Stock Up for the Coming Collapse

You should stock up for the coming economic collapse, because American businesses aren't. A just-released Commerce Department report adds to the growing list of indices pointing to a major economic decline coming our way. February inventories rose just 0.1%, well below the 0.4% increase economists had anticipated and much worse than the downwardly revised 0.9% increase seen in January.

When companies slowly rebuild their inventories, as they are now, it means factories produce less, lowering overall economic output. And if we look at the Institute for Supply Management's inventory survey for March, we get a sense that when Commerce releases its own figures for the month, it's going to look ugly. The ISM survey showed a 2% decline in March inventories to 49.5, an indication that things are contracting at an accelerated rate. 

The down escalator
That's on top of a collapse in consumer confidence, the non-participation rate in the labor market hitting Depression-era levels, unadjusted weekly unemployment claims jumping again, vehicle sales missing estimates, and a whole slew of other economic indicators coming in below expectations.

Clothing and accessories retailers had their best showing in February, as inventories gained 3% from January. Yet as we saw just recently, March retail sales contracted, so the uptick that was enjoyed is apparently over already, and coupled with a gloomy consumer outlook, those tax increases implemented at the start of the year are beginning to weigh down the economy.

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While some clothing shops such as Gap (NYSE: GPS  ) beat analyst expectations on same-store sales last month, the fact that they were down 1% anyway is hardly a source of confidence. TJX (NYSE: TJX  ) was down 2.2%, while Ross Stores (NASDAQ: ROST  ) was up 2%, actually beating expectations, but far below the 10% jump it experienced a year ago. 

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Although some of the sales declines in March were the result of lower gas sales, Americans also spent less on other goods. Even among big-box retailers, the results were disappointing. Costco (NASDAQ: COST  )  reported that same-store sales rose 4% in March, but they were significantly below the 5.2% analysts were anticipating. Overall, the Thomson Reuters index of retailers showed that comps grew just 2.2% last month, its lowest showing since September 2009.

Running off the road
One of the bright spots of the economy has been automakers, but there, too, car sales fell 1.3% in March to an annual pace of 15.3 million, down from 15.4 million the month before. Where Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler all reported sales gains, they couldn't make up for the losses at many foreign manufacturers, and it's showing, as car sales are steadily falling.

Many analysts point to the increase in taxes at the start of the year, particularly payroll taxes, as the lead cause for the slack showing up. The economy appears to be ratcheting down rather abruptly, following Europe's epic slide into a double-dip recession that even China couldn't stanch.

Perhaps we don't need to act like doomsday preppers, but then again, stocking up for a potentially harsh outcome like a squirrel storing nuts for the winter might not be a bad idea after all.

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10 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Buy Right Now

10 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Buy Right Now: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)

McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD) traded up 1.02% today at $97.14. The company said it would offer free coffee at breakfast time for a two-week period beginning next Monday. Investors apparently like the idea that the company is responding to new competitive breakfast offerings. The 52-week range for the stock is $92.22 to $103.70. Trading volume for the shares was about 25% below the daily average of around 5.3 million shares traded.

• [By Bloomberg Businessweek]

  Alamy McDonald's (MCD) may recently have struggled to lure customers, but it still does far more business at each location than rival burger chains. The average McDonald's restaurant in the U.S. drew $2.6 million in revenue last year. Average sales for No. 2 chain Burger King (BKW): $1.2 million, according to data from its largest franchisee, Carrols Restaurant Group (TAST). What accounts for this more-than-a-million gap? "Everything from marketing and site selection to product initiatives and franchisee selection have been historical factors," said Nick Setyan, vice president in charge of equity research at Wedbush Securities, in an email. Here are four factors that drive higher sales volumes at McDonald's: 1. McDonald's gets more customers during off-peak hours. Look no further than the strength of its breakfast! business relative that of Burger King, says Darren Tristano, executive vice president at restaurant consultancy Technomic. Egg McMuffin is part of the fast-food vocabulary in a way Burger King can't match. And beverage and snack offerings such as McCafe and wraps have helped increase McDonald's sales between meals. The dramatic impact from off-peak business explains why chains such as Taco Bell (YUM) are entering the battle for morning customers, while others such as Starbucks (SBUX) are seeking more afternoon and evening business. 2. The power of the Happy Meal. McDonald's has the largest share of kids meal sales in the fast-food industry and gets about 10 percent of total sales from Happy Meals, the most commonly advertised child-oriented fast-food item on television. Burger King, meanwhile, is still trying to win back "parties with kids and seniors and women," said Josh Kobza, Burger King's chief financial officer, at a conference last year. One way to do that: "We got rid of the creepy king character that tended to scare away women and children." 3. McDonald's has an edge on efficiency. Despite recent operational challenges at McDonald's,

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images From a new player in the fast food market cleverly attacking the leader's mascot to a social giant bringing out its inner shutterbug, here's a rundown of the week's smartest moves and biggest blunders in the business world. Twitter (TWTR) -- Winner There are limitations inherent with Twitter, and the 140-character cutoff is just scratching the surface. Twitter's had its monetization challenges because it's not as interactive with multimedia, but that's taking a step in the right direction this week with the hashtag hasher sprucing up its offerings for shutterbugs. Twitter will now allow Twitter users to tag fellow users in photographs. Twitter will also let someone include as many as four photographs in a single post. We live in visual times, and while Vine and Twitter's origin! al photo ! platform are decent, it's great to see the dot-com darling take things up a notch. King Digital Entertainment (KING) -- Loser There are tens of millions of Candy Crush Saga players on any given day, but apparently most of them would rather be matching candy pieces than buying into the game's developer. Game creator King Digital Entertainment went public at $22.50 on Wednesday, and unlike many of the dot-com darlings that have pulled off blazing IPOs, the market spat the Candy Crush maker out. The stock opened lower and closed its first day of trading down 16 percent, at $19. It was easy to see this coming. Many key performance metrics had peaked at King during last year's third quarter. Oculus -- Winner Few figured that Facebook (FB) would rush into any big-ticket purchases after its $19 billion deal for Whatsapp, but then the social networking leader announced the purchase of Oculus for $2 billion. Oculus is a virtual reality headwear maker that started drawing attention as a Kickstarter campaign. Critics have pointed out that the backers of that crowdfunding campaign that raised $2.5 million on Kickstarter will get nothing out of this deal.

• [By John Divine]

  McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) couldn't help the Dow much on Thursday, adding just 0.3%. Not much changes from day-to-day with McDonald's, whose golden arches are one of the most recognizable brand symbols in the world. But for blue chip companies like Mickey D's to maintain their dominance, they've got to fend off competition, and embrace innovation and change in the industry. McDonald's isn't doing a great job at either of these. Yum! Brands' Taco Bell is now using real people named Ronald McDonald to endorse the taco haven's new breakfast menu. And McDonald's has been slow to embrace smartphone payment technology, as well, even as its rivals rush to develop apps for their consumers.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/10-best-b! lue-chip-! stocks-to-buy-right-now.html

South Carolina plant to become BMW's largest

The BMW plant in Spartanburg, S.C., is expanding its output by 50%.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) German automaker BMW announced a $1 billion investment in its South Carolina plant that will increase its capacity by 50%. That will make it BMW's biggest factory in the world.

The automaker said it plans to hire 800 additional workers at its Spartanburg factory, which would be an increase of 10%.

The plant already makes its luxury crossover SUV X series there, including the the X3, X5 and X6 models. And it is set to start production on the soon to be introduced X4 model. Friday's announcement included plans for another entry in the series, the larger X7.

The plant currently builds about 300,000 cars a year, and about 70% of that production is exported elsewhere in the world. That makes it the U.S. auto plant with the most exports.

But exports from U.S. plants have been growing across the industry. Japanese automaker Honda Motor (HMC) announced last year that it exported more cars from its U.S. plants than it imported into the U.S. market. And U.S. manufacturers General Motors (GM, Fortune 500), Ford Motor (F, Fortune 500) and Chrysler Group have all reported increased exports from its U.S. plants.

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The plant opened in 1994, and this will be its fifth expansion since then.

  Why BMW built a bobsled

The expansion will take capacity of the BMW plant up to 450,000 by the end of 2016. With the expansion, the plant is set to overtake BMW's largest plant, which is currently outside of Munich and builds about 340,000 cars a year.

Baxter Jumps on Split: Fade the Bounce?

Sometimes the parts are worth more than the whole–and the market thinks that’s the case with Baxter International (BAX), which has surged after it announced that it plans to split into two companies.

REUTERS

The Wall Street Journal has the details on Baxter’s plans:

Baxter International Inc. said it plans to create separate, independent health-care companies, one focused on developing and marketing biopharmaceuticals and the other on medical products.

Baxter’s biopharmaceuticals business posted revenue of roughly $6 billion last year and includes treatments for hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, immune deficiencies as well as chronic diseases. The remaining company will focus on Baxter’s medical products, which had sales of more than $9 billion in 2013.

Baxter’s shares were up as much as 15% in per-open trading but are now up less than a third of that. ISI Group’s Mike Craig considers the reason why:

Timing of the transaction completion is mid 2015, following final approval of the BoD, receipt of favorable opinion on tax free status from IRS, shareholder approval, & all regulatory approvals. As a point of interest we have seen several announcements recently where an announcement of the split drives the stocks up 10% and quickly fades as timing sets in and market risk still exists. recent examples [Hertz (HTZ), FMC Corp (FMC), Agilent (A), Noble (NE), CBS (CBS)]. I would expect the stock to fade hard from these levels

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Shares of Baxter have gained 4.9% to $73.49 today at 10:46 a.m. today, while FMC Corp. has risen 1.2% to $77.28, Noble has advanced 1.7% to $32.29, CBS Corp has dropped 1% to $61.32 and Agilent is off 0.3% at $55.

