Tesla Surges 12%: Q4 Crushes Estimates; Plans 35,000 Model S Deliveries in ’14

Hot Companies To Invest In 2014

Shares of Tesla Motors (TSLA) are up $24.46, or 13%, at $218.10, after the company this afternoon reported Q4 revenue and earnings per shares that trounced analysts’ expectations, and said it expects to make delivery of 35,000 “Model S” sedans this year, which is higher than the Briefing.com consensus for 29,000.

Revenue in the three months ended in December rose almost 150%, year over year, to $761 million, yielding EPS of 33 cents.

Analysts had been modeling $673 million and 21 cents.

CEO Elon Musk said the company plans to increase production rate this quarter, even though actual quarterly shipments of the Model S will decline slightly from last quarter:

We expect to deliver over 35,000 Model S vehicles in 2014, representing a 55+% increase over 2013. Production is expected to increase from 600 cars/week presently to about 1,000 cars/week by end of the year as we expand our factory capacity and address supplier bottlenecks. Battery cell supply will continue to constrain our production in the first half of the year, but will improve significantly in the second half of 2014. First quarter production is expected to be about 7,400 vehicles, which is significantly higher than the prior quarter production of 6,587 cars. However, as the number of cars in transit to Europe and Asia must grow substantially to support those markets, we plan to deliver approximately 6,400 vehicles in Q1. Deliveries will grow dramatically in future quarters as the logistics pipeline fills. This year, we expect automotive gross margin to increase to about 28% (non-GAAP and GAAP) in Q4 through a series of small design improvements, better supplier prices and economies of scale. Q1 gross margin should increase very slightly from Q4. For the remainder of the year, gross margin should improve at a faster pace.

5 'Toxic Stocks' to Sell in 2014

 

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- With yesterday's modest retreat in stock prices, 2014 officially starts things off as the worst year for stocks since 2008. Not so fast, though -- the sky isn't falling just yet.

After all, the S&P 500's paltry 1.09% decline year-to-date isn't exactly threatening the multi-year rally that we've ridden this far. Instead, that stat speaks more to the strength that the post-2008 rally has enjoyed.

When a 1.09% drop is a notable move, you know you're looking at a pretty good time to own stocks.

But that doesn't mean that it's a good time to own all stocks. The laggard names in the market right now could be downright toxic to your portfolio. And the time to unload them is now.

That's why we're taking a closer look at five toxic stocks you should be selling in 2014. To be fair, the companies I'm talking about today aren't exactly "junk."

By that, I mean they're not next up in line at bankruptcy court. But that's frankly irrelevant; from a technical analysis standpoint, they're some of the worst positioned names out there right now. For that reason, fundamental investors need to decide how long they're willing to take the pain if they want to hold onto these firms this summer. And for investors looking to buy one of these positions, it makes sense to wait for more favorable technical conditions (and a lower share price) before piling in.

For the unfamiliar, technical analysis is a way for investors to quantify qualitative factors, such as investor psychology, based on a stock's price action and trends. Once the domain of cloistered trading teams on Wall Street, technicals can help top traders make consistently profitable trades and can aid fundamental investors in better planning their stock execution.

So, without further ado, let's take a look at five toxic stocks you should be unloading.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

It's been a good year to own shares of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN); in the last 12 months, the biopharma stock has rallied around 50%. But after a big move higher this past year, shares of REGN are starting to roll over. And it doesn't take an expert technical analyst to see why.

That's because shares of Regeneron are currently forming a downtrending channel, a price setup that's formed by a pair of parallel trendlines bounding REGN's share price movement. When it comes to price channels, it's about as simple as it gets: Up is good, and down is bad. So now, as Regeneron bounces off of trendline resistance, shares look ready for another leg lower.

The underperformance in REGN is compounded by horrible relative strength at the bottom of the chart. That relative strength line is a particularly important indicator to keep an eye on now, and more underperformance in REGN looks even more likely as a result.

Questar

We're seeing the exact same price setup in shares of mid-cap natural gas company Questar (STR), even if the chart looks a little different at first glance. Like REGN, Questar is currently forming a downtrending channel, but in this case, the channel is bounded to the downside by two extra support levels. Don't expect support to provide a reprieve from selling, though – the trend is clearly down from here.

STR is sitting up near trendline resistance right now, which provides an optimal time to exit a position in shares. This stock has gotten swatted down on each of the last three attempts to push through the top of the channel, and with shares slipping for a fourth time, the message is pretty clear that the trendline isn't going to break this time around either.

Enstar is currently forming a descending triangle pattern, a bearish price setup that's formed by a horizontal resistance level below shares and downtrending support pressing to the upside. Basically, as shares of ESGR bounce in between those two technical price levels, they're getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakdown below support at $133. A move through that $133 price level is the signal to sell (or short) this name.

Relative strength is showing no signs of improvement in ESGR right now, which means that even after shedding almost 10% from its highs, this stock is still failing to keep up with the S&P's performance. Keep a close eye on this name while shares remain within reach of $133.

Toronto-Dominion Bank

Last year brought out some strong performance in the financial sector, but the tides could be turning in 2014 for Canadian banking giant Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD). This $84 billion name is starting to look toppy right now.

The pattern to watch in TD is a "double top." Like the name suggests, the setup is formed by two swing highs that lose steam at approximately the same level. The sell signal comes on a move through support at $88.

Whenever you're looking at any technical price pattern, it's critical to think in terms of those buyers and sellers. Double tops, triangles and other pattern names are a good quick way to explain what's going on in a stock, but they're not the reason it's tradable. Instead, it all comes down to supply and demand for shares.

That support level at $88 is a price where there has been an excess of demand of shares; in other words, it's a place where buyers are more eager to step in and buy shares at a lower price than sellers were to sell. That's what makes a breakdown below $88 so significant -- the move would indicate that sellers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess demand at that price level. Wait for that indication before you sell.

Revlon

Last up is Revlon (REV), the small-cap cosmetics company. Revlon is a standout on our list of "toxic" names because it's actually still trending higher right now. But that uptrend is being overshadowed by a classic topping pattern that's been forming in shares in the long-term.

REV is currently forming a head and shoulders top, a bearish reversal setup that indicates exhaustion among buyers. The setup is formed by two swing highs that top out around the same level (the shoulders), separated by a bigger peak called the head; the sell signal comes on the breakdown below the pattern's "neckline" level, which is right at $24 at the moment for REV. If this stock can't catch a bid at $24, it's time to be a seller.

Lest you think that the head and shoulders is too well known to be worth trading, the research suggests otherwise: a recent academic study conducted by the Federal Reserve Board of New York found that the results of 10,000 computer-simulated head-and-shoulders trades resulted in "profits [that] would have been both statistically and economically significant." That's good reason to keep an eye on Revlon in the market sessions ahead.

To see this week's trades in action, check out the Technical Setups for the Week portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Jonas Elmerraji in Baltimore.

