Best Food Stocks To Watch For 2014

LONDON -- Some investors prioritize capital growth through a rising share price; some prioritize income growth from a rising dividend. But some shares -- growth-and-income shares -- offer investors a bit of both.

Unilever� (LSE: ULVR  ) (NYSE: UL  ) ,�J Sainsbury� (LSE: SBRY  ) (NASDAQOTH: JSAIY  ) , and�Standard Chartered� (LSE: STAN  ) are three companies from the U.K.'s elite FTSE 100 index that have grown both their earnings and dividends faster than inflation and are forecast to continue doing so.

Unilever
The global consumer goods giant owns powerful brands in food, drinks, cleaning, and personal care. The 2009 appointment of an outside chief executive for the first time in the company's history seems to be paying off. Paul Polman -- a�Procter & Gamble�and�Nestle�veteran -- has impressed in driving Unilever's sales and earnings upwards at a good clip over the last three years.

Unilever delivered earnings-per-share (EPS) growth of 10% for 2012 and increased its dividend by an ahead-of-inflation 4.4%. Analysts are expecting a similar growth performance for 2013, and the dividend to be covered 1.7 times by earnings.

Top 10 Gold Companies To Watch In Right Now: Star Scientific Inc (STSI)

Star Scientific, Inc. (Star Scientific), incorporated on June 24, 1985, is engaged in the manufacturing and production of dietary supplements. The Company�� operating subsidiaries manufacture, distribute and sell consumer products and dietary supplements. Its segment includes dietary supplements. Through its Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Rock Creek) subsidiary, the Company is engaged in the manufacture, sale, marketing and development of non-nicotine nutraceutical, dietary supplements: Anatabloc, for anti-inflammatory support; the manufacture, sale and marketing of a cosmetic facial cream, and the development of other nutraceuticals, dietary supplements and pharmaceutical products. On December 14, 2012, the Company voted to discontinue the manufacturing, distribution and sale of its dissolvable smokeless tobacco products, Ariva and Stonewall Hard Snuff, as of December 31, 2012. With this change it will no longer be manufacturing or selling any tobacco products.

Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals has been engaged in the development of other dietary supplements and pharmaceutical products, particularly products that have a botanical- based component and that are designed to provide nutritional support in a range of neurological conditions, including Alzheimer�� disease, Parkinson�� disease, schizophrenia, depression, and Hashimoto�� thyroiditis. Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals also has been involved in the development of a cosmetic line of products that utilizes its anatabine compound to improve the appearance of the skin. On September 10, 2012, the Company introduced Anatabloc Facial Creme into the market. As of November 9, 2012, Anatabloc was being sold through its interactive Website, a customer service center and on a consignment basis through GNC, which is a retailer of dietary supplements. The Company uses its anatabine citrate compound in its dietary supplements Anatabloc and Anatabloc Unflavored and its anatabine-based cosmetic product, Anatabloc Facial Creme.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  There's little doubt that merely suggesting it will enflame some traders, but truth is truth - Ku6 Media Co Ltd (NASDAQ:KUTV) is overbought and ripe for a pullback, soon. Anyone worried about not having a place to park those proceeds, however, need not fret. There's a brand new breakout finally underway that still has plenty of proverbial meat on the bone... Star Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:STSI), which just blasted past a key resistance line around $2.11 today. In so doing, it became free to rally without restraint.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  A week and a half ago I posted a bullish - though condition - commentary on Star Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:STSI). Truth be told, I expected that potential bullishness to be unleashed a few days later. When it didn't unfurl, frankly, I started to forget about STSI. Fortunately I didn't completely put the stock on the shelf, because it finally formed that technical catalyst yesterday, and followed-through today.
  
  For those who caught my first look at STSI, you may recall that the big catalyst was the horizontal ceiling at $2.11. That was where the stock peaked in mid-July, and that's also where it was peaking on the same day I penned my prior bullish comments. Sure enough, Star Scientific shares peeled back from there later in the same day. The stock tested $2.11 again on the 9th, and once again peeled back. By the time we got that third test/failure cycle logged, however, it was clear something was changing... for the better.

