Hot Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now

On this day in economic and business history...

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) began its existence in the swelling optimism of a post-panic bull market. That growth continued for five years, with a brief interruption at the turn of the century, before peaking on June 17, 1901. That day marked the start of the longest secular bear market in Dow history.

Trading that day was light, and reports offered little indication of the long-term weakness to come. The export of $4 million worth of gold -- approximately 6.6 tons' worth at prevailing exchange rates -- to cover various debts was the only unpleasant news to be found, as lower gold stores could become a problem in the event of widespread withdrawals. A railroad price war in the American Northwest drew to a close. The damage wrought on the railroad industry by the Panic of 1893 finally seemed to be a thing of the past, and newly instituted railroad dividends and higher earnings appeared everywhere.

Hot Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now: SolarCity Corp (SCTY)

SolarCity Corporation (SolarCity), incorporated on June 21, 2006, is engaged in the design, installation and sale or lease of solar energy systems to residential and commercial customers, or sale of electricity generated by solar energy systems to customers. The Company sells renewable energy to its customers. As of December 12, 2012, the Company served customers in 14 states. The Company�� residential customers are individual homeowners and homeowners. The Company�� commercial customers represent several business sectors, including technology, retail, manufacturing, agriculture, nonprofit and houses of worship. The Company has installed solar energy systems for several government entities, including the the United States Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy, and the Department of Homeland Security. The Company purchases major components, such as solar panels and inverters directly from multiple manufacturers. As of September 30, 2012, its primary solar panel suppliers were Trina Solar Limited, Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited and Kyocera Solar, Inc., among others, and its primary inverter suppliers were Power-One, Inc., SMA Solar Technology, AG, Schneider Electric SA, Fronius International GmbH and SolarEdge Technologies, among others.

Solar Energy Products

The Company�� solar energy products include Solar Energy Systems, and SolarLease and power purchase agreement finance products. The major components of its solar energy systems include solar panels that convert sunlight into electrical current. Most of its solar energy customers choose to purchase energy from the Company pursuant to one of two payment structures: a SolarLease or a power purchase agreement. In both structures, the Company charges customers a monthly fee for the power produced by its solar energy systems. In the lease structure, this monthly payment is pre-determined and includes a production guarantee. In the power purchase agreement structure, the Company charges customers a fee per kilowatt! hour based on the amount of electricity actually produced by the solar energy system.

Energy Efficiency Products and Services

The Company�� energy efficiency products and services include home energy evaluation and energy efficiency upgrades. The Company sells home energy efficiency evaluations to new solar energy system customers and existing customers. The Company�� energy efficiency upgrade products and services address heating and cooling, air sealing, duct sealing, water heating, insulation, furnaces, weatherization, pool pumps and lighting. As of December 12, 2012, the Company had completed over 13,000 home energy evaluations and performed more than 2,000 energy efficiency upgrades.

Other Energy Products and Services

The Company�� other energy products and services include electric vehicle charging and energy storage. The Company installs electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment that it sources from third parties. SolarCity markets EV equipment to residential and commercial customers through retail partnerships with companies, such as The Home Depot, and through EV manufacturers and dealerships, such as its partnership with Tesla Motors, Inc. The Company is developing a battery management system built on its solar energy monitoring communications backbone. As of December 12, 2012, the Company had over 100 energy storage pilot projects under contract. As of December 12, 2012, the Company had sold over 750 charging stations.

Enabling Technologies

The Company�� enabling technologies include SolarBid Sales Management Platform, SolarWorks Customer Management Software, Energy Designer, Home Performance Pro and SolarGuard and PowerGuide Proactive Monitoring Solutions. SolarBid is a sales management platform, which incorporates a database of rate information by utility, sun exposure, roof orientation and a range of other factors to enable a detailed analysis and customized graphical presentation of each customer� �s savin! gs.

SolarWorks is the software platform the Company uses to track and manage project. Energy Designer is a software application its field engineering auditors use to collect pertinent site-specific design details on a tablet computer. Home Performance Pro is its energy efficiency evaluation platform that incorporates the United States Department of Energy�� Energy Plus simulation engine. Home Performance Pro collects and stores details of a building�� construction and energy use. SolarGuard and PowerGuide provide its customers a view of their home�� or business�� energy generation and consumption.

