigerated food; variety merchandise, which includes toys, durable housewares, gifts, party goods, greeting cards, softlines, and other items; and seasonal goods, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas merchandise. As of April 30, 2011, it operated 4,089 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 88 stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  This isn't some growing new industry set to take the world further into the 21st century. It's an old concept that hasn't innovated, won't innovate, and will slowly but surely die out over this century. When I walk into a Walgreens, I see a miniature Target (TGT), a more expensive Dollar Tree (DLTR), and a provider of prescriptions in a world where everything is becoming mail order.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  The other stock the firm likes is Dollar Tree Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR). The company's shares have lost about 4.6% since reporting an earnings per share (EPS) miss for the third quarter and the Sterne Agee analysts see the lower price as a "great entry point" for buying the stock. Dollar Tree raised fiscal year 2013 EPS guidance from a range of $2.66 to $2.77 to a new range of $2.72 to $2.78, effectively raising the mid-point by $0.04. Sterne Agee reiterated its! Buy rating on the stock with a price target of $63. Dollar Tree's shares are trading down nearly 0.4% at $55.99 in a 52-week range of $37.47 to $60.19.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-undervalued-companies-to-own-for-2014.html

Keurig Green Mountain Added to the S&P 500

After markets closed on Friday, Standard & Poors announced several changes in its indexes. The big news in the announcement was the addition of Keurig Green Mountain Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) to the S&P 500 Index effective after the close on March 21. Keurig replaces WPX Energy Inc. (NYSE: WPX). WPX will take Keurig's place on the S&P MidCap 400 Index.

Getting added to the S&P 500 is always good news for a stock because there is so much demand for index funds. Keurig shares rose 2.45% to $116.03 in after-hours trading on Friday. The shares are likely to add even a bit more during Monday's regular session. The shares were up

Keurig's been on something of roll in the last six weeks. First there was the deal with The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO). The beverage giant will acquire 10% of Keurig and enter an exclusive partnership with the smaller company for the production and sale of branded Coke products in Keurig's planned single-serve cold beverage dispenser.

On Friday, Keurig announced that it had killed its exclusive deal with Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) for super-premium coffee packed in K-Cups. Keurig struck a new deal with Peet's Coffee, a division of privately held Joh. A Benckiser, a German firm that also owns coffee companies D.E. Master Blenders 1753 and Caribou Coffee. The deal will put Peet's-branded K-Cups in more than 12,000 U.S. stores.

Top 5 Canadian Stocks For 2014

When Keurig reported earnings results in early February, the company forecast sales growth in 2014 in the high single digits with more growth coming in the second half of the year. The company reached an all-time intraday high on February 20 at $124.42, and the current consensus price target on the stock is around $125.10, implying a potential gain of just 0.6%. That price target should go up some now that the company's stock is included in the S&P 500.

Keurig's shares closed at $113.25 on Friday, up 6.7% on the day. They’ve risen nearly 50% this year and have a 52-week range of $52.58 to $124.42.

Hot Bank Stocks To Buy Right Now

Hot Bank Stocks To Buy Right Now: National Bank of Greece SA (NBG)

National Bank of Greece S.A. (the Bank), incorporated on March 30, 1841, is a Greece-based financial institution. It offers a range of integrated financial services, including corporate and investment banking, retail banking (including mortgage lending), leasing, stock brokerage, asset management and venture capital, insurance, real estate and consulting services. In addition, the Company is involved in various other businesses, including hotel and property management, real estate and information technology (IT) consulting. On May 19, 2009, the Bank established Ethniki Factors S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary. On June 8, 2009, Finansbank A.S. established Finans Faktoring Hizmetleri A.S. (Finans Factoring), a wholly owned subsidiary. On June 30, 2009, NBG Luxemburg Holding S.A. and NBG Luxfinance Holding S.A. were merged to NBG Asset Management Luxemburg S.A. On January 18, 2010, the Bank acquired 35% of the share capital of AKTOR FM. On October 16, 2009, United Bulgarian Ba nk A.D. (UBB) established UBB Factoring E.O.O.D., a wholly owned subsidiary of UBB. On September 15, 2009, the Bank disposed of its investment in Phosphoric Fertilizers Industry S.A.

