Hot Freight Stocks To Watch For 2014

In what UPS (NYSE: UPS  ) CEO Scott Davis calls "a win-win-win for our people, customers, and shareholders," the company has reached a "tentative agreement" with nearly 250,000 Teamsters Union employees on two five-year contracts. The first deal addresses union employees in UPS' packaging unit; the other agreement impacts freight employees, the sides recently announced.

According to the Teamsters announcement, both agreements will "protect [union members'] health-care benefits, provide substantial wage increases and significantly raise contributions to pension and health and welfare benefits." The deals would affect UPS' 140,000 package employees, and the nearly 110,000 Teamsters Union employees in its freight unit.

In addition to the health-care benefits and higher wages, Teamsters said the new agreement would result in 2,000 full-time jobs from the ranks of existing UPS part-time package employees.

Hot Retail Companies To Buy For 2015: Werner Enterprises Inc (WERN)

Werner Enterprises, Inc., incorporated on September 14, 1982, is a transportation and logistics company engaged primarily in hauling truckload shipments of general commodities in both interstate and intrastate commerce. The Company also provides logistics services through its value added services (VAS) division. As of the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company had a fleet of 7,150 trucks, of which 6,505 were Company-operated and 645 were owned and operated by independent contractors. The Company operates in two segments: Truckload Transportation Services (Truckload) and VAS.

Truckload segment

The Company's Truckload segment consists of the One-Way Truckload and Specialized Services units. One-Way Truckload includes the operating fleets: the regional short-haul (Regional) fleet transports a variety of consumer nondurable products and other commodities in truckload quantities within geographic regions across the United States using dry van trailers; the medium-to-long-haul van (Van) fleet provides comparable truckload van service over irregular routes, and the expedited (Expedited) fleet provides time-sensitive truckload services utilizing driver teams.

Specialized Services provides truckload services dedicated to a specific customer, generally for a retail distribution center or manufacturing facility, including services for products requiring specialized trailers such as flatbed or temperature-controlled trailers. The Company's Truckload fleets operate throughout the 48 contiguous United States, both common and contract, granted by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). The Company also has authority to operate in several provinces of Canada and to provide through-trailer service into and out of Mexico. The principal types of freight the Company transports include retail store merchandise, consumer products, grocery products and manufactured products. The Company focuses on transporting consumer nondurable products that generally ship.

!

VAS segment

The Company's VAS segment is a non-asset-based transportation and logistics provider. VAS is consists of four operating units that provide non-trucking services to the Company's customers: truck brokerage (Brokerage) uses contracted carriers to complete customer shipments; freight management (Freight Management) offers a range of single-source logistics management services and solutions; the intermodal (Intermodal) unit offers rail transportation through alliances with rail and drayage providers as an alternative to truck transportation, and Werner Global Logistics international (WGL) provides complete management of global shipments from origin to destination using a combination of air, ocean, truck and rail transportation modes. The Company's Brokerage unit had transportation services contracts with approximately 9,400 carriers as of December 31, 2012.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mike Deane]

  Werner Enterprises (WERN) announced its third quarter earnings after the bell on Thursday, posting a 1% change in revenues from last year’s Q3, but a 15% drop in net income.

  The Omaha, NE-based logistics and transportation company announced Q3 revenue of $511.73 million, which was up slightly from last year’s $506.50 million revenue figure. WERN reported net income for the quarter of $21.53 million, or 29 cents per diluted share, which was down from last year’s Q3 earnings of $25.13 million, or 34 cents per diluted share.

  The company was able to meet analyst views of 29 cents EPS, and slightly surpass the revenue estimate of $503.82 million.

  WERN shares were up 21 cents, or 0.90%, at Thursday’s market close, but were edging lower in after-hours trading. YTD, the company’s stock is up just over 4%.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Outerwall (NASDAQ: OUTR) were down 16.03 percent to $47.00 after the company lowered its forecast for the third quarter and full year. Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ: WERN) shares tumbled 4.71 percent to $23.26 after the company issued a weak third-quarter profit forecast. Bank of America downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral. Pandora Media (NYSE: P) down, falling 1.71 percent to $23.58 as the company announced its plans to sell 14 million shares of common stock, including 4 million shares from current stockholders.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ: WERN) shares dropped 4.83% to $23.23 in pre-market trading after the company issued a weak third-quarter profit forecast.

Hot Freight Stocks To Watch For 2014: PostNL NV (PNL)

PostNL NV is a Netherlands-based Company active in delivery sector. The Company is engaged in the delivery of documents, small packages and standard parcels. The Company�� business is organized into three segments: Mail in the Netherlands, responsible for mail services in the Netherland, documents management, direct marketing and fulfillment services, and operating over 2,600 shop-in-shop post offices; Parcels, providing parcel services in the Netherlands and Belgium for both domestic and cross-border parcel distribution, and International, operating in the postal markets of the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, and focusing on domestic addressed mail services. The Company also provides marketing and communication services, fulfillment solutions and e-commerce related solutions. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  PostNL (PNL) sank 11 percent to 2.48 euros, the biggest decline since Jan. 14. The Amsterdam-based company said sales in the second-quarter were 1.03 billion euros ($1.37 billion), falling short of the 1.04 billion euros predicted by analysts on average. PostNL forecast addressed mail volume in 2013 will drop as much as 11 percent, greater than its previous forecast of no more than 10 percent.

Hot Freight Stocks To Watch For 2014: Hub Group Inc (HUBG)

Hub Group, Inc., incorporated on March 8, 1995, is an asset-light freight transportation management companies. The Company offers intermodal, truck brokerage and logistics services. The Company operates distinct business segments: Mode, which includes the acquired Mode business acquired by the Company on April 1, 2011, and Hub, which is all business other than Mode. Both segments offer intermodal, truck brokerage and logistics services. Hub operates through a network of operating centers throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Hub services a diversified customer base in a broad range of industries, including consumer products, retail and durable goods. Mode markets and operates its freight transportation services primarily through its network of independent business owners (IBOs) who enter into contracts with Mode. Mode's company managed operation includes a business arranging for the transportation of raw materials and finished products for a food producer and, to a lesser extent, other highway brokerage, intermodal and logistics operations.

Intermodal

As an intermodal marketing company (IMC), the Company arranges for the movement of its customers freight in containers and trailers, typically over long distances of 750 miles or more. The Company contracts with railroads to provide transportation for the long-haul portions of the shipment and with local trucking companies, known as drayage companies, for pickup and delivery. As part of the Company's intermodal services, the Company negotiates rail and drayage rates, electronically tracks shipments in transit, consolidate billing and handle claims for freight loss or damage on behalf of its customers.

The Company uses its network to access containers and trailers owned by leasing companies, railroads and steamship lines. The Company is able to track trailers and containers entering a service area and reuses that equipment to fulfill the customers' outbound shipping requirements. As of December 31, 2012, ! Hub had access to approximately 9,111 rail-owned containers for the Company's dedicated use on the Union Pacific (UP) and the Norfolk Southern (NS) rails. In addition to these rail-owned containers, as of December 31, 2012, the Company had a total of 14,756 53-inch private containers for use on the UP and NS. The Company financed 6,167 of these containers with operating leases and the Company owns 8,589 containers.

As of December 31, 2012, approximately 66% of the Company's drayage needs were met by its subsidiary, Comtrak Logistics, Inc. (Comtrak), which assists its customers. Comtrak has terminals in Atlanta, Birmingham, Charleston, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus (OH), Dallas, Harrisburg, Huntsville, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Memphis, Nashville, Newark, Los Angeles, Perry (FL), Philadelphia, Savannah, Seattle, St. Louis, Stockton, and Titusville (FL). As of December 31, 2012, Comtrak owned 260 tractors, leased or owned 448 trailers, employed 296 drivers and contracted with 2,178 owner-operators.

Truck Brokerage (Highway Services)

The Company is a truck broker in the United States. As part of the truck brokerage services, the Company negotiates rates , track shipments in transit and handle claims for freights loss and damage on behalf of its customers.

Logistics and Other Services

Hub's logistics business operates under the name of Unyson Logistics. Unyson Logistics consists of a network of logistics professionals dedicated to developing, implementing and operating customized logistics solutions. Unyson offers a range of transportation management services and technology solutions, including shipment optimization, load consolidation, mode selection, carrier management, load planning and execution and Web-based shipment visibility. Unyson Logistics operates throughout North America, providing operations through its main operating location in St. Louis with additional support locations in Bosto! n, Chicag! o, Cleveland and Minneapolis. Certain Mode agents provide logistics services. The Company's multi-modal transportation capabilities through both the Hub and Mode segments include small parcel, heavyweight, expedited, less-than-truckload, truckload, intermodal and railcar.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Hub Group (NASDAQ: HUBG) surged 3.13% to $44.20. The volume of Hub Group shares traded was 388% higher than normal. Hub Group reported its Q1 earnings of $0.33 per share on revenue of $848.40 million. Longbow Research upgraded Hub Group from Neutral to Buy.