The Company competes with American Solar Electric, Inc., Astrum Solar, Inc., Petersen Dean, Inc., Real Goods Solar, Inc., REC Solar, Inc., Sungevity, Inc., Trinity Solar, Inc., Verengo, Inc., SunRun Inc. and Ameresco, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  My top pick is still SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR  ) , and another great company is SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY  ) . Residential solar grew 53% in the first quarter, and both companies have a major share of this growing market. Unlike utility-scale solar, the residential space is far more consistent, and we can expect more growth in the future. Both SunPower and SolarCity sign customers up to 20-year leases, ensuring revenue long-term.�

Hot Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now: Methanex Corporation (MEOH)

Methanex Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production, marketing, and sale of methanol. The company also purchases and re-sells methanol produced by others. Its methanol is a clear liquid commodity chemical that is used to produce traditional chemical derivatives, including formaldehyde, acetic acid, and various other chemicals. The company�s methanol is also used in energy-related applications; for blending into gasoline, as a feedstock in the production of dimethyl ether, which can be blended with liquefied petroleum gas for use in household cooking and heating, and in the production of biodiesel; and used to produce methyl tertiary-butyl ether, a gasoline component, as well as used into olefins applications. The company supplies its methanol to petrochemical producers and distributors in North America, the Asia Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. Methanex Corporation was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  His largest new buys in the first quarter are: Penn Virginia Group Holdings LP (PVG), Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN), Methanex Corp. (MEOH), Solutia Inc. (SOA) and Georgia Gulf (GGC). Of his top eight stocks, five are from the chemicals industry.

Top Stocks To Own Right Now: Himax Technologies Inc.(HIMX)

Himax Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, and markets semiconductors for flat panel displays. Its products include display drivers and timing controllers for various thin film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD) panels, which are used in desktop monitors, notebook computers, televisions, and mobile handsets, as well as consumer electronics products comprising netbook computers, digital cameras, mobile gaming devices, portable DVD players, digital photo frame, and car navigation displays; and TFT-LCD television and monitor semiconductor solutions. The company also provides liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) products for palm-size mobile projectors; power management integrated circuits, which include drivers, amplifiers, DC to DC converters and other semiconductors; complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensors for camera-equipped mobile devices, such as mobile phones and notebook computers with a focus on lowlight image and video quality; and wafer level optics products. It serves TFT-LCD panel manufacturers, mobile device module manufacturers, and television makers. Himax Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Tainan, Taiwan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Himax Technologies (NASDAQ: HIMX  ) is rewarding its shareholders with a dividend increase.

  The company on Monday declared an annual payout from its 2012 results of $0.25 per American depositary share to be paid July 31 to shareholders of record as of July 19. That $0.25 is nearly four times Himax's previous distribution of $0.063 per share, which was paid last June.

• [By Alex Planes]

  What: Shares of Himax Technologies (NASDAQ: HIMX  ) have been advancing throughout the trading day, and are now perched atop gains of 12%, after Oppenheimer analysts Andrew Uerkwitz and Martin Yang initiated coverage with a buy rating, making some strongly supportive comments in the process.

• [By John Udovich]

  On Monday, small cap Taiwanese advanced display maker�Himax Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: HIMX) announced an agreement with Google�(NASDAQ: GOOG) where the later agreed to invest in the company's subsidiary, Himax Display Inc, fueling ever more speculation about Google Glass���a pair of glasses that will act like a wearable�smartphone. But what do we know about this Taiwanese small cap and is it enough for new investors to jump aboard?

• [By Ant贸nio Costa]

  Himax Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: HIMX) seems to be forming here a possible cup and handle formation ( The bigger white arc is the cup and the smaller white arc indicates the possible handle ). This is a typical bullish pattern and the stock price potential is on the upside. The stock must close above the neckline at 11.5 (White horizontal line ) on heavy volume in order to confirm the pattern.