At December 31, 2009, the Bank operated in Greece through 575 branches, one private banking unit, one unit for financial institutions and 10 specialized banking units that deal exclusively with troubled and non-performing loans. At December 31, 2009, the Bank had over 1500 automated teller machines (ATMs).

Retail Banking

The Bank offers retail customers a number of different types of deposit and investment products, as well as a range of services and products. The Bank offers a range of mortgage products, with floating, fixed, or a combination of fixed and floating interest rates. In February 2009, the Bank introduced a new floating rate product, the ESTIA ! MIKTO with flexible payment terms. In addition to fire and earthquake property insurance, the Bank o ffers an optional life insurance plan together with mortgage! s.

The Small Business Lending Unit (SBL Unit) a part of the Bank's retail banking division consists of three credit centers situated in Athens, Thessaloniki and Patrastail. The SBL Unit offers term loans geared towards medium and long-term working capital needs for the financing of asset purchases.

Corporate and Investment Banking

The Bank offers corporate accounts with overdraft facilities, foreign currency loans, variable rate loans, and currency swaps and options for corporate customers. The Bank's commercial loan portfolio in Greece comprises approximately 50,000 corporate clients, including small and medium sized enterprises. It offers the corporate clients a range of products and services, including financial and investment advisory services, deposit accounts, loans denominated in euro and other currencies, foreign exchange services, insurance products, custody arrangements and trade finance services. The Bank lends primarily in the form of credit lines, which are generally at variable rates of interest with payment terms of up to 12 months. In addition, the Bank provides letters of credit and guarantees for its clients.

The Bank's shipping finance and syndicated loan portfolio consists of first-tier shipping groups involved in diversified shipping activities. The Bank provided project finance advisory services to the Hellenic Republic on two infrastructure projects: the new Attica Motorway and Kasteli International Airport.

Global Markets & Asset Management

The treasury activities provided by the Bank and its subsidiaries include

Greek and other sovereign securities trading, foreign exchange trading, interbank lending and borrowing in euro and other currency placements/ deposits, forward rate agreement trading, repurchase agreements, corporate! bonds, a! nd derivative products, such as options and interest rate and currency swaps. The Bank also conduc ts a portion of its treasury activities through its subsidia! ry CPT. A! s at December 31, 2009; CPT's portfolio comprised Greek government bonds and corporate bonds, with a total value of EUR 1.8 billion.

The Bank offers its private banking services both domestically and internationally from its international private banking units in London. The Bank offers custodian services to its foreign and domestic institutional clients who hold equity securities listed on the ATHEX or listed Greek State debt, as well as remote settlement and custody services on the Cyprus Stock Exchange. The Bank offers trade settlements, safekeeping of securities, corporate action processing, income collection, proxy voting, tax reclamation, brokerage services, customized reporting, regular market flashes and information services. The Bank also acts as global custodian to its domestic institutional clients who invest in securities outside of Greece.

The domestic fund management business is operated by NBG Asset Management, which is wholly owned by the Group. NBG Asset Management manages funds that are made available to customers through the Bank's extensive branch network. As at December 31, 2009, NBG Asset Management's total assets under management were EUR 1.9 billion.

National Securities S.A offers a range of investment services to both individual and institutional customers. In September 2009, National Securities S.A. opened a branch in Nicosia, Cyprus, to provide brokerage services to local private investors.

Turkish Operations

The Bank's Turkish operations include the Finansbank group of companies and NBG Bank (Malta) Ltd. Finansbank's group of companies includes Finans Invest, Finans Leasing, Finans Portfolio Management, Finans Investment Trust, Finans Factoring, IBTech, Finans Pension, and Finans Consumer Finance. As at December 31, 2009, Finansbank! operated! through a network of 461 branches in 60 cities.

Finansbank Corporate Banking serves corporati ons through its eight branches in the four cities in Turkey.! Finansba! nk Commercial Banking serves medium-sized companies located in 23 cities in Turkey through its head office, four regional offices (three in Istanbul and one in Ankara) and a distribution network, which includes 61 branches.