• [By Vera Yuan]

  ��reight transportation management company Hub Group, Inc. (HUBG) rose as investors began to focus on margin improvement opportunities due to indications of improving intermodal pricing as well as company-specific cost improvement initiatives.

Hot Freight Stocks To Watch For 2014: Knight Transportation Inc (KNX)

Knight Transportation, Inc. (Knight), incorporated on August 31, 1989, is a provider of multiple truckload transportation services, which generally involve the movement of full trailer or container loads of freight from origin to destination for a single customer. The Company is a provider of multiple truckload transportation services with a nationwide network of service centers through which it operates one of the tractor fleets. In addition to its own fleet, the Company also partners with third-party equipment providers to provide truckload capacity and a broad range of solutions to truckload shippers. The Company has five operating segments comprised of three asset-based operating segments: dry van truckload, temperature-controlled truckload and port services and two non-asset-based operating segments brokerage and intermodal services. Through its asset-based and non-asset-based capabilities the Company is able to transport, or can arrange for the transportation of, general commodities for customers throughout the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico.

The Company's asset-based businesses generally include dry van truckload, refrigerated truckload, dedicated truckload, and drayage services. Its non-asset-based services generally include rail intermodal and truckload brokerage services. However, within its asset-based services, the use of independent contractors to provide tractors lowers the capital investment in its dry van and refrigerated operations. In addition, drayage operations generally involve less expensive tractors with longer lives and do not require a investment in trailering equipment. As of December 31, 2012, it operated 3,627 company-owned tractors with an average age of 1.9 years. It also had under contract 507 tractors owned and operated by independent contractors. Its trailer fleet consisted of 9,564 53-foot long trailers with an average age of 5.5 years and includes 1,092 temperature-controlled trailers.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Victor Nguyen]

  A report released Thursday morning, Citigroup analyst Christian Wetherbee upgrades Knight Transportation (NYSE: KNX) to BUY from NEUTRAL, increasing price target from $17 to $22.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Knight Transportation (NYSE: KNX  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Hot Freight Stocks To Watch For 2014: Universal Truckload Services Inc (UACL)

Universal Truckload Services, Inc., incorporated on December 11, 2001, is engaged in providing transportation services to shippers throughout the United States and in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The Company�� over-the-road trucking services include both flatbed and dry van operations and it provides rail-truck and steamship-truck intermodal support services. It also offers truck brokerage services, as well as full service international freight forwarding and customs house brokerage services. The Company provides truckload transportation and related services for a range of general commodities over irregular routes using dry and specialty vans and un-sided trailers, including flatbed, drop deck, and specialty. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has completed acquisition of Westport Axle Corporation.

The Company primarily operates through a contractor network of agents and owner-operators who provide the Company with approximately 3,100 tractors and approximately 3,000 trailers. At December 31, 2011, the Company had approximately 565 agents. The Company conducts its operations through its wholly owned operating subsidiaries under the brand names, such as Universal Am-Can, Ltd., Mason & Dixon Lines, Inc., Louisiana Transportation Inc., Mason Dixon Intermodal, Inc., Economy Transport, Inc., Great American Lines, Inc., Universal Logistics Solutions, Inc., Universal Logistics Solutions International, Inc. and Cavalry Transportation, LLC.

The Company provides services in three categories, such as truckload services, brokerage services and intermodal support services. The Company transports a range of general commodities, including machinery, building materials, paper, food, consumer goods, automotive parts, furniture, steel and other metals. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its truckload operations represented 60.5%, of its operating revenues.

The Company provides primarily broker freight to third-party transportation providers th! rough its agent network at times when the Company generates more freight business than it can service with its available owner-operators. The Company offers full service international freight forwarding and customs house brokerage services, as well as third-party logistic services. During 2011, its brokerage services represented 24.8%, of its operating revenues. Its intermodal support services are primarily short-to-medium distance delivery of rail and steamship containers between the railhead or port and the customer and drayage services. During 2011, its intermodal support services represented 14.7% of its operating revenues.

The Company�� agents provide the primary interaction with its shippers. They generate freight shipments and also provide terminal and dispatch services for the owner-operators and are an essential source for recruitment of new owner-operators. The agents use a company-provided software program to list available freight procured by the agent, dispatch owner-operators to haul the freight and provide all administrative information necessary for it to establish the credit arrangements for each shipper. The owner-operators are individuals who own, operate and maintain one or more tractors that they either provide drivers, or drive themselves. The Company�� owner-operators provide it with approximately 3,100 tractors. Owner-operators also may own trailers that they provide the Company in addition to their tractor and driving services. As of December 31, 2011, its owner-operators provided approximately 3,000 trailers, which represent over 50% of the trailers the Company use in its business.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Universal Truckload Services (Nasdaq: UACL  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Universal Truckload Services (NASDAQ: UACL  ) , a North American provider of trucking and logistics solutions, jumped as much as 12% after receiving an upgrade from BB&T�Capital Markets.

Hot Freight Stocks To Watch For 2014: Chalmers Ltd (CHR)

Chalmers Limited is an Australia-based company engaged in transport, logistic services, warehousing and container storage, repairs and sales. The Company operated in three segments: Transport, Containers and Property. Transport consists of road transport, predominantly import/export FCL containers and the interface with logistics/ warehousing/hubbing services. Containers represent the empty container park operations concerned with handling, storage, repairs, upgrades, pretrips and so on of empty containers on behalf of shipping and leasing company customers. Property represents the capital investment Chalmers has in freeholds located in Melbourne. The Company�� subsidiaries include Chalmers Industries Pty Ltd, Chalmers (Australia) Pty Ltd and Chalmers Industries (Brisbane) Pty Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Chr. Hansen A/S (CHR) slid 1.7 percent to 186 kroner after Credit Suisse Group AG cut the stock to neutral, the equivalent of hold, from outperform. The brokerage said that profit from its natural-color business remains under pressure. The world�� biggest maker of dairy enzymes cut its full-year sales forecast on July 3 because of lower prices for the red pigment carmine.

Top International Companies To Buy For 2014

For our annual "The Lucky 13" portfolio, we attempt to select stocks that exhibit high-quality, offer good value, and have attractive dividend yields, explains dividend and value investing expert Kelley Wright, editor of IQ Trends.

Hopefully, those characteristics will provide both safe, and excellent returns over the coming year and years to follow.

Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is a well-established, global health care company with an S&P ����Quality Ranking. Fiscal year free operating cash flow is three times its dividend, which is no surprise for this long-time Dividend Aristocrat. A solid anchor position for any portfolio.

Baxter International (BAX), another defensive anchor position, has an S&P ��+��Quality Ranking and outstanding annual dividend growth. Its return on equity for the trailing twelve months and five-year average are 29.31 and 30.42, respectively.

ConocoPhillips (COP) is into the second phase of its multi-year makeover. Having disposed of over $12 billion in unwanted assets, the company is now focused on growth. By all measures, COP is well on its way to challenging the giants in the oil and gas industry.

Top International Companies To Watch For 2015: Select Sector Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU)

Select Sector Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (the Fund), formerly Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund, seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the Utilities Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index (the Index). The Index includes companies that produce, generate, transmit or distribute electricity or natural gas.

The Fund utilizes a passive or indexing investment approach to invest in a portfolio of stocks that seek to replicate the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is SSgA Funds Management, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY), which had been down as much as 0.8%, is now little changed at $60.78, while the Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) is off just 0.2% at $20.27.� Hardest hit is the Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU), which has dropped 1.2% to $37.67. The Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) is the top performer: It’s up 0.1% at $32.49.

• [By Markos Kaminis]

  Capital flows into equity funds have mostly found safe bets this year, with consumer staples, utilities and healthcare shares doing well. You can see this in the charts of the Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU), Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV).

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Plenty of sectors within the S&P haven't produced the best returns lately, with materials in particular having suffered from an overall plunge in commodities. But when you look at the performance of all of the S&P's sectors over the past three months, utilities stand out as having badly lagged the gains that other sectors have produced, with the Utilities Select SPDR (NYSEMKT: XLU  ) being the only sector ETF to lose ground in the past three months. Let's try to figure out why.

• [By Rich Bieglmeier]

  To compare relative strength and to execute trades, Bilello and �Gayed use Utilities SPDR (ETF)(NYSEARCA:XLU) �and the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEARCA:VTI).