 

RELATED LINKS:

 

>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar >>Must-See Charts: 5 Trades to Take >>5 Hated Stocks Ready to Pop in 2014

 

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

 

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

 

Jonas Elmerraji, CMT, is a senior market analyst at Agora Financial in Baltimore and a contributor to TheStreet. Before that, he managed a portfolio of stocks for an investment advisory returned 15% in 2008. He has been featured in Forbes , Investor's Business Daily, and on CNBC.com. Jonas holds a degree in financial economics from UMBC and the Chartered Market Technician designation.

 

Follow Jonas on Twitter @JonasElmerraji

Bartiromo: UBS' Ermotti foresees growth in China

The new year kicked off with a whole lot of volatility in the markets. January saw the S&P 500 give back 25% of the big gains achieved in 2013. Even worse, the emerging markets which had been the star growth story for a decade saw a record breaking 16 straight weeks of outflows of money from equities. So with a new agenda and chairman at the Federal Reserve and investors on edge, I caught up with the leader of one of the biggest asset managers and banks today — UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti. He sees good things to come in the U.S. in 2014, and he doesn't believe the hype about China slowing down all that much. He cautions against looking at all emerging markets the same way and says they'll be volatile, which is why they're called emerging. Our interview follows, edited for clarity and length.

Q: Last year was a great one for the capital markets, wealth management. How do things look to you for 2014?

A: It was a great year, partly because expectations about the year were very, very low, so we had a double surprise. Markets were good, but also our expectations at the beginning of the year about the microeconomic developments were not so good. The prospects for 2014 are starting positive. We see a good chance that Europe will grow slightly this year, China will keep growing, but for sure we should not be complacent.

Q: In terms of Europe, it's been a slow move. Where is the growth, and where do you still see the challenge?

A: The growth in Europe is coming from the fact that we are coming off of a low base. We've been going through a severe downturn in the last couple years, China is likely to grow a little bit more, and Europe will benefit from that. Structurally speaking, there is still a big issue in Europe. The reforms have not gone through, both in the labor market and the fiscal side of the equation. Social trends, big things such as demographic trends, are still not very constructive for Europe. There is still a lot to be done, which is why I'm saying Europe c! annot be complacent because there is a forecast of growth for 1½%, so it's not really a big move.

Q: UBS is among the best capitalized banks. What about the industry and the banks in Europe, which are still struggling. Do you expect consolidation or more asset sales? Is the so called deleveraging in Europe continuing, and is that an opportunity for UBS?

A: It's going to be very important in the second part of the year. The European Central Bank will run all the banks through a stress test, and the likelihood is that you will see banks coming out of this exercise with the need to be recapitalized. The big question will be to say if this recapitalization is justified from an investor point of view, to fund a business or invest in a business that may or may not be able to pay for the cost of the capital allocated for the business. If yes, it's gonna be an easy task. If not, restructuring business models or potentially, consolidation, is the most natural consequence of that. The problem is that still, the environment and stakeholders in Europe being politicians and regulators, they don't seem to be very keen to allow for a big wave of consolidation, even though for some banks, that is almost inevitable.

Q: The Federal Reserve has begun the tapering of its bond-buying program. What is your expectation in terms of rates and the impact of higher rates to come?

A: We do see clearly in the next few quarters that this policy of tapering will be implemented for sure. The impact on our business, if it's done in a smooth way, can be beneficial to us. I think it's clear that banks in a low-interest-rate environment are suffering. Our net interest margins are clearly under pressure, so it could be constructive if the shape of the yield curve is not too steep very quickly as rates go up.

Q: You've had to respond to regulators and pacify regulators. Many of your colleagues in the industry have as well, right? Are we going to see job cuts? Are we going to see this area of the business ! get small! er from here?

A: There are regulations out there; we have to respond to the changing power of regulation … and that's one part of the equation. But anything we did in the last couple of years was also to address the needs and the concerns of our clients and our shareholders. We have to have a business model that can be a sustainable and acceptable one to both regulators and the other stakeholders, clients and investors.

Q: What does the pipeline look like to you in terms of IPOs and deal flow for the year?

A: Very, very good. Good momentum. The most impressive ones I have to say are the ones from China. There are 700 IPOs in the pipeline in China. They put a ban on new IPOs for a while, and now, they reopen, and there are over 700 companies out there looking to be listed.

Q: Even as so many people worry that China's economy is slowing down, they still talk about 7% economic growth. Do you believe those numbers?

A: We see 7% to 8%, but a low of 7% could have quite an impact on the economies outside of China, in Europe particularly, and also the U.S. I think China is going to change from quantity to quality growth. It's quite impressive what the Chinese have been putting together, so it's very important that China goes into growth with sustainability both in quality of the growth and also the impact on its environment.

Q: What's your take on the emerging markets right now?

A: We have to be patient. There's been too much excitement about emerging markets particularly because rates have been low in the U.S. and people were searching for yield pick-up. Now that things look to re-balance, you see flows going out. It doesn't mean that the secular trend has changed.

Q: So which emerging markets do you see the most growth potential for?

A: Well, still definitely China. China is still the one that, in my point of view, has the biggest potential. I would say Brazil and Mexico are also very interesting. Brazil is much more exposed to what's ! going on ! in commodities.

Q: Where are you in terms of litigation and fines? UBS was among the first to settle some of these big cases that some of your colleagues are going through in the industry right now, (like helping tax evaders). Did you benefit because you settled so early?

A: It's not like we can choose the timing of settling those kinds of issues. In some cases, we are part of a process, and the timing indicates that we need to find a solution, and we settle or find a solution. I think it's good to be able to close chapters and move forward. But the journey about resolving idiosyncratic UBS issues or industrywide issues is still long. I do think that 2014 and 2015 are still years where we expect to be using time and resources on this.

Q: We're not over yet in terms of paying out money for this?

A: No. You see how long it takes for these things to be resolved, properly investigated, properly understood by all parties. … We are helping this process because we do believe that understanding the root cause of those issues and fixing them structurally is very important. We are cooperating with the authorities. No, it is not an easy or short journey, but we hope it can be addressed.

Q: Are you able to give investors any more clarity in terms of when you expect this would start winding down?

A: I think this year is still going to be a year that will keep us busy. Hopefully, 2015 is going to be calmer.

Q: Is there more to come with regard to (the London Interbank Offered Rate)?

A: For UBS, the vast majority of issues related to Libor have been addressed and closed.

Q: Let me ask you about the transition in the business. You've been ... emphasizing more on wealth management. How will UBS look different in the next two years?

A: Well it's really looking very different. We shifted in terms of capital allocation. ... We used to have two-thirds of the capital of the bank being allocated to the investment bank. Now, we have it the other way around.! It's on! e-third investment bank, and the rest is wealth management and our commercial banking activities in Switzerland. This is also mirrored in our pre-tax profits. It's a very balanced approach. This is exactly what we want to do. We want to continue to have not only capital allocation but a universal and embedded concept to serve our client. It's very important to have a strong investment banks that will help our wealth management to serve clients in preserving and growing their wealth.

Q: But do you need to offset the change in margins? You're looking at a different margin story when you're looking at wealth management vs. the investment bank. Do you need to offset that change, that loss in margin by making the investment bank one third — and how do you do that?

