Best Medical Companies For 2015

It was a disingenuous promise that has come back to haunt the Obama administration.

Time after time, before and after the law went into effect, President Obama and his aides have promised that people who liked their current health insurance would be able to keep it under the Affordable Care Act.

"If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period," Obama said in a speech to the American Medical Association on June 15, 2009. "If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what."

The president and his people have repeated variations on this pledge countless times. So imagine the surprise of many Americans last week when they received notices that their health insurance policies were being canceled.

Best Medical Companies For 2015: Pharmacyclics Inc (PCYC)

Pharmacyclics, Inc., incorporated on April 19, 1991, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing small-molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer and immune mediated diseases. The Company's clinical development and product candidates are small-molecule enzyme inhibitors designed to target biochemical pathways involved in human diseases. As of June 30, 2011, it had three drug candidates under clinical development and a number of preclinical lead molecules. This includes an inhibitor of Bruton�� tyrosine kinase (Btk) (PCI-32765) in Phase II studies in hematologic malignancies; a Btk inhibitor lead optimization program targeting autoimmune indications, an inhibitor of Factor VIIa (PCI-27483) in a Phase II clinical trial in pancreatic cancer, and a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor (PCI-24781) in Phase I and II clinical trials in solid tumors and hematological malignancies as of June 30, 2012.

As of June 30, 2012, the Company developed ibrutinib, which has demonstrated clinical activity and tolerability in Phase I and Phase II clinical trials in a variety of B-cell malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and a number of non-Hodgkin�� lymphoma (NHL) subtypes. CLL, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and multiple myeloma (MM) are specific indications of its current or planned Phase Ib/II and Phase III development program. had development programs for B-cell malignancies and autoimmune diseases. For malignant indications it has developed PCI-32765, which has demonstrated clinical activity and tolerability in Phase I and Phase II clinical trials in a range of B-cell malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and a number of non-Hodgkin�� lymphoma (NHL) subtypes. CLL, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and multiple myeloma (MM) are specific indications of its Phase II development. It has developed an assay! to measure occupancy of Btk in PBMCs using a cell-permeable fluorescently-labeled derivative of PCI-32765.

Factor VII is an enzyme that becomes activated (FVIIa) by binding to the cell surface protein tissue factor (TF), a protein found in the body that helps to trigger the process of blood clotting in response to injury. TF is over expressed in many cancers including gastric, breast, colon, lung, prostate, ovarian and pancreatic cancers. In these tumors, the FVIIa/TF complex induces intracellular signaling pathways by activating protease activated receptor 2 (PAR-2), another cell-surface protein. This in turn increases the expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), a protein produced by white blood cells and other immune cells in response to pathogenic stimulation, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a signal protein produced by cells that stimulate the growth of blood vessels. Both proteins play an important role in tumor growth and metastases as well as angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels). FVIIa/TF complex also initiates the coagulation (a process by which blood forms clots) processes implicated in the high incidence of thromboembolic (the process by which the blood clots within a blood vessel) complications seen in patients with TF-expressing cancers. Thromboembolic events are a cause of death in patients with cancer and anticoagulant treatment has been shown to improve survival in a variety of cancers (Klerk et al. JCO. 2005).

PCI-27483 Factor VIIa Inhibitor

The Company�� Factor VIIa inhibitor PCI-27483 is a first-in-human small molecule inhibitor that selectively targets FVIIa. As an inhibitor of FVIIa, PCI-27483 has two potential mechanisms of action: inhibition of intracellular signaling involved in tumor growth and metastases and inhibition of early coagulation processes associated with thromboembolism.

Factor VIIa PCI-27483 Clinical Development Update

A multicenter Phase I/II of PCI-27483 in patients with locally a! dvanced o! r metastatic pancreatic cancer that are either receiving or are planned to receive gemcitabine therapy has completed enrollment. The Phase II portion of the study randomized patients to receive either gemcitabine alone or gemcitabine plus PCI-27483 (1.2 mg/kg twice daily). The objectives are to assess the safety of FVIIa Inhibitor PCI-27483 at pharmacologically active dose levels, to assess potential inhibition of tumor progression and to obtain initial information of the effects on the incidence of thromboembolic events. Due to a paradigm shift away from the use of gemcitabine alone for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, enrolling patients in this randomized study has been challenging. PCYC is evaluating other alternatives for development of this agent.

A multicenter Phase I/II of PCI-27483 in patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer that are either receiving or are planned to receive gemcitabine therapy has completed enrollment. The Phase II portion of the study randomized patients to receive either gemcitabine alone or gemcitabine plus PCI-27483 (1.2 mg/kg twice daily). PCI-27483 is covered by United States patents and patent applications and counterpart patents and patent applications in fourteen ex-United States territories, including Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia and Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Pharmacyclics Inc. (NASDAQ: PCYC) was started as Overweight with a $142 price target at J.P. Morgan. Deutsche Bank also started it with a Buy rating and a $170 price target.

• [By Anders Bylund]

  And then there's cancer drug developer Pharmacyclics (NASDAQ: PCYC  ) . This stock had been trading like a roller coaster when the poison pill quietly got the kibosh, and continued to trade sideways for another couple of years. Then Pharmacyclics' cancer treatments made some headway in FDA proceedings led by leukemia drug Ibrutinib, sending the stock on a rocket ride. Pharmacyclics' returns of 2,500% since the plan change make the S&P 500's 45% jump look like dead money. And Pharmacyclics may work together with some big partners, but remains a separate business to this day.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Last year, Pharmacyclics (NASDAQ: PCYC  ) shares gained a whopping 280%. That was enough to land the biotech a spot on The Motley Fool's list of top health-care stocks in 2012. How is 2013 looking so far? Shares have gained more than 30% year to date but have been anemic since early March.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What's perhaps more remarkable is the fact that Pharmacyclics (NASDAQ: PCYC  ) has three of those 23 approved breakthrough therapy designations for its lead experimental drug, ibrutinib. Ibrutinib, which is also licensed to Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals, was designated as a breakthrough therapy for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma, and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. The big potential indication here is CLL, which is the most common adulthood leukemia and occurs in 113,000 people in the U.S. By comparison, MCL diagnoses number about 5,000 each year.

