Hot Value Companies To Own In Right Now

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of fertilizer and renewable energy company Rentech (NASDAQ: RTK  ) jumped 17% today after the company announced an acquisition.

So what: Rentech will buy wood chip processor Fulghum Fibres for $112 million, including debt. Two plants that are being acquired have contracts for 445,000 metric tons of product annually, providing a stable customer for Rentech. �

Now what: Management expects the new assets to generate $10 million in operating income and $20 million of EBITDA this year, which is solid for what the company paid. This provides another potential growth avenue for Rentech if it is able to expand its customer base. The stock currently trades at 10 times forward earnings estimates, a decent value given this addition and I think the stock will move higher as revenue from this deal hits the income statement.

Interested in more info on Rentech? Add it to your watchlist by clicking here.

Hot Value Companies To Own In Right Now: 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 Dan Moskowitz]

  The shiniest dollar
  Many investors and analysts like to debate which dollar store offers the best investment opportunity. The truth is that Dollar General, Dollar Tree Stores (NASDAQ: DLTR  ) , and Family Dollar Stores (NYSE: FDO  ) are all likely to be quality long-term investments.

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  The finance sector, as mentioned, can make money in many ways. The second-highest growth sector is expected to be consumer discretionary, with a 6.2% increase. When you look at earnings from luxury brands like Tiffany & Co. (TIF), and that the hotel sector continues to do very well, it suggests that those people who are in good financial shape are spending their money. Meanwhile, dollar players like Dollar Tree (DLTR) continue to perform very well, suggesting that folks with less money are spending it on cheaper items.

Hot Value Companies To Own 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]

  Earnings season is in full swing, and a full third of companies on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) is set to report last quarter's data this week. From industrial giants such as Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) to Big Oil icons like ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM  ) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX  ) , seemingly every sector of the blue-chip index is on pace to capture investors' attention in the next few days. Let's take a look at what you should be watching out for as 10 of America's most prominent stocks face their biggest test so far of 2013.

• [By Matt Thalman]

  Share of Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) rose 2.51% this afternoon, making it the best-performing Dow component of the day. My colleague Dan Dzombak explained why lowering interest rates in Australia gave the stock such a boost this morning. The long and skinny of it is that Caterpillar receives about 10% of its revenue from the country and the lower rates should help spur construction in the country and thus boost sales for the heavy machinery manufacturer.

• [By Nikolaj Gammeltoft]

  Caterpillar (CAT) slid 4.2 percent to $82.06 for the steepest loss in the Dow. Earnings for the world�� largest maker of mining and construction machinery trailed analysts��estimates for a third straight quarter and cut its forecast as mining-equipment sales declined on slower commodity demand from emerging markets.

• [By Arjun Sreekumar]

  For mining operations, one of the most commonly used trucks is Caterpillar's (NYSE: CAT  ) Caterpillar 797, or Cat 797 for short ��an enormous dump truck with a 400-ton capacity that's capable of hauling a million pounds of bituminous sand at a single time.

Top Safest Stocks For 2014: 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 Monica Gerson]

  Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.03 per share on revenue of $623.34 million.

  Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $1.12 per share on revenue of $779.02 million.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, household products company Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP  ) is reaching into its corporate bowl for a fresh payout to shareholders. The company has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.62 per share. This will be paid on July 8 to stockholders of record as of June 19. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution, which was paid in early April. Prior to that, Tupperware Brands was rather less generous, handing out $0.36 per share.

Hot Value Companies To Own In Right Now: 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 David Smith]

  Big and not so big at your service
  In the services sector, perhaps the most difficult to comprehend of the sub-sectors, you likely have a good handle on the kingpin, Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) . The company, with a $100 billion market cap, operates in about 85 countries, through the efforts of more than 100,000 employees. Its services include everything from soup to nuts, or seismic to production assistance. So, if you're looking for an ideal company to constitute a single proxy for the services contingent, Schlumberger's a good bet.

MSO Is Crap, New CEO Unlikely to Help

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If Daniel Dienst is the answer to Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia’s (MSO) problems, the domestic diva’s media empire may be in far worse shape than investors have feared.

Dienst, who joined the board of the New York-based company in August, was the head of Sims Metal Management (SMSMY), North America’s largest scrap metal recycler. His nine-year tenure was not without controversy.

Earlier this year, the company was forced to take a write down of $291.3 million in impairment charges after allegations of fraud surfaced in the company’s U.K. operations. The company restated its earnings for the past three years. At the time,  Dienst, who “retired” from Sims in June and wasn’t accused of wrongdoing, offered a profuse public apology, saying:

“Our announcement of employee misconduct and potential fraud is obviously something no CEO wants to make — it’s extremely disappointing, it’s embarrassing and it’s a situation that should have never occurred in the first place.”

Wall Street doesn’t know what to make of Dienst’s appointment. Give credit to Mike Kupinski, an analyst with Noble Financial Capital Markets, for a trying to put it in context: "It was at first a little shocking, but then completely made sense. He's a restructuring kind of guy. He has a history of coming into companies, fixing them up and selling them."

One problem with this theory is that the biggest impediment reducing costs at MSO might be Stewart herself. The Domestic Diva earned a staggering $5.46 million in compensation, about 260% higher than the $1.5 million Lisa Gersh (Dienst’s predecessor) earned. Stewart’s perks included $2 million in fees and expenses $168,871 for personal fitness, wellness, beauty and wardrobe and $127,955 for personal drivers.

Stewart, though, is doing some belt-tightening. As USA Today noted, she took a 10% cut to her 2013 salary, leaving her with $1.8 million. Her annual licensing fee was slashed to $1.7 million — a decline of  $300,000. No one needs to throw a benefit in Stewart’s honor, though: Forbes estimates her fortune at $970 million. Perhaps Stewart should follow the lead of the Wall Street masters of the universe, many of whom took $1 salaries when the financial crisis hit.

MSO also is a mess financially. The company’s only profitable business in the last quarter was merchandising, and it was hardly a cash generating machine. Revenue at the business jumped 7% to $14.2 million as it benefited from “royalty revenue recognition from the company’s relationship with JCPenney.” Operating income surged about 12% to $9.5 million.

Unfortunately, this bright spot might not last. JCPenney, which has plenty of other problems, recently announced that it was scaling back its relationship its MSO because of the legal challenge leveled by Macy’s (M) to MSO’s alliance with JCP. Silly Macy’s was under the impression that it had an “exclusive” agreement with MSO. Martha Stewart clearly thought otherwise, prompting a legal battle royale.

But MSO’s biggest problem is more fundamental. It is a gnat-sized company in a media industry populated by elephants such as Time Warner (TWX),  Viacom (VIA.B) and Walt Disney (DIS).    Martha Stewart should have sold her company years ago because her brand makes more sense being a part of a larger organization than as a stand-alone company.

That’s the strategy that Stewart’s rival Oprah Winfrey has undertaken. She partnered with Hearst to publish O, the Oprah Magazine and with Discovery Communications (DSCA) for her cable channel OWN, lessening her personal risk. Winfrey’s magazine and broadcast operations are far more successful than anything Stewart has done. Forbes pegs Winfrey’s net worth at $2.9 billion.

Getting back to Dienst, he’s certainly trying to get off on the right foot, saying, ” …I look forward to rolling up my sleeves, getting to work and helping write the next few chapters of this remarkable company’s story.”

Unfortunately, many of the CEOs who have worked with Stewart have also brimmed with optimism at the starts of their tenures, only to give up and quit. I will be shocked if Dienst lasts a year.

The bottom line is that now is not the time to buy MSO.

As of this writing, Jonathan Berr did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. Follow him at Berr’s World.

