Top 10 Performing Stocks For 2014

Apple (AAPL)'s dismal performance in the stock market is set to end. The experts are predicting that the December quarter would be the highest reported revenue quarter for the company since its inception. This will take the earnings per share to an all new level. The company has targeted to sell around 80 million iPhones and iPads combined. This, if undertaken, will set a new record for the unit sales of the company�� two most popular product lines. In this context, I would like to analyze the company�� performance over the past one year.

Of late, Apple�� revenue growth has been very dawdling. The fiscal year that ended in September 2013, showed a growth of 9.20% in the revenue. The revenue growth has taken a serious blow. If we look at the growth rates for the years 2012 and 2011, we find impressive figures of 65.96% and 44.48%, respectively. On comparing these with that of the recent growth at 9.20% we can easily make an estimate of the weak performing stocks of Apple Inc. This is not all. The tech-giant has even reported negative earnings per share growth in the fiscal 2013. This was preceded by a brilliant 59.60% rise in EPS in fiscal year 2012 and an unbelievable 82.64% growth in EPS in fiscal year 2011.

Hot Valued Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Cubic Corp (CUB)

Cubic Corporation (Cubic), incorporated on December 13, 1984, is an international provider of systems and solutions that address the mass transit and global defense markets. The Company operates in three segments: Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS), Mission Support Services (MSS) and Cubic Defense Systems (CDS). As of the September 30, 2012, the Company�� CTS business accounted for approximately 37%; MSS and CDS accounted for approximately 36% and 27% of its net sales respectively. CTS specialize in the design, development, production, installation, maintenance and operation of automated fare payment and revenue management infrastructure and technologies for transit operators. As part of its turnkey solutions, CTS also provides these customers with a suite of business process outsourcing (BPO) services and expertise, such as card and payment media management, central systems and application support, retail network management, passenger call centers and financial clearing and settlement support. In March 2014, the Company acquired Intific Inc.

Mission Support Services

MSS is a provider of live, virtual and constructive training services to all four branches of the United States military, including the special operations communities, as well as to allied nations. In addition, MSS offers a range of national security solutions to the intelligence community. CDS is a provider of air and ground combat training systems for the United States and allied nations and a key supplier of secure communications solutions, including asset tracking and cyber products and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data links. Services provided include live, virtual and constructive training, real-world mission rehearsal exercises, professional military education, intelligence support, information technology, information assurance and related cyber support, development of military doctrine, consequence management, infrastructure protection and force protection, as well as support to f! ield operations, force deployment and redeployment and logistics.

Cubic Transportation Systems

CDS focuses on two primary lines of business: training systems and secure communications. CTS is a systems integrator that develops and provides fare collection infrastructure, services and technology for public transport authorities and operators worldwide. The Company offers fare collection devices, software, systems and multiagency, multimodal integration technologies, as well as a suite of operational services. As of September 30, 2012, the Company installed over 90,000 devices and deployed several central systems which in total process approximately 10 billion fare-related transactions per year for approximately seven billion transit passengers.

As of September 30, 2012, the Company had 400 projects in 40 markets on five continents. The Company has implements and, in many cases, operates automated fare payment and collection systems for some of the mass transit systems, such as London, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles region. It offers a range of services for transit authorities in transit markets worldwide, including computer hosting services, call center and Web services, payment media issuance and distribution services, retail point of sale network management, payment processing, financial clearing and settlement, software application support and outsourced asset operations and maintenance. The Company provides its services in regions, including London, Sydney, Brisbane, Sweden, Washington district of Columbia, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Atlanta. CTS operate full service operation centers in North America, Europe and Australia. As of September 30, 2012, the Company was designing and building new systems in Chicago, Sydney and Vancouver.

Mission Support Services

MSS provides services within the scope of small-to large-scale military training exercises, including live, virtual and constructive training exercises and suppor! t. Traini! ng services include full life-cycle support from planning through after action reviews as well as the associated support, such as operational, technical and logistical support. In addition, the segment provides a broad range of national security solutions, including subject matter and operational expertise, advanced tactical training and cyber security services, to the intelligence, special operations, law enforcement and homeland security communities. Customers include all branches of the United States military, non-military agencies and allied nations under arrangements with the United States government. MSS is the prime contractor at more than 40 military training and support facilities and supports more than 200,000 exercises and training events per year.