Finansbank Investment Banking consists of project finance, corporate finance and technical consulting. Investment Banking acts as a client relations specialist while providing medium to long-term loans and other products. Finansbank Private Banking has been providing investment products and asset management services to individuals through eight private banking centers and 28 private banking corners located in Finansbank's branches in the cities throughout Turkey.

International

The Bank's international operations include the Bank's branches in Albania, Egypt and Cyprus, as well as banking subsidiaries in six countries: NBG Cyprus; Stopanska Banka A.D. in FYROM; United Bulgarian Bank A.D. in Bulgaria; Banca Romaneasca S.A., in Romania; Vojvodjanska in Serbia; and the South African Bank of Athens, as well as other subsidiaries, primarily in the leasing sector. As at December 31, 2009, the Bank had foreign branches in four countries, including one in the United Kingdom, 30 in Albania, one in Cyprus, 15 in Egypt and one in Guernsey (which closed early in 2010).

Insurance

The Bank provides insurance services to individuals and companies through the wholly owned subsidiary Ethniki Insurance Group (EI) and Finans Pension. EI offers a range of products such as life, accident and health insurance for individuals and groups, fire, catastrophe, credit, motor, marine hull and cargo insurance, and general third party liability. EI operates through a network of 2,850 tied agents and 2,620 independent insurance brokers, in addition to selling bancass! urance pr! oducts through the Bank's network. EI provides bancassurance products through our insurance brokerage subsidiary NBG B ancassurance S.A. (NBGB), which assumes no insurance underwr! iting ris! k, and the Bank's extensive network in Greece.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  There's just one problem with the big runups from Elephant Talk Communications, WidePoint Corporation, and CytRx Corporation. That problem? Before the surges, it was very unlikely any of them were on very many traders' radars. In fact, it's very likely most traders had never even heard of at least one of them (if not two). The trick to creating success as a speculator of small cap stocks is spotting a big winner before the runup starts to materialize, since (to be blunt, but honest), most small cap stock picks aren't all that rewarding. Enter the National Bank of Greece (NYSE:NBG). The National Bank of Greece is also one of the small caps that has gone ballistic of late? No, it hasn't - that's just it. NBG hasn't gone anywhere of late. If the very subtle clues are on target though, then this stock has a good shot at becoming the next WYY, ETAK, or CYTR, and you know about it before it actually happens.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Moody’s raised the rating of Greece’s government bonds to Caa3 with a “stable” outlook. Now we have five Greek banks being given credit rating upgrades as well. The one upgrade that ADR investors will want to watch is the rating on the National Bank of Greece S.A. (NYSE: NBG). Moody’s signaled that the upgrade reflects NBG’s more favorable asset-quality, funding profile and earnings than local peers. It also is based upon an expectation of further capital enhancements to address its weaker capital base.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  What do Chelsea Therapeutics International Ltd. (NASDAQ:CHTP), National Bank of Greece (NYSE:NBG), and Walter Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WLT) have in common. They all have charts worth a mu! ch closer! look right now. That's not to say they're all dropping the same bullish hint. In fact, WLT, NBG, and CHTP are all dropping distinctly-different hints as to their likely near-term future. But, trading action is trading action no matter which direction it's in. Take a look.
  
  Yes: Truth be told, shares of the National Bank of Greece have been working on a rally for a while. It's only been recently, however, that NBG has made it clear it's not going to give up. The stock crossed above the 100-day moving average line (gray) early in the month, and has continued to peel away. Yes, National Bank of Greece hit something of a soft patch last week, but the 20-day moving average line (blue) has since stepped up to the plate as a technical floor, rekindling the uptrend yesterday day and toda y. Perhaps most bullish of all is the fact that NBG has started to increase volume on the way up, after it cleared the 100-day moving average line,

• [By David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer]

  The broader market was trading roughly flat in the early hours of trading today, but a few financial stocks were still moving higher. National Bank of Greece (NYSE: NBG  ) continued its meteoric rise over the past 30 days, and MBIA (NYSE: MBI  ) investors are still reveling over the settlement with Bank of America.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-bank-stocks-to-buy-right-now-2.html