Best Food Stocks To Watch For 2014: Hellenic Sugar Industry SA (HSI)

Hellenic Sugar Industry SA is a Greece-based company engaged in the production and trade of white crystal sugar and its by-products, such as molasses and sugar beet seed. Its principal activities include the manufacture of all types of sweetener products and general kneading products; the production and processing of sugar beet and other plants; the production of raw materials for sugar production; the establishment, equipping and exploitation of sugar producing factories; conducting scientific research in all fields of activity of the Company; the trade and standardization of sugar products, by-products, raw materials, multiple materials, agricultural products and machinery, and carrying out agro-industrial activities in Greece and abroad. The Company has five sugar factories and one seed processing factory in Greece. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Haigh]

  Hong Kong�� Hang Seng Index (HSI) slid 0.1 percent and China�� Shanghai Composite Index dropped 1.1 after the central bank�� first cash injection in two weeks failed to reduce money-market rates. Money-market rates in the world�� second-biggest economy surged through Oct. 25 as the central bank refrained from injecting funds into the banking system.

• [By Yoshiaki Nohara]

  Hong Kong�� Hang Seng Index (HSI) added less than 0.1 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index, which tracks the bigger of China�� stock exchanges, rose 0.3 percent. Taiwan�� Taiex Index rose 0.1 percent and Singapore�� Straits Times Index slid 0.4 percent.

Best Food Stocks To Watch For 2014: Wasgau Produktions & Handels AG (MSH)

Wasgau Produktions & Handels AG is a Germany-based retailer and producer of food articles. The Company divides its business activities into the two main segments Wholesale and Retail. The Wholesale�� businesses include seven Cash and Carry markets for restaurateurs and wholesale customers, as well as commercial businesses of the holding company WASGAU Produktions & Handels AG, which are supported by its subsidiary WASGAU Dienstleistungs & Logistik GmbH, active within warehouse management and transportation. The Operations within the Retail segment are mainly carried out through Company�� subsidiaries WASGAU Metzgerei GmbH and WASGAU Baeckerei & Konditorei GmbH, which produce and supply its stores with a variety of meats and bakery products, respectively. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated through 24 affiliated companies and subsidiaries located in Germany. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Benjamin Pimentel]

  The Nasdaq Composite Index (COMP) �fell 0.4% to close at 4,052. The Morgan Stanley High Tech 35 Index (MSH) �and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) �each gained a fraction.

• [By Rex Crum]

  The Nasdaq Composite Index (COMP) �fell by 18 points to close at 4,113, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) �and the Morgan Stanley High Tech 35 Index (MSH) �were also in the red.

• [By Benjamin Pimentel]

  But the Nasdaq Composite Index (COMP) �edged higher by 0.2% to close at 4,276, even as the Morgan Stanley High Tech 35 Index (MSH) �and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) were each down a fraction.

Best Food Stocks To Watch For 2014: Sao Martinho SA (SMTO3)

Sao Martinho SA is a Brazil-based holding company primarily engaged in the sale and production of sugar and ethanol. It is engaged in the cultivation of sugar cane and production and sale of sugar, ethanol and other sugar cane products. The Company is also involved in the cogeneration of electricity and cattle breeding, as well as the provision of agricultural products. The Company produces hydrous ethanol, anhydrous ethanol, industrial ethanol, ribonucleic acid, fuel oil, yeast, sugar and sugarcane biogases, used to generate steam and electricity. Through its subsidiary Omtek, the Company produces ribonucleic acid (RNA) sodium salt, which is used in the pharmaceutical and food industries as a raw material and flavor enhancer. The Company operates through a numerous subsidiaries, including Vale do Mogi Empreendimentos Imobiliarios SA, SMA Industria Quimica SA, Usina Santa Luiza SA, Sao Martinho Energia SA and Santa Cruz SA, among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ney Hayashi]

  Sugar and ethanol producer Sao Martinho SA (SMTO3) fell 1.8 percent to 25.53 reais after posting a quarterly profit that missed analysts��estimates.

