Best Bank Companies To Own For 2014

To select stocks, John Reese assesses the criteria of legendary investors; in his Validea newsletter, he highlights a Peter Lynch-style banking buy.

BofI Holding, Inc. (BOFI) is a newcomer to the Validea Hot List; the stock gets high scores from my Peter Lynch- and Motley Fool-based models, as well as my Momentum Investor approach.

BofI��hort for "Bank of Internet"��s the holding company for BofI Federal Bank, a diversified nationwide bank that provides financing for single and multifamily residential properties, small-to-medium size businesses in target sectors, and selected specialty finance receivables.

Though it has just one location��n San Diego��ts Internet business allows it to have approximately $3.3 billion in assets, and approximately 40,000 retail deposit and loan customers across all 50 states.

Below, we assess the stock based on my Peter Lynch approach, which would consider BOFI a "fast-grower."

Using this approach, the investor should examine the P/E (25.72) relative to the growth rate (30.90%), based on the average of the three, four, and five-year historical eps growth rates, for a company.

Top 5 Companies To Watch For 2015: Barclays PLC (BARC)

Barclays PLC (Barclays) is a global financial services provider engaged in retail banking, credit cards, wholesale banking, investment banking, wealth management and investment management services. The Company�� operations include its overseas offices, subsidiaries and associates. The Company operates in eight segments: UK Retail and Business Banking (UK RBB), Europe Retail and Business Banking (Europe RBB), Africa Retail and Business Banking (Africa RBB), Barclaycard, Barclays Investment Bank, Barclays Corporate Banking, Wealth and Investment Management, and Head Office and Other Operations. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sarah Jones]

  HSBC contributed the most to a selloff by European banks as treasuries slumped, pushing 10-year yields to the highest since 2011, as government bonds from the U.K. to Germany and Ireland slid. HSBC, Europe�� biggest lender, lost 0.9 percent to 655.6 pence. Barclays Plc (BARC) slid 0.9 percent to 279.05 pence.

Best Bank Companies To Own For 2014: Deutsche Bank AG (DBK)

Deutsche Bank AG is a global investment bank. The Company offers a variety of investment, financial and related products and services to private individuals, corporate entities and institutional clients around the world. The Company operates through such divisions as: Private and Business Clients, Asset and Wealth Management, Corporate Banking and Securities, Global Transaction Banking and Non-Core Operations Unit. Deutsche Bank AG is active domestically and in various countries, through the network of numerous branches. In February 2014, the Company and its related bodies corporate ceases to a share holder in the capital of the Company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) lost 0.6 percent as a gauge of banks posted the largest drop of the 19 industry groups in the Stoxx Europe 600 Index. Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE) advanced 2.2 percent as a gauge of telecom companies rose the most on the Stoxx 600.

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  RWE AG (RWE), Germany�� second-largest utility, slipped 2.4 percent after RBC Capital Markets cut its recommendation on the stock. Lufthansa followed its European peers higher, recovering some of its Aug. 2 selloff. Xing AG (O1BC), the business social network, jumped the most since October as Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) upgraded its rating on the shares.

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA) and Allianz SE (ALV) led airlines and insurers lower, retreating at least 1.5 percent. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) slid 1.6 percent. Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) rose after JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its recommendation on the shares. Gildemeister AG (GIL) added 3.4 percent after Deutsche Bank upgraded the maker of cutting tools.

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Bayer AG (BAYN) and BASF SE gained, following their European peers higher. Commerzbank AG (CBK), the country�� second-biggest lender, slid 3.7 percent. Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) dropped the most in more than a month after JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded the shares.

Best Bank Companies To Own For 2014: 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 Jim Jubak]

  Yesterday in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 stock index (NKY:IND) closed up 3.13%. Financial and real estate stocks were the big winners. In the financial sector, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MTU) rose 5.03% and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) climbed 5.0%. (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group is a member of my Jubak's Picks portfolio.) In the real estate sector, Heiwa Real Estate (8803:JP) gained 4.13% and Mitsui Fudosan (8801:JP) advanced 3.31%. The yen fell against the dollar by 0.4% to 102.34 yen to the dollar.

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Stocks in Japan climbed at the start of trade Tuesday, as U.S. dollar strength against the yen aided the export-oriented market. The Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) advanced 1% to 14,431.03, and the broader Topix rose 1.5% to 1,201.63, with the greenback moving back above the 楼102 level versus Japan's currency. Among exporters, stock in Canon Inc. (JP:7751) (CAJ) rose 1.6%, Mazda Motor Corp. (JP:7261) (MZDAF) tacked on 1.5%, and Sony Corp. (JP:6758) (SNE) gained 1.4%. Banking stocks were higher ahead of the conclusion of the Bank of Japan's meeting later Tuesday, and officials are not expected to announce any changes in monetary policy. Shares of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. (JP:8306) (MTU) and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. (JP:8316) (SMFG) were each up by 1.7%.

