Top 10 China Companies To Watch In Right Now

Although by now no longer regarded as ancient or, for that matter, Chinese, the curse "May you live in interesting times" seems quite relevant today. Interesting things are certainly happening in China. A new Pilot Free Trade Zone in Shanghai's Pudong district has been designated as a testing area for a looser government stance on foreign investments and products. This may indicate that China's leadership is becoming more open to social reform. Sources familiar with the matter say that the ban on consoles may be lifted, opening up the world's largest consumer market to console-makers.

Interesting times
Not particularly big, covering some 29 square kilometers, or 11 square miles, the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone looks like it will be the staging ground for a thorough reform of China's financial sector. Yet the experiment seems to be broader than that, including the introduction of certain Western products that were previously restricted by the government.

Supporters of the plan claim that this may be a first step toward a loosening of the government's grip on the economy, and with it, supplying a greater amount of social freedom. The opening of the free trade zone follows a similar project during the '80s in Shenzhen, just north of Hong Kong, which helped turn China into the major industrial player it is today. The plans are scheduled to be rolled out over a three-year period, although details on what exactly is to be done in this time are still murky.

Top Electric Utility Companies To Invest In 2015: 51job Inc.(JOBS)

51job, Inc. provides integrated human resource services primarily in the People?s Republic of China. . The company provides recruitment related advertising services, including print advertising services through 51job Weekly, which is a city-specific recruitment advertising publication that is published once a week and is distributed as an insert in local newspapers and/or on a stand-alone basis; and online recruitment services through its Website, www.51job.com. It also offers other human resource related services, such as business process outsourcing, which consist of social insurance and welfare payment processing, regulatory compliance, and payroll processing; and executive search services, as well as conducts training seminars in the areas of business management, leadership, sales and marketing, human resource, negotiation skills, financial planning and analysis, public administration, manufacturing, secretarial, and other skills for the general public and corporate cl ients. In addition, the company provides campus recruitment services; conducts salary, employee retention, and other human resource related surveys; organize and host annual human resource conferences and events, which include lectures, seminars, workshops, and networking opportunities for human resource professionals; and provides assessment tools to assist human resource departments in evaluating capabilities and dispositions of job candidates and existing employees, aiding employee placement, and allocating employee resources, as well as hiring and support services to employers on select recruitment projects. It provides recruitment and other human resource related services to employers through its sales offices, as well as through its sales and customer service call center. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  As US and global economies recover, hiring should increase with overlooked recruitment related stocks like Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc (NASDAQ: CSOD), 51job, Inc (NASDAQ: JOBS) and Staffing 360 Solutions Inc (OTCBB: STAF) being among the first to benefit aside from those who have found employment:

• [By Ben Rooney]

  51job (JOBS), an online job search website similar to Monster.com (MWW), has surged more 60% this year.

  But there is one notable Chinese dot-com stock that's sitting out the big rally. Shares of Renren (RENN), the social network known as China's Facebook (FB, Fortune 500), are down 3% for the year.

Top 10 China Companies To Watch In Right Now: China Automotive Systems Inc.(CAAS)

China Automotive Systems, Inc., through its interests in Sino-foreign joint ventures, engages in the manufacture and sale of power steering systems and other component parts for the automotive industry in the People?s Republic of China. It offers a range of steering system parts for passenger automobiles and commercial vehicles. The company provides 4 separate series, 307 models of power steering, including rack and pinion power steering, integral power steering, electronic power steering and manual steering, steering columns, steering oil pumps, and steering hoses. China Automotive Systems, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Jing Zhou City, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Richard Schmidt]

  We admittedly bought into China Automotive Systems (CAAS) too soon. The stock is still down from our original recommendation price, but the future looks very bright.

• [By Richard Schmidt]

  China Automotive Systems (CAAS), which makes auto systems and components, reported record-high net sales for the third quarter. The report excited investors, who bid the stock up about 30% for the month.

Top 10 China Companies To Watch In Right Now: Baidu Inc.(BIDU)

Baidu, Inc. provides Chinese and Japanese language Internet search services. Its search services enable users to find relevant information online, including Web pages, news, images, multimedia files, and blogs through the links provided on its Websites. The company also offers online community-based products and entertainment platforms; an instant messaging service; and a consumer-oriented e-commerce platform. In addition, it designs and delivers online marketing services and auction-based P4P services that enable its customers to reach users who search for information related to their products or services. The company serves online marketing customers consisting of small and medium sized enterprises, large domestic corporations, and Chinese divisions or subsidiaries of multinational corporations primarily operating in the medical, machinery, education, franchising, electronic products, e-commerce, ticketing, tourism, information technology, consumer products, real estate, entertainment, and financial services industries. It sells its online marketing services directly, as well as through its distribution network. The company was formerly known as Baidu.com, Inc. and changed its name to Baidu, Inc. in December 2008. Baidu, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Daniel Sparks]

  With respect to stocks, Merriam-Webster defines risk as "the chance that an investment (as a stock or commodity) will lose value." So how can we mitigate this risk? Many investors simply choose to avoid riskier sectors, like tech. But there's a better way. Mitigate the chance for loss by buying stocks with a margin of safety. On that note, here are two low-risk stock picks: Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) and Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU  ) .

Top 10 China Companies To Watch In Right Now: eLong Inc.(LONG)

eLong, Inc. operates as an online travel service provider in the People?s Republic of China. The company provides its customers with travel information and the ability to book rooms, air tickets, vacation packages, and other travel related services utilizing call center and Web-based distribution technologies. It facilitates the customers to book rooms in approximately 10,000 hotels in 450 cities across China, and fulfills air ticket reservations in approximately 80 cities across China. In addition, the company offers the ability to book rooms at approximately 100,000 hotels outside of China; and provides the customers informative content relevant to hotel and air travel decisions, including tourist and event site destination information, hotel facility information, and photos. eLong markets its services through online marketing, traditional media advertising, co-marketing with established brands of other companies, and direct marketing. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China. eLong, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Expedia Asia Pacific Limited.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

   

  eLong (LONG) operates as an online travel service provider in the People's Republic of China. This stock closed up 7.5% to $19.79 in Wednesday's trading session.

   

  Wednesday's Volume: 96,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 30,062
  
  Volume % Change: 125%

   

  From a technical perspective, LONG spiked sharply higher here right off its 50-day moving average of $18.39 with above-average volume. This spike to the upside on Wednesday is now quickly pushing shares of LONG within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if LONG manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $20 to $21 and then above some past overhead resistance at $21.73 with high volume.

   

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in LONG as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $18.39 or above its 200-day at $17.40 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 30,062 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then LONG will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance level at its 52-week high of $24. Any high-volume move above $24 will then give LONG a chance to make a run at $30.

   

Top 10 China Companies To Watch In Right Now: Mindray Medical International Limited (MR)

Mindray Medical International Limited, through its subsidiary, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices worldwide. It operates in three segments: Patient Monitoring and Life Support Products, In-Vitro Diagnostic Products, and Medical Imaging Systems. The Patient Monitoring and Life Support Products segment offers patient monitoring devices that track the physiological parameters of patients, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and temperature. This segment?s patient monitoring devices are suitable for adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients and are used principally in hospital intensive care units, operating rooms, and emergency rooms. This segment provides single and multiple-parameter monitors, mobile and portable multifunction monitors, central stations that could collect and display multiple patient data on a single screen, and an electro-cardiogram monitoring device; veterinary monitoring devi ces; and anesthesia machines, as well as defibrillators, surgical beds, and surgical lights. The In-Vitro Diagnostic Products segment offers data and analysis on blood, urine, and other bodily fluid samples for clinical diagnosis and treatment. This segment also provides semi-automated and fully-automated in-vitro diagnostic products for laboratories, clinics, and hospitals. In addition, this segment offers hematology analyzers and biochemistry analyzers, and reagents. The Medical Imaging Systems segment provides ultrasound systems, which are employed in medical fields consisting of urology, gynecology, obstetrics, and cardiology; digital radiography systems; and a magnetic resonance imaging system. The company serves distributors, original design manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers, and hospitals and government agencies. Mindray Medical International Limited was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Keith Speights]

  It's easy to place too much attention on the immediate negatives and too little attention on the bigger positives. I made this mistake in 2011 after buying shares in Mindray Medical (NYSE: MR  ) . I ended up selling my shares for a loss when the stock fell due to weaker-than-expected demand for its medical devices in Europe and the U.S.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Medical device manufacturer Mindray Medical (NYSE: MR  ) announced this morning that it has appointed a co-CEO for the company.

  Cheng Minghe, who currently serves as�the company's chief strategic officer -- a position he will maintain -- will join company President�Li Xiting in leading the device maker.

