Hot Dow Dividend Companies To Watch In Right Now

The latest Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s October 29 to 30 FOMC meeting are indicating that tapering the $85 billion per month of bond buying could start in the coming months. This�sounds significant in writing, but more recent comments have indicated that easing measures can remain in place longer. That is particularly true if Janet Yellen gets confirmed as the next Chairman of the Fed as Ben Bernanke’s replacement.

One key observance is that the government shutdown seems to have had a limited and temporary impact. A key issue here was that a repeated financial impasse over debt ceilings could damage business confidence and consumer confidence.

A number of Fed officials prefer equal cuts to Treasury debt buying as well as Mortgage Backed Securities. Others preferred to cut Treasury buying more than mortgage paper buying. A couple of fed officials were shown to also be in favor of lowering the target unemployment threshold down under the current 6.5% threshold target, although some warned that it could lower the Fed’s credibility.

Top 10 Semiconductor Companies To Own For 2016: Allot Communications Ltd.(ALLT)

Allot Communications Ltd. engages in developing, selling, and marketing Internet protocol service optimization and revenue generation solutions in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania. Its solutions are used to create policies to monitor network applications, enforce quality of service policies that guarantee mission-critical application performance, mitigate security risks, and leverage network infrastructure investments. The company offers traffic management systems, including Service Gateway platform for broadband service control and optimization based on DPI; and NetEnforcer traffic management system that inspects, monitors, and controls network traffic by application and by user. Its network management application suites comprise NetXplorer that provides service providers and enterprise customers a view of traffic on the network; and Subscriber Management Platform, a system that helps service providers build an intelligent service network d esigned to deliver the quality of experience. The company also offers ServiceProtector, which ensures service continuity, and guards network integrity against known and unknown threats, as well as enables surgical mitigation through immediate identification of denial of service attacks, zero day attacks, worms, zombie, and botnets. In addition, it provides MediaSwift that caches and accelerates popular Internet video. The company markets and sells its products to carriers, mobile operators, cable operators, educational institutions, governments, and enterprises, as well as wireless, wireline, and satellite Internet service providers. It sells it products through distributors, resellers, OEMs, value added resellers, and system integrators, as well as through direct sales. The company was formerly known as Ariadne Ltd. and changed its name to Allot Communications Ltd. in September 1997. Allot Communications Ltd. was founded in 1996 and is based in Hod-Hasharon, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Telecommunications services shares gained around 0.25 percent in today’s trading. Top gainers in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), Allot Communications (NASDAQ: ALLT), and SK Telecom Co (NYSE: SKM).

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Telecommunications services shares gained around 0.25 percent in today’s trading. Top gainers in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), Allot Communications (NASDAQ: ALLT), and SK Telecom Co (NYSE: SKM).

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  What: Shares of Allot Communications (NASDAQ: ALLT  ) have popped today by as much as 10% after the company scored a big contract.

  So what: Allot said it landed a $6.5 million order from a "Tier-1" mobile operator in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for Intelligent Steering and Value-Added Service licenses. The company added that the contract is a licensing expansion of an existing deployment. The customer will add functionalities to the current Allot Service Gateways deployment.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Allot Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: ALLT) was raised to Outperform with an $18 price target at Oppenheimer.

  Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) was added to the Conviction Buy list with an $86 price target at Goldman Sachs.

Hot Dow Dividend Companies To Watch In Right Now: Armstrong World Industries Inc (AWI)

Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI), incorporated on December 30, 1891, is a global producer of flooring products and ceiling systems for use in the construction and renovation of residential, commercial and institutional buildings. The Company designs, manufactures and sells flooring products (resilient and wood) and ceiling systems (mineral fiber, fiberglass and metal) globally. The Company segments includes: Building Products, Resilient Flooring and Wood Flooring. The Company��s Building Products, Resilient Flooring, Wood Flooring and Cabinets segments sell products for use in the home. Its products are used in new home construction and existing home renovation work. Its products, primarily ceilings and Resilient Flooring, are used in commercial and institutional buildings. On September 1, 2012, it sold Patriot Flooring Supply, Inc. to The Belknap White Group. Effective October 31, 2012, the Company sold of its cabinets business to American Industrial Partners.

Building Products

Building Products produces suspended mineral fiber, soft fiber and metal ceiling systems for use in commercial, institutional and residential settings. In addition, its Building Products segment sources complementary ceiling products. Its products, which are sold globally, are available in colors, performance characteristics and designs, and offer attributes, such as acoustical control, rated fire protection and aesthetic appeal. Commercial ceiling materials and accessories are sold to ceiling systems contractors and to resale distributors. Residential ceiling products are sold in North America to wholesalers and retailers, including home centers. Suspension system (grid) products manufactured by Worthington Armstrong Venture (WAVE) are sold by both the Company and WAVE.

Resilient Flooring

Resilient Flooring produces and sources a range of floor coverings for homes and commercial and institutional buildings. Manufactured products in this segment include vinyl sheet, v! inyl tile and linoleum flooring. In addition, its Resilient Flooring segment sources and sells laminate flooring products, vinyl tile products, vinyl sheet products, adhesives, and installation and maintenance materials and accessories. Resilient Flooring products are offered in a range of types, designs, and colors. It sells these products globally to wholesalers, home centers, retailers, contractors and to the manufactured homes industry.

Wood Flooring

The Company��s Wood Flooring segment produces and sources wood flooring products for use in new residential construction and renovation, with commercial applications in stores, restaurants and offices. The product offering includes pre-finished solid and engineered wood floors in various wood species, and related accessories. All of its Wood Flooring sales are in North America. Its Wood Flooring products are sold to independent wholesale flooring distributors and home centers.

