Facebook, Biogen, Cal-Maine are stocks to watch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Biotech stocks and Internet names like Facebook Inc. could see active trade in Monday's session after the past week's drubbing. Cal-Maine Foods Inc. and UTi Worldwide Inc. also will get attention as they report quarterly earnings.

Facebook (FB)  tumbled 10.8% in the past week, as Wall Street analysts sounded exasperated with the social-media giant's $2 billion buy of Oculus VR, a maker of virtual reality goggles.

Tech stocks in general were under pressure during the week, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (COMP) falling 2.8% for its worst percentage drop since October 2012. Other big losers among Internet companies were TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) , down 11.3% for the week, and Netflix Inc. (NFLX) , which slid 11.6% for the week.

Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB)  and Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD)  were among the biotech stocks that slumped during the past week, falling 7.7% and 4.9%. Investors yanked money out of biotech and health-care funds at the heaviest pace of weekly outflows since December 2011.

Shutterstock Enlarge Image Biotech investors hope the sector will start to bounce back Monday from the past week's drubbing. Photo credit: Shutterstock

On the earnings front, Cal-Maine (CALM)  is slated to report quarterly earnings at 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday. The egg producer is expected to report earnings per share of $1.59 on revenue of $386 million, according to a FactSet survey of one analyst. Shares of Cal-Maine are down 4.5% this year, trimming their 12-month gain to 35%.

UTi Worldwide (UTIW) is expected to post its quarterly results at 8 a.m. Eastern on Monday. Wall Street sees the provider of supply-chain services losing 12 cents per share on revenue of $1.09 billion, according to a FactSet poll of 11 analysts. Shares in UTi are down 36% this year and off 22% over the past 12 months.

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6 Smart Moves to Boost Your Credit Score

Cassandra Hubbart, DailyFinance If you think your credit score doesn't matter too much to you because you're not planning on getting a mortgage or applying for a credit card anytime soon, think again. Credit scores affect more aspects of our lives than you may realize (just ask these singles). That's why it's important to keep your score as high as possible. Paying your bills on time and staying well below your credit limits are the best ways to build and maintain good credit. Together they account for more than half of your overall credit score. A healthy payment history is the biggest contributor to your credit score, accounting for 35 percent of the total. Miss even a single deadline, and you could see your credit score drop as much as 100 points or more. To avoid those dreaded "overdue" notices and the credit blemishes they bring, set up automatic payments for any regular bills so that your lenders get the check on time, every single time. Another 30 percent of your credit score is based on the amount of debt you carry, as measured against the amount of available credit you have -- otherwise known as your credit utilization ratio. It's a good idea to keep your outstanding balances to less than 25 percent of the money available to you to spend. If you are not able to pay down your balances ASAP, you can go at the problem from a different angle by calling your lenders and asking them to raise your credit limit. But beyond these basic rules of smart credit management, there are some lesser-known strategies that can help you boost your score. Check your credit reports and correct errors. Of course, you want to make sure that everything is being accurately reported, from your current address to your closed accounts. (For more guidance on how to dispute an error on your credit report, look to this guide from the Federal Trade Commission.)

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch Right Now

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch Right Now: FMC Corporation (FMC)

FMC Corporation, a chemical company, provides solutions, applications, and products for agricultural, consumer, and industrial markets. The company operates in three segments: Agricultural Products, Specialty Chemicals, and Industrial Chemicals. The Agricultural Products segment develops, markets, and sells a portfolio of crop protection, pest control, and lawn and garden products. It produces insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides to protect crops, including cotton, sugarcane, rice, corn, soybeans, cereals, fruits, and vegetables from insects and weed growth; and for non-agricultural applications, including pest control for home, garden, and other specialty markets, as well as for turf and roadside applications. The Specialty Chemicals segment focuses on food ingredients, pharmaceutical excipients, biomedical technologies, and lithium products. It produces microcrystalline cellulose that is used as drug dry tablet binder and disintegrant, and food ingredient; carrageena n, which is used as food ingredient for thickening and stabilizing; encapsulant for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications; alginates that are used as food ingredients, and for pharmaceutical excipient, wound care, orthopedic uses, and industrial uses; and lithium that is used in pharmaceuticals, polymers, batteries, greases and lubricants, air conditioning, and other industrial applications. The Industrial Chemicals segment produces inorganic materials, such as soda ash for glass, chemicals, and detergents; specialty peroxygens for pulp and paper, chemical processing, detergents, antimicrobial disinfectants, environmental applications, electronics, and polymers; and zeolites and silicates for detergents, car tires, pulp, and paper. It has operations in North America, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The company was founded i! n 1884 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  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

• [By Marc Courtenay]

  Some other names to consider as takeover targets would include FMC Technologies, Inc. (FTI), which provides technology solutions for the energy industry worldwide and hit a 52-week high on April 11th. Another less conspicuous target is the diversified chemical company FMC Corp. (FMC), which has a market cap of only $8 billion plus a forward PE of less than 13.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/5-best-canadian-stocks-to-watch-right-now.html

Top 10 Canadian Companies To Own For 2014

Top 10 Canadian Companies To Own For 2014: Cent uryLink Inc.(CTL)

CenturyLink, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated communications company. The company provides a range of communications services, including voice, Internet, data, and video services in the continental United States. Its services include local exchange and long distance voice telephone services, as well as enhanced voice services, such as call forwarding, caller identification, conference calling, voicemail, selective call ringing, and call waiting; wholesale local network access services; and data services, including high-speed Internet access services, data transmission services over special circuits and private lines, and switched digital television services, as well as special access and private line services. The company also offers fiber transport, competitive local exchange carrier, security monitoring, and other communications, as well as professional and business information services. In addition, it provides other related services, such as leasing, selling, installing, and maintaining customer premise telecommunications equipment and wiring; payphone services; and network database services, as well as participates in the publication of local telephone directories. Further, the company offers printing, direct mail services, and cable television services; and wireless broadband Internet access services and satellite television services. As of December 31, 2010, it operated approximately 6.5 million telephone access lines. CenturyLink, Inc was founded in 1968 and is based in Monroe, Louisiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  In the face of such enthusiastic selling by those running the company, it is tough to make a case for buying or holding CY stock.

  CenturyLink (CTL)

  At first glance, shares of CenturyLink (CTL) look almost attractive. The stock is trading! at just 12 times earnings right now and sports a monster dividend yield of 6.9%.

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

  Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. Avg. High Yield Price 2. 20-Year DCF Price 3. Avg. P/E Price 4. Graham Number T is trading at a discount to only 3.) above. Since T's tangible book value is not meaningful, a Graham number can not be calculated. The stock is trading at a 11.6% premium to its calculated fair value of $28.64. T did not earn any Stars in this section. Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. Free Cash Flow Payout 2. Debt To Total Capital 3. Key Metrics 4. Dividend Growth Rate 5. Years of Div. Growth 6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15% T earned one Star in this section for 3.) above and earned a Star for having an acceptable score in at least two of the four Key Metrics measured. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1984 and has increased its dividend payments for 31 consecutive years. Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. NPV MMA Diff. 2. Years to > MMA T earned a Star in this section for its NPV MMA Diff. of the $1,161. This amount is in excess of the $500 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as T has. The stock's current yield of 5.76% exceeds the 3.68% estimated 20-year average MMA rate. Memberships and Peers: T is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achi! evers™ ! Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: CenturyLink, I

• [By Dan Burrows]

  HCP stock is having a fine year for a big dividend payer, putting up a gain of 3% so far in 2014. That’s not bad for a stock that offered up disappointing full-year guidance, despite beating the Street on fourth-quarter earnings — helped by higher revenue, not cost cuts.

  #3: CenturyLink (CTL)

  CTL Dividend Yield: 7.02%

• [By Lisa Levin]

  CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) shares touched a new 52-week low of $29.37. CenturyLink shares have dropped 26.43% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 23.42% in the same period.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-canadian-companies-to-own-for-2014.html

Best Railroad Companies To Invest In Right Now

I've been following the remarkable rise of the railroads as the preferred shipment option for our increased crude oil production. Last year, crude oil and petroleum products delivered by rail rose by over 30%. This was driven primarily by the rise in production coming out of North Dakota's Bakken region.

Bakken producers like Continental Resources (NYSE: CLR  ) seem to have a sweet spot for this age-old mode of transportation. The company and its peers had been producing more oil than the current pipeline infrastructure could handle. That created a huge differential between the price of Bakken crude and that of U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate. However, thanks to the rails, that differential has come down significantly.

In one of the best quotes from earlier this year, Continental President and COO Rick Bott told investors: "We've recently seen a significant improvement in Bakken oil price differentials, reflecting higher volumes being shipped by rail to the coasts and the anticipation of increased pipeline capacity ... We now have excess transportation capacity in both pipe and rail, and, with additional infrastructure projects in the planning and construction stages, capacity should remain ahead of Bakken production growth."

Best Railroad Companies To Invest In Right Now: Ethan Allen Interiors Inc (ETH)

Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (Ethan Allen), incorporated in May 25, 1989, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Ethan Allen Global, Inc. and Ethan Allen Global, Inc.�� subsidiaries, is a manufacturer and retailer of home furnishings and accessories, offering a complement of home decorating and design solutions through home furnishing retail networks. The Company operates in two segments: wholesale and retail. As of June 30, 2013, the Company operated 147 design centers and its independent retailers operated 148 design centers. Its wholesale segment net sales include sales to its retail segment and sales to its independent retailers. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 (fiscal 2013), independent retailers opened 11 new design centers, acquired two from the Company, closed 12, and sold two to the Company.

The Company�� customer service offerings include gift card, on-line room planning and Ethan Allen Consumer Credit Programs. Gift Card allows customers to purchase gift cards through its Website or at any participating retail design center, which can be redeemed for any of its products or services. The Company offers, through its Website, an online room planning resource, which serves to assist consumers with their home decorating needs. Through the use of this Web-based tool, customers can determine which of its product offerings fit their particular needs based on their own individual home floor plan. The Ethan Allen Finance Plus program offers consumers (clients) a menu of custom financing options through the use of just one account.

Wholesale Segment

The wholesale segment, principally involved in the development of the Ethan Allen brand, encompasses all aspects of design, manufacture, sourcing, sale, and distribution of its range of home furnishings and accessories. Wholesale revenue is generated upon the wholesale sale and shipment of its products to its network of independently operated design centers and Company-operated design centers through its na! tional distribution center and one other smaller fulfillment center. The Company�� domestic manufacturing is included in the results of the wholesale segment. The Company operates four case plants (including one sawmill), three upholstery plants (two upholstery plants on its Maiden, North Carolina campus and one cut and sew plant in Mexico) and one home accessory plant. The Company also source selected case goods, upholstery, and home accessory items from third-party suppliers located both domestically and outside the United States.

Retail Segment

The retail segment sells home furnishings and accessories to consumers through a network of Company-operated design centers. During fiscal 2013, the Company opened seven design centers acquired two from independent retailers, closed four design centers and sold two to our independent retailers. As of June 30, 2013, the Company�� network of approximately 300 retail design centers and approximately 4,000 independent members of the Interior Design Affiliate program benefit from these marketing efforts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Memberships and Peers: LEG is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: Hooker Furniture Corp. (HOFT) with a 2.7% yield, Flexsteel Industries Inc. (FLXS) with a 1.8% yield and Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (ETH) with a 1.6% yield.