GM dealers scramble to provide recall loaners

All Steve Isola wanted was to take up General Motors on its offer of a free rental car until the automaker could make recall repairs on his 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. But neither his local dealer nor GM has been able to give him one.

GM says it's had 9,000 requests such as Isola's, and it intends that they all be honored. But sometimes the best intentions don't mesh with practical reality.

Dwayne Haapanen, general manager at Kolar Chevrolet in Hermantown, Minn., near Duluth, says customers have parked nine of the recalled models at the dealership, refusing to drive them until they are fixed.

But it's taken awhile to get rental cars for Isola and three other customers; Haapanen believes he'll have them all "squared away" by Thursday. "There's been a bit of a struggle finding the cars. I burned up all my loaner fleet, and we've been renting from Enterprise — and now they are out of cars."

Such are the rough edges of General Motors' recall of 1.62 million cars worldwide that need new ignition switches installed to prevent the kinds of accidents blamed for 12 deaths. The switches can jostle out of the "run" position into "accessory," shutting off the engine and killing power to the air bags and other safety systems.

GM CEO Mary Barra told a group of reporters in Detroit on March 18 that GM has told dealers to give any owner of a recalled model a free loaner vehicle if requested. Owners don't have to prove their switches are faulty or that they've been in accidents to qualify, GM says.

"Yes. Yes!" GM global product development chief Mark Reuss said, pounding the table for emphasis during the session, when asked if GM is paying all the costs of loaner or rental cars for dealers to furnish.

In a rare move, GM even told dealers they can break the rule of using only GM rental cars, if need be, to supply all owners. It also said it is making special arrangements for college-age customers who might otherwise have trouble renting, and has enlisted multiple rental car agencies! for the loaners.

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Isola was in a jam. His daughters won't let their kids ride in his Cobalt. And when he called the GM recall hotline, no one would help. He says he got really "ticked off" when the representative denied him a rental car, saying GM "can't provide that to everyone."

He says he replied: "I'm not everybody. I'm a Cobalt owner with a safety concern. I am not some crackpot."

Despite the loaner scramble, Haapanen says he's impressed by the steps GM has taken. "I am encouraged GM is stepping up right from Day One."

Still, it has taken more than saying it should be so.

GM has created a dedicated hotline for recall questions and has added staffing and is providing training, hoping to prevent long waits for callers — and wrong answers, such as Isola initially got.

GM says dealers should have the first batch of new switches April 7 to begin recall repairs — but that will be just 60,000 of them. Barra told reporters that the company has an October goal for completing the job.

"It's a mixed bag," says Aaron Jacoby, who specializes in dealer issues as head of the automotive practice of Arent Fox, a law firm. "It's not that dealers are entirely unhappy there is a GM recall," he says, because it's a chance to woo new patrons when they bring in their cars for recall repairs, and they will make money doing the recall work. But they also don't want disappointed customers whose expectations exceed the reality of the recall pace.

Some dealers aren't having problems. At Len Lyall Chevrolet in Aurora, Colo., for instance, General Manager Dan Johnson says he's had only one request for a rental car. But he's had to put two of the used cars in his inventory — a Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR, both on the recall list — "out back" until recall repairs are complete.

GM spokesman Greg Martin says, "Dealers should ensure all recall! repairs ! are performed on a vehicle before it is loaned, rented or sold," as Lyall Chevrolet is doing, to be sure the temporary vehicles aren't themselves under recall.

"We will work overtime," Johnson pledges. "We will do what we need to do" — and if he can throw in a free oil change to keep owners of recalled models coming back, or "trade for a few cars," so much the better.

GM and federal safety officials both emphasize that owners should detach the ignition key from their key rings and use the key by itself. Heavy key rings make it easier for the ignition switch to malfunction.

Most of the recalled vehicles — 1.37 million — are in the U.S. They are:

2005-07 Chevrolet Cobalt2007 Pontiac G52003-07 Saturn Ion2006-07 Chevrolet HHR2006-07 Pontiac Solstice2007 Saturn Sky.

Hotline numbers for owners to call for recall information:

Chevrolet: 800-222-1020Pontiac: 800-762-2737Saturn: 800-553-6000

Contributing: James R. Healey

Bank Stocks Soar Heading Into Stress Test Results

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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Comerica (CMA) of Dallas were the winners among large-cap bank stocks Wednesday afternoon, as investors looked forward to the expected announcement of annual stress tests results by the Federal Reserve after the market close.

JPMorgan's stock was up 3.2% to $60.14, while Comerica was up 3.2% to $52.11.

The KBW Bank Index (I:BKX) was up 2.3% in afternoon trading to 72.98, with all 23 component stocks showing gains, except for New York Community Bancorp NYCB, which was down slightly to $16.22.

The Fed's annual stress tests have become something of an annual catalyst for bank stocks, since most of the banks subject to the tests announce increases in dividends and plans to buy back shares, after the process is completed. But today's announcement only represents the first part of the process. The first part, known as the Dodd-Frank stress tests, measures large banks' ability to remain well capitalized through a "severely adverse" economic scenario. This year's scenario assumes an increase in the U.S. unemployment of four percentage points, with the unemployment rate peaking at 11.25% in mid-2015. The scenario also includes a decline in real U.S. GDP of nearly 4.75% through the end of 2014, a 50% decline in equity prices and a 25% decline in home prices. The severely adverse scenario also has international components, including recessions Europe and Japan, and slowing growth in Asia. For the U.S.-owned holding companies being tested, this part of the scenario is most important for Citigroup, which derives the majority of its revenue and earnings from outside North America. The second part of the stress tests is the Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR), which applies banks' plans to deploy excess capital through dividend increases, stock buybacks and/or acquisitions to the same "severely adverse" scenario. For bank-stock investors, CCAR is the more important part of the stress-test process. The Fed will announce those results on March 26, with most of the stress-tested banks expected to announce dividend increases and/or stock buyback plans the same day. This year the Fed has increased the number of banks undergoing the stress tests and CCAR, with Comerica among several regional banks being added. This year's stress tests incorporate two new major elements for the largest U.S. banks. For global systemically important financial institutions (G-SIFIs), including JPMorgan, Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C), Wells Fargo (WFC), Goldman Sachs (GS), Morgan Stanley (MS), Bank of New York Mellon (BK) and SunTrust (STI), the severely adverse scenario will include instant default of a bank's largest counterparty for trading of swaps and other derivatives. The second new element is the "Global Market Shock" component of the severely adverse economic scenario, which the Federal Reserve describes as "one-time, hypothetical shocks to a large set of risk factors." This part of the tests apply to the "big six" U.S. banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Citigroup is unique among the big six in deriving the bulk of its earnings from outside the U.S. Please see Could Citigroup Have the Stress-Test Hiccups?, for more on the bank's risk and opportunity from the stress tests. Sell-side analysts expect JPMorgan Chase and Comerica both to pass the first round of the stress tests with flying colors. Following CCAR, KBW analyst Christopher Mutascio expects JPMorgan Chase next Wednesday to be approved for $7.260 billion in common-share buybacks from the second quarter of 2014 through the first quarter of 2015. That would be an increase over actual buybacks for the prior-year period of $3.928 billion, according to KBW's estimate. Mutascio also expects JPMorgan to receive approval to raise its quarterly dividend to 41 cents a share from 38 cents. KBW analyst Brian Klock expects Comerica to receive approval to repurchase $2.0 billion in common shares from the second quarter of 2014 through the first quarter of 2015, up from an estimated $956 million during the prior-year period. Klock also estimates Comerica will raise its quarterly dividend to 22 cents from 17 cents. This chart shows stock returns for JPMorgan and Comerica against the KBW Bank Index and the S&P 500 since the end of 2011:

data by YCharts Follow @PhilipvanDoorn

Stock quotes in this article: JPM, CMA, C, I:BKX 

Apple, Inc. Could Sell 16 Million China Mobile iPhones This Year

Investors waited years for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) to make a deal with the world's largest carrier, China Mobile (NYSE: CHL  ) , to sell its iPhones. When the deal was finally set in stone, analysts were ready to share their opinion on Apple's potential 2014 incremental China Mobile iPhone sales. But the estimates varied so greatly they were hardly useful. Now, however, with our first somewhat concrete figure from China Mobile on Apple iPhone sales in one month at the carrier, estimates can be made with more precision.

Based on the new data from China Mobile, it's now reasonable to assume Apple could sell 16 million China Mobile iPhones in 2014.

The initial range of estimates for Apple's China Mobile iPhone sales in 2014, assembled by Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt in January ranged from 5 million to 39 million. The massive range made China Mobile Apple's wildcard catalyst.

But a new comment from China Mobile makes estimating Apple's potential easier -- and it's the first step in getting to an estimate for 16 million.

"We added 1.34 million new 4G users in February and most of them are iPhone users," China Mobile Chairman Xi Gouhua told The Wall Street Journal. "We are happy with the progress, as we are still building our 4G network and the coverage is only available in some major cities."

Assuming "most" means about 1 million of the 1.34 million new 4G users, Apple could be selling about 1 million iPhones a month. Extrapolating this number forward (and backward to January) at a steady pace, that's 12 million for 2014 -- meaningfully below the average consensus analyst estimate from the beginning of the year for 18 million.

