Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy For 2014

By Ritika Puri, Raymond James Contributor

��oney, what happens with our finances if you pass away?��/p>

It�� emotional. It�� scary. It�� the last conversation that any couple wants to have. It�� also critical, especially for women. Since women in the U.S outlive men by an average of five years, it�� important for them to drive the discussion about financial and estate planning in the event of a spouse�� death.

There are many issues that can arise after a spouse passes away, explained Jill Smolowe, grief counselor and author of upcoming memoir Four Funerals and a Wedding. ��f you have car titles in both of your names, they have to shift to just one name. There are countless bank accounts. There are airline points.��/p>

When Smolowe�� husband passed away in 2009, she was devastated. But unlike millions of other women who lose their spouses every year, she didn�� have to add financial worry to the grieving process.

Top Oil Service Companies For 2015: Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LYG)

Lloyds Banking Group plc, incorporated on October 21, 1985, is a holding company. The Company is a financial services group providing a range of banking and financial services, primarily in the United Kingdom, to personal and corporate customers. The Company operates in four segments: Retail, Commercial Banking, Wealth, Asset Finance and International and Insurance. Retail provides banking, mortgages and other financial services to personal customers in the United Kingdom. Commercial Banking provides banking and related services to business clients, from small businesses to large corporate. Wealth, Asset Finance and International provides private banking and asset management and asset finance in the United Kingdom and overseas and operates the Company�� international retail businesses. Insurance provides long term savings, protection and investment products in the United Kingdom and Europe and provides general insurance to personal customers in the United Kingdom.

Retail

The Retail division operates the retail bank in the United Kingdom and is a provider of current accounts, savings, personal loans, credit cards and mortgages. This includes a range of current accounts including packaged accounts and basic banking accounts. It is also the provider of personal loans in the United Kingdom, as well as being the United Kingdom�� credit card issuer. Retail is the private sector savings provider in the United Kingdom. It is also a general insurance and bancassurance distributor, offering a range of long-term savings, investment and general insurance products.

Commercial Banking

The Commercial Banking division supports the Company�� business clients from small businesses to corporate. Commercial Banking provides support to corporate clients through the provision of core banking products, such as lending, deposits and transaction banking services whilst also offering clients expertise in capital markets (private placements, bonds and syndicated loans), ! financial markets (foreign exchange, interest rate management, money market and credit) and private equity.

Wealth, Asset Finance and International

Wealth, Asset Finance and International consists of the Company�� the United Kingdom and international wealth businesses, the Company�� the United Kingdom and international asset finance and online deposit businesses along with its international retail businesses. The Wealth business consists of private banking and asset management. Wealth�� private banking operations cater to the range of wealth clients from affluent to Ultra High Net Worth within the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, and internationally. Asset Finance consists of a number of leasing and speciality lending businesses in the United Kingdom, including Lex Autolease and Black Horse Motor and Personal Finance along with its leasing and specialty lending businesses in Australia and its European online deposit business. The international business comprises its non-core banking business outside the United Kingdom, with the exception of corporate business written through the Commercial Banking division. This primarily consists of Ireland, Retail Europe and Asia.

Insurance

The Insurance division provides long-term savings, protection and investment products and general insurance products to customers in the United Kingdom and Europe. The United Kingdom Life, Pensions and Investments business provides long-term savings, protection and investment products distributed through the bancassurance, intermediary and direct channels of the Lloyds TSB, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows brands. The European Life, Pensions and Investments business distributes products primarily in the German market under the Heidelberger Leben and Clerical Medical brands. The General Insurance business is a distributor of home insurance in the United Kingdom, with products sold through the branch network, direct channels and strategic corporate! partners! . It operates primarily under the Lloyds TSB, Halifax and Bank of Scotland brands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon Wallis]

  Too much of a good thing?
  Lloyds Banking Group� (LSE: LLOY  ) (NYSE: LYG  ) �has been a spectacular success over the 18 months or so -- now at just over 61 pence, its share price is up 180% since a low point in November 2011, when it dipped under 22 pence.

• [By Sam Robson]

  LONDON --�Lloyds Banking Group� (LSE: LLOY  ) (NYSE: LYG  ) �this morning announced the latest disposal in its continued "non-core asset reduction," in the form of selling a portfolio of US residential mortgage-backed securities to a number of different institutions for a cash consideration of 拢3.3 billion.

• [By Owain Bennallack]

  LONDON --�In this investing video, Owain Bennallack reveals why he thinks the Chancellor of the Exchequer should be happy with the recent revival at�Lloyds� (LSE: LLOY  ) � (NYSE: LYG  ) .

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy For 2014: First Trust Exchange Traded Fund (FVL)

First Trust Value Line 100 Fund (the Fund) is a diversified closed-end management investment company. The Fund seeks to outperform the Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index (the S&P 500 Index) by adhering to a strategy of investing in a diversified portfolio of the 100 common stocks ranked number 1 in Value Line's Timeliness Ranking System. The Fund invests 80% of its net assets in the stocks that are ranked number one in the Value Line Timeliness Ranking System. As of March 31, 2006, the Fund had invested in sectors, such as household durables, metals and mining, specialty retail, oil and gas, software, machinery, hotels, restaurants and leisure, computers and peripherals, biotechnology, information technology services, and textiles, apparel and luxury goods.

As of March 31, 2006, the Fund's top 10 holdings were Palm, Inc., United INDL Corp., AAR Corp., Accenture LTD, Citrix Systems, Inc., Cymer Inc., Guess, Inc., Henry Jack & Assoc., Inc., Micrel Inc. and Molecular Devices Corp. The Fund had a large capitalization orientation to its portfolio holdings as of December 31, 2005. As of December 31, 2005, the 100 stocks in the portfolio consisted of large-cap stocks (34), mid-cap stocks (35) and small-cap stocks (31). During the year ended December 31, 2005, the Fund posted a net asset value (NAV) total return of 11.9% and a market value total return of 7.5%. This compared to a gain of 4.8% for the S&P 500 Index. The Fund's investment advisor is First Trust Advisors, L.P.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Trainer]

  First Trust Value Line 100 ETF (FVL) is my worst-rated All Cap Blend ETF and Clarity Fund (CLRTX) is my worst-rated All Cap Blend mutual fund. FVL earns my Dangerous rating, while CLRTX gets my Very Dangerous rating.

• [By David Trainer]

  First Trust Value Line 100 ETF (FVL) is in the Danger Zone this week. FVL is another example of a supposedly "passive" ETF that purportedly tracks an index but actually resembles an actively managed portfolio. FVL's methodology tracks an index, but it is an index in name only.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy For 2014: Fidelity National Financial Inc. (FNF)

Fidelity National Financial, Inc. provides title insurance, mortgage services, and diversified services in the United States. The company provides title insurance, escrow, and other title related services, including collection and trust activities, trustee’s sales guarantees, recordings, and reconveyances, as well as home warranty insurance to various customers in the residential and commercial market sectors of the real estate industry. It is also involved in the design, manufacture, remanufacture, market, and distribution of aftermarket and original equipment electrical components for automobiles, light trucks, heavy-duty trucks, and other vehicles worldwide. In addition, the company owns and operates restaurants comprising the O'Charley's, Ninety Nine Restaurants, Max & Erma's, Village Inn, Bakers Square, and Stoney River Legendary Steaks concepts in the United States. Fidelity National Financial, Inc. is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Title insurance company�Fidelity National Financial (NYSE: FNF  ) announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.16 per share, the same rate it's paid for the past three quarters after raising the payout 14% from $0.14 per share.

• [By Damian Illia]

  The firm is currently Zacks Rank # 2 - Buy, and it also has a longer-term recommendation of ��utPerform�� For investors looking for a Zacks Rank # 1 ��Strong Buy, Alleghany Corp. (Y), Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK.B) and Fidelity (FNF) could be the options.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Fidelity National Financial Inc. (NYSE: FNF) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette & Woods.