A: Many businesses in an investment bank, not only at UBS, are structurally a loss leader, so they don't pay for the cost of capital. Wealth management businesses are capital light businesses. I think what we've been doing, and it's now is reflected in our stock price, our valuation and our multiples, we are now a wealth manager. We went from being basically a bank that was measured and evaluated by shareholders as an investment bank, now we are evaluated as a wealth manager. Whatever profitability you may lose as an investment bank is more than compensated by the multiple expansion and the growth prospects in wealth management, and the combination of the two is the healthy portfolio we want to run.

10 Best Penny Stocks To Buy Right Now

Q: In other regulatory issues, the last time we spoke, we talked about the rule-making around compensation. Shareholders have been victorious in terms of getting more voting control. What is the impact on retaining talent, where everyone is afraid of high compensation and being in line with what regulators would like to see?

A: I think it's pretty good that shareholders have a say in comp! ensation,! I think it's their company, so they should have a say. What we're trying to do is bring up a philosophy on compensation that's balanced. We want value between shareholders and employees over a long period of time. I think the vast majority of our shareholders are supportive of this approach; they want us to be competitive in the way we retain and attract talent. There's nothing wrong as long as it's balanced, and this is what we're pursuing.

Q: After the last several years, which has been tough for the industry, is the worst behind? Do you look at 2014 and 2015 differently than you saw the last several years?

A: I am immunized right now. I think for sure I look at 2014 and 2015 with confidence about being able to manage many aspects of what I can control and what we can control at UBS. Other challenges may come, but that's the reason I think having a strong capital position, a strong client franchise like the one we have, a strong workforce that's dedicated will help to either manage any crisis or basically unlock the potential of our franchise.

Maria Bartiromo is anchor and global markets editor at The Fox Business Network, daily 9 a.m.-11 a.m. EST on FBN. Tweet her @mariabartiromo.

Maria Bartiromo, USA Today contributor portrait.(Photo: Todd Plitt, USA TODAY)

Cold Weather Slams Factory Output, Spurs Growth Fears

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Watch For 2015

Jae C. Hong/AP WASHINGTON -- U.S. manufacturing output unexpectedly fell in January, recording its biggest drop in more than 4½ years, as cold weather disrupted production in the latest indication the economy got off to a weak start this year. Though consumer sentiment was steady in early February, there are worries the harsh weather, which has persisted in many parts of the country, could dampen the morale of households when it starts to stretch budgets through high bills for heating. "The big question is whether the U.S. economy is slowing significantly or whether it is merely going through a soft patch caused by extreme weather. The evidence points to the latter," said Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit in London. Factory production fell 0.8 percent last month, the Federal Reserve said Friday. It was the first drop since July and the biggest since May 2009, when the economy was still locked in recession. Output had increased 0.3 percent in December. The Fed attributed the first decline in factory output since July to "severe weather that curtailed production in some parts of the country." Economists polled by Reuters had expected manufacturing output to edge up 0.1 percent. A separate report showed the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan overall index of consumer sentiment stood at 81.2 early this month, unchanged from January. The survey's barometer of current economic conditions fell to 94 from 96.8 in January. "The good news is that confidence proved resilient to recent government reports of weak growth in income and employment," survey director Richard Curtin said. "The not-so-good news is that the full impact on household budgets from the harsh winter has yet to be registered." Manufacturing joined weak retail sales and employment data in suggesting that cold weather had spurred a step-back in economic growth early in the first quarter. Growth is also slowing after a strong performance in the second half of 2013. The flow of weak data come as the U.S. central bank reduces its monetary stimulus. But given the distortions from the weather, economists believe the Fed will continue to taper its monthly bond purchases at its policy meetings this year. Investors on Wall Street shrugged of the manufacturing report, sending U.S. stocks higher. Prices for U.S. Treasury debt fell and the dollar was trading marginally lower against a basket of currencies. Auto Production Tumbles The weakness in factory output last month was broad-based, with the production of motor vehicles and parts tumbling 5 percent after ticking up 0.1 percent in December. "The inclement weather in January contributed to some of these decreases. Numerous motor vehicle assembly facilities lost one or more days of production during the month," the Fed said in a statement. Apart from the poor weather, auto manufacturers are also likely cutting back on production after a sharp increase in motor vehicle inventories in the fourth quarter. That situation has been exacerbated by a decline in sales in December and January. While manufacturing output accelerated in the fourth quarter, the pace wasn't as strong as previously thought. Fourth-quarter output at the nation's factories was lowered to a 4.6 percent annual rate from a 6.2 percent pace. "This may be an early sign demand was already slowing even before 2014 began," said Jay Morelock, an economist at FTN Financial in New York. The drop in factory output last month and a 0.9 percent fall in mining activity weighed on overall production, which fell 0.3 percent, the biggest drop since April. Mining output was also hampered by cold weather, which caused slowdowns at some oil and gas extraction facilities. Production at the nation's mines, factories and power plants had increased 0.3 percent in December. But freezing temperatures boosted demand for heating last month, causing utilities production to jump 4.1 percent. In January, the amount of industrial capacity in use fell to 78.5 percent from 78.9 percent in the prior month. Industrial capacity utilization, a measure of how fully firms are using their resources, was 1.6 percentage points below its long-run average.

Unlocking Value in Harold Simmons’ Empire (VHI, KRO, NL & CIX)

Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons died over the weekend with investors sending shares of some of his publically traded companies like Valhi, Inc (NYSE: VHI), Kronos Worldwide, Inc (NYSE: KRO), NL Industries, Inc (NYSE: NL) and CompX International Inc (NYSEMKT: CIX)to higher levels as they anticipate changes – such as asset sales or spin offs. Harold Simmons was the embodiment of the American dream because he was born during the depths of the Great Depression in Golden, Texas to schoolteacher parents and he spent his early years living without indoor plumbing or electricity. However and by recognizing underpriced assets and through the use of massive amounts of leverage (e.g. junk bonds), he built an empire and ranked #40 on the 2013 Forbes 400 with a fortune estimated to be worth some $10 billion.

Besides his success story, a Forbes article about Harold Simmons' death also noted that he will be remembered for three more things:

His investments in old-line "dirty" industrial conglomerates along with a controversial Texas nuclear waste dump. His deep philanthropy. His funding of GOP politicians – especially his $4 million funding of the Swift Boat attacks on Senator John Kerry. He also told the Wall Street Journal in an interview that Barack Obama is "the most dangerous man in America" because he wants to "eliminate free enterprise in this country."

Given that the death of Harold Simmons is bound to impact the publically traded companies in his empire, here is what investors or would be investors in them need to know:

Valhi, Inc. A Delaware corporation that has operations through majority-owned subsidiaries or less than majority-owned affiliates such as NL Industries, Inc., Kronos Worldwide, Inc., CompX International Inc. and Waste Control Specialists LLC, Valhi, Inc operates in three market segments: Chemicals, Component Products and Waste Management. More specifically, Valhi, Inc's non publicly traded Waste Control Specialists LLC owns a controversial 1,338-acre Texas facility near the New Mexico border that disposes of radioactive waste plus helps clean up Superfund sites – some of which resulted from the operations of the holding company's other entities. On Monday, Valhi, Inc only rose 2.15% to $15.23 (VHI has a 52 week trading range of $12.23 to $21.08 a share) for a market cap of $5.16 billion plus the stock is up 21.8% since the start of the year and up 236.95% over the past five years. Valhi, Inc has no P/E and a forward dividend of $0.20 for a 1.30% dividend yield.