How Apple gets to 16 million
But extrapolating 1 million monthly iPhone sales forward (and backward to January) at a steady rate isn't the most realistic scenario. Two major drivers should help iPhone sales ramp up later in the year.

First, China Mobile's 4G rollout is only getting started. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said during the company's first-quarter earnings call that China Mobile's 4G network only covers 16 cities today and should cover more than 340 cities by year-end. After reiterating China Mobile's 4G rollout in the earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted that the expansion should be a positive catalyst for Apple as the year goes on: "And so we've got quite the ramp in front of us, and we're incredibly excited."

iPhone 5c. Apple brought the iPhone 5c and 5s to China Mobile's network on Jan. 17.

Second, if Apple keeps its typical iPhone launch schedule, it will introduce a new iPhone lineup in September. After including China for the first time in the first rollout of its new iPhones last year, Apple will likely do the same this year. That leaves about three and a half months for Apple's new lineup of iPhones to record sales on China Mobile's network.

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With these drivers in mind, an estimate for 16 million iPhones sold on China Mobile's network is more realistic than 12 million.

The impact?
Apple sold 153.4 million iPhones in calendar 2013. So Apple's arrangement with China Mobile could boost Apple's iPhone sales in 2014 by 10% if it results in 16 million iPhone sales in 2014. Considering that Apple's iPhone segment is the company's most profitable business, a 10% boost in iPhone sales would likely have an outsized impact on Apple's bottom line. With growth like this, Apple's current conservative valuation of just 13 times earnings may be lowballing Apple's potential.

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It’s Still About Higher Rates: Dow Jones Industrials Gain 110 Points, S&P 500 Nears Record High

What a difference a day makes. After plunging yesterday, stocks gained today as investors came to terms with the Federal Reserve’s revised schedule for higher rates, sending shares of Invesco (IVZ), Zions Bancorporation (ZION), JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Charles Schwab (SCHW) soaring.

Bloomberg

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 108.88 points, or 0.7%, to 16,331.05 today, while the S&P 500 gained 0.6% to 1,872.01, just 0.3% below its record high. Shares of Invesco rose 3.8% to $36.25, while Zions Bancorporation advanced 3.2% to $32.99, JPMorgan Chase gained 3.1% to $60.11 and Charles Schwab finished up 3.1% at $28.43. All might benefit from higher interest rates.

The big difference today, however, comes from the fact that investors have moved on from grief to acceptance when it comes to higher interest rates–and don’t expect them to derail the economy any time soon. Bianco Research’s Howard Simons, for instance, concludes that higher two-year Treasury yields might benefit the overall stock market, even if they hit some industries:

Twenty-nine industry groups accounting for 24.58% of the S&P 1500's market capitalization, have statistically significant negative relative performance betas to two-year Treasury yields…Six of these groups are REITs…

Thirty-six groups accounting for 28.98% of the S&P 1500 have a statistically significant positive relative performance beta…Non-REIT financials, Industrials, Energy and Technology…are represented heavily.

Each 1% increase in two-year Treasury yields, about 0.4195 basis points, would lead to a 0.0011% increase in the S&P 1500, all else held equal.

MKM Partners’ Michael Darda believes that the Fed’s critics “have utterly failed to…interpret financial market signals properly.” He explains:

First, the QEs have not lowered long rates (QE on periods have been associated with rising long rates), but they have played an important function in placing a floor under long run inflation expectations. Second, financial markets do not expect an overshot on the Fed's 2% inflation goal, despite the Fed having missed its inflation target to the downside on average since the recovery began. Nonetheless, Yellen's Balanced Approach model suggests the Fed has done a sufficient volume of OMOs at this point to push the shadow short rate below the natural or equilibrium rate. This should be associated with a period of above trend growth, something the Fed wants in order for the labor market to more fully heal and inflation to return to target. With some cushion now in place, the bar is probably pretty high for any reversal/halting of the tapering process, despite the financial commentariate falling all over itself to speculate about the Fed calling off the taper when labor market data weakened in December and January (we believe mostly due to weather and thus likely to reverse). If the model is even in the ballpark, the early stages of Fed tightening sometime in 2015 should not be a threat to the recovery.

Today, at least, the market seemed to agree.

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Related GME Walmart to Accept Video Game Trade-ins Benzinga's Top Downgrades Related GBDC Golub Capital BDC Announces 3.5M Share Public Offering Earnings Scheduled For December 3, 2013

GameStop (NYSE: GME) fell 7.80% to $36.65 in pre-market trading as Walmart (NYSE: WMT) announced its plans to begin accepting video game trade-ins.

Central European Media Enterprises (NASDAQ: CETV) dipped 3.22% to $3.91 in the pre-market session after falling 0.25% on Monday.

Golub Capital BDC (NASDAQ: GBDC) dipped 2.88% to $17.89 in pre-market trading after the company announced a public offering of 3.5 million shares of its common stock.

YY (NASDAQ: YY) shares dropped 1.89% to $79.95 in pre-market trading after the company announced a proposed offering of $400 million convertible senior notes.

Posted-In: PreMarket LosersNews Movers & Shakers Pre-Market Outlook Markets

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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5 Energy Services Stocks to Buy Now

Popular Posts: 7 Biotechnology Stocks to Buy Now15 Oil and Gas Stocks to Sell Now13 “Triple A” Stocks to Buy Recent Posts: 10 Worst “Strong Sell” Stocks This Week — ICA RCII YZC and more 5 Energy Services Stocks to Buy Now 7 Restaurant and Resort Stocks to Buy Now View All Posts

This week, five energy services stocks are improving their overall ratings on Portfolio Grader. Each of these stocks is rated an “A” (“strong buy”) or “B” overall (“buy”).

Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc. () is making progress this week as its rating of C (“hold”) from last week increases to a B (“buy”) rating this week. Synthesis Energy Systems designs, invests in, builds, owns, and operates utility plants for industrial customers. In Portfolio Grader’s specific subcategory of Sales Growth, SYMX also gets an A. Shares of the stock have been trading at an exceptionally rapid pace, up 793% from the week prior. .

This is a strong week for Exterran Partners, L.P. (). The company’s rating climbs to B from the previous week’s C. Exterran Partners offers natural gas compression services. The current dividend yield is 2.1%. .

This week, Parker Drilling Company () pushes up from a C to a B rating. Parker Drilling provides contract drilling and related services. .

CARBO Ceramics () boosts its rating from a C to a B this week. CARBO Ceramics manufactures and supplies resin-coated ceramic and resin-coated sand proppants primarily used in the hydraulic fracturing of natural gas and oil wells in the United States and internationally. The stock’s price of $122.98 is above the 50-day moving average of $117.02. .

Helmerich & Payne, Inc. () earns a B this week, jumping up from last week’s grade of C. Helmerich & Payne provides contract drilling of oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Mexico and South America. Shares of HP have increased 13.1% over the past month, better than the 1.7% decrease the S&P 500 has seen over the same period of time. The stock’s dividend yield is 2.5%. .

Louis Navellier’s proprietary Portfolio Grader stock ranking system assesses roughly 5,000 companies every week based on a number of fundamental and quantitative measures. Stocks are given a letter grade based on their results — with A being “strong buy,” and F being “strong sell.” Explore the tool here.

Top 10 Safest Stocks To Own For 2014

Top 10 Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: Applied Nanotech Holdings Inc (APNT)

Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc., incorporated on May 22, 1989, is engaged in nanotechnology research and development business. The Company's nanotechnology research involves performing contract research and development services for others to develop products and materials for new applications, and then leveraging this research by applying it to other similar applications in other industries. The Company also develops intellectual property (IP) around its products and technologies. The Company develops five technology platforms: nanosensor technology; nanocomposites, based on carbon nanotube composites; thermal management materials; nanoelectronics applications, and electron emission activities, primarily in the display area. The Company's electron emission IP is divided into display activities and non-display activities. Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc. is the parent company. Applied Nanotech, Inc. (ANI) is a subsidiary of ANHI. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company formed EZDiagnostix, Inc., (EZDX).

Sensors

The Company develops sensors based on ion mobility sensor technology and differential mobility spectroscopy. The Company is involved in projects to develop Mercaptan and Methane sensors for uses in the natural gas industry. The Company is also applying this technology to other applications, including agricultural pathology, wound care, and breath analysis. The Company develops hydrogen sensor for use in the measurement of hydrogen in power transformer products. The Company develops carbon monoxide sensor that can last for 10,000 hours on a single battery. The Company's carbon nanotube technology is for use in biosensors. Sensors based on carbon nanotubes or other nanomaterials can be used to detect chemical, organic, or biological warfare agents, as well as explosives, hydrogen, ammonia a! nd numerous other chemicals.

Nanocomposites

The Company is in the advanced stages of development of nanomaterials using carbon nanotube (CNT) and! other composites. Epoxies are used in industries with worldwide markets, with applications, including adhesives, paints, coatings, and composites. In addition to epoxy resins, the Company develops other types of resins, including polyesters and vinyl esters. Vinyl esters are used in a variety of industrial applications, including storage tanks, piping, and construction. The Company develops a process for coating nylon pellets with CNTs to improves electrical conductivity. Nylon 6 with improved electrical conductivity can be used for its anti-static qualities, electrostatic discharge, and electromagnetic/RF shielding.