The Company provides training and rehearsals for both small and large scale combat operations, training and preparation of military advisor teams, mobilization and demobilization of forces prior to and following deployment, combat and material development, military staff augmentation, information technology and information assurance, logistics and maintenance support for fielded and deployed systems, support to national security and special operations activities; peacekeeping; consequence management and humanitarian assistance operations worldwide. It plans, prepares, executes and documents realistic and focused mission rehearsal exercises (using both live and computer-based exercises) as final preparation of forces prior to deployment. In addition, it provides consultation and advisory services to the governments and militaries of allied nations.

The Company�� contracts include providing mission support services to three of the United States Army's CTC's: JRTC as prime contractor and the national training center (NTC) and Mission command training program (MCTP) as a principal subcontractor. These services include planning, executing and documenting realistic and stressful exercises and mission rehearsals that increase t! he readin! ess of both active and reserve the United States conventional and special operations forces by placing them in situations as close to actual combat as possible.

MSS is a principal member of the contractor team, to the United States armed services, that supports and helps manage and execute all aspects of the operations of the Joint Coalition Warfare Center (JCWC), including support to worldwide joint exercises and the development and fielding of the Joint National Training Capability (JNTC). Under the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Training Systems Support (MTSS) contract, it provides training and exercise support to the United States Marine Corps forces worldwide, including real-world mission rehearsals. It planned and executed virtually all Marine Corps simulation-based exercises worldwide under the original MAGTF Staff Training Program (MSTP) and its successor, the MTSS, directly preparing Marines for combat operations.

It provides training and professional military education support to the United States Army's Quartermaster Center and School, the Signal School and to the Transportation School. It also provides contractor maintenance and instructional support necessary to operate and maintain a wide variety of flight simulation and training systems and other facilities worldwide, for United States and allied forces under multiple long-term contracts, including direct support to USMC aircrew training systems worldwide. In addition, it provides a range of operational support to the United States Navy for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and counter-mine operations and training. It provides research, development and technical engineering (RDTE) support to the United States Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL) for assistance in the identification and application of current, new and emerging technologies to proof-of-principle evaluations of advanced operational concepts. Its services, products and capabilities include development and deployment of curriculum and related cours! eware, co! mputer-based training, knowledge management and distribution, advanced distance learning (e-learning), serious military games for training, and other advanced education programs for United States and allied forces.

Cubic Defense Systems

CDS is focused on two primary lines of business: training systems and secure communications. This segment is primarily a diversified supplier of live and virtual military training systems and secure communications products to the DoD and more than 35 allied nations. The Company designs and manufactures air and ground combat training systems for fighter aircraft, armored vehicles and infantry, as well as weapons effects simulations, laser-based tactical and communication systems. The Company also designs and manufactures secure communications products focused on intelligence, surveillance, asset tracking and search and rescue.

The segment designs, manufactures and fields a range of technologies that are critical to combat readiness, supply chain logistics and national security for the United States and allied nations. Its primary lines of business include air combat training ranges and after action review software, ground combat training systems, including a full range of laser engagement simulation systems, virtual small arms training systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data links, personnel locator systems, multi-band communication tracking devices and cross domain appliances for cyber security. It also provides ongoing support services for systems it has built for several of its international customers.

Its training systems business designs and manufactures of instrumented training systems and products for militaries of allied nations. It designs and manufactures air and ground combat training systems for fighter aircraft, armored vehicles and infantry, as well as weapons effects simulations, laser-based tactical and communication systems. These systems collect and record simulated weapons eng! agements,! tactical actions and event data to evaluate combat effectiveness and lessons learned and provide a basis to develop after action reviews. It also designs and manufactures secure communications products focused on intelligence, surveillance, asset tracking and search and rescue.