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Memberships and Peers: LEG is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: Hooker Furniture Corp. (HOFT) with a 2.4% yield, Flexsteel Industries Inc. (FLXS) with a 2.7% yield and Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (ETH) with a 1.4% yield.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of La-Z-Boy have gained 11% to $27.02 at 1:54 p.m. today. Its performance is also giving other furniture stocks a boost. Flexsteel (FLXS) has risen 1% to $27.60, Hooker Furniture (HOFT) has jumped 1.6% to $17.12 and Ethan Allen International (ETH) has advanced 1.2% to $29.20. Haverty Furniture (HVT) has dipped 0.3% to $27.87.

• [By Gerelyn Terzo]

  Clearly Bob's isn't new to private equity ownership, but it is new to Bain's way of doing things. So what can the company expect under Bain, which oversees $70 billion in assets under management? And is there a chance that Bob's will present an investment opportunity and join the ranks of La-Z-Boy (NYSE: LZB  ) and Ethan Allen Interiors (NYSE: ETH  ) in the stock market in the future? � �

Best Railroad Companies To Invest In Right Now: QC Holdings Inc.(QCCO)

QC Holdings, Inc. provides various retail consumer financial products and services in the United States. The company offers payday loans that provide cash to the customers in exchange for a promissory note with a maturity of two to three weeks. It also provides financial products and services, such as installment loans, credit services, check cashing services, title loans, money transfers, and money orders. In addition, QC Holdings operates as a credit services organization that arranges a third-party lender to make a loan to the consumer and for providing related services to the consumer, including a guarantee of the consumer?s obligation to the third-party lender. Further, the company sells used vehicles and earns finance charges from the related vehicle financing contracts; and provides reconditioning services on its inventory of vehicles, and repair services for its customers. As of As of December 31, 2010, the company operated 523 short-term lending branches in 24 sta tes; and 5 buy here, pay here lots located in Missouri and Kansas. QC Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  QC Holdings (NASDAQ: QCCO) shares tumbled 2.58% to reach a new 52-week low of $2.27. QC Holdings' trailing-twelve-month profit margin is 0.60%.

  NewLead Holdings (NASDAQ: NEWL) shares dipped 6.56% to touch a new 52-week low of $0.08 after the company completed the acquisition of titles in the Viking Mine located in Kentucky, USA.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  QC Holdings (NASDAQ: QCCO) shares tumbled 3.68% to reach a new 52-week low of $1.83. QC Holdings shares have dropped 42.60% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 31.67% in the same period.

Top Mid Cap Companies To Buy For 2014: Bank Of Montreal (BMO)

Bank of Montreal, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of retail banking, wealth management, and investment banking products and solutions in North America and internationally. It offers personal banking products and services to consumers and small businesses, including deposit and investment services, mortgages, consumer credit, small business lending, and other banking services; and commercial banking products and services to small business, medium-sized enterprise, and mid-market banking clients comprising lending, deposits, treasury management, and risk management services. The company also offers cards and payments services; investment and wealth advisory services; self-directed investing services; private banking services to high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients; investment fund solutions across a range of channels; pension plans; investment management services; and creditor insurance, and life insurance and annuity products and services. In add ition, it provides capital markets products and services, including equity and debt underwriting, corporate lending and project financing, mergers and acquisitions, restructurings and recapitalizations, balance sheet management, liquidity management, merchant banking, securitization, foreign exchange, derivatives, debt and equity research, and institutional sales and trading to corporate, institutional, and government clients. As of October 31, 2010, Bank of Montreal operated and maintained approximately 1,230 bank branches in Canada and the United States. The company was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Bank of America's (NYSE: BAC  ) Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo's (NYSE: WFC  ) Securities unit, KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY  ) subsidiary KeyBanc Capital Markets, and Bank of Montreal's (NYSE: BMO  ) BMO Capital Markets are the joint book-running managers of the issue.

Best Railroad Companies To Invest In Right Now: Susser Petroleum Partners LP (SUSP)

Susser Petroleum Partners LP is primarily engaged in fee-based wholesale distribution of motor fuels to Susser Holdings Corporation (SHC) and third parties. SHC operates over 540 retail convenience stores under its Stripes convenience store brand. In addition to distributing motor fuel, the Company also distributes other petroleum products, such as propane and lube oil, and it receive rental income from real estate that it lease or sublease. In January 2014, Susser Petroleum Partners LP announced the acquisition of the convenience store assets and fuel distribution contracts of Sac-N-Pac Stores, Inc. and 3W Warren Fuels, Ltd.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company distributed 789.6 million gallons of motor fuel to Stripes convenience stores and 522.8 million gallons of motor fuel to other customers. It also distributes Chevron, CITGO, Conoco, Exxon, Mobil, Phillips 66, Shamrock, Shell, Texaco and Valero branded motor fuel, as well as unbranded motor fuel. In addition to distributing motor fuel, it also distributes other petroleum products, such as propane and lube oil.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Susser Petroleum Partners (NYSE: SUSP) engages in fee-based wholesale distribution of motor fuels. The partnership also distributes petroleum products like propane and lube oil, and receives rental income from real estate.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Susser Petroleum Partners (NYSE: SUSP) debuted in September 2012, and has appreciated by 50 percent since. Susser engages in fee-based wholesale distribution of motor fuels. The partnership also distributes petroleum products like propane and lube oil, and receives rental income from real estate.

Best Railroad Companies To Invest In Right Now: Swissquote Group Holding Ltd (SQN)

Swissquote Group Holding Ltd (Swissquote) is a provider of online financial and trading services in Switzerland. It operates an online bank that accepts deposits from its customers mainly in Swiss Francs, United States Dollars and Euros in current account form, as well as offers electronic dealing in shares, funds, options, warrants and bonds worldwide. Swissquote also provides stock brokerage services to self-directed investors and asset managers; custodian services against fees and foreign exchange; margin loans to customers against pledging of assets; fiduciary placements on behalf and at the risks of clients against commission fees and services to corporations for the management of their stock option programs, among others. Its financial portal swissquote.ch is an online platform providing the information that users need to conduct independent research on various investment vehicles. It is active domestically and abroad, including Dubai and Malta. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Swissquote Group Holding SA (SQN) surged 13 percent after agreeing to buy MIG Bank for an undisclosed price. Clariant AG lost 1.6 percent after UBS AG removed the maker of specialty chemicals from the list of its most preferred shares.

Best Railroad Companies To Invest In Right Now: MicroChannel Technologies Corp (MCTC)

MicroChannel Technologies Corporation, incorporated on February 28, 2005, is a development-stage company. The Company is focused on the identification, acquisition, and development of new and potentially commercial opportunities.

As of August 31, 2013, the Company is not engaged in any business operations. As of August 31, 2013, the Company had no revenues.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Bonamour Inc (OTCBB: BONI), Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: FINW) and Microchannel Technologies Corp (OTCBB: MCTC) have been attracting attention from variosu investment newsletters lately with at least two of these stocks being the subject of paid promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions or investor relation types of activities as its up to investors and traders alike to do their due diligence. So how hot are these small cap stocks? Here is a quick reality check that might cool your appetite:

Best Railroad Companies To Invest In Right Now: LyondellBasell Industries NV(LYB)

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. manufacturers and sells chemicals and polymers, refines crude oil, produces gasoline blending components, and develops and licenses technologies for production of polymers. The company?s Olefins and Polyolefins segment offers olefins, including ethylene, propylene, and butadiene; aromatics, such as benzene and toluene; polyolefins, which comprise polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and linear low-density polyethylene; specialty polyolefins, including catalloy process resins, PP compounds, and polybutene-1 resins; and ethylene derivatives, which comprise ethanol. Its Intermediates and Derivatives segment provides propylene oxide (PO); PO co-products, including styrene monomers and TBA derivative isobutylene; PO derivatives, such as propylene glycol, propylene glycol ethers, and butanediol; acetyls, such as methanol, acetic acid, and vinyl acetate monomers; ethylene derivatives, which comprise ethylene oxide , ethylene glycol, and ethylene glycol ethers; and flavor and fragrance chemicals. The company?s Refining and Oxyfuels segment offers gasoline and components, ultra low sulfur diesel, jet fuel, and lube oils; diesel, feedstock, fuel oil, gasoline, and bitumen; and gasoline blending components, including methyl tertiary butyl ether, ethyl tertiary butyl ether, and alkylate. Its Technology segment develops and licenses polyolefin and other process technologies. This segment also develops, manufactures, and sells polyolefin catalysts, as well as provides technology services, which comprise safety reviews, training and start-up assistance, engineering services for process and product improvements, and manufacturing troubleshooting. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. has operations in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and internationally. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. is a subsidiary of Prochemie GmbH.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell]

  LyondellBasell Industries N.V.(LYB) said its fourth-quarter earnings soared 86% as the plastics and chemicals company reported better profitability across all key business segments. Results were far better than Wall Street expected, sending shares up 2.4% to $79.90 in premarket trading.

• [By Taylor Muckerman]

  Along with Dow, DuPont (NYSE: DD  ) and LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB  ) are two companies that have used this access to their advantage. All three will be reporting earnings this week. Motley Fool analyst Taylor Muckerman expects margins to remain relatively high, but the growth we have seen over the past few years might begin to slow. In addition, he touches on some of the future market dynamics that will likely roll out as the available infrastructure continues to increase. Details can be found in the video below.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  LyondellBasell Industries N.V.'s(LYB) third-quarter earnings edged up 0.8% as the plastics and chemicals company reported stronger profits in its olefins and polyolefins segments, though results were weaker in its intermediates and refining businesses. Results missed estimates, sending shares down 2% premarket�to $74.

• [By Chad Tracy]

  In a classic contrarian move, he purchased more shares of troubled plastics-maker LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE: LYB), even as the company was sliding toward bankruptcy.

Best retirement advice for many: Never retire

By now, we all know how difficult retirement is -- especially the planning part. But there is a group of people who believe they have a solution: Never retire.

These folks, both the Boomers and the Greatest Generation, say they will never retire because they would be bored to death and their brains would just shrivel up. (Maybe they didn't use those words, but you get the point.)

Take comedian Marty Allen. Boomers may remember him from the old Ed Sullivan Show on CBS or the old Match Game on NBC. In fact, Allen was on that fateful show in 1964 when Sullivan introduced the Beatles to America.

RETIREMENT: Planning for your future

Well, Allen is 92 and he's still performing stand-up comedy in Vegas with his wife of 30 years, Karon Blackwell. His advice for people getting ready to retire: Don't.

"I don't see retiring." he said. "What do you do? Why would you retire as long as you can walk or talk? I just don't see retiring. I think it slows you down in life. As long as you are able to do things, keep doing them. Like I'm doing. I'm writing a book about my life, I collect art. I do comedy, I'm a reader. I do different things. It helps mentally and physically. It adds to your life.

"I actually love people, and in my heart I love entertaining," says Allen. "Where else would you go?"

Then there's Arthur E. Imperatore Sr., founder and CEO of New York Waterway. He is up every morning at 5 a.m. He's usually at his desk in 10. He has three children, nine grandchildren and a 70-year-old stepson who is chairman of the board of the New York City ferry company.