Best Medical Companies For 2015: Cadus Corp (KDUS)

Cadus Corporation (Cadus), incorporated in January 23, 1992, has a wholly owned subsidiary, Cadus Technologies, Inc. (the Subsidiary), which holds all patents, patent applications, know how, licenses and drug discovery technologies of the Company. The Company maintains all its strains, as well as a biological database that catalogues its collection of cells, cell lines, yeast strains and genetic engineering tools. This database has approximately 30,000 entries, which include the phenotype and the genotype of the cell or yeast strain and its storage site. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had no internal or external drug discovery operations.

Yeast

The Company has developed technologies based on yeast that are useful in identifying drug discovery candidates targeted at G Protein-coupled receptors. Yeast is a single-celled microorganism that is used to make bread, beer and wine. Both yeast and human cells consist of a membrane, an intracellular region and a nucleus containing genes. The genes in yeast express proteins, including cell-surface receptors, such as G Protein-coupled receptors and signaling molecules, such as protein kinases, that are similar to human proteins.

Hybrid Yeast Cells

The Company developed a technology to insert human genes into yeast cells to create hybrid yeast cells. Its scientists created hybrid yeast cells by replacing yeast G Protein-coupled receptor genes and certain signaling molecules with their human equivalents. As a result, these hybrid yeast cells express a human G Protein-coupled receptor and a portion of its signaling pathway. These hybrid yeast cells can be used to identify those compounds that act as agonists or antagonists to that receptor or a molecule that is in its signaling pathway. The Company designed and developed more than 25 thousand genetically different yeast strains that can be used to build hybrid yeast cells (the Yeast System).

The Company competes with Glaxo Smith Kline, Plc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon] cash producing business like ADDvantage (AEY) that happens to be overcapitalized. I'd much rather own a business with real earnings rather than wait for something to happen with a pile of cash.

  My question is this: How cheap is cheap enough? Clearly (to me), George Risk (RSKIA) is cheap at or even just above book value. It's a darn good business so I'm getting high quality assets and earnings power. That gets less clear when looking at lower quality businesses.

  For example:

  Solitron (SODI) sells at 74% of NCAV, has decent z- and f-scores, a FCF margin of 5.3% and an ROA of 12%.

Best Restaurant Companies To Own In Right Now: Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TARO)

Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., incorporated in 1959, is a science-based pharmaceutical company. The Company develops manufactures, and markets prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical products, primarily in the United States, Canada and Israel. The Company also develops and manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), primarily for use in its finished dosage form products. The Company�� primary areas of focus include pediatric creams and ointments, liquids, capsules and tablets, mainly in the dermatological and topical, cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric and anti-inflammatory therapeutic categories. The Company operates through three companies: Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Taro Israel), and two of its subsidiaries (including indirect), Taro Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Taro Canada) and Taro U.S.A. The Company markets more than 180 pharmaceutical products in over 25 countries.

Taro Israel manufactures more than 160 finished dosage form pharmaceutical products for sale in Israel and for export. It produces APIs used in the manufacture of finished dosage form pharmaceutical products. It markets and distributes generic products in the local Israeli market. Taro Israel�� primary product lines include dermatology, prescription and OTC semi-solid products (creams, ointments and gels) and liquids; cardiology and neurology, prescription oral dosage products; oral analgesics, both prescription and OTC, and OTC oral and nasal sprays and ophthalmic products.

Taro Canada manufactures more than 70 finished dosage form pharmaceutical products for sale in Canada and for export. It markets and distributes generic products in the local Canadian market. Its product line includes dermatology: prescription and OTC semi-solid products (creams, ointments and gels) and liquids, cardiology, oncology, gastrointestinal and neurology: prescription oral and injects able dosage products, and allergy (antihistamine): OTC oral dosage products.

Taro U.S.A markets! and distributes generic products in the United States market. Its primary product lines include dermatology: prescription and OTC semi-solid products (creams, ointments and gels) and liquids, cardiology and neurology: prescription oral dosage products, and other prescription and OTC products.

The Company competes with Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer/Wyeth, Valeant, Galderma, Merck/Schering-Plough, Teva Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Mylan Laboratories, Perrigo Company, Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc., Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, Merck Canada Inc., Pfizer Canada Inc., Janssen Inc., Schering-Plough Canada, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Bayer Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada, Apotex Inc., Teva Canada Limited, Mylan Pharmaceuticals ULC, Sandoz Canada Incorporated, Pharmascience Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Perrigo Israel Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Dexxon Ltd., Rafa Laboratories Ltd., Bayer AG, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck & Co., Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Israeli drugmaker Taro Pharmaceutical Industries (NYSE: TARO  ) has a new CEO -- and a new Chairman of the Board, as well.

  On Thursday, Taro announced the imminent retirement of Interim Chief Executive Officer Mr. James Kedrowsk, who will be replaced August 1 by new permanent CEO Mr. Kalyanasundaram Subramanian ("Kal Sundaram"). Additionally, the company said that Dilip Shanghvi�has been appointed Chairman of its Board of Directors.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Teva has dropped 7.7% to $37.85 today at 3:23 p.m. but doesn’t seem to be spreading though the generic drug space. Taro Pharmaceuticals (TARO) ha gained 1.1% to $79, while Actavis (ACT) has gained 1.2% to $156.25 and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (RDY) has advanced 1% to $40.24. Mylan (MYL) has dropped 0.7% to $38.40.

Best Medical Companies For 2015: Sunshine Heart Inc (SSH)

Sunshine Heart, Inc., incorporated on August 22, 2002, is an early-stage medical device company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing its C-Pulse Heart Assist System for treatment of Class III and ambulatory Class IV heart failure. The C-Pulse Heart Assist System utilizes the scientific principles of intra-aortic balloon counter-pulsation applied in an extra-aortic approach to assist the left ventricle by reducing the workload required to pump blood throughout the body, while increasing blood flow to the coronary arteries. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was in the process of obtaining regulatory approvals necessary to sell its product.

The Company has developed tools to allow the C-Pulse to be implanted through a small pacemaker-like incision between the patient�� ribs and sternum rather than a sternotomy. Patients implanted through its minimally invasive procedure require a hospital stay of four to seven days in connection with implantation of the C-Pulse System, after which they return home. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company completed enrollment and implantation of 20 patients in the North American feasibility phase of its trial. In April 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an expansion protocol to allow the Company to implant up to 20 additional patients and add two additional centers to its feasibility study.