  Finish Line Inc. (NASDAQ: FINL) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Janney Capital Markets.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy For 2014: AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. (AMP)

Ameriprise Financial Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company�s Advice and Wealth Management segment offers financial planning and advice, as well as brokerage and banking services primarily to retail clients through its financial advisors. The Asset Management segment provides investment advice and investment products to retail and institutional clients. The Annuities segment offers variable and fixed annuity products to retail customers through affiliated and unaffiliated advisors, and financial institutions. The Protection segment provides various protection products through financial advisors to address the protection and risk management needs of retail clients, including life, disability income, and property-casualty insurance. The company was formerly known as American Express Financial Corporation and changed its name to Ameriprise Financial, Inc. in September 2005. Ame riprise Financial Inc. was founded in 1894 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By U.S. News]

  Getty Images Borrowers have been enjoying historically low interest rates since the Great Recession hit. For those with solid credit histories, taking out a mortgage, auto loan or personal loan has never been cheaper. But all that could change. Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have started creeping upward, and financial experts say other forms of debt could soon follow suit. "We do anticipate rates going up, but how far and how fast that's going to happen is an open question," says Bradley Roth, managing partner at Kattan Ferretti Financial, a Pittsburgh-based financial planning and investment advisory firm. He expects the rates on 10-year Treasurys, which are currently approaching 3 percent, to reach 3.25 percent before the end of the year and then 4 to 4.25 percent in 2014. A rise in interest rates could soon be reflected throughout the entire financial services space, from credit cards to personal loans to home equity lines of credit. The good news for savers is that rates on deposit accounts could also climb after years of very low, or no, rates of return. Here's a roundup of how to prepare for rising rates, depending on your own money identity: For Savers "Savers should be able to benefit," Roth says, because he expects the rates on certificates of deposit, savings accounts and money market accounts to all go up. However, he warns savers against locking up their money in longer-term products, like CDs, which can make it harder to take advantage of quickly rising rates. Any rise in savings rates, though, will likely come slowly, says Greg McBride, senior financial analyst for Bankrate.com. "The Federal Reserve is still 18 to 24 months away from boosting short-term rates, so that will keep a lid on the savings yield," he says. In the meantime, with deposit rate accounts still low, savers can maximize their rate of return by shopping around, says Richard Barrington, senior financial analyst at MoneyRates.com. Online banks tend to offer higher r

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Karen Roach/Shutterstock When singles are looking for love, they typically don't start by checking out a potential mate's credit score. But maybe they should. A recent survey of 1,010 married people by Experian (EXPGY) Consumer Services division found that 95 percent of those polled rate financial responsibility as an important attribute in a spouse. Compare that to physical attractiveness -- often the first criterion we use to judge potential mates -- which was deemed an important trait for compatibility by just 86 percent. (Personal compatibility led the list at 98 percent.) Financial communication can be an important barometer of how successful a relationship will be, although women place more of a premium on it than men. Among those surveyed, 73 percent of women and 60 percent of men said that being open about personal finances and credit makes a person more attractive as a spouse. On the flip side, 59 percent of women and 44 percent of men say that a partner who avoids talking about those things is less attractive as a spouse. What's Your Number? "Financial debt and a person's credit score are so important to disclose before you tie the proverbial knot," says Les Parrott, co-author with his wife, Leslie, of "Making Happy" and "The Good Fight." "We can tell you about lots of disastrous money surprises when a person isn't up front about this." It's important to discuss all aspects of your individual and shared financial situations regularly with your significant other, but because your credit score will impact your ability to make major purchases like a home or a car, it's especially important to determine whether a low credit score tied to one or both of you may affect your long-term goals, says Suzanna de Baca, vice president of wealth strategies at Ameriprise Financial (AMP). "An important step toward having a successful relationship is being willing to share your feelings about money with your partner. This includes being honest about past and p

• [By Zacks]

  Currently, shares of T. Rowe Price carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Among other investment managers, Invesco Ltd. (NYSE: IVZ) is scheduled to report December quarter end results on Jan 30, Legg Mason Inc. (NYSE: LM) on Jan 31 and Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP) on Feb 4.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy For 2014: BM&F Bovespa SA Bolsa de Valores Mercadorias e Futuros (BVMF3)

BM&F Bovespa SA Bolsa de Valores Mercadorias e Futuros (BM&FBovespa) is a Brazil-based company primarily engaged in the operation of the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange. The Company�� business is divided into three segments: Bovespa, which manages the exchange markets and MBO national for securities trading equities, which include stocks, receipts of shares, depository receipts on shares of Brazilian companies or foreign, equity derivatives, warrants, shares of different types of closed investment funds, non-standard options to purchase and sell securities, among others; BM&F Segment covers the main steps of the cycles of trading and settlement of securities and contracts: trading systems in environments of electronic trading and trading via Internet and systems of registration, and other assets; Corporate and Institutional Products Segment refers to services as depository of securities, loans and securities and listing of securities, information signs and rating services, among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ney Hayashi]

  Equity loans may also be used to implement arbitrage strategies or fulfill an obligation to deliver the securities to settle another transaction, according to the website of BM&FBovespa SA (BVMF3), operator of Brazil�� exchange.

• [By Denyse Godoy]

  BM&FBovespa SA (BVMF3) will exclude from the gauge any companies whose shares trade for less than 1 real (44 cents), the exchange operator said in a statement yesterday. The limit on equity lending for OGX, which has plunged 91 percent this year to 38 centavos in Sao Paulo, was raised to 50 percent of shares available for trading from 45 percent, the bourse said in a separate statement. Stock loans, used in short sales, climbed to 44.9 percent on Sept. 11, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

• [By Denyse Godoy]

  OGX has the third-highest weight in the Ibovespa at 5.48 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That compares with 0.92 percent on Aug. 30, the data show. BM&FBovespa SA (BVMF3) is considering excluding stocks trading for less than 1 real, or penny stocks, from the Ibovespa, which is otherwise weighted just by trading volume, according to a statement on the exchange operator�� website.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy For 2014: Two Harbors Investment Corp (TWO)

Two Harbors Investment Corp. (Two Harbors), incorporated on May 21, 2009, operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company is focused on investing in, financing and managing residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), residential mortgage loans, residential real properties, and other financial assets. The Company focuses on security selection and implements a relative value investment approach across various sectors within the residential mortgage market. Its target assets include Agency RMBS, Non-Agency RMBS, residential mortgage loans, residential real properties and other financial assets comprising approximately 5% to 10% of the portfolio. The Company has designated certain of its subsidiaries as taxable REIT subsidiaries (TRSs). Capitol Acquisition Corp. (Capitol) is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Two Harbors. The Company is externally managed and advised by PRCM Advisers LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pine River Capital Management L.P. (Pine River).

The Company invests primarily in mortgage pass-through certificates, collateralized mortgage obligations and other residential mortgage-backed securities representing interests in or obligations backed by pools of mortgage loans issued by Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) (collectively GSEs). The Company also invests in residential mortgage-backed securities that are not issued by the GSEs (non-Agency RMBS) and United States Treasuries. At December 31, 2011, the Company had total assets of approximately $8.1 billion, of which $6.2 billion, or 77.1%, represented its RMBS portfolio. At December 31, 2011, $5.1 billion, or 80.9%, of its RMBS portfolio was comprised of Agency RMBS, $0.9 billion, or 14.9%, of its RMBS portfolio was comprised of senior non-Agency RMBS, and the remaining $0.2 billion, or 4.2%, was comprised of other non-Agency RMBS. The remaining $1.9 billion of assets consisted p! rimarily of United States Treasuries classified as trading instruments, cash, restricted cash, mortgage loans held-for-sale, receivables, derivative assets and prepaid assets.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Among holdings in which Fred Alger Management increased its stake were Two Harbors Investment (NYSE: TWO  ) and National Oilwell Varco (NYSE: NOV  ) . The company reduced its stake in lots of companies, including Questcor�and Weatherford. Two Harbors is a mortgage REIT, or "mREIT," recently yielding a gargantuan 11.4%. It's a "hybrid" mREIT, though, investing in both government agency-backed mortgages and ones that are not so backed. Thus, it has more flexibility than some of its peers. Some worry about rising interest rates and prepayments on loans, but Two Harbors has apparently hedged against some of that. Insiders and institutions�have been buying shares in recent months.

• [By Doug Fabian]

  This fund is pegged to the FTSE NAREIT All Mortgage Capped Index, a benchmark measure that includes top names in the space such as Annaly Capital (NLY), American Capital Agency Corp. (AGNC), Starwood Property Trust (STWD) and Two Harbors Investment Corp. (TWO).

• [By Amanda Alix]

  All mREITs are taking it on the chin
  The agency crew, led by heavy hitters Annaly Capital (NYSE: NLY  ) , American Capital Agency (NASDAQ: AGNC  ) , and Armour Residential (NYSE: ARR  ) , have all been close to hitting 52-week lows, but the blood-letting hasn't stopped there. Even hybrid mortgage REITs, which also buy some non-agency paper, have plunged, as well. Two Harbors (NYSE: TWO  ) , which enjoyed such a nice lift post-earnings about a month ago, recently sunk to new lows, and Invesco Mortgage Capital (NYSE: IVR  ) has also slipped, even after its CIO's recent show of faith, making a sizable insider purchase�of stock less than two weeks ago.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy For 2014: LMP Real Estate Income Fund Inc (RIT)

LMP Real Estate Income Fund Inc. (the Fund) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund�� primary investment objective is to provide high current income. Its secondary investment objective is capital appreciation. Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (LMPFA) is the Fund�� investment manager and AEW Management and Advisors, L.P. (AEW) is the Fund�� subadviser. LMPFA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc.