Macy's, Barneys Probed After Detaining Black Shoppers

J. Countess/Getty ImagesNew York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman NEW YORK -- The New York state attorney general is investigating Macy's Inc. and Barneys New York Inc. after complaints from black customers who were stopped by police after making luxury purchases, a spokesman said Tuesday morning. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has set Friday as the deadline for the stores to turn over information about their policies for detaining and questioning customers based on race, according to letters sent to Barneys chief executive Mark Lee and Peter Sachse, Macy's chief stores officer. Lee is meeting Tuesday with Reverend Al Sharpton at the Harlem headquarters of his civil rights group, National Action Network, to discuss claims of racial profiling by two Barneys customers. "Attorney General Schneiderman is committed to ensuring that all New York residents are afforded equal protection under the law," Kristen Clarke, who heads the attorney general's civil rights bureau, wrote to Lee and Sachse in letters released Tuesday. "The alleged repeated behavior of your employees raises troubling questions about your company's commitment to that ideal," according to the letters. The Schneiderman probe was first reported by the Daily News tabloid in New York. Macy's and Barneys officials weren't immediately available for comment Tuesday morning. Barneys and the New York City Police Department were named in a lawsuit filed by Trayon Christian of Queens. The lawsuit said police had detained him in April for two hours after he bought a $349 Ferragamo belt, and they then released him without charging him. Kayla Phillips, a 21-year-old nursing school student, said she was surrounded by four undercover police officers in February after leaving Barneys with a $2,500 Celine handbag she had purchased. Two Macy's shoppers have made similar complaints, including actor Rob Brown of HBO's "Treme," who said he was handcuffed and held for an hour after purchasing a $1,350 gold Movado watch for his mother, the Daily News said. The fourth "shop and frisk" complaint was filed by Art Palmer, 56, an exercise trainer from Brooklyn. He told the Daily News that he was surrounded by police who demanded to see identification in April after he used his credit card to buy $320 worth of Polo shirts and ties. New York's Civilian Complaint Review Board is investigating allegations of improper police stops of Palmer and Phillips, spokeswoman Linda Sachs said Tuesday. In 2005, Macy's paid $600,000 to settle similar allegations that many of the chain's New York stores had targeted blacks and Latinos for particular scrutiny of theft, according to the New York Attorney General's office. Crime statistics from the New York Police Department show grand larceny has risen 31.6 percent over the past two years in the Midtown North precinct, which includes Macy's flagship store in Herald Square, and is up nearly 4 percent in the Upper East Side's 19th precinct, which includes Barneys New York. In the wake of a number of high-profile cruise ship disasters, the cruise industry announced this week that it had approved a passengers' bill of rights. The document, which the industry says will be legally binding, mainly concerns passengers' rights in instances where a ship has become disabled. It resembles a similar bill of rights for airline passengers that the Department of Transportation drew up in 2011. Those rules concerned procedures for dealing with lengthy tarmac delays, lost baggage, and similar issues. That got us thinking: If cruise ship passengers and air travelers have their own bills of rights, why shouldn't shoppers? Sure, visitors to retail stores typically don't encounter situations as maddening as being stranded on a floating hotel where the bathrooms don't work, or trapped in a cramped coach-class seat while their flight sits on a tarmac for hours. But the shopping experience is still riddled with frustrations, and less-savvy shoppers are often taken advantage of by dodgy pricing, pushy salespeople and inconsistent policies.

Can News Corp. Fly Higher?

With shares of News Corp. (NASDAQ:NWSA) trading around $32, is NWSA an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

News Corp. is a diversified global media company that operates in six segments: Cable Network Programming; Filmed Entertainment; Television; Direct Broadcast Satellite Television; Publishing; and Other. The company is involved in programming distribution through cable television systems and direct broadcast satellite operators; live-action and animated motion pictures distribution and licensing; operation of broadcast television stations and the broadcasting of network programming and in direct broadcast satellite business through its subsidiary, SKY Italia. News Corp. distributed information and entertainment through just about every medium possibe which reinforces a powerful presence. As companies and consumers continue to search for entertainment and information at increasing rates, look for companies like News Corp. to see rising profits.

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart are Strong

News Corp. stock been on a bullish run for the last several years. The stock is now pulling back a bit so it may need some time before it gets going again. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, News Corp. is trading slightly above its rising key averages, which signal neutral to bullish price action in the near-term.

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(Source: Thinkorswim)

Taking a look at the implied volatility (red) and implied volatility skew levels of News Corp. options may help determine if investors are bullish, neutral, or bearish.

	Implied Volatility (IV)	30-Day IV Percentile	90-Day IV Percentile
News Corp. Options	25.36%	60%	57%

What does this mean? This means that investors or traders are buying a very significant amount of call and put options contracts, as compared to the last 30 and 90 trading days.

	Put IV Skew	Call IV Skew
July Options	Flat	Average
August Options	Flat	Average

As of today, there is an average demand from call buyers or sellers and low demand by put buyers or high demand by put sellers, all neutral to bullish over the next two months. To summarize, investors are buying a very significant amount of call and put option contracts and are leaning neutral to bullish over the next two months.

On the next page, let’s take a look at the earnings and revenue growth rates and the conclusion.

E = Earnings Are Improving Quarter-Over-Quarter

Rising stock prices are often strongly correlated with rising earnings and revenue growth rates. Also, the last four quarterly earnings announcement reactions help gauge investor sentiment on News Corp.’s stock. What do the last four quarterly earnings and revenue growth (Y-O-Y) figures for News Corp. look like and more importantly, how did the markets like these numbers?

	2013 Q1	2012 Q4	2012 Q3	2012 Q2
Earnings Growth (Y-O-Y)	221.05%	140.48%	235.71%	273.83%
Revenue Growth (Y-O-Y)	13.54%	5.01%	2.22%	3.87%
Earnings Reaction	4.48%	-2.33%	1.60%	-0.21%

News Corp. has seen improving earnings and revenue figures over the last four quarters. From these numbers, the markets have had mixed feelings about News Corp.’s recent earnings announcements.

P = Excellent Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has News Corp. stock done relative to its peers, Time Warner (NYSE:TWX), Viacom (NASDAQ:VIA), Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS), and its sector at large?

	News Corp.	Time Warner	Viacom	Walt Disney	Sector
Year-to-Date Return	27.13%	22.30%	26.98%	30.59%	25.33%

News Corp. has been a relative performance leader, year-to-date.

NEW! Discover a new stock idea each week for less than the cost of 1 trade. CLICK HERE for your Weekly Stock Cheat Sheets NOW!

Conclusion

News Corp. provides a wide range of media and information services to consumers and companies interested in the latest and greatest around the world. The stock has been on a strong run in recent years but is now seeing a slight pullback that may take some time. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenue figures have been improving, however, investors have had mixed feelings about their reports. Relative to its peers and sector, News Corp. has been a year-to-date performance leader. Look for News Corp. to continue to OUTPERFORM.

Homebuyer Contracts Plunge as Interest Rates and House Prices Rise

AFP, Getty Images WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy existing homes fell in September to the lowest level in nine months. The decline reflects higher mortgage rates and home prices that have made purchases more costly. The National Association of Realtors said Monday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index dropped 5.6 percent last month from August to a reading of 101.6. That also pushed the index below its year-ago level, the first time that's happened in nearly 2½ years. There is generally a one- to two-month lag between a signed contract and a completed sale. The drop suggests final sales will decline in the coming months. Contracts to buy homes have slowed in recent months as mortgage rates reached a two-year high over the summer. Rates rose in response to speculation that the Federal Reserve would reduce its stimulus later this year. But the Fed held off taking any action during its meeting in mid-September and rates have fallen since then. The decline could help boost contract signings in October. The average rate for a 30-year mortgage was 4.13 percent last week, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. Many economists say the housing recovery should continue, albeit with slower gains in home sales. They note that home prices and mortgage rates remain low by historical standards. Monday's report "is in line with other housing indicators ... that suggest the pace of improvement in housing markets has slowed," Cooper Howes, an economist at Barclays Capital, said in a note to clients. Home prices have also jumped 12.4 percent in August compared with a year earlier, according to real estate data provider CoreLogic. That's near the fastest pace in seven years. Last week, the Realtors' group said final sales of existing homes fell 1.9 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.29 million in September. That's down from a pace of 5.39 million in August, which was revised lower. The sales pace in August equaled July's pace. Both were the highest in four years and are consistent with a healthy market. The September decline in pending home sales was reported a day before the Fed begins a two-day policy meeting. Fed policymakers are unlikely to reduce their efforts to stimulate the economy, which includes $85-billion-a-month in bond purchases. Those purchases are intended to lower longer-term interest rates and spur more borrowing and spending. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke had suggested in late May that the Fed might slow the bond-buying program by the end of the year. But in September, the Fed held off after expressing concerns that rising mortgage rates were slowing economic growth. The impact of the 16-day partial government shutdown is likely slowing growth in the final three months of the year. As a result, many economists expect the Fed will continue its current level of bond-buying until next year. With the subprime mortgage mess unfolding all around us, there's never been a better time to make sure you make the right mortgage decision.Of course, no single loan is best for all circumstances, but the following eight loan types work better than most when matched to your individual situation and lifestyle. Next: For the Long Haul Make a Mortgage Match Loan to consider: 30-year fixed rate Why: Financial peace of mind can be worth the higher interest rate that won't change for three decades.Next: Refinancing For the Long Haul (15-20 yrs before retiring)Loan to consider: 15- or 20-year fixed or ARM Why: You can retire the loan before you retire from your job. A fixed rate generally costs more than an adjustable, but will give you more certainty in budgeting. However, if ARMs are a lot cheaper and your income can handle possible payment increases, you could save with the adjustable rate.Next: Recent Graduate Refinancing (With strong potential for increased earnings)Loan to consider: 1-year ARM Why: Stretch your dollars with low interest rates during the years when your income is at its leanest. Your rate can go up (or down) each year, but rate caps will limit that change to a predictable amount, and your rising income should be able to handle it. Watch out for loans that cap your payment instead of your rate. They could cause your indebtedness to grow. Next: Self-Employed Recent Graduate Loan to consider: No- or low-documentation loanWhy: Though you'll pay a higher interest rate, not having to produce paycheck stubs or employer references, as you would be expected to supply when applying for a traditional loan, can be a huge help to those with variable incomes.Next: 4-5 Year Plan Self-Employed Loan to consider: A 5/25 hybrid loan Why: If you won't keep the loan longer than five years, why pay extra to lock in an interest rate for a longer period? If you do end up staying longer, you can either refinance or live with an interest rate that adjusts every year.Next: Good Income, but ... Planning to Live in Home for 4-5 Years Loan to consider: Option ARM Why: With these very risky loans designed for people with incomes that vary monthly, each month you have a choice of payments: the full amount needed to pay off principal and interest, an amount that covers only the interest, or an even smaller amount that doesn't even cover interest owed. Over time, however, your required payments could rise significantly if you often choose the smaller payments.Next: Job Relocation Good, Varying Income (With good income, savings)Loan to consider: Interest-only Why: While these loans can be risky for novice borrowers or those stretching to afford a home, they can be a smart tool for savvy borrowers who already have assets built up. Monthly payments are low because you're not repaying principal, so you can afford a larger loan. If you sell the home for less than you paid, however, you have to come up with the difference.Next: Military or Veteran Job Relocation for a Short Run Loan to consider: VA loan Why: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers loan guarantees that allow qualified military personnel and veterans to take out mortgages for as much as $417,000 with zero down payment. In Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, that loan amount goes up to $625,000.Next: More on Mortgages Active Duty Military or Veteran ' Your Credit & Mortgage Rates' Three Steps to the Best Loan' Five Types of Mortgages' Finding a Mortgage Lender' Five Mortgage Mess-Ups' Mortgage Contract Surprises' Refinancing Exotic Mortgages' The Problem: Option ARM Bankrate on Mortgages Get more information on finding, choosing and financing your next place to live:Great Places to LiveBest Cities for Each Life StageMost Affordable Suburbs Latest Money News & Features More on AOL