The Company competes with Thoratec Corporation, HeartWare International Inc., CircuLite, Inc., CardioKinetix, Inc., AbioMed, Inc., Jarvik Heart, Inc., MicroMed Technology, Inc., SynCardia Systems, Inc., Terumo Heart, Inc., WorldHeart Corporation in the United States and Europe, and Berlin Heart GmbH in Europe.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap heart stocks Sunshine Heart Inc (NASDAQ: SSH), Abiomed, Inc (NASDAQ: ABMD) and AtriCure Inc (NASDAQ: ATRC) each find different ways go to the heart of the problem for cardiac�patients and have all been good performers for investors this year. After all and according to statistics collected by the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women as about 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year���accounting�for 1 in every 4 deaths. Moreover, roughly 715,000 Americans have a heart attack every year and�ff these, 525,000 are a first heart attack and 190,000 happen to people who have already had one. In other words, there is a big market for the following small cap heart stocks to address:

Best Medical Companies For 2015: Alcobra Ltd (ADHD)

Alcobra Ltd is an Israel-based Biopharmaceutical company. It focuses on the development and commercialization of a proprietary drug, MG01CI, to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a common and morbid neuropsychiatric condition in children and adults. Adult ADHD is associated with increased health risks and healthcare costs, higher divorce rates, lower levels of socioeconomic attainment, lower academic achievement, unemployment and work place deficits, increased risks for motor vehicle accidents, greater likelihood of additional psychiatric disorders, increased criminal activity and incarceration, and higher rates of substance use and abuse. MG01CI product has completed phase two studies. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  For example, a phase 3 clinical trial on metadoxine extended release as a treatment for adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will be finishing up at the end of this year. Positive data could give the stock a huge boost.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  A biopharmaceutical stock that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Alcobra (ADHD), which is engaged in the development and commercialization of its proprietary drug, MG01CI, to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This stock has been on fire so far in 2013, with shares up huge by 126%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Alcobra, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways and consolidating over the last month and change, with shares moving between $14.78 on the downside and $18.75 on the upside. Shares of ADHD have now started to uptrend a bit over the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $15.05 to its recent high of $18.45 share. That move has started to push shares of ADHD within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ADHD if it manages to break out above its 50-day moving average of $17.79 a share, and then once it takes out some more key overhead resistance levels at $18.45 to $18.75 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 74,869 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ADHD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $22 to $24 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give ADHD a chance to re-test or possibly take out its all-time high at $26.96 a share.

  Traders can look to buy ADHD off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some near-term support levels at $16.17 to $15.05 a share, or around $14.78 a share. One could also buy ADHD off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Best Medical Companies For 2015: DENTSPLY International Inc.(XRAY)

DENTSPLY International Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and markets dental consumable products, dental laboratory products, and dental specialty products worldwide. The company?s dental consumable products include dental sundries, such as dental anesthetics, prophylaxis pastes, dental sealants, impression materials, restorative materials, tooth whiteners, and topical fluoride; and small equipment, including high and low speed handpieces, intraoral curing light systems, dental diagnostic systems, and ultrasonic scalers and polishers used in dental offices for the treatment of patients. Its dental laboratory products comprise dental prosthetics, including artificial teeth, precious metal dental alloys, dental ceramics, and crown and bridge materials, as well as equipment, such as computer aided machining ceramic systems and porcelain furnaces used in the preparation of dental appliances by dental laboratories. The company?s dental specialty products consist of endodonti c instruments and materials, implants and related products, bone grafting materials, 3D digital implantology, and orthodontic appliances and accessories. Its customers include dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental laboratories, and dental schools. The company distributes its dental products directly to dental laboratories and dental professionals, as well as through distributors, dealers, and importers. DENTSPLY International Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in York, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  DENTSPLY International (NASDAQ: XRAY) shares touched a new 52-week high of $47.65. DENTSPLY's trailing-twelve-month ROE is 15.95%.

  Sun Life Financial (NYSE: SLF) shares gained 2.47% to create a new 52-week high of $34.80 on Q3 results. Sun Life reported its Q3 operating net income from continuing operations of $422 million.

• [By John Udovich]

  Yesterday, small cap dental stock BIOLASE Inc (NASDAQ: BIOL) surged 17.69% after announcing it had received a license from the Health Canada-Medical Device Bureau to sell its EPIC dental soft-tissue diode laser systems throughout Canada, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of mid cap dental stocks like Sirona Dental Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: SIRO), DENTSPLY International Inc (NASDAQ: XRAY) and Align Technology, Inc (NASDAQ: ALGN).

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Align have surged 24% to $57 at 12:37 p.m. Sirona Dental Systems (SIRO) has risen 0.8% to $69.61, Dentsply International (XRAY) is up 0.1% at $45.44, Integra Lifesciences (IART) has� gained 0.4% to $44.23 and Danaher (DHR) has fallen 0.3% to $72.13.

Best Medical Companies For 2015: Furiex Pharmaceuticals Inc (FURX)

Furiex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a drug development collaboration company. The Company�� product pipeline includes two marketed products and three programs in development, including late-stage compounds, in multiple therapeutic areas. Its programs include Priligy, Alogliptin Nesina, Alogliptin/Actose Combination, Alogliptin/Metformin Combination, Fluoroquinolone, Mu Delta and PPD 10558. In November 2011, it acquired full exclusive license rights to develop and commercialize the compound MuDelta under its existing development and license agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V.

Priligy (dapoxetine) is a drug developed for the on-demand treatment of premature ejaculation (PE). Dapoxetine is a short-acting, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) designed to be taken only when needed one to three hours before sexual intercourse is anticipated rather than every day. Nesina (alogliptin) is a drug for the oral treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Alogliptin is a DPP-4 inhibitor that slows the inactivation of incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP).

Fluoroquinolone drug candidate is a Phase II-ready novel fluoroquinolone antibiotic that is being developed by the Company for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections, such as abscesses that occur deep in the skin layers and respiratory infections. This antibiotic has a spectrum of activity and is able to treat methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. The Company is developing both oral and intravenous (IV) formulations. The Company is developing Mu Delta for treatment of diarrheal predominant irritable bowel syndrome (d-IBS). The Company is conducting a Phase II study on an oral formulation of Mu Delta.