Top Japanese Stocks To Watch For 2014

Top Japanese Stocks To Watch For 2014: EMC Insurance Group Inc. (EMCI)

EMC Insurance Group Inc., an insurance holding company, engages in property and casualty insurance, and reinsurance activities. It operates in two segments, Property and Casualty Insurance, and Reinsurance. The Property and Casualty Insurance segment writes commercial and personal lines of insurance with a focus on medium-sized commercial accounts. Its commercial lines of insurance products comprise automobile, property, workers' compensation, and liability, as well as other products that provide protection against burglary and theft loss, aircraft, marine, and other types of losses; and personal lines of insurance products include automobile, property, and liability. The Reinsurance segment provides reinsurance for other insurers and reinsurers. The company serves small to medium-sized businesses, institutions, and individual consumers. EMC Insurance Group Inc. sells its products through independent insurance agents. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered i n Des Moines, Iowa. EMC Insurance Group Inc. is a subsidiary of Employers Mutual Casualty Company.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Caroline Bennett]

  EMC Insurance (NASDAQ: EMCI  ) this week declared plans to keep its quarterly dividend payout steady at $0.21 per share of common stock.

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

How Safe is Your Insurance Company?

Martin Weiss explains his strategy for rating insurance companies and shares his outlook of the entire insurance industry for 2014.

TERRY SAVAGE:  I am Terry Savage from Money Show.com.  How safe is your insurance company, the one that stands behind your life insurance or maybe the annuities you have in your retirement plan or other insurance products.  There is one man to ask if you want to know how safe an insurance company is, our guest, Martin Weiss, Founder of the Weiss Research Ratings now at Weiss Watchdog.com.  Martin Weiss, we go back a long way.  You were the first guy to say wait, the Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s ratings do not do the job.  What is it that you know?

MARTIN WEISS:  We do not know anything that they do not know.  We do not have any more information.  We are not smarter than they are.  What separates us from Moody’s S&P and Fitch is that they continue to accept tens of thousands of dollars for the ratings that they issue to the companies from those same companies and that model has not changed nor has ours.  From the very beginning, our philosophy is we do not accept a dime from any company we rate for those ratings and we never will.  We are completely without conflicts of interest and 100% independent.

TERRY SAVAGE:  Thirty years ago or more, you blew the whistle on a company that went under, an insurance company.  Everybody else had it highly rated.

MARTIN WEISS:  Executive Life plus Fidelity Bankers Life, Mutual Benefit Life and many others who went bankrupt.

TERRY SAVAGE:  All right.  People think well the State Insurance Guarantee Fund will step in if my insurance company goes under, true or false.

MARTIN WEISS:  False, because unlike the FDIC they are not prefunded.  They have to raise the funds after the fact and guess what, when major companies go bankrupt, they do not have enough money.  That is what happened in the early 1990s.  Six million policyholders were trapped in a moratorium where trillions of dollars of their assets were frozen. 

TERRY SAVAGE:  All right, let’s fast forward to 2009, AIG and insurance companies called into question, where are we today?

MARTIN WEISS:  Well, the same thing happened in 2009.  The companies, Moody’s S&P, Fitch and so forth gave Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Washington Mutual, banks, major investment banks and insurance companies stellar ratings, not only months before they failed but right up to the day they failed. 

TERRY SAVAGE:  Oh my gosh!  Let’s look at 2014, how are we?  What shape is the insurance industry in generally?

MARTIN WEISS:  In general, the insurance industry is not as bad financially as it was when major insurance companies went under, but there are still a lot of significant pockets of weakness, but you know every cycle is different.  In the early 1990s, it was insurance companies.  Then in 2008 and 2009, it was the huge investment banks and banks.  Now, it is stepped up to an even higher level.  The debt of the United States government is becoming more and more shaky, which is why the Weiss Ratings a few years ago decided to issue sovereign debt ratings. 

TERRY SAVAGE:  Where do you rate the U.S. government today?