Top Stocks To Invest In

Amazon� (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) will now give hourly employees $3,000 a year for a maximum of four years to go back to school, the company announced.�According to the�Los Angeles Times,�Amazon previously paid up to $2,000 a year for up to four years. �

Since launching the Amazon Career Choice program in July 2012, the e-commerce giant has subsidized associate degrees or vocational certifications for its hourly employees. Amazon says its program is different from other tuition reimbursement programs as it funds education only in areas that are "well-paying and in high demand" according to sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.�

While the company also judges whether those skills are relevant to a career at Amazon, employees have pursued degrees in varied areas, including nursing and radiology. The top chosen fields of study for Amazon employees are computer�and information technology, health and sciences, and accounting, according to the company.

Top Stocks To Invest In: Boyuan Constr Group Inc (BOY.TO)

Boyuan Construction Group, Inc. constructs residential and commercial buildings, municipal infrastructures, and engineering projects in the People�s Republic of China. Its building construction projects include residential areas consisting of housing projects for multi-home neighbourhoods and condominium projects; customized factory construction for the purpose of production, manufacturing, and processing; business and residential building construction for the purpose of tourism, restaurants, entertainment, office, and mixed use office/residential buildings; and public infrastructure projects, such as bus stations, squares, traffic hubs, nursing homes, and government institutions for urban development. The company�s municipal infrastructure projects comprise roads and bridges. It primarily serves engineering construction management, project management, and real estate development companies. Boyuan Construction Group, Inc. is headquartered in Jiaxing Port, China.

Top Stocks To Invest In: CIENA Corporation(CIEN)

Ciena Corporation provides equipment, software, and service solutions that support the transport, switching, aggregation, and management of voice, video, and data traffic on communications networks worldwide. Its product portfolio consists of packet-optical transport that includes optical transport solutions to increase network capacity and enable delivery of a broader mix of high-bandwidth services; and packet-optical switching, which comprise optical switching platforms incorporating multiservice and multi-protocol switching systems that enable automated optical infrastructures for the delivery of various enterprise and consumer-oriented network services. The company also offers carrier Ethernet solutions, including service delivery switches and service aggregation switches to support the access and aggregation tiers of communications networks, as well as to support wireless backhaul infrastructures and business data services; and software solutions to track individual s ervices across multiple product suites, facilitating planned network maintenance, outage detection, and identification of customers or services affected by network troubles. In addition, Ciena Corporation provides consulting and support services, such as project management, deployment, maintenance support, consulting, and training services, as well as network analysis, planning, design, optimization, and tuning. Its packet-optical transport, packet-optical switching, and carrier Ethernet solutions products are used individually or as part of an integrated solution in communications networks operated by communications service providers, cable operators, governments, enterprises, and other network operators. The company sells its communications networking solutions directly, as well as through strategic channel relationships. Ciena Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Linthicum, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Ciena Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN) reported solid earnings yesterday morning as expected. The company benefited from the strong optical upgrade cycle and is on track for a very good year. Deutsche Bank has a $22 price target for the stock. The Thomson/First call estimate is at $22.50.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  We can start with Ciena (NASDAQ: CIEN  ) .�The optical networking solutions provider was supposed to post a small loss in its latest quarter, but the shares closed out the week hitting a fresh 52-week high after surprising investors with a modest profit of $0.02 a share. With revenue growing and gross margins widening, Ciena is sneaking up on naysayers who figured that optical networking wasn't anywhere close to staging a turnaround. Ciena's rosy near-term outlook is also encouraging, with its revenue target for the current quarter perched well above what analysts were forecasting.

Hot Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: BioMimetic Therapeutics Inc.(BMTI)

BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company, engages in the development and commercialization of regenerative protein therapeutic products primarily used for bone and tissue regeneration, repair and healing of musculoskeletal injuries, and conditions affecting bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. The company?s orthopedic products include Augment Bone Graft for open fracture and fusion treatment; and Augment Injectable Bone Graft for open or closed fracture treatment and minimally invasive fracture/fusion treatment. Its products also comprise Augment Rotator Cuff Graft for rotator cuff tendon to bone repair; Augment OCD for cartilage and bone repair; TBD for the treatment of injuries due to tendon overuse; and Augment Bone Graft for spine fusion. The company was formerly known as BioMimetic Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and changed its name to BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc. in July 2005. BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Frank lin, Tennessee.

Top Stocks To Invest In: Lifetime Brands Inc.(LCUT)

Lifetime Brands Inc. designs, sources, and sells branded kitchenware, tabletop, and other products primarily in the United States. It offers kitchenware products, including kitchen tools and gadgets, cutlery, cutting boards, bakeware, and cookware; and tabletop products, such as dinnerware, flatware, and glassware. The company also provides home solutions that comprise products, such as food storage, pantry ware, spices, and home d�or products. In addition, it manufactures sterling silver products. The company owns or licenses various brands, including Farberware, Mikasa, KitchenAid, Pfaltzgraff, Cuisinart, Elements, Melannco, Wallace Silversmiths, Kamenstein, Pedrini, Towle, V&A, and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Lifetime Brands Inc. serves mass merchants, specialty stores, national chains, department stores, warehouse clubs, supermarkets, off-price retailers, and Internet retailers, as well as direct consumers through its Pfaltzgraff, Mikasa, Housewares Deals, and Lifetim e Sterling Internet Websites. The company was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Garden City, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Everyone is familiar with�the Tupperware brand from�consumer products stock Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP) and you are probably familiar with the brands�of mid cap stock Jarden Corp (NYSE: JAH) along with small cap stocks Libbey Inc (NYSEMKT: LBY) and Lifetime Brands Inc (NASDAQ: LCUT); but what about the stocks themselves? Chances are, their brands or products are right under your nose at home and you probably don�� know anything about the mid cap or small cap stock behind them.

Top Stocks To Invest In: Magnum Energy Inc. (MEN.V)

Magnum Energy Inc., a junior oil and gas exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and gas properties in the western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. The company produces from Viking oil operations, as well as gas operations in Alberta; and owns a 100% interest in the Sedalia gas property in east-central Alberta. Magnum Energy Inc. was incorporated in 2003 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

A Big Setback for the Chevy Cruze?

The Clean Turbo Diesel is the latest variant of the current Chevy Cruze, which has sold well since its introduction. Photo credit: GM

Since its introduction in 2009, the Chevrolet Cruze has been a strong seller for General Motors (NYSE: GM  ) -- a surprise of sorts in a segment where GM has traditionally had very weak offerings. But the Cruze wasn't just GM's best-ever compact car when it was launched; it was a surprisingly solid competitor with the likes of Toyota's (NYSE: TM  ) Corolla and Honda's (NYSE: HMC  ) Civic.