Thermal Management

The Company markets thermal management material called CarbAl. CarbAl provides a passive thermal management solution for temperature control issues that plague electronics manufacturers. CarbAl is a carbon based metal nanocomposite comprised of 80% carbonaceous matrix and a dispersed metal component of 20% aluminum. The Company also develops a simplified version of CarbAl based on graphite.

Conductive Inks

The Company develops aluminum and silver inks and pastes that is ideal for use in the production of solar cells. The Company also develops aluminum paste that can be used in current solar cell production.

The Company competes with Zyvex Performance Materials, GSI Creos, Amroy Europe, Ltd., DuPont and Ferro

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anuchit Nguyen]

  India's S&P BSE Sensex rose, holding at a three-year high, amid better-than-estimated corporate earnings. Engineering company Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (LT) rallied to a three-month high and Asian Paints Ltd. (APNT) surged about 6 percent after reporting profit that beat forecasts.

source from Top ! Stocks Bl! og:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-safest-stocks-to-own-for-2014.html

Best Rising Stocks To Own For 2014

Best Rising Stocks To Own For 2014: Derma Sciences Inc.(DSCI)

Derma Sciences, Inc. operates as a medical technology company. The company provides advanced wound care products, including Medihoney dressings that are used for the management of non-chronic and hard-to-heal wounds, such as chronic ulcers, burns, and post-operative wounds; Bioguard dressings that are used for prophylactic use in the prevention of hospital or community acquired infections through wound sites; Algicell Ag, antimicrobial dressings; Xtrasorb dressings that convert fluid within the dressings to a gel and lock the exudates into the dressings; TCC-EZ, a dressing system for the management of diabetic foot ulcers; and occlusive dressings, such as hydrocolloids, foams, hydrogels, alginates, additional silver antimicrobial dressings, cleansers, and Dermagran products. It also offers traditional wound care products, such as of gauze sponges and bandages, non-adherent impregnated dressings, retention devices, paste bandages, and other compression devices, as well as a dhesive bandages and related first aid products. In addition, the company provides pharmaceutical wound care products, including DSC127, an angiotensin analog for use in wound healing and scar reduction. It markets wound closure strips, nasal tube and catheter fasteners, barrier creams and ointments, antibacterial cleansing foams and sprays, shampoos and body washes, hand sanitizers, bath additives, body oils, and moisturizers to doctors, clinics, nursing homes, hospitals, home healthcare agencies, and other institutions. The company sells its products to health care providers, such as wound care centers, extended care facilities, acute care facilities, home health care agencies, and physicians? offices through direct sales representatives in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom; retail channels; manufacturers? representatives and independent distributors in internat! ional markets. Derma Sciences, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Princeton, New J ersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

• [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 Derma Sciences (Nasdaq: DSCI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap stocks Derma Sciences Inc (NASDAQ: DSCI), Oculus Innovative Sciences, Inc (NASDAQ: OCLS) and Arch Therapeutics Inc (OTCBB: ARTH) specialize or have a focus on wound care – a medical problem that has plagued mankind since the dawn of time. After all and think back to our Civil War when disease along with infections resulting from improper wound care probably killed more soldiers than actual battles. Even today, infection after surgery or after receiving a wound or injury of any kind is still a constant threat. And then there is the scaring that can result from any sort of invasive surgery or injury. With those thoughts in mind, here are three small cap wound care stocks trying address these problems:

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-rising-stocks-to-own-for-2014.html

Best Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2014

Best Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2014: Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.(SBGI)

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., a television broadcasting company, owns or provides certain programming, operating, or sales services to television stations in the United States. The company broadcasts free over-the-air programming, such as network provided programs, news produced locally, local sporting events, programming from program service arrangements, and syndicated entertainment programs. It owns or provides programming and operating services pursuant to local marketing agreements, or provides sales services pursuant to outsourcing agreements to 58 television stations in 35 markets. The company was founded in 1952 and is based in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Westcott Rochette]

  Assuming all of its announced mergers are completed (as we anticipate), Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI) will soon own or operate some 162 stations in 77 markets that, together, reach about 40% of US television households.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  In the latest of a string of acquisitions, Sinclair Broadcast Group (NASDAQ: SBGI  ) is to buy Fisher Communications (NASDAQ: FSCI  ) . The merger transaction will cost the former roughly $373 million. Fisher stockholders are to receive a cash payout of $41.00 per share, which, according to Sinclair, is a 44% premium to the stock's recent closing price.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of television broadcasting company Sinclair Broadcast Group (NASDAQ: SBGI  ) sank as low as 11% today after announcing disappointing quarterly results and a public offering of common stock.  

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Sinclair Broadcast Group (NASDAQ: SBGI  ) is tapping the markets in a new, underwritten public share offering. The company has priced i! ts issue of 18 million class A common shares at $27.25 apiece. Sinclair said that certain selling stockholders have granted the underwriters of the offering a 30-day purchase option for up to an additional 2.7 million shares.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-dividend-stocks-to-invest-in-2014.html

Hot Performing Stocks For 2014

Hot Performing Stocks For 2014: IMAX Corp (IMAX)

IMAX Corporation, incorporated on January 1, 2002, together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, is an entertainment technology companies, specializing in motion picture technologies and presentations. The Company's customers who purchase lease or otherwise acquire the IMAX theatre systems are theatre exhibitors, which operate commercial theatres, museums, science centers, and destination entertainment sites. IMAX theatre systems combine the Company's digital re-mastering movie conversion technology (IMAX DMR), projectors with equipment and automated theatre control systems, sound system components, screens, theatre geometry, and theatre acoustics.

The Company's principal business is the design, manufacture and delivery of theater systems (IMAX theater systems). The Company's customers who purchase, lease or otherwise acquire the IMAX theater systems through joint revenue sharing arrangements are theater exhibitors that operate commercial theaters (part icularly multiplexes), museums, science centers, or destination entertainment sites. The Company does not own IMAX theaters, but licenses the use of its trademarks along with the sale, lease or contribution of the IMAX theater system.

IMAX Systems, Theater System Maintenance and Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements

The Company provides IMAX theater systems to customers on a sales or long-term lease basis with an initial 10-year term. These agreements consist of initial fees and ongoing fees (which can include a fixed minimum amount per annum and contingent fees in excess of the minimum payments) and maintenance and extended warranty fees. The initial fees vary depending on the system configuration and location of the theater and generally are paid to the Company in installments between the time of system signing and the time of system installation. Ongoing fees are paid ov! er the term of the contract, commencing after the theater system has been instal led and are generally equal to the greater of a fixed minimu! m amount per annum or a percentage of boxoffice receipts. The Company also provides IMAX theater systems to customers under joint revenue sharing arrangements, pursuant to which the Company provides the IMAX theater system in return for a portion of the customer's IMAX box-office receipts, and in some cases concession revenues and/or a small upfront or initial payment. As at December 31, 2012, the Company had 316 theaters in operation under joint revenue sharing arrangements.

Production and Digital Re-Mastering (IMAX DMR)

The Company's technology digitally re-masters Hollywood films into IMAX digital cinema package format or 15/70-format film. IMAX DMR digitally enhances the image resolution of motion picture films for projection on IMAX screens while maintaining or enhancing the visual clarity and sound quality to levels for which The IMAX Experience is known. This technology enabled the IMAX theater network to release Hollywood films simultane ously with domestic release. In a typical IMAX DMR film arrangement, the Company will receive a percentage of net box-office receipts of any commercial films released in the IMAX network, which is generally 10-15%, from a film studio for the conversion of the film to the IMAX DMR format and access to its distribution platform. During the year ended December 31, 2012, 35 films converted through the IMAX DMR process were released to theaters within the IMAX network. As of December 31, 2012, the Company released 23 IMAX DMR titles to theaters within the IMAX network. During 2012, five local language IMAX DMR films were released, including one French film, Houba! On the Trail of the Marsupilami: The IMAX Experience and four Chinese IMAX DMR titles: Tai Chi 0: An IMAX 3D Experience, Tai Chi Hero: An IMAX 3D Experience, Back to 1942: The IMAX Experience and CZ12: The IMAX Experience.

Film Di! stribution and Post-Production

The Company is also a distributor of large-format films, primarily catering to its institution! al theate! r partners. The Company generally distributes films, which it produces or for which it has acquired distribution rights from independent producers. The Company generally receives a percentage of the theater box-office receipts as a distribution fee. Films produced by the Company are typically financed through third parties, whereby the Company will generally receive a film production fee in exchange for producing the film and a distribution fee for distributing the film. The Company utilizes third-party funding for the majority of original films it produces and distributes. In 2012, the Company, along with Warner Bros. Pictures (WB) and MacGillivray Freeman Films (MFF) released an original title, To the Artic 3D: An IMAX 3D Experience.