Best Food Stocks To Watch For 2014: Want Want China Holdings Ltd (WWNTF)

Want Want China Holdings Limited is an investment holding company. The principal activities of the Company and its subsidiaries are the manufacturing, distribution and sale of rice crackers, dairy products and beverages, snack foods and other products. The Company segments include manufacturing and sale of Rice crackers, including sugar coated crackers, savoury crackers and fried crackers; dairy products and beverages, including flavored milk, yogurt drinks, ready-to-drink coffee, juice drinks, carbonated drinks, herbal tea and milk powder; snack foods, including candies, popsicles and jellies, ball cakes and beans and nuts, and other products, mainly including wine and other food products. Its operations are located in the People�� Republic of China, with the rest located in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. As of December 31, 2011, its subsidiaries included Want Want Holdings Ltd., Long Wave Foods Limited, Want-Want Foods Limited and others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]

  HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks swung between small gains and losses early Thursday after hitting a seven-month high in the previous session, with the Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) down less than 0.1%. Most mainland Chinese property developers outperformed the markets, with Guangzhou R&F Properties Co. (HK:2777) (GZUHF) rallying 3.4%, after the company reported a 44% month-on-month jump in sales for June. Shimao Property Holdings Ltd. (HK:0813) (SIOPF) climbed 2.6%, and China Resources Land Ltd. (HK:1109) (CRBJF) rose 1.7%. However, several retailers were weak, as Want Want China Holdings Ltd. (HK:0151) (WWNTF) , the country's top food and beverage maker, declined 2%. Hong Kong-based cosmetics brand Sa Sa International Holdings (HK:0178) (SAXJF) fell 1.6%, with a decline in Chinese June non-manufacturing data helping weigh on some retailers. Over on the Chinese mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index (CN:SHCOMP) retreated 0.4%, pulling back from its highest close in two weeks.

Best Food Stocks To Watch For 2014: Safeway Inc.(SWY)

Safeway Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a food and drug retailer in North America. The company operates stores that provide an array of grocery items, food, and general merchandise, as well as features specialty departments, such as bakery, delicatessen, floral, and pharmacy, as well as coffee shops and fuel centers. It also offers SELECT line of products that include baked goods, sparkling ciders and lemonades, salsas, whole bean coffees, frozen pizzas and entrees, and fresh and dry pastas and sauces, as well as an array of ice creams, hors d'oeuvres, and desserts; O ORGANICS line, which comprises milk, chicken, salads, juices, and entrees; Lucerne line of dairy products; Eating Right line of better-for-you products; Bright Green line of home care products; Total Pet Care line of pet foods and pet care products; and Value Red line of value-priced paper goods. As of December 31, 2009, Safeway operated approximately 1,725 stores in California, Oregon, Wash ington, Alaska, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba/Saskatchewan. In addition, the company owns and operates GroceryWorks.com Operating Company, LLC, an online grocery channel, doing business under the names Safeway.com, Vons.com, and Genuardis.com; and Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc., which provides third-party gift cards, prepaid cards, telecom cards, and sports and entertainment cards to North American retailers for sale to retail customers. Additionally, it engages in gift card businesses in the United Kingdom, France, Mexico, and Australia. Further, the company, through a 49% ownership interest in Casa Ley, S.A. de C.V. operates 156 food and general merchandise stores in Western Mexico. The company was formerly known as Safeway Stores, Incorporated and changed its name to Safeway Inc. in February 1990. Safeway was founded in 1915 and is based in Pleasanton, California. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Safeway (NYSE: SWY) reported a 58% drop in its third-quarter net income and announced its plans to exit the Chicago market by 2014. Safeway shares surged 5.64% to $33.35 in after-hours trading.

• [By Matthew Smith]

  In our article on September 16th (located here) we said we were still bullish the grocers and thought that Safeway (SWY) would continue to be a winner along with the industry. Apparently, we were not alone in that thinking as the company announced yesterday that they were putting in place a poison pill which will be good for one year in order to keep anyone from building a stake larger than 10% in the company. The move was prompted by Jana Partners taking a 6.2% stake in the company and the hope of management is that this one-year period will either cool the heels of Jana or allow the two parties to work together rather than going hostile. We personally dislike poison pills, but in this case, it should not be seen as a negative as we doubt anyone was considering assembling a stake at or above that 10% level. Investors cheered the news and sent shares higher by $2.75 (9.74%) to close at $30.99/share on extremely heavy volume of 29.8 million shares.