But even great cars age, and there's an all-new Cruze under development. It was expected late next year, but now, Reuters is reporting that the new Cruze has been delayed until late 2015. What's the deal? In this video, Fool.com contributor John Rosevear looks at what are likely the real reasons for the delay, and whether that's a good sign -- or a bad one -- for the progress of GM's ongoing turnaround.

China is already the world's largest auto market -- and it's set to grow even bigger in coming years. A recent Motley Fool report, "2 Automakers to Buy for a Surging Chinese Market," names two global giants poised to reap big gains that could drive big rewards for investors. You can read this report right now for free -- just click here for instant access.

How Homebuying Will Change Forever

In the following video, Motley Fool analyst Austin Smith sits down with host Chris Hill to discuss big trends in the housing market, and how homebuying is changing for good. Austin tells investors how companies such as Zillow (NASDAQ: Z  ) and Trulia (NYSE: TRLA  ) are empowering homebuyers and making them less likely to turn to traditional real estate agents, and how consumers are increasingly comfortable making big-ticket purchases informed by mobile, through services such as eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) . Austin then gives his picks for which player to invest in, to best get in on this trend.

Millions of Americans have waited on the sidelines since the housing market meltdown in 2008 and 2009, too scared to invest and put their money at further risk. Yet those who've stayed out of the market have missed out on huge gains and put their financial futures in jeopardy. In our brand-new special report, "Your Essential Guide to Start Investing Today," The Motley Fool's personal finance experts show you why investing is so important and what you need to do to get started. Click here to get your copy today -- it's absolutely free.

A Profitable Business Looks at Investment Decisions

The Motley Fool is on the road in Seattle! Recently, we visited Coinstar -- now officially renamed Outerwall  (NASDAQ: OUTR  ) -- to speak with CFO-turned-CEO Scott Di Valerio about the 22-year-old company's well-known coin-cashing machines, as well as its more recent acquisition of Redbox, and future initiatives to expand into other aspects of the automated retail market.

In this video segment Scott describes Coinstar's structure and rationale when making decisions about cash flow, investment, share buyback and return to shareholders. The full version of the interview can be watched here.

A full transcript follows the video.

The retail space is in the midst of the biggest paradigm shift since mail order took off at the turn of last century. Only those most forward-looking and capable companies will survive, and they'll handsomely reward those investors who understand the landscape. You can read about the 3 Companies Ready to Rule Retail in The Motley Fool's special report. Uncovering these top picks is free today; just click here to read more.

Eric Bleeker: You talk about the company being very strong and cash flow positive. You had talked about this, again, a little with [Fool analyst] Austin [Smith] but you're at eight times free cash flow, relative to where your guidance is for this year.

How do you strike the right balance between "We want to be able to return capital to shareholders when we're cheap, but we've got growth opportunities." You can't box yourselves in a corner by getting too aggressive with this. How have you approached that problem? What are the compromises you're making here?

I know that may be not the right word there, but I know that you guys had restructured some of your capital structure recently. How are you approaching this problem, as "We have a market that's obviously, right now, trading at very high levels," and you're a cheap company; but at the same time, again growth opportunities you want to be able to exploit.

Scott Di Valerio: Yeah. We go through a very structured process to be able to do that, about how much do we want to invest in our current businesses, our core businesses, and innovations in those businesses, obviously within their growth patterns and what we want to bring from the bottom line?

For our new businesses, we do allocate a certain amount of money that we believe is going to invest in the business from a long-term perspective and bring long-term returns. We layer that into our analysis, and then certainly share buyback is another piece of that.

When we lay those all up, we actually look at both the short-, mid-, and long-term returns to shareholders off of that, so that it is a very structured way to do it.

We're not always 100% right, but we've been quite aggressive in the market and buying shares back over the last 18 months, and we've made a $100-million-a-year commitment that we're going to buy at least $100 million of stock back a year at our shareholders, at our analyst day.

We'll look to be opportunistic if we think we have to ratchet that up as we go through the years, if we think that's the best return of the cash for us. We certainly are a very strong cash flow business. We're a very strong profitable business.

I'm not one that thinks that you have to buy shares back in order to support the stock. You buy shares back to get the right return for shareholders, and we look at that both from an intrinsic, but also from, "What are we returning to shareholders?" -- from a savings in the business -- a pure return to the shareholders -- as well. We try to balance it that way.

David Versus The Inflation Goliath

Whether on the field of battle, facing a corporate competitor, or in a plan to combat inflation, time-and-time again, victory in all these endeavors has not come from the size of the army, company or portfolio. The deciding factor has been strategy.

The famous Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu once said, “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”

In an overall inflation fighting strategy, many investors fail to incorporate small-cap stocks as part of the many tactics to preserve wealth. That’s probably because investing in small caps or even mid caps is not always easy. There are thousands of small-cap stocks and even isolating only the bottom 20 percent of small-cap names with the lowest price-to-book ratio results in several hundred stocks, which can be daunting for investors.

However, the Inflation Survival Letter uses tools and methodologies to identify and select the top small caps when discussing inflation protection. The better the investment, the better the inflation protection.

Failing to develop a small- and mid-cap portfolio can leave a major chink in the armor against inflation. Small- and mid-cap stocks comprise about 20 percent to 25 percent of total stock market capitalization, so a market-neutral exposure requires that a similar percentage of personal equity portfolios be allocated to small- and mid-cap stocks.

Because of recent evidence that large-cap stocks can be highly correlated with each other, some financial planners recommend that well-diversified equity portfolios have an overweight allocation to small caps (e.g. between 25 percent and 35 percent) that exhibit less inter-stock correlation than large caps and thus offer superior diversification benefits.

An investor who wants outsized returns must be invested in small-cap stocks. All ten of the ! top-performing stocks of the past decade were small caps and most were value stocks. Moreover, value investments outperform growth during inflationary periods (see “Sum of all Fears,” Survival of the Fittest, August 30).

But for the purpose of inflation protection, small- and mid-cap investing is a highly valuable tactic, because this asset class has performed best during inflation, which could be just around the corner.

The likely continuation into 2014 of Federal Reserve stimulus, as a result of the impact on the economy from the government shutdown, raises the specter of inflation down the road, which could affect both income and growth investments. In fact, some analysts predict inflation could start as soon as 2015, which means investors only have about one year to rebalance or insulate their portfolios from inflation.

Perception Versus Reality

The conventional wisdom suggests that rising interest rates are detrimental to the performance of stocks in general and to small-cap stocks in particular, both in absolute terms and relative to large caps, according to a report by Pyramis Global Advisers, which is a Fidelity Investment Company.

Many theoretical reasons underlie this perception. For example, small caps generally need more external capital to grow than large caps. Rising rates drive up the cost of capital, making growth more expensive. Higher interest rates might impose actual cash costs on small-cap companies, which would erode profit margins and/or lower future earnings growth.

Another reason for perceived small-cap underperformance, according to the Pyramis analysts, is that the market ultimately values equities based on discounted future cash flows. In most circumstances, higher interest rates mean higher discount rates. Small-cap valuations would seem to be more sensitive to higher discount rates because they tend to be “longer-duration” assets whose valuations are more dependent on future earnings streams.

According! to the P! yramis report:

“During the past several decades, however, rising interest rates have actually not been correlated with small-cap underperformance. Examination of the performance of the Russell 2000 Index and the S&P 500 since 1979 (the inception date of the Russell 2000) reveals what for many investors may be surprising results. First, small-cap stocks performed better than large caps when rates rose. Second, small caps actually have shown better absolute appreciation in rising rate periods than in declining rate periods. This data seems to refute the idea that periods of rising rates punish small-cap performance, and are by themselves a strong enough factor to influence small-cap stock allocation.” (See Chart A)

Chart A: Small Caps Outperformed in Rising Rate Environments



Jim Fink, chief investment strategist of Investing Daily’s small-cap advisory, Roadrunner Stocks, has written that small companies excel during inflationary times because they typically offer unique products with few alternatives, so they have more leeway to raise prices than larger firms.

What’s more, they can adjust pricing and behavior on the fly. A big company run by centralized management on a five-year plan isn’t as nimble. “Like zippy little PT boats, small stocks can quickly change course,” he has stated. He adds, large-cap “battleships” may have more firepower, but they take forever to change direction.

Thriving in Inflationary Environments

According to Doug Roberts, chief investment strategist at ChannelCapitalResearch.com, inflation is actually positive for small-cap stocks in the long run. During the 1977-79 peak of the inflationary 1970s, for example, blue-chip stocks went nowhere, but small stocks surged. As Roberts recently asserted:

“People say ‘stagflation, it’s going to kill the equity markets.’ And! to a cer! tain extent, it has in the past, but that’s from a large-cap perspective. If you take a look at small caps, even on an inflation-adjusted basis, it’s like a rocket ship taking off. Small caps actually had the rally of their lifetime during the stagflation environment [of the late 1970s]. You had high double-digit returns during that entire stagflation period with the exception of one year.”