Its training business is organized into air combat, ground combat and virtual training divisions. Ground combat training uses systems analogous to air ranges for ground force training. The systems are generally known as tactical engagement simulation systems or multiple integrated laser engagement system (MILES). It supplies MILES equipment as part of CTC contracts. Its Virtual Training product line provides virtual training systems for various applications, employing actual or realistic weapons and systems together with visual imagery to simulate battlefield environments. Cubic also provides maintenance trainers for combat systems and vehicles, as well as operational trainers for missiles, armored vehicles and naval applications.

Its communications business is a supplier of secure data links, radio frequency amplifiers, direction finding systems, remote video terminals, and search and rescue avionics for the United States military, government agencies, and allied nations. Personnel Locator System (PLS) is standard equipment on United States aircraft with a search and rescue mission. PLS is designed to interface with all modern search and rescue system standards. It also supplies amplifiers and direction finding systems to prime contractors and end users for both domestic and international applications. These include systems used by the Canadian Coast Guard, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force and the French Army.

The Company competes with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Boeing, L3 Communications and SAIC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Blake Bos]

  In the following video, Fool consumer-goods/industrials analyst Blake Bos breaks down Aviation Week's top aerospace and defense picks by annual revenue. His discussion includes Cubic (NYSE: CUB  ) , Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK  ) , Exelis (NYSE: XLS  ) , Boeing (NYSE: BA  ) , and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT  ) .

Top 10 Performing Stocks For 2014: Qantas Airways Ltd (QUBSF)

Qantas Airways Limited is engaged in the operation of international and domestic air transportation services, the provision of freight services and the operation of a Frequent Flyer loyalty program. The Company�� main business is the transportation of customers using two complementary airline brands: Qantas and Jetstar. It also operates subsidiary businesses, including other airlines, and businesses in specialist markets, such as Q Catering. The Company operates in four segments: Qantas Domestic, Qantas International, Qantas Loyalty and Qantas Freight. Qantas Domestic includes Australian domestic passenger flying business of Qantas Brands. Qantas International includes the International passenger flying business of Qantas Brands. Qantas Loyalty Operates the Qantas customer loyalty program. In April 2014, Qantas Airways Ltd announced that Westpac Banking Corporation and its associated companies ceased to be a substantial share holder of the Company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Stocks in Australia fell early Thursday, pressured by a drop in the country's currency to a three-month low below 90 U.S. cents, and by losses on Wall Street overnight on concerns about tapering of monetary stimulus. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) fell 28 points, or 0.5%, to 5,246, led by losses in the heavily weighted financial sector. There, shares of Westpac Banking Corp. (AU:WBC) (WEBNF) lost 1.2%, National Australia Bank Ltd. (AU:NAB) (NAUBF) declined 1%, and Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (AU:ANZ) (ANEWF) shed 0.7%. Shares of Qantas Airways Ltd. (AU:QAN) (QUBSF) sank 14% after the company warned it expects to post an underlying loss before tax of $250 million to $300 million for the six months ending Dec. 31. The carrier said trading conditions saw a marked deterioration, particularly in November with both passenger loads and yields "below the already negative trends for the year to date."

Top 10 Performing Stocks For 2014: Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund (JFR)

Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund is a closed-end management investment company. The Fund invests primarily in senior loans whose interest rates float or adjust periodically based on a benchmark interest rate index. Under normal market circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its managed assets in adjustable rate secured senior loans and adjustable rate unsecured senior loans, which unsecured senior loans will be, at the time of investment, investment grade quality. In addition, at least 65% of the Funds assets will be invested in senior loans that are secured by claims on specific collateral. Nuveen Asset Management is the advisor of the Fund. The sectors covered by the portfolio include media, hotels, restaurants and leisure, healthcare providers and service, chemicals, United States of America, containers/packaging and other.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Dowdee]

  The following 10 funds satisfied all of these conditions:

  BlackRock Float Rate Strategies (FRA). This CEF sells at a discount of 3%, which is low compared to an average premium of 2% over the past year. The distribution has been managed at 6.1% and a small amount (less than 10%) has been return of capital (ROC). However, this has not negatively affected net asset value (NAV) so has not been destructive. The fund holds 447 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. FRA utilizes 27% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.7%, including interest payments. Eaton Vance Floating Rate (EFR). This CEF sells at a 1% premium, which is low compared to an average premium of 5% over the past year. The distribution is 6.2%, none of which was ROC. The fund holds 800 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. About 85% of the securities are from U.S. companies. EFR utilizes 35% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.8% including interest payments. ING Prime Rate Trust (PPR). This CEF sells for a premium of 2%, which is below the average premium of 5%. It has a distribution of 6.8%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 350 holdings, virtually all in senior loans and from US companies. PPR utilizes 29% leverage and has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Dynamic Credit Opportunities (VTA). This CEF sells for a discount of 5%, which is below the average discount of 1%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 495 holdings, with 76% in floating rate loans. About 25% of the loans are from non-US companies. VTA utilizes a relatively low 20% leverage but still has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Senior Income (VVR). This CEF sells for a discount of 1%, which is below the average premium of 3%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has over 500 holdings, with 89% in floating rate loans. Almost all (95%) securities are from US companies. VVR ut

Top 10 Performing Stocks For 2014: Powershares S & P Small Cap Energy Portfolio (PSCE)

PowerShares S&P SmallCap Energy Portfolio (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of an index called the S&P SmallCap 600 Capped Energy Index (the Underlying Index). The Underlying Index consists of common stocks of the United States energy companies that are principally engaged in the business of producing, distributing or servicing energy-related products, including oil and gas exploration and production, refining, oil services, pipeline, and solar, wind and other non-oil-based energy. The Underlying Index is compiled, maintained and calculated by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC (Standard & Poor's). The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in common stocks of small-capitalization energy companies. The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Underlying Index. The Fund�� investment adviser is Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Yesterday, small cap oil and gas stock Penn Virginia Corporation (NYSE: PVA) surged 14.84% after reporting earnings and was also rising close to 6% in�pre-market trading���meaning it might be worth taking a closer look at the small cap along with the performance of ETF peers IQ Global Oil Small Cap ETF (NYSEARCA: IOIL) and PowerShares S&P SmallCap Energy Portfolio (NASDAQ: PSCE). After all, a look at the longer term chart of Penn Virginia Corporation does not reveal a pretty picture for investors over the long haul.

Top 10 Performing Stocks For 2014: MarketAxess Holdings Inc (MKTX)

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (MarketAxess), incorporated on April 11, 2000, operates an electronic trading platform that allows investment industry professionals to trade corporate bonds and other types of fixed-income instruments. The Company�� over 1000 active institutional investor clients (firms that executed at least one trade in the United States or European fixed-income securities through its electronic trading platform, during the year ended December 31, 2012) include investment advisers, mutual funds, insurance companies, public and private pension funds, bank portfolios, broker-dealers and hedge funds. The Company�� 87 broker-dealer, market-maker clients provide liquidity on the platform and include most of the broker-dealers in global fixed-income trading. Through its Corporate BondTicker service, MarketAxess provides fixed-income market data, analytics and compliance tools that help its clients make trading decisions. In addition, it provides Financial Information eXchange (FIX) message management tools, connectivity solutions and ancillary technology services that facilitate the electronic communication of order information between trading counterparties. The Company�� revenues are primarily generated from the trading of the United States high-grade corporate bonds. In March 2013, it announced acquisition of Xtrakter Limited.

The majority of the Company's revenues are derived from monthly distribution fees and commissions for trades executed on its platform that are billed to its broker-dealer clients on a monthly basis. The Company also derives revenues from technology products and services, information and user access fees, investment income and other income. During 2012, the Company�� broker-dealer clients accounted for approximately 95% of the underwriting of newly-issued United States corporate bonds and approximately 72% of the underwriting of newly issued European corporate bonds. MarketAxess�� electronic trading platform provides access to the liquidity provide! d through the participation on its platform of 87 broker-dealer market making clients, including all of the broker-dealers in global fixed-income trading, and over 1000 active institutional investor firms. In addition to services directly related to the execution of trades, the Company offers its clients several other services, including information services, straight-through processing, and technology products and services. MarketAxess offers Application Programming Interface (API) services to its broker-dealer clients for pre-trade, trade negotiation and post-trade services.