• [By Jim Jubak, Senior Markets Editor, MoneyShow.com]

  The one currency that is running against the weak dollar tide is the Japanese yen. The yen initially climbed on the Fed's no taper decision—rising to 97.75 on the news—but then fell all the way back to 99 yen to the dollar and finished yesterday at 99.42. (Remember that since the yen is quoted in yen to the dollar, a higher number is a sign of a weak yen and a smaller number means the yen is getting stronger.) The thinking seems to be that the recent Japanese trade deficit will push the Bank of Japan to further weaken the yen, in order to boost Japanese exports. I continue to think that the yen will finish 2013 at weaker levels than current trading, and that leads me to continue to hold positions in Japanese stocks such as Toyota Motor (TM) and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MTU). Both stocks are members of my Jubaks Picks portfolio.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  I think you can use shares of Japanese exporters-such as Toyota Motors (TM)-or Japanese financials-such as Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MTU)-as trading vehicles for this move. I mention both because they trade as very liquid ADRs in New York. If you trade in Tokyo, you should look at exporters more leveraged to the yen than Toyota-such as Hino Motors (JP:7205 in Tokyo) or Mazda Motor (JP:7261)-or real estate development companies with more yen sensitivity than more diversified financials-such as Sumitomo Realty and Development (JP:8830). Toyota and Mitsubishi UFJ are both members of my Jubak's Picks portfolio.

Best Bank Companies To Own For 2014: Community Bank System Inc (CBU)

Community Bank System, Inc., incorporated on April 15, 1983, which wholly owns five subsidiaries: Community Bank, N.A. (the Bank), Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. (BPAS), CFSI Closeout Corp. (CFSICC), First of Jermyn Realty Company, Inc. (FJRC) and Town & Country Agency LLC (T&C). The Bank operates as a community bank providing a range of banking and financial services to retail, commercial, and municipal customers. As of December 31, 2012, the Bank operates 179 full-service branches throughout 35 counties of Upstate New York, where it operates as Community Bank, N.A. and five counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania, where it is known as First Liberty Bank & Trust, offering a range of commercial and retail banking services. BPAS provides administration, consulting and actuarial services to sponsors of employee benefit plans. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has acquired eight branch-banking locations across its Northeast Pennsylvania markets from Bank of America, N.A.Five of the branches are located in Luzerne County, one is located in Lackawanna County and two are located in Carbon County.

On July 20, 2012, the Bank completed its acquisition of 16 retail branches in Central, Northern and Western New York from HSBC Bank USA, N.A. (HSBC), acquiring approximately $106 million in loans and $697 million of deposits. On September 7, 2012, it completed its acquisition of three branches in Western New York from First Niagara Bank, N.A. (First Niagara), acquiring approximately $54 million of loans and $101 million of deposits.

Lending Activities

As of December 31, 2012, the Bank�� loan portfolio included consumer mortgage loans, business lending, Consumer indirect, Consumer direct and Home equity. Consumer indirect and direct loans consist of personal loans originated both in the branch network and in automobile, marine and recreational vehicle dealerships. Approximately 68% of loans outstanding as of December 31, 2012, were made to consumers ! borrowing on an installment, line of credit or residential mortgage loan basis. The consumer mortgage portion of the Company�� loan portfolio is comprised of fixed (98%) and adjustable rate (2%) residential lending and includes no exposure to subprime, Alt-A or other higher-risk mortgage products. The combined total of general-purpose business lending, including agricultural-related and dealer floor plans, as well as mortgages on commercial property, is characterized as the Company�� business lending activity.

Investment Activities

As of December 31, 2012, the Bank�� investment securities included held-to-maturity, available-for-sale and Other securities. As of December 31, 2012, its held-to-maturity portfolio included U.S. Treasury and agency securities, Obligations of state and political subdivisions, Government agency mortgage-backed securities, Corporate debt securities and Other securities. Its Other Securities included Federal Home Loan Bank common stock, Federal Reserve Bank common stock and Other equity securities.

Sources of Funds

The Bank utilizes a variety of funding sources to support the earning asset base. Overall funding is comprised of three primary sources that possess a variety of maturity, stability, and price characteristics: deposits of individuals, partnerships and corporations (IPC deposits), municipal deposits that are collateralized for amounts not covered by FDIC insurance (public funds) and external borrowings. The various types of deposits offered by the Bank include Noninterest checking deposits, Interest checking deposits, Regular savings deposits, Money market deposits and Time deposits. Borrowing sources for the Company include the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLBNY) and Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as well as access to the brokered certificate of deposit (CD) and repurchase markets through relationships with primary market security dealers.

