Hot Quality Stocks To Own For 2015

What to do, where to go?

If you’re looking internationally in a bid to diversify your clients’ retirement plan, BrightScope offers some help.

The research firm recently announced the top 20 international stock funds in the defined contribution industry. The list is part of a series of rankings BrightScope regularly publishes to provide “investment managers, mutual fund companies, investors, and others with more insight into the top funds and managers in the retirement marketplace.”

"Maintaining diversification is essential to the health of any portfolio," Brooks Herman, head of data and research at BrightScope, said in a statement. "Traditionally, international equities offer returns that are less correlated with domestic equities, which improve the risk/return profile of a portfolio."

Since its infancy, the 401(k) marketplace has suffered from a lack of quality data that is comprehensive enough to be useful for most strategic functions, the firm argues. Historically, it claims has been “virtually impossible” to determine a specific mutual fund's total distribution in 401(k) plans. Noteworthy findings since BrightScope's last release of this list, in September 2011, include the following:

Hot Quality Stocks To Own For 2015: SEI Investments Co (SEIC)

SEI Investments Company (SEI), incorporated on November 18, 1968, is a global provider of investment processing, investment management, and investment operations solutions. The Company helps corporations, financial institutions, financial advisors, and ultra-high-net-worth families create and manage wealth by providing comprehensive, investment and investment-business solutions. The Company�� business segments include Private Banks , Investment Advisors , Institutional Investors, Investment Managers and Investments in New Businesses.

The Company�� wealth management business solutions include investment processing outsourcing solutions for banks, trust companies, independent wealth advisers, and investment managers; investment management programs for affluent individual investors and for institutional investors, including retirement plan sponsors, and not-for-profit organizations; and investment operations outsourcing solutions for investment management firms, banks and investment companies that sponsor and distribute mutual funds, hedge funds, and alternative investments.

The Company�� Investment processing solutions consist of application and business process outsourcing services, professional services, and transaction-based services. It delivers these solutions to providers of institutional and private client wealth management services, including banks, trust companies, independent wealth advisers, and other financial services firms. It also delivers these solutions, combined with its investment management programs, to investment advisory firms and other financial services firms that provide wealth management services to their advisory clients. The Company�� investment processing solutions are enabled through two platforms, TRUST 3000 and the Global Wealth Platform (GWP).

Investment management programs consists of money market, fixed-income and equity mutual funds and other collective investment products, alternative investment portfolios, and separate! ly managed accounts. The Company serves as the sponsor, administrator and investment advisor for many of these products. It distributes these programs primarily through investment advisory firms, including investment advisors and banks, and directly to institutional or individual investors. Investment operations outsourcing solutions consist of accounting and administration services, and distribution support services. It delivers these solutions to investment management firms that offer traditional and alternative products.

Private Banks

The Private Banks segment delivers a comprehensive outsourcing solution integrating investment processing services, investment management and distribution programs, and business to banks and trust institutions worldwide, independent wealth advisers and other wealth managers located in the United Kingdom, and financial advisors in Canada. The Company owns, maintains and operates the software applications and information processing facilities for all of its investment processing solutions.

Private banks and other trust organizations who utilizes its TRUST 3000 application solution outsource investment processing technology software and computer processing, but retain responsibility for investment operations, client administration, and investment management. These clients operate its TRUST 3000 application remotely while fully supported by its data center using dedicated telecommunications networks.

Investment Advisors

The Investment Advisors segment offers wealth management solutions to registered investment advisors, many of whom are affiliated with or are registered as independent broker-dealers, financial planners, and life insurance agents located throughout the United States. These wealth management solutions include the Company�� investment management programs and back-office investment processing outsourcing services and are usually offered on a bundled basis. Its solutions helps investment ! advisors ! reduce risk, improve quality, and gain operational efficiency to devote more of their resources to servicing their clients and acquiring new clients. Advisors are responsible for the investor relationship which includes creating financial plans, implementing investment strategies and educating and servicing their customers. Advisors may customize portfolios to include separate account managers provided through its programs as well as SEI-sponsored mutual funds.