Kronos Worldwide, Inc. Since 1916, Kronos Worldwide has been producing titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2), the world's primary pigment for providing whiteness, brightness and opacity. Kronos Worldwide also owns the world's largest mining operation of ilmenite, the raw material used for titanium products such as white pigment titanium oxide and titanium metal products. Citi analyst James Finnerty told clients in a note Monday that Kronos Worldwide could be a target for Tronox Ltd (NYSE: TROX) as the combined entity would account for 19% of global titanium dioxide capacity. Moreover, a buyout offer could be partially funded by a seven-year $1.5 billion term loan that Tronox Ltd secured in March, with around $700 million used to pay down existing debt. On Monday, Kronos Worldwide rose 7.96% to $18.58 (KRO has a 52 week trading range of $14.44 to $20.52 a share) for a market cap of $2.15 billion plus the stock is down 4.7% since the start of the year and up 273.1% over the past five years. Kronos Worldwide has no P/E and has a forward dividend of $0.60 for a dividend yield of 3.5%.

NL Industries, Inc. A diversified holding company, NL Industries conducts its component products operations through its majority-owned subsidiary, CompX International Inc, and it owns a significant interest in Kronos Worldwide, Inc. On Monday, NL Industries jumped 9.11% to $11.02 (NL has a 52 week trading range of $9.96 to $13.59 a share) for a market cap of $536.39 million plus the stock is down 3.8% since the start of the year and down 11.6% over the past five years. NL Industries has no P/E and a forward dividend of $0.50 for a 5% dividend yield.

CompX International Inc. A diversified manufacturer of engineered, quality components, CompX International operates through two business segments: CompX Security Products (which is the manufacturing umbrella for the former National Cabinet Lock, Fort Lock, Timberline Lock and Chicago Lock) and CompX Marine (which manufacturers headers, tailpipes and exhaust systems). On Monday, CompX International rose 1.18% to $12.85 (CIX has a 52 week trading range of $11.00 to $19.20 a share) for a market cap of $159.30 million plus the stock is down 7.4% since the start of the year and up 145.7% over the past five years. CompX International has a trailing P/E of 4.78 but no forward P/E plus a forward dividend of $0.20 for a dividend yield of 1.60%.

Finally, here is a quick look at the investment performance of all Harold Simmons' publicly traded companies:

As you can see from the performance chart, the performance of Valhi, Inc , Kronos Worldwide and CompX International Inc have largely been flat for the past two years while the performance of NL Industries has been subpar since the financial crisis. In other words, there outside investors have plenty of reasons to hope for change and some unlocking of value from Harold Simmons' empire.

Best International Companies To Invest In Right Now

InterOil (NYSE: IOC) shares reached a new 52-week low of $50.60. InterOil's PEG ratio is -2.01.

Linktone (NASDAQ: LTON) shares touched a new 52-week low of $1.30. Linktone's trailing-twelve-month operating margin is -20.15%.

TOR Minerals International (NASDAQ: TORM) shares touched a new 52-week low of $9.76. TOR Minerals shares have dropped 9.95% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 27.45% in the same period.

Midway Gold (NYSE: MDW) shares fell 3.90% to reach a new 52-week low of $0.74. Midway Gold's trailing-twelve-month ROA is -11.16%.

Posted-In: 52-Week LowsNews Movers & Shakers Intraday Update Markets

(c) 2013 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Most Popular UPDATE: Morgan Stanley Reiterates on Walgreen Company on Updated Forecasts Following 1QFY14 Results Seven Consumer Goods Stocks Analysts Are Bullish On For 2014

Best International Companies To Invest In Right Now: ValueVision Media Inc.(VVTV)

ValueVision Media, Inc., an interactive retailer, engages in marketing, selling, and distributing products to consumers through televisions (TVs), telephone, online, mobile, and social media. The company offers fine and fashion jewelries comprising gold, sterling silver, and platinum products; gemstone products; and men?s and women?s watches. It also offers home and electronics products, such as home decor, mattresses, bed and bath textiles, kitchen appliances, dining accessories, and a various furnishings; and consumer electronics, including TVs, computers, GPS devices, cameras, camcorders, and video game systems. In addition, the company offers beauty products, such as skincare, cosmetics, and hair care products; and health and fitness products comprising nutritional supplements, and workout gear and accessories. Further, it offers fashion apparel, outerwear, and accessories, including handbags and footwear. Its principal form of product exposure is its TV shopping net work, ShopNBC, which markets brand name and private label products. The company?s other distribution channels also include its Internet retailing Web sites, such as ShopNBC.com and ShopNBC.TV, which provide a range of consumer merchandise; and digital platforms comprising mobile and social media. ValueVision Media, Inc. has strategic alliances with GE Capital Equity Investments, Inc. and NBC Universal, Inc. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Best International Companies To Invest In Right Now: Chicago Bridge & Iron Company NV (CBI)

Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V. (CB&I) is one of the integrated engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services providers and process technology licensors, delivering solutions to customers primarily in the energy, petrochemical and natural resource industries. CB&I consist of three business sectors: Steel Plate Structures, Project Engineering and Construction, and Lummus Technology. Through these business sectors, the Company offers services both independently and on an integrated basis.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had more than 900 projects in process in more than 70 countries. On February 13, 2013, it acquired The Shaw Group Inc. (Shaw).

Steel Plate Structures

Steel Plate Structures provides engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction services, including mechanical erection services, for the hydrocarbon, water and nuclear industries. Projects include above ground storage tanks, elevated storage tanks, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tanks, pressure vessels, and other specialty structures, such as nuclear containment vessels. Customers include international energy companies, such as Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell; national energy companies, such as ADNOC (Abu Dhabi), CNOOC (China) and Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia); and regional energy companies, such as Kinder Morgan (United States) and Suncor (Canada).

Project Engineering and Construction

Project Engineering and Construction provides engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction services for upstream and downstream energy infrastructure facilities. Projects include LNG liquefaction and regasification terminals, gas processing plants, refinery units, petrochemical complexes and a wide range of other energy-related projects. Customers include international energy companies, such as British Petroleum, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell; national energy companies, such as Ecopetrol (Colombia) and ORPIC (Oman); and regio! nal energy companies, such as Dominion (United States), Gazprom (Russia), Nexen (United Kingdom), and Woodside (Australia).

Lummus Technology

Lummus Technology provides licenses, services, catalysts and equipment for the hydrocarbon refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. Customers include international energy companies, such as Chevron and Shell; national energy companies, such as Pemex (Mexico), Petrochina (China), Rosneft (Russia) and Sabic (Saudi Arabia); and regional refiners and chemical and gas processing companies, such as China Coal (China), IRPC (Thailand), Kazakhstan Petrochemical (Kazakhstan), and Williams Energy Services (United States).

