Best Financial Companies For 2014

The technology sector is cheap, trading at only about, roughly 13 times forward estimates. This is a significant discount to the sector's 15-year forward and 20-year trailing averages of 23 and 26, respectively, observes Stephen Leeb in The Cash Cow.

Meanwhile, the fundamental picture for the technology sector looks very promising. The improving economic picture is likely to accelerate capital spending in this sector, something that has been sorely needed since the crisis.

Corporate investment in technology, as a percentage of GDP, has fallen to a nearly 15-year low, and the average age of tech equipment at companies is particularly high. As the economy improves and corporate leaders conclusively exhale, this will undoubtedly change.

Meanwhile, the industry is lean, margins are strong, pricing pressure has largely abated, and tech companies are financially sound, precisely when a new capital spending upcycle is about to begin.

The fourth quarter has historically been good for tech stocks and equities in general. The S&P 500 (SPX) has averaged a 4.26% gain since 1980, with all ten sectors also averaging positive returns over that same time span.

Top 5 Consumer Companies To Watch For 2015: American Homes 4 Rent (AMH)

American Homes 4 Rent, incorporated on October 19, 2012, is an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company is focused on acquiring, renovating, leasing and operating single-family homes as rental properties.

As of September 30, 2013, the Company owned 21,267 properties in desirable markets in 22 states including Cincinnati, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio ; Raleigh, North Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, Houston, Texas , Chicago, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Nashville, Tennessee ; Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas , and Columbia, South Carolina. In addition to single-family properties, the Company also focuses to invest in condominium units, townhouses and real estate-related debt investments.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mark Holder]

  After an initial bump in Silver Bay, the stock has had a horrible 2013, now trading close to all-time lows. Recently, a couple of other IPOs in the sector have come to market with weak receptions. Both American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH  ) and American Residential Properties (NYSE: ARPI  ) offer different twists to the general thesis of investing in single-family rental properties to take advantage of the weakness in housing prices and the increased demand for rentals.

• [By Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson]

  In this segment of The Motley Fool's financials-focused show, Where the Money Is, analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson discuss some of their favorite tweets of the day. Among the companies covered are Silver Bay (NYSE: SBY  ) , American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH  ) , and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT  ) .

• [By Will Ashworth]

  PSA fills a need that�� not likely to disappear. In the latest fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2013, PSA generated core funds from operations of $7.44 — 11.4% higher than in 2012. Same-store rental income increased 5.4% year-over-year due to higher rents and higher occupancies. It�� a winning combination that over time has proved successful. Although it�� only yielding 3.3% at the moment, it�� a very stable stock, having seen a negative return just once in the past decade. I like its odds.

  Pure-Play REITs: American Homes 4 Rent (AMH)

  This is the brand child of Public Storage founder Wayne Hughes, who started the company in 2011 to take advantage of falling prices in the single-family home market. Private equity firms such as�Blackstone Group (BX), Hughes and others have been actively buying up houses on the cheap with plans to rent them out until prices rise to the point where they��e no longer worth holding on to. As a result of this intense competition, prices have risen faster than anticipated — slowing the number of home purchases made by institutional investors.

• [By Mark Holder]

  Instead of competing in one-off auctions, the traditional method of acquiring homes and the one preferred by Silver Bay Realty Trust� (NYSE: SBY  ) (NYSE: SBY  ) (NYSE: SBY  ) and American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH  ) (NYSE: AMH  ) (NYSE: AMH  ) , the company is obtaining non-performing loans in pools that include thousands of loans. The ultimate outcome of these different models is unknown, but the market has�so far supported Altisource Residential.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index Fund (FDN)

First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield of an equity index called the Dow Jones Internet Composite Index (the Index). The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Index. The Index represents companies that generate the majority of their revenues via the Internet. The Index aims to represent 80% of the float-adjusted Internet equity universe. The Index contains two sub-indexes, the Dow Jones Internet Commerce Index and the Dow Jones Internet Services Index. For its stock to be eligible for the universe, a company must generate at least 50% of annual sales/revenues from the Internet, and be included in the Dow Jones U.S. Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is First Trust Advisors L.P. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  That's where the First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index (NYSE Arca: FDN) comes in.

  Besides Facebook, which is its largest holding, FDN also owns Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) and both classes of Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOGL), which has voting rights, and GOOG, which does not.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: Ishares Ftse Kld 400 Social Index Fund (DSI)

iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social Index Fund (the Fund), formerly iShares FTSE KLD 400 Social Index Fund, seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the MSCI KLD 400 Social Index (the Index). The Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index designed to measure the equity performance of the United States companies. The Index consists of approximately 400 companies identified by MSCI from the universe of companies included in the MSCI USA IMI Index, which consists of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ Stock Market LLC listed United States equities. The Fund�� investment advisor is BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Editor , ETFChannel.com]