The Company derives a small portion of its revenues from other sources. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had four owned and operated theaters. In addition, the Company has a commercial arrangement with one theater resulting i n the sharing of profits and losses and provides management services to two theaters. The Company also rents its two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) large-format film and digital cameras to third party production companies. The Company maintains cameras and other film equipment and also offers production advice and technical assistance to both documentary and Hollywood filmmakers. Additionally, the Company generates revenues from the sale of after-market parts and 3D glasses. As of December 31, 2012, approximately 54.2% of IMAX systems in operation were located in the United States and Canada. As at December 31, 2012, approximately 45.8% of IMAX systems in operation were located within international markets (other than the United States and Canada).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  Frederic J. Brown, AFP/Getty Images Mov! iegoers a! ren't heading out the multiplex the way they used to, but that doesn't mean that Hollywood is toast. AMC Entertainment (AMC) reported quarterly results Tuesday. The nation's leading exhibitor -- 345 theaters with 4,976 screens -- went public two months ago. The headline numbers are positive. Revenue increased a better than expected 2.3 percent to $713 million. Profitability also expanded nicely. However, revenue increased as a result of a 5.5 percent increase in ticket prices and a 3.7 percent uptick in concessions purchased by patrons. Obviously you don't see those kind of gains against a mere 2.3 percent lift in revenue without dealing with more empty seats, and that's just what happened. There was a 3.2 percent decline in attendance. AMC's ticket takers welcomed 50.4 million guests during the holiday quarter, well below the 52.1 million guests that it entertained a year earlier. That's bad, and what makes things worse is that it had fewer theaters -- from continuing operations -- a year earlier. It wouldn't be wise to hold out for a Hollywood ending. Customers Want Bigger and Better Things Apologists will argue that it wasn't a bumper crop of movies hitting theaters, but that's not accurate at all. Last year's biggest box office winner -- "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" -- opened in November. Disney's "Frozen" also opened ahead of the holidays, and it's the family entertainment giant's biggest non-Pixar earner since 1994's "The Lion King." Moviegoers still come out for the big movies, and they're also willing to pay more for a premium setting. IMAX (IMAX) reported blowout quarterly results a few days earlier. IMAX screens rang up a record $244 million in ticket sales worldwide. IMAX is also closing out the year with a record backlog of 384 commercial theaters to deploy. RealD (RLD) is also holding up nicely as a leading provider of 3-D systems for exhibitors. It enjoyed a major boost with "Gravity," a

• [By Chad Fraser] Christmas is a time for good cheer, reflection and spend! ing time ! with friends and family. Here are four stocks that reflect the season, ranging from Christmas tree providers to toymakers and beyond:
  
  Weyerhaeuser (NYSE: WY): Some little-known Christmas tree facts: there are 25 million to 30 million sold in the U.S. every year, with about 350 million currently growing in the country. It takes an average of seven years to grow a Christmas tree to its proper height.
  
  Most Christmas tree farms are privately owned, but they need to get good seedlings from somewhere, so many turn to timber company Weyerhaeuser, which grows the most popular species—including balsam fir, Douglas fir, Scotch pine and white pine.
  
  Weyerhaeuser controls about 6 million acres of timberland, with about a third of that in the Pacific Northwest, which is America’s most prolific lumber-producing region thanks to its cool, damp climate and considerable rainfall.
  
  “The fact that it’s the largest timber producer in the Pacific Northwest makes Weyerhaeuser extremely attractive, because the company’s location gives it easy export access to China,” w rote Investing Daily analyst Benjamin Shepherd in a December 13 article. “This location also leaves it well-placed to pick up the supply slack created by lower production caps in Canada, which is typically a key Chinese supplier.”
  
  Mattel (NYSE: MAT) is proving that the most traditional toys you can think of—dolls—still have a place under the tree, even in the digital age. As we reported on October 16, Mattel’s doll lineup was the main reason why its third-quarter earnings surged past Wall Street estimates.
  
  The company’s strength is centered on its ability to come up with popular new dolls while reimagining the tried-and-true. Right now, its Monster High franchise, which it rolled out in 2010, is stealing the show: the brand’s p
• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  Getty Images From a popular multiplex operator goi! ng public! to a retailer getting hacked at the worst possible time, here's a rundown of the week's best and worst news from the business world. Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) -- Winner Chipotle is getting a new stamp in its ethnic cuisine passport. Having mastered Mexican, it was already giving Asian a shot with its new ShopHouse chain. And now, we can add Italian to its map after Chipotle revealed this week that it's a financial backer of Pizzeria Locale. The fast casual concept gives pizza a Chipotle-like makeover with folks ordering at the counter, customizing their 11-inch pies along the assembly line, after which they are baked in a speedy oven that serves up tasty pies in just two minutes. Chipotle's growing just fine with its flagship burrito chain, but it never hurts to diversify before expansion-fueled growth plateaus, or tastes change. Target (TGT) -- Loser Holiday shopping at Target may ultimately prove to more trouble than bargain seekers were hoping for this season. The cheap chic discounter revealed that hackers installed software that stole the info on more than 40 million credit and debit card transactions from Nov. 27 through Dec. 15. This is naturally going to be bad news for those that had their plastic compromised. Everyone that shopped at Target this season is being advised to carefully look over their statements. However, it's also very bad for the retailer at the worst possible time. Shoppers may not be too comfortable heading into Target during these last few shopping days before Christmas. AMC Entertainment (AMC) -- Winner Lights! Camera! IPO action! It may not have been the blockbuster IPO of the year, but the debut of the leading movie theater chain proved to be a success this week. AMC Entertainment went public at $18, opening 7 percent higher and staying above its IPO price. The leading exhibitor operates 343 movie theaters housing 4,950 screens. AMC entertains 200 million guests

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.t! opstocksb! log.com/hot-performing-stocks-for-2014.html

Picking Investments Loses Out to Picking Restaurants: TIAA-CREF Poll

A recent survey finds that Americans are more likely to throw themselves into selecting a restaurant for a special occasion, picking out a flat-screen TV or buying a tablet than planning their retirement investments.

The TIAA-CREF poll asked Americans if they spent two hours or more on these activities. Only 15% said they devoted this amount of time to planning IRA investment, while 25% said they spent two hours or more choosing a restaurant. More than 20% of those polled focused two hours or more on picking out a flat-screen TV, and 16% said they used this amount of time to buy a tablet computer.

Even among those who already have an IRA, more than half (55%) say they spent an hour or less planning for the investment.

“An IRA can be an incredibly powerful savings tool that can boost retirement security and offer immediate tax and savings benefits. IRAs can also serve as a valuable supplement to an employer-sponsored plan and help fund a first home or education,” said Doug Chittenden, executive vice president of individual business at TIAA-CREF, in a statement.

Despite these benefits, though, the survey of more than 1,000 adults found that fewer than one in five (17%) is contributing to an IRA, a drop from 22% in 2012.

Furthermore, fewer than half (47%) of those who are not contributing to these retirement accounts say they would consider doing so, down from 57% in 2013.

“It is possible that a lack of understanding is responsible for low IRA contribution levels,” TIAA-CREF explained in a press release.

More than one-third (35%) of those polled indicated that they did not understand what an IRA was or what the difference was between an IRA and an employer-sponsored plan. Among Generation Y (age 18-34), this figure jumps to 45%.

Hot Life Sciences Stocks To Own For 2015

“More and more people are unaware of the ultimate value an IRA can have in a building a stable and secure retirement,” added Chittenden. “Americans today bear much more responsibility for their retirement savings than previous generations did. There is a pressing need to educate Americans from all age groups and income levels on the long-term retirement benefits that IRAs provide through compounded investment growth and tax savings.”

Americans can contribute as much as $5,500 ($6,500 for those 50 and older) for the 2013 tax year through April 15, 2014; if an individual has not made his or her 2013 contribution yet, he or she may contribute for both 2013 and 2014, according to the financial-services group, which has some $564 billion in assets under management.

BMW revels in Olympic bobsled publicity coup

While Under Armour licks its wounds from Sochi, BMW of North America is taking bows for designing the bobsleds that led to three U.S. medals at the winter Olympics.

The real coup by BMW wasn't as much as having designed the bobsled, but rather getting NBC to endlessly hype the German automaker's participation -- as if it was BMW, and not the athletes, that were key to success. NBC repeatedly cut to segments during the competition in which athletes explained BMW's participation, showing a sled with a BMW logo.

At one point, a prime-time commentator referred to an American team's bobsled as the "ultimate sliding machine." BMW ran ads on NBC repeatedly during the primetime bobsled competition underscoring its participation.

BMW's bigger victory was in trying to coaxing Olympics viewers into seeing it, a foreign brand ,as American, as supporting an American cause. BMW is a German automaker, although it makes many of its vehicles in the U.S. -- South Carolina, to be specific.

"Being part of this historic U.S. bobsledding milestone has truly been an honor," said Michael Scully, creative director of BMW Group 's DesignworksUSA, which has a big facility in California. "To see both the U.S. men's and women's teams on the Olympic podium with three medals is both a career and personal highlight, and I'm extremely proud of the athletes' achievements."

Top 5 Tech Stocks To Buy Right Now

The medal take: two bronzes and a silver.

At the polar extreme of the Winter Olympics universe, athletic wear maker Under Armour saw its Olympic dreams shrivel after speed skaters initially blamed their speed suits for poor performance.

While it hopeed to get the same residual glow from the games, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank found himself having to defend the company and talk about rebuilding the company's image.

"It was a bit of a witch hunt that began to build," Plank told USA TODAY's Bruce Ho! rvitz. When U.S. speed skaters were failing to earn gold medals, their apparel became a scapegoat. "The suit became the witch."

Stocks mostly higher after Japan jump

Stocks tilted mostly higher on Tuesday as Japan's central bank announced new measures to support growth and Wall Street wondered if the stock market can build on its best weekly gain of the year and climb to a new record.

The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo leaped 3.1% to 14,843.24 after the Bank of Japan said it was doubling the size of its fund to support bank lending and its fund to support economic growth.

U.S. investors were also digesting the release of another disappointing economic report during a period of stormy winter weather. A gauge of manufacturing in the New York region, the so-called Empire State manufacturing index, came in lower than expected at 4.48 in February, down from 12.51 in January and below the estimate of 8.5.