The Company competes with Saint-Gobain, Chicago Metallic Corporation, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Knauf AMF GmbH & Co. KG, Lafarge SA, Odenwald Faserplattenwerk GmbH, Rockfon A/S, USG Corporation, Amtico International, Inc., Beaulieu International Group, N.V., Boa-Franc, Inc., Congoleum Corporation, Faus, Inc., Forbo Holding AG, Gerflor Group, Interface, Inc., IVC Group, Krono Holding AG, LG Floors, Mannington Mills, Inc., Metroflor Corporation, Mullican Flooring, L.P., Mohawk Industries, Inc., Nora Systems GmbH, Pfleiderer AG, Shaw Industries, Inc., Somerset Hardwood Flooring, Tarkett AG.

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 Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI) cut its Q3 forecast citing price pressures in Europe and a market shift in North America. Armstrong World shares declined 4.58% to $46.50 in the after-hours trading session.

Hot Dow Dividend Companies To Watch In Right Now: Shutterfly Inc.(SFLY)

Shutterfly, Inc. provides an Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service that enables consumers to share, print, and preserve their digital photos through the medium of photography in the United States. It offers a range of personalized photo-based products and services for consumers to upload, edit, enhance, organize, find, share, create, print, and preserve their memories. The company produces and sells photo books, greeting and stationery cards, personalized calendars, and other photo-based merchandise, including calendars, mugs, canvas prints, mouse pads, magnets, and puzzles. It also offers photo prints consist of wallet and photocards. In addition, the company provides commercial print services. Shutterfly, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Redwood City, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  Finally, shares of�Shutterfly� (NASDAQ: SFLY  ) were soaring today, finishing up 15% after reports emerged that the company was looking to selling itself. According to�Bloomberg, the digital photo-specialist, which makes albums and household products with personal digital images, is in the early stages of seeking a buyer, considering private-equity firms, e-commerce companies and web storage businesses. Shutterfly has hired Qatalyst Partners, a boutique investment firm, to help with its search. After many years of profits, the company has seen its bottom line turn into the red recently despite revenue growth in the teens. That struggle and the number of acquisitions among Internet companies recently may explain its search for a buyer. There were no details on a potential buyer, but further reports could push shares higher as we learn more about a possible sale.

Hot Dow Dividend Companies To Watch In Right Now: Kayne Anderson MLP Investment Co (KYN)

Kayne Anderson MLP Investment Company, incorporated on June 4, 2004, is a non-diversified, closed-end investment company. The Company��s investment objective is to obtain a high after-tax total return by investing at least 85% of its total assets plus any borrowings in energy-related master limited partnerships (MLPs) and their affiliates, and in other companies that, as their principal business, operate assets used in the gathering, transporting, processing, storing, refining, distributing, mining or marketing of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined petroleum products or coal (collectively with MLPs referred to as Midstream Energy Companies). The Company��s portfolio investments principally consist of equity securities issued by MLPs.

Kayne Anderson MLP Investment Company may invest up to 15% of its total assets in any single issuer. It may invest up to 20% of its total assets in debt securities, which may include below investment-grade securities. The Company��s portfolio includes investments in pipeline MLPs, propane MLPs, shipping MLPs, coal MLPs and upstream MLPs. The Company��s investment advisor is Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  The ETFs and funds held up on Monday:

  JPMorgan Alerian MLP Index ETN (NYSEArca: AMJ) was down only 0.3% at $46.86, versus a 52-week range of $42.18 to $49.31. Volume was 1.1 million shares versus an average of about 628,000. ALPS Alerian MLP ETF (NYSEArca: AMLP) closed down 0.45 at $17.57, versus a 52-week range of $16.75 to $18.36. This ETF traded more than 3.1 million shares, up from an average of about 2.85 million shares. The closed-end fund of Kayne Anderson MLP Investment Company (NYSE: KYN) even managed to rise by 0.26% to $38.70 against a 52-week range of $33.11 to $40.22. Its volume was also almost 300,000 shares versus an average volume of closer to 218,000 shares.

  It still seems more than interesting that the investment community did not pound the rest of the sector in sympathy with Boardwalk. This Boardwalk MLP still has a $3.1 billion market cap, even after getting cut almost in half. Usually investors try to tie in peers when one implosion is seen versus others. It seems as though they are trusting that negative natural gas exposure here is not going to spill over into the rest of the sector, and maybe not even spill over into the price of units in its more direct peers.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Buy For 2015

SYDNEY -- In a surprise move, the Reserve Bank of Australia has cut the official cash rate to 2.75%.

Debate is now raging as to whether this is the lowest rate since the '50s or '60s -- or possibly ever. What is known is that this is the lowest rate the RBA has ever quoted. It seems the central bank is concerned about global growth, the stubbornly high Australian dollar, subdued demand for credit, and inflation that's lower than they had expected.

The RBA commented:

The Board has previously noted that the inflation outlook would afford scope to ease further, should that be necessary to support demand. At today's meeting the Board decided to use some of that scope. It judged that a further decline in the cash rate was appropriate to encourage sustainable growth in the economy, consistent with achieving the inflation target. The exchange rate, on the other hand, has been little changed at a historically high level over the past 18 months, which is unusual given the decline in export prices and interest rates during that time. Moreover, the demand for credit remains, at this point, relatively subdued.