Subsidiary Activities

The Compan! y�� sub! sidiary, BPAS owns three subsidiaries, Benefit Plans Administrative Services LLC (BPA), a provider of defined contribution plan administration services; Harbridge Consulting Group LLC (Harbridge), a provider of actuarial and benefit consulting services, and Hand Benefits & Trust Company (HB&T), a provider of Collective Investment Fund administration and institutional trust services. HB&T owns two subsidiaries, Flex Corp. (Flex), a provider of administration, servicing and marketing of various flexible employee benefit programs and Hand Securities, Inc. (HSI), an introducing broker dealer. The Company also wholly owns two unconsolidated subsidiary business trusts formed for the purpose of issuing mandatorily redeemable preferred securities.

The Bank owns subsidiaries, such as CBNA Insurance Agency, Inc. (CBNA Insurance), CBNA Preferred Funding Corporation (PFC), CBNA Treasury Management Corporation (TMC), Community Investment Services, Inc. (CISI), First Liberty Service Corp. (FLSC), Nottingham Advisors, Inc. (Nottingham), Brilie Corporation (Brilie), and Western Catskill Realty, LLC (WCR). CBNA Insurance is a full-service insurance agency offering primarily property and casualty products. PFC primarily acts as an investor in residential real estate loans. TMC provides cash management, investment, and treasury services to the Bank. CISI provides broker-dealer and investment advisory services. FLSC provides banking-related services to the Pennsylvania branches of the Bank. Nottingham provides asset management services to individuals, corporate pension and profit sharing plans, and foundations. Brilie and WCR are inactive companies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  Community Bank System Inc. (CBU) operates as the bank holding company for Community Bank, N.A. that provides banking and financial services to retail, commercial, and municipal customers. August 21st the company increased its quarterly dividend 3.7% to $0.28 per share. The dividend is payable October 10, 2013 to shareholders of record as of September 16, 2013. The yield based on the new payout is 3.3%.

Best Bank Companies To Own For 2014: State Bank of India (SBIN)

State Bank of India (SBI) is an India-based commercial bank. Its primary banks include Treasury, Corporate / Wholesale Banking, Retail Banking and Other Banking business. The Treasury Segment includes the entire investment portfolio and trading in foreign exchange contracts and derivative contracts. The Corporate / Wholesale Banking segment comprises the lending activities of Corporate Accounts Group, Mid Corporate Accounts Group and Stressed Assets Management Group. These include providing loans and transaction services to corporate and institutional clients and further include non-treasury operations of foreign offices. The Retail Banking Segment consists of branches in National Banking Group, which primarily includes Personal Banking activities, including lending activities to corporate customers having banking relations with branches in the National Banking Group. This segment also includes agency business and automated teller machines (ATMs). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lyubov Pronina]

  India�� S&P BSE Sensex Index dropped 4 percent in Mumbai as State Bank of India (SBIN) tumbled to the lowest level in four years. ICICI Bank Ltd. slumped 5.2 percent. The rupee touched an unprecedented 62.0050 per dollar today before closing 0.3 percent weaker from Aug. 14 at 61.6550 in Mumbai, according to prices from local banks compiled by Bloomberg.

• [By Calev Ben-David]

  Credit-default swaps for the State Bank of India (SBIN), a proxy for the sovereign, have risen by almost two thirds since May 22, while the rupee slid about 10 percent. In Turkey, swaps jumped by about half, and the currency dropped about 6 percent.

Best Bank Companies To Own For 2014: Woori Finance Holdings Co Ltd (WF)

Woori Finance Holdings Co., Ltd., incorporated on March 27, 2001, is a financial holding company. The Company serves over 24 million corporate and retail customers with a range of financial services, including commercial banking, credit card, capital market, international banking, wealth management and bancassurance services. The Company�� domestic network consists of more than 1,300 branches and 8,500 cash terminals. Its banking subsidiaries include Woori Bank, Kwangju Bank and Kyongnam Bank. Its non-banking subsidiaries include Woori Investment & Securities, Woori AVIVA Life Insurance, Woori CS Asset Management, Woori Financial, Woori Finance Information System, Woori F&I and Woori Private Equity.The Company established a new wholly owned subsidiary, on March 16, 2011. The new entity is mainly engaged in banking business.

The Company�� products in retail banking include Low-Carbon Green Deposit, Mommy Relief Deposit, Plus Savings Deposit, Plus Revolving Time Deposit, Solid Success Time Installment Deposit and Happy Time Installment Deposit. Mommy Relief Deposit facilitates response to locate missing children; the fingerprints of children under 10 are digitally recorded by the bank and made instantly available nationwide if the child should go missing. Plus Savings Deposit is a fixed-interest installment-based time deposit account that offers preferential rates to customers who also apply for credit card products. It also provides bonus services for special occasions and foreign travel. Plus Revolving Time Deposit is a compound-interest time deposit especially for customers who want to access their funds in under three months. Solid Success Time Installment Deposit is a time installment deposit product for business owners. It offers a sliding scale of interest rates if the customer purchases additional products, such as a retirement annuity. Happy Time Installment Deposit is a fixed-interest time installment deposit account for individuals. It also provides extra services for occasio! ns, such as weddings, overseas trips and the birth of a child.