Best Food Stocks To Watch For 2014: Nestle SA (NSRGY)

Nestle SA is a company engaged in the nutrition, health and wellness sectors. It is the holding company of the Nestle Group, which comprises subsidiaries, associated companies and joint ventures throughout the world. The Company has such business units as Food and Beverage, Nestle Waters and Nestle Nutrition. Nestle is also active in the pharmaceutical sector. It divides its products into nine categories: Prepared dishes and cooking aids, Beverages, Confectionery, Ice cream, Water, PetCare, Milk products, Nutrition and Pharma. It has numerous subsidiaries engaged in various areas of activity, including Alcon Ophthalmika GmbH (Austria), Alcon Bulgaria EOOD (Bulgaria) and Galderma Laboratorium GmbH (Germany) for pharmaceuticals; Novartis Nutrition GmbH (Austria) and Hjem-IS A/S (Denmark) for food and beverages, and Galderma International SAS (France) and Galderma Laboratorium GmbH (Germany) for health and beauty activities. The Company is headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland. In July 2008, Novartis AG acquired a 25% stake in Alcon, Inc. from Nestle SA. In March 2010, the Company acquired Kraft Foods Inc' frozen pizza business.

In April 2008, L'Oreal and Nestle SA's joint venture, Galderma Pharma S.A., announced that its United States holding company, Galderma Laboratories, Inc., had acquired approximately 97% interest in CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. During the year ended December 31, 2004, Nestle had 500 factories in 83 countries around the world. In 2004, 15 factories were acquired or opened and 29 closed or divested.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  ConAgra (NYSE: CAG  ) will release its quarterly report on Thursday, and investors have increasingly doubted whether the food giant can hold its own in an increasingly competitive environment in the industry. With Nestle (NASDAQOTH: NSRGY  ) and Kraft Foods (NASDAQ: KRFT  ) both having held up much better since August than ConAgra has, skeptics are pointing at ConAgra's lack of earnings growth as a reason to doubt its capacity for future success.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  We're talking about big dollars. Fonterra, for example, collects 89% of all milk produced in New Zealand and dairy sales account for 25% of all of New Zealand's exports. And China is a huge and fast-growing market for baby formula for companies that include Abbott and Danone, Nestle (NSRGY), and Mead Johnson.

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Herb Swanson/Bloomberg/Getty Images One of this year's biggest winners on Wall Street is Keurig Green Mountain (GMCR). The stock was up 65 percent through the first half of 2014, a surprising spike for the leader in single-serve premium coffee, which was starting to see its growth decelerate. The initial catalyst for Keurig Green Mountain's surge came in February when Coca-Cola (KO) paid $1.25 billion for a 10 percent stake in the company. Coca-Cola paid roughly $75 a share for the stock, and it paid a much higher price for more a couple of months later when it boosted its stake to 16 percent. It's a significant development when the world's largest beverage company takes such a sizable stake in a niche player, but Coca-Cola's validation of the K-Cup champ has also made that investment more valuable. That initial $1.25 billion purchase is now worth more than $2 billion. Given the meandering ways of Coca-Cola's own business -- analysts expect to see flat sales growth this year -- riding the coattails of a hot beverage company could be just the ticket to silence those skeptics reminiscing about Coca-Cola's glory years of heady growth. The Mountain is Always Greener on the Other Side Coca-Cola's investment isn't the only reason why Keurig Green Mountain has been percolating. Despite losing patent protection for its K-Cup portion packs two years ago, growing numbers of coffee brands and retailers are turning to Keurig Green Mountain to fuel single-serve initiatives. BJ's Wholesale Club announced last week that it will have Keurig Green Mountain itself handle K-Cup production for BJ's private-label Wellsley brand. Keurig Green Mountain this week it revealed that it's teaming up with European giant Nestle (NSRGY) to introduce the first K-Cup to offer branded coffee and creamer in the same portion pack. Nestle Coffee-mate K-Cups will be available through Keurig's website in the fall and across retail outlets early next year. Hot and Cold Nothing trumps fears ov

• [By Holly LaFon]

  His top four holdings are Philip Morris International (PM), Nestle SA Reg (NSRGY), Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A), CIE Financiere Rich (CFRHF).

  Philip Morris International (PM)