Best Blue Chip Companies To Buy For 2016: Apogee Enterprises Inc.(APOG)

Apogee Enterprises, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design and development of glass products, services, and systems. The company operates through two segments, Architectural Products and Services, and Large-Scale Optical Technologies. The Architectural Products and Services segment designs, engineers, fabricates, installs, maintains, and renovates the walls of glass, windows, storefront, and entrances comprising the outside skin of commercial and institutional buildings. This segment involves in the fabrication of coated and high-performance architectural glass; installation and renovation of full-service building glass; manufacture of aluminum window systems and curtain walls; painting and anodizing finishing of architectural aluminum and PVC shutters; and fabrication of aluminum storefront, entrance, and curtain wall products. Its architectural glass products and services are primarily used in commercial buildings, such as office towers, hotels, and retail centers; institutional buildings comprising education facilities and dormitories, health care facilities, and government buildings; and high-end condominiums. This segment markets its products through direct sales, and distribution and independent sales representatives to architects, building owners, general contractors, and glazing subcontractors in the commercial construction market. The Large-Scale Optical Technologies segment manufactures glass and acrylic products for the custom picture framing market. This segment distributes its products through independent distributors and mass merchandisers, as well as directly to museums, and public and private galleries. The company offers its products primarily in North America and Europe. Apogee Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  I won't deny it: I've been a longtime fan of glassmaker Apogee Enterprises (NASDAQ: APOG  ) . Years ago, when the company decided to forgo some revenue by exiting the market for automotive windshields and focus instead on making higher-margin glass for building windows and picture framing, I thought that was the right call.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Buy For 2015: Universal Corporation(UVV)

Universal Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a leaf tobacco merchant and processor worldwide. It engages in selecting, procuring, buying, processing, packing, storing, supplying, shipping, and financing leaf tobacco for sale to, or for the account of, manufacturers of consumer tobacco products. The company processes and/or sells flue-cured and burley tobaccos, dark air-cured tobaccos, and oriental tobaccos; and provides value-added services, including blending, chemical and physical testing of tobacco, just-in-time inventory management, and manufacturing reconstituted sheet tobacco. Its flue-cured, burley, and oriental tobaccos are used principally in the manufacture of cigarettes; and dark air-cured tobaccos are used in the manufacture of cigars, pipe tobacco, and smokeless tobacco products. The company was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ali Berri]

  In trading on Friday, non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.09 percent. Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included Medifast (NYSE: MED), down 9.6 percent, and Universal (NYSE: UVV), off 3.9 percent.

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  This isn��t some massive utility service generation billions. As dividend stocks go, it’s a nice, simple business that makes a few million in free cash flow every year and distributes most of it to shareholders as a 3.7% yield … and has been doing so for 41 years.

  Universal Corporation (UVV)

  Dividend yield: 3.9%

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Leaf tobacco supplier Universal Corporation (UVV) raised its quarterly dividend 2% to 51 cents per share, payable on Feb. 10 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 13.
  UVV Dividend Yield: 4.06%
  

• [By Rupert Hargreaves]

  Universal Corp (NYSE: UVV  ) has paid out and raised its dividend for 41 consecutive years. This puts the company in an elite club of dividend aristocrats.�Aside from Altria (NYSE: MO  ) , which has been paying and increasing its payout for 43 years, Universal actually has the longest dividend history of any company within the tobacco sector.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Buy For 2015: Safety Insurance Group Inc.(SAFT)

Safety Insurance Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides private passenger automobile insurance products primarily in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The company?s private passenger automobile policies offer coverage for bodily injury and property damage to others, no-fault personal injury coverage for the insured/insured?s car occupants, and physical damage coverage for an insured?s own vehicle for collision or other perils. It also provides commercial automobile policies that offer insurance for commercial vehicles used for business purposes, including private passenger-type vehicles, trucks, tractors and trailers, insure individual vehicles, and commercial fleets; and homeowners policies, which provide coverage for losses to a dwelling and its contents from various perils, and coverage for liability to others arising from ownership or occupancy. It writes policies on homes, condominiums, and apartments. In addition, the company offers business owners policie s that cover apartments and residential condominiums, limited cooking restaurants, office condominiums, processing and services businesses, special trade contractors, and wholesaling businesses. Further, it provides commercial package policies, which offer property, general liability, crime, and inland marine insurance for business enterprises; personal umbrella policies that provide personal excess liability coverage over and above the limits of individual automobile, watercraft, and homeowner?s insurance policies; and commercial umbrella policies to clients for whom the company underwrites commercial automobile and business owner policies. Additionally, the company underwrites dwelling fire insurance, inland marine coverage, and watercraft coverage. Safety Insurance Group, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Auto sales are booming and that��s good news for large cap auto insurer�the Progressive Corporation (NYSE: PGR) along with small cap auto insurers Safety Insurance Group, Inc (NASDAQ: SAFT) and�Mercury General Corporation (NYSE: MCY) as they offer income to yield hungry investors as well as income in the form of dividends. Specifically, a Yahoo! Autos blog recently noted that last month, automakers sold 1.5 million new vehicles for the highest rate in years with�most industry forecasters expecting sales to�return to the level they hit before the 2008 recession of 16 million vehicles a year. The blog post then went on to note the three forces driving auto sales:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Safety Insurance (NASDAQ: SAFT  ) , also impressive among high dividend stocks, is a rather boring company that's good at what it does�-- offering auto insurance, primarily in New England. Recently yielding 4.7%, its dividend has grown by 8.5% annually over the past five years and 24% annually over the past decade. (Its last hike, last year, was 20%.) Its payout ratio is 67%, which is not too worrisome. Its forward P/E ratio of 11 compares favorably with the five-year average near 18, and its PEG ratio is an appealing 0.70, as well.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Buy For 2015: Sands China Ltd (SCHYF)