Top International Companies To Buy For 2014: Realogy Holdings Corp (RLGY)

Realogy Holdings Corp., incorporated on December 14, 2006, is an integrated provider of residential real estate services in the United States. The Company is the franchisor of residential real estate brokerages with some of the recognized brands in the real estate industry, the owner of United States residential real estate brokerage offices, the global provider of outsourced employee relocation services and a provider of title and settlement services. The Company's operating platform is supported by the Company's portfolio of industry franchise brokerage brands, including Century 21 , Coldwell Banker , Coldwell Banker Commercial , ERA , Sotheby's International Realty and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and the Company also owns and operates the Corcoran Group and CitiHabitats brands. In October 2013, Realogy Holdings Corp's Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC announced that it has acquired the assets of Coldwell Banker Cocoa Beach Realty's two offices in Cocoa Beach, Fla. In October 2013, Realogy Holdings Corp's NRT LLC announced the acquisition of Frank Howard Allen Realtors Company-owned operations in Northern California.

The Company operates in four segments: Real Estate Franchise Services (RFG), Company Owned Real Estate Brokerage Services (NRT), Relocation Services (Cartus) and Title and Settlement Services (TRG).As of December 31, 2012 , the Company's franchise systems had approximately 13,600 franchised and company owned offices and 238,900 independent sales associates operating under its franchise and brands in the United States and 101 other countries and territories around the world, which includes approximately 710 of its company owned and operated brokerage offices.

Real Estate Franchise Services

The Company is the franchisor of residential real estate brokerages in the world through its portfolio of well known brokerage brands, including Century 21 , Coldwell Banker , Coldwell Banker Commercial , ERA , Sotheby's International Realty an! d Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. The Company derives substantially all of its real estate franchising revenues from royalty fees received under long-term (typically ten year) franchise agreements with its franchiseesThe Company's franchisees pay the Company fees for the right to operate under one of the Company's trademarks and to enjoy the benefits of the systems and business enhancing tools provided by its real estate franchise operations.

As of December 31, 2012 , the Company's real estate franchise systems had approximately 13,600 offices worldwide in 102 countries and territories, including approximately 6,100 brokerage offices in the United States and approximately 238,900 independent sales associates worldwide (which included approximately 41,300 independent sales agents working with its company owned brokerage offices) including approximately 166,000 sales associates operating under its franchise and brands in the United States, with an average tenure among United States franchisees of approximately 19 years as of December 31, 2012 .

Company Owned Real Estate Brokerage Services

The Company owns and operates the residential real estate brokerage business in the United States under the Coldwell Banker , Sotheby's International Realty , ERA , Corcoran Group and CitiHabitats brand names. The Company offers full-service residential brokerage services through approximately 710 company owned brokerage offices in more than 35 metropolitan areas of the United States. In addition, the Company participates in the mortgage process through its 49.9% ownership of PHH Home Loans LLC (PHH Home Loans), its home mortgage venture with PHH. The Company's home mortgage joint venture with PHH is the recommended provider of mortgages for the Company's real estate brokerage and relocation service customers (unless exclusivity is waived by PHH). The Company also assists landlords and tenants through property management services. In addition, as a full-service real estate br! okerage c! ompany, the Company promotes the complementary services of its relocation and title and settlement services businesses, in addition to PHH Home Loans.

Relocation Services

The Company is a global provider of outsourced employee relocation services. The Company is the provider of such services in the United States and also operates in key international relocation destinations. The Company offers a range of employee relocation services designed to manage all aspects of an employee's move to facilitate a smooth transition in what otherwise may be a complex and difficult process for the employee and employer. The Company's relocation services business serves corporations, including over 64% of the Fortune 50 companies, as well as affinity organizations such as insurance companies and credit unions that provide the Company's services to their members. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company assisted in over 158,000 relocations in more than 150 countries for approximately 1,500 active clients and as of December 31, 2012, its top 25 relocation clients had an average tenure of 17 years with the Company.

The Company primarily offers corporate clients employee relocation services, such as homesale assistance, including the evaluation, inspection, purchasing and selling of a transferee's home; the issuance of home equity advances to transferees permitting them to purchase a new home before selling their current home (these advances are generally guaranteed by the client); certain home management services; assistance in locating a new home; and closing on the sale of the old home, generally at the instruction of the client; expense processing, relocation policy counseling, relocation-related accounting, including international assignment compensation services, and other consulting services; arranging household goods moving services, with approximately 72,000 domestic and international shipments in 2012 , and providing support for all aspects of moving a transferee'! s househo! ld goods, including the handling of insurance and claim assistance, invoice auditing and quality control; coordinating visa and immigration support, intercultural and language training, and expatriation/repatriation counseling and destination services, and group move management services providing coordination for moves involving a number of transferees to or from a specific regional area over a short period of time.

Title and Settlement Services

The Company assists with the closing of real estate transactions by providing full-service title and settlement, which is closing and escrow services to customers, real estate companies, including its Company-owned real estate brokerage and relocation services businesses, as well as a targeted channel of financial institution clients, including PHH. In 2012, TRG was involved in the closing of approximately 194,000 transactions of which approximately 54,000 related to NRT. In addition to the Company's own title and settlement services, the Company also coordinates a nationwide network of attorneys, title agents and notaries to service financial institution clients on a national basis. The Company also serves as an underwriter of title insurance policies in connection with residential and commercial real estate transactions. As of December 31, 2012 , the Company had approximately 340 offices, approximately 200 of which are co-located within one of its company owned brokerage offices.

The Company competes with HSF Affiliates LLC, Brookfield Residential Property Services, HomeServices of America, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices; RE/MAX International, Inc.; and Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The IPO has a mixed impact on other real-estate related companies.�Realogy (RLGY) has fallen 0.2% to $43.62, while Vector Group (VGR), which has both tobacco and real-estate brokerage businesses, has dropped 0.5% to $15.99. Zillow�(Z) has jumped 4.1% to $90.44.

Top International Companies To Buy For 2014: Host Hotels & Resorts Inc (HST)

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc (Host Inc), incorporated on September 28, 1998 operates as a self-managed and self-administered REIT. Host Inc. owns properties and conducts operations through Host Hotels & Resorts, L.P. (Host L.P.) of which Host Inc. is the sole general partner and in which it holds approximately 98.6% of the partnership interests (OP units) as of December 31, 2012. As of February 25, 2013, the Company had 118 primarily luxury and upper-upscale hotels containing approximately 62,600 rooms, with the majority located in the United States of America, and 15 properties located outside of the United States of America, in Canada, New Zealand, Chile, Australia, Mexico and Brazil. In addition, the Company owns non-controlling interests in two international joint ventures: a joint venture in Europe, which owns 19 luxury and upper upscale hotels with approximately 6,100 rooms in France, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Poland and Germany; and a joint venture in Asia/Pacific, which owns one hotel in Australia and minority interests in two operating hotels in India and five additional hotels in India under development. In June 2013, the Company announced that it acquired the fee-simple interest in the 426-room Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. In July 2013, the Company sold the 336-room Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco to an investment vehicle sponsored by Thayer Lodging Group. In January 2014, Host Hotels & Resorts Inc sold an 89% interest in the entity that owns the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown (the Hotel).

The Company's other real estate joint ventures include the development of a 225-room Hyatt Place in Nashville, Tennessee, and the development of a 131-unit vacation ownership project in Maui, Hawaii adjacent to the Company's Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa. The Company has 118 hotels in its portfolio, primarily consisting of luxury and upper upscale properties. These properties typically include meeting and banquet facilities, a variety of restaurants and! lounges, swimming pools, exercise facilities and spas, gift shops and parking facilities.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (HST) is a publicly owned real estate investment trust (REIT). The firm primarily engages in the ownership and operation of hotel properties. Sept. 16, the company increased its quarterly dividend 9.1% to $0.12 per share. The dividend is payable on Oct. 15, 2013, to stockholders of record on Sept. 30, 2013. The yield based on the new payout is 2.6%.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  In a perfect world, an investor could simply look at a company's history and its plausible earnings forecasts, and jump in (or out) knowing the stock's current price basically made sense with respect to past and future performance. We don't live or trade in a perfect world though. In the world we're actually in right now, most stocks, sectors, and industries have run up far beyond a justifiable value... perhaps except for hotel and lodging REIT stocks Host Hotels and Resorts Inc. (NYSE:HST), Strategic Hotels and Resorts Inc. (NYSE:BEE), and Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB).

Top International Companies To Buy For 2014: Diana Containerships Inc.(DCIX)

Diana Containerships Inc. owns and operates containerships in Greece. The company engages in the seaborne transportation of semi-finished and finished consumer and industrial products. As of February 23, 2012, its fleet consisted of 8 containerships with a carrying capacity of approximately 32,693 twenty-foot equivalent units. Diana Containerships Inc. was founded in 2010 and is based in Athens, Greece.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Diana Containerships (NASDAQ: DCIX) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $13.22 million.

  Intrawest Resorts Holdings (NYSE: SNOW) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $2.69 per share on revenue of $294.89 million.