The Fund invests in securities related to the real estate industry. Its portfolio includes common stocks, preferred stocks and short-term investments. The Fund invests in sectors, such as office, healthcare, diversified, apartments, industrial, shopping centers, home financing, lodging/resorts, regional malls and specialty.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  Special Purpose Funds- Eaton Vance Tax-Adv. Global Dividend Oppor. Fund (ETO) | Yield: 7.3%
  - The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust (GLU) | Yield: 6.2%
  - Pimco Global Stocksplus Income Fund (PGP) | Yield: 9.5%
  - LMP Real Estate Income Fund Inc. (RIT) | Yield: 7.0%

• [By Joe Eqcome]

  Actionable Items:

  Highest Positive Spread: Nuveen Mortgage Opportunity Term Fund (JLS)Focus Stock: LMP Real Estate Income Fund (RIT)Last Week's Focus Stock: ASA Gold and Precious Metals (ASA)

  ECB cuts its rates: The European Central Bank (ECB) will cut its benchmark rate a quarter-of-a-point to 0.5%.

Top 10 Cheap Companies For 2014

I'm window shopping for shares again, and there are plenty of goodies for sale. Should I pop Petrofac� (LSE: PFC  ) into my basket?

Just the 'facs
These are tough times for oil stocks, with Brent crude falling below $100 a barrel on fears of a China and U.S. slowdown and weak demand from Europe. Oil services company Petrofac looked cheap last month, when you could buy it for around 拢15. Today, you would pay just 拢13.40. Is this a great time to buy?

Petrofac's share price is now down a meaty 20% over the last three months, despite signing a couple of lucrative contracts in April. Last week, it announced it had won the lion's share of a $3.7 billion deal to develop oil fields for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. That followed a $500 million contract from the Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company. My suspicions that Petrofac is being unfairly punished by a wider market sell-off were confirmed by its recent full-year results, which revealed a 17% rise in profits, neatly matched with a 17% dividend hike.

Best Logistics Companies To Own In Right Now: MEDIWARE Information Systems Inc.(MEDW)

Mediware Information Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, and marketing of software solutions targeting specific processes within healthcare institutions. The company offers software systems consisting of company's proprietary application software, and third-party licensed software and hardware. It licenses, implements, and supports clinical and performance management, blood donor, and blood and biologic management products in the United States; and medication management solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa. The company?s blood and biologics management solutions include HCLL Transfusion and HCLL Donor, which address blood donor recruitment, blood processing, and transfusion activities for hospitals and medical centers; BloodSafe suite of hardware and software that enable healthcare facilities to store, monitor, distribute, and track blood products; LifeTrak software for blood centers; a nd BiologiCare, a bone, tissue, and cellular product tracking software. Its medication management products comprise WORx, a pharmacy information system to manage inpatient and outpatient pharmacy operations; MediCOE, a physician order entry module; MediMAR, a nurse point-of-care administration and bedside documentation module; MediREC, which assists in achieving compliance with a Joint Commission mandate; and pharmacy management and electronic prescribing systems. The company?s performance management products include InSight software that tracks performance metrics to assist healthcare managers to manage performance. It also provides software installation and maintenance services, as well as billing and collection services to home infusion and home/durable medical equipment markets. The company markets its products primarily through its direct sales force. Mediware Information Systems, Inc. was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Mediware Information Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:MEDW) plans to acquire the assets of Indianapolis-based Strategic Healthcare Group LLC (SHG), a leading provider of blood management consulting, education and informatics solutions.

Top 10 Cheap Companies For 2014: Popular Inc.(BPOP)

Popular, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of retail and commercial banking products and services primarily to corporate clients, small and middle size businesses, and retail clients in Puerto Rico and Mainland United States. It offers deposit products; commercial, consumer, and mortgage loans, as well as lease finance; and finance and advisory services. The company also offers trust and asset management, brokerage and investment banking, and insurance and reinsurance services. As of December 31, 2010, it owned and occupied approximately 94 branch premises and other facilities in Puerto Rico; and 119 offices, including 20 owned and 99 leased in New York, Illinois, New Jersey, California, Florida, and Texas. Popular, Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  For investors looking for exposure to the US commonwealth of Puerto Rico, banking stocks Doral Financial Corp (NYSE: DRL), First Bancorp (NYSE: FBP), OFG Bancorp (NYSE: OFG) and Popular Inc (NASDAQ: BPOP) offer the best bet as these Puerto Rico stocks trade on major US exchanges rather than the OTC. However, it should be mentioned that there has been a slowdown in Puerto Rico�� economy which has also shrunk in five of the past seven fiscal years. Then last�February, Puerto Rico�� debt was cut to speculative grade by the three largest credit-rating companies while�Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla has proposed a series of budget cuts to help tackle the island�� mounting debt load -including the freezing public workers��salaries and the closing about 100 schools.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Among multinationals, Sterne Agee recommends three banks. The first is Puerto Rico�� Popular Inc. (NASDAQ: BPOP). The mid-cap bank�� stock closed at $28.21 on Friday in a 52-week range of $20.31 to $34.34. Based on Sterne Agee�� 2014 price target of $40.00, Popular has an upside potential of nearly 42% and a 2014 EPS estimate of $2.90. The investment firm�� forward multiple is just 9.6, below the Thomson Reuters consensus multiple of 10.3. Popular received TARP funds in 2009 and could repay the loan in the first quarter of next year, which will give the stock a shot in the arm as well.

• [By cody56]

  During the third quarters these holdering were the worse performers for Diamond Hill Small Cap Fund. Rosseta Resources Inc. (ROSE) , TriMas Corp. (TRS) , Tenneco Inc. (TEN) , Popular Inc. (BPOP) and Hub Group (HUBG).

Top 10 Cheap Companies For 2014: Lionbridge Technologies Inc.(LIOX)

Lionbridge Technologies, Inc. provides language, development, and testing services. Its Global Language and Content segment provides product localization services, such as creating foreign language versions of its clients? products and software applications, including the user interface, online help systems, and documentation; and content translation services, such as translating and maintaining clients? Web-based content, eLearning courseware and training materials, technical support, and sales and marketing information. It also offers technical authoring, eLearning courseware development, and production and integration of content; and global language and content services delivery. The company?s Global Development and Testing segment develops and maintains on-premise, SaaS, and smart phone and tablet applications, as well as provides Web production services. This segment also offers various testing services under the VeriTest brand, including managed test teams, test proc ess design, test automation, functional testing, performance testing, globalization testing, and product certification. In addition, it provides specialized search relevance, online content editorial, keyword optimization, and related services. Its Interpretation segment offers interpretation services for government business and healthcare organizations that require experienced linguists to facilitate communication. It provides interpretation communication services, such as onsite interpretation, over-the-phone interpretation and interpreter testing, training, and assessment services in approximately 360 languages and dialects. The company serves the technology, mobile and telecommunications, Internet and media, life sciences, government, manufacturing, automotive, retail, and aerospace sectors in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Lionbridge Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

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 Lionbridge Technologies (Nasdaq: LIOX  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Jeff Reeves]

  Lionbridge (LIOX) is the kind of cheap, small-cap stock that investors love. This player has soared 60% in the last three months thanks to nice earnings and improving investor sentiment.

• [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 Lionbridge Technologies (Nasdaq: LIOX  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 10 Cheap Companies For 2014: Partner Communications Company Ltd.(PTNR)

Partner Communications Company Ltd. provides various telecommunications services in Israel. It offers cellular telephony services on GSM/GPRS and UMTS/HSDPA networks. The company also provides basic services, including domestic mobile calls, international dialing, roaming, voice mail, short message services, intelligent network services, content based on its cellular portal, data and fax transmission, and other services. In addition, it offers Internet services provider services that provides access to the Internet, as well as home WiFi networks; value added services, such as anti-virus and anti-spam filtering; and transmission services; and Web video on demand services, music tracks, and games. Further, the company provides voice over broadband and primary rate interface fixed-line telephone services; and data capacity services. Additionally, it offers content services comprising voice mail, text, and multimedia messaging, as well as downloadable wireless data application s, including ring tones, music, games, and other informational content; and sells handsets, phones, routers, and related equipment. The company markets its products through its sales centers, business sales representatives, traditional networks of specialized dealers, and non-traditional networks of retail chains and stores under the Orange brand name. Partner Communications Company Ltd. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Rosh Ha-ayin, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eddie Staley]

  Telecommunications services shares jumped around 1.19 percent in today’s trading. Top gainers in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), China Unicom (Hong Kong) (NYSE: CHU), and Partner Communications Company (NASDAQ: PTNR).