MARTIN WEISS:  C minus. 

TERRY SAVAGE:  C minus. 

MARTIN WEISS:  Which in our book is actually not as bad as it sounds, it is a fair.  It is half way between strong and weak.

TERRY SAVAGE:  Let’s tell people where they can go to get your ratings at Weiss Watchdog.com.

MARTIN WEISS:  Weiss Watchdog.com.

TERRY SAVAGE:  What do you offer there?

MARTIN WEISS:  Your rating instantly and if you add your stocks, your banks, your insurance companies or whatever to your “portfolio”, we will send you an update as soon as the rating is upgraded or downgraded.

TERRY SAVAGE:  The cost for all this?

MARTIN WEISS:  Zero.

TERRY SAVAGE:  Weiss Watchdog.com that is something for you to watch.  I am Terry Zavitz from Money Show.com. 

Retirement Living: Biggest retirement regrets

There are few things in life that let you do a do-over. Retirement is not one of them.

So, if retirees had an opportunity to do something differently to prepare for their golden years, which mistakes would they correct?

Financial advisers, asked about their clients' biggest regrets, had a bunch.

"Over the years I've certainly had to have difficult conversions with my own clients," says Tash Elwyn, president of Raymond James & Associates. "There are two or three key mistakes — people planning for too early a retirement or too lavish a retirement.

"And, unless you have someone who can counsel you, they can get off track and live to regret in years down the line," he says.

Elwyn says he sees living too lavishly most often among business executives.

"I've worked with many successful business executives and business owners," says Elwyn. "Naturally, they envision a life in retirement that is just as lavish as when they were employed — business trips that include five-star hotels — whereas, in the real life of retirement, to fit their financial resources, retirement may require that they change their standards and change expectations. That adjustment can oftentimes be challenging for successful business people."

Elwyn says another key mistake people make is that they fail to make provisions for catastrophic events. "Whether it's a major medial issue or a debilitating illness, those that find they are not only financing their own retirement, but an adult child who has returned after a job loss aren't accounting for real life. Planning can't just be for best-case scenarios, and far too often it is."

"A well-constructed plan, whether with advice of a professional or not, needs to account for success, as well as challenges and failures," he says.

Pete Lang, President of Lang Capital, in Hilton Head and Charlotte, N.C., says the regrets he sees most among his well-to-do clients don't generally involved catastrophic money mistakes. Lack of proper plann! ing is generally the biggest issue, he says.

"The top one is, in general, the failure to have a financial plan," he says. "That includes a tax plan, an income plan and an investment plan. I left out an estate plan because you don't need an estate plan to retire. But I'm not saying you shouldn't have one."

The top tax regrets are failure to use a tax-forward plan, such as whether to defer Social Security to minimize taxes and increase annual payouts. (

Other tax regrets:

• Premature IRA withdrawals. You want to take out the least amount possible, because IRAs are tax deferred. Defer taxes as long as possible, unless you need the money, Lang says.

• Botched Roth roll-out strategy. Biggest regret is when they failed to make a Roth conversion in a down year. When the market tumbles, you pay less in taxes to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth.

Hot Casino Companies To Invest In 2015

• Not getting out of Dodge. Not moving to a new city or state as a tax-reduction strategy. "You have to consider state taxes, local taxes, property taxes and even federal taxes," Lang says. "Clients say, 'I paid way too much in taxes on all these different levels.' A move to a tax-friendly jurisdiction for retirees would have been better."

Clarence Kehoe, executive partner in accounting firm Anchin, Block & Anchin, says he sees six big regrets from clients.

1. I didn't save enough for retirement, and I spent more than I should have in my peak years. "You should be saving significant amounts in those peak earning years as you get closer to retirement. People see their salaries go up, and they continue to spend instead of save. People have been living beyond their means, and their retirement expectations are not unrealistic."

2. I leveraged myself too much during my peak earnings year. "People go out and live on credit cards," says Kehoe. "It's a terrible way to spend! and live! ." Those who use home equity to buy a car or take a vacation often regret it, he says. "People are losing focus in that they should be saving. They over-leverage themselves and borrow too much. I teach this to all my kids. If you can't afford to pay a card off at the end of the month, you can't afford to be buying on the credit card."