Oh, and Imperatore is 88 years old and refuses to retire,

"I tried some versions of partial retirement and I decided I'd better go to work and make a living and keep my nose to the grindstone," he said. It keeps me younger and keeps by brain from atrophy."

"I really believe that retirement is debilitating, if not physically, certainly emotionally," says Imperatore. "I've had plenty of problems trying t! o get here in the morning. I feel old and decrepit, and I hit the doorway to the terminal, and I get fired up."

Hot Long Term Stocks To Buy Right Now

DELAYING RETIREMENT: Many need more money, enjoy their jobs

Marc Freedman, CEO and founder of Encore.org, a website dedicated to helping those near retirement age embark on "second acts" or encore careers at non-profit organizations, says many people today embark on multiple careers.

"Increasingly, we'll see people take breaks throughout the life course and have multiple working chapters, including ones that begin in the 70s and beyond," says Freedman. "It doesn't make sense to work like a maniac for 30 years and be put out to pasture for a period that could be that long in duration."

"People want to continue contributing," he says. "I think we ware tying to change the culture to support longer contributing lives and better pathways for people to keep contributing.

Stewart Wade, a real estate agent in Oahu, Hawaii, only shows up for work once a week these days, but his bosses understand. He's 99 years old and works for Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties in Oahu, Hawaii, where he takes a swim in the ocean at least two or three times a week. And he still sells homes.

"I try to do it three times a week," he says. "I swim from 15 to 30 minutes in the ocean. It's so much better to swim there than in pools."

They aren't Baby Boomers. They are part of the Greatest Generation. But what they share with a growing number of Boomers is that they utterly refuse to stop working.

Sarah Rix, senior strategic policy adviser with the economics team of the AARP Public Policy Institute, says the number of people who continue to work in their retirement years is growing, and that's good for them physically , mentally, and financially. And it's good for the economy. She says in the percentage of people in the 65 to 69-year-old age gr! oup who a! re still in the work force has increased from 18.4% in 1985 to 32.2% last year. The number of people 70 to 75 in the work force is also increasing.

"People are pushing back the date of retirement, for a lot of reasons, including financial," she says. "People are living longer. While not everybody living longer is living healthy longer, many are. They want to remain active, and still feel young. They have contributions to make."

"You can't afford to work for 30 years and then support yourself for that long in a life of leisure," says Freedman.

Rix says when older workers are asked why they continue working, they give social and psychological reasons as often as financial. "For those who can, and who want to, it can be a really positive experience," she says.

You won't find any disagreement from Imperatore.

"My health is better and so is my psyche," he says. "My spirit is high. I think I have more diplomacy and more wisdom than I've ever had. Time brings that. I do a fair amount of reading and a fair amount of thinking. I'm very pragmatic. "

Harold Kaplan is now in his third career -- fourth if you count the time he spent in the service. "I was retired for six weeks, but I wasn't any good at it," says the 75-year-old Connecticut physician.

The Yale Medical School graduate first went into the Air Force where as a research internist working on the Apollo space program. After he left the service he went into gastroenterology -- for 38 years. He retired in 2007 -- or tried to. As he ratcheted down his practice, he ratcheted up his duties at a hospital as chief medical officer. He became vice president for medical affairs at Midstate Medical Center in Meriden, Conn.

"I retired from my administrative post at hospital Feb. 1 of 2013," he says. "I stayed retired until March 15, when I was hired as associate professor at the medical school."

His wife of 52 years is 76 and continues to work as an adjunct admissions officer for Yale College.

And ! what abou! t retirement?

"I don't see the point," says Kaplan. "The purpose of retirement is to stop doing what you have to do to start doing what you want to do. I'm already doing that. I'm just having a good time."

Comedian Shelly Berman, 88, is retired, but only from the stage. He spent his so-called retirement writing a book of poetry, To Laughter With Questions. He says he will write another book as soon as he can find the time. He and his wife of 66 years, Sarah, are busy. Among other things they volunteer at the Motion Picture and Television Fund.

He's another one who does not recommend retiring to a life of leisure. His advice to others: "I can't advise others. I think I'd be somewhere out of my realm. But I can only advise my wife, and she tells me to go to hell."

Still, he added: "We're doing everything to be busy volunteers," he says. "The truth is that it's (retiring) wasting the rest of your time. Don't do that. What you gotta do is keep your muscles going. I wouldn't suggest that you quit. What are you going to do, sit? I'm not good at that. I have an itchy bottom."

In1964, Allen & Rossi appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show with the Beatles, during their first performance in the United States.(Photo: Handout)

IRS watchdog: Phone scam is largest ever

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 20,000 taxpayers have been targeted by fake Internal Revenue Service agents in the largest phone scam the agency has ever seen, the IRS inspector general said Thursday.

Thousands of victims have lost a total of more than $1 million.

As part of the scam, fake IRS agents call taxpayers, claim they owe taxes, and demand payment using a prepaid debit card or a wire transfer. Those who refuse are threatened with arrest, deportation or loss of a business or driver's license, said J. Russell George, Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

Real IRS agents usually contact people first by mail, George said. And they don't demand payment by debit card, credit card or wire transfer.

The inspector general's office started receiving complaints about the scam in August. Immigrants were the primary target early on, the IG's office said. But the scam has since become more widespread.

Tax scams often escalate during filing season, George said. People have been targeted in nearly every state.

"This is the largest scam of its kind that we have ever seen," George said in a statement. "The increasing number of people receiving these unsolicited calls from individuals who fraudulently claim to represent the IRS is alarming."

10 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In Right Now

The script is similar in many calls, leading investigators to believe they are connected. The inspector general's office is working with major phone carriers to try to track the origins of the calls, the IG's office said.

The scam has been effective in part because the fake agents mask their caller ID, making it look like the call is coming from the IRS, George said. In some cases, fake agents know the last four digits of Social Security numbers, and follow up with official-looking emails.

They request prepaid debit cards because they are harder to trace than bank c! ards. Prepaid debit cards are different from bank cards because they are not connected to a bank account. Instead, consumers buy the cards at stores, and use them just like a bank card, until the money runs out or they add more.

Follow Stephen Ohlemacher on Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephenatap

Retirement fears? Free financial tools can help

Retirement is nothing but an afterthought for millions of Americans. Households are increasingly becoming hindered by stagnant wages, rising living expenses, and an overall weak labor market. Making matters worse, many people fall victim to procrastination when preparing for the future. However, there are two clever ways to help start the retirement planning process — free of charge.

The first trick is to understand that the day will likely come when you can no longer work full time. This might be a difficult concept for younger generations to realize, but fortunately, there's an app for that. In order to help people face the reality of aging, Bank of America's Merrill Edge recently introduced a new Face Retirement mobile app, which builds on the success of the Web-based tool originally launched in 2012. The free app provides users with a lifelike 3-D animation of their future self, including wrinkles and gray hair.

"It's an eye-opening experience to see what you may look like 40 years in the future," said Alok Prasad, head of Merrill Edge. "Stanford University research — and the experience of thousands of Merrill Edge customers — show that people brave enough to look into the crystal ball are much more likely to take control of their retirement planning. It's a vivid reminder that everything you do today impacts your future."

Almost 1 million individuals have used the Face Retirement tool. Interestingly, 60% of participants chose to learn more about retirement and planning for the future. This is encouraging since the majority of mass affluent Americans have a long way to go before reaching their retirement goals. In 2013, 61% of affluent Americans said they were actively delaying retirement, compared to 47% just two years earlier, according to Merrill Edge.

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The second free trick to retirement planning is to recognize ! that your savings today affect income payments tomorrow. With uncertainty surrounding factors such as investment returns, inflation rates, and living expenses, many Americans struggle to understand how current retirement contributions will translate intoretirement income. Gopi Shah Goda, a senior research scholar at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, recently conducted a study on how saving decisions can be positively affected by easy-to-understand income projections.

The study involved nearly 17,000 employees at the University of Minnesota who were eligible to participate in either of two Voluntary Retirement Plans (VRPs). Employees were randomly assigned into a control group or a treatment group. The treatment group received a four-page color brochure through the mail that contained account balance and income projections, while the control group received nothing.

Significant differences were found between the two groups. While approximately 4% of the control group made changes to their contribution amounts, 5.25% of employees in the treatment group made changes, representing an increase of approximately 30%. This includes any type of changes, so some employees may have reduced their contributions, but the overall trend showed positive changes. The treatment group increased contributions by an average of $169 per year, while the control group increased their contributions by only $83 per year. The figure below provides an example of what the treatment group received. As you can see, an extra $200 per pay period (bi-weekly) could result in an additional $76,000 in savings at retirement. Furthermore, that extra $200 could add $4,800 in annual income during retirement.

"While the effect of the projections on contribution levels was modest, the intervention may have had a larger impact on the saving process by improving the employees' ability to assess their financial security," said Shah Goda, in the report. "We supplemented our experiment with a follow-up survey which ! asked emp! loyees additional information about their retirement saving and their financial literacy. Among survey respondents, those in the income treatment group were more likely to report having recently engaged in retirement planning, feeling better informed about retirement planning, and feeling more certain about the amount of income they expect to have in retirement than those in the control group."

Since several factors obviously affect how contributions will ultimately impact retirees, everybody will experience different results. However, the point is to bring attention to the matter and start the retirement planning process, which is a lifelong endeavor filled with life's little surprises. Individuals looking to customize their own retirement projections can find free online calculators at many websites, includingVanguard, MassMutual, and Bankrate.

Wall St. Cheat Sheet is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Rising shrimp costs put Red Lobster in hot water

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — A spike in shrimp costs is causing yet more trouble for Red Lobster.

The seafood chain's parent company Darden Restaurants on Friday reported a lower quarterly profit in line with its previously announced estimates. Sales at its struggling Olive Garden and Red Lobster chains dropped by 5.4% and 8.8% respectively, as reported on March 3.

The Orlando-based company has been fighting to win back customers at its flagship chains and has said it will spin off or sell Red Lobster to focus its attention on fixing Olive Garden with a revamped menu and marketing. Both chains have been losing customers as more affordable alternatives such as Chipotle have gained in popularity.

But in recent months, another factor weighing on Red Lobster was higher shrimp costs. Executives said that costs in the quarter rose about 30% because a "production issues in Asia." They said don't expect relief until the early part of its fiscal 2015 year.

On an annual basis, Chief Financial Officer Brad Richmond said the company is facing a $30 million increase in shrimp costs.

For the quarter ended Feb. 23, Darden posted a profit of $109.7 million, or 82 cents per share, matching its guidance. That was down almost 23 percent from year-ago earnings of $134.4 million, or $1.02 per share.

Analysts expected earnings of 85 cents per share.

Revenue of $2.23 billion was down 1%, below the $2.26 billion analysts expected.

Darden also said it still expects its fiscal 2014 earnings to be down between 15% and 20% from last year. Revenue at stores open at least a year, a key sales metric, is expected to fall 5.5%.

The results come a day after Starboard Value, which owns about 5.5% of Darden's stock, submitted a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission seeking to call a special shareholders meeting. Darden has urged its shareholders to reject the proposal.

At issue are Darden's plans for its business. Starboard wants Darden to separate all of its large brands,! including Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, from its smaller, better-performing ones such as Bahama Breeze and The Capital Grille.

Its shares were down 2.9% to $50.72 at midday.