• [By John Udovich]

  China is set to ease the one child policy, something that could benefit Chinese stocks in general but be especially beneficial to insurance stocks like China Life Insurance Company Ltd (NYSE: LFC) and CNinsure Inc (NASDAQ: CISG) plus health care stocks like Mindray Medical International Ltd�(NYSE: MR) and Concord Medical Services Hldg Ltd (NYSE: CCM). First, let�� be clear that China is NOT abolishing the one child policy as the changes will merely�allow married couples to have two children if one spouse is an only child plus it will be up to China�� 34 province-level administrations to revise�their laws and put the new policy into effect. Moreover, China�� family-planning bureaucracy employs more than 500,000 full-time workers and six million part-time workers all the way down to the village level to�collect billions of dollars in fines and these bureaucrats have fought for years against policy changes���meaning they could throw up roadblocks if not placated. With that said, the insurance and health care sectors are two sectors with publicly Chinese stocks that look set to�take advantage of the coming changes.

Top 10 China Companies To Watch In Right Now: Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc.(HMIN)

Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. develops, leases, operates, franchises, and manages a chain of economy hotels in the People?s Republic of China. The company operates its hotels under the Home Inn brand name. As of April 28, 2011, it had approximately 800 Home Inns in operation and 1,000 Home Inns sealed in franchise agreements. The company was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  The New York traded ADRs of China's Home Inns and Hotels Management (HMIN) have climbed 15.5% from September 24 to the close on October 11.

  Part of the reason is a October 10 recommendation from Goldman Sachs that added the ADRs to its top pick list. And part of the reason is a huge surge in domestic travel during China's recently concluded National Day holiday week. (Home Inns and Hotels Management is a member of my Jubak's Picks portfolio.)

Top 10 China Companies To Watch In Right Now: TAL Education Group(XRS)

TAL Education Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides K-12 after-school tutoring services in the People?s Republic of China. It offers tutoring services to K-12 students covering various academic subjects, including mathematics, English, Chinese, physics, chemistry, and biology. The company provides tutoring services through small classes; personalized premium services, such as one-on-one tutoring; and online course offerings. As of May 31, 2011, it operated a network of 199 physical learning centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wuhan, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Xi?an; and eduu.com, an online education platform for online courses. The company also offers education and management consulting services, as well as sells software. It operates under the Xueersi brand. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Beijing, China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  TAL Education Group (NYSE: XRS) shares rose 4.30% to $20.86. The volume of TAL Education Group shares traded was 318% higher than normal. TAL Education's PEG ratio is 1.14.

• [By Louis Navellier]

  Education is a top priority in China and competition for the best schools are intense. TAL� Education Group (XRS) benefits form the focus on education by offering tutoring services for kids in grades k-12. They operate a network of 270 learning centers and 247 service centers in China and also have 5 call centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

Top Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014

“This is a business built by and for baby boomers, but that won’t last long.”

In his presentation to broker-dealer executives at the Financial Services Institute’s OneVoice conference in Washington, Mark Tibergien spoke those words midway through his speech, making explicit what was an underlying theme at the broker-dealer advocacy group’s annual conference.

In a conference that celebrated FSI’s “Decade of Success,” there was some looking back at where the independent broker-dealer business has come from, but there was much more focus on the future. Among the issues: where is the next generation of advisors to come from? Will IBDs’ business model allow for attracting and retaining younger advisors? Will regulatory and market pressures allow BD reps to serve younger clients who may not yet possess wealth? How can you build a business for future success when so many of your advisors and their clients are in or nearing — or should be planning — retirement?

Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Asante Gold Corp (ASE)

Asante Gold Corporation is a mineral exploration company involved in the acquisition and assessment of mineral properties in the Republic of Ghana. The Company is a gold royalty, exploration and development company. The Company is focused in Ghana, West Africa where it is exploring the Fahiakoba concession, a 22.07 square kilometers prospecting license located on strike with and between Perseus Mining's 4.32 million ounce Edikan Mine and AngloGold Ashanti's 60 million ounce Obuasi mine. It has a 100% interest in the Fahiakoba concession. ASG Mining Ltd. is the Company�� 100% owned Ghana subsidiary. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

  Greece�� ASE Index (ASE) retreated 4 percent today, pulled down by shares of lenders. National Bank of Greece SA tumbled 27 percent to 1.15 euros after announcing details of a share sale. Piraeus Bank SA slid 21 percent to 36 euro cents.

Top Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014: First Financial Bankshares Inc.(FFIN)

First Financial Bankshares, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides commercial banking products and services primarily in Texas. It offers commercial banking services, which include accepting and holding checking, savings, and time deposits, as well as automated teller machines, drive-in and night deposit services, safe deposit facilities, remote deposit capture services, Internet banking, transmitting funds, and other commercial banking services. The company also provides commercial, financial, agricultural, real estate construction, real estate mortgage, and consumer loans to businesses, professionals, individuals, and farm and ranch operations. In addition, it involves in the administration of various types of retirement and employee benefit accounts, which include 401(k) profit sharing plans and IRAs; and offers personal trust services that comprise the administration of estates, testamentary trusts, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and agency accounts. Further, the company offers securities brokerage services. As of December 31, 2009, it operated 48 financial centers in Texas, including 10 locations in Abilene, 2 locations in Cleburne, 3 locations in Stephenville, 3 locations in Granbury, 2 locations in San Angelo, and 3 locations in Weatherford, as well as 1 location each in Mineral Wells, Hereford, Sweetwater, Eastland, Ranger, Rising Star, Southlake, Aledo, Willow Park, Brock, Alvarado, Burleson, Keller, Trophy Club, Boyd, Bridgeport, Decatur, Roby, Trent, Merkel, Clyde, Moran, Albany, Midlothian, and Glen Rose. The company was founded in 1956 and is based in Abilene, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer]

  In the following video, Motley Fool financial analysts David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer discuss two stocks from the financial sector that they're watching today. David tells us why he's got his eye on�JPMorgan� (NYSE: JPM  ) and the trials and tribulations of CEO Jamie Dimon and what he'll be looking for at the company's annual meeting in two weeks. Matt Koppenheffer discusses the smaller-cap�First Financial Bankshares (NASDAQ: FFIN  ) �and why if Warren Buffett only had $1 million to invest, this might be one of the first places he'd look.

• [By Profit Fan]

  After rising 67% in the past 52-weeks, it is understandable that the price targets for First Financial Bankshares (FFIN) are slightly under the bank's current market price of $57.69 per share. But, the premium paid for these shares appear to be warranted.

• [By John Udovich]

  Texas has set another record for job creation�with small cap Texas banking stock like Texas Capital Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBI), ViewPoint Financial Group (NASDAQ: VPFG) and First Financial Bankshares (NASDAQ: FFIN) naturally being well positioned to take advantage of the Texas economic miracle (see my previous article: Texas is Booming and So Are These Texas Stocks (EE, TPL & ATO)). I should�add that I wrote about�these Texas banking stocks back in late 2012�(see: Don�� Mess With Texas Banking Stocks TCBI, VPFG & FFIN) and the Texas Workforce Commission has just�reported that the Texas economy added 36,400 jobs in September while over the past 12 months, employers added 413,700 jobs ��the most ever recorded by the state. Moreover, several companies surveyed by the Dallas Fed responded by saying�they are seeing labor market tightness�while companies are saying they are experiencing upward wage pressures�and�staffing�firms�note that�candidates are often receiving multiple offers.

Top Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014: Gleacher & Company Inc.(GLCH)

Gleacher & Company, Inc., an independent investment bank, provides corporate and institutional clients with advice and execution in the areas of advisory services, capital raising and research, sales, and trading. It operates through five segments: Mortgage Backed/Asset Backed & Rates (MBS/ABS & Rates), Corporate Credit, Investment Banking, Equities, and Other. The MBS/ABS & Rates segment provides sales, trading, banking, research, and advisory services on a range of mortgage and asset-backed securities; the United States Treasury and government agency securities; and structured products, such as collateralized loan obligations and collateralized debt obligations, whole loans, and other securities. The Corporate Credit segment offers analysis, sales, and trading on various debt securities comprising bank debt and loans, investment grade debt, high-yield debt, treasuries, convertibles, distressed debt, preferred debt, emerging markets debt, and reorganization equities to co rporate and institutional investor clients. The Investment Banking segment provides financial advisory services in regards to mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, recapitalizations, and capital markets-related matters. It engages in capital raising through underwritings and private placements of equity and debt securities. The Equities segment offers research on customer trades in equity securities in aerospace, defense, industrials, technology, healthcare, and REIT sectors. The Other segment provides early stage growth capital to companies in the information and energy technology sectors. The company was formerly known as Broadpoint Gleacher Securities Group, Inc. Gleacher & Company, Inc. was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  The upper ranks of Gleacher (NASDAQ: GLCH  ) management have seen a major shake-up. The financial services company has relieved both CEO Thomas Hughes, and COO John Griff, of their jobs. In a tersely worded filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it said that the twin terminations were effective immediately. It provided no reason for its actions.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Investment bank Gleacher (NASDAQ: GLCH  ) has announced that it will exit its mortgage-backed securities and rates business, as well as its credit-products operations. This move, the repercussions of which could potentially affect up to roughly 160 employees, is effective immediately.

Top Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014: Blue Water Global Group Inc (BLUU)

Blue Water Global Group, Inc. (Blue Water), incorporated on March 3, 2011, is a development-stage company. The Company focuses on developing a chain of casual dining restaurants in tourist destinations throughout the Caribbean region. The Company's initial restaurant is going to be called Blue Water Bar & Grill and will be located in St. Maarten, Dutch West Indies.