Sands China Ltd. (Sands China) is an investment holding company. The Company, along with its subsidiaries, is engaged in the development and operation of integrated resorts in Macao, which contain not only gaming areas, but also meeting space, convention and exhibition halls, retail and dining areas and entertainment venues. The Company operates in five segments: The Venetian Macao, Sands Macao, The Plaza Macao, Sands Cotai Central and ferry and other operations. The Venetian Macao, the Plaza Macao and Other developments derive their revenue primarily from casino, hotel, food and beverage, mall, convention, retail and others sources. Ferry and other operations derive their revenue from the sale of ferry tickets for transportation between Hong Kong and Macau. As of December 31, 2011, its properties included 3,554 hotel rooms and suites, 74 restaurants, 1.2 million square feet of retail, 1.2 million square feet of meeting space, two permanent theaters, a 15,000-seat arena and the casino. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks sold off early Thursday after the Federal Reserve decided to further taper stimulus, and after a final reading of China's manufacturing PMI contracted. The Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) sank 1.5% to 21,815.04 in holiday-shortened trading. Tech stocks retreated, as Chinese PC maker Lenovo Group Ltd. (HK:992) (LNVGF) dropped 5.3%, failing to get a lift from news that it plans to acquire the Motorola handset business from Google Inc. (GOOG) for $2.91 billion as Lenovo aims for a bigger presence in the U.S. market. Software developer Kingsoft Corp. (HK:3888) (KSFTF) fell 1.9% and Internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. (HK:700) (TCTZF) dropped 1.5%. Casino stocks also declined. Sands China Ltds. (HK:1928) (SCHYF) , the Hong Kong-listed unit of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) , slipped 0.2%, despite financial results that showed Sands China's net income increased 40% year-on-year to $467 million in the fourth quarter. Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. (HK:6883) (MPEL) slumped 3.2%, and both Wynn Macau Ltd. (HK:1128) (WYNMF) and MGM China Holdings Ltd. (HK:2282)

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks rose early Wednesday, with the Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) up 0.2% at 22,587.72. Hong Kong properties advanced, as the city's major developer Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. (HK:16) (SUHJY) rose 0.7%, after the company launched new luxury Riva project and saw the first batch of 64 flats sold out on the first day of sale. Sino Land Co. (HK:83) (SNLAF) rose 1.1%, Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd. gained 0.9%, and Henderson Land Development Co. (HK:12) (BACHY) edged up 0.2%. Chinese auto maker Dongfeng Motor Group Co. (HK:489) resumed trading and fell 0.9%, after the company said it signed an agreement with French joint-venture partner PSA Peugeot Citroen to invest 800 million euros ($1.1 billion) for a stake in the company. Most Casino stocks were lower, after reports said Macau planned to cut the duration of operators' licenses to 5 years. Shares of MGM China Holdings Ltd. (HK:2282) (MCHVF) declined 1.6%, SJM Holdings Ltd. (HK:880) lost 1%, and Sands China Ltds. (HK:1928) (SCHYF) dropped 0.8%. On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index (CN:SHCOMP) traded flat at 2,119.77.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Buy For 2015: Essex Rental Corp (ESSX)

Essex Rental Corp., incorporated on August 21, 2006, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in providing of lifting equipment (including lattice-boom crawler cranes, truck cranes and rough terrain cranes, tower cranes, and other lifting equipment) used in an array of construction projects. In addition, it provides product support including installation, maintenance, repair, and parts and services for its equipment provided to customers and customer owned equipment. It operates in three segments: equipment rentals, equipment distribution, and parts and service. Its subsidiaries wholly owned subsidiaries include Essex Holdings, LLC (Holdings), Essex Crane Rental Corp. (Essex Crane), Essex Finance Corp. (Essex Finance), CC Acquisition Holding Corp. (CC Acquisition), Coast Crane Company, (Coast Crane) and Coast Crane Ltd. (Coast Crane Ltd.).

The Company supply a variety of lifting solutions for construction projects related to power generation, petro-chemical, refineries, water treatment and purification, bridges, highways, hospitals, shipbuilding, offshore oil fabrication and industrial plants, and commercial and residential construction. It rent its equipment bare, meaning without supplying an operator and, in exchange for a fee, make arrangements for the transportation and delivery of equipment.

Essex Crane is a provider of lattice-boom crawler crane and attachment rental services and possesses fleets of such equipment in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, Essex Crane��s fleet size stands at more than 350 lattice-boom crawler cranes and various types of attachments, which are made available to clients depending on their lifting requirements, such as weight, pick and carry aspects, reach and angle of reach.

Coast Crane is a provider for lifting solutions throughout Western North America, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the South Pacific. Through Coast Crane, it provides both used and new towers cranes, boom trucks, rough terrain cranes and other lifting equipment ! to customers in the infrastructure, energy, crane rigger/operator, and municipal, commercial and industrial construction sectors. Coast Crane��s operations are headquartered in Seattle, Washington and its products are rented and sold through a regional network including 11 branch locations. In addition to providing crane rental services, Coast Crane is a crane distributor of self-erecting tower cranes, rough terrain cranes, boom trucks and all terrain cranes in its West Coast territories.

Equipment Rental

The Company offer for rent crawler cranes and attachments, rough terrain cranes, boom trucks, tower cranes, and other construction related rental equipment. It also offer transportation, rigging and repair and maintenance services while equipment is on rent. It rent its fleet of over 1,000 cranes and attachments and other lifting equipment to a variety of engineering and construction customers under contracts, most of which have rental periods of between 4 and 18 months. The contracts typically provide for an agreed rental rate and a specified rental period. Transportation services revenue is derived from the management of the logistics process by which its rental equipment is transported to and from customers�� construction sites, including the contracting of third party trucking for such transportation.