Hot Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now: Ishares Ftse Kld 400 Social Index Fund (DSI)

iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social Index Fund (the Fund), formerly iShares FTSE KLD 400 Social Index Fund, seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the MSCI KLD 400 Social Index (the Index). The Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index designed to measure the equity performance of the United States companies. The Index consists of approximately 400 companies identified by MSCI from the universe of companies included in the MSCI USA IMI Index, which consists of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ Stock Market LLC listed United States equities. The Fund�� investment advisor is BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  Efficiency measures at Schlumberger have included faster maintenance, better transportation set ups, and increases in asset turns. The company reduced Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)—a measure of how long it takes to get paid after a sale—to 91 in the quarter, from 96 in the first quarter of 2013. Days Sales of Inventory (DSI)—a measure of how much inventory a company carries to support its sales activities—fell to 55 days from 57 days. That helped produce operating cash flow of $10 billion for Schlumberger in 2013, a record for the company.

Hot Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now: Briggs & Stratton Corporation (BGG)

Briggs & Stratton Corporation designs, manufactures, markets, and services air cooled gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. It operates in two segments, Engines and Products. The Engines segment offers four-cycle aluminum alloy gasoline engines that are used primarily by the lawn and garden equipment industry. Its products are used in various lawn and garden equipment applications, including walk-behind lawn mowers, riding lawn mowers, garden tillers, and snow throwers, as well as on products for industrial, construction, agricultural, and other consumer applications that include portable and standby generators, pumps, and pressure washers. This segment also manufactures and sells replacement engines and service parts to sales and service distributors. The Products segment offers portable and standby generators, pressure washers, snow throwers, and lawn and garden powered equipment. This segment sells its products through various channels of retail distribution, in cluding consumer home centers, warehouse clubs, mass merchants, and independent dealers under its brands, which include Briggs & Stratton, Snapper, Simplicity, Ferris, Snapper Pro, Murray, and Victa, as well as other brands, such as Craftsman, John Deere, GE, and Troy-Bilt. The company serves original equipment manufacturers worldwide. Briggs & Stratton Corporation was founded in 1908 and is based in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Briggs & Stratton (NYSE: BGG) shares tumbled 7.70 percent to $20.98 after the company reported downbeat Q2 results and lowered its FY14 earnings forecast.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Small-engine maker�Briggs & Stratton� (NYSE: BGG  ) announced today its third-quarter dividend of $0.12 per share, the same rate it's paid for the past four quarters after raising the payout 9% from $0.11 per share.

Hot Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now: Waddell & Reed Financial Inc. (WDR)

Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides investment management, investment product underwriting and distribution, and shareholder services administration to mutual funds, and institutional and separately managed accounts in the United States. The company acts as an investment adviser for institutional and other private investors, and provides sub advisory services to other investment companies; underwrites and distributes registered open-end mutual fund portfolios; distributes business partners� variable annuity products, and retirement and life insurance products to advisors channel customers; sells life insurance and disability products underwritten by various carriers; and offers fee-based asset allocation investment advisory products to advisors channel customers. It distributes investment products through independent financial advisors, broker/dealers, registered investment advisors, and various retirement platforms; and markets investment a dvisory services to institutional investors directly or through consultants. Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. was founded in 1937 and is based in Overland Park, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Investment services and shareholder services administrator Waddell & Reed (WDR) raised its quarterly dividend 21% to 34 cents per share, payable on Feb. 3 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 13.
  WDR Dividend Yield: 2.2%

Hot Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now: PowerShares International Dividend Achievers Portfolio (PID)

PowerShares International Dividend Achievers Portfolio (the Fund) seeks to replicate, before fees and expenses, the International Dividend Achievers Index (the Index). The Fund invests in sectors, including financials, utilities, consumer staples, commercial banks, insurance, utilities and information technology. PowerShares Capital Management LLC is the adviser of the Fund.

The Index seeks to identify an international group of American Depository Receipts that have qualified as International Dividend Achievers. The Index is designed to track the performance of dividend paying American Depository Receipts and non-United States common or ordinary stocks trading on the NYSE, NADDAQ or AMEX.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Carlton Delfeld]

  Second, add to the mix, one of my long-time favorite ETFs, the PowerShares International Dividend Achievers (PID).

  To get into this exclusive basket, companies have to have a record of increasing dividends for five consecutive years. The United Kingdom and Canada make up 50% of its holdings with the US at only 6%.