As of February 7, 2013, the Company did not operate any restaurant properties, and did not have any ownership or leaseholds in any restaurant properties. As of February 7, 2013, the Company did not have any ownership or leaseholds in any restaurant properties.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Caribbean International Holdings (OTCMKTS: CIHN), Blue Water Global Group Inc (OTCBB: BLUU) and Metrospaces Inc (OTCMKTS: MSPC) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters and all three have focused their activities in the Caribbean or South America. However, all three have been the subject of paid promotions which have helped to get them mentions in various investment newsletters. With that in mind, will bets on the Caribbean or South America pay off big for these three small cap stocks and their investors? Here is a quick reality check:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Last Friday, small cap Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group Inc (OTCMKTS: DBMM) surged 22.22% while Blue Water Global Group Inc (OTCBB: BLUU) sank 18.42% and Medina International Holdings, Inc (OTCMKTS: MIHI) sank 50%. However, one of these small caps (Blue Water Global Group) appears to be reversing course in early morning trading today. So with it and the rest of these small cap stocks either sink or swim in trading this week? Here is a closer look to help you decide on an investing or trading strategy:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Naturalnano Inc (OTCMKTS: NNAN), Global Payout, Inc (OTCMKTS: GOHE) and Blue Water Global Group Inc (OTCBB: BLUU) were either jumping higher or diving lower yesterday. To complicate matters for investors, two of these small cap stocks have been subjects of disclosures about paid promotion or investor relation campaigns. So what will these three small caps do for the rest of this week? Here is a closer look to help you decide on a trading or investing strategy:

Top Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014: Signature Bank (SBNY)

Signature Bank (the Bank) is a full-service commercial bank with 25 private client offices located in the New York metropolitan area serving the needs of privately owned business clients and their owners and senior managers. The Bank offers a variety of business and personal banking products and services through the Bank, as well as investment, brokerage, asset management and insurance products and services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Signature Securities Group Corporation (Signature Securities), a licensed broker-dealer and investment adviser. Through Signature Securities, it also purchases, securitizes and sells the guaranteed portions of the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. The Bank offers a variety of deposit, escrow deposit, credit, cash management, investment and insurance products and services to its clients. As of December 31, 2011, the Bank maintained approximately 78,000 deposit accounts, 6,900 investment accounts, 8,600 loan accounts and 14,300 client relationships. In April 2012, it formed a new subsidiary, Signature Financial, LLC.

The Bank offers a range of products and services oriented to the needs of its business clients, including deposit products, such as non-interest-bearing checking accounts, money market accounts and time deposits; escrow deposit services; cash management services; commercial loans and lines of credit for working capital and to finance internal growth, acquisitions and leveraged buyouts; permanent real estate loans; letters of credit; investment products to help better manage idle cash balances, including money market mutual funds and short-term money market instruments; business retirement accounts, such as 401(k) plans, and business insurance products, including group health and group life products. It offers a range of products and services oriented to the needs of its high net worth personal clients, including interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing checking accounts, with optional features, such as debit/ autom! ated teller machine (ATM) cards and overdraft protection and, for its clients, rebates of certain charges, including ATM fees; money market accounts and money market mutual funds; time deposits; personal loans, both secured and unsecured; mortgages, home equity loans and credit card accounts; investment and asset management services, and personal insurance products, including health, life and disability.

Lending Activities

The Bank�� commercial and industrial (C&I) loan portfolio is consisted of lines of credit for working capital and term loans to finance equipment, company owned real estate and other business assets, along with commercial overdrafts. Its lines of credit for working capital are generally renewed on an annual basis and its term loans generally have terms of 2 to 5 years. The Bank�� lines of credit and term loans typically have floating interest rates, and as of December 31, 2011, approximately 61% of its outstanding C&I loans were variable rate loans. As of December 31, 2011, funded C&I loans totaled approximately 15% of its total funded loans. The Bank�� real estate loan portfolio includes loans secured by commercial and residential properties. It also provides temporary financing for commercial and residential property. As of December 31, 2011, funded real estate loans totaled approximately $5.74 billion, representing approximately 80% of its total funded loans. It issues standby or performance letters of credit, and can service the international needs of its clients through correspondent banks. As of December 31, 2011, its commitments under letters of credit totaled approximately $235.7 million. Its personal loan portfolio consists of personal lines of credit and loans to acquire personal assets. As of December 31, 2011, its consumer loans totaled $11.8 million, representing less than 1% of its total funded loans.

Investment and Asset Management Products and Services

Investment and asset management products and services are ! provided ! through the Bank�� subsidiary, Signature Securities. Signature Securities is a licensed broker-dealer. Signature Securities is an introducing firm and, as such, clears its trades through National Financial Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fidelity Investments. Signature Securities is also registered as an investment adviser in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. It offers an array of asset management and investment products, including the ability to purchase and sell all types of individual securities, such as equities, options, fixed income securities, mutual funds and annuities. The Bank offers transactional, cash management type brokerage accounts with check writing and daily sweep capabilities. It also offers retirement products, such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and administrative services for retirement vehicles, such as pension, profit sharing, and 401(k) plans to its clients. Signature Securities offers wealth management services to its high net worth personal clients. Together with its client and their other professional advisors, including attorneys and certified public accountants, it develops a financial plan that can include estate planning, business succession planning, asset protection, investment management, family office advisory services, bill payment, art and collectible advisory services and concentrated stock services.

Sources of Funds

The Bank offers a variety of deposit products to its clients. Its business deposit products include commercial checking accounts, money market accounts, escrow deposit accounts, lockbox accounts, cash concentration accounts and other cash management products. Its personal deposit products include checking accounts, money market accounts and certificates of deposit. The Bank also allows its personal and business deposit clients to access their accounts, transfer funds, pay bills and perform other account functions over the Internet and through ATM machines. As of December 31, 2011, it main! tained ap! proximately 78,000 deposit accounts representing $11.70 billion in client deposits, excluding brokered deposits.

Insurance Services

The Bank offers its business and private clients an array of individual and group insurance products, including health, life, disability and long-term care insurance products through its subsidiary, Signature Securities. The Bank does not underwrite insurance policies. It only acts as an agent in offering insurance products and services underwritten by insurers.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Each month, Credit Suisse’s small-cap strategists ask the firm’s analyst to name their favorite small- and mid-cap stocks. This month, six new stocks made the list: RPM International (RPM), SunCoke Energy (SXC), Zions Bancorp (ZION), Signature Bank (SBNY), Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and�Rexnord (RXN).

Top Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014: Roche Holding AG (RHHBY)

Roche Holding AG is a Switzerland-based pharmaceuticals and diagnostics company. The Company belongs to the Roche Group that operates through numerous subsidiaries and associated companies located around the world. The Company�� products and services cover every stage of the healthcare process, from identifying disease susceptibilities and testing for disease in at-risk populations to prevention, diagnosis, therapy and treatment monitoring. Roche operates through two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Within the Pharmaceuticals Division there are three sub-divisions: Roche Pharmaceuticals, Genentech and Chugai. The Company�� Diagnostics Division includes five sub-divisions: Applied Science, Diabetes Care, Molecular Diagnostics, Tissue Diagnosis and Professional Diagnostics. Its activities are structured into six geographical segments: North America; Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Latin America; Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMAI), and Japan. In March 2009, the Company completed the acquisition of Genentech, Inc. In March 2010, the Company acquired assets from BioMicro Systems for all products associated with the Roche NimbleGen microarray workflow.

During the year ended December 31, 2008, the Company Pharmaceuticals Division marketing gained approvals for its rheumatoid arthritis medicine Actemra/RoActemra in Japan, Switzerland and the European Union. In 2008, the division initiated 12 new phase III projects in, including clinical trials of the compounds pertuzumab, for breast cancer; taspoglutide, for type two diabetes, and dalcetrapib, for cardiovascular risk reduction. As of December 31, 2008, the Pharmaceuticals Division filed 11 major new marketing applications and gained 13 major regulatory approvals. At the beginning of 2009, the division�� research and development pipeline comprised 120 clinical projects, including 62 new molecular entities (NMEs) and 58 additional indications. Forty NMEs are in phase I, 16 in phase II and six in phase III or f! iled for regulatory review.

In 2008, Roche Pharmaceuticals signed a total of 57 new agreements including seven product transactions and 43 research and technology collaborations. In May 2008, Roche acquired Piramed Limited, a UK company with therapeutic research programmes targeting the PI3-kinase pathway in oncology and inflammatory disease. In June 2008, signed licensing agreement with ThromboGenics and BioInvent for their jointly developed anticancer agent TB-403 (R7334). In September, 2008, the Company acquired Mirus Bio Corporation active in the field of ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) delivery and completed the acquisition of ARIUS Research Inc., which has a antibody platform that identifies and selects antibodies based on their functional ability to affect disease. S Research Inc. In January 2009, Roche acquired Memory Pharmaceuticals, which develops drug candidates for the treatment of debilitating central nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer�� disease and schizophrenia.