Institutional Investors

The Institutional Investors segment offers investment management programs and administrative outsourcing solutions for retirement plan sponsors, hospitals, and not-for-profit organizations globally. Clients can outsource their investment management needs and the administration for defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, endowments, foundations, and other balance sheet assets. The fiduciary management outsourcing program provides a strategic platform integrating the Manager-of-Managers investment process, plan administration services, and consulting services. Plan administration services include trustee, custodial, benefit payment services, record-keeping services, and donor administration. Consulting services include actuarial services, asset liability modeling, and the customization of an asset allocation.

Investment Managers

The Investment Managers segment provides a platform of comprehensive investment operations outsourcing solutions to investment managers globally. This array of front-, middle- and back-office investment processing services integrates industry tools and technology to support a manager's diverse business needs across multiple product types and structures, investment strategies and asset classes. The Company provides outsourcing services including fund and investment accounting, administration, reconciliation, investor servicing and client reporting. It also provides comprehensive solutions to managers focused on alternative investments who ! manage he! dge funds, funds of hedge funds, private equity funds, real estate and infrastructure funds, across registered, partnership and separate account structures domiciled in the United States and overseas.

Investments in New Businesses

The Investments in New Businesses segment represents other business ventures or research and development activities intended to expand its solutions to new or existing markets including ultra-high-net-worth families who reside in the United States. This segment includes the costs associated with business development in the Middle East through its Dubai office and the development of a Internet-based investment management application. The family wealth management solution offers flexible family-office type services through a personalized solution while utilizing the Manager-of-Managers investment process.

The Company competes with Fidelity National Information Services, Inc., SunGard Data Systems Inc., State Street Corporation, Fi-Tek LLC, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.,Fidelity Investments,Pershing LLC, FNZ UK Ltd., Temenos Group AG, Avaloq, TD Direct Investing (Europe) Ltd.,Russell Investment Group,Franklin Templeton Investments,AssetMark Investment Services Inc., Brinker Capital, EnvestNet Asset Management, Inc., Lockwood Advisors, Inc., Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Northern Trust Corporation, State Street and BNY Mellon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Investment and fund processing and management company SEI Investments (SEIC) raised its semi-annual dividend 10% 22 cents per share, payable on Jan. 10 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 23.
  SEIC Dividend Yield: 1.33%

• [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 SEI Investments (Nasdaq: SEIC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Hot Quality Stocks To Own For 2015: American Woodmark Corp (AMWD)

American Woodmark Corporation, incorporated on April 21, 1980, manufactures and distributes kitchen cabinets and vanities for the remodeling and new home construction markets. The Company offers framed stock cabinets in approximately 550 different cabinet lines, ranging in price from relatively inexpensive to medium-priced styles. Styles vary by design and color from natural wood finishes to low-pressure laminate surfaces. The product offering of stock cabinets includes 86 door designs in 18 colors. Stock cabinets consist of a common box with standard interior components and a maple, oak, cherry, or hickory front frame, door and/or drawer front. The Company�� product is primarily sold under the brand names of American Woodmark, Timberlake, Shenandoah Cabinetry, Potomac, and Waypoint Living Spaces.

The Company�� product is sold on a national basis across the United States to the remodeling and new home construction markets. The Company services these markets through three primary channels, which include home centers, builders, and independent dealers and distributors. The Company provides complete installation services to its direct builder customers through its network of nine service centers that are strategically located throughout the United States. The Company distributes its products to each market channel directly from four assembly plants through a third party logistics network. The primary raw materials used include hard maple, oak, cherry, soft maple, and hickory lumber and plywood.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  After the bedroom, the kitchen is probably the place where we spend the most time awake in our homes with small cap kitchen stocks Caesarstone Sdot-Yam Ltd (NASDAQ: CSTE) and American Woodmark Corporation (NASDAQ: AMWD) along with diversified midcap Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc (NYSE: FBHS) all putting in a good performance. After all, any sort of housing recovery with more new homes being sold will�help kitchen stocks and so will increased sales of older or foreclosed homes that need to have their kitchens remodeled. But which is the better kitchen stock for investors? Here is�closer look at all three:

Best Medical Companies For 2015: LSI Industries Inc.(LYTS)

LSI Industries Inc. provides corporate visual image solutions primarily in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Latin America. It operates in three segments: Lighting, Graphics, and Technology. The Lighting segment manufactures and markets outdoor and indoor lighting, canopy lighting, landscape lighting, light emitting diodes (LED) lighting, light poles, and photometric layouts products, as well as lighting analysis services. The Graphics segment manufactures and sells exterior and interior visual image elements for use in visual image programs. It offers signage and canopy graphics; pump dispenser graphics; building fascia graphics; decals; interior signage and marketing graphics; aisle markers; wall mural graphics; fleet graphics; prototype program graphics; and solid state LED video screens for the sports and advertising markets, as well as installation services for graphics products. The Technology segment designs, produces, and supports light engines and large fo rmat video screens using LED technology; and specialty LED lighting. Additionally, the company offers menu board systems. It serves commercial, industrial, and multi-site retail markets; petroleum/convenience stores; sports and advertising; and entertainment markets. The company sells its products through regional sales managers, independent sales representatives, and distributors. LSI Industries was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  In Daktronics' report, be sure to look at how the company compares to results that industrial-lighting and display competitor LSI Industries (NASDAQ: LYTS  ) announced late last month. Even with a 5% gain in revenue for its March quarter, LSI posted a loss, showing the difficulty in producing high-margin business in the industry. For its part, if Daktronics can keep pushing past its operational challenges, it should be in better position to stay profitable both this quarter and well into the future.

Hot Quality Stocks To Own For 2015: SPDR S&P Midcap 400 ETF (MDY)

MidCap SPDRS, Standard & Poor's Depository Receipts, represent ownership interests in the MidCap SPDR Trust, Series 1 (the Trust), which is a unit investment trust that seeks to match the total return of the Standard & Poor's Midcap 400 Composite Price Index (the S&P MidCap Index). To accomplish this, the Trust utilizes a full replication approach.

The Trust's holdings comprise 400 stocks in the S&P MidCap 400 Index, which is designed to capture the price performance of the middle capitalization segment of the United States publicly traded stock market. All 400 securities of the S&P MidCap 400 Index are owned by the Trust in their approximate market capitalization weight.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Where the best gains are
  In fact, when you compare returns across stocks of various sizes, you'll get some surprising results:

  The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: SPY  ) weighs in with 20% gains with its exposure to 500 of the largest companies in the U.S. market. When you step down to mid-cap stocks, though, you'll get even better returns, with the SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF (NYSEMKT: MDY  ) posting returns of 21% so far in 2013, based on the performance of 400 mid-sized companies domestically. The smallest companies in the market have done better still, as the SPDR S&P SmallCap 600 ETF (NYSEMKT: SLY  ) has given investors impressive 24% returns since Jan. 1.

  Why are smaller companies outperforming the largest stocks in the market? Historically, smaller stocks have posted better long-term returns than their larger counterparts, with theoreticians pointing to the greater risk involved in small-cap stocks as justifying the higher risk premium that investors should demand in order to hold them over the long run.

• [By BENZINGA]

  So, for those who pay attention to such things, imagine the excitement coming into Monday's session as the DJIA was flirting with 16,000, the S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) was closing in on 1,800, the NASDAQ (NYSE: QQQ) was flirting with 4,000 (something it hasn't done in at least a decade) and while, considerably less important, the S&P Midcap (NYSE: MDY) was just above 1,300. In short, if a big, round number is important, then four of them must be monumental, right?