Top International Companies To Buy For 2014: Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp.(RPTP)

Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. operates as a biotechnology company in the United States. The company is dedicated to speeding the delivery of new treatment options to patients by working to improve existing therapeutics through the application of highly specialized drug targeting platforms and formulation expertise. Its clinical stage development products include DR Cysteamine, which is in phase IIb for the treatment of cystinosis; phase IIa for the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; and phase II for the treatment of Huntington?s disease. Raptor?s clinical-stage products also include Convivia that is in Phase IIa stage for the potential management of acetaldehyde toxicity due to alcohol consumption; and Tezampanel and NGX 426, which completed phase I stage for the treatment of migraine and pain. Its preclinical product candidates comprise HepTide for the treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis; WntTide for the treatment of breast cancer; NeuroTrans for the treatmen t of neurodegenerative diseases; and Tezampanel and NGX 426 for the treatment of Thrombosis and Spasticity Disorder. Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. is headquartered in Novato, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Veloci-Raptor time?
  First up is Raptor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RPTP  ) with Procysbi (previously known as RP-103), its oral delayed and extended-release medication to treat nephropathic cystinosis. In trials, Procysbi proved to be non-inferior to the only other FDA-approved treatment for nephropathic cystinosis, known as Cystagon from Mylan (NASDAQ: MYL  ) .

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading UP
  Raptor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RPTP) shot up 16.62 percent to $17.40 after the company announced positive clinical results with RP103 in Huntington's disease Phase 2/3 trial.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Raptor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RPTP) was down, falling 20.45 percent to $11.77 after the company reported Q4 results. Raptor Pharmaceutical posted a Q4 loss of $0.20 per share, versus the projected loss of $0.16 per share.

Top International Companies To Buy For 2014: K&S AG (KPLUY)

K&S AG is a Germany-based holding company which is active in the chemical sector. The Company divides its activities into four main business segments. The Potash and Magnesium Products segment is engaged in the crude potash and magnesium salts extraction and in processing raw materials into products for industrial, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries. The Nitrogen Fertilizers business segment distributes fertilizers for almost all agricultural crops, and products for home and garden, plant care and plant protection, specialty fertilizers for public green areas, tree nurseries, horticulture and various special crops are offered. The Salt segment offers food grade salt, industrial salt and salt for chemical use, as well as de-icing salt applied to ensure road safety. The Complementary Business segments include recycling activities and the disposal and reutilization of waste salt mines, granulation of CATASAN, logistics, and trading in different basic chemicals. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Yet, Europe's leading potash player K+S (NASDAQOTH: KPLUY  ) just said that, because of the upheaval that's occurred in the market, it was slashing its dividend by 82% for 2013,�reducing the payout ratio to just 11% of adjusted after tax�earnings, a far cry from the miner's usual�ratio of between 40% and 50%. Could this signal a new era of austerity that will ultimately see Potash,�Agrium (NYSE: AGU  ) , and Mosaic (NYSE: MOS  ) �end up whacking their payouts, as well?

Best Airline Stocks For 2014

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Trading stocks that trigger major breakouts can lead to massive profits. Once a stock trends to a new high, or takes out a prior overhead resistance point, then it's free to find new buyers and momentum players that can ultimately push the stock significantly higher.

One example of a successful breakout trade I flagged recently was airline player Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes (GOL), which I featured in Aug. 30's "5 Stocks Ready to Break Out" at $3.77 a share. I mentioned in that piece that shares of GOL were uptrending strong for the last few months, with shares moving higher from $2.74 to $3.83 a share. Shares of GOL had recently formed a double bottom chart pattern right above its 50-day moving average at $3.57 to $3.55 a share. That move was quickly pushing shares of GOL within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade above some key overhead resistance levels at $3.83 to $4.14 a share.

Guess what happened? Shares of GOL didn't wait long to trigger that breakout since the stock cleared those overhead resistance levels the following week with strong upside volume. Shares of GOL have hit an intraday high today of $5 a share, which represents a gain of 30% from when I flagged this setup. I don't think this stock is done going higher since the current uptrend remains intact, and shares of GOL are starting to take out more resistance today at $4.93 a share. This stock could easily tag $5.50 to $6 in the coming weeks, if the uptrend continues.

Top Defense Stocks To Buy For 2015: Indonesia Transport & Infrastructure Tbk PT (IATA)

PT Indonesia Transport & Infrastructure Tbk, formerly PT Indonesia Air Transport Tbk, is an Indonesia-based air transport service provider. The Company provides air transportation, hiring and/or leasing aircrafts, repairs and maintenance of aircrafts and trading of aviation technical equipment and related spare parts. It also provides medical evacuation services, tourism and scheduled flight services to several routes in central and eastern Indonesia. The Company operates various types of fixed wing aircrafts and helicopters, such as EC 155 B1, AS 365 Dauphin N2 twin turbine helicopter, Beechcraft 1900D, ATR 42-300, ATR 42-500 and Fokker 50. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shereen El Gazzar]

  The forecast, from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), sees the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region with the strongest international passenger growth, with a compound average growth rate of 6.3% and 5.7% respectively.

Best Airline Stocks For 2014: Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAB de CV (VLRS)

Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAB de CV (Volaris Aviation Holding Company) is a Mexico-based company principally engaged in the airline passenger transportation industry. The Company is a law-cost carrier airline. Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAB de CV offers direct, point-to-point flights. The Company serves through secondary, lower cost airports and provides a single class of service. The Company utilizes such aircraft as the Airbus A319 and A320 families, among others. The Company has such subsidiaries as Comercializadora Volaris SA de CV, Servicios Corporativos Volaris SA de CV, Concesionaria Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAPI de CV, Deutsche Bank Mexico SA Trust 1484, among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  When most American investors think of discount airline stocks, they probably think of relatively large capped Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE: LUV)�or sort of small cap�JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU) rather than�small cap Controladora Vuela Co Avcn SA CV (NYSE: VLRS) which owns Volaris���a discount airline serving the�Mexican market. However, any investor who has read Benjamin Graham�� Intelligent Investor might want to remember his sage advice about avoiding airline stocks���mainly because airlines were such a new and unproven sector that had yet to make money. But could Controladora Vuela Co Avcn SA CV actually be an airline stock worth owning?

Best Airline Stocks For 2014: WestJet Airlines Ltd (WJA)

WestJet Airlines Ltd. (WestJet) provides airline service and travel packages with scheduled service to more than 85 destinations in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, and has partnership agreements with over 30 airlines around the world. WestJet operates a fleet of more than 100 Boeing Next-Generation 737 and Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft. The Company�� subsidiaries include WestJet Investment Corp., WestJet Operations Corp., WestJet Vacations Inc. and WestJet Encore Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Lam]

  BlackBerry, the smartphone maker looking to sell itself, lost 3.6 percent to pace declines among technology stocks. WestJet (WJA) Airlines Ltd. dropped 2.5 percent as load factor slipped in September. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. rose 1.4 percent after receiving approvals for products in the U.S. and Canada. Agrium Inc. added 0.7 percent after naming a successor for its retiring chief executive officer.

• [By Gerrit De Vynck]

  Closely held Porter unveiled plans in April to add as many as 30 CSeries jets in an order valued at as much as $2.1 billion from Montreal-based Bombardier to reach as far as Los Angeles and the Caribbean as it challenges the country�� two biggest carriers, Air Canada and WestJet Airlines Ltd. (WJA) The order, which would be Bombardier�� first for the aircraft with a Canadian carrier, is conditional on the runway extension and a removal of the jet ban.

Best Airline Stocks For 2014: AMR Corp (AAMRQ)

AMR Corporation (AMR), incorporated in October 1982, operates in the airline industry. The Company�� principal subsidiary is American Airlines, Inc. (American). As of December 31, 2011, American provided scheduled jet service to approximately 160 destinations throughout North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Asia. AMR Eagle Holding Corporation (AMR Eagle), a wholly owned subsidiary of AMR, owns two regional airlines, which do business as American Eagle - American Eagle Airlines, Inc. and Executive Airlines, Inc. (collectively, the American Eagle carriers). American also contracts with an independently owned regional airline, which does business as AmericanConnection (the AmericanConnection carrier). As of December 31, 2011, AMR Eagle operated approximately 1,500 daily departures, offering scheduled passenger service to over 175 destinations in North America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

American, AMR Eagle and the AmericanConnection airline served more than 250 cities in approximately 50 countries with, on average, 3,400 daily flights and the combined network fleet numbered approximately 900 aircraft as of December 31, 2011. American Airlines is also a founding member of the oneworld alliance, which includes British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, LAN Airlines, Iberia, Qantas, JAL, Malev Hungarian, Mexicana, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines. Together, oneworld members serve 750 destinations in approximately 150 countries, with about 8,500 daily departures. American is also one of the scheduled air freight carriers in the world, providing a range of freight and mail services to shippers throughout its system onboard American�� passenger fleet.