Pharmaceuticals

Within Pharmaceuticals division, the Company is engaged in the provision of drugs the areas of oncology, anemia, cardiovascular diseases, central nervous system, infectious diseases, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, transplantation and virology. The products offered by Roche�� Pharmaceuticals division include MabThera/Rituxan, Herceptin, Avastin, Tamiflu, CellCept, NeoRecormon, Epogin, Pegasys, Tarceva, Xeloda, Bonviva, Boniva, Lucentis, Tamiflu, Xolair, Valcyte, Cymevene, Xenical, Pulmozyme, Nutropin, Neutrogin, Rocephin, Activase, TNKase and Madopar. The products offered by the Pharmaceuticals division are sold in seven geographic regions: North America; Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Latin America; Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMAI), and Japan.

Diagnostics

Roche�� Diagnostics Division is a supplier of in vitro diagnostics (IVDs). Its products are used to test body fluids a! nd tissue! samples to obtain information for the purpose of preventing, diagnosing, treating and monitoring disease. The Company has business areas five within the diagnostics division: Professional Diagnostics, Diabetes Care, Tissue Diagnostics, Molecular Diagnostics and Applied Science. Roche�� Diagnostics division provides IVD services, including centralized laboratory testing and point-of-care diagnostics to molecular diagnostics and diabetes self management. In addition, it supplies research tools to life scientists.

Roche Professional Diagnostics supplies instrument systems, tests, software and services. It provides point-of-care testing products to support clinical decision-making close to the patient, in doctors��offices, emergency rooms and other primary and specialty care settings. Twelve Serum Work Area assays were rolled out during the year ended December 31, 2008, across Europe and in other markets. New assays included the Elecsys anti-TSH receptor antibody assay for the diagnosis of Graves��disease the Elecsys anti-CCP antibody assay, a test to aid the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, and the Roche Cystatin C clinical chemistry test for early detection of impaired kidney function, among others. Roche Diabetes Care�� products portfolio covers the entire diabetes self-management spectrum, from glucose monitoring to insulin delivery, as well as monitoring systems with integrated lancets and test strips software for storing and analyzing data. Roche Tissue Diagnostics develops and manufactures medical diagnostic instruments and reagent systems that provide automation technology for use in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer and infectious disease. In 2008 Roche Tissue Diagnostics launched ofhe Bench- Mark Ultra, a system that performs immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation testing simultaneously on a single continuous and random access platform. Roche Molecular Diagnostics develops and commercializes diagnostic and blood screening platforms and tests based on Roche�� ! real-time! polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. Applied Science business area supplies a specific reagents and test kits for use in life sciences encompassing biology, biotechnology ,medical research, as well as disease areas like cancer and virology. Applied Science�� business area product portfolio includes such sequencing systems as LightCycler 480, LightCycler 480 II, GS FLX Titanium. In addition, Applied Science offers xCELLigence cell analyzer.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Dendreon's likely partner
  While it's purely speculation on my part, I believe the most likely marketing partner would be one of Europe's premier cancer-fighting companies, Roche (NASDAQOTH: RHHBY  ) .

Top Gas Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now

H&R Block (NYSE: HRB  ) will release its quarterly report on Tuesday, and as you'd expect outside of tax season, the tax-preparation company will almost certainly post a sizable loss. But the bigger question investors want answered is whether H&R Block can meet the long-term threat of Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU  ) and its TurboTax software on one end, as well as the live tax-preparation competition of JTH Holdings' (NASDAQ: TAX  ) and its Liberty Tax Service chain.

H&R Block has a long history of providing tax-preparation services, and it has recognized the need to go beyond live preparation to offer tax software of its own. Yet TurboTax remains the most popular tax software in the market by a wide margin, forcing H&R Block to try to use its bricks-and-mortar offices as weapons in its competitive fight. Yet now, JTH Holdings has entered the field, with its ownership of Liberty Tax Service and the leadership of John Hewitt, co-founder of Jackson Hewitt. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with H&R Block over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its report.

Top 5 Growth Stocks To Own For 2015: WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund (EES)

WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Index (the Index). The Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of earnings-generating companies within the small-capitalization segment of the United States stock market. The Index consists of the companies in the bottom 25% of the market capitalization of the WisdomTree Earnings Index after the 500 largest companies have been removed. Companies must be incorporated and listed in the United States, and must have generated positive cumulative earnings over their most recent four fiscal quarters prior to the Index measurement date. The Index is earnings-weighted in December to reflect the proportionate share of the aggregate earnings each component company has generated. Companies with greater earnings generally have larger weights in the Index. Its investment advisor is WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Philip Springer]

  WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund (EES) follows earnings generated by companies in the small-cap universe of the US stock market.

  Furthermore, the fund looks to weight by earnings, giving bigger weights to firms that earn more, irrespective of market capitalization.

Top Gas Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: SWS Group Inc.(SWS)

SWS Group, Inc., a diversified financial services holding company, provides a range of investment and commercial banking, and related financial services to individual, corporate, and institutional investors, as well as broker/dealers, governmental entities, and financial intermediaries in the United States. It operates in four segments: Clearing, Retail, Institutional, and Banking. The Clearing segment provides clearing and execution services for general securities broker/dealers, bank affiliated firms, and firms specializing in high volume trading. The Retail segment offers retail securities products and services, such as equities, mutual funds, and fixed income products; insurance products; and managed accounts. The Institutional segment provides securities lending, investment banking and public finance, fixed income sales and trading, proprietary trading, and agency execution services to institutional customers. The Banking segment offers various banking products and se rvices, including certificates of deposit, money market accounts, interest-bearing demand accounts, savings accounts, federal home loan bank advances, federal funds purchased, and non interest-bearing demand accounts, as well as one to four family residential loans and construction loans, lot and land development loans, commercial real estate loans, multi family loans, commercial loans, and consumer loans. SWS Group, Inc. was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  SWS Group (SWS) also catches my eye at the current valuation. The Dallas-based company is in the brokerage, investment banking and banking business in the Southwest. They struggled with losses at the banking subsidiary and eventually had to find a capital infusion. They ended up borrowing $100 million from noted investors Gerald Ford and Robert Bass. The core brokerage and investment banking business are well positioned and should do well over the next few years. I wouldn�� be shocked if this firm was eventually sold off, with Mr. Ford keeping the banking assets and selling the brokerage and I-Bank units to a larger firm. With the stock trading at just 65% of book value, the long-term potential is very high for this stock.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Hilltop Holdings Inc.(HTH) offered to buy the rest of SWS Group Inc.(SWS) that it doesn’t already own, valuing the financial-services company at about $231 million. Hilltop, a regional banking and insurance company, offered $7 a share, a 16% premium over Thursday’s close. SWS surged 19% to $7.20 premarket,�topping the offer price.

Top Gas Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Innoprise Plantations Bhd (INNO)

Innoprise Plantations Berhad is a Malaysia-based company engaged in investment holding and provision of management services to its subsidiary. The Company, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in the principal activities of log extraction contractor and operation of oil palm plantations, producer and supplier of renewable energy. The Company operates in three segments: Plantation, Timber and Corporate. The Plantation segment includes cultivation of oil palm. The Timber segment includes log extraction services. The Corporate segment includes group level corporate services, treasury functions and investment in marketable securities. The Company�� subsidiaries include Serijaya Industri Sdn. Bhd. and IPB Bio Energy Sdn. Bhd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Rising India Inc (OTCMKTS: RSII), Innocap, Inc (OTCBB: INNO) and Amplitech Group Inc (OTCBB: AMPG) have all been the subject of recent paid for promotions or investor relation campaigns. And while there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed promotions, investors who aren�� traders and are looking for a long term investment need to be careful. With that said, do these three small caps have what it takes to succeed for the long haul? Here is a quick reality check before you jump in:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Respect Your Universe Inc (OTCMKTS: RYUN), Global Gaming Network (OTCMKTS: GBGM) and Innocap, Inc (OTCBB: INNO) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters thanks in part to paid promotions or investor relations activities. Of course there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions or investor relations type of activities, but they can come back and bite unwary traders or investors. So what should you do with these three small cap stocks? Here is a quick reality check:

Top Gas Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Location Based Technologies Inc (LBAS)

Location Based Technologies, Inc. (LBT), incorporated on April 20, 2006, designs, develops, and sells personal, pet, and vehicle locator devices and services including PocketFinder People, PocketFinder Pets and PocketFinder Vehicles. The Company markets and sells consumer and commercial location devices and services. Its devices utilize Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technologies in conjunction with its technologies designed to enhance the families to interact and stay connected around the world. The Company is a developer of the PocketFinder family of products and the PocketFinder Network. The PocketFinder family of products includes the PocketFinder People, PocketFinder Vehicle, PocketFinder Pets, PocketFinder Luggage, PocketFinder Mobile and PocketFinder Fleet. The PocketFinder is a small location device that enables a user to locate a device, person, or pet, at anytime from almost anywhere. PocketFinder personal locator devices are wireless.