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Similarly, diversification within stocks didn't work well. The performance of iShares Russell 2000 (NYSEMKT: IWM  ) and SPDR S&P MidCap 400 (NYSEMKT: MDY  ) showed that there wasn't shelter available in small- and mid-cap stocks. International stocks often help protect against losses, but massive capital flight from emerging markets socked popular ETFs Vanguard Emerging Market (NYSEMKT: VWO  ) and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets (NYSEMKT: EEM  ) for single-day percentage losses that were nearly double the Dow's decline. Even developed markets suffered more than the U.S., as iShares MSCI EAFE (NYSEMKT: EFA  ) posted losses 50% greater than the U.S. market's.

Hot Quality Stocks To Own For 2015: Armco Metals Holdings Inc (AMCO)

Armco Metals Holdings, Inc., formerly China Armco Metals, Inc., incorporated on April 25, 2007, is engaged in metal ore trading and distribution and scrap metal recycling. The Company�� s operations are conducted primarily in the People's Republic of China (PRC). In the Company's metal ore trading and distribution business, the Company imports, sells and distributes to the metal refinery industry in the PRC a range of metal ore which includes iron, chrome, nickel, copper and manganese ore, as well as non-ferrous metals, and coal. The Company obtains these raw materials from global suppliers primarily in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Ukraine and the United States and distributes them in the PRC. In addition, it provides sourcing and pricing services for various metals to its network of customers.

The Company�� scrap metal recycling business, it recycles scrap metal at its recycling facility and sell the recycled product to steel mills in China for use in the production of recycled steel. The Company sells processed and non-ferrous ore to end-users, such as specialty steelmakers, foundries, aluminum sheets and ingot manufacturers, copper refineries and smelters, brass and bronze ingot manufacturers, wire and cable producers, utilities and telephone networks. The Company recycles scrap metals at the Facility using both heavy equipment and manual labors. Recycling scrap metal consists of a variety of steps, including collecting, inspecting, sorting, stripping, shearing, cutting, shredding and bailing.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  It's still too soon to put it in your portfolio, but Armco Metals Holdings Inc. (NYSE:AMCO) most definitely deserves a place on your watchlist. This Chinese metal stock is poised for a breakout move. It just needs the right nudge, and a little help on a certain front to let AMCO take flight.

Hot Quality Stocks To Own For 2015: Level 3 Communications Inc.(LVLT)

Level 3 Communications, Inc. engages in the communications business in North America and Europe. It offers network and Internet services, including transport services, high speed Internet protocol services, dedicated Internet access, virtual private network services, and dark fiber services, as well as managed modem, an outsourced, turn-key infrastructure solution; and colocation services. The company also provides various media services, comprising Vyvx services that provide audio and video feeds over fiber or satellite; content delivery network services; media delivery services to customers seeking to manage, protect, and monetize content delivered over the Internet; a range of local and long distance voice services, such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and traditional circuit-switch based services; and VoIP Enhanced Local, a VoIP service that enables broadband cable operators, IXCs, VoIP providers, and other companies operating their own switching infrastructure to launch IP-based local and long-distance voice services through a broadband connection. Level 3 Communications? media services also consist of SIP Trunking, a VoIP-based local phone service; Local Inbound service that terminates traditional telephone network originated calls to Internet Protocol termination points; Primary Rate Interface, a TDM local phone service that could be configured in various ways; Long Distance services portfolio comprising local and long distance transport and termination services; and Toll Free services portfolio, which terminate toll free calls that are originated on the traditional telephone network. As of December 31, 2010, its network encompassed approximately 68,000 intercity route miles in North America and an intercity network covering approximately 13,000 miles across Europe. Further, it sells coal primarily through long-term contracts with public utilities. The company was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Strategist Andrew Garthwaite and team explain why companies like Sprint (S),� American Water Works (AWK), Volcano (VOLC), Southern (SO) and Level 3 Communications�(LVLT) could get hit by the taper:

Hot Quality Stocks To Own For 2015: C&J Energy Services Inc (CJES)

C&J Energy Services, Inc., incorporated on December 15, 2010, is a provider of hydraulic fracturing, coiled tubing, wireline and other complementary services with a focus on complex, technically demanding well completions. The Company also manufactures and repairs equipment to fulfill its internal needs and for third-party companies in the energy services industry. The Company operates in three reportable segments: Stimulation and Well Intervention Services, Wireline Services and Equipment Manufacturing.