To improve access to each other�� markets, American has established marketing relationships with other airlines and rail companies. As of December 31, 2011, American had marketing relationships with Air Berlin, Air Pacific, Air Tahiti Nui, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cape Air, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airl! ines, Dragonair, Deutsche Bahn German Rail, EL AL, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, GOL, Gulf Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, Japan Airlines (JAL), Jet Airways, JetStar Airways, LAN (includes LAN Airlines, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru), Niki Airlines, Qantas Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines.

American has established the AAdvantage frequent flyer program (AAdvantage). AAdvantage members earn mileage credits by flying on American, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection carrier or by using services of other participants in the AAdvantage program. Mileage credits can be redeemed for free, discounted or upgraded travel on American, American Eagle or other participating airlines, or for other awards. American sells mileage credits and related services to other participants in the AAdvantage program. There are over 1,000 program participants, including a credit card issuer, hotels, car rental companies, and other products and services companies in the AAdvantage program. As of December 31, 2011, AAdvantage had approximately 69 million total members.

The Company competes with Alaska Airlines (Alaska), Delta Air Lines (Delta), Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways (JetBlue), Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines (Southwest) and AirTran Airways (Air Tran), Spirit Airlines, United Airlines (United) and Continental Airlines (Continental), US Airways and Virgin America Airlines.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alexander MacLennan]

  Experimental method
  On certain routes, American Airlines, a subsidiary of AMR (NASDAQOTH: AAMRQ  ) , is testing a new selling method of allowing passengers to bid on upgrades. In its own words, American Airlines explains how the process works.

Best Airline Stocks For 2014: SkyWest Inc (SKYW)

SkyWest, Inc. (SkyWest), incorporated in 1972, through subsidiaries, SkyWest Airlines, Inc. (SkyWest Airlines) and ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. (ExpressJet) operates the regional airline in the United States. In addition, the Company provides ground handling services for other airlines throughout its system. The Company operates in two segments: SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet. On December 31, 2011, its subsidiary, ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. (ExpressJet Delaware) was merged into its subsidiary, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. (Atlantic Southeast), with the surviving company named ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. (the ExpressJet Combination). ExpressJet includes the operations of Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. (Atlantic Southeast) and ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. (ExpressJet Delaware), which is prior to the ExpressJet Combination.

As of December 31, 2011, SkyWest and ExpressJet offered scheduled passenger and air freight service with approximately 4,000 total daily departures to different destinations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. All of its flights are operated as Delta Connection, United Express, Continental Express, US Airways Express or Alaska under code-share arrangements with Delta, United Air Lines, Inc. (United), Continental Airlines, Inc. (Continental), US Airways Group, Inc. (US Airways) and Alaska Airlines (Alaska). As of December 31, 2011, its consolidated fleet consisted of a total of 732 aircraft, of which 443 were assigned to United and Continental, 268 were assigned to Delta, eight were in preparation for new code-share assignments, five were assigned to Alaska, four were subleased to affiliated entities, two were assigned to US Airways and two were subleased to unaffiliated entities. In addition, it provides electronic or paper copies of its filings free of charge upon request.

As of December 31, 2011, it operated two types of regional jet aircraft: the Bombardier Aerospace (Bombardier) regional jet, which include the 50-seat Bombardier CRJ20! 0 Regional Jet (the CRJ200), the 70-seat Bombardier CRJ700 Regional Jet (the CRJ700) and the 70-90-seat Bombardier CRJ900 Regional Jet (the CRJ900), and the 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet (ERJ145). As of December 31, 2011, it also operated the 30-seat Embraer Brasilia EMB-120 turboprop (the Brasilia turboprop). During the year ended December 31, 2011, approximately 65.2% of the Company's aggregate capacity was operated under the United Express Agreements and Continental Express Agreement, approximately 33.6% was operated under the Delta Connection Agreements, approximately 0.9% was operated under the Alaska Capacity Purchase Agreement, approximately 0.1% was operated under the US Airways Express Agreement and approximately 0.2% was operated under a code-share agreement with AirTran Airways, Inc.

On November 17, 2011, SkyWest Airlines and US Airways entered into the SkyWest Airlines US Airways Express Agreement. As of December 31, 2011, SkyWest Airlines operated two CRJ200s under the SkyWest Airlines US Airways Express Agreement, flying a total of approximately ten US Airways Express flights per day between Phoenix and designated outlying destinations. On April 13, 2011, SkyWest Airlines and Alaska entered into the SkyWest Airlines Alaska Capacity Purchase Agreement. As of December 31, 2011, SkyWest Airlines operated five CRJ700s under the SkyWest Airlines Alaska Capacity Purchase Agreement, flying a total of approximately 30 Alaska flights per day between Seattle, Portland and designated outlying destinations.

As of December 31, 2011, SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet scheduled the daily flights as Delta Connection carriers: 530 flights to or from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, 316 flights to or from Salt Lake City International Airport, 132 flights to or from Minneapolis International Airport, 94 flights to or from Memphis International Airport, 94 flights to or from Detroit International Airport and 8 flights to or from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Inte! rnational! Airport.. As of December 31, 2011, SkyWest Airlines scheduled 15 daily flights as an Alaska carrier to or from Portland International Airport and 15 daily flights as an Alaska carrier to or from Seattle International Airport. As of December 31, 2011, SkyWest Airlines scheduled ten daily flights as an US Airways Express carrier to or from Phoenix International Airport.

As of December 31, 2011, SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet scheduled the daily flights as a United or Continental Express carrier: 572 flights to or from Houston International Airport, 486 flights to or from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, 412 flights to or from Denver International Airport, 306 flights to or from San Francisco International Airport, 284 flights to or from Los Angeles International Airport, 214 flights to or from Newark International Airport, 148 flights to or from Washington Dulles International Airport, 128 flights to or from Cleveland International Airport and 64 flights to or from other airports. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 17 CRJ200s for United under a pro-rate agreement. The Company also operated one CRJ200 under a pro-rate agreement with Delta, as of December 31, 2011.

SkyWest Airlines

SkyWest Airlines provides regional jet and turboprop service primarily located in the midwestern and western United States. SkyWest Airlines offered approximately 1,650 daily scheduled departures as of December 31, 2011, of which approximately 1,110 were United Express flights, 500 were Delta Connection flights, 30 were Alaksa-coded flights and 10 were US Airways Express flights. SkyWest Airlines' operations are conducted from hubs located in Chicago (O'Hare), Denver, Los Angeles, Houston, Portland, Seattle, Phoenix, San Francisco and Salt Lake City. SkyWest Airlines' fleet as of December 31, 2011 consisted of 21 CRJ900s, all of which were flown for Delta; 96 CRJ700s, of which 70 were flown for United, 21 were flown for Delta and five were flown for Alaska; 153 CRJ200s, of which 82 ! were flown! for United, 61 were flown for Delta, eight were in preparation for service under a code-share agreement with US Airways and two were flown for US Airways; and 45 Brasilia turboprops, of which 35 were flown for United and 10 were flown for Delta.

As of December 31, 2011, SkyWest Airlines was conducting its Delta Connection operations pursuant to the terms of an Amended and Restated Delta Connection Agreement, which obligates Delta to compensate SkyWest Airlines for its direct costs associated with operating Delta Connection flights, plus a payment based on block hours flown (the SkyWest Airlines Delta Connection Agreement). SkyWest Airlines' United code-share operations are conducted under a United Express Agreement, pursuant to which SkyWest Airlines is paid primarily on a fee-per-completed block hour and departure basis, plus a margin based on performance incentives (the SkyWest Airlines United Express Agreement). During December 31, 2011, SkyWest Airlines entered into code-share agreements with Alaska and US Airways, pursuant to which SkyWest Airlines is paid primarily on a fee-per-completed block hour and departure basis, plus a fixed margin per aircraft each month.

ExpressJet

ExpressJet provides regional jet service principally in the United States, primarily from hubs located in Atlanta, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago (O'Hare), Denver, Houston, Newark and Washington Dulles. ExpressJet offered more than 2,100 daily scheduled departures as of December 31, 2011, of which approximately 650 were Delta Connection flights and 1,450 were Continental Express or United Express flights. As of December 31, 2011, the combined fleet of ExpressJet consisted of 10 CRJ900s, which were flown for Delta, 46 CRJ700s,which were flown for Delta, 113 CRJ200s, 99 of, which were flown for Delta and 14 of, which were flown for United and 242 ERJ145s, which were flown for United or Continental.

Under the terms of a Second Amended and Restated Delta Connection Agreement exec! uted betw! een Delta and Atlantic Southeast and to, which ExpressJet is a party (the ExpressJet Delta Connection Agreement), Delta has agreed to compensate ExpressJet for its direct costs associated with operating Delta Connection flights, plus, if ExpressJet completes a certain minimum percentage of its Delta Connection flights, a specified margin on such costs. Under the ExpressJet Delta Connection Agreement, excess margins over certain percentages must be returned to or shared with Delta, depending on various conditions. ExpressJet's Continental and United code-share operations are conducted under a Capacity Purchase Agreement between ExpressJet and Continental (the Continental CPA) and two United Express Agreements between ExpressJet and United (collectively, the ExpressJet United Express Agreements), pursuant to, which ExpressJet is paid by Continental or United, as applicable, primarily on a fee-per-completed block hour and departure basis, plus a margin based on performance incentives.