Equipment Distribution

The Company offers a variety of construction equipment products for sale, including tower cranes, boom trucks, rough terrain cranes and other lifting equipment used in the construction industry. The revenue from retail equipment sales is primarily driven by the level of construction activity in a particular geographic region.

Parts and Service

The Company is a parts distributor for various lifting equipment manufacturers and routinely sells parts to its customers in the construction industry. It also provides repairs and maintenance services for customers that own their own equipment and request its ! services ! at one of its service center locations. Its customers for these ancillary services are its rental customers, customers that own their own equipment and those who purchase new and used equipment from it.

The Company competes with ALL Erection & Crane Rental, Bigge Crane and Rigging, Co., Lampson International, Maxim Crane Works, M.D., Morrow Equipment Rental, Western Pacific Crane and Equipment and AmQuip Crane Corp.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  The Q2 2014 earnings report for equipment rental stock United Rentals, Inc (NYSE: URI), a peer or competitor of Essex Rental Corp (NASDAQ: ESSX) and H&E Equipment Services, Inc (NASDAQ: HEES), is scheduled for after the market closes on Wednesday. Aside from the United Rentals earnings report, it should be said that the Essex Rental Corp reported Q4 2013 earnings on May 7th while the estimated release date for the H&E Equipment Services, Inc Q2 2014 earnings report is August 4th. However, United Rentals�� shares rose after its last earnings report plus analysts have issued bullish research notes since then.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Essex Rental (NASDAQ: ESSX) is projected to post a Q4 loss at $0.10 per share on revenue of $22.55 million.

  Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Buy For 2015: Curis Inc.(CRIS)

Curis, Inc., a drug discovery and development company, focuses on the research and development of cancer therapeutics. The company, under collaboration with Genentech, Inc., is conducting a pivotal Phase II clinical trial on its lead molecule, GDC-0449 in advanced basal cell carcinoma patients, as well as various Phase II clinical trials in first-line metastatic colorectal cancer and advanced ovarian cancer patients. It is also evaluating CUDC-101, a small molecule that is in a Phase I clinical testing and is designed to target histone deacetylase, epidermal growth factor receptor, and epidermal growth factor receptor 2. In addition, Curis has a development candidate, Debio 0932, which is a Heat Shock Protein 90 or Hsp90 inhibitor. The company holds a license agreement with Debiopharm related to its Hsp90 technologies. Further, it involves in preclinical testing for the development of candidates from its targeted cancer programs. The company was founded in 2000 and is base d in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Curis (NASDAQ: CRIS) dipped 18.97% to $3.16 in the pre-market session after the company reported Q3 financial results and provided CUDC-427 development update.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Buy For 2015: TOR Minerals International Inc(TORM)

TOR Minerals International, Inc., a specialty chemical company, engages in the manufacture and marketing of mineral products. Its mineral products are used as pigments, pigment extenders, functional fillers, and flame retardants for the manufacture of paints, coatings, plastics, catalysts, and solid surface applications. The company?s principal product includes HITOX, a light buff-colored titanium dioxide pigment used in paints, coatings, plastics, paper, and various other types of products. It also offers ALUPREM (premium alumina) products that are used for color critical applications as fillers and flame retardants; BARYPREM, which provides whiteness for color critical applications; TIOPREM, a series of heat stable colored TiO2 hybrid pigments used in various applications, such as engineered plastics, laminates, window profiles, plastic lumber, roofing granules, and ceramic coatings; and SYNTHETIC RUTILE used as a feed stock for white TiO2 and as a component in welding rod flux. In addition, the company provides BARTEX, an inert extender pigment, which offers weight and body to products comprising powder coatings used in automotive, appliance, and office furniture finishes; rubber products, such as carpet and curtain backings; and plastics, including billiard balls and poker chips; and HALTEX/OPTILOAD used in technical applications, including thermoset composites, sheet molding compounds/bulk molding compounds, thermoplastic profiles, electrical wire and cable insulation, mining conveyor belts, specialty coatings, and adhesives and sealants. TOR Minerals International sells its products through a network of direct sales representatives and independent stocking distributors in the United States, as well as through distributors and agents internationally. The company was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  TOR Minerals International (NASDAQ: TORM) shares touched a new 52-week low of $9.76. TOR Minerals shares have dropped 9.95% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 27.45% in the same period.

Top 10 Undervalued Stocks To Buy Right Now

Top 10 Undervalued Stocks To Buy Right Now: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  Denbury Resources (DNR) fell 2.5% to $7.95, while Diamond Offshore Drilling (DO) fell 2.2% to $37.24. Schlumberger (SLB), Nabors Industries (NBR) and Newfield Exploration (NFX) each fell 1%.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Stocks with low turnover include Philip Morris International (PM), Schlumberger (SLB), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), General Electric (GE) and Automatic Data Processing (ADP).