In fact, in six major inflationary periods since World War II, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the OPEC oil crisis and the Persian Gulf War, small caps beat large caps. When you add up the returns over all six periods, small caps were up 82.6 percent, versus just 35.1 percent for large caps. That’s a 47.5 percent margin of outperformance for small caps. During these same inflationary periods, mid-cap stocks ($3 billion to $10 billion) outperformed large caps by a smaller but still significant 29 percent.

Times Square Capital Management finds in a recent report that not only do small- and mid-cap stocks preserve value during inflationary periods, but the margin of outperformance over large-cap stocks is the highest even when inflation is average.

According to the Times Square report:

“Since not all inflationary periods are created equal, we also investigated performance across the market capitalization spectrum during periods of high and low inflation based on the long term average inflation rate—the ‘historical norm’, or average inflation of 3.14 percent. While small capitalization and mid capitalization equities maintain their outperformance edge over large capitalization stocks in both high and low inflation environments, the margin of  relative outperformance is greatest during inflationary periods when lower than average inflation exists.” (See Chart B)

Chart B: High Inflation, Low Inflation: Small-Cap Stocks Deliver Value


The best way to get exposure to the small- and mid-cap sector is to identify those companies that have strong earnings. And given how volatile the sector can be, it’s probably best for inflation hedgers to pick a diversified index whose criteria focuses on the highest-quality names.

Stalled Student Loan Bill: Here's How It Affects You

Interest rates on federally subsidized Stafford student loans doubled as of July 1, and since then, Congress has tried to pass a student loan bill that would give students and parents some relief from those higher rates.

But as of Friday morning, the Senate hadn't been able to find a compromise that would be acceptable for everyone. Without action, students will pay 6.8% for their Stafford loans this year, up from 3.4% during the previous school year.

Let's take a look at the current status of the student loan bill and what the congressional impasse means for your finances.

What the student loan bill would do
President Obama and a number of lawmakers have put forward several proposals that would reduce student loan interest rates below the 6.8% level. Most of them involve tying the rate for loans granted in a specific year to current interest rates such as those on U.S. Treasury bonds.

For instance, Bloomberg News reported earlier this week that one tentative Senate proposal would involve using the 10-year Treasury bond rate and adding 1.8 percentage points to it, which would have equated to a 3.61% interest rate this year. For parent PLUS loans, the add-on would be 4.5 percentage points, producing a 6.31% rate compared with the 7.9% they pay currently. That's the rate that students would pay on that year's loans for as long as they had them outstanding.

Not everyone agrees that a rate that changes every year is best for students.

What's holding things up
Some lawmakers have pushed for a temporary continuation of last year's 3.4% rate, but those bills have been blocked by those seeking a more permanent solution. Others believe that even a 3.4% rate is too high, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren having made a proposal to match up student loan rates with the current Federal Reserve discount rate of 0.75%.

For the most part, though, finding a middle-ground rate isn't the problem. Rather, two more fundamental disagreements are holding up progress on a compromise.

First, the Senate and the House differ on whether student loans should have rates that are fixed for the life of the loan or whether those rates should vary from year to year. Second, lawmakers agree that any changes shouldn't result in added cost, but the tentative Senate proposal described above would cost the government an additional $22 billion according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Until those issues are resolved, the impasse is likely to continue.

It's important to understand that for the most part, the impact on banks from the bill would be minimal. Under the Federal Direct Loan Program, the Department of Education is the lender on Stafford loans extended through the program rather than a private lender. Admittedly, rising rates on Stafford loans might make private student loans from lenders Sallie Mae (NASDAQ: SLM  ) and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) look somewhat less unattractive. But increased regulation led Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) , US Bancorp (NYSE: USB  ) , and several other institutions to reduce or eliminate their student lending programs, making it clear that student loans aren't enough of a money-making cash-cow to give banks an incentive to keep lending.

What you should do next
Regardless of what happens with the student loan bill impasse, the key for students and parents looking to take out student loans is to recognize that they have minimal leverage in affecting the congressional debate.

Even then, the debate doesn't affect you if you don't qualify for subsidized loans or if you've already graduated. All of the proposals affect only future loans, and the way your existing rates are calculated won't change.

For all others, the first thing to do is to figure out what type of loans you have or are eligible for and recognize that rates on Stafford loans have historically been substantially lower than what's available elsewhere -- and even if those rates rise significantly, you're not likely to find better deals.

Next, focus on reducing the amount you need to borrow in student loans in the first place.

Early college savings, financially savvy decisions about which college a student chooses, and looking into lower-cost alternatives on housing options and other necessary college expenses can reduce your need for student loans (and the whims of lawmakers). In particular, with tax-free accounts like 529 plans and Coverdell Education Savings accounts, parents can work to help their children avoid the difficulty of entering adulthood with a big debt burden on their shoulders before they even get their first job.

Whatever the government does with rates, the student loan bill impasse is a good reminder that taking control of your own financial destiny is the best way to handle uncertainty.

Unfortunately, those who rely on loans will end up having to accept whatever decision the government makes, with few if any alternatives to what could prove to be a tougher repayment burden for years to come.

Besides the student loan bill, the other big government issue affecting millions of Americans right now is the onset of Obamacare, which will undoubtedly have far-reaching effects. The Motley Fool's new free report, "Everything You Need to Know About Obamacare," lets you know how your health insurance, your taxes, and your portfolio could be affected. Click here to read more. 

Best High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) A group of Eastern European men have been charged with running a multimillion-dollar scam through sites including eBay and Cars.com, prosecutors announced Thursday.

Charges were unsealed against Romanian national Nicolae Popescu, currently a fugitive, along with five of his compatriots and one Albanian who also remain at large. U.S. law enforcement officials have issued alerts for the men through Interpol, the international police agency.

Popescu, 33, is accused of leading a crime ring that placed fake listings on e-commerce websites including eBay (EBAY, Fortune 500), Cars.com, AutoTrader.com, and CycleTrader.com. The listings were for high-value items, including cars, motorcycles and boats.

The men also allegedly sold nonexistent vehicles through websites they created for phony dealerships.

Prosecutors estimate that the group earned more than $3 million from the alleged scheme between 2011 and 2012. Popescu predicted that "criminals will not be extradited from Romania to U.S.A. . . . [I]t will never happen," according to a 2011 recording cited in the charging documents.

Best High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: ING Group N.V. (IGK)

ING Groep N.V., a financial services company, provides banking, investment, life insurance, and retirement services for individuals, families, small businesses, corporations, institutions, and governments worldwide. The company provides savings accounts, mortgage loans, consumer loans, credit card services, and investment products, as well as current account services and payments systems; life and non-life insurance products; asset management products and services; mortgage products; and risk management services. It also offers commercial banking products and services, including lending products, such as structured finance; payment and cash management, and treasury services; and specialized and trade finance, derivatives, corporate finance, debt and equity capital markets, leasing, factoring, and supply chain finance. In addition, the company provides individual endowment, and term and whole life insurance products, as well as traditional, unit-linked, and variable annuity life insurance products for individual and group customers; fire, motor, disability, transport, accident, and third party liability insurance products; employee benefits products and pension funds; retirement services, fixed annuities, mutual funds, and broker-dealer services; and disability insurance products and complementary services for employers and self-employed professionals comprising dentists, general practitioners, and lawyers. Further, the company offers investment management services. ING Groep N.V. operates a network of approximately 280 branches in the Netherlands; and 773 branches in Belgium. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. ING Groep N.V. is a subsidiary of Stichting ING Aandelen.

Best High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Cir-comp(CIRX.MI)

CIR S.p.A., through its subsidiaries, engages in the utilities, media, automotive components, healthcare, and financial services businesses. In the utilities sector, the company engages in the sourcing, marketing, and supply of electricity and natural gas. It operates wind, photovoltaic, hydro, thermo, and biomass power generation plants with an installed capacity of approximately 4,000 megawatts. In the media sector, the company is involved in publishing la Repuibblica national daily newspaper, 17 local dailies, 1 three-weekly paper, L'Espresso weekly magazine, 2 monthlies, 2 quarterlies, and various guide books; providing Internet and applications for mobile and new generation devices; broadcasting 3 national radio stations comprising Radio Deejay, Radio Capital, and Radio M2O; and operating the national TV channel Deejay TV, as well as the satellite channels MyDeejay and Onda Latina. In the automotive components sector, the company offers filtration systems, such as oil , engine air, petrol fuel, diesel fuel, and cabin air filters; and flexible suspension components, including coil springs for shock absorbers, stabilizer and torsion bars, stabilinks, leaf springs, precision springs, and track adjusters. In the healthcare sector, it operates nursing homes under the Anni Azzurri brand; psychiatric rehabilitation units under the Santo Stefano and Redancia brands; and hospital facilities under the Medipass brand. The company manages 60 facilities with a total of approximately 5,600 beds in central and northern Italy. In the financial sector, it engages in the acquisition and management of non-performing loans; venture capital, private equity, and hedge funds business; operation of restaurants; and provision of hospitality management training. The company has operations in Italy, other European countries, North America, South America, and Asia. CIR S.p.A. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Milan, Italy.