The Company provides hydraulic fracturing coiled tubing and related well intervention services through its Stimulation and Well Intervention Services segment to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies. On June 7, 2012, the Company acquired Casedhole Holdings, Inc. and its operating subsidiaries, including Casedhole Solutions, Inc.

Stimulation and Well Intervention Services

The Company's Stimulation and Well Intervention Services segment provides hydraulic fracturing and coiled tubing and other well intervention services, with a focus on complex, technically demanding well completions. The Company's customers use the Company's hydraulic fracturing services to enhance the production of oil and natural gas from formations with low permeability, which restricts the natural flow of hydrocarbons. Hydraulic fracturing involves pumping a fluid down a well casing or tubing at sufficient pressure to cause the underground producing formation to fracture, allowing the oil or natural gas to flow more freely. The Company's engineering staff also provides technical evaluation, job design and fluid recommendations for the Company's customers as an integral element of its fracturing service. The Company's engineering staff also provides technical evaluation, job design and fluid recommendations for the Company's customers as an integral element of its fracturing service.

Wireline Services

The Company's Wireline Services segment p! rovides cased-hole wireline and other complementary services. Its services includes logging, perforating, pipe recovery, pressure testing and pumpdown services, which are critical throughout a well's life cycle.

Equipment Manufacturing

The Company's Equipment Manufacturing segment constructs oilfield equipment, including hydraulic fracturing pumps, coiled tubing units, pressure pumping units and other equipment for the Company's Stimulation and Well Intervention Services and Wireline Services segments as well as for third-party customers in the energy services industry. This segment also provides equipment repair services and oilfield parts and supplies to the energy services industry and to meet the Company's own internal needs.

The Company competes with Halliburton, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Weatherford International, RPC, Inc., Pumpco, an affiliate of Superior Energy Services, Frac Tech, Stewart & Stevenson, Enerflow Industries Inc., United Engines Manufacturing, Dragon Products and National Oilwell Varco, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  For investors, the choice is clear — you need to focus globally when it comes to oil stocks. North American-focused oil stocks like C&J Energy (CJES) and Basic Energy Services (BAS) might not be up to snuff in such a highly challenging pricing environment.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  C&J Energy Services Inc. (NYSE: CJES) undertook an aggressive expansion plan for 2013. That strategy culminated in several deals during the fourth quarter and further plans for 2014. The domestic hydraulic fracturing specialist has spent the past couple of years expanding the business line and, surprisingly, building new equipment. Now with natural gas inventories plunging to five-year lows, C&J Energy is positioned to take advantage of a market where utilization is already firming. Jefferies price target holds steady at $28, and the consensus estimate is $25. Shares closed Friday at $24.50.

• [By Traders Reserve]

  C&J Energy Services (CJES) grew more than 25% in 2012, after tripling in 2011, but has stalled in 2013 and will come in with near-zero growth. Part of the reason is the softening of oil prices and the shuttering marginal fields ��C&J Energy Services provides fracking-related oil field services on a spot basis with prices defined under long-term contracts.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  C&J Energy Services (NYSE: CJES  )
  One of the more interesting purchases this quarter is the $7.4 million Soros poured into C&J Energy Services. The oilfield service company specializes in complex well completions, making it an important company for extracting ever-harder-to-reach oil and gas. With operations spanning the most active shale plays, an investment in C&J is one that benefits as oil and gas companies drill more wells using even more complex hydraulic fracturing techniques.

Hot Quality Stocks To Own For 2015: WisdomTree International Dividend Ex Financial Fund (DOO)

WisdomTree International Dividend Top 100 Fund (The Fund) is a non-diversified fund. It seeks investment results that closely correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the WisdomTree International Dividend Top 100 Index (The Index). The fund is managed by WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.