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  We see several potential sources of continued activity as: (i) Schlumberger (SLB) may look to recapture #1 spot in revenues if Halliburton/Baker Hughes do merge; (ii) Halliburton/Baker Hughes may look to plug their seismic service gap (seismic has been the worst-performing industry sub-segment this year); (iii) Halliburton/Baker Hughes may be forced to divest US assets in order to pass antitrust review. Other potential buyers could include oilfield pure-plays, which may be looking to shift exposure away from offshore rigs and more towards completion/production technologies, or large diversified industrials seeking to capitalize on their strong relative share price performance vs. the energy industry.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-undervalued-stocks-to-buy-right-now-4.html

Best High Dividend Companies To Buy For 2016

Best High Dividend Companies To Buy For 2016: Accor SA (AC)

Accor SA is a France-based hotel operator. The Hotels division manages more than 531,000 bedrooms in more than 4,200 hotels across 90 countries. Accor's portfolio consists of such hotel brands as Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, Mercure, Suite Novotel, Adagio, ibis Styles, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1, hotelF1, Studio 6 and Motel 6, and its related activities, Thalassa sea & spa and Lenotre that provide an offer ranging from luxury to budget class. It operates through a number of subsidiaries, including SH Danton Michelet, Ste De Constructiondes Holets Suites, SIET, The Newgen Hotels, Chammans, Profid, SPFH, IBL, Soluxury HMC and SNC SH 61 QG; LA THERMALE DE FRANCE, PIH and HOTEXCO, among others. On July 30, 2012, it divested its stake in Ascendas Australia Hospitality Fund and Beijing Sanyuan Novotel and Ibis. In February 2013, it sold the Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg. In August 2013, it opened a new hotel in Thailand. In September 2013, it opened new resort in Dubai. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Vera Yuan]

  OverviewThe Wasatch International Growth (Trades, Portfolio) Fund returned 0.67% in the second quarter of 2014, underperforming the 3.64% return of the MSCI All Country (AC) World Ex-U.S.A. Small Cap Index.The world is showing uneven signs of economic recovery, with some positive advances being felt throughout many of the developed and emerging markets. Within this environment, the Fund's relative performance was adversely affected largely by its investments in consumer-discretionary companies, many of which have not been the main beneficiaries of recent investor optimism. To a lesser, but still noticeable extent, it is apparent that much of the stock-market gains have come from cyclicals. And there's been a lack of participation by some of the high-quality growth companies we prefer. We focus on companies that we bel! ieve have top-tier managements, strong business models, and leading market-share positions or innovative products or processes. Investors have also favor ed financials and industrials, areas where our stock selection has been strong, but where we are significantly underweighted.Although our stocks generally underperformed for the second quarter and for the past 12 months, we're optimistic going forward. In Europe, we're seeing increased numbers of interesting companies, and more companies going public. Overall, the pace of economic recovery seems somewhat slower than in the U.S., but there are encouraging signs. The economy is relatively strong in the United Kingdom (U.K.), where the financial system is recovering along with the property market. European industrial activity has been mixed, with softness in France but increased activity in Spain and Portugal. In Spain, we're even seeing initial-public offerings,†† which were almost nonexistent a year ago. While strong economic growth is far from pervasive throughout Europe, consumer-confidence levels are generally decent and overall stock valuations‡ are more attra ctive than in the U.S

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Investing in small or micro cap funds will be more volatile and loss of principal could be greater than investing in large cap or more diversified funds.Investing in foreign securities, especially in frontier and emerging markets, entails special risks, such as currency fluctuations and political uncertainties, which are described in more detail in the prospectus.For the period ended March 31, 2014, the average annual total returns of the Wasatch International Growth (Trades, Portfolio) Fund for the one-, five- and ten-year periods were 12.71%, 28.72%, and 10.73%, and the returns for the MSCI AC World Ex-U.S.A. Small Cap Index were 16.28%, 21.18%, and 9.31%. Expense ratio: Gross 1.57% / Net 1.57%.Recent stock market performance has caused atypical short-term returns for some asset classes,which may not continue in the f! uture. Fu! nd performance may be subject to substantial short-term changes due to market volatility.Data shows past performance, which is not indicative of f uture performance. Current performance may be lower or higher than the data quoted. To obtain the most recent month-end performance data available, please click on the "Performance" tab of the individual fund under the "Our Funds" section. The Advisor may absorb certain Fund expenses, without which total return would have been lower. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate and shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.Wasatch Funds will deduct a 2.00% redemption proceeds fee on Fund shares held 60 days or less. Performance data does not reflect the deduction of fees, including sales charges, or the taxes you would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. Fees and taxes, if reflected, would reduce the performance quoted. Wasatch does not charge any sales fees. For more complete information including charges, risks and expenses, read the prospectus carefully.Wasatch Funds are subject to risks, including l oss of principal.Over

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Accor (AC) dropped 3.9 percent to 32.27 euros, its biggest decline since Aug. 28. Europe's largest hotel operator said it will reorganize its business into two separate units. The HotelServices unit will operate about 460,000 hotel rooms under 14 brands. The HotelInvest unit will act as the owner and investor in hotels.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-high-dividend-companies-to-buy-for-2016.html

Top 5 Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Buy Right Now

Top 5 Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Buy Right Now: Toshiba Corp (TOSBF)

TOSHIBA CORPORATION is a Japan-based manufacturer that operates in five business segments. The Digital Product segment manufactures and sells cellular phones, hard disc devices, optical disc devices, televisions among others. The Electronic Device segment provides general logic integrated circuits (ICs), optical semiconductors, power devices, large-scale integrated (LSI) circuits, among others. The Social Infrastructure segment manufactures and sells various generators, power distribution systems, water and sewer systems, transportation systems and station automation systems, among others. The Home Appliance segment provides refrigerators, drying machines, washing machines, cooking utensils, cleaners and lighting equipment, among others. The Others segment is involved in the provision of logistics services. In January 2014, Toshiba Corp purchased substantially all assets of OCZ Technology Group, and launched new subsidiary, OCZ Storage Solutions. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bruce Kennedy]

  On Monday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced indictments against five officers in China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) for "serious cybersecurity breaches" against six American firms: Westinghouse Electric, a division of Toshiba (OTC: TOSBF) , Alcoa (NYSE: AA), Allegheny Technologies (NYSE: ATI), U.S. Steel (NYSE: X), the United Steelworkers Union and SolarWorld (OTC: SRWRY).