The United States High-Grade Corporate Bonds

The United States corporate bond market consists of three categories of securities: investment-grade debt (so-called high-grade); debt rated below investment-grade (so-called high-yield), and debt convertible into equity (so-called convertible debt). The Company�� United States high-grade corporate bond business consists of the United States dollar-denominated, investment-grade debt issued by corporations for distribution in the United States. Both domestic and foreign institutional investors have access to the United States high-grade corporate bond trading on its electronic trading platform. During 2012, its broker-dealer clients accounted for approximately 95% of the underwriting of newly-issued the United States corporate bonds. The Company offers its institutional investor clients access to a range of inventory of the United States high-grade corporate bonds, which is provided and updated daily by its broker-dealer clients.

Eurobonds

The European high-grade corporate bond market consists of a range of products, issuers and currencies. MarketAxess Europe Limited, its wholly owned subsidiary, offers European secondary trading functionality in the United States dollar- and Euro-denominated European corporate bonds to its broker-dealer and institutional investor clients. The Company also offers its clients to trade in other European! high-gra! de corporate bonds, including bonds issued in Pounds Sterling, floating rate notes, European government bonds and bonds denominated in non-core currencies. In the Eurobond credit market, defined as including European high-grade, high yield and government bonds, 23 broker-dealers utilize the Company�� platform.

Emerging Markets Bonds

Emerging markets bond market includes the United States dollar, Euro or local currency denominated bonds issued by sovereign entities or corporations domiciled in a developing country. These issuers are located in Latin America, Asia, or Central and Eastern Europe. The agency bond market includes debt issued by a United States government-sponsored enterprise. 59 of the Company�� United States broker-dealer clients use its platform to trade emerging markets bonds. During 2011, 414 institutional investor clients utilized its electronic trading platform to trade emerging markets bonds. These institutional investor clients are located in the United States and Europe. MarketAxess also allows its institutional investor clients to transact Euroclear-eligible local currency denominated bonds issued by sovereign entities or corporations in countries that include Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.

Crossover and High-Yield Bonds

59 of the Company�� United States broker-dealer clients use its platform to trade crossover and high-yield bonds. Trading in crossover and high-yield bonds uses many of the same features available in its United States high-grade corporate bond offering.

Agency Bonds

41 of the Company�� United States broker-dealer clients use its platform to trade agency bonds. Trading in agency bonds uses many of the same features available in the Company�� United States high-grade corporate bond offering.

Credit Default Swaps

MarketAxess offers trading on its platform for CDS indices and single-names in both the United States and Europe through its traditional RFQ proto! col. Nine! of the Company�� broker-dealer clients are providing streaming, executable CDS index prices. In addition, it incorporated the request-for-market protocol and the streaming markets/click-to-trade protocol into an updated single-screen user interface, giving clients their means of execution.

Asset-Backed Securities

12 of its United States broker-dealer clients use its platform to trade asset-backed securities. Trading in asset-backed securities uses many of the same features available in the Company�� United States high-grade corporate bond offering.

Preferred Securities

17 of the Company�� United States broker-dealer clients use its platform to trade preferred securities. Trading in preferred securities uses many of the same features available in its United States high-grade corporate bond offering.

Corporate BondTicker

Corporate BondTicker provides TRACE data and enhances it with MarketAxess trade data and analytical tools to provide professional market participants with a set of corporate bond price information. The data include trade time and sales information, including execution prices, as well as MarketAxess-estimated, spread-to-Treasuries, for trades disseminated by the TRACE system. The data also include actual execution prices and spread-to-Treasury levels for United States high-grade corporate bond trades executed on the MarketAxess platform. Corporate BondTicker is integrated directly into the MarketAxess electronic trading platform and can be accessed, either when viewing securities inventory or when launching an inquiry. Corporate BondTicker is also available through the Internet for non-trading professional market participants, including, among others, research analysts and rating agencies, who can log in and access the information via an easy-to-use browser-based interface.