The Index measures the performance of the 100 highest dividend-yielding companies in the WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Index. The Index is created by selecting the top 100 companies ranked by highest dividend yield from the WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Index.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Lam]

  ��ompanies that come to market are coming from sectors that work,��said Brian Huen, managing partner at Red Sky Capital Management Ltd. in Toronto. He helps manage C$220 million with the firm, and participated in the offerings for Choice Properties, Information Services Corp., and Ski-Doo maker BRP Inc. (DOO) ��eople certainly aren�� bringing any gold IPOs to market. So investors are focusing on buying deals in the right markets, as opposed to the wider market which has exposure to resources.��

Hot Quality Stocks To Own For 2015: Covidien PLC (COV)

Covidien Public Limited Company is engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of healthcare products for use in clinical and home settings. It operates its businesses through three segments: Medical Devices, which includes the development, manufacture and sale of endomechanical instruments, energy devices, soft tissue repair products, vascular products, oximetry and monitoring products, airway and ventilation products; Pharmaceuticals, which includes the development, manufacture and distribution of specialty pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients, and Medical Supplies, SharpSafety products and original equipment manufacturer products. In May 2012, it acquired Newport Medical Instruments, Inc. In May 2012, it acquired superDimension, Ltd. In June 2012, the Company acquired Oridion Systems Ltd. In October 2012, its Mallinckrodt acquired CNS Therapeutics, Inc. In January 2013, the Company acquired CV Ingenuity. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Finally, Covidien (NYSE: COV  ) has also entered the renal denervation race, although this company looks to be behind St. Jude and Medtronic as the leaders. Covidien purchased small-time renal denervation player Maya Medical last year for up to $170 million including milestone payouts, and it also received European approval for its OneShot renal denervation system last year. However, Covidien only launched the OneShot commercially in January, putting it back with Boston Scientific in racing to catch up with St. Jude and Medtronic's advance.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Yet the episode led to criticism of Intuitive Surgical in other arenas. Last month, the president of a major group of OB/GYNs said that using robotic systems for hysterectomy procedures -- a significant area of potential growth for the company -- lacked data showing its usefulness and made procedures far more expensive. That could reduce sales and have an impact not just toward the end of last quarter but for future periods as well. Moreover, you can expect traditional medical-instrument makers Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) and Covidien (NYSE: COV  ) to step in to take advantage of the situation, as they stand to benefit substantially if robotics are shown to be inferior. Both J&J and Covidien supply more traditional instruments and supplies for surgical procedures, and regulators are more familiar with their safety profiles.

Hot Quality Stocks To Own For 2015: Carter's Inc.(CRI)

Carter's, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, sources, and markets branded children?s wear. The company provides products under the Carter?s, Child of Mine, Just One You, Precious Firsts, OshKosh, and related brand names. Its Carter?s brand baby products include bodysuits, pants, undershirts, towels, washcloths, receiving blankets, layette gowns, bibs, caps, and booties; playclothes products consist of knit and woven cotton apparel; sleepwear products comprise pajamas and blanket sleepers; and other products consist of bedding, outerwear, swimwear, shoes, socks, diaper bags, gift sets, toys, and hair accessories. The company also provides playclothes products, including denim apparel products, overalls, woven bottoms, knit tops, and playclothes products for sizes newborn to 12 under the OshKosh brand. In addition, it offers baby, sleepwear, outerwear, shoes, hosiery, and accessories under the OshKosh brand. The company sells its products in department stores, national chains, and specialty retailers, as well as through its Carter?s and OshKosh retail stores; and online at carters.com and oshkoshbgosh.com. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 359 Carter?s and 170 OshKosh outlet and brand retail stores in the United States; and 65 retail stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By AnnaLisa Kraft]

  Carter's (NYSE: CRI  ) , the branded marketer of baby and children's wear, is facing the headwinds of declining birthrates in the US and Canada. In the US, the crude birth rate (births per 1,000 people) has declined to levels not seen since the Great Depression: down 7% plus since 2007.Worldwide, the crude birth rate is expected to decline from the early 1950's 37.2 births to 13.4.

• [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 Carter's (NYSE: CRI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.