• [By Dan Carroll and Max Macaluso, Ph.D.]

  Panasonic's (NASDAQOTH: PCRFY  ) not the first company you may think of in the health-care field, but this Japanese electronics maker's a player in blood glucose monitors and other fields. With Panasonic's sales under fire across the board, however, this company's looking to sell off its health-care business to refocus on its core segments. Toshib! a (NASDAQOTH: TOSBF  ) reportedly has expressed interest in a buy, and private equity-firms are also in the hunt to get on board with Asia's health-care rise.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-industrial-conglomerate-stocks-to-buy-right-now-4.html

Top Construction Stocks To Watch Right Now

Top Construction Stocks To Watch Right Now: Armstrong World Industries Inc (AWI)

Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI), incorporated on December 30, 1891, is a global producer of flooring products and ceiling systems for use in the construction and renovation of residential, commercial and institutional buildings. The Company designs, manufactures and sells flooring products (resilient and wood) and ceiling systems (mineral fiber, fiberglass and metal) globally. The Company segments includes: Building Products, Resilient Flooring and Wood Flooring. The Company's Building Products, Resilient Flooring, Wood Flooring and Cabinets segments sell products for use in the home. Its products are used in new home construction and existing home renovation work. Its products, primarily ceilings and Resilient Flooring, are used in commercial and institutional buildings. On September 1, 2012, it sold Patriot Flooring Supply, Inc. to The Belknap White Group. Effective October 31, 2012, the Company sold of its cabinets business to American Industrial Partners.

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Building Products

Building Products produces suspended mineral fiber, soft fiber and metal ceiling systems for use in commercial, institutional and residential settings. In addition, its Building Products segment sources complementary ceiling products. Its products, which are sold globally, are available in colors, performance characteristics and designs, and offer attributes, such as acoustical control, rated fire protection and aesthetic appeal. Commercial ceiling materials and accessories are sold to ceiling systems contractors and to resale distributors. Residential ceiling products are sold in North America to wholesalers and retailers, including home centers. Suspension system (grid) products manufactured by Worthington Armstrong Venture (WAVE) are sold by both the Company and WAVE.

Resilient Flooring

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Resilient Flooring produces and sources a range of floor coverings for homes and commercial and institutional buildings. Manufactured products in this segment include vinyl sheet, v! inyl tile and linoleum flooring. In addition, its Resilient Flooring segment sources and sells laminate flooring products, vinyl tile products, vinyl sheet products, adhesives, and installation and maintenance materials and accessories. Resilient Flooring products are offered in a range of types, designs, and colors. It sells these products globally to wholesalers, home centers, retailers, contractors and to the manufactured homes industry.

Wood Flooring

The Company's Wood Flooring segment produces and sources wood flooring products for use in new residential construction and renovation, with commercial applications in stores, restaurants and offices. The product offering includes pre-finished solid and engineered wood floors in various wood species, and related accessories. All of its Wood Flooring sales are in North America. Its Wood Flooring products are sold to independent wholesale flooring distributors and home centers.

The Com pany competes with Saint-Gobain, Chicago Metallic Corporation, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Knauf AMF GmbH & Co. KG, Lafarge SA, Odenwald Faserplattenwerk GmbH, Rockfon A/S, USG Corporation, Amtico International, Inc., Beaulieu International Group, N.V., Boa-Franc, Inc., Congoleum Corporation, Faus, Inc., Forbo Holding AG, Gerflor Group, Interface, Inc., IVC Group, Krono Holding AG, LG Floors, Mannington Mills, Inc., Metroflor Corporation, Mullican Flooring, L.P., Mohawk Industries, Inc., Nora Systems GmbH, Pfleiderer AG, Shaw Industries, Inc., Somerset Hardwood Flooring, Tarkett AG.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI) cut its Q3 forecast citing price pressures in Europe and a market shift in North America. Armstrong World shares declined 4.58% to $46.50 in the after-hours tr! ading ses! sion.

• [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 Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-construction-stocks-to-watch-right-now-2.html

Top 5 Gas Utility Companies To Invest In 2016

Top 5 Gas Utility Companies To Invest In 2016: Exide Technologies (XIDEQ)

Exide Technologies, incorporated on November 23, 1966, is engaged in stored electrical energy solutions, and is a manufacturer and supplier of lead-acid batteries for transportation and industrial applications in the worldwide. Exide operates in four business segments: Transportation Americas, Transportation Europe and ROW, Industrial Energy Americas, and Industrial Energy Europe and ROW. The Company's operations in the Americas as well as Europe and Rest of World (ROW) represented approximately 42% and 58%, respectively, during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013 (fiscal 2013), net sales.

Transportation

The Company's transportation batteries include starting lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries for cars, trucks, off-road vehicles, agricultural and construction vehicles, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, marine, and other applications including Micro-hybrids. The Company's principal batteries sold in the transportation markets are repres ented by brands: Exide, Exide Extreme, Exide NASCAR Select, Centra, DETA, Orbital, Fulmen, and Tudor, as well as other brands under various private labels. The market for transportation batteries is divided between sales to aftermarket customers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Transportation segments represented approximately 61% of the Company's net sales in fiscal 2013. Within the transportation segments, aftermarket and OEM net sales, including original equipment service (OES) represented approximately 72.1% and 27.9% of fiscal 2013 net sales, respectively.