The Company provides Corporate BondTicker as an ancillary service to its trading clients and also to other industry parti! cipants. ! It derives revenues from its Corporate BondTicker service by charging for seat licenses per user at its broker-dealer and institutional investor clients, through distribution agreements with other information service providers and through bulk data sales to third parties. The Company also offers a set of reports designed to review and monitor credit trading activity for institutional investor clients. Its compliance product provides a printed history of each inquiry submitted through the MarketAxess trading platform.

Technology Services

Through MarketAxess�� Greenline Financial Technologies, Inc. (Greenline) subsidiary, it provides integration, testing and management solutions for FIX-related products and services. The FIX protocol is a messaging standard developed for the electronic exchange of securities transaction information. It also provides technology consulting and customized development services to its clients. In addition, the Company provides gateway adapters to connect order management and trading systems to fixed-income trading venues.

The Company competes with Thomson TradeWeb, Bloomberg and The New York Stock Exchange

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  If you have found yourself trading more as the markets�become more volatile or struggling to come to terms with low interest rates, small caps like Interactive Brokers Group, Inc (NASDAQ: IBKR), MarketAxess Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: MKTX), Indo Global Exchanges PteLtd (OTCMKTS: IGEX) which are in the electronic brokerage or trading platform business would be well worth taking a closer look at. Here is what you need to know about all three:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  MarketAxess Holdings (Nasdaq: MKTX  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on April 24. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict MarketAxess Holdings's revenues will grow 7.7% and EPS will expand 5.7%.

Top 10 Performing Stocks For 2014: Lonestar Resources Ltd (LNR)

Lonestar Resources Limited is an Australia-based independent oil and gas company involved in exploration, production, and acquisition of oil and gas reserves in the United States. The Company�� operations are focused onshore with primary activity in the Fort Worth Basin (Barnett Shale), Eagle Ford Shale, and the Williston Basin in Montana. The Company is active in sourcing other assets in producing areas. The Company�� Eagle Ford Shale portfolio comprises three separate assets: Beall Ranch, Asherton and Gonzo. The Company�� operations in the Williston Basin are focused on the Roosevelt County, Montana. The Company owns and operates a single lease in the Barnett Shale, a gas producing basin in North Texas. On January 2, 2013, the Company acquired Ecofin Energy Resources plc. In August 2013, the Company announced that it has sold its producing assets outside the state of Texas for its Louisiana assets and for its Oklahoma assets. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Lam]

  Linamar Corp. (LNR) soared 14 percent to a record C$40.72 for the biggest gain in the S&P/TSX. The Guelph, Ontario-based auto parts maker reported third-quarter adjusted profit of 80 Canadian cents a share, topping analysts��projections for 66 cents.

Top 10 Performing Stocks For 2014: Materion Corporation (MTRN)

Materion Corporation, a materials solutions company, engages in the production and supply of high-performance engineered materials in the United States and internationally. The company offers high performance materials solutions for large area coatings, alternative energy, and thin film applications; and specialty inorganic chemicals for semiconductors, LED lighting, and energy storage applications. It also provides precision thin film coatings and optical filters for manufacturers in the defense, commercial, space, science, astronomy, and thermal imaging industries; beryllium-based metals and metal matrix composites for commercial, research, and engineering applications; and copper, copper beryllium, and spinodal alloy products for end-use products in the aerospace, automotive, computers, telecommunications, manufacturing equipment, mobile equipment, medical products, oil and gas, alternative energy, and plastic tooling markets. In addition, the company offers high perfor mance engineered ceramics; beryllium X-ray window and ultra high vacuum products; electron beam welding, vacuum furnace brazing, and waterjet cutting services, as well as engineering support services; and beryllium products, such as speaker domes and microphone transducers. Further, Materion Corporation provides precision-coated materials; thin film deposition materials, electronic packaging products, and specialty materials for the semiconductor, photonics, data storage, wireless, military, and medical markets; and precision parts cleaning, precious metals refining, and recycling services. Additionally, it engages in beryllium mining and milling business; and offers engineered beryllium materials and specialty strip metal products. The company was formerly known as Brush Engineered Materials Inc. and changed its name to Materion Corporation on March 8, 2011. Materion Corporation was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

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