  According to the ETF Finder at ETF Channel, Weyerhaeuser Co. is a member of the iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social Index Fund ETF (DSI), making up 0.25% of the underlying holdings of the fund, which owns $861,262 worth of WY shares.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  Efficiency measures at Schlumberger have included faster maintenance, better transportation set ups, and increases in asset turns. The company reduced Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)—a measure of how long it takes to get paid after a sale—to 91 in the quarter, from 96 in the first quarter of 2013. Days Sales of Inventory (DSI)—a measure of how much inventory a company carries to support its sales activities—fell to 55 days from 57 days. That helped produce operating cash flow of $10 billion for Schlumberger in 2013, a record for the company.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: Horizon Technology Finance Corporation (HRZN)

Horizon Technology Finance Corporation, a specialty finance company, lends to and invests in development-stage companies in the United States. It provides secured loans to companies backed by established venture capital and private equity firms in the technology, life science, healthcare information and services, and cleantech industries. Horizon Technology Finance Corporation was founded in 2008 and is based in Farmington, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By BDC Buzz]

  I believe investors should look past the current low dividend yields and relatively higher multiples of NAV per share for BDCs such as FDUS, MAIN, and TCAP, but should consider the total return for these companies. The table below compares FDUS and MAIN to both ACAS which does not pay dividends and Horizon Technology Finance (HRZN) that pays a higher than average dividend but after taking into account dividend growth, special dividends, and NAV per share growth (using last twelve months actual for projection purposes) it is clear that the expected investor return is based on more than the current dividend yield.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: Cutwater Select Income Fund (CSI)

Rivus Bond Fund (the Fund), formerly known as 1838 Bond-Debenture Trading Fund, is a diversified closed-end management investment company. The primary objective of the Fund is to maintain high level of income. Its portfolio includes long-term debt securities, including mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities. Effective July 7, 2006, the 1838 Bond-Debenture Trading Fund merged with and into the Rivus Bond Fund.

The Fund invests in various sectors, including automotive, chemicals, diversified financial services, energy, insurance, media, mining, real estate investment trusts, telecommunications, utilities and transportation. MBIA Capital Management Corp. serves as the investment advisor of the Fund.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sold At The Top]

  Today's release of the S&P/Case-Shiller (CSI) home price indices for August reported that the non-seasonally adjusted Composite-10 price index rose a notable 1.33% since July while the Composite-20 index also increased 1.32% over the same period.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp (FSFR)

Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp., incorporated on May 22, 2013, is a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company. The Company investment objective is to maximize the Company�� portfolio�� total return by generating income from its debt investments while seeking to preserve its capital. The Company intends to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in senior secured loans, including first lien, unitranche and second lien debt instruments, that pay interest at rates, which are determined periodically on the basis of a floating base lending rate, made to private middle market companies whose debt is rated below investment grade, which the Company refer to collectively as senior loans. The Company�� investment adviser is Fifth Street Management.

The Company may also invest in senior unsecured loans issued by private middle market companies and, to a lesser extent, subordinated loans issued by private middle market companies and senior and subordinated loans issued by public companies. Under normal market conditions, at least 80% of the value of its net assets plus borrowings for investment purposes will be invested in floating rate senior loans. Senior loans pay interest at rates, which are determined periodically on the basis of the London-Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus a premium. Senior loans in which the Company expects to invest are made to United States and, to a limited extent, non- United States corporations, partnerships and other business entities which operate in various industries and geographical regions.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Management investment company Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp. (FSFR) raised its quarterly dividend 15% to 23 cents per share, payable April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 31.
  FSFR Stock�Dividend Yield: 6.88%

Best Financial Companies For 2014: United States Gasoline Fund LP (UGA)

United States Gasoline Fund, LP (UGA) is a commodity pool that issues limited partnership interests (units). The investment objective of UGA is for the changes in percentage terms of its units��net asset value (NAV) to reflect the changes in percentage terms of the spot price of gasoline (also known as reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygen blending (RBOB)) for delivery to the New York harbor, as measured by the changes in the price of the futures contract for gasoline traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (the NYMEX) that is the near month contract to expire, except when the near month contract is within two weeks of expiration, in which case the futures contract will be the next month contract to expire, less UGA�� expenses. UGA seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a mix of Futures Contracts and Other Gasoline-Related Investments. United States Commodity Funds LLC (USCF) is the general partner of UGA and is responsible for the management of UGA.

The net assets of UGA consist primarily of investments in futures contracts for gasoline, but may also consist of investment contracts for other types of gasoline, crude oil, heating oil, natural gas and other petroleum-based fuels that are traded on the NYMEX, ICE Futures or other United States and foreign exchanges (collectively, Futures Contracts). UGA may also invest in other gasoline-related investments, such as cash-settled options on Futures Contracts, forward contracts for gasoline, cleared swap contracts and over-the-counter transactions that are based on the price of gasoline, crude oil and other petroleum-based fuels, Futures Contracts and indices based on the foregoing (collectively, Other Gasoline-Related Investments).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  The United States Gasoline ETF (NYSEMKT: UGA) is up about 0.4%, at $60.40, in a 52-week range of $53.35 to $65.86.

  The United States Brent Oil ETF (NYSEMKT: BNO) is down 0.3%, at $84.68 in a 52-week range of $73.76 to $88.71.