Top 10 Cheap Companies For 2014: S&P Smallcap 600(PH)

Parker Hannifin Corporation manufactures fluid power systems, electromechanical controls, and related components worldwide. Its Industrial segment offers pneumatic and electromechanical components, and systems; filters, systems, and instruments to monitor and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors that control, transmit, and contain fluid; hydraulic components and systems for builders and users of industrial and mobile machinery and equipment; critical flow components for process instrumentation, healthcare, and ultra-high-purity applications; and static and dynamic sealing devices. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their replacement markets in the manufacturing, transportation, and processing industries. The company?s Aerospace segment provides flight control systems and components, including hydraulic, electrohydraulic, electric backup hydraulic, electrohydrostatic, and electro -mechanical components for precise control of aircraft rudders, elevators, ailerons, and other aerodynamic control surfaces. It also provides electronics thermal management heat rejection systems, and single-phase and two-phase heat collection systems for radar, ISAR, and power electronics. This segment markets its products primarily to OEMs in the commercial, military, and general aviation markets, as well as to end users. Its Climate and Industrial Controls segment offers systems and components primarily for use in the mobile and stationary refrigeration, and air conditioning industry; and in fluid control applications in various industries, such as processing, fuel dispensing, beverage dispensing, and mobile emissions. This segment serves OEMs and their replacement markets. Parker-Hannifin Corporation markets its products through direct-sales employees, independent distributors, wholesalers, and sales representatives. The company was founded in 1918 and is headquartered i n Cleveland, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividend]

  Big names on the Buyback side were Pfizer (PFE), AbbVie, Canadian National Railway (CNI), Parker Hannfin (PH), Nielsen (NLSN) and CarMax (KMX).

  In total, 27 stocks announced a new, additional or increased share buyback program. The total buyback volume for the future is over USD $25 billion.

• [By Charles Mizrahi, President and CEO, Hampton Investors, Inc.]

  Parker Hannifin (PH) generates strong revenue from its aerospace division, while its primary industrial segment is lagging.

  Overall, we like the company's balanced portfolio. PH had solid order rates this past year with backlog of $3.6 billion between its industrial and aerospace segments.

Top 10 Cheap Companies For 2014: Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc.(WEN)

The Wendy's Company operates as a quick-service hamburger company in the United States. The company, through its subsidiary, Wendy's International, Inc., operates as a franchisor of the Wendy's restaurant system. As of December 26, 2011, the Wendy's system comprised approximately 6,500 franchise and company restaurants in the United States and the United States territories, as well as in 26 other countries worldwide. The company was formerly known as Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. and changed its name to The Wendy's Company in July 2011. The Wendy's Company was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Burrows]

  With that in mind, here are five of the best cheap dividend stocks you can buy — four of which trade for less than $10, and one that’s just some pocket change more.

  Cheap Dividend Stocks #1: Wendy’s (WEN)

  Share Price as of 4/4: $9.11
  YTD Stock Performance: 4%
  Dividend Yield: 2.2%

Top 10 Cheap Companies For 2014: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated(UNH)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated provides healthcare services in the United States. Its Health Benefits segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services to national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; and non-employer based insurance options for purchase by individuals. It also provides health and well-being services for individuals aged 50 and older; and for services dealing with chronic disease and other specialized issues for older individuals, as well as health plans for the beneficiaries of acute and long-term care Medicaid plans. This segment offers its services through a network of 730,000 physicians and other health care professionals, and 5,300 hospitals. Its OptumHealth segment provides health, financial, and ancillary services and products that assist consumers through personalized health management solutions; benefit administration, and clinical and network management; health-based financi al services; behavioral solutions; and specialty benefits, such as dental, vision, life, critical illness, short-term disability, and stop-loss product offerings. The company?s Ingenix segment offers database and data management services, software products, publications, consulting and actuarial services, business process outsourcing services, and pharmaceutical data consulting and research services. Its Prescription Solutions segment provides integrated pharmacy benefit management services comprising retail network pharmacy contracting and management, claims processing, mail order pharmacy services, specialty pharmacy, benefit design consultation, rebate contracting and management, drug utilization review, formulary management programs, disease therapy management, and adherence programs to employer groups, union trusts, managed care organizations, Medicare-contracted plans, Medicaid plans, and third party administrators. The company was founded in 1974 and is based in Minne tonka, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Thalman]

  Another health care-related stock falling today was UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH  ) . After rising 8.5% this past week, and more than 5% the week before that, shares dropped 0.34% today. The decline is probably just a case of taking money off the table following the stock's performance over the past two weeks. The stock still probably has some room to move higher, and it now seems Obamacare will help rather than hurt the company. In addition, shares seem rather cheap, as the stock's current price-to-earnings ratio is only 11.72 and its future P/E is only 10.35.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  On the plus side, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH  ) was the Dow's biggest gainer, moving up 2.1% today to a new 52-week high. Part of the jump is due to a Barron's report that said the stock could rise as much as 40% during the first two years of Obamacare. The report also said the company has an advantage over competitors because of its high-growth businesses and increasing profit margins. Contrarily, UnitedHealth may have also benefited from the announced delay in two parts of Obamacare, as many investors fear the impact the health-care law will have on the insurance industry.

10 Best Net Payout Yield Stocks To Own For 2014

That Amazon Prime membership is going to get more expensive.

The online retail giant revealed it is raising the price of an annual subscription to Prime from $79 to $99. The price for the student version of Prime will also rise to $49.

Amazon Prime is an annual subscription service that offers free two-day shipping on select items, access to a host of free videos through the streaming service Amazon Instant Video and access to the Kindle Owners' Lending Library used to borrow books.

Shares of Amazon are up more than 2% in early trading following news of the price increase.

The price increase was first reported by Cnet.

Amazon first hinted at a price increase for Prime in January during its fourth-quarter earnings call, when the company also revealed its shipping costs surged 19% to $1.21 billion.

5 Best Life Sciences Stocks To Watch For 2015: adidas AG (ADDDF)

adidas AG is a Germany-based holding company for the adidas Group, which is engaged in sports footwear, apparel and accessories. The Company diversifies its activities into three operating segments: Wholesale Business; Retail Business, and Other Businesses. The Wholesale Business segment comprises the adidas and Reebok business activities with retailers. The Retail Business segment comprises the own-retail and e-Commerce activities of the adidas and Rebook brands. The Other Businesses segment comprises the brands TaylorMade-adidas Golf, Rockport, Reebok-CCM Hockey and other centrally managed brands. Furthermore, the Company diversifies its activities by geographical regions into Western Europe, European Emerging Markets, North America, Greater China, Other Asian Markets and Latin America. As of December 31, 2012, the Company operated a total of 177 subsidiaries and affiliated companies located in Germany and abroad. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Rooney]

  Shares of Adidas (ADDDF), which trade in Frankfurt and also have a small listing in the U.S., are down 7% since the World Cup started on June 12, though they were bouncing back Friday. Nike shares are up more than 5% over the same period of time.

• [By Mark Thompson]

  World Cup winner Germany, and runner-up Argentina, both wore Adidas (ADDDF) in Sunday's final in Rio de Janeiro.

  Adidas also sponsored the three players who took top honors for individual performances during the tournament in Brazil.

10 Best Net Payout Yield Stocks To Own For 2014: W&T Offshore Inc.(WTI)

W&T Offshore, Inc., an independent oil and natural gas producer, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and natural gas properties primarily in the Gulf of Mexico. The company holds working interests in approximately 58 producing and 2 capable of producing offshore fields in federal and state waters. As of December 31, 2011, it had interests in offshore leases covering approximately 0.8 million gross acres in the coasts of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as onshore leasehold interest in approximately 0.2 million gross acres in Texas; proved reserves of 116.9 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBoe); and proved undeveloped reserves of 40.5 MMBoe. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Yesterday, small cap Energy XXI (Bermuda) Limited (NASDAQ: EXXI)�announced a deal to acquire�EPL Oil & Gas Inc (NYSE: EPL) to create the largest publicly held independent oil producer on the Gulf of Mexico shelf, meaning it might be a good idea to look at other small cap Gulf oil stocks like W&T Offshore, Inc (NYSE: WTI), Stone Energy Corporation (NYSE: SGY) and Contango Oil & Gas Company (NYSEMKT: MCF). Energy XXI�� CEO John Schiller has talked about the details of the acquisition�with Jim Cramer on CNBC's "Mad Money" and he noted that��EPL Oil & Gas offers areas of expertise that EXXI currently lacks. However, investors who missed out on�yesterday�� 29% surge for EPL Oil & Gas�may want to check out these other small cap Gulf Oil stocks:

10 Best Net Payout Yield Stocks To Own For 2014: Lenovo Group Ltd (LNVGY)

Lenovo Group Limited (Lenovo) is a personal technology company serving customers in more than 160 countries. The Company is a personal computer (PC) vendor. The Company develops, manufactures and markets technology products and services. Its product lines include Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile Internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. Lenovo operates seven research and development centers and more than 46 world-class labs, including research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina, the United States. The Company is also engaged in investment holding. It operates in three segments: China, emerging markets (excluding China) and mature markets. Lenovo offers a range of commercial desktops to businesses of all sizes.

The Company�� products include laptops, tablets, desktops, workstations and servers. In May 2010, it launched the LePhone smartphone in China. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 (fiscal 2011), China accounted for 46.4% of the Company�� total sales. During fiscal 2011, Emerging Markets (excluding China) accounted for 17.9% of the Company�� total sales. During fiscal 2011, Mature Markets accounted for 35.7% of the Company�� total sales. Its brands include ThinkPad notebook, as well as products carrying the ThinkCentre, ThinkStation, ThinkServer, IdeaCentre and IdeaPad sub-brands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Personal systems is HP's largest division in terms of sales.