• [By Editor , DividendChannel.com]

  According to the ETF Finder at ETF Channel, Enbridge stock is an underlying holding representing 1.97% of the Powershares International Dividend Achievers ETF (PID), which holds $20,709,837 worth of ENB shares.

Hot Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now: Customers Bancorp Inc (CUBI)

Customers Bancorp, Inc. (Customers Bancorp), incorporated in April 2010, through its wholly owned subsidiary Customers Bank (the Bank), provides financial products and services to small businesses, not-for-profits and consumers through its fourteen branches in Southeastern Pennsylvania (Bucks, Berks, Chester and Delaware Counties), Rye, New York (Westchester County) and Hamilton, New Jersey (Mercer County). Customers Bank also provides liquidity to the mortgage market worldwide through the operation of its mortgage warehouse business. As of December 31, 2011, Customers Bancorp had total assets of $2.08 billion, including net loans (including held for sale loans) of $1.50 billion, total deposits of $1.58 billion. The Company offers a range of banking products and financial services to its commercial and consumer customers in Suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Central New Jersey and Southeastern New York. It offers a range of lending products to cater to its customers��needs, including small business loans, mortgage warehouse loans, multi-family and commercial real estate loans, residential mortgage loans and consumer loans. It also offers traditional depository products, including commercial and consumer checking accounts, non-interest-bearing demand accounts, money market deposit accounts, savings accounts and time deposit accounts and cash management services. On September 17, 2011, Customers Bank became a wholly owned subsidiary of Customers Bancorp. On September 17, 2011, Customers Bancorp acquired Berkshire Bancorp, Inc. and its subsidiary Berkshire Bank. In May 2013, Customers Bancorp Inc merged with CMS Bancorp Inc.

Lending Activities

The Company focuses its lending efforts to the lending areas, such as commercial lending, which includes business, small business and multi-family and commercial real estate lending; specialty Lending, which include warehouse lending, and consumer lending, which include local market mortgage lending and home equity lending. It also pr! ovide warehouse financing worldwide and multi-family lending in the Mid-Atlantic States.

The Bank�� commercial lending is segmented into three groups, which include multi-family and commercial real estate, business banking and small business banking. The small business banking platform originates loans, including small business administration loans, through the branch network sales force and a team of dedicated small business relationship managers. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it originated and closed $121.5 million of multi-family loans commitments. As of December 31, 2011, it had $536.9 million in commercial loans outstanding, comprising approximately 35.3% of its total loan portfolio (which includes loans held for sale). During 2011, it originated and closed $167.7 million of commercial loans and commitments. As of December 31, 2011, loans in its warehouse lending portfolio, as well as loans held for sale totaled $794.3 million outstanding, comprising approximately 52.3% of its total loan portfolio (which includes loans held for sale). During the year ended December 31, 2011, it funded $7.7 billion of mortgage loans under warehouse facilities.

The Company offers a range of deposit products to its customers, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts and other deposit accounts, including fixed-rate, fixed-maturity retail time deposits ranging in terms from 30 days to five years, individual retirement accounts, and non-retail time deposits consisting of jumbo certificates greater than or equal to $100,000. As of December 31, 2011, its deposit portfolio was consisted of 54.9% of core deposits. Its financial products include Internet banking, wire transfers, electronic bill payment, lock box services, remote deposit capture services, courier services, merchant processing services, cash vault, controlled disbursements, positive pay and cash management services (including account reconciliation, collections and sweep accounts).

! Sources o! f Fund

The Company offers a range of deposit accounts, including checking, savings, money market and time deposits. Deposits are obtained primarily from its service area. As of December 31, 2011, the total deposits grew to $1.58 billion.

Investment Activities

The Company�� investment securities portfolio consists of United States Treasury, government agency and mortgage-backed securities (guaranteed by an agency of the United States government and non-agency guaranteed), municipal securities, domestic corporate debt, and asset-backed securities. In addition to generating revenue, it maintains the investment portfolio to manage interest rate risk, provide liquidity, provide collateral for other borrowings and diversify the credit risk of earning assets. As of December 31, 2011, $79.1 million of its investment securities were classified as available for sale (AFS). As of December 31, 2011, the fair value of its investment securities portfolio was approximately $409.9 million. As of December 31, 2011, it held $319.5 million of investment securities that were classified as held to maturity (HTM).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Wyomissing, Pa.-based Customers Bancorp (NASDAQ: CUBI  ) has a new CFO.