COKE: U.S. soda sales down

In afternoon trading the Dow Jones industrial average was fractionally negative while the Standard & Poor's 500 index and the Nasdaq composite were up 0.2% and 0.7%, respectively.

The Dow could be weighed down by Coca-Cola on Tuesday. The beverage maker reported earnings in line with Wall Street expectations but reported revenues below estimates due to a 1% sales drop in North America caused by a drop in soda sales. In pre-market trading Coke shares were down 1.9% to $38.21.

U.S. markets were closed Monday for the Presidents' Day national holiday. On Friday, U.S. stocks closed higher as the market's recent rally helped cap off the biggest weekly gain of 2014.

Heading into today's trading session, the benchmark S&P 500, which had declined 5.76% through Feb. 3, was within a half of a percentage point of topping its Jan. 15 record high of 1848.38. If the large-company stock index can close at a new high, it would mark an official end to the "pullback" and, perhaps, quell talk of a pending correction, or a drop of 10% or more.

"The S&P 500 had another strong day on Friday, and looks poised to test the recent all-time highs around 1,850," said Schaeffer's Investment Research's senior trading analyst ! Bryan Sapp. The S&P 500 closed Friday at 1838.63, roughly 10 points below its record peak.

In deal news, Dublin-headquartered Actavis said Tuesday it will acquire rival New York-based drug maker Forest Laboratories in a deal valued at approximately $25 billion. News of the deal sent Forest's pre-market shares surging over 30%. Actavis's NYSE-listed pre-market shares leaped 15% before its gains were trimmed to 8%.

FRIDAY: Stocks close with best weekly gains of the year

Benchmark U.S. oil for March delivery was up 35 cents to $100.65 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract last settled on Friday.

Contributing: Associated Press

USA's winter weather damage cost at $5 billion so…

With close to $5 billion in damages -- so far -- the USA's damage total from the fierce winter of 2013-14 is about $2 billion above average, according to data from Aon Benfield, a global reinsurance firm based in London.

"This has been a rather costly and eventful year for winter weather events in the United States," said Aon Benfield meteorologist and senior scientist Steve Bowen. "The current tally of economic damages is beginning to approach $5 billion, with assessments from recent storms still ongoing," he said in an e-mail.

These totals cover just the physical damages sustained from the winter storm events, including homes, businesses, infrastructure, and agriculture, etc., he adds. It does not include travel and transportation losses or other business disruption, however, which are likely to run into the "billions of dollars."

Lost flights alone have already cost airlines, airports and passengers an estimated $5.8 billion, according to a report released earlier this week by masFlight, an analytical group that studies aviation operations.

Top Asian Stocks To Own Right Now

RELATED: Hard winter has shippers spinning their wheels

Also, while the $5 billion damage total is above the recent 10-year average and the highest since 2010-11, it does not rank as one of the costliest on record:

"In modern times, 1993 remains the standard given the enormity of the 'Storm of the Century' in March of that year, which caused $9 billion in damage alone," Bowen said.

In February alone, a series of winter storms brought heavy snowfall, sleet, freezing rain, ice, gusty winds, and bitterly cold Arctic air. Two of the biggest storms killed at least 34 people and caused an estimated $750 million in damages.

But despite the unusually high damage costs this winter, it pales in comparison to the costs of disasters such as 2012's Hurricane Sandy (with a cost of $65 billion) and that year'! s Midwest/Plains drought ($35 billion), according to Aon Benfield data.

Final national weather data about how cold and snowy the winter of 2013-14 actually was (meteorologists define winter as the months of December, January and February) will be released by the National Climatic Data Center next Thursday.

TWITTER: Follow USA TODAY Weather

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015

Wall Street investors were reacting calmly to the partial shutdown of the U.S government.

Ahead of the start to regular trading on Tuesday, the three major benchmark indexes all rose.

MERCK: Laying off thousands

JOBS REPORT: Delayed due to shutdown

Dow Jones industrial average index futures, Standard & Poor's 500 index futures and Nasdaq composite index futures were each up about 0.3%.

With the fourth-quarter kicking off today, Wall Street is still betting that the shutdown will be shortlived and the impact on financial markets and the economy will be minimal.

Rod Smyth, chief investment officer at Riverfront Investment Group, says his firm is not turning defensive, or raising cash, just yet.

"None of the government shutdowns since 1976 produced chaos in financial markets or prolonged speculation of default," he told clients in a research note.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS)

Sprott Physical Gold Trust (the Trust) is a closed-end mutual fund trust. The Trust was created to invest and hold substantially all of its assets in physical gold bullion. The Trust seeks to provide an exchange-traded investment alternative for investors interested in holding physical gold bullion. The Trust invests primarily in long-term holdings of unencumbered, fully allocated, physical gold bullion and does not speculate with regard to short-term changes in gold prices. Sprott Asset Management LP (the Manager) is the manager and RBC Dexia Investor Services Trust (RBC Dexia), a trust company, is the trustee of the Trust.

The Trust employs two custodians. The Royal Canadian Mint (Mint) acts as custodian for the Trust's physical gold bullion, pursuant to a precious metals storage agreement between the Manager, for and on behalf of the Trust, and the Mint, to which it refers as the precious metals storage agreement. RBC Dexia acts as custodian of the Trust's assets other than physical gold bullion pursuant to the trust agreement. As of December 31, 2010, the Trust held 90% of its total net assets in physical gold bullion in London Good Delivery bar form. The Trust does not invest in gold certificates or other financial instruments that represent gold or that may be exchanged for gold.

In making investments on behalf of the Trust, the Manager is subject to certain investment and operating restrictions, to which the Trust refers to as the Investment and Operating Restrictions. The Investment and Operating Restrictions provide that the Trust will invest in and hold a minimum of 90% of the total net assets of the Trust in physical gold bullion in London Good Delivery bar form and hold no more than 10% of the total net assets of the Trust, at the discretion of the Manager, in physical gold bullion (in London Good Delivery bar form or otherwise), gold coins, debt obligations of or guaranteed by the Government of Canada or a province of Canada or by the Government of the United St! ates or a state thereof.

The Trust will invest in short-term commercial paper obligations of a corporation or other person whose short-term commercial paper is rated R-1 (or its equivalent, or higher) by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited or its successors, or assigns or F1 (or its equivalent, or higher) by Fitch Ratings or its successors, or assigns or A-1 (or its equivalent, or higher) by Standard & Poor's or its successors, or assigns or P-1 (or its equivalent, or higher) by Moody's Investor Service or its successors, or assigns, interest-bearing accounts and short-term certificates of deposit issued or guaranteed by a Canadian chartered bank or trust company, money market mutual funds, short-term government debt or short-term investment grade corporate debt, or other short-term debt obligations approved by the Manager from time to time. The Trust will not purchase, sell or hold derivatives.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Boris Mikanikrezai]

  As India and China are the largest buyers of gold, physical demand (PHYS) out of Asia has been moderated in the recent weeks for different reasons.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Bankrate Inc (RATE)

Bankrate, Inc. (Bankrate), incorporated on April 13, 2011, is a publisher, aggregator and distributor of personal finance content on the Internet. The Company provides consumers with personal finances editorial content across multiple vertical categories, including mortgages, deposits, insurance, credit cards, and other categories, such as retirement, automobile loans, and taxes. The Company provides financial applications and information to a network of distribution partners and through national and state publications. The Company develops and provides Web services to over 75 co-branded partners, including personal finance sites on the Internet such as Yahoo!, CNN Money, CNBC and Comcast. The Company licenses editorial content to over 100 newspapers on a daily basis, including including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and The Boston Globe. The Company offers services, including Mortgages and Home Lending, Deposits, Insurance, Credit Cards and Other financial products, including those related to retirement, tax, auto, and debt management.

The Company online publishing, is the sale of advertising, sponsorships, leads and hyperlinks, and lead generation within its Online Network through Bankrate.com, Interest.com, Bankaholic.com, Mortgage-calc.com, CreditCardGuide.com, Nationwidecardservices.com, Creditcardsearchengine.com, Feedisclosure.com, Insureme.com, Bankrate.com.cn (China), CreditCards.com, Creditcards.ca, Netquote.com, CD.com, CarInsuranceQuotes.com and InsWeb.com. The print publishing and licensing business is primarily engaged in the sale of advertising in the Mortgage Guide and CD & Deposit Guide.

Mortgages and Home Lending

The Company offers information on rates for different types of mortgages, home lending and refinancing options. The Company�� rate information is specific to geographic location and contains nearly 600 local markets, covering all 50 United States. Consumers can customize searches for mor! tgage rates by loan size, maturity, and location through its online portals. The Company also provides original articles that cover topics, such as trends in housing markets and refinancing perspectives to help consumers with their decision making.

Deposits

The Company offers rate information on different deposit products, such as money market accounts, savings accounts and certificates of deposit. It also provides online analytic tools to help consumers calculate investment value using customized inputs.

Insurance

The Company facilitates a consumer�� ability to receive multiple competitive insurance quotes for auto, business, home, life, health and long-term care based on a single application. It also provides advice and detailed descriptions of insurance terms, aiding consumers in deciding amongst a range of policy options. Insurance quotes can be customized by age, marital status and location. In addition, the Company provides articles on topical subjects, such as recent healthcare reforms, as well as the basics to understanding an insurance policy.

Credit Cards

The Company offers a selection of consumer and business credit and prepaid cards for visitors. It provides detailed credit card information and comparison capabilities, and allows consumers to search for cards that cater to their specific needs. It displays cards by bank or issuer, credit quality, reward program, or card limit. The Company further hosts news and advice on credit card debt and bank policies, as well as tools to estimate credit score and credit card fees.