The Company is developing PPD 10558 for the treatment of dyslipidemia. PPD 10558 has shown muscle safety in preclinical studies by minimizing the delivery of the drug to the muscle. The Company has filed an inve! stigational new drug (IND) application with the United States Food and Drug Association and completed five clinical studies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]

  Forest Laboratories Inc.(FRX) agreed to acquire Furiex Pharmaceuticals(FURX) in a deal worth up to $1.33 billion that expands Forest Labs’ presence in gastroenterology. Furiex surged 28% to $102.21 premarket.

• [By CRWE]

  Furiex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:FURX) reported dosing of the first patient in its Phase III randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies evaluating efficacy, safety and tolerability of MuDelta (JNJ-27018966) in the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D).

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Top Headline
  Forest Laboratories (NYSE: FRX) announced its plans to buy Furiex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: FURX) for up to $1.46 billion. Forest will pay around $95 per share, or around $1.1 billion in cash. Forest Labs will also pay up to $30 per share, or around $360 million in a contingent value right. The deal is projected to close in the second or third quarter of 2014.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Furiex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: FURX) shares moved up 28.41% to $102.92. The volume of Furiex Pharmaceuticals shares traded was 2285% higher than normal. Forest Labs (NYSE: FRX) announced its plans to buy Furiex Pharma for up to $1.46 billion.

Best Medical Companies For 2015: IsoRay Inc (ISR)

IsoRay, Inc. (IsoRay), incorporated on June 15, 2004, develops, manufactures and sells isotope-based medical products and devices for the treatment of cancer and other malignant diseases. IsoRay International LLC (International) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. IsoRay obtained clearance from the Food and Drug Association (FDA) for treatment for all solid tumor applications using Cesium-131. Such applications include prostate cancer; ocular melanoma; head, neck and lung tumors; breast cancer; liver cancer; brain cancer; colorectal cancer; gynecological cancer; esophageal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. The seed may be used in surface, interstitial and intracavity applications for tumors with known radio sensitivity. The Company has an existing distribution agreement with UralDial LLC (UralDial) that allows UralDial to distribute Proxcelan Cs-131 brachytherapy seeds in Russia. The Company, through UralDial, has regulatory approval to sell Cs-131 seeds in Russia.

IsoRay markets the Proxcelan Cesium-131 brachytherapy seed for the treatment of prostate cancer; lung cancer; ocular melanoma; head and neck cancers; colorectal cancer, brain cancer; and gynecological cancer. The Company focuses to market Cesium-131 for the treatment of other malignant disease, such as breast cancer, in the near future through the use of existing technologies that have received FDA-clearance. Cesium-131 is a radioactive isotope that can be produced by the neutron bombardment of Barium-130 (Ba-130). When placed into a nuclear reactor and exposed to a flux of neutrons, Ba-130 becomes Ba-131, the radioactive material that is the parent isotope of Cesium-131. The radioactive isotope Cesium-131 is normally produced by placing a quantity of stable non-radioactive barium (ideally barium enriched in isotope Ba-130) into the neutron flux of a nuclear reactor. The irradiation process converts a small fraction of this material into a radioactive form of barium (Ba-131). The Ba-131 decays by electron capture to the ! radioactive isotope of interest (Cesium-131).

As of June 30, 2011, IsoRay had agreements with several independent radiopharmacies to assay, preload, and sterilize loose seeds. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, the Company loaded approximately 90% of Mick cartridges in the Company's own facility, which accounted for approximately 61% of seeds sold. Approximately 33% of seeds sold are strand configurations, including strands preloaded in needles and the remaining 6% of seeds are sold as loose seeds.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Ugh. It's fun to be right about a stock, but it's exhausting to be too right, too fast. Case in Point? IsoRay, Inc. (NYSE: ISR). Yours truly posted some bullish comments on ISR just a couple of days ago, explaining how that day's move above a key ceiling meant a new bull trend was underway, and more gains from that price would be far easier to muster. Well, good news for those who heeded the advice - IsoRay shares are up 44% today.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  I hate to be the one to say I told you so, but, I told you so. Back on February 26th I suggested IsoRay, Inc. (NYSEMKT:ISR) shares were a budding breakout play. The 48% rally that's played out for ISR in the meantime unfurled right on cue. While overbought in the very short run, this small cap stock looks like it's earning the right to be compared to the likes of bigger brothers in the cancer-treatment space... names like Roche Holding Ltd. (OTCMKTS:RHHBY) or Theragenics Corporation (NYSE:TGX).

• [By Vanina Egea]

  Strengthening portfolio and business stability is to be reinforced by the introduction of new products. Last December, Textron announced the successful first flight of the Scorpion Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)/Strike aircraft. ��he Scorpion compares very favorably to more costly aircraft currently used for low-threat missions,��pilot Dan Hinson said. The new product is expected to accommodate the budget constraints and shifting mission requirements of the US Department of Defense. The same department has granted the firm an additional contract worth $22.5 million to "deprocess" Mobile Strike Force vehicles and train the Afghan Army.

Top 10 Value Companies To Invest In 2015

LONDON -- Using a collection of criteria such as returns on capital employed and the free cash flow to asset ratio, I have attempted to identify the highest-quality companies on the market today. Here are three of the biggest qualifiers.

1. NEXT
Clothing retailer�NEXT� (LSE: NXT  ) is fast growing profits from its online operations. Growth from web sales contributed nearly all the profit growth produced last year.

In the last five years, NEXT has grown dividends per share at an average rate of 13.8% a year. In that time, earnings have been rising by an average of 12.1% a year. NEXT is forecast to increase earnings and dividends for the next two years, at an expected rate between 7% and 11% per year.

What makes NEXT's achievements so notable is the fact that in recent years, sales growth has been modest. Fortunately for value seekers, the shares trade on a 2013 P/E of 13.9 -- that's less than the average FTSE 100 stock.

2. Reed Elsevier�
Reed Elsevier� (LSE: REL  ) (NYSE: RUK  ) is a provider of "professional information solutions." Products include leading industry journals -- Reed Elsevier is publisher of both�The Lancet�and�Gray's Anatomy.