Wells Fargo CEO among 2013's highest paid bankers

Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf didn't have the pay gains rival banking CEOs enjoyed last year, but he still out-earned them.

Stumpf's 2013 compensation, valued at $19.3 million, was virtually unchanged from 2012, the company said Tuesday in its annual proxy. But Stumpf gained nearly $60 million from previously issued stock options and restricted shares.

About $50.5 million came from vested shares. Wells Fargo said about half the shares were granted in 2010 as part of a long-term incentive compensation plan for executives. The rest were retention shares granted in 2009. Stumpf gained another $8.6 million exercising stock options.

Stumpf, 60, has been CEO since 2007 and lede the bank's 2008 purchase of Wachovia Bank.

Among other banks to report 2013 executive compensation:

Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat received compensation valued at $17.6 million, up 42% from 2012. Corbat gained another $2 million from vested shares.JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon received $20 million, up 74% from 2012. Goldman Sachs' Lloyd Blankfein got about $23 million, up 10%.Capital One's Richard Fairbank received $18.2 million, down 19%. Fairbank gained over $23 million from vested shares and previously issued stock options.

Hot Chemical Stocks To Buy For 2014

Wells Fargo's 2013 shareholder return was 37%, outpacing JP Morgan Chase (36%) Capital One (34%) and Citigroup (32%). Goldman Sachs gained 40.6%.

Follow Strauss on twitter @gbstrauss

10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now

10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now: Wendel SA (MF)

Wendel SA is a France-based investor for the long-term as the majority or leading shareholder in listed or unlisted companies, taking the lead in order to accelerate the growth and development. The Firm takes part in the definition and implementation of ambitious strategies and provides the funding necessary. The investment strategy and development of the Firm takes place via close interaction with the management teams of the companies in which the Firm is a shareholder. This partnership is at the heart of the value creation process. The Firm offers active and constant support, sharing the risks and providing expertise as well as financial and technical skills. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John McCamant]

  Incyte Pharmaceuticals (INCY) recently held their quarterly conference call. Importantly, sales for Jakafi—an advanced compound used for the treatment of patients with intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis (MF)—met or exceeded Wall Street's expectations.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/10-best-warren-buffett-stocks-to-buy-right-now.html

Hot Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014

Hot Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Alon USA Energy Inc. (ALJ)

Alon USA Energy, Inc. engages in refining and marketing petroleum products primarily in the South Central, Southwestern, and Western regions of the United States. The company operates in three segments: Refining and Marketing, Asphalt, and Retail. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil into petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, petrochemicals, feed stocks, asphalts, and other petroleum products. It markets finished products and blend stocks through sales and exchanges with other oil companies, state and federal governmental entities, unbranded wholesale distributors, and various other third parties. This segment also markets motor fuels to distributors under the Alon brand; and licenses Alon brand name and provides payment card processing services, advertising programs, and loyalty and other marketing programs to licensed locations. The Asphalt segment is involved in the marketing of patented tire rubber modified asphalt products; and production of paving and roofing grades of asphalt comprising performance-graded asphalts, emulsions, and cutbacks. This segment sells paving asphalt to road and materials manufacturers and highway construction/maintenance contractors; polymer modified or emulsion asphalt to highway maintenance contractors; and roofing asphalt to roofing shingle manufacturers or other industrial users. The Retail segment operates retail convenience stores that offer various grades of gasoline, diesel fuel, food products, tobacco products, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, and general merchandise primarily under the 7-Eleven and Alon brands. As of December 31, 2012, it had 298 retail convenience stores located in Central and West Texas, and New Mexico. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Alon USA Energy, Inc. is a subsidiary of Alon Israel Oil Company, Ltd.

! Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Alon USA Energy (ALJ) and Alon USA Partners (ALDW) are surging thanks to a Credit Suisse upgrade, even as refiners like Valero Energy (VLO), Phillips 66 (PSX) and Holly Frontier (HFC) stumble.

  Bloomberg News

  Analyst Edward Westlake and team explain their optimism for the Alon USA pair:

  ALDW: Accounting for the revised commodity forecasts (plus support from
  the self-help programs that the company is pursuing), our LT EBITDA rises by c4% on average. Granted that there is the possibility that ALDW will not be able to pay out a distribution in 4Q13/1Q14, we flag that for those willing to look past the near-term headwinds, the rolling 12 month forward potential yield starting in 2Q14 is 15% (and rises to c20% by 4Q14) – Certainly hard to overlook at these levels.

  ALJ: Accounting for the revised commodity forecasts (plus support from selfhelp
  programs), our LT EBITDA rises by c9% on average. ALJ could be worth up to c$15/sh (including the $2.25/sh expected contribution from the Bakersfield start-up – Delivery of this project is key). At current levels, the stock still provides c20% upside in the scenario where Bakersfield does not proceed (or c40% if it does). We raise our rating and target price to Neutral and $14/sh.

  Alon USA Energy has gained 11% to $11.34 and Alon USA Partners has risen 5.2% to $11.12, even as Valero Energy has dropped 0.5% to $40.12, Phillips 66 has dipped 0.4% to $65.09 and Holly Frontier has fallen 1.1% to $43.71.

• [By Robert Rapier] In last week’s issue I discussed the basics of the refining sector. Today I will provide an overview of four MLPs that hold refining assets.
  
  To review, the refining sector was very profitable in 2012 thanks to unusually high crack spreads, which for many US refiners are approximated by the price differential between Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oils. For a more thorough explanation of this phe! nomenon, ! please refer to last week’s issue.
  
  After years of trading at a $1 to $3 per barrel discount to WTI, Brent began fetching a premium a few years ago as a glut of crude developed in the mid-continent area of the US. In 2011 the Brent-WTI price differential increased to more than $25/bbl, and it remained historically high in 2012.
  
  But pipeline capacity started to catch up this year, and the share prices of refiners retreated as the glut began to dissipate and the Brent-WTI differential shrank. In Q3 2012, the Brent-WTI differential a veraged $17.43/bbl, but by Q3 of this year, the differential had fallen to $4.43/bbl. This promises bad news for refiners about to report Q3 earnings.
  
  Many analysts downgraded the refining sector in Q3, but as the differential fell below $5/bbl it was hard to imagine that the news could get much worse. With poor Q3 results largely priced in, the differential subsequently rose back above $10/bbl, signaling better refining margins moving into Q4.
  
  Refiners began to post earnings this past week, and as expected they were weak. Valero (NYSE: VLO) reported slightly higher revenues year-over-year, but net earnings fell more than 50 percent from a year ago. Nevertheless, they beat the extremely pessimistic expectations of analysts, and Valero shares rose on the news.
  
  Phillips 66’s (NYSE: PSX) refining unit actually posted a loss, but its chemical business turned in a solid quarter which more than compensated for the disappointing refining results.
  
  T he rest of the refine
• [By Dan Dzombak]

  Among companies with over a $1 billion market cap, today's oil and gas stocks leader was Alon USA Energy (NYSE: ALJ  ) , up 4.95% to $17.16. During the refiners' drop on Tuesday and Wednesday, Alon dropped 12.89%. Despite the comeback today, the stock is still down 8.6% from where it was before the plunge. Alon USA owns refineries in Louisiana and California, 11 asphalt terminals, as well as 300 7-11 retail location! s. The co! mpany has been profiting heavily from the massive price difference between WTI and Brent crude. In November of 2012, the company IPO'd its Big Springs refinery as a master limited partnership, Alon USA Partners LP, the proceeds of which Alon used to pay down debt.

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

Best Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014

Best Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Fluidigm Corporation(FLDM)

Fluidigm Corporation engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of microfluidic systems for growth markets in the life science and agricultural biotechnology (Ag-Bio) industries. The company?s proprietary microfluidic systems consist of instruments and consumables, including chips (integrated fluidic circuits) and reagents. Its technology enables customers to perform and measure various biochemical reactions on samples smaller than the content of a single cell by utilizing minute volumes of reagents and samples; and rapid preparation of multiple samples in parallel for next generation DNA sequencing. The company?s products include the BioMark HD system, which performs high-throughput gene expression analysis using real-time and end point PCR, SNP genotyping, single-cell analysis, and digital PCR using TaqMan, EvaGreen dye, and other chemistries; The EP1 System that performs end point PCR and is commonly used in production settings for Ag-Bio, digital PCR, and c opy number variation experiments using TaqMan, EvaGreen dye, and other chemistries; and the Access Array system that enables automated sample preparation and tagging for next generation DNA sequencers. The company serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions, diagnostic laboratories, and Ag-Bio companies. Fluidigm Corporation distributes its instruments and supplies through direct field sales and support organizations in North America, Europe, and Japan; and through distributors or sales agents in parts of Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. The company was formerly known as Mycometrix Corporation and changed its name to Fluidigm Corporation in April 2001. Fluidigm Corporation was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell] Bio-technology company Fluidigm Corp.(FLDM) agreed to acquire DVS Sciences Inc. for about $208 million to expand its portfolio of single-cell technology products. DVS manufactures and distributes bioanalytical products for biological research and future clinical applications. Shares dropped 2.3% to $40.02 premarket.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Fluidigm (NASDAQ: FLDM  ) , a manufacturer of microfluidic systems for the biotech, pharmaceutical, and academic research sectors, shot higher by as much as 14% after reporting its first-quarter-earnings results.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Fluidigm (Nasdaq: FLDM  ) reported earnings on May 1. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Fluidigm beat slightly on revenues and exceeded expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Basic guidelines
  In this series, I examine inventory using a simple rule of thumb: Inventory increases ought to roughly parallel revenue increases. If inventory bloats more quickly than sales grow, this might be a sign that expected sales haven't materialized. Is the current inventory situation at Fluidigm (Nasdaq: FLDM  ) out of line? To figure that out, start by comparing the company's inventory growth to sales growth. How is Fluidigm doing by this quick checkup? At first glance, pretty well. Trailing-12-month revenue increased 24.0%, and inventory increased 14.4%. Comparing the latest quarter to the prior-year quarter, the story looks decent. Revenue expanded 32.8%, and inventory increased 14.4%. Over the sequential quarterly period, the trend looks worrisome. Revenue dropped 7.2%, and inventory grew 2.8%.

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

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc. (ED)

Consolidated Edison, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides electric, gas, and steam utility services in the United States. It provides electric service to approximately 3.3 million customers and gas service to approximately 1.1 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, as well as provides steam service to office buildings and apartment houses in parts of Manhattan. The company also provides electric service to approximately 0.3 million customers in southeastern New York and in adjacent areas of northern New Jersey, and northeastern Pennsylvania; and gas service to approximately 0.1 million customers in southeastern New York and adjacent areas of northeastern Pennsylvania. In addition, Consolidated Edison involves in the sale and related hedging of electricity to wholesale and retail customers; operation of generating plants; participation in other infrastructure projects; and provision of energy-efficiency services, including the design and installation of lighting retrofits, high-efficiency heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, and other energy saving technologies to government and commercial customers. It serves residential, industrial, and large commercial customers. The company was founded in 1884 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Susan J. Aluise]

  CVI is structured into two Managed Limited Partnerships (MLPs): CVR Refining (CVRR) and the nitrogen fertilizer unit CVR Partners (UAN). CVR Energy owns 71% of CVR Refining and 53% of CVR Partners. This is an interesting play in the energy sector, given UAN's lower cost of ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate and CVRR's edge as an MLP refiner.