Other Personal Finance Products

The Company offers information on retirement, taxes, auto, and debt management. The content provided on such topics include 401(k), Social Security, tax deductions and exemptions, auto loans, debt consolidation, and credit risk.

The Company sells leads to insurance agents, insurance carriers and credit card issuers. Its credit c! ard compa! rison marketplace is one of the third party online application sources for all issuers. The Company charges its advertisers on a per-lead basis based on the total number of leads generated for insurance products, and on a per-action basis for credit cards (upon approval or completion of an application). Advertisers that are listed in the Company�� rate tables have the opportunity to hyperlink their listings. In addition, advertisers can buy hyperlinked placement within its qualified insurance listings. It sells its hyperlinks on a per-click pricing model. The Company provides a variety of digital display formats. Its common digital display advertisement sizes are leader boards and banners, which are prominently displayed at the top or bottom of a page, skyscrapers, islands and posters. The Company charges for these advertisements based on the number of times the advertisement is displayed or based on a fixed amount for a campaign.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Goldman Sachs thinks Bankrate must fall�
  Our marquee ratings change this morning is Bankrate (NYSE: RATE  ) , operator of the website of the same name, and many home shoppers' and credit card customers' go-to site for finding up-to-date rates on financial products. Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock to "sell" this morning, and they're not shy about telling you why.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Meridian Studios, Getty Images It's no great secret that across the nation, insurance premiums are on the rise. Over the past five years, the cost of insuring a home against fire and other casualty has crept up about 10 percent a year -- every year. Health insurance increases, while they've been muted of late, still rose 4 percent this year. But if you think those hikes are steep, get a load of this next one. Congratulations! You're a Father! (Now Open Your Wallet) Kids are expensive. If you're a parent, you know this already. If you're a parent of a kid who hasn't turned 16 just yet, you're on track to get another lesson in how expensive they can be. Because once your offspring passes the driver's test and receive a license to drive from the state, he's going to need to be insured -- and that will cost you an extra $2,000 a year, on average. (By the way, if your kid is getting driver's license, your wallet won't take quite as big a hit, girls being 25 percent less expensive to insure than boys on average. But it'll still be some serious coin.) According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driving is a risky activity for teens. The are more prone to get into accidents -- about four times as likely as older, more experienced drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And traffic accidents are the leading causes of death for Americans ages 16 to 19. Between lives lost and property destroyed, this all makes insurance companies very wary of insuring teen drivers. And when they do agree to insure a teen, they make you pay through the nose. According to a recent report posted on Bankrate.com's (RATE) InsuranceQuotes.com, across both genders, all age categories, and all 50 states, parents pay an average 84 percent more for their car insurance after adding a teen to their policy. Stay Between the (State) Lines Think that's bad? It might get worse. Unless you're fortunate enough to live in a state like North Carolina or Hawaii,

• [By Rich Smith]

  Alamy 2013 is turning out to be a banner year for bank customers -- in a bad way. According to a recent survey by personal finance website Bankrate.com (RATE), this year has already seen record highs set for the amounts that banks charge their customers for ATM fees, overdraft fees, and monthly maintenance fees -- just for keeping a bank account open. According to Bankrate's

• [By Rich Smith]

  This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines include upgrades for both AMC Networks (NASDAQ: AMCX  ) and Bankrate (NYSE: RATE  ) , but a downgrade for LabCorp Holdings (NYSE: LH  ) . Let's dive right in.

Hot Biotech Stocks For 2015: Stage Stores Inc.(SSI)

Stage Stores, Inc. operates as a specialty department store retailer that offers branded and private label apparel, accessories, cosmetics, and footwear for women, men, and children in the United States. The company also offers sportswear, dresses, intimates, home and gift products, outerwear, swimwear, and other products. It primarily focuses on consumers in small and mid-sized markets. The company operates stores under the names of Bealls, Goody?s, Palais Royal, Peebles, and Stage. Stage Stores, Inc. also sells its products through its Web site. As of March 06, 2012, it operated 819 stores in 40 states. Stage Stores, Inc. is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  On Friday, Stage Stores (NYSE: SSI  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed knee-jerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Republic Bancorp Inc.(RBCAA)

Republic Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Republic Bank & Trust Company and Republic Bank, which provides banking, tax refund solutions, and mortgage banking services to individuals and businesses in the United States. The company offers a range of deposit products, including demand deposits, money market accounts, brokered and Internet money market accounts, savings deposits, individual retirement accounts, time deposits, and certificates of deposit. It also provides single family residential real estate loans; commercial loans; residential construction real estate loans; and consumer loans, which consists of home improvement and home equity loans, as well as secured and unsecured personal loans. In addition, the company offers private banking services; treasury management services, such as lockbox processing, remote deposit capture, business online banking, account reconciliation, and automated clearing house processing services; Internet banking service s and products through its Website, republicbank.com; and trust, title insurance, and other financial institution related products and services. Further, it provides tax refund solutions that include the payment of federal and state tax refunds through third party tax preparers. The company facilitates the payment of these tax refunds through refund anticipation loans, electronic refund checks, and electronic refund deposits. Its mortgage banking activities comprise origination and sale of loans in the secondary market, and the servicing of loans for others. As of December 31, 2009, the company had 44 banking centers, including 35 located in Kentucky; 5 located in metropolitan Tampa, Florida; 3 located in southern Indiana; and 1 located in metropolitan Cincinnati, Ohio. Republic Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  In the fourth quarter, he bought 32 new stocks. The largest new buys are: Air Lease (AL), Colfax (CFX) and Republic Bancorp Inc. (RBCAA).

  Air Lease (AL)

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA (GOL)

Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (GoL) is a low-cost, low-fare airline in the world providing service on routes connecting all of Brazil�� cities and from Brazil to cities in South America and select touristic destinations in the Caribbean. As of March 31, 2010, GoL offered approximately 800 daily flights per day to 61 destinations connecting cities in Brazil, as well as destinations in Argentina, Bolivia, Curacao, Aruba, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. GoL is a holding company, which owns directly or indirectly shares of five subsidiaries: VRG Linhas Aereas S.A. (VRG) and four offshore finance subsidiaries, Gol Finance Cayman and GAC Inc., which owns Sky Finance and Sky Finance II. VRG is the Company�� operating subsidiary, under which it conducts its business. Gol Finance, GAC Inc., Sky Finance and Sky Finance II are off-shore companies established for the purpose of facilitating cross-border general and aircraft financing transactions.

GoL�� passenger transportation services include ticketless travel; online sales, check-in, seat assignment and flight change and cancellation services; online flight status service; Web-enabled cell phone ticket sales and check-in; self check-in at kiosks at designated airports; designated female lavatories; friendly and efficient in-flight service; modern aircraft interiors; quick turnaround times at airport gates; free or discounted shuttle services between airports and drop-off zones on certain routes; buy on board services on certain flights; mobile check-in and boarding pass (100% paperless boarding), and iPhone application for check-in, electronic boarding pass and Smiles account management. On December 31, 2009, the Company had an operational fleet of 108 operational aircraft and a total fleet of 127. As of March 31, 2010, one of its Boeing 767 aircrafts was subleased to a charter company in the United States, one is under final formalization process for a wet lease to a Brazilian company for flights connecting Brazil to! Angola and three are under final stages of negotiation to be chartered to operate intercontinental flights. At December 31, 2009, GoL had a total of 127 aircraft, 94 of which were under operating leases and 33 were under finance leases.

The Company competes with TAM Linhas Aereas S.A.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Gol Linhas A茅reas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE: GOL) is a Brazilian airline carrier, as well as a mail and cargo carrier. At $4.65, the 52-week trading range is $2.74 to $7.67.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One airline player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes (GOL), through its subsidiaries, engages in the air transportation of passengers, cargo, and mailbags in Latin America. This stock has been hammered by the bears so far in 2013, with shares off by 42%.

  If you look at the chart for Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last two months, with shares moving higher from its low of $2.74 to its recent high of $3.83 a share. During that uptrend, shares of GOL have been mostly making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. Shares of GOL just recently formed a double bottom above its 50-day moving average at $3.57 to $3.55 a share. Shares of GOL are now starting to spike higher above those support levels and move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in GOL if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.83 to $4.14 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2.19 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then GOL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance level at its 200-day moving average of $5.30 a share to $6 a share.

  Traders can look to buy GOL off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day moving average of $3.46 a share. One can also buy GOL off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Kleangas Energy Technologies Inc (KGET)

Kleangas Energy Technologies, Inc., incorporated on January 7, 2008, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in designing, manufacturing and selling oxy-hydrogen systems. These systems function by creating oxygen and hydrogen from distilled water through electrolysis and injecting these gases into the mixture of fuel and air used in gasoline and diesel internal combustion engines. In August 2013, the Company acquired a Patent Pending Oxy-Hydrogen Generator Technology for all types of gas and diesel internal combustion engines. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of Green Day Technologies, Inc.