Top 10 Value Companies To Invest In 2015: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

Tupperware Brands Corporation operates as a direct seller of various products across a range of brands and categories through an independent sales force. The company engages in the manufacture and sale of kitchen and home products, and beauty and personal care products. It offers preparation, storage, and serving solutions for the kitchen and home, as well as kitchen cookware and tools, children?s educational toys, microwave products, and gifts under the Tupperware brand name primarily in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company provides beauty and personal care products, which include skin care products, cosmetics, bath and body care, toiletries, fragrances, nutritional products, apparel, and related products principally in Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Uruguay. It offers beauty and personal care products under the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo, and Swissgar de brand names. The company sells its Tupperware products directly to distributors, directors, managers, and dealers; and beauty products primarily through consultants and directors. As of December 26, 2009, the Tupperware distribution system had approximately 1,800 distributors, 61,300 managers, and 1.3 million dealers; and the sales force representing the Beauty businesses approximately 1.1 million. The company was formerly known as Tupperware Corporation and changed its name to Tupperware Brands Corporation in December 2005. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Dow Chemical Co.(DOW), Tupperware Brands Corp.(TUP) and Yahoo Inc.(YHOO)

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Where growth will come from
  One area that Newell Rubbermaid still has to tap fully is emerging markets. The company has done a good job of expanding overseas, with 17% annual growth in Latin America. But with barely a quarter of its sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada, the company has a lot further to go. Storage rival Tupperware (NYSE: TUP  ) gets fully 60% of its total revenue from emerging markets, and it too has seen impressive gains in South America as well as the Asia-Pacific region.

Top 10 Value Companies To Invest In 2015: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Taylor Muckerman and Joel South]

  Gulf of Mexico delivering boatloads of profit
  Already, several companies have spoken glowingly about activity levels in the Gulf of Mexico. Not just drillers like Noble Corp (NYSE: NE  ) �but also equipment and service companies like Halliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) . What we are seeing here is a steady increase in both dayrates and utilization rates, which are both�very�positive signs for drillship operators.

5 Best Building Product Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Finally, Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) shares have fallen 1.9% today, putting it near the bottom of the index as well. This company's earnings also disappointed investors, and the international slowdown in Europe, China, and other leading economies has crippled Caterpillar's outlook. While there are signs of hope for the firm in the U.S. housing rebound, until China's economy picks up steam from its current lackluster growth -- or until some other economic mover and shaker fills the void -- Caterpillar will continue to feel the pressure.

• [By Blake Bos]

  In the video below, Motley Fool industrials analyst Blake Bos takes a question posted on Facebook about Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) from a Motley Fool reader, who writes: "What's the two year outlook? I am so confused about where their revenue comes from. They make truck engines, locomotives, mining, agriculture, they have too many competitors for me to understand where they are strong, weak, improving or falling behind. What do I do with my CAT? Move the dollars to my mutual fund? It is all in a Roth IRA."

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The S&P 500 dropped 0.5% to 1,781.56 as Xerox (XRX) and E*Trade Financial (ETFC) fell. The�Dow Jones Industrial Average outperformed for once: Blue chips fell 0.3% to 15,837.88 as Caterpillar’s (CAT) big gain helped mitigate the big drops in Visa (V) and Goldman Sachs (GS). Still, the Dow fell for a fifth consecutive day, its longest slide since Dec. 5, 2013.

Top 10 Value Companies To Invest In 2015: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steven Russolillo]

  WATCH FOR:�Weekly Jobless Claims (8:30 a.m. Eastern Time): seen 310K; previously 297K. May Markit “Flash” PMI (9:45). April Existing Home Sales (10:00): seen +2.0% at 2.68M; previously -0.2% at 4.59M. April Leading Index (10:00): seen +0.5%; previously +0.8%. May Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Survey (11:00): seen 8; previously 7. Aeropostale, Best Buy(BBY), Borcade, Buckle, Dollar Tree(DLTR), GameStop(GME), Gap(GPS), Hewlett-Packard(HPQ), Marvell Tech(MRVL), Mentor Graphics(MENT), Ross Stores(ROST) and TiVo are among companies scheduled to report quarterly results.

• [By Demitrios Kalogeropoulos]

  Costly market share gains
  The problem is that Family Dollar has had to pay up for its increasing market share and sales levels. The company's gross profit margin fell by more than a full percentage point, to 34.7% last quarter. In contrast, Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR  ) booked an expansion of profits, to 35.2%, continuing a trend that's seen it pull away from Family Dollar.

Best Building Product Stocks To Watch Right Now

Best Building Product Stocks To Watch Right Now: Pacific Ethanol Inc.(PEIX)

Pacific Ethanol, Inc. produces and markets low carbon renewable fuels in the United States. It sells ethanol to gasoline refining and distribution companies; provides ethanol transportation, storage, and delivery services in the Western United States, primarily in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, and Washington; and markets ethanol co-products, including wet distiller grains and syrup to dairy operators and animal feed distributors. The company also provides operations, maintenance, and accounting services to a cellulosic integrated bio-refinery in Boardman, Oregon. Pacific Ethanol, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Sacramento, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Energy shares dropped by 0.26 percent in the US market today. Among the sector stocks, Endeavour International (NYSE: END) was down more than 5.6 percent, while Pacific Ethanol (NASDAQ: PEIX) tumbled around 2.2 percent.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Have you ever noticed how the worst time to get into a stock is when the buzz is the loudest, while the best time to sneak into a stock is when nobody's talking about it? Yeah, well, you can add Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ:PEIX) to the list of names that's pretty much fooled everyone, then, and now. PEIX was all the rage five years ago, and ended up getting trashed between 2007 and 2008. Despite repeated attempts to get, multiple headaches for the ethanol industry just never let the stock pick itself up. Now, a full year after anybody stopped caring about the stock (bearishly or bullishly), and Pacific Ethanol has quietly doled out a huge 200% gain since November.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Ethanol producers and farmers are the losers and the RFA is steaming mad. The group claims that the "E! PA is proposing to place the nation's renewable energy policy in the hands of the oil companies." Producers like Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE: ADM), Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX), and The Andersons Inc. (NASDAQ: ANDE) don't have an oil refining business to offset the proposed cuts to ethanol volumes.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-building-product-stocks-to-watch-right-now.html

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.

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now

How can fledgling financial planners successfully roll out a financial advisory practice? By planning ahead, and prioritizing five key elements of a solid practice: financing, team-building, technology, sales and marketing.

The real risk for financial advisors, however, is accepting the status quo, and doing nothing at all to streamline and improve their practices. Financial planners can't afford that risk, given the growing size of the industry competition.

Consider this - according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) - the number of U.S.-based personal financial advisors will grow 32% from 2010 to 2020, which the BLS says is "much faster than the average for all occupations."