  On Tuesday, Customers Bancorp announced that Interim Chief Financial Officer James D. Hogan�intends to retire from the bank on Aug. 13. Replacing Hogan will be Robert E. Wahlman, a new hire from Doral Financial, who will join Customers initially in the post of executive vice president on Aug. 5, and then be promoted to permanent CFO on the 13th.

Hot Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now: Iberpapel Gestion SA (IBG)

Iberpapel Gestion SA is a Spain-based holding company engaged in the paper industry. The Company operates through three divisions: Forestry, involved in the acquisition and cultivation of eucalyptus plantations in Argentina, Uruguay and Spain; Industrial, focused on the production of bleached pulp and paper products, and Commercial, specialized on the distribution of products such as printing and photocopy paper, offset paper, light-coated paper, laser printing paper, paper bags and envelopes. The Company�� subsidiaries include Distribuidora Papelera SA, Moliner Dominguez y Cia SA, Ibereucaliptos SA, Papelera Guipuzcoana de Zicunaga SA, Central de Suministros de Artes Graficas Papel SA and Copaimex SA, among others. The Company�� major shareholders include ONCHENA, SL and BESTINVER GESTION, SA. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  The top contributing stock for the quarter was Saft Groupe (XPAR:SAFT).� The company has two main divisions: the Specialty Battery Group (SBG), which makes lithium batteries for various end markets including satellites, utility meters and military applications; and the Industrial Battery Group (IBG), which produces rechargeable nickel and lithium-ion batteries for industrial back-up power, aviation, rail, telecom and energy storage industries.�

• [By Holly LaFon]

  The top contributing stock for the quarter was Saft Groupe (XPAR:SAFT).� The company has two main divisions: the Specialty Battery Group (SBG), which makes lithium batteries for various end markets including satellites, utility meters and military applications; and the Industrial Battery Group (IBG), which produces rechargeable nickel and lithium-ion batteries for industrial back-up power, aviation, rail, telecom and energy storage industries.�

Hot Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now: Solutia Inc(SOA)

Solutia Inc. and its subsidiaries manufacture performance materials and specialty chemicals used in various consumer and industrial applications. The company?s Advanced Interlayers segment provides polyvinyl butyral (PVB) sheet that is used in the manufacture of laminated glass for automotive and architectural applications, and as an encapsulant in photovoltaic applications primarily under the SAFLEX name; ethyl vinyl acetate films under the VISTASOLAR name for photovoltaic module encapsulation; and specialty intermediate PVB resin and plasticizer products under the BUTVAR name. Its Performance Films segment manufactures solar control, decorative, safety and security window films for aftermarket automotive and architectural applications under the LLUMAR, V-KOOL, H�ER OPTIK, VISTA, GILA, and FORMULA ONE HIGH PERFORMANCE AUTOMOTIVE TINT names; and advanced film components that are used in electronics and energy industrial products under the FLEXVUE name. The company?s Te chnical Specialties segment manufactures and sells chemicals for the rubber, solar energy, process manufacturing, and aviation industries. This segment offers insoluble sulfur under the CRYSTEX name; and antidegradants, which are used in pneumatic tire components, solid tires, belts, hoses, cables, automotive mounts, bushings, and general mechanical products under the SANTOFLEX name. This segment also provides heat transfer fluids that are used for indirect heating or cooling of chemical processes in various types of industrial equipment and in solar energy power systems under the THERMINOL name; and aviation hydraulic fluids for airline airframe manufacturers and aviation maintenance facilities under the SKYDROL name. The company sells its products to end users in various industries through distributors and franchisees, as well as through its sales force in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. Solutia Inc. was founded in 1901 and is headquartere d in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  His largest new buys in the first quarter are: Penn Virginia Group Holdings LP (PVG), Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN), Methanex Corp. (MEOH), Solutia Inc. (SOA) and Georgia Gulf (GGC). Of his top eight stocks, five are from the chemicals industry.