  Consolidated Edison (ED)

  Consolidated Edison (ED) is down 3% since Nov. 6 and has a dividend yield of 4.6%.  Although ED's! forward P/E of more than 14 seems a little high, it is in line with other utility-sector dividend stocks. On the down side, ConEd is experiencing flat revenue growth in its regulated utility businesses — in large part because regulators have moved to freeze utility rates.

• [By Dividends4Life]

  This week a few companies answered the call and rewarded their shareholders with higher cash dividends:
  
  Consolidated Edison Inc. (ED) engages in regulated electric, gas, and steam delivery businesses. January 16th the company increased its quarterly dividend 2.4% to $0.63 per share. The dividend is payable March 15, 2014, to stockholders of record on February 12, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 4.7%.
  
  Cousins Properties Incorporated (CUZ), a real estate investment trust (REIT), owns, develops, and manages real estate portfolio, as well as performs certain real estate-related services. January 16th the company increased its quarterly dividend 66.7% to $0.075 per share. The dividend is payable February 24, 2014, to stockholders of record on February 10, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.8%.
  
  Wisconsin Energy Corporation (WEC) generates and distributes electric energy, as well as distributes natural gas. The company operates in two segments, Utility Energy and Non-Utility Energy. January 16th the company increased its quarterly dividend 2% to $0.3900 per share. The dividend is payable March 1, 2014, to stockholders of record on February 14, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 3.8%.
  
  BlackRock Inc. (BLK) is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors. January 16th the company increased its quarterly dividend 14.9% to $1.93 per share. The dividend is payable March 24, 2014, to stockholders of record on March 7, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.4%.
  
  ONEOK Inc. (OKE) operates as a diversified energy company in the United ! States. J! anuary 15th the company increased its quarterly dividend 5.3% to $0.40 per share. The dividend is payable February 18, 2014, to stockholders of record on February 10, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.5%.
  
  Omega Healthcare Investors Inc. (OHI) is a real es

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. Avg. High Yield Price
  2. 20-Year DCF Price
  3. Avg. P/E Price
  4. Graham Number
  
  SYY is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 37.5% premium to its calculated fair value of $26.26. SYY did not earn any Stars in this section.
  
  Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. Free Cash Flow Payout
  2. Debt To Total Capital
  3. Key Metrics
  4. Dividend Growth Rate
  5. Years of Div. Growth
  6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%
  
  SYY earned two Stars in this section for 2.) and 3.) above. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%. SYY earned a Star for having an acceptable score in at least two of the four Key Metrics measured. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1970 and has increased its dividend payments for 43 consecutive years.
  
  Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. NPV MMA Diff.
  2. Years to > MMA
  
  The NPV MMA Diff. of the $282 is below the $500 target I look for! in a sto! ck that has increased dividends as long as SYY has. If SYY grows its dividend at 3.6% per year, it will take 3 years to equal a MMA yielding an estimated 20-year average rate of 3.41%. SYY earned a check for the Key Metric 'Years to >MMA' since its 3 years is le

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. Avg. High Yield Price
  2. 20-Year DCF Price
  3. Avg. P/E Price
  4. Graham Number
  
  CTBI is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 53.5% premium to its calculated fair value of $29.43. CTBI did not earn any Stars in this section.
  
  Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. Free Cash Flow Payout
  2. Debt To Total Capital
  3. Key Metrics
  4. Dividend Growth Rate
  5. Years of Div. Growth
  6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%
  
  CTBI earned one Star in this section for 1.) above. A Star was earned since the Free Cash Flow payout ratio was less than 60% and there were no negative Free Cash Flows over the last 10 years. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1988 and has increased its dividend payments for 33 consecutive years.
  
  Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. NPV MMA Diff.
  2. Years to > MMA
  
  The negative NPV MMA Diff. means that on a NPV basis the dividend earnings from an investment in CTBI would be less than a similar amou! nt invest! ed in MMA earning a 20-year average rate of 3.41%. If CTBI grows its dividend at 1.5% per year, it will never equal a MMA yielding an estimated 20-year average rate of 3.41%.
  
  Memberships and Peers: CTBI is, a member of the Broad Dividend Achieve

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-dividend-stocks-to-buy-right-now.html

Top 10 India Stocks For 2014

Top 10 India Stocks For 2014: Tata Motors Ltd(TTM)

Tata Motors Limited, an automobile company, engages in the manufacture and sale of commercial and passenger vehicles primarily in India. The company offers cars, utility vehicles, trucks, buses and coaches, and defense vehicles, as well as develops electric and hybrid vehicles for personal and public transportation. It also involves in distributing and marketing cars; and financing the vehicles sold by the company. In addition, the company engages in the provision of engineering and automotive solutions, as well as machine tools and factory automation solutions; construction equipment manufacturing; automotive vehicle components manufacturing and supply chain activities; tooling and plastic and electronic components for automotive and computer applications; and automotive retailing and service operations. It offers its products and services through its dealership, sales, services, and spare parts network. The company also markets its commercial and passenger vehicles in Eu rope, Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, South Asia, and South America. The company was formerly known as Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company Limited and changed its name to Tata Motors Limited in July 2003. Tata Motors Limited was founded in 1945 and is based in Mumbai, India.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Among car makers, the Cadillac brand from General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM), the Lincoln brand from Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), and Toyota Motor Corp.’s (NYSE: TM) Lexus brand make the list, as does Jaguar, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors Ltd. (NYSE: TTM).

• [By Sophia Yan]

  Shares of Tata Motors (TTM) tumbled almost 5% in morning trading in Mumbai as investors reacted to news of Slym's death. Tata Motors also owns Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

• [By Trey Thoelcke]

  The rise of VW cou! ld hit GM particularly hard, both in terms of reputation and in earnings. GM said it was looking to introduce four new Chevrolet models in China next year, as well as to expand its low-cost Baojun brand. Chinese buyers could already be looking elsewhere though, given the rise of VW and of Tata Motors Ltd. (NYSE: TTM), which sells cars under the Jaguar and Range Rover brands. Sales of Tata vehicles have risen sharply in the past year, and the company is set to begin producing cars in China.

• [By James Well]

  Pfizer's Net Income Growth Is Increasing Leading to Increase in Its Operating Margins
  
  Net incomes and operating margins of a company give some insights into its financial health. Pfizer's net income growth has accelerated this year. In fact, when compared with its direct competitors like Merck, Novartis, and Sanofi, the rate of increase of net income growth trailing twelve months (TTM) is greatest at Pfizer with $10.68 billion followed by Novartis with $9.37 billion while Merck and Sanofi lagged behind with $4.53 billion and $4.05 billion respectively. Really, rather than increasing, there has been a decrease in Merck's and Sanofi's net incomes this year which should be a source of concern for investors. A healthy operating margin shows that a company is earning more per dollar of sales and, hence, able to pay for its fixed costs including interest on debt.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-india-stocks-for-2014.html

Internet of things can battle climate change

Machine to machine communication, or the internet of things, is on the precipice of taking the world by storm. At its very core, machine to machine communication is the ability to connect everything, I mean everything, through a vast network of sensors and devices which can communicate with each other. The possibilities of this technological evolution span an immensely wide spectrum; ranging from monitoring your health through your smartphone, to your house knowing where you are to adjust lighting and heating.

The way that the internet of things could revolutionize our lives can be hard to conceptualize all at once. So today let's focus on one place where machine to machine communication could have an immense impact: Energy consumption. Not only could this technology make turning the lights on easier, but it could be the key to us effectively managing anthropogenic carbon emissions.

Regardless of your thoughts and opinions on climate change and the scope of how much carbon emissions affects the global atmosphere, we all can agree on one thing: Emitting less carbon is a good thing, especially if it can be done without impeding economic growth. For years, the battleground for the climate change debate has been on the energy generation side, pitting alternative energy options like wind and solar against fossil fuels. The problem with fixating on this side of the argument, though, is that even under the most ambitious outlooks for alternative energy growth, we will never be able to get carbon emissions below the threshold many think is required to prevent significant temperature changes over the next century.

Does that mean there's no shot at significantly reducing carbon emissions? No -- we're just focusing on the wrong side of the energy equation, and that is where machine to machine communications comes into play. Let's look at how the internet of things can mean for carbon emissions, and how investors could make some hefty profits from it.

Energy consumption's overdue evolution

We humans are a fascinating study in inefficiency. We will sit in traffic on the freeway rather than take the alternative route on "slower" roads. We oversupply the electricity grid because we don't know precisely how much demand is needed at any given moment. It's not that we deliberately try to do things less efficiently; we just don't always have the adequate information to make the most efficient decision.

When you add all of these little inefficiencies up, it amounts to massive amounts of wasted energy and, in turn, unnecessary carbon emissions. In the U.S. alone, 1.9 billion gallons of fuel is consumed every year from drivers sitting in traffic. That's 186 million tons of unnecessary CO2 emissions each year just in the U.S.

Now, imagine a world where every automobile was able to communicate with the others, giving instant feedback on traffic conditions and providing alternative routes to avoid traffic jams. This is the fundamental concept of machine-to-machine communications, and it goes way beyond the scope of just automobiles and household conveniences.

One of the added benefits of this technology is the impact it could have on our everyday energy consumption and the ultimate reduction in total carbon emissions. A recent report by the Carbon War Room estimates that the incorporation of machine-to-machine communication in the energy, transportation, built environment (its fancy term for buildings), and agriculture sectors could reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 9.1 gigatons of CO2 equivalent annually. That's 18.2 trillion pounds, or equivalent to eliminating all of the United States' and India's total greenhouse gas emissions combined, and more than triple the reductions we can expect with an extremely ambitious alternative energy conversion program.

How is this possible? Increased communication between everything -- engines, appliances, generators, automobiles -- allows for instant feedback for more efficient travel routes, optimized fertilizer and water cons! umption t! o reduce deforestation, real-time monitoring of electricity consumption and instant feedback to generators, and fully integrated heating, cooling, and lighting systems that can adjust for human occupancy.

There are lots of projections and estimates related to carbon emissions and climate change, but the one that has emerged as the standard bearer is the amount of carbon emissions it would take to increase global temperatures by 2 degrees Centigrade. According to the UN's Environment Programme, annual anthropological greenhouse gas emissions would need to decrease by 15% from recent levels to keep us under the carbon atmospheric levels. Based on current emissions and the 9.1 gigaton estimate from Carbon War Room's report, it would be enough to reduce global emissions by 18.6%, well within the range of the UN's projections.

The internet of things is still very much in its infancy, but it's taking off fast. The pending boom in machine-to machine communication helps explain why Google (GOOG) shelled out more than $3.2 billion for smart-thermostat company Nest Labs. Its ability allows customers to better manage heating and cooling in households and instantly provide feedback to utilities in order to better manage energy demand during peak load hours. Sure, estimates put the total number of machine-to-machine capable devices in the billions, but for the Internet of things to be truly effective, everything needs to be connected. Estimates for total connected devices around the globe could reach into the trillions. This could lead to an industry with annual revenues of a whopping $948 billion.