Power provides a range of services, including design, EPC, technology and consulting services, primarily to the fossil and nuclear power generation industries. Plant Services provides electric power refueling outage maintenance, turnaround maintenance, routine maintenance, offshore maintenance, modifications, capital construction, off-site modularization, fabrication, reliability engineering, plant engineering, plant support and specialty services. Additionally, it provides services to restore, rebuild, repair, renovate and modify industrial and electric power generation facilities, and offers predictive and preventive maintenance services. Environmental & Infrastructure (E&I) provides full-scale environmental and infrastructure services for government and private-sector clients. These services include program and project management, design-build, engineering and construction, sustainability and energy efficiency, remediation and restoration, science and technology, facilities management and emergency response and disaster recovery. Fabrication and Manufacturing is a worldwide supplier of fabricated piping systems primarily to the electric power, petrochemical and refinery industries, supporting both external clients and other Shaw business sectors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Louis Navellier]

  However, there some pockets of opportunity in the infrastructure space. Chicago Bridge and Iron (CBI) doesn�� build many bridges anymore, but it does build storage tanks for liquids and gasses, which gives them an early edge in the rush to build liquefied natural gas facilities. The stock received an upgrade from Jeffries last week and is starting to attract some attention from Wall Street. The steady improvements in business conditions were picked up in Portfolio Grader, and the stock was upgraded to a ��uy��in August.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  The stock market is at record highs. We've had 16,000 on the Dow, we've got 4000 on the NASDAQ, we've got 1600 and something on the S&P; all of these are records or approaching records. The NASDAQ is getting back to where it was before it collapsed in the dotcom bubble. The question is, what do you do? Do you buy into this rally? Do you not? I think if you're taking kind of a big picture look and trying to guess where the indexes are going to go, I think you're really talking about guessing. I would much prefer to try to do it on a stock-by-stock basis. For example, there is a stock that I own in the Jubak's Picks portfolio called Chicago Bridge and Iron (CBI). It's a construction company. It builds things like power plants, natural gas facilities, and infrastructure, and all that stuff. I liked it because it's exposed to the US energy sector, which is showing a pretty good boom. My target price on this has been $74 a share and recently the stock hit it. The question is, because it's hit that target price, do you sell it?

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Engineering and design firm for the energy industry�Chicago Bridge & Iron� (NYSE: CBI  ) �announced yesterday�its second-quarter dividend of $0.05 per share, the same rate it has paid since the first quarter of 2011 when it reinstated its dividend following a three-year hiatus.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Also, Chicago Bridge & Iron (NYSE: CBI  ) subsidiary Shaw Environmental won a $10 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide remediation and excavation services at the Maywood Superfund site in New Jersey.

Hot Internet Companies To Invest In 2014: Swift Transportation Company(SWFT)

Swift Transportation Company, through its subsidiary, Swift Transportation Co., LLC, operates as a multi-faceted transportation services company and truckload carrier in North America. The company offers its truckload services through dry van, temperature-controlled, flatbed, and specialized trailers; and rail intermodal services. It also provides freight brokerage and logistics management services to other trucking companies, as well as leases tractors and offers repair services. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated a tractor fleet of approximately 15,900 units, including 11,900 tractors driven by company drivers and 4,000 owner-operator tractors; 50,600 trailers; and 6,200 intermodal containers in the United States and Mexico. It serves various industries, such as retail, discount retail, consumer products, food and beverage, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics industries. The company, formerly known Swift Holdings Corp., and was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Heartland Express have gained 50% this year, trumping the 38% rise in Con-Way (CNW) and the 29% advance in J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) but lagging Old Dominion Freight Lines (ODFL) and Swift Transportation (SWFT).

• [By Sean Williams]

  Swift Transportation (NYSE: SWFT  ) , for example, delivered a 4% increase in revenue this past quarter in spite of having fewer trucks in service. The company was able to realize better utilization of its existing fleet and actually saw fuel prices fall from the previous year. The results were even more robust for Knight Transportation (NYSE: KNX  ) , whose shareholders saw revenue rise by 7% as the company grew from the year-ago quarter for the 14th straight time and delivered growth from each of its business segments.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Hub have dropped 5.1% to $35.41, but the plunge doesn’t seem to be weighing on other logistic companies. CH Robinson Worldwide (CHRW), for instance, has gained 1.1% to $58.64, JB Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) has risen 1.1% to $71.61, Swift Transportation (SWFT) has advanced 0.9% to $19.56 and Ryder System (R) is up 3.1% to $59.23.

Best International Companies To Invest In Right Now: Tiger Oil and Energy Inc (TGRO.PK)

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Best International Companies To Invest In Right Now: Charming Shoppes Inc.(CHRS)

Charming Shoppes, Inc. operates as a specialty apparel retailer primarily for women in the United States. The company operates retail stores and related e-commerce Web sites under the LANE BRYANT, CACIQUE, LANE BRYANT OUTLET, FASHION BUG, FASHION BUG PLUS, and CATHERINES PLUS SIZES brand names. Its retail stores offer plus-size, junior, and misses sportswear, dresses, coats, and intimate apparel, as well as accessories and casual footwear. The company also sells food and specialty gifts through its Figi's Gifts in Good Taste catalog and related e-commerce Website, as well as through third-party retailers' stores. In addition, it operates FIGI'S Gallery that offers home decor, bedding, housewares, jewelry, garden accents, apparel, collectibles, gifts, and other items through its catalog and e-commerce Website. As of March 27, 2012, the company operated 1,857 retail stores in 48 states. Charming Shoppes, Inc. was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Bensalem, Pennsylvania .

Best International Companies To Invest In Right Now: Alkaline Water Company Inc (WTER.OB)

The Alkaline Water Company Inc., formerly Global Lines Inc, incorporated on June 6, 2011, is a developer of electrolysis beverage process, packaged and branded as Alkaline84. Alkaline84 is the Company's flagship product designed to encourage daily consumption of Alkaline Water through a consumer oriented bulk delivery system. The Company is engaged in the development of a national retail bulk distribution network delivering Electrochemically Activated Water (ECA) to consumers everywhere. The Company is focused on the business of distributing and marketing the retail sale of its packaged Alkaline84 branded beverage products.

Alkaline84 is available in two sizes: three liters and one gallon. Alkaline84 is a pH balanced bottled alkaline drinking water enhanced with 84 trace minerals and electrolytes. Alkaline84 is available for consumer sales at a number of major retail locations across the southwestern United States.