  This was due in no small part to sales of desktop PCs and notebooks, which both grew by 6 percent. Personal systems, by the way, is HP's largest division in terms of sales. Intel, which in spite of its efforts at diversification is still strongly tied to the PC market, showed an 8 percent year-over-year gain in top line (to $13.8 billion) in its most recent quarter. Much of this increase came from the firm's core PC client group, which was responsible for nearly 60 percent of that total. Here at home, HP's 7 percent bump was eclipsed by the recently taken private Dell's approximately 13 percent growth. Then there's the global market leader, China's Lenovo (LNVGY), which enjoyed a fat rise of roughly 15 percent. Even Apple Experienced a Growth Bump Even one of the most prominent players in mobile hardware is cashing in its chips on PCs. Apple's portable gadgets might get the visibility and the buzz, but in the firm's most recent quarter, it was computers that won the growth contest. The company's Mac line saw an 18 percent annual rise in terms of units sold and a 13 percent increase in terms of net sales. Both figures trumped the growth in iPhones, iPads and iPods. In fact, when looking at Apple's four main product lines, the Mac was one of only two (along with the iPhone) to record an increase in unit sales across the most recent three- and nine-month periods. Macs are helping Apple pump out the profits ($7.7 billion in net income for the most recent quarter, on $37.4 billion in sales). They're also providing they're share of cash to fund the company's dividend, an unusual feature for a tech company stock. Like a Phoenix The gains in the PC market are healthy and encouraging -- and if current trends continue, they're also likely sustainable. All that's to say that things are looking pretty good for a technology that was written off by the skeptics not so long ago. More from Eric Vol

10 Best Net Payout Yield Stocks To Own For 2014: Neste Oil Corp (NES1V)

Neste Oil Corp is a Finland-based company engaged in the refining and marketing of petroleum and petroleum products. The Company has two business areas and four reporting segments. The business areas are: Oil Products & Renewables and Oil Retail. The reporting segments are: Oil Products, Renewable Fuels, Oil Retail and Others. The Oil Products & Renewables area produces and sells petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation and bunker fuel, heating oil, heavy fuel oil, base oil, gasoline components, specialty fuels, fuels, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and bitumen as well as renewable diesel and aviation fuel under the brand name NExBTL. The Oil Retail area operates a network of 1,136 stations in Finland, the Russian Federations, the Baltic states and Poland, selling own products as well as lubricants and chemicals. The Company owns fuel refineries and production plants in Finland, Singapore and the Netherlands. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sarah Jones]

  Neste Oil Oyj (NES1V) gained 4.8 percent to 12.04 euros. CA Cheuvreux SA upgraded Finland�� only refiner to outperform, the equivalent of a buy recommendation, from underperform, saying it expects it to report resilient first-quarter results this month.

10 Best Net Payout Yield Stocks To Own For 2014: ProShares UltraShort QQQ (QID)

ProShares UltraShort QQQ (the Fund), formerly UltraShort QQQ ProShares, seeks daily investment results that correspond to twice the inverse daily performance of the NASDAQ Index-100 Index. The NASDAQ-100 Index represents the largest non-financial domestic and international issues listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market. To be eligible for inclusion, companies cannot be in bankruptcy proceedings and must meet certain additional criteria, including minimum trading volume and seasoning requirements.

The NASDAQ-100 Index is calculated under a modified capitalization-weighted methodology. The Fund takes positions in securities and/or financial instruments that, in combination, should have similar daily return characteristics as 200% of the daily return of the index. The NASDAQ-100 Index is a price return index. The Fund�� investment advisor is ProShare Advisors LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  The so-called Hindenburg Omen predicting a major market crash is increasingly popping into the headlines; but regardless of whether or not you believe in the prophecy,�short ETFs like ProShares UltraShort S&P500 ETF (NYSEARCA: SDS), ProShares Short Dow30 ETF (NYSEARCA: DOG) and�ProShares UltraShort QQQ ETF (NYSEARCA: QID) can off you some protection or insurance. We have also periodically added short ETFs to our�SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio as a�hedge against short-term�market downturns or�short-term trend reversals and right now, we have the ProShares UltraShort S&P500 ETF in our portfolio.

10 Best Net Payout Yield Stocks To Own For 2014: Paramount Gold and Silver Corp. (PZG)

Paramount Gold and Silver Corp., an exploration stage company, acquires, explores, and develops gold, silver, and precious metal properties in the United States and Mexico. It owns a 100% interest in the San Miguel property located in southwestern Chihuahua, northern Mexico. The company�s projects also include the Sleeper Gold project located in Humboldt County; the Mill Creek property located to the south of Battle Mountain; and the Spring Valley property located in the Spring Valley area in Pershing County, Nevada. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Winnemucca, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  And one of our favorite "juniors" - meaning, by definition, it's a speculative company - is the Winnemucca, Nev.-based Paramount Gold and Silver Corp. (NYSEMKT: PZG). It's an exploration-stage miner with projects in northern Nevada and Chihuahua, Mexico.

10 Best Net Payout Yield Stocks To Own For 2014: Prosiebensat 1 Media AG (PSM)

ProSiebenSat 1 Media AG is a Germany-based broadcasting company. It owns commercial television stations, pay television (TV) channels and radio networks in numerous European countries. The Company operates in three business segments, including Free TV German-speaking, Free TV International and Diversification. Free TV German-speaking segment includes the stations SAT.1, ProSieben, kabel eins and sixx, as well as the sales companies SevenOneMedia and SevenOne AdFactory. Free TV International constitute of commercial TV stations in the Benelux countries and the CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) region. The Diversification segment includes all activities not directly dependent on the TV advertising market, such as call TV, music, commerce or Pay TV. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  RWE AG (RWE) jumped 6.4 percent, leading a gauge of utilities higher. Deutz AG (DEZ) plunged the most in more than two years after an investor sold a 8.4 percent stake in the manufacturer of diesel engines. ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG (PSM) dropped 1.1 percent after Telegraaf Media Groep NV sold its stake in the company.

Larry Roth Leaves Advisor Group to Run REIT Firm

Advisor Group, the 6,000-rep independent broker-dealer, announced Thursday that Larry Roth, its CEO and President, has left the company, which includes the IBDs Royal Alliance, FSC Securities, SagePoint Financial and Woodbury Financial.

At the same time, RCS Capital (RCAP) announced that Roth had assumed the position of CEO of Realty Capital Securities, the nontraded REIT broker-dealer and wholesaler arm of RCS Capital, which is led by Nicholas Schorsch. Roth, a veteran BD executive, replaces Michael Weil, who will become RCS’ chairman.

Roth became president and CEO of Royal Alliance in 2006 and CEO and president of Advisor Group in 2007. He is a two-time member of the IA 25 list of the most influential people in the advisor business, most recently in 2013. 

Advisor Group said that Peter Harbeck will serve as interim president and CEO. 

"I am very excited to step into this role," Harbeck told ThinkAdvisor in an exclusive interview on Thursday. "I know this business having served in a number of roles with the group over the years. So it is not as daunting a task as one might think."

The network's operations, which he oversees, "will continue as they have been; on a day-to-day basis, nothing will change a beat. The business and brands are in good shape."

Harbeck (left) said the search for a new president and CEO is underway, beginning with the network’s internal staff. He cryptically added that the next president “may already be a known quantity.”

Asked if he desired the permanent job, Harbeck said he did not, nor could he envision a scenario in which it would occur.

In a statement, Jay Wintrob, president and CEO of AIG Life and Retirement, which owns AdvisorGroup, thanked Roth “for his leadership of our growing broker-dealer network.” Wintrob also noted that Harbeck has served on Advisor Group’s senior leadership team for almost a decade, as chairman since 2004, and as head of securities processing and other back office operations since 2012. In his new, if temporary, role, the Advisor Group statement said, Harbeck will continue to oversee the network’s securities processing and other back-office operations in addition to his CEO responsibilities.

The news of Roth’s new role comes one day after securities regulators in Massachusetts said that Royal Alliance and five other independent broker-dealers had to pay total fines of close to $1.5 million associated with their REIT sales; in addition, Royal Alliance had to pay restitution of $125,000 to investors of these products. In May, Royal Alliance was asked to pay $59,000 in restitution and a $25,000 fine concerning sales of non-traded REITs. 

American Realty, RCS, RCAP, Schorsch and First Allied

Roth becomes president and CEO of Realty Capital Securities (RCS), which is owned by RCAP Holdings. RCAP, led by real estate investor Schorsch, also owns American Realty Capital Properties and several other entities.

In mid-June, RCAP Holdings announced plans to buy the independent broker-dealer First Allied Securities from Lovell Minnick Partners “because we believe in the alternative space,” Schorsch said in an interview with AdvisorOne.