The big players in the technology world, like Google and Intel (INTC), will undoubtedly be major players in this fast-growing market. Aside from its investment with Nest for smarter home energy use, Google is also getting into the transportation game with its Open Auto Alliance, a group of automakers and technology companies that will establish common practices such that vehicles from different manufactu! rers can ! communicate with each other -- the building block for self driving vehicles. With that much money on the line, can you really blame these companies for diving into this market?

The internet of things trend is approaching ... fast. For investors, it could be an amazing opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a new market with trillion dollar potential, but it is so much more than that. Increased productivity and elimination of wasteful energy consumption through smart devices could be the one and only key to cutting greenhouse gas emission enough to reduce the chances of significant climate change. So go ahead and continue arguing about the use of fossil fuels or alternative energy -- the investors who will really be betting on reducing carbon emissions will be putting their money here.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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LinkedIn bolsters content with new influencers

LinkedIn is making a bigger play for eyeballs.

The professional networking site is expanding its "Influencers" program that began in the fall of 2012 and has included Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and Martha Stewart. Over the past year or so, each has written insightful posts about the business world.

As of today, the ranks of LinkedIn Influencers has tripled from about 150 to about 500 including CEOs Ian Read of Pfizer, James Gorman of Morgan Stanley and Carlos Ghosn of Nissan.

The long-form content provided from such well-known business leaders is all part of LinkedIn's evolution from a job-finding site to a professional resource. Gates' first post about what he learned from Warren Buffett got 1 million-plus views in the first two days. (His latest lands today and is about the U.S. school system.)

"It's a very engaging platform that allows these Influencers to share their knowledge and for these members to learn great stuff from these influential people," says Ryan Roslensky, head of content products at LinkedIn.

And the rest of the more than 277 million LinkedIn members will soon be able to publish full-length content, too. As that capability is rolled out in the coming months, members can pen posts that will first go to their networked contacts. If they are well-read, LinkedIn's publishing platform will automatically distribute it to others based on their professional interests.

"It's great for them because they will learn something from one of their peers and it's great for the person who posted that because they will get great distribution and make their professional profile look better," Roslensky says. "We will be doing this on a massive scale."

Full-length commentary from members will have a ways to go to surpass the popular Influencer posts that are read, on average, by about 20,000 LinkedIn members, and generate about 200 comments and 300-plus likes. A tongue-in-cheek post by Cona! n O'Brien, published last week, about his refusal of the Microsoft CEO job, has been read by more than 350,000. Among the ideas he had for the software giant: "Every single version of the Windows operating system would have been voiced by Scarlett Johansson."

LinkedIn's continued influx of content -- and ability to charge for advertising -- not only improves the site's business model, but also increases its value to members. "The company has done a better job as of late at making its content more engaging," Brian Nichols (author of Taking Charge With Value Investing) noted recently on The Motley Fool. "The company really looks poised for longevity."

The overall goal for LinkedIn is to become the go-to destination for professionals, Roslensky says. "We want LinkedIn to be a place members come to be more effective and successful, not just when they are looking for a job or looking for people. We believe that content is a way to do that," he says. "We're making his commitment to our members: Give us 15 minutes each morning and make you better at your job today."

How to Pay for Cancer Treatment When You're Broke

Getty Images Cancer doesn't discriminate, as the saying goes. It can devastate anyone, regardless of ethnicity, age, political persuasion, religion or financial situation. As anyone shocked by the death of Steve Jobs in 2011 realized, cancer doesn't care if you're one of the wealthiest people on the planet. But being broke adds a new, troubling challenge for those diagnosed with the disease. Even if you have health insurance to pay for your treatment, you may not be in the position to take off work to focus on fighting your disease. You may not be able to travel to a particular hospital or clinic that specializes in the form of cancer you have. Even if you're insured, copays on medicine may drain your bank account. "A diagnosis of cancer has so many stresses associated with it -- the physical challenges, the emotional aspect as well -- but I think the financial aspect of stress is often overlooked, and a lot of providers don't know how to help with that and don't bring it up," says Alyssa Rieber, chief of medical oncology at the Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital Oncology Service in Houston, which treats one of the largest uninsured populations in the country. Rieber has seen it all. "We're in a big crisis in the cost of cancer treatment, and there is no way this is sustainable," she says. So if you are financially challenged and have been diagnosed with cancer -- or know someone in that situation -- don't give up. Here's an action plan. Research. There may be more resources out there than you realize, and the worst thing you can do is not look for them. Rieber says she felt especially bad for a cancer victim last year who was in her early 40s. "She didn't have insurance and was working, and then stopped working because she became ill. She was diagnosed with lung cancer in March of 2013, and she wanted to wait until she had insurance to get access to care, but she never did get insurance because she was too weak to work," Rieber says. Months later, the woman learned about the LBJ Hospital Oncology Service, which was practically in her backyard. She established eligibility in November but wasn't treated by Rieber or her staff. She wound up in hospice care and died soon after. So if you have cancer but aren't insured yet, or you are insured but still need financial assistance, don't assume there isn't help -- and don't wait until your financial picture clears up to look for it. "Some diagnoses you can get away with not treating for a while, but that doesn't work with cancer," Rieber says. You might be surprised by what resources are available, says Stacey Huber, an American Cancer Society patient resource navigator at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. She routinely comes in contact with cancer patients who are worried about the financial costs. Among Huber's favorite nonprofits that help cancer patients is CancerCare, an organization that has been providing free counseling and support groups since 1944 to people over the phone, online and in person -- and one of the major points of discussion is the financial challenges of cancer. Huber also likes Cleaning for a Reason, a national nonprofit that assists women with cancer by cleaning their houses for free. She adds that the American Cancer Society may have free wigs for cancer patients and says its Road to Recovery group assists patients with rides to treatments. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society offers copay assistance programs and local grants that may help with living expenses. And, of course, if you have a child with cancer, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital offers all of its services for free. If you need financial help and don't know what to do, you should discuss this with someone at your local health department who will know what resources are in your area and state, Huber says. "Each state has different programs and funding that may be able to provide assistance," Huber says. "Here in Maryland, we have a program for breast and cervical cancer patients. If the patient meets the criteria, they may be eligible for coverage for treatment, scans and prescriptions relating to their breast or cervical cancer needs." If nothing else, call 877-336-7287, the number for the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing in Lewiston, Maine. Anyone in any location can call, says Mary Dempsey, the center's assistant director and sister of the star of the ABC series "Grey's Anatomy." The center, founded in 2008, was inspired by Dempsey's mother, Amanda, who has a rare form of ovarian cancer. It provides free support, education and integrative medicine to anyone affected by cancer. You may live nowhere near Maine, but if you don't know what services are in your area, Mary Dempsey says a financial counselor at the Dempsey Center may be able to guide you to a service or organization in your area. Gather your paperwork. Getting financial assistance to help you fight cancer is, unfortunately, like buying a house or car or applying for a loan. You'll need to prove that your finances are what you say they are, which means gathering paycheck stubs, tax documentation and anything else relating to your income. You'll also likely need written documentation of your cancer diagnosis. If you're truly hurting financially and know that you're going to need to step away from your job, Huber says, "I recommend people who get diagnosed with cancer go to their local social service department and apply for medical assistance, food stamps and temporary disability. This can be a long and challenging process, and sometimes patients are not eligible for these services." Tell everyone in a position to help that you're in need. Nobody is saying you have to beg for money on Facebook or set up a crowdfunding page for donations, although those are valid options that many people understandably take. But certainly talk to people who are in a position to help you, like your patient navigator at the hospital or its social worker, Huber suggests. "Each person and case is different, so the navigator or social worker can work on an individual basis with the patient to let them know what may be available to them," she says. Huber also suggests checking with the pharmaceutical company that makes your medication to see if it has a copay assistance program. She likes the website needymeds.org, a nonprofit that helps people find local programs that may provide financial assistance for their medications. Look for grants. They're out there. Cancer.net has a financial assistance page that will lead people to grants. CancerCare also offers financial assistance, and managecancer.org has links to resources that offer financial help. It isn't your imagination. It is harder if you're in the middle class. If you have been diagnosed with cancer and are firmly entrenched in the middle class, you should know that you may have to do more research and talk to more people than you'd ever imagine. That's because there are more programs that help those at the bottom of the financial ladder than those in the middle. Even with insurance, middle-class patients may believe they have to go bankrupt to qualify for the programs out there.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now

In this segment of The Motley Fool's everything-financials show,�Where the Money Is, banking analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson discuss the recent announcement of PacWest Bancorp's (NASDAQ: PACW  ) intention to buy CapitalSource (NYSE: CSE  ) .

David tells investors why this merger makes a lot of sense on paper but may not be a signal that the bank-M&A floodgates are set to open.

While opportunity may seem abundant with smaller bank stocks, many investors are still terrified about investing in big banking stocks after the crash, but the sector has one notable stand-out. In a sea of mismanaged and dangerous peers, it rises above as "The Only Big Bank Built to Last." You can uncover the top pick that Warren Buffett loves in The Motley Fool's�new report. It's free, so click here to access it now.

You can follow�David�and�Matt�on Twitter.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now: ONYX Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ONXX)

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development and commercialization of therapies that target the molecular mechanisms that cause cancer in the United States and internationally. The company, through its collaboration agreement with Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc., develops and markets Nexavar (sorafenib) tablet, a multiple kinase inhibitor for the treatment of liver cancer and advanced kidney cancer. It is also conducting Phase III clinical trial on Nexavar for the treatment of kidney, liver, lung, thyroid, breast, and non-small cell lung cancers; clinical trials on carfilzomib, a proteasome inhibitor for the treatment of patients with relapsed or relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and solid tumors; and Phase Ib/II clinical trial on Oprozomib, an oral proteasome inhibitor. In addition, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is developing ONX 0914, an immunoproteasome inhibitor, which is in preclinical stage for the treatment of autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and lupus. Further, the company, through its collaboration agreement with Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is conducting clinical trials on Regorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor to treat metastatic colorectal cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. It has a collaboration agreement with Warner-Lambert Company to discover and commercialize small molecule drugs that restore control of or intervene in the misregulated cell cycle in tumor cells. The company also has development and license agreements with BTG International Limited for the development and commercialization of ONX 0801, a novel targeted oncology compound; and Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to develop and commercialize carfilzomib and Oprozomib for oncology indications in Japan. Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Questcor Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOR) and Under Armour Inc. (NYSE: UA) may seem to have little to nothing in common on the surface. Questcor is in the pharmaceutical business, while Under Armour is the sports apparel and casual wear business. The world has now seen that Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ONXX) is being acquired for some $10.4 billion. The commonality between Questcor and Under Armour is that they were featured on the same recent high growth list of public companies expected to double their revenues over the next two to four years.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Nothing like being wanted
  Onyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ONXX  ) experienced the thrill of being wanted this week. Shares soared nearly 57% this week after word leaked last weekend that Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN  ) offered to buy the company for $120 per share.