Best International Companies To Invest In Right Now: Scana Corporation(SCG)

SCANA Corporation and its subsidiaries engage in the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity to retail and wholesale customers in South Carolina. It owns nuclear, coal, hydro, oil and gas, and biomass generating facilities. The company also purchases, sells, and transports natural gas; offers energy-related risk management services; acquires, owns, and provides financing for nuclear fuel, fossil fuel, and emission allowances; and offers service contracts on home appliances, and heating and air conditioning units. In addition, SCANA Corporation owns two liquefied natural gas plants, including one located near Charleston, and the other in Salley, South Carolina; and provides tower site construction, management, and rental services in South Carolina and North Carolina. As of December 31, 2010, the company supplied electricity to approximately 660,000 customers; and natural gas to approximately 482,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers i n North Carolina, and 313,500 customers in South Carolina, as well as to approximately 460,000 customers in Georgia. Further, SCANA Corporation owns and operates a 500-mile fiber optic telecommunications network and Ethernet network, and data center facilities in South Carolina. Through a joint venture, it builds, manages, and leases communications towers with interest in 2,280 miles of fiber in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. The company?s retail customers comprise municipalities, electric cooperatives, other investor-owned utilities, registered marketers, and federal and state electric agencies. It primarily serves chemicals, educational services, paper products, food products, lumber and wood products, health services, textile manufacturing, rubber and miscellaneous plastic products, and fabricated metal products industries. The company is based in Cayce, South Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  In March 2012, Southern Company (NYSE: SO  ) received the first construction approval in over 30 years for two new units at its Vogtle plan in Georgia totaling 2,200 MW of electric capacity. SCANA (NYSE: SCG  ) wasn't far behind with approval for two units of its own in South Carolina totaling around 2,100 MW. Southern expects its units to come on line by 2017, while both of SCANA's will power up by 2019.

• [By Roger Conrad]

  And it's what SCANA Corp. (SCG) is locked-in to deliver, at least to the end of the decade. The company's biggest project is constructing two 1,117-mega-watt nuclear reactors using Toshiba-Westinghouse's AP 1000 model.

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  SCANA Corp (SCG): A Low Growth Regulated Utility

  Our first example plots SCANA Corp. whose earnings growth rate has averaged only 3.3% per annum. Here, we would like to remind the reader that our position is that fair valuation is a function of the earnings yield that ��urrent earnings��represent. Consequently, purchasing a company at fair valuation implies that the investor is making a sound financial decision. However, as previously stated, this does not necessarily guarantee a high future rate of return. As we will illustrate in Part 2, that will be determined by the company�� future earnings growth rate.

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

Best International Companies To Invest In Right Now: Headlam Grp(HEAD.L)

Headlam Group plc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the sale, marketing, supply, and distribution of floor covering and other ancillary products. It primarily offers carpets, residential vinyl, laminate, wood, and vinyl tiles. The company provides its products to independent flooring retailers and contractors in the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Headlam Group plc is headquartered in Birmingham, the United Kingdom.

Best International Companies To Invest In Right Now: Counsel Corp Com Npv (CXS.TO)

Counsel Corporation, a financial services company, operates through its individually branded businesses primarily in residential mortgage lending, distressed and surplus capital asset transactions, real estate finance, and private equity investment in North America. The company offers prime residential mortgage financing to financial institutions. It also engages in the acquisition and disposition of distressed and surplus assets, including industrial machinery and equipment, real estate, inventories, accounts receivable, and distressed debt; arranges asset disposition services, such as onsite and Webcast auctions, liquidations, and negotiated sales; and provides equity investments and funding services in the form of debt refinancing for distressed businesses and properties, as well as offers auction and asset advisory services. In addition, the company engages in the management of 8 properties with a gross leasable area of 800,000 square feet, as well as provides real est ate property and asset management services to third parties. Further, it provides custom furniture for the hospitality industry primarily comprising luxury hotel chains. The company was formerly known as Counsel Trustco Corporation and changed its name to Counsel Corporation in May 1986. Counsel Corporation was founded in 1979 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Best International Companies To Invest In Right Now: World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.(WWE)

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., an integrated media and entertainment company, engages in the sports entertainment business. The company develops content centered around its talent, and presents at its live and televised events featuring World Wrestling Entertainment. It operates through four segments: Live and Televised Entertainment, Consumer Products, Digital Media, and WWE Studios. The Live and Televised Entertainment segment conducts live events; produces television shows; sells merchandise at its live events; provides sponsorships, such as various promotional vehicles, including Internet and print advertising, arena signage, on-air announcements, and pay-per-view sponsorships for advertisers; offers television rights; and markets and promotes the storylines associated with pay-per-view events. It also provides WWE Classics On Demand, a subscription video on demand service that offers classic television shows, pay-per-view events, specials, and original programmi ng. This segment distributes its programming in approximately 30 languages and in approximately 145 countries. Its merchandise consists of various WWE-branded products, such as T-shirts, caps, and other novelty items. The Consumer Products segment licenses and sells retail products, including toys, video games, home videos, apparel, and books; and publishes magazines comprising lifestyle publications with native language editions in the UK, Mexico, Greece, and Turkey. The Digital Media segment operates Web sites; provides advertising services; sells merchandise on its Web site at WWEShop Internet storefront; and offers broadband and mobile content. The WWE Studios segment is involved in the distribution of entertainment films. This segment focuses on creating a mix of filmed entertainment. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in Stamford, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE: WWE) shares gained 1.21% to create a new 52-week high of $13.36. World Wrestling Entertainment has a dividend yield of 3.70%.

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Courtesy: WWE ORLANDO, Fla. -- Bodies crashing to the ground and being slung against the springy ropes of the ring. The slapping of skin as hulking men and women grapple and hurl blows at one another. The clink of free weights and the roar of broadcasters practicing to get it just right for the cameras. Welcome to World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) Performance Center, a $2.5 million, 26,000-square foot facility that opened last month, replacing a much smaller and antiquated facility in Tampa. It's both a graduate school of sorts for the WWE's next generation of talent and a training and rehabilitation center for its top-tier pro wrestlers, called "Superstars" and "Divas." "Most kids grow up and at least at some point in their lives want to be a fireman or a cop. I've always wanted to be a pro wrestler since I was a little kid," said 29-year-old Corey Graves, one of the 75 aspiring wrestlers based at the center. The largest part of the facility is a vast space featuring seven wrestling rings that makes the new Orlando facility the largest training facility WWE has ever built. Wrestler Xavier Woods, 26, said it's the kind of environment he always hoped to train in. "When I first started, the guy that was training us rented out the back of a storage unit, just a tight little space with bugs and everything. It was like the lowest-level thing you could do," Woods said. "So to be in a place like this ... it's literally unreal." Aspiring wrestlers currently in training range from former NFL players and Olympians to a former beauty pageant contestant. They signed contracts allowing them to work solely on becoming wrestlers. "One hundred percent, this is their jobs," said Jane Geddes, WWE senior vice president of talent and development. Courtesy: WWE Geddes said the WWE built the center envisioning a place where up-and-comers could train alongside established professionals. WWE is the major leagues of pro wrestling, with a half-billion dollars in annual reven

• [By Eric Volkman]

  World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE: WWE  ) has elected to maintain its dividend. The company declared a quarterly distribution of $0.12 per share of both its class A and B common stock, to be paid on Sept. 25 to shareholders of record as of Sept. 13. That amount matches each of the company's previous distributions stretching back to June 2011. Before that, it paid out considerably more at $0.36 per share.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015

As the second quarter draws to a close, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) hasn't seen a better first-half return since 1998, with the index having risen nearly 13% through Friday's close. A loss of 1.5% in June was the index's first monthly decline all year, but it still managed to remain above the 1,600 even under pressure from uncertainty about the next move for the Federal Reserve and its ongoing efforts to stimulate further economic growth.