Though RCS is clear that Roth will have an important role to play in growing distribution of its products, Schorsch insisted in June that the First Allied deal was not about adding to its sales force. “We looked at First Allied’s business specifically for what it offers RCAP Holdings, not for distribution of product,” he said. “We sell so much…have a 51% market share and have raised probably $4 billion this year…we do not need more advisors selling our products.”

In this year’s Investment Advisor Broker-Dealer directory, San Diego-based First Allied said it had 652 producing registered reps as of Dec. 31, 2012. It reported gross revenues for 2012 of $232.9 million, and said that 7% of its gross commissionable revenue came from REITs.

Harbeck previously was an executive at Putnam Investments, responsible for dealer services and is a graduate of Harvard University. 

-- Check these related stories on ThinkAdvisor:

Top 10 Electric Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now

The search engine giant, Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) is investing profoundly in four of its most energetic growth drivers that are gearing up its business tremendously. These include direct sponsors or performance marketing, helping clients to build their brands, its ad tech platform for its publishers and agencies, and last its emerging businesses like digital content, enterprise and hardware.

Positive moves by Google

The Internet provider is busy in driving comprehensively better monetization across the board as it is well positioned to help people to navigate web, apps and places around them. This generation is now always online and they like to have a seamless, easy experience as they move from screen to screen, displaying tremendous opportunity for Google to drive growth for its performance advertising segment as it is helping the marketers, retailers and merchants to measure the entire customer expedition.

Moreover, Google�� recent investment in the enhanced campaigning and estimated total conversion are turning out in greater monetizing as the advertisers are benefiting from these initiatives in a big way. On the top of this, Google is inviting hundreds of advertisers to its adverse advertising forum, where it will talk about its work in the area of marketers that should supplement its growth going forward.

Top 5 Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now: Stepan Co (SCL)

Stepan Company, incorporated on February 19, 1959, produces specialty and intermediate chemicals, which are sold to other manufacturers and then made into a variety of end products. The Company serves principal markets, such as manufacturers of cleaning and washing compounds (including detergents, shampoos, fabric softeners, toothpastes and household cleaners), paints, cosmetics, food and beverages, agricultural products, plastics, furniture, automotive equipment, insulation and refrigeration. The Company has three segments: surfactants, polymers and specialty products. The Company operates in the geographical regions of North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. As of December 31, 2012, the Surfactants segment accounted to 72%, Polymers segment accounted to 24% and Specialty segment accounted to 4% of the Company�� revenues. On March 22, 2012, the Company increased its controlling interest in Stepan Philippines Inc from 89% to 100%.

Surfactants

Surfactants are used in a variety of consumer and industrial cleaning compounds as well as in agricultural products, lubricating ingredients, biodiesel and other specialized applications. The Surfactants are principal ingredients in consumer and industrial cleaning products, such as detergents for washing clothes, dishes, carpets, floors and walls, as well as shampoos, body washes, toothpastes and fabric softeners. Surfactants are manufactured at six North American sites (five in the United States and one in Canada), three European sites (United Kingdom, France and Germany), and three Latin American sites (Mexico, Brazil and Colombia), and one Asian site (Philippines and Singapore). The Company also holds a 50% ownership interest in a joint venture, TIORCO, LLC (TIORCO), that markets chemical solutions for increasing the production of crude oil and natural gas from existing fields.

Polymers

Polymers generate its revenues primarily from the sale of polyols and phthalic anhydride used in plastics, buildi! ng materials and refrigeration systems. It includes two primary product lines: polyols and phthalic anhydride. Polyols are used in the manufacture of rigid laminate insulation board for thermal insulation in the construction industry. Polyols are also a base raw material for flexible foams, coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers.

Phthalic anhydride is used in unsaturated polyester resins, alkyd resins and plasticizers for applications in construction materials and components of automotive, boating and other consumer products. In addition, phthalic anhydride is used internally in the production of polyols. In the United States, polymer product lines are manufactured at the Company�� Millsdale, Illinois, site. In Europe, polyols are manufactured at the Company�� subsidiaries in Germany and Poland. In Asia, polyols are produced at the Company�� 80% owned joint venture in Nanjing, China.

Specialty Products

Specialty products are used in food, flavoring and pharmaceutical applications. It includes flavors, emulsifiers and solubilizers used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Specialty products are primarily manufactured at the Company�� Maywood, New Jersey, site.

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 Stepan (NYSE: SCL  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Basic guidelines
  In this series, I examine inventory using a simple rule of thumb: Inventory increases ought to roughly parallel revenue increases. If inventory bloats more quickly than sales grow, this might be a sign that expected sales haven't materialized. Is the current inventory situation at Stepan (NYSE: SCL  ) out of line? To figure that out, start by comparing the company's inventory growth to sales growth. How is Stepan doing by this quick checkup? At first glance, not so great. Trailing-12-month revenue decreased 4.8%, and inventory increased 30.6%. Comparing the latest quarter to the prior-year quarter, the story looks potentially problematic. Revenue dropped 1.9%, and inventory grew 30.6%. Over the sequential quarterly period, the trend looks OK but not great. Revenue grew 6.9%, and inventory grew 9.5%.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Specialty chemical maker Stepan (SCL) raised its quarterly dividend 6% to 17 cents per share, payable on Dec. 13 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 29. This marks the 46th consecutive annual dividend increase.
  SCL Dividend Yield: 1.13%

Top 10 Electric Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Hexcel Corp (HXL)

Hexcel Corporation (Hexcel), incorporated in 1948, is a composites company. The Company develops, manufactures and markets composites, including carbon fibers, reinforcements, prepregs, honeycomb, matrix systems, adhesives and composite structures, for use in Commercial Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Industrial Applications. Its products are used in a variety of end applications, such as commercial and military aircraft, space launch vehicles and satellites, wind turbine blades, automotive, bikes, skis and a variety of other industrial applications. Hexcel has two segments: Composite Materials and Engineered Products. The Composite Materials consists of carbon fiber, reinforcements for composites, honeycomb core and matrix product lines. The Engineered Products consists of composite structures and specially machined honeycomb product lines.

Composite Materials

The Composite Materials segment manufactures and markets carbon fibers, fabrics and specialty reinforcements, prepregs, structural adhesives, honeycomb, composite panels, molding compounds, polyurethane systems and laminates that are incorporated into many applications, including military and commercial aircraft, wind turbine blades, recreational products and other industrial applications. HexTow carbon fibers are manufactured for sale to third-party customers, as well as for its own use in manufacturing certain reinforcements and composite materials. Carbon fibers are woven into carbon fabrics, used as reinforcement in conjunction with a resin matrix to produce pre-impregnated composite materials. Carbon fibers is also used in filament winding, hand layup, automatic tape layup and advanced fiber placement to produce finished composite components. Its carbon fibers��product applications include structural components for commercial and military aircraft, space launch vehicles, and certain other applications, such as recreational and industrial equipment.

Industrial fabrics and specialty reinforcements are ma! de from a variety of fibers, including carbon, aramid and other polymers, several types of fiberglass, quartz, ceramic and other specialty fibers. These reinforcements are used in the production of prepregs and other matrix materials used in primary and secondary structural aerospace applications, such as wing components, horizontal and vertical stabilizer components, fairings, radomes and engine nacelles, as well as overhead storage bins and other interior components. Hexcel�� reinforcements are also used in the manufacture of a variety of industrial and recreational products, such as wind energy blades, automotive components, boats, surfboards, skis and other sporting goods equipment.

HexPly prepregs are manufactured for sale to third-party customers and for internal use by its engineered products segment in manufacturing composite laminates and monolithic structures, including finished components for aircraft structures and interiors. Prepregs are manufactured by combining reinforcement fabrics or unidirectional fibers with a resin matrix to form a composite material with structural properties not present in either of the constituent materials. Reinforcement fabrics used in the manufacture of prepregs include glass, carbon, aramid, quartz, ceramic and other specialty reinforcements. Resin matrices include bismaleimide, cyanate ester, epoxy, phenolic, polyester, polyimide and other specialty resins.

Other fiber reinforced matrix developments include HexMC, a form of quasi-isotropic carbon fiber prepreg that enables small to medium sized composite components to be mass produced. HexTOOL is a specialized form of HexMC for use in the construction of high temperature composite tooling. HexFIT film infusion material is a product that combines resin films and dry fiber reinforcements in production and enables the manufacture of contoured composite structures, such as wind turbine blades.

Polymer matrix materials are sold in bulk and film form for use in direct pro! cess manu! facturing of composite parts. Resins can be combined with fiber reinforcements in manufacturing processes, such as resin transfer molding (RTM), resin film infusion (RFI) or vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) to produce composite components for both aerospace and industrial applications. Hexcel manufactures and markets a range of Redux film and paste adhesives. These structural adhesives, which bond metal to metal and composites and honeycomb structures, are used in the aerospace industry and for many industrial applications.