The Company competes with Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation, American Airlines, Inc. Delta Air Lines, Inc. Compass Airlines, Alaska Air Group, Inc. Mesa Air Group, Inc., Pinnacle Airlines Corp., Republic Airways Holdings Inc. and Trans State Airlines, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By DAILYFINANCE]

  Lynne Sladky/AP WASHINGTON -- U.S. airlines scored their second best performance last year in the more than two decades that researchers have been measuring airline quality, with Virgin America the leader, says an annual report released Monday. The report ranked the 14 largest U.S. airlines based on on-time arrivals, mishandled bags, consumer complaints and passengers who were bought tickets but were turned away because flights were over booked. Airline performance in 2012 was the second highest in the 23 years that Wichita State University at Omaha in Nebraska and Purdue University in Indiana have tracked the performance of airlines. The airline's best year was 2011. Virgin America, headquartered in Burlingame, Calif., did the best job on baggage handling and had the second-lowest rate of passengers denied seats due to overbookings. United Airlines (UAL), whose consumer complaint rate nearly doubled last year, had the worst performance. United has merged with Continental Airlines, but has had rough spots in integrating the operations of the two carriers. The number of complaints consumers filed with the Department of Transportation overall surged by one-fifth last year to 11,445 complaints, up from 9,414 in 2011. "Over the 20 some year history we've looked at it, this is still the best time of airline performance we've ever seen," said Dean Headley, a business professor at Wichita State University in Kansas, who has co-written the annual report. The best year was 2011, which was only slightly better than last year, he said. Despite those improvements, it isn't surprising that passengers are getting grumpier, Headley said. Carriers keep shrinking the size of seats in order to stuff more people into planes. Empty middle seats that might provide a little more room have vanished. And more people who have bought tickets are being turned away because flights are overbooked. "The way airlines have taken 130-seat airplanes and expanded them to 150 seats to sque

Best Airline Stocks For 2014: China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd (CEA)

China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited (China Eastern), incorporated on April 14, 1985, is an air carriers operating in the People�� Republic of China. As of December 31, 2010, the Company served a route network that covers 182 domestic and foreign cities in 30 countries. It operates from Shanghai�� Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong International Airport. During the year ended December 31, 2010, its flights accounted for 52.2% and 37.9% of all the flight traffic at Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong International Airport, respectively. During 2010, it accounted for approximately 31.1% of the total passenger traffic volume and 19% of the total freight volume on routes to and from Shanghai. As of December 31, 2010, it had a fleet of 355 aircraft, including 337 passenger jets each with a seating capacity of over 100 seats and 18 freighters.

Passenger Operations

During 2010, the Company operated approximately 9,600 scheduled flights per week, excluding charter flights, serving a route network that covers 182 domestic and foreign cities in 30 countries. During 2010, its domestic routes generated approximately 71.5% of its passenger revenues. Its heavily traveled domestic routes link Shanghai to the commercial and business centers of the People�� Republic of China, such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. During 2010, it also operated approximately 361 flights per week to and from Hong Kong, originating from Shanghai and 16 major cities in eastern, northern and western the People�� Republic of China. During 2010, it operated approximately 103 flights per week between mainland China and Taiwan. During 2010, its regional routes accounted for approximately 5.4% of its passenger revenues. During 2010, it operated approximately 1,079 international flights per week, serving 60 cities in 29 countries, linking Shanghai to cities in Asian and Southeast Asian countries, such as Japan, Korea, India, Singapore, Thailand and Bangladesh and locations in Europe, the Un! ited States and Australia.

During 2010, the Company re-started its Shanghai to London and Shanghai to Moscow routes. During 2010, revenues derived from its operations on international routes accounted for approximately 23.2% of its passenger revenues. During 2010, revenues derived from its operations to and from Japan accounted for approximately 7.7% of its passenger revenues and approximately 33.4% of its international passenger revenues. Its international and regional flights and a portion of its domestic flights either originate or terminate in Shanghai, the central hub of its route network. Its operations in Shanghai are conducted at Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong International Airport. On March 16, 2010, it moved its operations at Hongqiao International Airport to the terminal two of Hongqiao International Airport. It operates its flights through three hubs located in eastern, northwestern and southwestern China, namely Shanghai, Xi��n and Kunming, respectively.

Cargo and Mail Operations

The Company�� cargo and mail business utilizes the same route network used by its passenger airline business. It carries cargo and mail on its freight aircraft, as well as in available cargo space on its passenger aircraft. Its cargo and mail routes are international routes. As of December 31, 2010, it had seven MD-11F, four B777F and two B757-200F freight aircraft under operating leases for cargo and mail operations. It also has three Airbus A300-600R aircraft, as well as two Boeing 747-400ER freighters for its cargo operations.

The Company competes with Air China Limited, China Southern Airlines Company Limited, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Limited, Cathay Pacific Airways, Thai Airways International, Singapore Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Air Canada, Delta, Alitalia, Air France-KLM Group, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic Airways, British Airways, Lufthansa German Airlines, Aeroflot and Qantas Airways.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Belinda Cao]

  The Bloomberg China-US Equity Index (CH55BN) of the most-traded Chinese companies in the U.S. slumped 3.4 percent last week to a seven-month low of 89.04. The gauge traded at 13.5 times estimated earnings, 3.6 percent below the S&P�� valuation, data compiled by Bloomberg show. China Southern Airlines Co. (ZNH) and China Eastern Airlines Corp. (CEA) lost more than 6 percent April 5, while Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. (HMIN) tumbled 16 percent in the week.

Hot Canadian Stocks To Buy For 2015

Hot Canadian Stocks To Buy For 2015: Franklin Covey Company (FC)

Franklin Covey Co. provides training and consulting solutions to address leadership, execution, productivity, trust, customer loyalty, sales performance, and education problems worldwide. The company also offers clients with training in management skills, relationship skills, and individual effectiveness, as well as personal-effectiveness literature and electronic educational solutions. In addition, it sells a suite of individual-effectiveness and leadership-development training products; and books, e-books, audio media, downloadable and paper-based tools, content-rich software applications for smart phones and other handheld devices, training accessories, and other related products. The company delivers its products and services through onsite presentations, facilitators, international licensees, e-learning, public workshops, custom solutions, intellectual property licenses, and media publishing methods to organizational clients, including corporations, governmental agenc ies, educational institutions, and other organizations, as well as individual clients. Franklin Covey Co. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Franklin Covey (NYSE: FC  ) reported earnings on July 9. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 1 (Q3), Franklin Covey beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Tuesday

  Earnings Expected: A. Schulman (NASDAQ: SHLM), Acuity Brands (NYSE: AYI), Franklin Covey (NYSE: FC) and Paychex (NASDAQ: PAYX) Economic Releases Expected: US ISM manufacturing PMI, US redbook, British manufacturing PMI, German unemployment rate, French manufacturing PMI, Italian manufacturing PMI, Spanish manufacturing PMI and Reserve Bank of Australia interest rate decision Wednesday

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Tuesday

  Earnings Expected: IHS Inc. (NYSE: IHS), Commercial Metals Company (NYSE: CMC), Franklin Covey Company (NYSE: FC), Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MU), Apollo Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: APOL) Economic Releases Expected: French consumer confidence, German unemployment rate, Brazilian CPI, Canadian trade balance

  Wednesday

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Franklin Covey (NYSE: FC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/hot-canadian-stocks-to-buy-for-2015.html

5 Best Up And Coming Stocks To Own Right Now

This year has turned into a challenging one for emerging market investors, as China remains weak (at least relatively so), Brazil and Mexico seem to be turning in the wrong direction, and multiple Southeast Asian markets sell off on macroeconomic worries. Even so, business continues on at Copa Holdings (NYSE:CPA), where a strong and savvy business plan has led this Latin American airline to not only strong margins and good growth, but solid prospects for the coming years.

An Old Model with New Profitability
Copa operates a familiar, tried-and-true hub-and-spoke model, serving 65 destinations in 29 countries. A large percentage of the company's business goes through Panama City, where the company has more than 85% market share, and this is a logical geographical hub for connecting flights from/to North America, Central America, and South America.

What's a little unusual about Copa is that so many of its routes are thinly traveled. Roughly 75% of the company's routes average fewer than 20 passengers per day. You might think that serving such tiny markets would be terrible for the financials, but Copa does a good job of matching its capacity to its demand. It does such a good job, in fact, that the company's operating margins are the highest in the world among publicly-traded airlines ��well ahead of Latin American comparables such as LATAM Airlines (NYSE:LFL), GOL Linhas (NYSE:GOL), not to mention American operators like Southwest (NYSE:LUV) and high-margin carriers like Japan Airlines and Turkish Airlines.