But a few of the stocks in the S&P 500 have performed particularly well this year, and some of those names might of the Dow's stocks have done even better than the overall average. Let's look at the three stocks in the S&P that have managed to double in price during the first six months of the year and see whether further gains are in the cards for the companies.

Best Buy (NYSE: BBY  ) , up 133.9%
Arguably the most interesting thing about Best Buy's huge gains in 2013 is that most investors remain immensely skeptical about the stock. In particular, naysayers have largely ignored any potential profits from the partnerships that the big-box retailer has managed to score with major technology companies such as Microsoft and Samsung to open store-within-store concepts. Yet even if the mini-stores themselves don't drive sales, they might increase overall customer traffic to Best Buy, and that could reverse the troubling trend that has led the company to consider smaller stores in attempts to cut overhead.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: O'Reilly Automotive Inc.(ORLY)

O?Reilly Automotive, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the retail of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories in the United States. The company?s stores provide new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, including alternators, starters, fuel pumps, water pumps, brake system components, batteries, belts, hoses, chassis parts, and engine parts; maintenance items comprising oil, antifreeze, fluids, filters, wiper blades, lighting, engine additives, and appearance products; and accessories, such as floor mats, seat covers, and truck accessories. Its stores also offer auto body paint and related materials, automotive tools, and professional service provider service equipment. The company?s stores sell its brand name and private label products for domestic and imported automobiles, vans, and trucks to do-it-yourself customers and professional service providers. As of March 31, 2011, it operated 3,613 stores. The company was foun ded in 1957 and is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  O'Reilly Automotive (NASDAQ: ORLY) is estimated to post its Q3 earnings at $1.65 per share on revenue of $1.75 billion.

  Whiting Petroleum (NYSE: WLL) is projected to post its Q3 earnings at $1.06 per share on revenue of $678.69 million.

• [By WilliamBriat]

  
  When it comes to U.S. retail sector sales, the automotive industry might be one of the bright spots as we head into 2014. Two affordable automotive stocks for small investors to consider are Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and auto parts store The Pep Boys Manny, Moe & Jack (NYSE: PBY). At the other end of the scale, two major automotive stocks include Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM) and auto parts store OReilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ORLY).

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Sonic Automotive Inc.(SAH)

Sonic Automotive, Inc. operates as an automotive retailer in the United States. It engages in the sale of new and used cars, light trucks, and replacement parts; provision of vehicle maintenance, warranty repair, paint, and collision repair services; and arrangement of extended service contracts, financing, insurance, and other aftermarket products. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 119 dealerships representing 30 brands of cars and light trucks, and 23 collision repair centers in 15 states. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Top 10 International Stocks To Invest In 2014: Groupon Inc (GRPN)

Groupon, Inc. (Groupon) is a local e-commerce marketplace that connects merchants to consumers by offering goods and services at a discount. Each day the Company e-mails its subscribers discounted offers for goods and services that are targeted by location and personal preferences. Consumers also access its deals directly through its Websites and mobile applications. The Company operates in two segments: North America, which represents the United States and Canada; and International, which represents the rest of its global operations. Customers purchase Groupons from the Company and redeem them with its merchants. As of September 30, 2011, the Company featured deals from over 190,000 merchants worldwide across over 190 categories of goods and services. Groupon primarily addresses the worldwide local commerce markets in the leisure, recreation, foodservice and retail sectors. In February 2012, the Company announced the launch of Groupon Thailand. In September 2012, it acquired Savored.

In May 2010, the Company acquired CityDeal Europe GmbH (CityDeal). In August 2010, the Company acquired Qpod.inc (Qpod). In November 2010, the Company acquired Ludic Labs, Inc., a company that designs and develops local marketing services. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company acquired Mobly, Inc. In February 2011, the Company launched Deal Channels, which aggregates daily deals from the same category.

The Company distributes a featured daily deal by e-mail on behalf of local merchants to subscribers. It offers daily deals from more than 40 national merchants, including Bath & Body Works, The Body Shop, Hyatt Regency, InterContinental Hotels, Lions Gate, Redbox, Shutterfly and Zipcar across subsets of the North American market. Daily deals that do not appear as a featured daily deal appear as Deals Nearby. Each Deal Nearby is summarized in fewer than 20 words next to the featured daily deal. Deals Nearby often extends beyond the subscriber's closest market or buying preferences.

National merchants also have used the Company�� marketplace as an alternative to traditional marketing and brand advertising. On August 19, 2010, the Company e-mailed and posted a Groupon daily deal offering $50 of apparel at Gap for $25 to 9.2 million subscribers across 85 markets in North America. It sold approximately 433,000 Groupons in 24 hours. Of the consumers who purchased Groupons, approximately 200,000 were new subscribers. As of September 30, 2011, it had 142.9 million subscribers to its daily e-mails.

Groupon NOW is a deal initiated by a merchant on demand and offered instantly to subscribers through mobile devices and its Website. Subsequent to the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company launched Groupon NOW in 25 North American markets. Deal Channels aggregate daily deals from the same category and are accessible through its Website and through e-mail alerts that subscribers sign up to receive. It offers Deal Channels in home and garden and event tickets and travel. Merchants can register their deals to be included in a Deal Channel. Subscribers can use Deal Channels to focus on deals that are of interest to them.

Self-Service Deals allows the Company�� merchants to use a self-service platform to create and launch deals at their discretion. The use of the platform is free and allows merchants to establish a permanent e-commerce presence on Groupon that can be visited and followed by subscribers. The Company receives a portion of the purchase price from deals sold through Self-Service Deals based on the extent to which it marketed the deal. In December 2010, it launched Self-Service Deals in selected North American markets.

Groupon Goods enables consumers to purchase vouchers for products directly from its Website. The Company e-mails deals for Groupon Goods weekly to a targeted subscriber base. The Company offers deals for a variety of product categories, including electronics, home and garden and toys. In September 2011, the Compa! ny launch! ed Groupon Goods in select North American and International markets.

Groupon Rewards enables consumers to unlock special Groupon deals from local merchants through repeat visits. Consumers earn reward points at participating merchants by paying with the credit or debit card they have registered with the Company. Merchants set the amount the consumer must spend to unlock a reward deal, and once a consumer is eligible to unlock a deal, it automatically notifies them. The Company distributes its deals directly through several platforms: a daily e-mail, its Websites, its mobile applications and social networks.

In December 2010, the Company partnered with Redbox to offer a daily deal to their user base and it acquired over 200,000 new customers through that offer and in March 2011, it partnered with eBay to offer a daily deal to their user base and it acquired over 290,000 new customers through that offer. The featured daily deal e-mail contains one headline deal with a full-description of the deal and often contains links to More Great Deals Nearby, all of which are available within a subscriber's market.