3. I retired too early. The two problems with retiring too early: "You have less (time) to save, and you have a longer period of retirement that you have to provide yourself for with an inflow of income," Kehoe says.

4. Why did I take that money out of my IRA or 401(k)? "To take money out of your plan at an early age is a real killer, because that dollar you take out in your 20s compounded over 30 or 40 years, could grow into a significant amount. It's in your plan; leave it there."

5. I thought Social Security was supposed to provide for me. "A lot of people have the perception that Social Security would take care of them," Kehoe says. "It was originally a part of three-legged stool — your pension, your own savings and Social Security. People put their stock and faith in the Social Security system. Even if you believe in the Social Security system, demographically it's a bad time. When it was put in place, it was supposed to pay people at just about the expected age of death. More and more people are counting on it more and more. Ten employees were supporting every one retiree; now it's three employees supporting every one retiree. There are more people on retirement and less people to pay for the system."

6. I was a picture of health in my middle age. "As we get older, the strain on our bodies increases," Kehoe says. "You can't keep up with things. It surprises a lot of people what the cost of good medical care can be. We do rely on government to take care of us, but there are outside expenses the government won't pay for. Consider long-term care insurance or some sort of supplementary insurance."

Best Value Stocks To Invest In 2015

Best Value Stocks To Invest In 2015: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. It operates through three lines of businesses: Machinery, Engines, and Financial Products. The Machinery business offers construction, mining, and forestry machinery, including track and wheel tractors, track and wheel loaders, pipelayers, motor graders, wheel tractor-scrapers, track and wheel excavators, backhoe loaders, log skidders, log loaders, off-highway trucks, articulated trucks, paving products, skid steer loaders, underground mining equipment, tunnel boring equipment, and related parts. It also manufactures diesel-electric locomotives; and manufactures and services rail-related products and logistics services for other companies. The Engines business provides diesel, heavy fuel, and natural gas reciprocating engines for Caterpillar machinery, electric power generation systems, marine, petrol eum, construction, industrial, agricultural, and other applications. It offers industrial turbines and turbine-related services for oil and gas, and power generation applications. This business also remanufactures Caterpillar engines, machines, and engine components; and offers remanufacturing services for other companies. The Financial Products business provides retail and wholesale financing alternatives for Caterpillar machinery and engines, solar gas turbines, and other equipment and marine vessels, as well as offers loans and various forms of insurance to customers and dealers. It also offers financing for vehicles, power generation facilities, and marine vessels. The company markets its products directly, as well as through its distribution centers, dealers, and distributors. It was formerly known as Caterpillar Tractor Co. and changed its name to Caterpillar Inc. in 1986. Ca! terpillar Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Peoria, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Patricio Kehoe]

  The concept of diversity, when talking about a company's activities, is a sword with two edges. When performance hits the fan, diversity can turn into an advantage as only one segment can be affected. However, diversification can curtail winnings during a moment of bonanza. In other words, a company with five segments will see a relative smaller impact in overall performance than a company with activities in a single segment, when that segment experiences an abnormal growth. Hence, with a recovering construction market in the US and declining prices for mined commodities, a comparison between Caterpillar (CAT) and Terex (TER) is all the more relevant.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Today's big gainer among the Dow stocks was Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT). Competitor Joy Global Inc. (NYSE: JOY) reported rotten results this morning, largely due to anemic sales to coal miners. Caterpillar doesn't do a lot of business with coal companies, so that's a plus the firm. Cat's shares traded up 1.4% at $97.71 in a 52-week range of $84.79 to $98.24 just ahead of the closing bell. Volume is on track to be about 25% below the daily average of around 6 million shares traded.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Stocks failed to follow through on yesterday’s gains as lukewarm economic data kept the market running in place. Goldman Sachs (GS), Boeing (BA), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Caterpillar (CAT) and United Health (UNH) fell.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-value-stocks-to-invest-in-2015.html