Hot Financial Companies To Buy Right Now: Hanwha SolarOne Co. Ltd.(HSOL)

Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd., an investment holding company, engages in the manufacture and sale of silicon ingots, silicon wafers, and PV cells and modules. The company also offers mono crystalline and multi crystalline silicon cells; and provides PV module processing services. It sells its products to solar power system integrators and distributors primarily in Germany, Italy, Australia, the United States, the Czech Republic, Spain, and China. The company was formerly known as Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd. in December 2010. Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd. was founded in 2004 and is based in Qidong, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Stocks on the move: Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) is up 31.5% at $5.13 on the announcement that Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) will acquire the Finnish firm�� mobile phone business for $7.2 billion. Chinese solar energy stocks are getting a boost again today, with Hanwha SolarOne Co. (NASDAQ: HSOL) up more than 15.9% and ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL) up 14.9%.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Solar stocks are shooting higher again today as the strong run in 2013 continues. LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK  ) , Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ  ) , Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE  ) , Hanwha SolarOne (NASDAQ: HSOL  ) , and JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS  ) led the way, gaining between 10% and 22% today.

Best High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Erg(ERG.MI)

ERG S.p.A., through its subsidiaries, engages in refining and marketing, power and gas, and renewable energy businesses primarily in Italy. Its Refining and Marketing business supplies and processes crude oils, as well as sells refined products; and distributes and markets fuel and specialties, such as lubricants, liquefied petroleum gas, and bitumen through its retail network of approximately 3,300 service stations. The company?s Power and Gas business is involved in the production and marketing of thermoelectric power, steam, and gas. It owns and operates a 528 megawatts capacity power plant fuelled by a gas obtained from a process of gasification of asphalt; and owns the Centrale Nord plant with a capacity of 480 megawatts, including the combined-cycle repowering plant fuelled by natural gas. The company, through a joint venture, also engages in the development of a liquid natural gas regasification plant at Priolo, Sicily. ERG S.p.A.?s Renewable Energy Sources busine ss generates electricity from renewable sources with an installed capacity of 520 megawatts through wind farms, as well as through its photovoltaic plant; and treats solid and liquid waste on behalf of third parties. In addition, the company operates logistics systems; and in the wholesale market through selling refining products, such as diesel, fuel oils, LPG, and bitumens to the retailers. ERG S.p.A. was founded in 1938 and is headquartered in Genoa, Italy. ERG S.p.A. is a subsidiary of San Quirico S.pA.

Best High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Alturas Minerals Corp (ALT.V)

Alturas Minerals Corp. engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties in Peru and Chile. The company�s principal properties include the Chapi Chapi-Utupara copper-gold project located in the Apurimac copper-gold belt in southern Peru; the Sombrero copper-gold project situated in south-central Peru; the Huajoto gold-silver-zinc-rare earths property located in central Peru; and the La Corina copper-gold project situated in La Corina district, Chile. Alturas Minerals Corp. is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Best High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: MakeMyTrip Limited(MMYT)

MakeMyTrip Limited, an online travel company, provides travel products and solutions in India and the United States. Its products and services include air tickets, hotels, packages, rail tickets, bus tickets, car hire, and ancillary travel requirements, such as travel insurance and visa processing. The company, through its Website, makemytrip.com, allow travelers to research, plan, and book a range of travel services and products in India and internationally. MakeMyTrip Limited also provides its products and services through other technology-enhanced distribution channels, such as call centers, travel stores, and travel agents? network. Its customers comprise leisure travelers and small businesses. The company was formerly known as International Web Travel Private Limited and changed its name to MakeMyTrip Limited in April 2010. MakeMyTrip Limited was founded in 2000 and is based in Gurgaon, India.

Is Sturm, Ruger's New Plant a Bad Idea?

On Monday, Sturm, Ruger (NYSE: RGR  ) announced the pending purchase of its third manufacturing plant, representing the gunmaker's first major expansion in more than 25 years.

The 220,000-square-foot building, which is expected to be finished by August, will stand as Sturm, Ruger's third facility.

So why is Sturm, Ruger expanding its manufacturing capabilities now?

If you build it, they will come ...
Remember, in April, the company told us its first-quarter earnings rose 53% year over year, driven by a 39% revenue increase over the same period as well as improved operational efficiency.

Even so, while Sturm, Ruger spent $7.7 million last quarter developing new products and expanding production capacity, demand for its weapons continued to outstrip supply as sell-through with distributors was effectively capped by its limited first-quarter production capabilities.

And Sturm, Ruger certainly isn't alone trying to manage this enviable problem; last month, fellow firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson (NASDAQ: SWHC  ) sealed a record year with its solid fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report. In fact, Smith & Wesson's own 38% quarterly sales growth stood nearly identical to Sturm, Ruger's most recent revenue increase, while Smith & Wesson's net income rose an even more impressive 63%.

Party like it's 2013
However, while most industry executives believe this surge in demand should still have some steam left in the tank, it's safe to say it certainly won't last forever.

In fact, that's why Smith & Wesson CEO James Debney reassured investors during his company's last earnings conference call that it's being careful about building out its own manufacturing capacity, adding it only where the company believes "it is appropriate, and with a focus on balancing internal capacity expansion with the outsourcing of selected components."

In Debney's words, then -- and as I also noted at the time -- this affords Smith & Wesson the flexibility to fulfill this demand while "providing a layer of insulation should the markets soften."

By contrast, Sturm, Ruger's new manufacturing plant is decidedly more permanent.

And therein lies the rub: From an investor's standpoint, we can't forget there's risk involved, as Sturm, Ruger could be overbuilding its manufacturing facilities only to watch demand for its products taper off.

Then again ...
It's also quite possible Sturm, Ruger got a great deal on the property and that the financial outlay may not be all that significant. After all, the company did already tell investors it planned to spend a total of $30 million in capital expenditures by the end of this year, and as of the end of last quarter, it had no debt with cash and equivalents of $45.6 million on its balance sheet. What's more, Sturm, Ruger also managed to generate $30.4 million in cash from operations during last quarter alone.

In addition, remember that new products represented around 35% of all Sturm, Ruger's firearm sales last quarter, so it's obvious consumers are responding well to the company's latest offerings. As a result, if Sturm, Ruger is managing to take market share from its competitors, it's possible the company could still make use of the new facility even after today's record demand wanes.

In the end, then, over the short term this seems like a great idea, but long-term investors would be wise to keep an eye on firearms industry demand to see how it affects Sturm, Ruger's distributor inventory levels.

But what do you think? Is Sturm, Ruger's new manufacturing plant purchase a bad idea? Feel free to weigh in using the comments section below.

More expert advice from The Motley Fool
Of course, this demand for firearms largely picked up just before the most recent presidential elections, and much else has also happened to affect our lives since then. Obamacare, for instance, will undoubtedly have far-reaching effects. The Motley Fool's new free report "Everything You Need to Know About Obamacare" lets you know how your health insurance, your taxes, and your portfolio could be affected. Click here to read more. 

Three Auto Parts Stocks Taking Investors For a Nice Ride: ORLY, AAP & FDML

Auto parts retailers like large cap O'Reilly Automotive Inc (NASDAQ: ORLY) and mid cap Advance Auto Parts, Inc (NYSE: AAP) along with small cap auto parts stock Federal-Mogul Corp (NASDAQ: FDML) have been a bright spot on the economy as consumers try to stretch the lives of their automobiles or vehicles in the bad or uncertain economy. In fact, Investors Business Daily has recently noted that the average age of cars on the road is about 11.5 years and that's of course good news for auto parts retailers while any uptick in sales or production of auto parts in general will be good for companies like Federal-Mogul Corp. With that in mind, here is a look at how these three auto parts retailers or auto parts stocks are taking investors for a ride in a good way:

O'Reilly Automotive Inc. Founded in 1957 by the O'Reilly family, O'Reilly Automotive is one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories in the United States, serving both the do-it-yourself and professional service provider markets. As of June 30, the company operated 4,087 stores in 42 states. Yesterday, O'Reilly Automotive reported an 8% revenue increase to $1.73 billion while net income increased 17% to $186 million for the 19th consecutive quarter of 15% or greater adjusted diluted earnings per share growth. O'Reilly Automotive is on target to open 190 net new stores in 2013 and plans to increase new store growth in 2014 to 200 new stores. In addition, the company has $360 million remaining under its current share repurchase authorization. However, it should also be mentioned that O'Reilly Automotive's cash tends to be locked in inventories while current and long term liabilities has been steadily increasing over the past few quarters according to Google Finance data – something investors should keep an eye on. In addition, many of its stores are concentrated in certain regions of the country which could make the country vulnerable to economic fluctuations in those regions. On Wednesday, large cap O'Reilly Automotive rose 0.40% to $134.31 (ORLY has a 52 week trading range of $79.24 to $135.62 a share) for a market cap of $14.58 billion plus the stock is up 52.4% since the start of the year, up 66.7% over the past year and up 497.7% over the past five years.