Top 10 Healthcare Technology Companies To Watch For 2015: Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (MTU)

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFJ), incorporated on April 2, 2001, is a holding company for The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. (BTMU), Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation (MUTB), Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Holdings Co., Ltd. (MUSHD), Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd.( MUMSS), Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS Co., Ltd. (Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS) and other companies engaged in a range of financial businesses. Its services include commercial banking, trust banking, securities, credit cards, consumer finance, asset management, leasing and fields of financial services. In May 2010, the Company and Morgan Stanley formed two joint ventures in Japan by integrating our respective Japanese securities companies engaged in investment banking and securities businesses. The Company converted the wholesale and retail securities businesses conducted in Japan by the former MUS into one of the joint venture entities, which is named MUMSS. Morgan Stanley contributed the investment banking operations conducted in Japan by its formerly wholly owned subsidiary, Morgan Stanley Japan Securities Co., Ltd. (MSJS) into MUMSS and converted the sales and trading and capital markets businesses conducted in Japan by MSJS into a second joint venture entity called Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities, Co., Ltd.

Integrated Retail Banking Business Group

The Integrated Retail Banking Business Group covers all domestic retail businesses, including commercial banking, trust banking and securities businesses, and enables the Company to offer a range of banking products and services, including financial consulting services, to retail customers in Japan. This business group integrates the retail business of BTMU, MUTB and MUMSS, as well as retail product development, promotion and marketing in a single management structure. Many of its retail services are offered through its network of MUFG Plazas providing individual customers with access to its financial product offerings of integrated commercial b! anking, trust banking and securities services.

The Company offers a range of bank deposit products, including a non-interest-bearing deposit account that is redeemable on demand and intended for payment and settlement functions, and is insured without a maximum amount limitation. It also offers a variety of asset management and asset administration services to individuals, including savings instruments, such as current accounts, ordinary deposits, time deposits, deposits at notice and other deposit facilities. MUFJ also offers trust products, such as loan trusts and money trusts, and other investment products, such as investment trusts, performance-based money trusts and foreign currency deposits.

The Company creates portfolios by combining savings instruments and investment products. It also provide a range of asset management and asset administration products, as well as customized trust products for high-net-worth individuals, as well as advisory services relating to the purchase and disposal of real estate and effective land utilization, and testamentary trusts. The Company provides a varied line up of investment trust products allowing its customers to choose products according to their investment needs through BTMU, MUTB and MUMSS, as well as kabu.com Securities, which specializes in online financial services. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010, BTMU offered a total of five investment trusts. As of the end of March 2010, BTMU offered its clients a total of 73 investment trusts.

The Company offers securities, including publicly offered stocks, foreign and domestic investment trusts, Japanese government bonds, foreign bonds and various other products. The Company offers housing loans, card loans and other loans to individuals. With respect to housing loans, in addition to housing loans incorporating health insurance for seven major illnesses, BTMU began offering in June 2009 preferential interest rates under its Environmentally Friendly Support program ! to custom! ers who purchase environment-conscious houses (like houses with solar electric systems), which meet specific criteria in response to increasing public interest in environmental issues. In September 2009, BTMU launched housing loans with home mortgage insurance, which BTMU jointly developed with the Japan Housing Finance Agency, a governmental agency under the Japanese government�� economic stimulus measures, under which the agency indemnifies BTMU for losses from housing loans.

The Company offers products and services through a range of channels, including branches, automated teller machines (ATMs) (including convenience store ATMs shared by multiple banks), Mitsubishi-Tokyo UFJ Direct (telephone, Internet and mobile phone banking), the Video Counter and postal mail. It offers integrated financial services combining its banking, trust banking and securities services at MUFG Plazas. These Plazas provide retail customers with integrated and flexible suite of services at one-stop outlets. As of March 31 2010, the Company provided those services through 47 MUFG Plazas. The Company offers MUTB�� trust related products and advisory services through its trust agency system not only for MUTB customers but also for BTMU and MUMSS customers. As of March 31, 2010, BTMU engaged in eight businesses as the trust banking agent for MUTB: testamentary trusts, inheritance management, asset succession planning, inheritance management agency operations, business management financial consulting, lifetime gift trusts, share disposal trusts, and marketable securities administration trusts.

Integrated Corporate Banking Business Group

The Integrated Corporate Banking Business Group covers all domestic and overseas corporate businesses, including commercial banking, investment banking, trust banking and securities businesses, as well as UnionBanCal Corporation (UNBC). UNBC is a wholly owned subsidiary of BTMU and a US bank holding company with Union Bank being its primary subsidiary. T! he Compan! y provides various financial solutions, such as loans and fund management, remittance and foreign exchange services. It also helps its customers develop business strategies, such as inheritance-related business transfers and stock listings.

It offers advanced financial solutions to companies through corporate and investment banking services. Product specialists globally provide derivatives, securitization, syndicated loans, structured finance and other services. It also provides investment banking services, such as merger and acquisition (M&A) advisory, bond and equity underwriting. It provides online banking services that allow customers to make domestic and overseas remittances electronically. It also provides a global cash pooling/netting service, and the Treasury Station, a fund management system for a multi-company group. The Company�� global Corporate and Investment Banking business (Global CIB), primarily serves companies, financial institutions, and sovereign and multinational organizations with a set of solutions for their financing needs.

Integrated Trust Assets Business Group

The Integrated Trust Assets Business Group covers asset management and administration services for products, such as pension trusts and security trusts by integrating the trust banking expertise of MUTB and the international strengths of BTMU. The business group provides a range of services to corporate and pension funds, including stable and secure pension fund management and administration, advice on pension schemes, and payment of benefits to scheme members. Its Integrated Trust Assets Business Group combines MUTB�� trust assets business, comprising trust assets management services, asset administration and custodial services, and the businesses of Mitsubishi UFJ Global Custody S.A., Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co., Ltd. and KOKUSAI Asset Management Co., Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks darted out of small gains and losses early Friday, with investors watching the dollar as it traded back slightly below the 102-yen level. The Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) fell 0.2% to 15,142.60, and the broader Topix shed 0.2%. Financial issues were lower, in line with losses on Wall Street ahead of the November U.S. jobs report, due later Friday. In the group, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. (JP:8306) (MTU) shed 0.6%, and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. (JP:8316) (SMFG) slipped 0.2%. Advantest Corp. (JP:6857) (ADTTF) shares were among the strongest performers, climbing 7%, with Kim Eng Securities noting a report of successful cost cutting at the chip-testing equipment maker.

5 Best Up And Coming Stocks To Own Right Now: Tribune Co (TRBAA)

Tribune Company, incorporated on March 19, 1968, is a media and entertainment company engaged in newspaper publishing, television and radio broadcasting and entertainment through its subsidiaries. The Company�� operations are divided into two industry segments: publishing and broadcasting and entertainment. In publishing, the Company�� daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, Sun Sentinel (South Florida), Orlando Sentinel, Hartford Courant, The Morning Call and Daily Press. The company�� broadcasting group operates 23 television stations, WGN America on national cable and Chicago�� WGN-AM.

Broadcasting

The Company�� broadcasting owns and operates 23 major-market television stations and reaches more than 80% of United States television households. The group is anchored by WGN America, which can be seen in more than 70 million United States households via cable and satellite services. 13 Tribune stations are affiliates of The CW. Seven are FOX affiliates.

Publishing

The Company�� newspapers include the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. Tribune Media Services specializes in entertainment listings and syndication, providing news and information for print, broadcast and interactive media.

Tribune Digital

Tribune Digital manages the operations of Tribune�� daily newspapers and their associated Websites, plus all aspects of the Company�� classified advertising operations, as well as Websites for Tribune�� TV stations. Its national classified sites include CareerBuilder.com, Cars.com and Apartments.com.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Brugger]

  Murray McQueen has been named to the newly created position of president, real estate, to oversee Tribune's (NASDAQOTH: TRBAA  ) "valuable portfolio of more than seven million square feet of real estate assets," the company announced today. McQueen will take over his new role effective immediately.

• [By John Mitchell]

  Gannett (NYSE: GCI  ) and the Tribune Co. (NASDAQOTH: TRBAA  ) , two companies that publish daily newspapers, have announced combined layoffs of 1,000 positions (not all in the newsroom). News magazines are feeling the same pinch. According to a recent Gallup poll, only 9% of adults get their news from print sources, with news magazines scoring the lowest. The Pew news study as early as 2010 listed online news as the primary source for 39% of adults. �One of Time's biggest competitors, Newsweek, ended its paper publication in early 2013 in favor of an online edition only.

• [By Brian Stelter]

  Last year, when Tribune (TRBAA) was actively considering a sale, The New York Times reported that Murdoch was "weighing whether a bid would be worth the headache and regulatory battles."