HexWeb honeycomb is a cellular structure consisting of nested hexagonal cells. The product is similar in appearance to a cross-sectional slice of a beehive. It can also be manufactured in asymmetric cell configurations for more specialized applications. Honeycomb is primarily used as a lightweight core material and acts as an energy absorber. When sandwiched between composite or metallic facing skins, honeycomb increases the stiffness of the structure, while adding very little weight. The Company produces honeycomb from a number of metallic and non-metallic materials. Its metallic honeycomb is made from aluminum and is available in a selection of alloys, cell sizes and dimensions. Non-metallic materials used in the manufacture of honeycomb include fiberglass, carbon fiber, thermoplastics, non-flammable aramid papers, aramid fiber and other specialty materials. During the year ended December 31, 2011, revenues for the Composite Materials segment to third-party customers represented approximately 77% of its total revenues.

Engineered Products

The Engineered Products segment manufactures and markets composite structures and precision machined honeycomb parts for use in the aerospace industry. Composite structures are manufactured from a variety of composite and other materials, including prepregs, honeycomb, structural adhesives and advanced molding materials, using such manufacturing processes, as autoclave processing, multi-axis nu! merically! controlled machining, heat forming, compression molding and other composite manufacturing techniques. During 2011, revenues for the Engineered Products segment to third-party customers represented approximately 23% of its total revenues. The Engineered Products business unit has a 50% ownership interest in a Malaysian joint venture, Asian Composites Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Persinos]

  The standout stocks in this segment are Hexcel Corp. (HXL), the leading producer of carbon composites, and Allegheny Technologies (ATI), which dominates the market in titanium.

• [By Rich Smith]

  This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines include a pair of aerospace upgrades for European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (NASDAQOTH: EADSY  ) and Hexcel (NYSE: HXL  ) . But it's not all good news, so let's start off by finding out why.

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  There's also the advanced materials firm Hexcel Corp. (NYSE: HXL), which supplies honeycomb composites to some of the biggest names in the aerospace industry.

Top 10 Electric Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Banco Santander Brasil SA (BSBR)

Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A. (Santander Brasil), incorporated on August 9, 1985, is a full-service bank in Brazil. The Bank operates its business along three segments: Commercial Banking, Global Wholesale Banking and Asset Management and Insurance. Through its Commercial Banking segment, the Bank offers traditional banking services, including checking and savings accounts, home and automobile financing, unsecured consumer financing, checking account overdraft loans, credit cards and payroll loans to mid- and high-income individuals and corporations (other than to its Global Banking and Markets clients). Its Global Wholesale Banking segment provides financial services and solutions to a group of approximately 700 local and multinational conglomerates, offering such products as global transaction banking, syndicated lending, corporate finance, equity and treasury. Through its Asset Management and Insurance segment, the Company manages fixed income, money market, equity and multi-market funds and offers insurance products complementary to its core banking business to its retail and small- and medium-sized corporate customers.

Lending Activities

As of December 31, 2010, the Bank�� total loans and advances to customers equaled R$160.6 billion (42.9% of its total assets). Net of allowances for credit losses, loans and advances to customers equaled R$151.4 billion as of December 31, 2010 (40.4% of its total assets). In addition to loans, it had outstanding R$93.5 billion as of December 31, 2010.

Substantially all of its loans are to borrowers domiciled in Brazil and are denominated in reais. Its commercial, financial and industrial loans include primarily loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in its Commercial Banking segment, and to Global Banking and Markets corporate and business enterprise customers in its Wholesale Global Banking segment. The principal products offered to SMEs in this category include revolving loans, overdraft facilities, installme! nt loans, working capital and equipment finance loans. Credit approval for SMEs is based on customer income, business activity, collateral coverage and internal and external credit scoring tools. Collateral on commercial, financial and industrial lending to SMEs generally includes receivables, liens, pledges, guarantees and mortgages, with coverage generally ranging from 100% to 150% of the loan value depending on the risk profile of the loan. Its Wholesale Global Banking customers are offered a range of loan products ranging from typical corporate banking products (installment loans, working capital and equipment finance loans) to more sophisticated products (derivative and capital markets transactions).

The Bank�� Real estate-construction loans include construction loans made principally to real estate developers that are SMEs and corporate customers in its Wholesale Global Banking Segment. Loans in this category are generally secured by mortgages and receivables, though guarantees may also be provided as additional security. Real estate-mortgage loans include loans on residential real estate to individuals. All loans granted under this category are secured by the financed real estate. Installment loans to individuals consist primarily of unsecured personal installment loans (including loans whose payments are automatically deducted from a customer�� payroll), revolving loans, overdraft facilities, consumer finance facilities and credit cards. Lease financing includes primarily automobile leases and loans to individuals. The vehicle financed acts as collateral for the particular loan granted.

Investment Activities

The Bank�� investments include Government securities-Brazil, Government securities-other countries and other debt securities. As of December 31, 2010, the book value of the investment securities was R$84.7 billion (representing 22.6% of its total assets). Brazilian government securities totaled R$55.8 billion, or 65.9% of the Bank�� investment! securiti! es as of December 31, 2010. As of December 31, 2010, the Bank held no securities of single issuers or related group of companies whose aggregate book or market value exceed 10% of stockholders��equity, other than Brazilian government securities, which represented 76.9% of its stockholders��equity.

Sources of Funds

The Bank offers its customers a variety of deposit products, such as current accounts (also referred to as demand deposits), which do not bear interest; traditional savings accounts, which earn the Brazilian reference rate for savings accounts (taxa referencial) plus 0.5% per month, as set by the federal government, and time deposits, which are represented by certificates of bank deposits (CDBs), which normally have a maturity of less than 36 months and earn interest at a fixed or floating rate. In addition, it accepts deposits from financial institutions as part of its treasury operations, which are represented by certificates of interbank deposit CDIs, and which earn the interbank deposit rate.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

   

   

  Nearest Resistance: $6.40��br>Nearest Support: $5.80��br>Catalyst: Brazil Elections

   

  Banco Santander Brasil (BSBR) is another Brazilian stock that's getting shoved lower on big volume following the country's election results. The Rousseff administration's willingness to step in and impart new rules on the private sector is the catalyst here. And Petrobras and Banco Santander Brasil aren't in a vacuum here; the Ibovespa index is down more than 3.4% overall as I write.

   

  The technical story in BSBR is pretty nasty here. Shares violated support at $6.40 back in early October, falling through that long-term price floor, and then confirming last week that it was now a resistance level. $5.80 looks like the next meaningful support level on the way down, but it's a weak one.

   

• [By Rudy Martin]

  We are buying Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A. (BSBR) to gain broad additional exposure to the Brazilian.

  BSBR offers a full-service range of financial services, including individual and corporate banking. We also hope to benefit from the stock's 7.2% current indicated dividend yield.

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  www.blackcard.com Black cards are the most exclusive credit cards on the market, and these rare credit cards are in the pockets of some of the wealthiest citizens around the world. Here's what it takes -- and what you can get. 1. Eurasian Bank Diamond Card Featuring a 0.02-carat diamond surrounded by a golden heart design, the Eurasian Bank Diamond Card is a sign of wealth and elegance through and through. The black card requirements for this exclusive credit card is you have to be a member of the Eurasian bank in Kazakhstan, and you also have to have $300,000 or more in your bank account. 2. The Visa (V) Signature Card Visa's true top of the line card is the Visa Signature Card, which features some amazing perks like no preset spending limits; access to special sporting events and concert tickets; VIP access to entertainment venues like Broadway shows and musicals; travel accommodations at spas, hotels and with airlines; and special dining experiences. 3. The Chase (JPM) Sapphire Preferred Card For those who look for exclusivity but prefer not to bank with Visa or Amex (AXP), there is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. The Preferred Card is aimed at households in the United States earning at least $120,000 per year. Big perks include no preset spending limit and a strong rewards program for members. Other notable differences from other black card offerings include: Identity protection; a small $95 per year fee; enhanced travel rewards redemption points; rental insurance; travel protection insurance; emergency travel assistance and extended warranty protection for up to one year. 4. The Black Brazilian MasterCard (MA) from the Santander Group The Santander Group (BSBR) in Brazil offers the unlimited Brazilian Black MasterCard, which is only issued to members of its private bank with a certain undisclosed amount of funds in their accounts. Currently, it is one of the hottest cards in Latin America -- with only about 3,000 in circulation. Perks of the c

Top 10 Electric Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Mdu Res Group Inc (MDU)

MDU Resources Group, Inc. operates as a diversified natural resource company in the United States. The company�s Electric segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. As of December 31, 2012, this segment provided its electric services to approximately 131,000 residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in 177 communities and adjacent rural areas. Its Natural Gas Distribution segment distributes natural gas in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, as well as in Idaho, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington. This segment served approximately 859,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in 334 communities and adjacent rural areas. The company�s Pipeline and Energy Services segment provides natural gas transportation, underground storage, processing, and gathering services, as well as oil gathering through regulated and nonregulated pipeline systems primarily in the Rocky Mountain and northern Great Plains regions of the United States. This segment also provides cathodic protection and other energy-related services. Its Exploration and Production segment engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas in the Rocky Mountain and Mid-Continent regions of the United States and in and around the Gulf of Mexico. The company�s Construction Materials and Contracting segment mines, aggregates, and markets crushed stone, sand, gravel, and related construction materials, including ready-mixed concrete, cement, asphalt, liquid asphalt, and other value-added products. This segment also provides utility excavation services and inside electrical wiring, cabling, and mechanical services; sells and distributes electrical materials; and manufactures and distributes specialty equipment. MDU Resources Group, Inc. was founded in 1924 and is based in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Richard Stavros]

  Created with YCharts

  
  In addition to beating the market since the beginning of the year, diversified energy utilities, such as MDU Resources Group Inc (NYSE: MDU), Dominion Resources Inc (NYSE: D) and Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), significantly outperformed pure-play or predominantly all-electric utilities, such as Duke Energy Corp (NYSE: DUK) and Entergy Corp (NYSE: ETR), by as much as several percentage points (See Chart B).
  