Some of the Company's aftermarket customers include Pep Boys, Bosch, Tractor Supply, Canadian Tire, ADI, ATR International, and GroupAuto International. In addition, the Company is also a supplier of authorized replacement batteries for OEMs including the BMW Group, Fiat ! Group, Honda, Iveco, John Deere, PSA Group, Scania, Volvo Trucks, Toyota, Volkswagen Group, Renault-Nissan, PACCAR, and many others. Some of the Company's OEM customers include t! he BMW Group, Fiat Group, International Truck & Engine, the PSA group (Peugeot S.A./Citroen), Case/New Holland, John Deere, Renault, Nissan, Scania, Volvo Trucks, Volkswagen Group, Chrysler, Toyota, Jaguar, Land Rover, among others.

In the Americas, the Company sells aftermarket transportation products through various distribution channels, including mass merchandisers, auto parts outlets, wholesale distributors, and battery specialists. The Company sells its OEM transportation replacement products principally through dealer networks. The Company's Americas operations include a network of 74 branches which sell and distribute batteries and other products to the Company's distributor channel customers, battery specialists, national account customers, retail stores, and OEM dealers. In addition, these branches collect spent batteries for the Company's recycling facilities. These operations supply recycled lead for approximately 75 to 80% of Exide's Transpo rtation and Industrial Energy products manufactured in North America. The recycling facilities also recover and recycle battery acid as well as plastic materials that are used to produce new battery covers and cases.

In Europe and ROW, the Company sells OEM batteries to the light vehicle, light commercial vehicle and commercial vehicle industries. The commercial vehicle industry includes truck manufacturers as well as construction and agriculture vehicle manufacturers. Exide supplies its OEM batteries directly to the assembly plants of its customers. The Company also delivers service and replacement batteries into this segment. Those are either distributed by the OEM customers themselves or delivered directly to the service points through the Exide logistics network. The Company also supplies advanced lead-acid batteries for microhybrid! vehicles! equipped with carbon dioxide reducing technologies such as Start & Stop with and without regenerative braking systems . It sells Europe and ROW aftermarket batteries primarily th! rough aut! omotive parts and battery wholesalers, mass-merchandisers, auto centers, service installers, and oil companies. Battery specialists sell and distribute batteries to a network of automotive parts retailers, service stations, independent retailers, and garages throughout Europe.

The Company competes with Johnson Controls, Inc. and East Penn Manufacturing.

Industrial Energy

The Company's Industrial Energy segments supply both motive power and network power applications. Motive power batteries are used in the material handling industry for electric forklift trucks, and in other industries, including floor cleaning machinery, powered wheelchairs, railroad locomotives, mining, and the electric road vehicles market. The battery technologies for the motive power markets include flooded flat plate products, tubular plate products, absorbed glass mat (AGM) products, and gel electrolyte products. The Company also offers a complete range of bat tery chargers and related equipment for the operation and maintenance of battery-powered vehicles. Network power batteries are used to provide back-up power for use with telecommunications systems, computer installations or data centers, hospitals, air traffic control systems, security systems, utilities, railway and military applications. Telecommunications applications include central and local switching systems, satellite stations, wireless base stations and mobile switches, optical fiber repeating boxes, cable television transmission boxes, and radio transmission stations. The Company's strongest network power battery brands, Absolyte and Sonnenschein, offer customers the choice of AGM or gel electrolyte valve regulated battery technologies and deliver among the highest energy and power densities in their class.

In the Am! ericas, t! he Company distributes motive power products and services through multiple channels. These include sales and service locations o wned by the Company that are augmented by a network of indep! endent ma! nufacturers' representatives. The Company serves a wide range of customers including OEM suppliers of lift trucks, industrial companies, retail distributors, warehousing companies, and manufacturers. Motive power customers in the Americas include Toyota, MCFA, NACCO, Sears, Toyota, Walmart, and Target. The Company distributes network power products and services through sales and service locations owned by the Company augmented by a network of independent manufacturers' representatives. The Company's primary network power customers in the Americas include AT&T, APC, Emerson Electric, and Verizon Wireless.

The Company distributes motive power products and services in Europe through in-house sales and service organizations and utilizes distributors and agents for the export of products from Europe to ROW countries. Motive power products in Europe are also sold to a wide range of customers in the aftermarket, ranging from industrial companies and retail distri butors to small warehousing and manufacturing operations. Motive power batteries are also sold in complete packages, including batteries, chargers, and increasingly through on-site service. The Company's OEM motive power customers include Toyota Material Handling, the KION Group, and Jungheinrich. The Company distributes network power products and services in Europe and batteries and chargers in Australia and New Zealand through in-house sales and service organizations. In Asia, products are distributed through independent distributors. The Company utilizes distributors, agents, and direct sales to export products from Europe and North America to ROW. The Company's primary Network Power customers in Europe and ROW include Deutsche Telecom, Alcatel, Emerson Electric, Ericsson and Siemens Nokia Networks.

The Company! competes! with EnerSys Inc., East Penn Manufacturing, Hoppecke, MIDAC, GS/Yuasa, Shinkobe and C&D Technologies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  A real car wreck on the horizon
  Already crashing and burning was lead-acid battery maker Exide Technologies (NASDAQOTH: XIDEQ  ) , which confirmed it had hired a restructuring specialist to help it cope with is financial situation ahead of some of its debt maturing this fall. It's shares fell almost 48% on the news.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-gas-utility-companies-to-invest-in-2016.html