The Company generate revenue by selling its products and charging customers an ongoing service fee, for which it offers monthly and annual subscription plans. The Company�� product, PocketFinder, is a small, waterproof and wireless location device that enables users to locate anyone or anything they care about, from a computer or Web-enabled device. Its products deliver critical information to users, such as: device location, longitude, latitude, heading speed and 60 days of location history. This information can be viewed passively through a user�� account or can be sent to a user via email or push notification if the user sets an alert. The target markets for the PocketFinder include: young children, seniors, people with special needs and people who need to track valuable assets such as luggage or sporting equipment. In addition to the PocketFinder, it also sell the PocketFinder Pet and the PocketFinder Vehicle products. The PocketFinder Pet is designed for pets weighing 15 pounds or more,! and it markets the PocketFinder Vehicle to families with new drivers, car enthusiasts, motorcycle owners, watercraft owners and business fleets. The PocketFinder Vehicle attaches directly to a battery or fuse box, so it has a constant supply of power. All PocketFinder products operate on the same user interface, which enables its customers receive the same features, functionality and user-experience, regardless of which product they own. To access their account or locate their devices, users can logon to the Company�� Website at www.pocketfinder.com or use its native iPhone, iPad or Android Apps.

The Company�� products are sold through various brick-and-mortar and online retailers and through its Website. It provides customer service and support in the United States through existing call centers owned by Affinitas. It provides wireless location based solutions for global positioning products along with its friendly user interface software system. PocketFinder and PocketFinder Vehicle devices are being sold in the United States and in Canada through the Apple Online Store and Apple Retail Stores. PocketFinder devices for Pets are available for purchase on its Website.

The Company competes with Geospatial Platform Providers, Application Developers, Garmin�� GTU-10, Qualcomm�� Tagg, Lo-Jack, SpotLight, Fleetmatics, NetworkFleet, and Qualcomm.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, LBAS surged (+10.27%) up +0.015 at $.160 with�39,780 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:41AM EDT July 5, 2013).

  Location Based Technologies, Inc. and EE, Ltd., the U.K.�� most advanced communications company, have previously entered into a purchase agreement which will allow LBT to embed EE SIM technology into LBT�� world�� best GPS products for immediate purchase throughout Europe and in additional areas around the world.

  EE�� relationship with LBT continues to grow. The companies began their relationship earlier this year when EE launched PocketFinder Personal GPS Locators in their London flagship stores (https://explore.ee.co.uk/pocket-finder). With this latest agreement, LBT now has the capability to sell devices into Europe using a local SIM, thereby greatly reducing the monthly service fee charged to customers.

Top Gas Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Commercial Vehicle Group Inc. (CVGI)

Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in supplying various cab related products and systems for the commercial vehicle markets in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries. The company provides seats and seating systems, including heavy truck seats, construction and other commercial vehicle seats, and office seating products. It also offers electronic wire harness assemblies that function as current carrying devices used to provide electrical interconnections for gauges, lights, control functions, power circuits, powertrain and transmission sensors, emissions systems, and other electronic applications on a commercial vehicle; and panel assemblies and cabinets. In addition, the company offers trim systems and components for the interior cabs of commercial vehicles comprising A-pillars, B-pillars, door panels, and interior trim panels; instrument panels; body panels; storage systems; floor covering systems; sleeper bunks; gr ab handles and armrests; privacy curtains; and plastics decorating and finishing products. Further, it provides cab structures, sleeper boxes, bumper fascias and fender liners, and structural components; mirrors and related hardware products; windshield wiper systems and components; and controls and control systems for window lifts, door locks, and electric switch products. The company offers its products for original equipment manufacturers for various end market vehicle applications, such as local and long-haul commercial trucking, bus, construction, mining, agricultural, military, general industrial, marine, municipal, recreational, and specialty vehicles. Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in New Albany, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Auto Parts Wholesale: This industry moved up 1.46% by 10:40 am. The top performer in this industry was Commercial Vehicle Group (NASDAQ: CVGI), which gained 2.3%. Commercial Vehicle Group shares have jumped 39.58% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 22.24% in the same period.

Top Gas Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Industrias Bachoco S.A. de C.V. (IBA)

Industrias Bachoco, S.A.B. de C.V., through its subsidiaries, operates as a poultry producer in Mexico. It engages in breeding, processing, and marketing of poultry products, such as chicken and table eggs; and balanced animal feed comprising swine and other products. The company also offers turkey and value-added beef and pork products. It sells its products to wholesalers, retailers, supermarkets, rosticer Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Thanksgiving is around the corner�meaning investors might want to take a closer look at turkey stocks�like Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), Seaboard Corporation (NYSEMKT: SEB) and Industrias Bachoco, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: IBA)���the last major�publicly traded turkey stocks available for investors. Moreover, the Wall Street Journal has pointed out that corn prices are the lowest in more than three years and fewer birds are in production as some producers cut back on their flocks this year due to weaker turkey commodity prices.�Feed prices, which make up about 70% of the cost of a turkey, had soared with the price of corn which hit the $8 a bushel level but a recent�bumper crop has sent corn prices plunging to about the $4 a bushel level.

• [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 Industrias Bachoco (NYSE: IBA  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top Gas Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Nishat Power Ltd (NPL)

Nishat Power Limited (NPL) is a Pakistan-based company engaged in the electric utilities industry. The principal activity of the Company is to build, own, operate and maintain a fuel fired power station having gross capacity of 200 megawatt in Jamber Kalan, Tehsil Pattoki, District Kasur, Punjab, Pakistan. It has an installed annual capacity (based on 8,784 hours) of 1,715,559 megawatt hour. The Company�� customer is National Transmission and Dispatch Company Ltd (NTDC). During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012, its actual energy delivered was 1,062,644 megawatt hour. The Company is a subsidiary of Nishat Mills Limited. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Federico Zaldua]

  Despite growing expenses, in local currency terms, the bank's net income improved 16% year-over-year (yoy) while Non-Performing-Loans (NPL) have been kept below 4%. Hence, through Galicia, you can invest in an operationally healthy bank that shall behave in line with government bonds. Trading at 3 times P/E and 75% book value I think Galicia is good bet within the space.
  
  High Exposure to Public Debt
  
  Banco Macro (BMA) has been one of the highest growing banks during the last two decades. One interesting thing about Banco Macro is that the bank owns approximately $400 million of government related securities when the bank's total market capitalization is now just above $1 billion. On the other hand, Banco Macro is growing earnings aggressively at a 39% year over year rate in local currency terms with a very low (and stable) 1.6% NPL rate. Banco Macro is slightly more expensive than Galicia trading at 80% its book value and 3.2 times P/E.

Hot Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now

On Friday, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) released its fourth quarter financial results, which came in above analysts’ estimates. The company also announced that it has boosted its outlook for 2014.

RCL’s Earnings in Brief

RCL reported earnings of��$7.02 million, or 3 cents per share, compared to a loss of $392.80 million, or $1.80 per share, last year. Adjusted earnings were 23 cents per share, which came in above analysts’ estimate of 18 cents per share. Revenue for the quarter was $1.85 billion, in-line with analysts estimates. The company raised its outlook for 2014 to a range of $3.20-$3.40 per share, from its prior outlook of $3.06-$3.19 per share.

CEO Commentary

Top 5 Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Invest In 2015: Alliance Capital Management Holding L.P. (AB)

AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. provides investment management and related services in the United States and internationally. It offers institutional services, including separately-managed accounts, sub-advisory relationships, structured products, collective investment trusts, mutual funds, hedge funds, and other investment vehicles to unaffiliated corporate and public employee pension funds, endowment funds, domestic and foreign institutions, and governments. The company also provides retail services comprising retail mutual funds, sub-advisory relationships with mutual funds sponsored by third parties, and separately managed account programs sponsored by various financial intermediaries and other investment vehicles. In addition, it provides separately managed accounts, hedge funds, mutual funds, and other investment vehicles for private clients, including high-net-worth individuals, trusts and estates, charitable foundations, partnerships, and private and family corporat ions. Further, AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. offers research services to institutional investors through research, portfolio analysis, and brokerage-related services; and equity capital markets services to issuers of publicly-traded securities. Additionally, it provides distribution, shareholder servicing, and administrative services to its sponsored mutual funds. AllianceBernstein Corporation serves as the general partner of the company. AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. was founded in 1987 and is based in New York, New York. AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. operates as a subsidiary of AXA.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By J. Royden Ward]

  AllianceBernstein Holding LP (AB) offers high quality research and diversified investment services to institutional investors and private clients in major global markets. The company is one of the largest US investment advisors, with assets under management totaling $445 billion, as of January 31.

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Investors had declared the stock of AllianceBernstein Holding LP (AB) a loser. From Jan. 1, 2010, to Aug. 23, 2012, it had declined 43 percent compared with a 33 percent gain for the Standard & Poor�� 500 Index. Nevertheless, on that day, Credit Suisse Group AG analyst Craig Siegenthaler lifted his rating on the New York-based money manager�� shares to a buy.