  Interestingly, among top performers, there was no dominant strategy for exploiting natural gas demand, as these firms were involved in all aspects of the value chain–from exploration and production to distribution and storage. These companies have not only been benefiting from a natural gas surplus, but also from the pressing need to expand US energy infrastructure to deliver this newfound bounty to businesses and households.
  
  

  Chart B: Diversified Energy Utilities Outperformed Electric-Only Peers

• [By David Dittman]

  Question: I have been a fan of MDU Resources Inc (NYSE: MDU) because of its many operations including oil and gas, materials, construction, and now refining. Long-term thoughts?

Top 10 Electric Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.(ACTC)

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., a biotechnology company, focuses on the development and commercialization of human embryonic and adult stem cell technology in the field of regenerative medicine. Its embryonic stem cell research programs include cellular reprogramming, reduced complexity program, and stem cell differentiation research programs. The company?s cellular reprogramming involves in the development of therapies based on the use of genetically identical pluripotent stem cells generated by its cellular reprogramming technologies. Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. also generates stable cell lines with particular focus on blood lineage and vascular epithelial cell lines from hemangioblast cells. In addition, it is developing an autologous myoblast transplantation therapy to restore cardiac function in patients with advanced heart disease. The company?s stem cell-based therapy would provide treatment for a range of acute and chronic degenerative diseases. Further, it deve lops adult stem cell-based products that are specifically targeted at therapies for heart and other cardiovascular diseases. The company is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, ACTC surged (+1.96%) up +0.0014 at $.0730 with 1,679,139 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 12:31PM EDT July 26, 2013).

  Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. previously reported the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), an independent group of medical experts closely monitoring the company�� three ongoing clinical trials, has authorized the company to move forward with enrollment and treatment of remaining two patients in the third cohort of each of the three clinical trials. The decision follows an interim review by the DSMB six weeks after the first patient was treated in the third cohort of each trial. ACT will proceed with screening and enrollment for the patients who, in keeping with trial protocol, will be injected with 150,000 retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).

• [By John Udovich]

  As the the year comes to end, there is still a steady flow of interesting news coming from small cap biotech stocks like Organovo Holdings Inc (NYSEMKT: ONVO), Advanced Cell Technology, Inc (OTCMKTS: ACTC) and TNI BioTech (OTCMKTS: TNIB)�plus still largely private biotech companies like Genocea Biosciences (NASDAQ: GNCA), Retrophin (OTCMKTS: RTRX), Auspex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ASPX) and GlycoMimetics (NASDAQ: GLYC) who have filed to become the next potentially hot biotech IPOs���presumably some time early�next year. Just consider the following biotech news:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, ACTC has shed (-1.05%) down -0.0008 at $.0751 with 2,338,132 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:55AM EDT July 22, 2013), but don�� let this get you down.

  Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. previously reported the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), an independent group of medical experts closely monitoring the company�� three ongoing clinical trials, has authorized the company to move forward with enrollment and treatment of remaining two patients in the third cohort of each of the three clinical trials. The decision follows an interim review by the DSMB six weeks after the first patient was treated in the third cohort of each trial. ACT will proceed with screening and enrollment for the patients who, in keeping with trial protocol, will be injected with 150,000 retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).

Top 10 Electric Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Total System Services Inc.(TSS)

Total System Services, Inc. provides electronic payment processing and other services to card-issuing and merchant acquiring institutions. The company offers issuer account solutions, including processing the card application, initiating service for the cardholder, processing each card transaction for the issuing retailer or financial institution, and accumulating the account's transactions; fraud management services; and other services, such as customized communications to cardholders, and information verification associated with granting credit, debt collection, and customer service. It also provides merchant processing and related services that comprise processing various payment forms, such as credit, debit, prepaid, electronic benefit transfer, and electronic check; authorization and capture of transactions; clearing and settlement of transactions; information reporting services related to transactions; merchant billing services; and point-of-sale equipment sales and service. In addition, the company offers issuer and merchant card solutions. Total System Services, Inc. provides its services through online accounting and electronic payment processing systems. It operates primarily in the United States, Europe, Canada, Japan, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Asia Pacific, and Brazil. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Columbus, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Paperless payments provider�Total System Services� (NYSE: TSS  ) �announced yesterday�its second-quarter dividend of $0.10 per share, the same rate it's paid for the past six quarters.

Top 10 Electric Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now: WPP plc (WPPGY)

WPP plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Advertising and Media Investment Management segment plans and creates marketing and branding campaigns; and designs and produces advertisements for television, cable, the Internet, radio, magazines, and newspapers, as well as outdoor locations, including billboards. This segment also has media investment management capabilities in the areas of business science, consumer insight, communications and media planning implementation, interactions, content development, and sports and entertainment marketing. The company�s Consumer Insight segment offers custom research services in various sectors, including strategic market studies; brand positioning; equity research; customer satisfaction surveys; product development; international research; advanced modeling; advertising research; pre-testing, tracking, and sales modeling; and trends and futures research and consultancy. Its Public Relations & Public Affairs segment provi des advice to clients that seek to communicate with consumers, governments, and/or the business and financial communities. This segment�s activities include corporate, financial, and marketing communications; crisis management; reputation management; public affairs; and government lobbying. The company�s Branding & Identity, Healthcare, and Specialist Communications segment engages in branding and identity; healthcare communications; and direct, digital, promotional, and relationship marketing activities. This segment also offers specialist communications services, such as custom media and multicultural marketing; event, sports, youth, and entertainment marketing; corporate and business-to-business; and media, technology, and production services, as well as digital and measurable interactive marketing, digital marketing strategy, mobile solutions, and platforms services. The company has a strategic partnership with Twitter, Inc. WPP plc was founded in 1971 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alan Oscroft]

  WPP (LSE: WPP  ) (NASDAQ: WPPGY  )
  WPP shares have gained a modest 0.5% after the advertising giant revealed an acquisition. The firm's wholly owned operating network VML will take a 49% stake in Polish digital agency Heureka Group, with an option to acquire a majority stake at a later date.

Three Divergences Worth Watching

 Back in the days when stocks used to go down as well as up, traders would look for and pay attention to "divergences" in the market.   Divergences occur when things that normally run together start going in opposite directions. They're early warning signs that signal a trend may be ending. And being able to spot them has always been a necessary skill for anyone trying to make a few bucks as a trader.   But nowadays, with the stock market only moving in one direction, most investors believe spotting divergences has become more amusing than useful. Like darning socks or shoeing horses, folks just don't seem to have much need for it anymore.   But even in this period of perpetually rising stock prices, old-timers like me are still watching for divergences. That way, when the market does finally fall – and it will fall – we can wag a finger at the youngsters and say, "Some things never change."   Here are some of the notable divergences that stand out today...    First of all, take a look at this two-month chart of the S&P 500...     The index is up 7% in two months. Over the past three weeks, we've seen a near vertical run higher with only a couple minor down days.    But unlike the S&P 500, copper is down 7% in the past two months. This divergence is notable since stocks and copper almost always run in the same direction.      The Volatility Index (the "VIX") is also showing some divergence... but in a slightly different way...     The VIX usually falls as stocks move higher. But over the past two months – as stocks have rallied – the VIX has gained 10%.   As I mentioned on Tuesday, volatility is at historically low levels. But with stocks trading at new all-time highs, we would expect the VIX to be hitting new lows for the year.   It's not – which is at least a curious divergence.    Finally, here's a divergence for the economists...     The Baltic Dry Index reflects the cost of shipping dry goods overseas. If the stock market is rallying because the economy is improving, as some analysts argue... then the BDI should be pressing higher to reflect increasing demand for shipping goods. But the BDI is down 5% since late March.   Maybe divergences don't mean anything anymore. The market has definitely ignored them over the last couple months.   Then again... some things never change. And I still recommend caution in stocks right now.   – Jeff Clark