This pending growth is attributed to burgeoning demand from Baby Boomers for retirement advice as they grow closer to their Golden Years. To stand out from all that competition, financial advisors need to consider their businesses as dynamic ones - i.e., businesses that need to grow and improve all the time.

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: Ishares Msci Italy Index Fund (EWI)

iShares MSCI Italy Index Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of publicly traded securities in the aggregate in the Italian market, as measured by the MSCI Italy Index (the Index). The Index seeks to measure the performance of the Italian equity market. The Index is a capitalization-weighted index that aims to capture 85% of the (publicly available) total market capitalization. Component companies are adjusted for available float and must meet objective criteria for inclusion in the Index. The Index is reviewed quarterly.

The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  4. Italy
  Some developed markets have also outperformed the Dow Jones Industrials. Italy's market is up 14%, and even the euro's weakness has given U.S. investors in iShares MSCI Italy (NYSEMKT: EWI  ) a 12% gain. Europe has made progress toward emerging from recession, and Italy has recovered more than some of its economically healthier peers because of the close brush with sovereign-debt issues that cut confidence in the Mediterranean nation's stock market substantially. As long as the government can keep debt under control, Italy could keep outperforming the Dow.

• [By Tom Aspray]

  This is quite a bit better than the 9.2% gain of the iShares MSCI Italy (EWI) or the 8.9% rise in the iShares MSCI Austria (EWO). All three have done significantly better than the Spyder Trust (SPY), which is up 3.6%. The French and German country ETFs have not yet moved above their late 2013 highs.

• [By Dan Caplinger and Mike Klesta]

  In the following video, Fool markets analyst Mike Klesta talks with Fool contributor Dan Caplinger about three countries with particularly high unemployment rates. As Dan notes, even though the employment picture in Europe is ugly, one of these three countries has made some progress toward getting unemployment under control. Dan also weighs in with some investment ideas for those seeking to bet on a turnaround in Europe, with thoughts for both ETF investors and those who prefer individual stocks (NYSEMKT: EWI  ) .

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: DMH International Inc (DMHI)

DMH International, Inc. (DMH), incorporated on June 2, 2010, is a development-stage company. The Company focuses on creating specialty t-shirts and other casual and active clothing geared toward the Hispanic community. It focuses to develop, brand and market an entire apparel line named Dale Mas. On June 7, 2010, the Company acquired Dale Mas. Its initial products consist of two different men's shirts. First men�� shirts is a basic t-shirt made from 100% cotton. The second men�� shirt is 70% rayon, 30% polyester button-up shirt. In February 2013, it acquired Touch Medical Solutions, Inc.

The Company focuses on designing and retailing of casual apparel. It focuses on developing a Website www.dale-mas.com , to market and deliver products to anyone with an Internet connection and a shipping address. During the Fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, the Company did not generate any revenue.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Frontier Beverage Company Inc (OTCMKTS: FBEC), IMD Companies Inc (OTCMKTS: ICBU) and Dmh International Incorporated (OTCBB: DMHI) were all mimicking the Titanic last Friday by sinking 41.18%, 32.5% and 28.16%, respectively, last Friday. Moreover, all three of these stocks have been the subject of paid promotions or investor relation campaigns. With the promotions in mind, is it to late to dump these small cap stocks or will this week present a buying opportunity? Here is a closer look:

Top 5 Diversified Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: Poseidon Nickel Ltd (POS)

Poseidon Nickel Limited is an Australia-based company engaged in exploration, mining and production of Nickel and other minerals. The Company�� Windarra nickel project, includes an implied ore reserve (mineable resource) of 3,446,000 ore tons at an average grade of 1.79% nickel for 61,500 nickel metal tons and has a mine life of six years. Cerberus is closely located to Poseidon�� existing operations approximately 10.5 kilometers south of the Mt Windarra nickel mine. In September 2011, Poseidon entered into an earn-in agreement with Magma Metals Limited (Magma) for nickel, copper and PGE rights to a tenement package adjoining its Windarra Nickel Project (WNP). The new tenements cover 203 square kilometers. The Company�� subsidiaries include Poseidon Nickel Atlantis Operations Pty Ltd, Poseidon Nickel Olympia Operations Pty Ltd and Wells Gold Corporation (International) Pty Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By jaggom]

  NetSuite acquired Retail Anywhere recently that sells point of sale (POS) retail software and software solutions to multi-channel retail stores. The acquisition allowed NetSuite to grow its presence in stores. Retail Anywhere�� cloud capabilities will compile transactions from across stores, and integrate them with back-end support systems of businesses and offer customers a complete solution.

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc.(FCX)

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. engages in the exploration, mining, and production of mineral resources. The company primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and cobalt. It holds interests in various properties, located in North and South America; the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; and the Tenke Fungurume minerals district in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As of December 31, 2010, the company?s consolidated recoverable proven and probable reserves totaled 120.5 billion pounds of copper, 35.5 million ounces of gold, 3.39 billion pounds of molybdenum, 325.0 million ounces of silver, and 0.75 billion pounds of cobalt. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Smith]

  Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX  ) , the world's largest publicly traded copper producer, has reported reduced earnings for the first quarter of this year. But with copper sales surprising on the upside -- albeit amid lower prices -- the company was able to top the consensus per-share earnings estimate of the analysts who follow it.

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: NewLead Holdings Ltd.(NEWL)

NewLead Holdings Ltd. operates as an international shipping company that owns and operates product tankers and dry bulk carriers. It operates in two segments, Wet Operations and Dry Operations. The Wet Operations segment transports various refined petroleum products simultaneously in segregated coated cargo tanks that include gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, naphtha, and gas oil. The Dry Operations segment involves in transporting and handling bulk cargoes through ownership, operation, and trading of vessels. As of August 2, 2011, the company operated a fleet of 6 double-hull product tankers and 16 dry bulk vessels. The company was formerly known as Aries Maritime Transport Limited and changed its name to NewLead Holdings Ltd. in December 2009. NewLead Holdings Ltd. was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Athens, Greece.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Back in early November, yours truly penned some bullish thoughts on FreeSeas Inc. (NASDAQ:FREE), NewLead Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:NEWL), and DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS). While each stock has its own merits, the crux of the bullishness was ultimately rooted in the brewing rebound of the Baltic Dry Index... a reflection of the prices companies pay shippers like FreeSeas and DryShips to haul goods over the ocean.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  To say the last few weeks have been disappointing ones for shareholders of maritime shipping stocks like NewLead Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:NEWL), FreeSeas Inc. (NASDAQ:FREE), or Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX) would be an understatement. After a fantastic second half of 2013 for most shipping stocks, the industry has been submerged (metaphorically) since the beginning of 2014. For perspective, DSX gained 32% over the course of the last six months of 2013, bur has fallen 5% since then. NEWL, though a loser all throughout the latter part of last year, has fallen a whopping 13% since 2014 began. FREE has performed about the same, offering glimmers of hope in the latter part of 2013, but popping that bubble in the meantime.