Hot Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: Arbor Realty Trust Inc (ABR)

Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., incorporated in June 2003, is a specialized real estate finance company. The Company invests in a diversified portfolio of structured finance assets in the multi-family and commercial real estate markets. It invests primarily in real estate-related bridge and mezzanine loans, including junior participating interests in first mortgages, preferred and direct equity, and in limited cases, discounted mortgage notes and other real estate-related assets (collectively, structured finance investments). The Company also holds investments in mortgage-related securities and real estate property. It conducts all of its operations and investing activities through its operating partnership, Arbor Realty Limited Partnership, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company serves as the general partner of its operating partnership, and owned a 100% partnership interest in its operating partnership as of December 31, 2011.

Targeted Investments

The Company offers bridge financing products to borrowers who are seeking short-term capital to be used in an acquisition of property. The bridge loans it makes range in size from $1 million to $75 million and are predominantly secured by first mortgage liens on the property. The Company offers junior participation financing in the form of junior participating interest in the senior debt. Junior participation financings have the same obligations, collateral and borrower as the senior debt. Its junior participation loans range in size from $1 million to $60 million and have terms of up to 10 years. The Company offers mezzanine financing in the form of loans that are subordinate to a conventional first mortgage loan and senior to the borrower�� equity in a transaction. The Company holds a majority of its mezzanine loans through subsidiaries of its operating partnership that are pass-through entities for tax purposes or taxable subsidiary corporations. The Company provides financing by making preferred equity investments in entit! ies that directly or indirectly own real property. Its preferred equity investments typically range in size from $1 million to $75 million, and have terms up to 10 years.

Structured Finance Investments

The Company owns a diversified portfolio of structured finance investments consisting primarily of real estate-related bridge, junior participation interests in first mortgages, and mezzanine loans, as well as preferred equity investments and mortgage-related securities. As of December 31, 2011, it had 119 loans and investments in its portfolio, totaling $1.5 billion. These loans and investments were for 72 multi-family properties, 25 office properties, nine land properties, seven hotel properties, three retail properties, two condominium properties and one commercial property.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Arbor Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE: ABR) recently increased its cash position with a secondary offering of 6 million shares of stock. The company invests in multifamily and commercial real estate-related bridge loans, junior participating interests in first mortgages, mezzanine loans, preferred and direct equity, discounted mortgage notes and other real estate-related assets, as well as holds investments in mortgage-related securities and real estate property. Arbor Realty Trust is rated as a stock to buy at Deutsche Bank with a $9.50 price target. The Thomson/First Call estimate for the stock is $9.25. Investors are paid a very solid 7.2% divided. The stock closed Friday at $6.88.

Hot Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: Corrections Corporation of America (CXW)

Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) incorporated on September 24, 1998, is a real estate investment trust. The Company is the owner of privatized correctional and detention facilities and prison operators in the United States. As of December 31, 2012, the Company operated 67 correctional and detention facilities, including 47 facilities that the Company own, with a total design capacity of approximately 92,500 beds in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Beginning of January 1, 2013, the Company has provided correctional services and conducted other operations through TRSs. A TRS is a subsidiary of a REIT that is subject to applicable corporate income tax and certain qualification requirements. In January 2012, the Company closed the operations of the 1,172-bed Delta Correctional Facility in Greenwood, Mississippi. In January 2013, the Company announced that it has completed an internal reorganization of its business operations.

The Company specializes in owning, operating, and managing prisons and other correctional facilities and providing inmate residential and prisoner transportation services for governmental agencies. In addition to providing the fundamental residential services relating to inmates, its facilities offer a variety of rehabilitation and educational programs, including basic education, religious services, life skills and employment training and substance abuse treatment. These services are intended to help reduce recidivism and to prepare inmates for their re entry into society upon their release. The Company also provides health care (including medical, dental, and mental health services), food services, and work and recreational programs.

The Company�� customers consist of federal, state and local correctional and detention authorities. During the year ended December 31, 2012, federal correctional and detention authorities represented 43% of its total revenue. Federal correctional and detention authorities primarily consist of the Federal Burea! u of Prisons (BOP), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Its management services contracts typically have terms of three to five years and contain multiple renewal options. Its facility contracts also contain clauses that allow the government agency to terminate the contract at any time without cause, and its contracts are generally subject to annual or bi-annual legislative appropriations of funds.

The Company is compensated for providing prison bed capacity and correctional services at an inmate per diem rate based upon actual or minimum guaranteed occupancy levels. Occupancy rates for a particular facility are typically low when opened or immediately following an expansion. However, beyond the start-up period, which typically ranges from 90 to 180 days, the occupancy rate tends to stabilize. During 2012, the average compensated occupancy of its facilities, based on rated capacity, was 88.2% for all of the facilities it owned or managed, exclusive of facilities where operations have been discontinued.

The Company provides a variety of rehabilitative and educational programs at its facilities. Inmates at facilities the Company manage may receive basic education through academic programs designed to improve literacy levels and the opportunity to acquire GED certificates. The Company also offers vocational training to inmates who lack marketable job skills. Its craft vocational training programs are accredited by the National Center for Construction Education and Research. This foundation provides training curriculum and establishes industry standards for over 4,000 construction and trade organizations in the United States and several foreign countries. In addition, the Company offers life skills transition-planning programs that provide inmates with job search skills, health education, financial responsibility training, parenting training, and other skills associated with becoming productive citizens.

! As of December 31, 2012, the Company provides transportation services to governmental agencies through its wholly owned TRS, TransCor America, LLC, or TransCor. CCA owns 49 correctional and detention facilities in 15 states and the District of Columbia, two of which it leases to third-party operators. The Company also owns two corporate office buildings. Additionally, it manages 20 correctional and detention facilities owned by government agencies. Owned and managed facilities include facilities placed into service that the Company owned and managed. Managed-only facilities include facilities owned by a third party and managed by the Company.

The Company competes with The GEO Group, Inc. and Management and Training Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Nashville, Tenn.-based Corrections Corporation of America (NYSE: CXW  ) has won a contract extension from the California Department of Corrections, the company announced Wednesday, extending its contract length by three years.

Hot Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd (HDFC)

Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited is financing by way of loans for the purchase or construction of residential houses, commercial real estate and certain other purposes in India. The Company has a network of approximately 330 offices (which includes 83 offices of its wholly owned distribution company HDFC Sales Private Limited) catering to over 2,400 towns & cities spread across the country. It also has offices in Dubai, London and Singapore and service associates in the Middle East region, to provide housing loans and property advisory services to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs). Its product range includes loans for purchase and construction of a residential unit, purchase of plot, home improvement loans, home extension loans, non-residential premises loans for professionals and loan against property, while its flexible repayment options include Step Up Repayment Facility (SURF) and Flexible Loan Installment Plan (FLIP). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  Vanguard favors India with investments in Infosys Ltd. (NSE: INFY), Reliance Industries Ltd. (NSE: RELIANCE), and Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd. (NSE: HDFC) ranking among its top 20.

Top 5 Gas Stocks To Own For 2014

Ethanol blends of 15%, or E15, just got a green light from the Supreme Court. Trade groups representing the oil, food, and automaker industries challenged that such high blends of ethanol would damage engines, raise food prices, and hike the price paid at the pump by consumers. The Supreme Court decided to leave current Environmental Protection Agency rules in place after the consortium (in three separate cases) failed to provide evidence that those claims were, in fact, harmful to its members. It sure isn't good news for the argument against E15, but it is vindication for ethanol producers. Since biofuels figure to be staying put with mandated growth for the time being, let's review four of the best biofuels stocks.

Clean Energy Fuels (NASDAQ: CLNE  ) The leader in compressed natural gas, or CNG, for the transportation industry got a boost from the EPA earlier this year when CNG sourced from landfills gained the ability to qualify for advanced biofuel subsidies. It's the next best thing to cellulosic ethanol credits, if not better. That can add a nice revenue stream to Clean Energy's already promising business model, and expedite its journey to profitability. Except for a tad more paperwork, the company doesn't have to change operations one bit. What's not to like?

Top Transportation Companies To Own For 2015: Pioneer Energy Services Corp (PES)

Pioneer Energy Services Corp., formerly Pioneer Drilling Company, incorporated in 1979, provides drilling and production services to independent oil and gas exploration and production companies throughout much of the onshore oil and gas producing regions of the United States and internationally in Colombia. The Company operates in two segments: Drilling Services Division and Production Services Division. The Company�� Drilling Services Division provides contract land drilling services. The Company�� Production Services Division provides a range of services to oil and gas exploration and production companies. On December 31, 2011, the Company acquired Go-Coil, LLC.

Drilling Services Division

The Company�� Drilling Services Division provides contract land drilling services with its fleet of 64 drilling rigs in South Texas, East Texas, West Texas, North Dakota, North Texas, Utah, Appalachia and Colombia. As of February 10, 2012, 55 drilling rigs are operating under drilling contracts, 44 of which are under term contracts. In 2011, the Company established its West Texas drilling division location location where it has 18 drilling rigs operating. In addition to its drilling rigs, the Company provides the drilling crews and the ancillary equipment needed to operate its drilling rigs. Its drilling contracts provide for compensation on either a daywork, turnkey or footage basis.