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. Founded in 1932 and now a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, accessories, batteries and maintenance items in the United States, Advance Auto Parts serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets. The company operates over 3,900 stores in 39 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Last week, Advance Auto Parts soared 24% after it announced a $2.04 billion all cash deal to buy General Parts International - a privately held distributor and supplier of original equipment and aftermarket replacement products for commercial markets operating under the Carquest and Worldpac brands. The deal will create the largest automotive aftermarket parts provider in North America with combined sales of over $9.2 billion thanks to the addition of 1,246 company operated stores and 1,418 independently owned CARQUEST locations. The company also announced preliminary results for the third quarter saying it expects to earn $1.42 a share on $1.52 billion in revenue for a 17% profit increase from last year and a 4% sales increase. Otherwise, Advance Auto Parts is scheduled to report earnings before the market open on Thursday, October 31. On Wednesday, mid cap Advance Auto Parts rose 1.06% to $99.77 (AAP has a 52 week trading range of $65.07 to $99.84 a share for a market cap of $7.27 billion plus the stock is up 39.5% since the start of the year, up 45.8% over the past year and up 261.7% over the past five years.

Federal-Mogul Corp. Founded in 1899, Federal-Mogul Corp is a global supplier of products, brands and solutions to manufacturers of automotive, light commercial, heavy-duty and off-highway vehicles, as well as in power generation, aerospace, marine, rail and industrial. Federal-Mogul Corp operates with two business segments (the powertrain segment and the vehicle components segment) which each having a CEO reporting to Federal-Mogul's Board of Directors. Yesterday, Federal-Mogul Corp surged after it reported a 9% revenue increase to $1.69 billion and swung back into profit with net income of $38 million after a series of losses last year and into this year. The reversal came about thanks to a 12% rise in European sales due to market share gains, increased engine exports and acquisition and distribution agreements plus North American sales rose 6% while sales in the rest of the world rose 7%. Federal-Mogul Corp's co-CEO and CEO Powertrain Segment commented in the press release that the company's performance was also helped by progress on restructuring in Western Europe and the US along with increasing operational efficiency and ongoing cost reductions. On Wednesday, small cap Federal-Mogul Corp surged 24.3% to $19.44 (FDML has a 52 week trading range of $4.80 to $19.50 a share) for a market cap of $2.92 billion plus the stock is up 148.6% since the start of the year, up 131.3% over the past year and up 173.4% over the past five years.

Finally, here is a look at the performance of all three auto parts retailer or auto parts stocks:

It appears that O'Reilly Automotive has been the best performing auto parts retailer or auto parts stock over the long term but Advance Auto Parts has also put in a steady long-term performance while Federal-Mogul Corp has given investors a bit of a bumpy ride. 

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now

At first I thought my eyes deceived me, but after reading deeper, Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU  ) actually turned a profit this quarter. Thanks to a few one-time items, the company unearthed $0.33 per share in earnings this past quarter versus the expected loss of $0.05 per share analysts had buried the company under. Not to be outdone, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX  ) beat earnings predictions as well.

Both companies achieved these goals in different ways, while continuing to struggle in certain areas of their businesses. Thankfully there were some bright spots, which Motley Fool analyst Taylor Muckerman points out in the following video with analyst Joel South. Tune in to find out why these stocks were up so big during today's trading.�

One area where Freeport certainly didn't shine was in its gold mining business. The price of gold just hasn't been kind to Freeport and its peers. However, with the big lift to gold prices on Monday, the tide might finally be turning. Thankfully, The Motley Fool has a new free report, "The Best Way to Play Gold Right Now", which dissects the recent volatility and provides a guide for gold investing. Click here to read the full report today!

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Claude Resources Inc.(CGR)

Claude Resources Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal properties, as well as production and marketing of minerals in Canada. It primarily explores for gold in northern Saskatchewan and northwestern Ontario. The company holds interests in the Seabee gold mine located at Laonil Lake, northern Saskatchewan; and the Madsen property that consists of 6 contiguous claim blocks totaling approximately 10,000 acres, located in the Red Lake Mining District of northwestern Ontario. It also holds interest in the Amisk Gold project, which covers an area of 13,800 hectares in the province of Saskatchewan. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in Saskatoon, Canada.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Newmont Mining Corporation(Holding Company)

Newmont Mining Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and production of gold and copper properties. The company?s assets or operations are located in the United States, Australia, Peru, Indonesia, Ghana, Canada, New Zealand, and Mexico. As of December 31, 2009, it had proven and probable gold reserves of approximately 93.5 million equity ounces and an aggregate land position of approximately 27,500 square miles. The company was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado.

Hot Financial Companies For 2014: Iamgold Corporation(IAG)

IAMGOLD Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral resource properties worldwide. It primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, copper, niobium, diamonds, and other metals. The company holds interests in eight operating gold mines, a niobium producer, a diamond royalty, and exploration and development projects located in Africa and the Americas. Its advanced exploration and development projects include the Westwood project in Canada; and the Quimsacocha project, which consists of 3 mining concessions covering an aggregate area of approximately 8,030 hectares in Ecuador. The company was formerly known as IAMGOLD International African Mining Gold Corporation and changed its name to IAMGOLD Corporation in June 1997. IAMGOLD Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  IAMGOLD (NYSE: IAG  )
  Canadian gold miner IAMGOLD pays a semiannual dividend of $0.125 per share, which equates to a current yield of about 4.45%. As the company's name would imply, its revenues are generated by its gold-mining operations. Currently, the company has six gold mines across three continents as well as several potential projects in the works. The company's current priorities given the slumping gold market include cash preservation, cost reduction, and disciplined capital allocation. While the dividend looks safe for now, given the company's stated policy of not jeopardizing is strong balance sheet, it could be reduced if gold prices fall further. �

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Air France led airlines lower, falling 4 percent to 7.30 euros. International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) lost 1.9 percent to 270.7 pence while Deutsche Lufthansa AG slid 2.1 percent to 15.75 euros.

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc sank 3.3 percent after reporting results and naming the head of its U.K. consumer unit as chief executive officer. William Hill Plc (WMH) dropped the most in four years after the bookmaker posted earnings that missed analysts��projections. International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) rose to a five-year high as the parent of British Airways reported an operating profit in the second quarter.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  IAMGOLD (NYSE: IAG  ) might specialize in a precious metal, but it's continuing to pay its dividend in hard currency. The company has declared its latest semi-annual distribution at $0.125 per share of its common stock.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Golden Star Resources Ltd(GSS)

Golden Star Resources Ltd., a gold mining and exploration company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of gold properties. It owns and operates the Bogoso/Prestea gold mining and processing operation that covers approximately 40 kilometers of strike along the southwest-trending Ashanti gold district in western Ghana; and the Wassa open-pit gold mine located to the east of Bogoso/Prestea in southwest Ghana. The company also has an 81% interest in the Prestea underground gold mine located in Ghana. In addition, it holds interests in various gold exploration projects in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Cote d?Ivoire, as well as holds and manages exploration properties in Brazil in South America. The company was founded in 1984 and is based in Littleton, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Golden Star Resources (NYSEMKT: GSS  )
  It's simple physics: The bigger they are, the harder they fall. When gold prices nosedived earlier this week, gold miners with historically higher operating costs took the brunt of the hit. For the most part, that meant that development-stage miners, and those operating in Africa, where labor and political costs make cost-effective mining a challenge, took it on the chin. Possibly no stock was hammered more than Golden Star Resources, a gold miner in Ghana, which lost about one-quarter of its value on Monday alone.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Clash of the titans
  When bears are raging on the gold bullion market, it's not surprising to see gold stocks getting mauled as well. Golden Star Resources (NYSEMKT: GSS  ) was the biggest loser in the sector, losing a quarter of its market cap on no company-specific news, though a report last Friday indicated that a large number of hedge funds had recently dumped their positions in the mid-tier miner. Yet it wasn't all that much better among the majors, either, as Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX  ) fell almost 13% and Kinross Gold (NYSE: KGC  ) was down 14%.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Australian Dollar(AU)

AngloGold Ashanti Limited primarily engages in the exploration and production of gold. It also produces silver, uranium oxide, and sulfuric acid. The company conducts gold-mining operations in South Africa; continental Africa, including Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Namibia, and Tanzania; Australia; and the Americas, which include Argentina, Brazil, and the United States. It also has mining or exploration operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, and Colombia. As of December 31, 2010, the company had proved and probable gold reserves of 71.2 million ounces. The company has a strategic alliance with Thani Dubai Mining Limited to explore, develop, and operate mines across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. AngloGold Ashanti Limited, formerly known as Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited, was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Profit Confidential]

  Graham Ehm, Executive Vice President of South African-based AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE: AU), one of the biggest gold producers in the global economy, stated the company is looking to save $500 million over the next 18 months, as capital expenditures will only be going towards their highest-quality assets. (Source: Mining Weekly, August 5, 2013.)