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: Alliance One International Inc (AOI)

Alliance One International, Inc., incorporated on October 19, 1994, is a leaf tobacco merchant. The Company is engaged in purchasing, processing, packing, storing and shipping tobacco to manufacturers of cigarettes and other consumer tobacco products globally. The Company deals primarily in flue-cured, burley, and oriental tobaccos that is used in international brand cigarettes. The Company�� revenues are primarily comprised of sales of processed tobacco and fees charged for processing and related services to these manufacturers of tobacco products. The Company does not manufacture cigarettes or other consumer tobacco products.

Tobacco is primarily purchased directly from suppliers with small quantities still sold at auction. In non-auction markets, the Company purchases tobacco directly from suppliers and the Company assumes the risk of matching the quantities and grades required by its customers to the entire crop it must purchase under contract. The Company purchases tobacco in more than 35 countries. During the year ended March 31, 2013 (fiscal 2013), approximately 30% of the Company�� purchases of tobacco were from the South America operating segment, approximately 5% were from the Value Added Services operating segment and approximately 65% from the Other Regions operating segment.

The Company processes tobacco to meet each customer's specifications as to quality, yield, chemistry, particle size, moisture content and other characteristics. Unprocessed tobacco is a semi-perishable commodity that generally must be processed within a relatively short period of time to prevent fermentation or deterioration in quality. The Company processes tobacco in more than 35 owned and third-party facilities around the world including Argentina, Brazil, China, Zimbabwe, Jordan, Guatemala, India, Tanzania, the United States, Malawi, Thailand, Germany, Indonesia, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. These facilities encompass all export locations of flue-cured, burley and oriental tobaccos! . In addition, the Company has entered into contracts, joint ventures and other arrangements for the purchase of tobacco grown in substantially all other countries that produce export-quality flue-cured and burley tobacco. The Company also sells a small amount of processed but unthreshed flue-cured and burley tobacco in loose-leaf and bundle form to certain customers. In 2013, Alliance One delivered approximately 41% of its tobacco sales to customers in Europe and approximately 19% to customers in the United States. In 2013, these Belgium sales accounted for 20% of sales to customers in Europe. The Company ships tobacco to manufacturers of cigarettes and other consumer tobacco products located in approximately 90 countries around the world as designated by these manufacturers.

The Company competes with Japan Tobacco, Inc. (JTI), Philip Morris International, Inc. (PMI), and Imperial Tobacco Group PLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Emerson]

  Camtek was an automated optical inspection (AOI) company that designed and manufactured inspection systems for printed circuit boards (PCB). Further, they were in the process of designing systems to inspect semiconductors as well. The logic for investing in AOI companies was simple: Many circuit boards still employed visual inspection and circuits were getting smaller every year.

• [By Sally Jones] ng>Predictability: 1 out of 5 Stars

  Down 12% over 12 months, Alliance One International Inc. has a market cap of $251.53 million; its shares were traded at around $2.86, which is 2.4% above its 52-week low. The P/E ratio is 65.10, and the P/B ratio is 0.80.

  Alliance One is a tobacco leaf supplier serving the world's largest cigarette manufacturers. The company purchases, processes, packs, stores and ships tobacco to manufacturers of cigarettes and other consumer tobacco products throughout the world. Alliance One deals mainly in tobacco types used in international brand cigarettes. As a tobacco leaf merchant, Alliance One purchases tobacco grown in over 45 countries and serves cigarette manufacturers in over 90 countries.

  The company reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2013, with a net loss of $36.9 million, down further from a net loss in the same quarter last year of 30.7 million. The net loss translates to $(0.42) per basic share for the reporting quarter.

  Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:

  [ Enlarge Image ]

  Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Seth Klarman holds 7,669,969 shares, valued at $29.14 million, and weighting his portfolio at 0.72%. In the second quarter, he sold 461,625 shares at an average price of $3.74 for a loss of 23.5%.

  In six quarters of double-digit losses, Klarman has averaged a loss of 31% on 5,800,000 shares bought at an average price of $4.17 per share. He has averaged a loss of 38% on 1,798,473 shares sold at an average price of $4.59 per share.

  Seth Klarman is one of six gurus holding AOI as of June 30, 2013, and there is recent insider trading.

  Kinross Gold Corporation (KGC)

  Predictability: 1 out of 5 Stars

  Down 54% over 12 months, Kinross Gold Corporation has a market cap of $5.32 billion; its shares were traded at around $4.66, 2.8% above its 52-week low. The P/B ratio is 0.80. The dividend yield is 3.44%.

  Kinross Gold Corporati

• [By John Emerson]

  As noted previously, I rode the elevator up and then back down on Camtek (CAMT), a tiny Israeli automated optical inspection (AOI) company. By late 2008 the company had fallen to below $1 per share. Both of Camtek�� larger rivals, RTEC and ORBK, had dropped to absurdly low levels by November 2008. I used the opportunity to switch out of CAMT and some of my other losing propositions in favor of these superior companies. In the process, I created a large amount of tax loss carry-forwards which would allow me to minimize my future taxation when I decided to sell these cyclical entities.

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: NanoViricides Inc (NNVC)

NanoViricides, Inc., incorporated on April 1, 2005, is a development-stage company. The Company is a nano-biopharmaceutical (nanomedicine) company whose business goals are to discover, develop and commercialize therapeutics to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening viral infections. The Company has several drugs in various stages of early development. The Company�� drugs are based on several patents, patent applications, provisional patent applications, and other property held by TheraCour Pharma, Inc. (TheraCou), to which the Company has exclusive licenses in perpetuity for the treatment of human viral diseases: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Influenza including Asian Bird Flu Virus (INF), Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), and Rabies. As of June 30, 2012, the Company had six drug development programs: Oral FluCideTM, against all Influenzas; a Piggy-back version of Flucide for hospitalized patients; nanoviricide eye drops against adenoviral EKC and herpes keratitis; HIVCide - I against HIV/AIDS; HerpeCide - I skin cream formulation for herpes cold sores and genital warts, and DengueCide, a broad spectrum nanoviricide designed to attack all types of dengue viruses and expected to be effective in the Severe Dengue Disease syndromes including Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHS) and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS). As of June 30, 2012, it had engaged in organizational activities, sourcing compounds and materials, developing novel compounds and nanomaterials, and experimentation with studies on cell cultures and animals. In September 2011, NanoViricides Inc's Inno-Haven LLC acquired a light industrial building.