• [By Alex Planes]

  Palboclib, a treatment for breast cancer, which Pfizer licenses from Onyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ONXX  ) recently received breakthrough therapy designation status from the Food and Drug Administration this year. �On the other hand, Pfizer's new chronic myeloid leukemia drug Bosulif has been rejected by the U.K.'s cost agency National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. You win some, you lose some.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Also, more studies including Revlimid in first-line treatment of multiple myeloma are likely on the way. In April, results from a phase 1/2 trial with Onyx Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ: ONXX  ) Kyprolis in combination with Revlimid and low-dose dexamethasone� showed promising results. Onyx received Food and Drug Administration approval for Kyprolis as a third-line treatment for multiple myeloma in July 2012.�Kyprolis is technically a rival to Celgene's Pomalyst, but there's room for both drugs to be successful.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now: Alcoa Inc.(AA)

Alcoa, Inc. engages in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina. The company operates in four segments: Alumina, Primary Metals, Flat-Rolled Products, and Engineered Products and Solutions. The Alumina segment engages in mining of bauxite, which is then refined into alumina. The Primary Metals segment produces aluminum. The Flat-Rolled Products segment engages in the production and sale of aluminum plate, sheet, and foil. The Engineered Products and Solutions segment produces and sells titanium, aluminum, and super alloy investment castings, hard alloy extrusions, forgings and fasteners, aluminum wheels, integrated aluminum structural systems, and architectural extrusions. Its products are used in aircraft, automobiles, commercial transportation, packaging, building and construction, oil and gas, defense, consumer electronics, and industrial applications. The company holds interests in bauxite mining activities. The company has op erations primarily in the United States, Australia, Spain, Brazil, the Netherlands, Norway, France, the Russian Federation, Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom, China, and Germany. Alcoa, Inc. was founded in 1888 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Alcoa (NYSE: AA) is projected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.06 per share on revenue of $5.63 billion.

  EXFO (NASDAQ: EXFO) is expected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.05 per share on revenue of $60.94 million.

• [By Eddie Staley]

  Top Headline
  Alcoa (NYSE: AA) reported a loss in the fourth quarter on Thursday. Alcoa posted a quarterly loss of $2.34 billion, or $2.19 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $242 million, or $0.21 per share. Excluding one-time items, it earned $0.04 per share. Its revenue dropped 5% to $5.59 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.06 per share on revenue of $5.36 billion.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Offsetting the impact
  Still, sometimes, good and bad performances cancel each other out. The smallest stock in the Dow, Alcoa (NYSE: AA  ) , was also its worst performer, losing 5% since last June. But since its shares fetch only about $8, that loss barely affected the Dow at all. In an equal-weight Dow, however, it would have just as big an influence as any other stock.

• [By Matt Thalman]

  Alcoa (NYSE: AA  ) �was also hurt by falling commodity prices. While the aluminum manufacturer saw its share price fall 1.2% today, the price of aluminum fell by 1.19%.�Growing concerns that the global economy is slowing, which would likely weaken demand, and a growing supply of the metal, continue to put downward pressure on the per ton price of aluminum. Although the company recently beat earnings estimates, it missed on revenue, which is a sign that the management team is running a tight ship. But, if the price of aluminum continues to decline, there may not be anything management can do to keep the company profitable.

Top Logistics Stocks To Own Right Now: Oceaneering International Inc.(OII)

Oceaneering International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides engineered products and services primarily to the offshore oil and gas industry with a focus on deepwater applications. The company?s Remotely Operated Vehicles segment provides submersible vehicles operated from the surface to support offshore oil and gas exploration, production, and construction activities. Its Subsea Products segment supplies various built-to-order specialty subsea hardware products. The company?s Subsea Projects segment provides multiservice vessels, oilfield diving, and support vessel operations, which are used primarily in inspection, repair, and maintenance and installation activities; and mobile offshore production systems. Its Inspection segment offers customers with a range of third-party inspection services to satisfy contractual structural specifications, internal safety standards, and regulatory requirements. The company?s Advanced Technologies segment offers project management, and engineering services and equipment for applications in non-oilfield markets. Oceaneering International, Inc. also serves defense and aerospace industries. It operates primarily in west Africa, Norway, the United Kingdom, Asia, Australia, Brazil, and the United States. The company was founded in 1965 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Hill]

  Gold continues its decline. Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) gets a boost from its investment banking business. Netflix� (NASDAQ: NFLX  ) gets a boost from analyst upgrades. And Oceaneering International (NYSE: OII  ) slips on falling oil prices. In this installment of Investor Beat, our analysts discuss four stocks making moves.

• [By Taylor Muckerman and Joel South]

  Oceaneering International (NYSE: OII  ) is a pure play on the deepwater space with its remotely operated vehicles and other subsea equipment. Both it and its similarly priced peer, FMC Technologies (NYSE: FTI  ) , compete for headlines tomorrow during earnings season. While guidance hasn't changed since last week, the market will almost certainly be looking for results on the high side or even expectation-beating numbers. What do Motley Fool analysts Joel South and Taylor Muckerman expect from these companies tomorrow?

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of Oceaneering International (NYSE: OII  ) were rising with the tide today, gaining as much as 10% after delivering a strong quarter and a healthy dividend hike.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now: Bluforest Inc (BLUF)

Bluforest Inc., formerly Greenwood Gold Resources, Inc., incorporated on March 26, 2008, is a carbon offset credit trading company with land assets in South America. Global Environmental Investments Limited (GEIL) sold all of the rights and interests held by GEIL pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement, on March 30, 2012, to the Company regarding the Property, which consists of approximately 105,000 hectares. It consists of 100% of GEIL�� rights, title and interests in and to the timber, minerals, substances and the rights to receive from the Property, and 100% of the right, title and interests of GEIL in all existing oil, gas and/or mineral unitization, pooling and/or communization agreements, declarations, and/or orders and the properties covered or included in the units, which relate to the Property.

The Property consists of 100% of the right, title and interests of GEIL in all existing and agreements, including sales and sales related contracts, operating agreements and other agreements and contracts, which relate to Fundacion Nelson Velasco Aguirre (NVA), the Property or which relate to the exploration, development, operation or maintenance of the Property or the treatment, storage, transaction or marketing of production from or allocated to the Property. The 105,000 hectares also consists of 100% of the right, title and interests of GEIL in and to all materials, supplies, machinery, equipment, improvements, and other personal property and fixtures relating to the Property, and all wells, wellhead equipment, pumping units, flow lines, tanks, buildings, injection facilities, salt water disposal facilities, compression facilities, gathering systems and other equipment, all easements, rights-of-way, surface leases and other surface rights, all permits and licenses and all other appurtenances, used or held for use in connection with or related to the exploration, development, operation or maintenance of any of the Property.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks BluForest Inc (OTCMKTS: BLUF), Dephasium Corp (OTCMKTS: DPHS) and IceWEB, Inc (OTCBB: IWEB) have been getting some attention for at least a few weeks now thanks to paid for promotional activity. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed stock promotions, but one of these stocks also has a former shareholder who has filed a civil action against it alleging there is an illegal ��ump and dump��scheme going on. So what�� the whole story and more importantly, what will happen with these small cap stocks when the well from promoters eventually goes dry? Here is a closer look and a quick reality check:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap green stocks Eco-Tek Group Inc (OTCMKTS: ETEK) and BluForest Inc (OTCMKTS: BLUF) have been getting some attention lately thanks to some green���as in paid for promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed promotions, but one of these stocks happens to be getting a considerable amount of attention as its been the subject of numerous transactions. With that in mind, will investors see some green with these green small cap stocks? Here is a quick reality check:�

• [By Peter Graham]

  What�� the Catch With Multi-Corp International Inc? According to various disclosures, no transactions have occurred to mention Multi-Corp International in various investment newsletters. Moreover, I am not seeing any recent news on the newswires about the company with the latest press release dating from late July about the posting of a blanket bond. However and as I noted in an earlier about BluForest Inc (OTCMKTS: BLUF), the company has been named in a Freedom of Information request with the SEC by George Sharp (of Pumps&Dumps.com) for all complaints filed against Jim Can. George apparently contends that Jim controls BluForest along with Multi-Corp International, but the former has recently won an injunction against the latter for ��lleged, completely false, defamatory claims and statements.��Otherwise, investors should be aware that Multi-Corp International�� most recent financials date from the end of September of last year ��meaning its investor beware until they get current.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now: Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp (SBS)

Companhia de Saneamento B sico do Estado de Sao Paulo - SABESP provides water and sewage services to residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers in the State of Sao Paulo. Its services comprise water supply, sanitary sewage services, urban rainwater management and drainage services, urban cleaning services, and solid waste management services, as well as related activities, including the planning, operation, maintenance, and commercialization of energy. As of December 31, 2010, it provided water services through 7.3 million water connections to approximately 23.6 million people; and sewage services through 5.7 million sewage connections to approximately 20 million people. The company was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Carlton Delfeld]

  Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo (SBS) is commonly called SABESP. I like the stock for three reasons:

  First, the company has plenty of room to grow in Sao Paulo, other regions in Brazil, and even in neighboring countries. Sao Paulo has a population over 40 million and represents 30% of Brazil's total economic output.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now: Catamaran Corp (CTRX)

Catamaran Corporation (Catamaran), formerly SXC Health Solutions Corp., incorporated on June 27, 2007, is a provider of pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services and healthcare information technology (HCIT) solutions to the healthcare benefit management industry. The Company�� product offerings and solutions combine a range of applications and PBM services designed to assist its customers in reducing the cost and managing the complexity of their prescription drug programs. The Company�� customers include organizations in the pharmaceutical supply chain, such as pharmacy benefit managers, managed care organizations, self-insured employer groups, unions, third party health care plan administrators, and state and federal government entities. In January 2012, the Company completed its acquisition of HealthTran LLC (HealthTran). On July 2, 2012, the Company acquired Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc. On October 1, 2013, the Company acquired RESTAT, LLC.

The Company�� PBM services, which are marketed under the Catamaran PBM brand, include electronic point-of-sale pharmacy claims management, retail pharmacy network management, mail pharmacy claims management, specialty pharmacy claims management, Medicare Part D services, benefit design consultation, preferred drug management programs, drug review and analysis, consulting services, data access, and reporting and information analysis. The Company's PBM services include owning and operating a network of mail and specialty pharmacies. In addition, the Company is a national provider of drug benefits to its customers under the federal government�� Medicare Part D program. The Company�� HCIT solutions include RxCLAIM, an on-line transaction processing system that provides instant adjudication of prescription drug claims, RxMAX, the Company�� rebate management system, RxTRACK, the Company�� data warehouse and analysis system, Zynchros, the Company�� suite of on-demand formulary management tools, the Company�� pharmacy management system! for retail, chain, institutional and mail-order pharmacies, as well as a number of other software products for customers in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The Company�� HCIT solutions are available on a license basis with on-going maintenance and support or on a transaction fee basis using an application service provider (ASP) model.

PBM Services

The Company�� informedRx offering is a suite of customizable PBM services that provide an alternative to traditional PBM offerings typically employed by health plans, government agencies and employers. The Company provides a range of pharmacy spend management solutions and information technology capabilities to managed care organizations, self-insured employer groups, unions, third party health care plan administrators, and state and federal government entities. Formulary Administration provides support for customers��existing formularies and preferred drug lists or collaborate to create models supported by formulary predictive modeling and impact analysis. Pharmacist, physician and member-focused intervention protocols provide controls to drive generics, preferred drug products and appropriate use. Formularies are administered based on specific plan designs, or by enabling customers with the tools to maintain their own custom formularies online.