The Company designs, develops and markets a range of technologies, including oxy-hydrogen on-demand generators, reverse fuel cells, hydrogen powered devices, welding and cutting systems and other products to deliver a clean gas. The Company�� technology can separate these two basic life giving elements or recombine them into a clean source of gas that can be implemented in a wide variety of applications

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap green stocks Vision Industries Corp (OTCMKTS: VIIC), Bravo Enterprises Ltd (OTCMKTS: OGNG) and Kleangas Energy Technologies Inc (OTCMKTS: KGET) have reported recent news and/or they are being promoted. Of course, it goes without saying that small cap green stocks tend to be more volatile that other types of investments. So will investors and traders alike see some greenbacks from these green stocks? Here is a quick reality check:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap green stocks Essential Innovations Technology Corp (OTCBB: ESIV), Building Turbines Inc (OTCMKTS: BLDW) and Kleangas Energy Technologies Inc (OTCMKTS: KGET) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters ��either because they were sinking, because of paid promotions or a combination of both. However, there aren�� many green stocks out there that have actually produced some green for investors in the form of profits. With that in mind, here is a quick reality check about all three green small cap stocks to help you decide whether any have the potential for long-term success:

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Monro Muffler Brake Inc.(MNRO)

Monro Muffler Brake, Inc. provides automotive undercar repair and tire services. The company offers a range of services on passenger cars, light trucks, and vans for brakes; mufflers and exhaust systems; and steering, drive train, suspension, and wheel alignment. It also provides other products and services, including tires and routine maintenance services, including state inspections. The company?s maintenance services include oil change, heating and cooling system flush and fill service, belt installation, fuel system service, and a transmission flush and fill service. In addition, it replaces and services batteries, starters, and alternators, as well as offers air conditioning services. As of June 25, 2011, the company had 802 company-operated stores and 3 franchised locations. It operates stores primarily under the Monro Muffler Brake & Service, Tread Quarters Discount Tire, Mr. Tire, Autotire Car Care Center, and Tire Warehouse names in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maine, Illinois, and Missouri. Monro Muffler Brake, Inc. was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Rochester, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Monro Muffler Brake (Nasdaq: MNRO  ) reported earnings on May 21. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 30 (Q4), Monro Muffler Brake beat expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

• [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 Monro Muffler Brake (Nasdaq: MNRO  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Sapient Corporation(SAPE)

Sapient Corporation helps clients to leverage marketing and technology to transform their businesses in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: SapientNitro, Sapient Global Markets, and Sapient Government Services. The SapientNitro segment offers Web and interactive development, traditional advertising, media planning and buying, strategic planning and marketing analytics, and multi-channel commerce strategy and solutions, including a focus on mobile, and content and asset management strategies and solutions. This segment also provides integrated marketing and creative services, such as visual concept, design, and implementation through multiple media; brand building and direct response programs, audience segmentation, and profiling strategies; customer loyalty strategies; customer relationship strategy and implementation; customer lead generation and management; and integrated advertising campaigns. The Sapient Global Markets segment offers i ntegrated advisory, program management, analytics, technology, and operations services to capital and commodity markets. This segment also provides business and information technology strategy, process and system design, program management, custom development and package implementation, systems integration, and outsourced services to financial services and energy services markets. The Sapient Government Services segment offers digital marketing strategy and execution, program management, solution delivery, strategy, and communications and outreach services, as well as provides consulting, technology, and marketing services to the United States governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations. The company serves financial services, technology and communications, consumer, travel, automotive, energy services, government, health, and education sectors. Sapient Corporation was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

• [By CRWE]

  Sapient (NASDAQ:SAPE) reportedthat Alan J. Herrick, president and chief executive officer, and Joseph S. Tibbetts, Jr., senior vice president and chief financial officer, will present at the Sanford C. Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference at The Waldorf Astoria in New York on Thursday, May 31, 2012 from 4:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. ET.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Telephone and Data Systems Inc.(TDS)

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., a diversified telecommunications service company, provides wireless and wireline telecommunications services in the United States. The company?s wireless services comprise postpaid and prepaid service plans, which consist of voice minutes, messaging, and data services; national consumer plans; business rate plans; smartphone messaging, data, and Internet services to access the Web, e-mail, social network sites, text, picture and video messages, and turn-by-turn GPS navigation, as well as to browse and download various applications; and data services, including news, weather, sports information, games, ring tones, and other services. It provides wireless devices, such as handsets, modems, and tablets; and a range of accessories comprising carrying cases, hands-free devices, batteries, battery chargers, and memory cards, as well as wireless device repair services. The company also offers voice services, including local and long-distance tel ephone service, voice over Internet protocol, voice mail, caller ID, and call forwarding services; broadband services comprising digital subscriber lines and other high-speed Internet data services; network access services; hosted and managed services consisting of co-location, hosting, hosted application management, and cloud computing services; and satellite and terrestrial video services to commercial and residential customers and carriers. In addition, it provides printing and distribution services. As of December 31, 2011, the company served approximately 5.9 million wireless customers and 1.1 million wireline equivalent access lines. It sells its products through retail sales and service centers, direct sales, and independent agents, as well as through Website and telesales. Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE: TDS  ) is phoning home another shareholder payout. The company has declared a dividend for its Q2, which will be $0.1275 per share of its common stock, paid on June 28 to shareholders of record as of June 14. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution that was disbursed at the end of March. Prior to that, the firm paid $0.1225 per share.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Scholastic Corporation(SCHL)

Scholastic Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a children?s publishing, education, and media company primarily in the United States. The company?s Children?s Book Publishing and Distribution segment publishes and distributes children?s books through school-based book clubs and book fairs, ecommerce, and the trade channel in the United States. Its Educational Publishing segment publishes and distributes educational technology products and services, curriculum materials, children?s books and collections, classroom magazines, and print and online reference and non-fiction products for grades pre-K to 12 to schools and libraries in the United States. The company?s Media, Licensing, and Advertising segment creates and produces programming and digital content for various platforms, including television, DVDs, audio, movies, interactive games, applications, and Websites. This segment produces and sells a television library consisting of approximately 50 0 half-hour productions; produces television programming, including the animated series; creates audiovisual adaptations of classic children?s picture books; produces young adult and children?s audio recordings; and creates original and licensed consumer software, including handheld and console products with accessories and mobile applications for grades pre-K to 8. This segment also develops sponsored educational materials and supplementary classroom programs in partnership with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and business organizations; and operates a direct-to-home catalog business specializing in children?s toys. Its International segment publishes and distributes products and services in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, India, China, Singapore, and other parts of Asia, as well as includes its export and foreign rights businesses. Scholastic Corporation was founded in 1920 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Diane Alter]

  Dividend Stocks That Increased Payout in September

  Accenture plc (NYSE: ACN) announced a 14.8%, or $0.12 per share, increase to its semiannual dividend. The management consulting firm will now pay a semiannual dividend of $0.93. Shares yield 2.53%. Agruim Inc. (NYSE: AGU) boosted its dividend by $1.00 per share to a total dividend of $3.00 on an annualized basis. Shares of the global retailer of agricultural products now sprout a 3.54% yield. Air Industries Group Inc. (NYSE: AIRI) doubled its dividend to $0.125 per share. The maker of airplane and helicopter parts now floats a lofty yield of 6.6%. Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (NYSE: ARE) upped its dividend 4.6% to $0.68 per quarter for a yield of 4.21%. Banner Corp. (Nasdaq: BANR) boosted its quarterly dividend 25% to $0.15 per share. The parent company of Banner and Islander Bank serves the Pacific Northwest region. Brady Corp. (NYSE: BRC) lifted its quarterly dividend 2.6% to $0.78 per share. It was the 28th straight dividend increase from the identification solutions company. Shares yield 2.57%. Campbell Soup Co. (NSE: CPB) raised its quarterly dividend to $0.31 per share, up from $0.29. The company last raised its dividend in November 2010. Shares yield a hearty 3.06%. CLARCOR Inc. (NYSE: CLC) raised its quarterly dividend 26% to $0.17 per share. It's the largest percentage increase from the Tennessee-based diversified marketer of mobile filtration and packaging products in the last 20 years, and it continues the company's consecutive streak of increasing dividends for the last 30 years. Franklin Resources Inc. (NYSE: BEN) boosted its quarterly dividend 2.6% to $0.10 per share. Frisch's Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: FRS) increased its quarterly dividend 12.5% to $0.18. Shares yield 3.10% The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: GT), in a move that suggests good times are ahead, reinstated its dividend at $0.05 per share. Good
• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another potential earnings short-squeeze trade idea is children'�s publishing, education, and media company Scholastic (SCHL), which is set to release its numbers on Thursday before the market open. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Scholastic to report revenue $299.70 million on a loss of 68 cents per share.

  The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Scholastic is very high at 13.3%. That means that out of the 27.7 million shares in the tradable float, 3.41 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 12.9%, or by about 388,000 shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a strong quarter, then shares of SCHL could rip sharply higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their short bets.

  From a technical perspective, SCHL is currently trending above its 200-day moving average and just below its 50-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been trending sideways for the last two months, with shares moving between $28.68 on the downside and $31.44 on the upside. Any high-volume move above the upper-end of its recent range could trigger a near-term breakout trade for shares of SCHL post-earnings.

  If you're in the bull camp on SCHL, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this manages to break out above its 50-day moving average at $30.43 a share and then once it takes out more resistance at $31.44 a share high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 170,081 shares. If that breakout hits, then SCHL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $33 to its 52-week high at $34.55 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give SCHL a chance to tag $40 a share.

  I would simply avoid SCHL or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fail

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL  ) were sliding again today, falling as much as 10% after the company posted another disappointing earnings report.

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Scholastic Corporation (SCHL) operates as a children�� publishing, education, and media company in the United States and internationally. Sept. 18, the company increased its dividend 20% to $0.15 per share. The dividend is payable Dec. 16, 2013 to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on Oct. 31, 2013. The yield based on the new payout is 2.0%.