The Company's product development programs are divided into three sectors: commercially important diseases, neglected tropical diseases (NTD��) and biosecurity/biodefense, and advanced technologies. The Company has collaborations with KARD Scientific, Inc., MA. and Southern Research Institute, AL for influenza viruse! s; National (Central) Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) (Vietnam), for H5N1 avian flu; The Long Island Jewish Medical System, Feinstein Institute of Medical Research (LIJMS), NY and TheVac, LLC. for viral diseases of the eye (adenoviruses, herpesviruses - epidemic kerato-conjunctivitis (EKC), Herpes Keratitis); TheVac, LLC and Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) for herpes virus infections; University of California at Berkeley for dengue hemorrhagic fever viruses; Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National (Central) Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology for rabies virus. The Company has developed lead drug candidates against a number of viral diseases.

The Company had consolidated all of its influenza drug programs into a single pan-influenza FluCide program. It is developing a single drug for all influenzas, whether pandemic, epidemic, seasonal, novel, emerging, human, swine, or avian. It is developing a nanoviricide against adenoviral EKC. The nanoviricide eye drug candidate is formulated as simple eye drops. It is developing an anti-HSV nanoviricide skin cream formulation for direct application to the lesions. It has designed the anti-HIV nanoviricides using rational drug design principles. The ligands it has designed in the case of HIV-1 are thought to be broadly neutralizing. In-silico modeling indicates that its ligands dock to the conserved CD4 binding site of gp120 of HIV-1. The Company is working on developing anti-Dengue therapeutics. Dengue is an important NTD. Its RabiCide program has resulted in candidates that have enabled survival of 20% to 30% of infected animals after disease has set in, using a particular animal model.

The Company competes with Roche, Glaxo SmithKline, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Gilead, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS), Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck), Valeant, Schering, Pharmassett, Vertex, Intermune, Achillion and Novartis.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  
  

  One under-$10 nano-biopharmaceutical player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Nanoviricides (NNVC), which engages in the discovery, development and commercialization of anti-viral therapeutics primarily in the U.S. This stock has been ripping to the upside so far in 2013, with share up big by 198%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Nanoviricides, you'll notice that this stock has recently formed a double bottom chart pattern at $4.55 to $4.52 a share. Following that bottom, shares of NNVC have now started to uptrend and move within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if NNVC manages to take out the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern, which has seen NNVC trend between $4.55 and $5.74 a share.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in NNVC if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at Friday's high of $4.94 a share to its 50-day moving average of $5.28 a share, and then once it takes out some more key overhead resistance levels at $5.72 to $5.74 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 234,994 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then NNVC will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $6.50 to its 52-week high at $7.59 a share.

  Traders can look to buy NNVC off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $4.55 to $4.52 a share. One can also buy NNVC off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: Medley Capital Corporation (MCC)

Medley Capital Corporation is a business development company. The fund seeks to invest in privately negotiated debt and equity securities of small and middle market companies. It targets private debt transactions ranging in size from $10 million to $50 million to borrowers principally located in North America. It structures its investments as first lien senior secured loans, second lien senior secured loans, senior secured notes, senior subordinated notes, unitranche loans, and seeks warrants or other equity participation. The fund may take a board seat on its investee companies and exits its investments between three years and seven years.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Nathan Slaughter]

  All of this is to say that while I strive to hunt down and recommend attractive securities with double-digit yields -- and own a few, like Medley Capital Corp. (NYSE: MCC) -- they are the exception in this environment, not the rule.

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: International Speedway Corporation(ISCA)

International Speedway Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, promotes motorsports themed entertainment activities in the United States. The company?s motorsports themed event operations consist of racing events at its motorsports entertainment facilities. Its motorsports entertainment facilities promoted approximately 100 stock car, open wheel, sports car, truck, motorcycle, go-kart racing, and other racing events. The company is also involved in souvenir merchandising operations; food and beverage concession operations; the provision of catering services in suites and chalets; creation of motorsports-related programming content, including national satellite radio service; the usage of its track facilities for testing for teams, driving schools, riding experiences, car shows, auto fairs, concerts and settings for television commercials, print advertisements, and motion pictures; and rents show cars for promotional events. As of November 30, 2011, it owned and/or op erated 13 motorsports entertainment facilities. The company was formerly known as Daytona International Speedway Corporation and changed its name to International Speedway Corporation in 1968. International Speedway Corporation was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida.

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 International Speedway (Nasdaq: ISCA  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: ITV PLC (ITV)

ITV Public Company Limited (ITV) is a commercial television network in the United Kingdom. t also delivers content across multiple platforms either directly or through itv.com and ITV Player. It has two segments: ITV Studios and Broadcasting & Online��segment. Its broadcasting and online segment is responsible for commissioning and scheduling programs on the ITV channels, marketing and program publicity and online rights exploitation. It derives its revenue primarily from the sale of advertising airtime and sponsorship, and other sources of revenue are from participation revenue, online advertising and the digital terrestrial multiplex, SDN. ITV Studios is an international productions business. In February 2014, ITV Plc acquired a controlling stake in DiGa Vision, the New York based independent producer of reality and scripted programming including Teen Wolf. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  ITV Plc (ITV) increased 3.7 percent to 134.2 pence, the biggest advance since February. Liberum Capital upgraded its price estimate on the U.K. broadcaster�� shares to 200 pence from 155 pence, citing ��tructurally resilient��free-to-air television advertisements and forecast growth in online and content revenue.

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  ITV Plc (ITV) climbed 2.1 percent to 183.4 pence, its highest price since at least February 2004. Media buyers are indicating accelerating growth in U.K. and German advertising, according to Nomura Holdings Inc., which highlighted ITV, the owner of the U.K.�� most-watched commercial TV station, as still offering potential for price increases.