The Company provides one-stop services to corporate clients through joint account management by Woori Bank, Woori Investment & Securities, Woori CS Asset Management and Woori Private Equity. It also carries out various sales and marketing activities to promote its products and services to domestic companies of all sizes. The Company supports small and medium-sized enterprise (SME). In addition to financial products, it also provides professional consulting services. Woori Bank ahs developed the Woori Robot Era Loan and Woori Green Solar Loan. To help family-owned businesses, Woori Bank operates the Woori Family Business Succession Consulting program.

Woori Bank has an investment banking firm in Hong Kong. Woori Financial Group acts as a developer of client specific derivatives. Woori Bank acts as a dealer in overseas index products, including NIKKEI and HSCEI-indexed derivatives. The Bank also sells comForex, combining F/X and spot transactions. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had 9.3 million cardholders. Woori Financial Group provides its private banking clients with financial solutions. Woori Bank has consulting centers for private banking customers, which offers advice on taxes, real estate, asset management, overseas investments and financing solutions for emigrants and students studying abroad.

The Company provides wealth management solutions for its customers. Octo is the name of Woori Investment & Securities wealth management service for high-networth individuals. Octo customers can use a single platform to buy and sell equity-linked securities, bonds, repurchase agreements, bills and beneficiary certificates, and access their cash management accounts. The Company provides professional advice and a range of consumer insurance products to its clients. It offers a portfolio of 61 insurance products, which includes 35 life insurance, and 26 property and casualty. Woori CS Asset Management has! one exch! ange traded funds and 63 other products, including structured products, overseas asset funds and index funds.

Woori Finance Information System has developed integrated customer relationship management (CRM) and Groupware systems, information technology (IT) systems for Woori Bank�� overseas branches and a credit risk management system for Woori Investment & Securities. The Company also deployed a standardized asset & liability management system and an imaging system for managing utility bill payments. The Company has also integrated the IT infrastructure of Woori CS Asset Management, Woori AVIVA Life Insurance and Woori Financial into its system.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Question: Is Berkshire too big to fail? How about DF and how does it impact insurance and Wells Fargo (WF) and Goldman Sachs (GS)?

  Warren: It won�� affect it to my knowledge. Capital ratios for long banks at high levels and affects return on equity. Cap ratios increase and return on equity will increase. Banking in the U.S. is stronger than in the past 20 years. Compared to the EU or 20 years ago, it�� dramatically stronger. Don�� worry about banking being the cause of the next bubble. Usually we don�� get to a bubble the same way we got to the last one. I feel good about our investments at MNT and WFC. We won�� earn as much return on equity because the rules change.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Question: Is Berkshire too big to fail? How about DF and how does it impact insurance and Wells Fargo (WF) and Goldman Sachs (GS).

  Warren: It won�� affect it to my knowledge. Capital ratios for long banks at high levels and affects return on equity. Cap ratios increase and return on equity will increase. Banking in the U.S. is stronger than in the past 20 years. Compared to the EU or 20 years ago, it�� dramatically stronger. Don�� worry about banking being the cause of the next bubble. Usually we don�� get to a bubble the same way we got to the last one. I feel good about our investments at MNT and WFC. We won�� earn as much return on equity because the rules change.

Best Bank Companies To Own For 2014: AKB Mosoblbank OAO (MOBB)

AKB MOSOBLBANK OAO (AKB MOSOBLBANK OJSC) is a Russia-based commercial bank. The Company focuses on the provision of various types of banking services to both individual and corporate clients. The Bank offers its services through the network of 400 offices and automated teller machines (ATM), located across the Russian Federation. In addition, it has 23 branches in such cities as: Rostov na Donu, Samara, Astrakhan, Arkhangelsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Omsk, Tyumen, Yakutsk, Grozny, Kemerovo and Vladivostok, among others. As of May 25, 2012, the Company�� major shareholder was Respublikanskaya Finansovaya Korporatsiya OAO with a stake of 74.19%. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  UBS, Switzerland�� largest bank, rallied to a two-year high. Philips, the Dutch maker of light bulbs and electric toothbrushes, gained for an eighth day. Portugal�� PSI-20 Index (PSI20) advanced 2.3 percent as President Anibal Cavaco Silva affirmed that he doesn�� want to call early elections. Mobistar (MOBB) SA slumped the most on record after the Belgian mobile-phone company cut profit forecasts and suspended its dividend.