5 Best Up And Coming Stocks To Own Right Now: Charm Communications Inc.(CHRM)

Charm Communications Inc. operates as an advertising agency in China. The company offers a range of advertising agency services from planning and managing the advertising campaigns to creating and placing the advertisements. It places advertisements for its clients on a range of television channels, including CCTV, and satellite and regional television channels, and on other media platforms, including Internet and out-of-home media. The company also engages in media investment management through identifying, securing, and selling of advertising resources. In addition, it provides branding and identity services, including design, development, and production of advertisements; and marketing consulting services. The company is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) reported a drop in its third-quarter profit. Time Warner Cable's quarterly profit fell to $532 million, or $1.84 per share, from $808 million, or $2.60 per share, in the year-ago period. To read the full news, click here. Synergy Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SGYP) today announced the start of a phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SP-333, its second-generation GC-C agonist and once-daily oral treatment, in adult patients with opioid-induced constipation (OIC). To read the full news, click here. Cigna (NYSE: CI) reported a 19% rise in its third-quarter earnings and lifted its full-year earnings outlook. To read the full news, click here. Charm Communications (NASDAQ: CHRM) announced today that the special committee of the Company's board of directors, consisting of independent directors Mr. Zhan Wang, Mr. Andrew J. Rickards and Mr. Gang Chen, has retained China Renaissance Securities (Hong Kong) Limited as its financial advisor and Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP as its legal advisor. To read the full news, click here.

  Posted-In: Bank of America US Stock FuturesNews Eurozone Futures Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets

5 Best Up And Coming Stocks To Own Right Now: Orkla ASA (ORK)

Orkla ASA is a Norway-based company active in various sectors. The Company�� operations are structured into two segments: Branded Consumer Goods and Other Businesses. The Branded Consumer Goods segment is divided into five units: Orkla Foods, which comprises the Company�� food businesses in the Nordic region and the Baltics; Orkla Confectionery, which comprises five branded consumer goods businesses which serve the Nordic region and the Baltics as their home markets; Orkls Home & Personal consists of five branded consumer goods businesses, including Lilleborg, Lilleborg Profesjonell, the Axellus Group, Pierre Robert Group and House Care; Orkla Food Ingredients cover product categories, including margarine, marzipan, bread improvers and mixes, and yeast, and Orkla International includes branded consumer goods companies outside the Nordic region and the Baltics. The Other Businesses segment covers the Company�� operation in aluminum, real estate and hydropower sectors, among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Orkla ASA (ORK), the Norwegian industrial conglomerate transforming itself into a consumer-goods producer, slumped 11 percent to 46.78 kroner, the largest drop since November 2011. The company reported second-quarter pretax profit of 514 million kroner ($86 million), missing estimates of 965 million kroner in a Bloomberg survey of analysts.

Top 5 Cheap Companies To Watch For 2014

It had appeared that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) had bottomed out in April after hitting $385 just days before earnings. When the company reported its most recent figures, it took time for investors to digest the new information since Apple made a shockingly large increase to its capital return program and also said it would be partially be funding it with debt.

Shares rallied as high as $465 over the following weeks, a gain of 21% from those lows, as investors seemingly began to appreciate the $50 billion in additional planned share repurchases that Apple would be making through 2015.

However, Apple has now given up nearly all of those gains since then and traded below $389 this morning -- just a few dollars away from tapping a fresh 52-week low.

With shares revisiting those lows, let's revisit Apple's dirt-cheap valuation.

Apple's earnings multiple is now back into single-digit territory, trading at just 9.3 times earnings. For reference, the broader S&P 500 is currently trading at 18.6 times earnings. Backing out the $154 per share in net cash on the books brings that figure down to 5.7 times earnings ex-cash.

Top 5 Medical Stocks To Own For 2015: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated(UNH)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Earnings season marches on, and two big reports have shaken up the stock market today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) is down 79 points, or 0.54%, as of 2:10 p.m. EDT. Today's earnings releases from Dow components Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) and UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH  ) have investors headed in opposite directions with these stocks, while one major disappointment from earlier in the week continues to haunt the market. Let's check out what you need to know.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  But a few Dow stocks didn't join in the celebration. The biggest decliner was UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH  ) , which dropped more than 1% on news from the Congressional Budget Office that Obamacare might bring in a smaller number of uninsured Americans onto insurance company rolls through subsidies or expansions of Medicaid expansions than previously expected. With states no longer having to participate in Medicaid expansion, the estimate has fallen by more than a quarter since early CBO estimates two years ago, and that's bad news for insurers that have hoped that more customers would offset higher costs under Obamacare's other provisions.

Top 5 Cheap Companies To Watch For 2014: The Travelers Companies Inc.(TRV)

The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various commercial and personal property and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Business Insurance; Financial, Professional, and International Insurance; and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment offers property and casualty products and services, such as commercial multi-peril, property, general liability, commercial auto, and workers? compensation insurance. It operates in six groups: Select Accounts, which serves small businesses; Commercial Accounts that serves mid-sized businesses; National Accounts, which serves large companies; Industry-Focused Underwriting that serves targeted industries; Target Risk Underwriting, which serves commercial businesses requiring specialized product underwriting, claims handling, and risk management services; and Special ized Distribution that offers products to customers through licensed wholesale, general, and program agents. The Financial, Professional, and International Insurance segment provides surety and financial liability coverage, which uses a credit-based underwriting process; and property and casualty products primarily in the United States., the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada. The Personal Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals. It distributes its products through independent agents, sponsoring organizations, joint marketing arrangements with other insurers, and direct marketing. The company was founded in 1853 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By JulieYoung789]

  Dow Jones Industrial Average component Travelers (TRV) reported its second quarter 2014 earnings on July 22. The company is the third financial services company in the DJIA to report second quarter earnings following JPMorgan (JPM) and Goldman Sachs (GS).

Top 5 Cheap Companies To Watch For 2014: Aegon NV(AEG)

AEGON N.V. provides life insurance, pensions, and asset management products and services worldwide. The company?s life insurance products include traditional, term, universal, whole, and other life insurance products sold as part of defined benefit pension plans, endowment policies, post-retirement annuity products, and group risk products; supplemental health insurance products comprise accidental death, other injury, critical illness, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, and student health; specialty lines consists of travel, membership, and creditor products; and long term care insurance products for policyholders who require care due to a chronic illness or cognitive impairment. It also offers a range of savings and retirement products and services, including mutual funds, and fixed and variable annuities, savings accounts and investment contracts, segregated funds, guaranteed investment accounts, and single premium immediate annuities, as well as investment advice to individuals. In addition, the company offers employer solutions and pensions, such as retirement plans, pension plans, and pension-related products and services; investment products, including onshore and offshore bonds, and trusts; reinsurance products and solutions to life insurance and financial services companies; general insurance products comprising house, car, and fire insurance; and asset management products and services, including general account assets, unit-linked funds, and third party activities. AEGON N.V. markets its products through independent and career agents, financial planners, registered representatives, independent marketing organizations, banks, broker-dealers, benefit consulting firms, wirehouses, affinity groups, institutional partners, independent managing general agencies, and specialized financial advisors, as well as through online, direct, and worksite marketing. The company was founded in 1900 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherl ands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Will Ashworth]

  Assuming it delivers on its outlook for 2014, its current free cash flow yield is a very enticing 20%. This isn�� a growth stock, but its brands still possess hidden value. As cheap stocks go, it�� very attractive.

  Cheap Stocks to Buy: Aegon (AEG)

  It�� not often that you can buy a $19 billion market cap for under 10 bucks. Aegon�� a Dutch insurance company that�� had a rough ride over the past few years, and its stock�� suffered as a result. In the late ’90s AEG stock traded around $60 — it hasn�� been anywhere close since. However, it�� got some good assets that should bear fruit in the years to come. Aegon has 12,000 employees in the Americas doing business primarily under the Transamerica brand, which has been a part of AEG since 1999.

Top 5 Cheap Companies To Watch For 2014: Partner Communications Company Ltd.(PTNR)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eddie Staley]

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

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 wireless telecom player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Partner Communications (PTNR), a telecommunications company, provides cellular and fixed-line telecommunication services in Israel. This stock is off to a strong start in 2013, with shares up sharply by 29%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Partner Communications, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways for the last month, with shares moving between $7.28 on the downside and $7.96 on the upside. Shares of PTRN are bucking the overall market weakness today as the stock starts to move within range of triggering a breakout trade above the upper-end of its sideways trading chart pattern.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in PTNR if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $7.80 to $7.85 a share and then once it clears its 52-week high at $7.96 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that registers near or above its three-month average volume of 107,303 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then PTNR will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $10 to $12.20 a share.

  Traders can look to buy PTNR off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $7.38 to $7.28, or below its 50-day at $6.97 a share. One can also buy PTNR off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Garrett Cook]

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