As of February 10, 2012, the Company owned a fleet of 54 trucks and related transportation equipment that it uses to transport its drilling rigs to and from drilling sites. Under daywork drilling contracts, it provides a drilling rig and required personnel to its customer who supervises the drilling of the well. Under a turnkey contract, the Company agrees to drill a well for its customer. It provides technical and engineering services, as well as the equipment and drilling supplies required to drill the well. The Company often subcontracts for related services, such as the provision of cas! ing crews, cementing and well logging. Under footage contracts, it is paid a fixed amount for each foot drilled.

The Company competes with Helmerich & Payne, Inc., Precision Drilling Trust, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. and Nabors Industries, Ltd.

Production Services Division

The Company�� Production Services Division provides a range of services to oil and gas exploration and production companies, including well services, wireline, coiled tubing and fishing and rental services. Its production services operations are managed through locations concentrated in the United States onshore oil and gas producing regions in the Gulf Coast, Mid-Continent, Rocky Mountain and Appalachian states. The Company provides its services to a diverse group of oil and gas exploration and production companies. Under well services, it provides rig-based well services, including maintenance of existing wells, workover of existing wells, completion of newly-drilled wells, and plugging and abandonment of wells at the end of their useful lives.

The Company provides wireline services in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, Louisiana, West Virginia, Wyoming and Mississippi. The Company�� Coiled tubing is used for a number of horizontal well applications such as milling temporary plugs between frac stages. Its coiled tubing business consists of ten coiled tubing units which are deployed in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. The Company�� rental and fishing tool business provides a range of specialized services and equipment that are utilized on a non-routine basis for both drilling and well servicing operations. It provides rental services out of four locations in Texas and Oklahoma. As of February 10, 2012, the Company had a total of 91 well service rigs. Its well service rig fleet consists of eighty-one 550 horsepower rigs, nine 600 horsepower rigs, and one 400 horsepower rig. As of February 10, 2012, the Company had 109 wireline units in 24 locations.

The Company competes with Key Energy Services, Basic Energy Services, Nabors Industries, Superior Energy Services, Inc,

CC Forbes, Schlumberger Ltd., Halliburton Company, Weatherford International, Baker Hughes, Superior Energy Services, Basic Energy Services, and Key Energy Services, Quail Tools and Knight Oil Tools.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Pioneer Energy Services Corp. (NYSE: PES) is another small cap name that could be a huge home run for investors in 2014. The company provides contract land drilling services and production services to independent and oil and gas exploration and production companies in the United States and Colombia. The company operates in two segments, Drilling Services and Production Services. The Deutsche Bank price target is a whopping $14, and the consensus is much lower at $9.50. Pioneer Energy closed Monday at $8.

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  Therefore, risk and earnings growth rates will represent counteracting forces affecting starting or current valuation (PEs). This partially explains why a 3% grower (less risky to achieve) might command the same current valuation PE of, for example, an 11% or 12% grower (riskier and harder to achieve). But this is a critical point; the faster grower will generate a higher future return than the slower grower, ceteris paribas.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Pioneer Energy Services (NYSE: PES) shares reached a new 52-week high of $14.15. Pioneer Energy shares have jumped 96.60% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 20.97% in the same period.

• [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 Pioneer Energy Services (NYSE: PES  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 5 Gas Stocks To Own For 2014: Questerre Energy Corp (QEC)

Questerre Energy Corporation (Questerre) is engaged in the exploration for, and the development, production and acquisition of oil and gas projects, particularly shale oil and gas. Questerre holds assets in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec. Questerre has three core areas where it conducts the majority of its activity: Oil Shale Mining, Western Canada and the St. Lawrence Lowlands, Quebec. The Company has a 100% interest in two licenses covering approximately 100,000 acres in the Pasquia Hills area of east central Saskatchewan. The Antler area is approximately 200 kilometers from Regina in southeast Saskatchewan. The Vulcan area in Southern Alberta is prospective for natural gas and oil in multiple horizons. The Lowlands are situated in Quebec south of the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City. As at December 31, 2011, the Company had an interest in 98 gross (55.2 net) producing and 40 gross (17.8 net) non-producing oil and natural gas. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Well, that answers that question. Questerre Energy Corp. (TSE:QEC) and Crescent Point Energy Corp. (TSE:CPG) likely knew they had some shale-oil mining neighbors in the Bakken Shale neighborhood in Saskatchewan, Canada, but they hadn't seen much of that competition. That's about to change soon. Adequately funded and eager to begin laying its final mining plans, Centor Energy Inc. (OTCBB:CNTO) is going to officially own 55% of a 21,000 acre shale oil property that's anywhere from just a few miles away to just a few meters away from and Crescent Point Energy's and Questerre Energy's operations in one of the oil-richest known areas in the Bakken formation. And to be clear, it's not like Centor Energy is just getting the ball rolling; the planning for this project has been underway for months. Once the property-acquisition deal is inked in mid-February, CNTO will likely finish up its feasibility study and begin the approval process for its facility later in the year. That's pretty quick, but as was noted, a great deal of the legwork has already been done.

Top 5 Gas Stocks To Own For 2014: Equal Energy Ltd (EQU)

Equal Energy Ltd. (Equal), incorporated on April 8, 2010, is an exploration and production company with oil and gas properties located principally in Alberta, and Oklahoma. Equal is engaged in the exploration for, and acquisition, development and production of, petroleum and natural gas with operations in western Canada and Oklahoma. During the year ended December 31, 2011, production averaged 10,142 barrel of oil equivalent per day and was consisted of approximately 47% natural gas, 23% crude oil and 30% natural gas liquids (NGLs). Equal Energy Production Partnership (EEPP) holds all of Equal�� Canadian oil and gas properties and associated assets. Equal and Equal Energy Partner Corp. (EEPC) are the partners in EEPP and respectively hold a 99.9957% and 0.0043% interest in EEPP. Equal Energy US Holdings Inc. (EEUSHI) is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Equal. EEUSHI holds all of Equal�� Oklahoma oil and gas properties and associated assets through its wholly owned subsidiary, Equal Energy US Inc. On January 31, 2012, it sold Primate. During 2011, it sold non-core assets in Alberta and British Columbia. On October 15, 2012, it sold the Halkirk/Alliance/Wainwright/Clair Assets (HAWC) and all remaining Canadian non-producing assets. Effective October 1, 2012, the Company sold its Lochend Cardium assets.

The Company�� production comes from both its Canadian and United States based operations. The Canadian core areas lie in western Canada and include assets primarily in the province of Alberta. The United States area assets are located mainly in the Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln and Logan counties of Oklahoma. It also has an inventory of minor producing assets, minor royalty interests and various exploration and exploitation prospects on undeveloped lands in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Oklahoma.

Alberta

The Company�� assets include a 100% working interest in 7,360 gross (4,260 net) acres of land (1,220 net undeveloped acres), 16 producing wells, six water inj! ection wells, and a interest in an oil blending facility. Natural gas is conserved and processed at the Encana Sexsmith gas plant. Oil is delivered into the Pembina Peace Pipeline System. Oil and natural gas production is primarily from the Doe Creek (Dunvegan) formation. There is also natural gas production from one Charlie Lake well. As of December 31, 2011, average working interest production was 227 barrel per day of oil and 316 million cubic feet per day of natural gas.

Lochend is located approximately 20 kilometers northwest of Calgary. At Lochend, the Company holds 8,653 gross (7,996 net) acres of land with 5,970 net undeveloped acres, and 11 producing wells. Oil is produced into single or multi-well batteries and trucked to terminal facilities. Half of the solution gas is conserved at the TriOil Shiningbank gas plant by the third quarter majority of the gas should be conserved. Oil and natural gas production is from the Cardium formation. As of December 31, 2011, average working interest production was 330 barrel per day of oil and 69 thousand cubic feet per day of gas. The McDaniel Report has assigned total proved plus probable reserves of 1,621 thousand barrels of crude oil, 2.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and 64.8 thousand barrels of NGL to the Lochend property.

Oklahoma

In Oklahoma the principal producing horizon is the Hunton formation. The Hunton is a carbonate rock formation. As of December 31, 2011, average Hunton production in Oklahoma was 29.9 million cubic feet of natural gas per day of natural gas and 3,862 barrels of oil per day of crude oil and NGLs. The Haas Report has attributed total proved and probable reserves of 499 thousand barrels of crude oil, and 108 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 13,931 thousand barrels of NGLs to the Hunton.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  In trading on Friday, energy shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.06 percent. Among the leading sector stocks, gains came from Equal Energy (NYSE: EQU) and Niska Gas Storage Partners LLC (NYSE: NKA). Financial sector was the leading decliner in the US market today.