The Company specializes in applying data-driven insights to help customers understand the medical risk drivers within their population and take a strategic approach to plan design. The Company provides benefit design configuration and support to customers, in accordance with mutually developed processes. Benefit designs can be modified online, in real time, by the Company or by the customer�� staff. Pharmacy Network Management provides a range of retail network options, including supporting existing networks or assisting customers in developing networks that meet specific geographic access requirements, desired price discounts, or other service requirements. A national! retail n! etwork, which consists of pharmacies in all 50 states and in Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands, provides access to the Company�� customers.

Drug Utilization Review (DUR) is pre-dispensing DUR edit checks are performed on an online, real-time basis between mail and retail pharmacies to encourage appropriate drug utilization, enhance member outcomes, and reduce drug costs. All prescriptions are checked for member eligibility and plan design features and are then compared against previous histories of prescriptions filled by the same pharmacy, by other participating retail network pharmacies and by the mail service pharmacy. Clinical Services and Consulting provides consultative and technical expertise to augment, develop, deploy, and support any additional clinical programs. Reporting and Information Analysis Solutions provides two levels of reporting: a reporting package (which includes a menu of reports), and an online analytical decision support tool, RxTRACK. The Company offers mail and specialty services to its PBM members, as well as other members of its pharmacy network. suite of Web-based services that enables customers to interact with the claims processing system using a standardized protocol in a secure environment. A member Website, RxPORTAL, invites members to learn more about their prescription benefit programs, medication histories, drug information and related industry news. RxPROVIDER PORTAL is a Web-based interface that allows pharmacists and physicians to obtain information from RxCLAIM on a member's plan to assist in providing more cost effective prescription medications.

Healthcare IT

The Company's HCIT offerings deliver applications on a license, ASP, or fee-for-service basis to customers who administer and manage pharmacy benefits. HCIT products and services serve a diversified group of payor customers that include health plans, federal, state and provincial government programs, pharmacy benefit managers, workers' compensation programs! , and lon! g-term and/or chronic care facility operators. In addition, SXC's technology serves as the engine for the Company's service PBM solutions.

Technology Products and Services

RxCLAIM is an on-line transaction processing system designed to provide instant on-line adjudication of third-party prescription drug claims at the point of service, including claims management, as well as payment and billing support and real-time functionality for updating benefit, price, member, provider and drug details. RxCLAIM is designed to provide the Company�� customers control by facilitating the real-time processing of pharmacy claims and payments against eligibility, plan benefits, formularies, price, drug utilization review, prior authorization, and rebates in addition to many other features.

Other products

Integrail Pathfinder PRO is a software application that enables a array of users to understand the impact of healthcare resource allocation and medical decision-making through the incorporation of risk prediction and episode profiling technologies. The application offers users an intuitive system for integrating disparate data sources to pinpoint variations in resource utilization and care. IntegrailRx features the ability to measure and predict both pharmacy and total risk using pharmacy claims. RxBUILDER is a Web-based interface for formulary creation and maintenance utilizing a Medi-Span based product file. RxPORTAL allows customers to interact with the patient's formulary and drug history in a secure environment allowing patients and health plans to access industry tools and up to date information. RxAUTH is a prior authorization (PA) management solution, which offers automating the PA process from end-to-end. RxAUTH is also available in a Web-based application. RxMAX is a rebate management system that is designed to assist health plans in managing their relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers through contract management, record keeping, calculating market share! , and cre! ating billing details and summaries. Zynchros provides a suite of on-demand formulary management tools to help payors effectively manage their formulary programs, and to maintain Medicare Part D compliance in their programs. Enhanced Coordination of Benefits integrates external data sources with unique algorithms and eligibility data to identify beneficiaries with other coverage. This enables accurate identification of third party liability in real-time prior to the claim being paid.

Medicare Part D

The Company has offered an array of services to the Medicare marketplace, all compliant with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations. As a full-service PBM and a National Prescription Drug Plan, the Company supports a variety of Medicare Part D Plan Sponsors. The Company provides prescription benefit management support for Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans (MAPDs) and prescription drug plans (PDPs), including implementation of specific Medicare Part D plan designs, creation and maintenance of Medicare Part D formularies (including CMS submission), CMS reporting requirements and consultative, proactive account management.

The Company competes with Express Scripts, Inc., CVS/Caremark Corporation and OptumRx.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, health care IT services specialist Catamaran (NASDAQ: CTRX  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Health Care: Catamaran Corp. (NASDAQ: CTRX) provides pharmacy benefit management services and health care information technology solutions to the health care benefits management industry in North America. Credit Suisse believes the company’s growth profile, potential upside to synergy targets from recent acquisitions, and the chance to expand into the large employer market should drive outperformance in shares. The target price for the stock is $64, and the consensus is posted higher at $68. Trading to either target represents a gain of almost 40%. Catamaran closed Tuesday at $46.85.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now: Exxon Mobil Corporation(XOM)

Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas, and manufacture of petroleum products, as well as transportation and sale of crude oil, natural gas, and petroleum products. The company manufactures and markets commodity petrochemicals, including olefins, aromatics, polyethylene and polypropylene plastics, and other specialty products. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 35,691 gross and 30,494 net operated wells. The company has operations in the United States, Canada/South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia/Oceania. Exxon Mobil Corporation was founded in 1870 and is based in Irving, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  What basically happened, and you can read the full story here, is that for seven months the wells, now owned by XTO, were producing gas but XTO wasn't getting paid for the gas. Now, Dominion owes XTO's new owner, ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM  ) , a grand total of $3.4 million for the gas and just over $900,000 in interest. It can appeal the ruling, but it's probably not a large enough amount to fight over.

• [By Victor Selva]

  It is best suited for investors looking for diversification across sectors at a low cost. Let's see the fund麓s holding list:

  Apple Inc (AAPL) 3.21% Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM) 2.80% Google Inc (GOOG) 1.97% General Electric Co (GE) 1.80% Microsoft Corp (MSFT) 1.78% Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) 1.62% Chevron Corp (CVX) 1.52% Procter & Gamble Co (PG) 1.40% JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM) 1.38% Wells Fargo & Co (WFC)1.38%

  Total Percentage of Top 10 Holdings: 18.86%

• [By Claudia Assis]

  Shares of Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) �fell 0.2%, while shares of Chevron Corp. (CVX) �were down 0.7%. ConocoPhillips (COP) �shares turned higher, however, ending up 0.1%.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  With that said, the Oracle of Omaha�� latest major is buy is certainly a doozy in both the size and potential value. That huge purchase was major integrated oil stock Exxon Mobil (XOM).

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now: Foundation Medicine Inc (FMI)

Foundation Medicine, Inc., incorporated on November 12, 2009, is a commercial-stage company. The Company is focused on fundamentally changing the way patients with cancer are treated. The Company�� platform includes methods and algorithms for analyzing tumor tissue samples across all types of cancer, as well as information aggregation and concise reporting capabilities. Its products provide genomic information about each patient�� individual cancer, enabling physicians to optimize treatments in clinical practice and enabling biopharmaceutical companies to develop targeted oncology therapies more effectively.

FoundationOne, its first clinical product, is, to its knowledge, the only commercially available comprehensive molecular information product designed for use in the routine care of patients with cancer. In addition, the Company is considered a non-contracting provider by commercial third-party payors because it has not entered into specific contracts to provide FoundationOne to their covered patients, and as a result it takes on primary responsibility for obtaining reimbursement on behalf of patients.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  If you have not been watching the biotech sector lately, you should start paying attention as the sector along with small cap biotech stocks like Cell Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: CTIC), BIND Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: BIND) and TNI BioTech (OTCMKTS: TNIB) continue to produce a steady stream of good news for investors thanks to positive industry trends. Moreover, Ophthotech Corp (NASDAQ: OPHT), Foundation Medicine Inc (NASDAQ: FMI), Evoke Pharma and Fate Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: FATE) are this week's biotech IPOs that will no doubt be watched closely by Wall Street and industry observers in general. With that in mind, consider the following biotech news or recent articles about the industry and the small cap players in it:

• [By John Udovich]

  Yesterday, small cap biotech Acceleron Pharma Inc (NASDAQ: XLRN) rose 9.76%�plus shares are up 183.6% for retail investors since its September IPO, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of other biotech IPOs like BIND Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: BIND), Ophthotech Corp (NASDAQ: OPHT) and Foundation Medicine Inc (NASDAQ: FMI) which also debuted at the same time.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Foundation Medicine (NASDAQ: FMI) shares tumbled 7.58% to reach a new 52-week low of $21.23. Foundation Medicine's trailing-twelve-month profit margin is -147.08%.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  In the following video, Dan Caplinger, director of investment planning for The Motley Fool, looks at whether the IPO market is overheating once more. Dan points to some huge gains from recent IPOs, with FireEye (NASDAQ: FEYE  ) rising 80% in its first day while Rocket Fuel (NASDAQ: FUEL  ) and Foundation Medicine (NASDAQ: FMI  ) both posted gains of between 90% and 100%. Dan also highlights Sprouts Farmers Market� (NASDAQ: SFM  ) , which climbed a whopping 123% in its first day as a public company.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now: HCP Inc. (HCP)

HCP, Inc. is an independent hybrid real estate investment trust. The fund invests in real estate markets of the United States. It primarily invests in properties serving the healthcare industry including sectors of healthcare such as senior housing, life science, medical office, hospital and skilled nursing. The fund also invests in mezzanine loans and other debt instruments. It engages in acquisition, development, leasing, selling and managing of healthcare real estate and provides mortgage and other financing to healthcare providers. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P 500 Index, Berkshire Hathaway Index, and MSCI REIT Index. HCP, Inc. was formed in 1985 and is based in Long Beach, California with additional office in Nashville and San Francisco.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  My vote for the strangest drop of the week goes to HCP (HCP). The healthcare real-estate investment trust fell 6% to $39.05 after it fired its CEO without warning and insisted there was nothing behind it except desire for a different management style. Investors were not enthused.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  You don't have to be an expert technical analyst to see what's going on in shares of health care REIT HCP (HCP). This stock is in stuck in a textbook downtrending channel. Fundamentally, there's a lot to like about this stock, but HCP is a good example of why it's never a good idea to chase yield; HCP may have a 5.29% annual dividend payout, but shares have lost more than that in the last month alone.

  HCP's price channel has provided traders with a high-probability range for shares since the middle of the year. Despite the last four attempts at pushing through trendline resistance, shares have been swatted down on each attempt. And while HCP has been turning higher in the last few sessions, investors should look at trendline resistance at $42 with a lot of skepticism. That's probably the worst possible time to be a buyer.

  Instead, it makes sense to sell near the trendline for a most efficient exit in HCP. Yes, trendlines do eventually break, but getting in now is a big mistake. After all "this time it's different" are probably the most expensive four words in the English language. As long as shares stay within that channel, sell the bounce.

• [By Dimitra DeFotis]

  Among real estate trusts:

  American Tower��(AMT),�the diversified �REIT, is the best performer in the index.�It was�up 4.6% after saying�Friday it will buy the parent of tower operator Global Tower Partners for $4.8 billion. HCP (HCP), a healthcare REIT, was�up 3.3%. Prologis (PLD) an industrial REIT, was�up 2.8%. Vornado Realty Trust (VNO) was�up 2.7%. Boston Properties (BXP), the office REIT, was�up 2.3%. Equity Residential (EQR), a residential REIT, was�up 2.4%. Ventas (VTR), a healthcare REIT, was�up 2%.