Top Companies To Own In Right Now

Value investors tend to favor specific gauges to find bargains. Some like to seek out stocks trading below tangible book value, while others seek out stocks that sport low price-to-earnings (P/E) multiples or impressive free cash flow characteristics.

But why not focus on all three gauges?

I ran a screen to find stocks that press all the buttons, targeting only companies with a market value above $500 million and 2014 P/E multiples below 12. To preserve a nice margin of error for downside protection, I narrowed the list to stocks trading for less than 95% of tangible book value.

Here's what I found.

Of course, these numbers are just a starting point, and the seemingly least expensive stocks aren't always the top bargain. Case in point: Century Aluminum (Nasdaq: CENX), which holds a trove of undervalued assets parked on its balance sheet but is struggling to generate profits in an era of depressed aluminum prices.

Top Companies To Own In Right Now: Xstrata(XTA.L)

Xstrata plc operates as a diversified metals and mining company in Switzerland and internationally. It primarily explores for copper, thermal or energy coal, metallurgical or coking coal, nickel, zinc, ferrochrome, platinum, and vanadium; palladium and rhodium; and gold, cobalt, iron, lead, and silver deposits. The company?s operations and projects span in various countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Congo Brazzaville, Germany, Ireland, Mauritania, New Caledonia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Spain, South Africa, Tanzania, the United Kingdom; and the United States. It also develops, markets, and implements technologies and services used in mining, mineral processing, and metals production. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland.

Top Companies To Own In Right Now: Cdl Hospitality Trusts (J85.SI)

CDL Hospitality Trusts, through its subsidiaries, operates as a hotel real estate investment trust (REIT). It invests in a portfolio of hospitality and hospitality related real estate assets. As of December 31, 2009, the company owned and operated 11 hotels comprising Orchard Hotel, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, M Hotel, Copthorne King�s Hotel, and Novotel Clarke Quay in Singapore; Rendezvous Hotel Auckland, a deluxe hotel located in Auckland, New Zealand; and Novotel Brisbane, Mercure Brisbane, Ibis Brisbane, Mercure Perth, and Ibis Perth located in Brisbane and Perth, Australia comprising a total of 3,942 hotel rooms. It also operated Orchard Hotel Shopping Arcade, the shopping arcade adjoining Orchard Hotel in Singapore. The company has elected to be taxed as a REIT. As a REIT, it would not be subject to corporate income tax on 90% of its net income that is distributed to shareholders. CDL Hospitality Trusts was founded in 2006 and is based in Singapore, Singapore.

Hot Cheap Companies To Watch In Right Now: Yongnam Holdings Limited (Y02.SI)

Yongnam Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, provides engineering and construction services primarily in Singapore, the Middle East, and other countries in Asia. The company�s Structural Steelworks segment offers engineering coordination, detailing, and fabrication and erection of structural steel services. This segment is also involved in the design, fabrication, supply, and erection of steel structural frames for long span aircraft hangars, high rise buildings, and commercial and industrial buildings, as well as for infrastructure related developments. Its Specialist Civil Engineering division provides modular strutting system for load carrying and providing clear spans. This modular strutting system includes laced universal beams of various cross-sections in modular lengths; single and double waler beams in various lengths, intermediate supporting beams, king posts, bracing, and waler support brackets; and a range of strut to waler joints to cover the used angles. The company�s Mechanical Engineering segment engages in the installation of mechanical equipment and plant; and supply, fabrication, and installation of mechanical components, as well as offers plant maintenance services. Yongnam Holdings Limited was founded in 1971 and is based in Singapore.

Top Companies To Own In Right Now: Lululemon Athletic Com Stk Usd0 (LLL.TO)

lululemon athletica inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and distributes athletic apparel for women, men, and female youth. The company�s line of apparel and accessories include fitness pants, shorts, tops, and jackets for healthy lifestyle activities, such as yoga, running, and general fitness. Its fitness-related accessories comprise bags, socks, underwear, yoga mats, instructional yoga DVDs, and water bottles. The company sells its products through a chain of corporate-owned and franchise stores; direct to consumer through e-commerce; and a network of wholesale channel, such as yoga studios, health clubs, and fitness centers. As of January 29, 2012, it had 47 stores in Canada, 108 stores in the United States, 18 stores in Australia, and 1 store in New Zealand under the lululemon athletica and ivivva athletica brand names. lululemon athletica inc. was founded in 1998 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Top Companies To Own In Right Now: Latchways(LTC.L)

Latchways plc engages in the production, distribution, and installation of industrial safety products and related services primarily in Europe and North America. It operates in two segments, Safety Products and Safety Services. The Safety Products segment designs and manufactures fall protection equipment for people working at height. It offers systems for those working at height, including on rooftops, crane rails; and systems for those climbing to or from height, such as ladders, telecom masts, and electricity transmission towers, as well as provides personal protective equipment, guardrails, and walkways. This segment sells its products directly, as well as through independent installers. The Safety Services segment installs and services safety products under the ManSafe name. The company?s products are used in bridges, commercial, electricity pylons, heritage, industrial, towers, office blocks, manufacturing plants, entertainment arenas, public buildings, offshore pla tforms, aerospace, power transmission, utilities, and telecommunications applications. Latchways plc was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Devizes, the United Kingdom.

Top Companies To Own In Right Now: Philippine Metals Inc(PHI.V)

Philippine Metals Inc., an exploration stage company, engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties in the Philippines. The company primarily explores for copper and gold. It holds interests in the Taurus-Suhi Massive sulphide project located in the Province of Leyte; the Malitao project located in Kalinga-Apayao Province, northern Luzon; and the Dilong project in Barrio Dilong, municipality of Tubo, Abra Province. The company is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Top Companies To Own In Right Now: Sequenom Inc.(SQNM)

Sequenom, Inc. provides products, services, diagnostic testing, applications, and genetic analysis products that translate the results of genomic science into solutions for biomedical research, translational research, molecular medicine applications, and agricultural and livestock research. The company operates in two segments, Molecular Diagnostics and Genetic Analysis. The Molecular Diagnostics segment researches, develops, and commercializes noninvasive molecular diagnostic tests for prenatal genetic disorders and diseases, women?s health related disorders and diseases, ophthalmology, oncology, infectious diseases, and autoimmunity. This segment markets diagnostic technology for prenatal diagnostics under the trademark SEQureDx. The Genetic Analysis segment designs and markets MassARRAY system, a nucleic acid analysis platform that comprises hardware, software applications, consumable chips, and reagents to measure genetic target material and variations. This segment o ffers its MassARRAY system for various DNA/RNA analysis applications, including single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), genotyping, detection of mutations, analysis of copy number variants, and other structural genome variations, as well as quantitative gene expression analysis, quantitative methylation marker analysis, comparative sequence analysis of haploid organisms, SNP discovery, and oligonucleotide quality control. It also provides iPLEX multiplexing assay, which permits multiplexed SNP analysis and somatic mutation analysis. The company offers its products through direct sales, and sales and distribution partners to clinical research laboratories, bio-agriculture, bio-technology and pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and various government agencies worldwide. Sequenom, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Keith Speights]

  The check wasn't in the mail
  Genetic analysis solutions provider Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM  ) announced its second-quarter financial results this week. Mr. Market wasn't happy. Shares plunged nearly 30% for the week.

• [By Keith Speights]

  2. Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM  )
  Sequenom and Lexicon have similar stories in one respect. Sequenom also started off roaring in 2000 only to fizzle out in subsequent years. Over the last decade, the genetic analysis company has seen shares decline by 54%.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of diagnostic testing specialist Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM  ) plummeted 30% today after its quarterly results disappointed Wall Street.�

• [By Keith Speights]

  Top line makes everything fine
  Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM  ) lost more money in the first quarter than it did in the same period last year. The life-sciences company also missed the average analyst earnings estimate. Did shares fall? Nope -- they jumped 14%.

Top Companies To Own In Right Now: Saxon Oil Company Ltd (SXN.V)

Saxon Oil Company Ltd., an independent oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production, of oil and natural gas reserves in the United States and Italy. The company holds interests in various oil and gas properties and wells located in Oklahoma, Kansas, North Dakota, and Texas; and in the Emilia-Romanga region, east of Ferrara, Italy. It is also involved in the pipeline transportation activities that include gas pipeline and gas gathering operations. It owns approximately 240 miles of gas gathering systems in Kansas. The company is based in Houston, Texas.