Top 5 Gas Stocks To Own For 2014: Rock Energy Inc (RENFF.PK)

Rock Energy Inc. (Rock) is an energy company engaged in the exploration for and development and production of crude oil and natural gas in Western Canada. Rock owns 35,915 (35,881 net) acres of land in the Plains area of east central Alberta and west central Saskatchewan. Rock owns 6,280 (5,960 net) acres of land in the Onward area of south west Saskatchewan, which consists primarily of two Lloydminster heavy oil pools. As of December 31, 2011, the Mantario area consisted of 4,480 (4,480 net) acres of land. Its Bigstone area, which is within the Greater Kaybob region includes Rock�� Saxon, Tony Creek and Waskahigan properties. As of December 31, 2011, Rock owned 101,278 (58,992 net) acres of land in the Elmworth area of Alberta, with two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D) seismic coverage. The property included 38 (12.77 net) producing natural gas wells. During the first quarter of 2012, Rock acquired an additional 5,748 (5,748 net) acres of land. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Value Digger]

  Same thing happened with Rock Energy (RENFF.PK), when I recommended it at $1 about three months ago. My article is here.

  Rock Energy is at $1.3 today, and its annual report confirmed my bullish call. I have been alone in that bullish call once again.

Top 5 Up And Coming Stocks To Own For 2014

Studioshots/Alamy NEW YORK -- The average price of U.S. retail gasoline dropped 18 cents in the past two weeks to the lowest level in nearly four years, driven by a steep drop in oil prices, according to the latest Lundberg survey released Sunday. Prices fell 18 cents to an average of $3.08 a gallon for regular grade gasoline, according to the fortnightly survey conducted on Oct. 24, the lowest price since December 2010. The fall mirrors a drop in crude oil prices that have been pressured by ample global supplies and weak demand over the past four months. "The overwhelming reason why gasoline prices are down is that crude oil prices have fallen," said survey publisher Trilby Lundberg. The gasoline price is down from a 2014 peak of $3.72 hit in May and is 29 cents lower than the same period a year ago, she said. The highest price in the country was recorded in San Francisco at $3.45 a gallon, with the lowest price in Memphis at $2.73.

Hot Up And Coming Stocks To Buy Right Now: Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc (CNCE)

Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc is a United States-based company that is engaged in the pharmaceutical preparation and research industry. The Company is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on applying the Company's DCE Platform (deuterated chemical entity platform) to create differentiated small molecule drugs. The Company tests and produces pharmaceutical drugs by utilizing the element deuterium. Its drug candidates address various therapeutic areas, including hot flashes, HIV, renal hepatic, neuropathic pain, MRSA infection, schizophrenia, multiple tumors, and hyperparathyroidism. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  3. We see 23+ partnered pipeline assets and are most positive on Phase I/II MOR202 anti-CD38 for myeloma with data in 2015, and others such as Acceleron Pharma (XLRN), Agios Pharmaceuticals (AGIO), Epizyme (EPZM), Concert Pharmaceuticals (CNCE) (just started Phase I for next-gen Revlimid).

Top 5 Up And Coming Stocks To Own For 2014: Cache Inc.(CACH)

Cache, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a mall and Web based specialty retailer of women?s lifestyle sportswear and dresses in the United States. It offers eveningwear; casual and daytime sportswear, including tops, bottoms, and dresses; and accessories, such as jewelry, belts, and handbags under the Cache brand name. The company also provides its products online through its Web site, cache.com. As of March 22, 2012, it operated 267 stores in 43 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Cache, Inc. was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  As we head into Black Friday and the holiday shopping season, small cap apparel retail stocks Cache, Inc (NASDAQ: CACH), Stein Mart, Inc (NASDAQ: SMRT), Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc (NASDAQ: PSUN) and Destination XL Group Inc (NASDAQ: DXLG) have the distinction of being the best performing small cap apparel retail stocks for this year (according to Finviz.com) with gains of 111.6%, 92.7%, 88.7% and 65.7%, respectively. What are these high flying small caps doing right in the apparel retail space and will they continue delivering a stellar performance for Black Friday and the all important holiday season for�investors? Here is what new and existing investors and traders alike need to know or consider:

Top 5 Up And Coming Stocks To Own For 2014: Platform Specialty Products Corp (PAH)

Platform Specialty Products Corporation is a producer of technology specialty chemical products and provider of technical services. The Company�� business involves the manufacture of a range of specialty chemicals, which the Company creates by blending raw materials, and the incorporation of these chemicals into multi-step technological processes. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Luke Jacobi]

  13Fs were released after the close Thursday and resulted in some interesting trading activity Friday. Platform Specialty Products (NYSE: PAH), for example, rose almost six percent Ackman announced a large stake in the company. Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) rose more than two percent after Dan Loeb and Warren Buffett added positions in the company and David Tepper sold his stake.

Top 5 Up And Coming Stocks To Own For 2014: NiSource Inc (NI)

NiSource Inc. (NiSource), incorporated on March 29, 2000, is an energy holding company whose subsidiaries provide natural gas, electricity and other products and services to approximately 3.8 million customers located within a corridor that runs from the Gulf Coast through the Midwest to New England. NiSource operates in three business segments: Gas Distribution Operations; Gas Transmission and Storage Operations, and Electric Operations. NiSource�� principal subsidiaries include Columbia Energy Group (Columbia), a vertically-integrated natural gas distribution, transmission and storage holding company whose subsidiaries provide service to customers in the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast; Northern Indiana Public Service Company (Northern Indiana), a vertically-integrated gas and electric company providing service to customers in northern Indiana, and Bay State Gas Company (Columbia of Massachusetts), a natural gas distribution company serving customers in Massachusetts.

NiSource Finance Corporation (NiSource Finance) is a 100% owned, consolidated finance subsidiary of NiSource. NiSource Finance engages in financing activities to raise funds for the business operations of NiSource and its subsidiaries.

Gas Distribution Operations

NiSource�� natural gas distribution operations serve more than 3.3 million customers in seven states and operate approximately 58 thousand miles of pipeline. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Columbia, NiSource owns five distribution subsidiaries that provide natural gas to approximately 2.2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, and Maryland. NiSource also distributes natural gas to approximately 795 thousand customers in northern Indiana. Additionally, NiSource�� subsidiary, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, distributes natural gas to approximately 298 thousand customers in Massachusetts.

Gas Transmission and Storage Operations

NiSou! rce�� Gas Transmission and Storage Operations subsidiaries own and operate approximately 15,000 miles of pipeline and operate a natural gas storage system capable of storing approximately 639 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Through its subsidiaries, Columbia Gas Transmission L.L.C. (Columbia Transmission), Columbia Gulf Transmission Company (Columbia Gulf) and Crossroads Pipeline Company (Crossroads Pipeline), NiSource owns and operates an interstate pipeline network extending from the Gulf of Mexico to New York and the eastern seaboard. Together, these companies serve customers in 16 northeastern, mid-Atlantic, midwestern and southern states and the District of Columbia. NiSource Midstream Services is an unregulated business that is a provider of midstream services, including gathering, treating, conditioning, processing, compression and liquids handling, as well as managing mineral rights positions in the Marcellus and Utica shale areas.

The Gas Transmission and Storage Operations subsidiaries are also engaged in two joint ventures, Millennium Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Millennium) and Hardy Storage Company, L.L.C. (Hardy Storage). Millennium Pipeline, which includes 252 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipe across New York�� Southern Tier and lower Hudson Valley, has the capability to transport up to 525,400 dekatherm per day of natural gas to markets along its route, as well as to the New York City markets through its pipeline interconnections. Millennium is jointly owned by affiliates of NiSource, DTE Energy and National Grid. Hardy Storage, which consists of underground natural gas storage facilities in West Virginia, has a working storage capacity of 12 billion cubic feet and the ability to deliver 176,000 dekatherm of natural gas per day. Hardy Storage is a joint venture of subsidiaries of Columbia Transmission and Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. (Piedmont).

Electric Operations

NiSource generates, transmits and distributes electricity through its subsidia! ry Northe! rn Indiana Public Service Company (Northern Indiana) to approximately 458 thousand customers in 20 counties in the northern part of Indiana and engages in electric wholesale and transmission transactions. Northern Indiana operates three coal-fired electric generating stations. The three operating facilities have a net capability of 2,574 megawatts. Northern Indiana also owns and operates Sugar Creek, a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant with a 535 megawatts capacity rating, four gas-fired generating units located at Northern Indiana�� coal-fired electric generating stations with a net capability of 203 megawatts and two hydroelectric generating plants with a net capability of 10 megawatts. These facilities provide for a total system operating net capability of 3,322 megawatts. Northern Indiana�� transmission system, with voltages from 69,000 to 345,000 volts, consists of 2,797 circuit miles. Northern Indiana is interconnected with five neighboring electric utilities.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Dittman]

  Answer: I like Northeast Utilities (NYSE: NU), Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners LP (TSX: BEP-U, NYSE: BEP), Pembina Pipeline Corp (TSX: PPL, NYSE: PBA), Xcel Energy Inc (NYSE: XEL) and NiSource Inc (NYSE: NI).

• [By Garrett Cook]

  In trading on Friday, utilities shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.27 percent. Top gainers in the sector included Enbridge (NYSE: ENB), up 2.2 percent, and NiSource (NYSE: NI), up 1.6 percent.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  NiSource Inc.(NI) said its fourth-quarter profit rose 13% as all three of the utility company’s segments posted revenue growth. But the top line missed estimates.