Visitors are prompted to register as a subscriber when they first visit its Website and thereafter use the Website as a portal for featured daily deals, Deals Nearby, national deals, and where available, Deal Channels and Self-Service Deals. Consumers also access the Company�� deals through its mobile applications, which are available on the iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows mobile operating systems. It launched its first mobile application in March 2010. The Company publishes its daily deals through various social networks and its notifications are adapted to the particular format of each of these social networking platforms.

Groupon competes with Google, Microsoft, Eversave, BuyWithMe and LivingSocial.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Nick Taborek]

  Groupon Inc. (GRPN) rallied 22 percent to $10.60, the biggest jump since December. The operator of the largest daily-deals website�� second-quarter net loss was narrower than analysts forecast. The company also named co-founder Eric Lefkofsky as CEO to lead turnaround plans.

• [By Michael Nolan]

  It's been a great year for a few companies that found themselves slumping entering 2013. Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ  ) , Best Buy (NYSE: BBY  ) , and Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN  ) have all posted 2013 gains of at least 80% after having a rough two years prior. Let's take a look at what led to the sudden turnaround of these three companies and see which may have the potential to keep surging.�

• [By Julianne Pepitone]

  That type of pressure can make the transition from private to public company a rocky one, as it was for the likes of Facebook (FB, Fortune 500), Groupon (GRPN) and Zynga (ZNGA). Like those startups before it, Twitter will now have to endure the scrutiny of shareholders and analysts. Twitter is likely to face its first grilling from Wall Street in January, when it is expected to report its results for the fourth quarter and all of 2013.

• [By Matthew Indyke and Brian Zen]

  Groupon (GRPN) operates as a local commerce marketplace on the internet that connects merchants to consumers by offering goods and services at a discount on a global basis. The company�� philosophy is simple: We treat our customers the way we like to be treated. And it all starts with a fair price. But a great price is only half the battle - it's also got to be a great product or service.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Office Depot Inc.(ODP)

Office Depot, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies office products and services. Its North American Retail division sells an assortment of merchandise, such as general office supplies, computer supplies, business machines and related supplies, and office furniture under various labels, including Office Depot, Viking Office Products, Foray, Ativa, Break Escapes, Niceday, and Worklife through its chain of office supply stores. It also provides printing, reproduction, mailing, shipping, and other services, as well as personal computer support and network installation service. As of December 25, 2010, this division operated 1,147 office supply stores in the United States and Canada. The company?s North American Business Solutions division sells nationally branded and private brand office supplies, technology products, furniture, and services to small- to medium-sized customers through a dedicated sales force, catalogs, and Internet. Its International division sells o ffice products and services through direct mail catalogs, contract sales forces, Internet sites, and retail stores using a mix of company-owned operations, joint ventures, licensing and franchise agreements, alliances, and other arrangements. As of December 25, 2010, it sold its office products to customers in 53 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. This division operated, through wholly-owned or majority-owned entities, 97 retail stores in France, Hungary, South Korea, and Sweden; and participates under licensing and merchandise arrangements in South Korea, Thailand, India, Israel, Japan, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Charley Blaine]

  Shares of Office Depot (NYSE: ODP) got a boost, shooting up 3.5 percent to $5.79 after the Federal Trade Commission closed a probe of the company's proposed merger with OfficeMax (NYSE: OMX).

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  OfficeMax has struggled along with many big-box office-products retailers as online competition and a generally weak economic recovery have held back their ability to grow. But the company's recent proposal to merge with rival Office Depot (NYSE: ODP  ) has breathed new life into the sector. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with OfficeMax over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its quarterly report.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Five Below Inc (FIVE.O)

Five Below, Inc. (Five Below), incorporated on January 30, 2002, is a retailer offering a range of merchandise for teen and pre-teen customer. The Company offers products, including select brands and licensed merchandise across a number of categories, which it refer to as worlds-Style, Room, Sports, Media, Crafts, Party, Candy and Seasonal (which it refer to as Now). As of October 27, 2012, The Company operated 243 stores throughout the eastern half of the United States. Its Style consists primarily of accessories such as novelty socks, sunglasses, jewelry, scarves, gloves, hair accessories and attitude t-shirts. Its beauty offering includes products such as nail polish, lip gloss, fragrance and branded cosmetics. Its Room consists of items used to complete and personalize its customer�� living space, including glitter lamps, posters, frames, fleece blankets, pillows, candles, incense and related items. The Company also offers storage options for the customer�� room and locker.

The Company�� Sports consists of an assortment of sport balls, team sports merchandise and fitness accessories, including hand weights, jump ropes and gym balls. It also offers a variety of games, including name brand board games, puzzles, toys and plush items. In the summer season, its sports offering also include pool, beach and outdoor toys, games and accessories. Its Media consists of a selection of accessories for personal computers (PCs), cell phones, Moving Picture Experts Group Layer-3 Audio (MP3) players and tablet computers. The offering includes cases, chargers, headphones and other related items. It also carries a range of media products including books, video games and Digital Versatile Disc (DVDs). It offers an assortment of craft activity kits, as well as arts and crafts supplies, such as crayons, markers and stickers. It also offer trend-right items for school, such as backpacks, fashion notebooks and journals, novelty pens and pen cils, as well as everyday name brand items.

T! h! e Company�� Party consists of party goods, decorations and greeting cards, as well as everyday and special occasion merchandise. Its Candy consists of branded items that appeal to teens and pre-teens. This category includes an assortment of classic and novelty candy bars and movie-size box candy, as well as gum and snack food. It also sells chilled drinks through coolers. Its Seasonal consists of seasonally-specific items used to celebrate and decorate for events such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween and St. Patrick�� Day.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Susser Holdings Corporation(SUSS)

Susser Holdings Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates convenience stores in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. The company operates in two segments, Retail and Wholesale. The Retail segment operates convenience stores that offer merchandise, food service, and motor fuel, as well as provides other services, including car washes, lottery, ATM, money orders, prepaid phone cards and wireless services, and movie rentals. As of January 1, 2012, it operated 541 convenience stores under the Stripes brand name. The Wholesale segment distributes motor fuel to its retail convenience stores, contracted independent operators of convenience stores, unbranded convenience stores, unattended fueling facilities, and other end users in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. The company also offers environmental, maintenance, and construction management services to the petroleum industry; and sells and installs motor fuel dispensers and tanks, as well as provides a range of environmental consulting services, such as hydrocarbon remediation, and Phase I and II site assessments for its stores and outside customers. Susser Holdings Corporation is based in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  For one thing, I can�� tell a great oil company from a not so great oil company. I can�� evaluate the company�� culture, management, etc. There was no way I was ever going to answer questions like that. But I can easily split Murphy�� U.S. retail business from its other operations. And I can compare that part of the company to other public companies like Pantry (PTRY) and Susser (SUSS). I can also ��this is much harder ��look at Murphy�� reserves and compare them to other oil companies��reserves. The SEC now requires a standardized way of reporting discounted net cash flows for all oil companies. So, there�� certainly a specific number available for every company. Whether it�� a very good number or not depends on the assumptions the method uses.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Caffyns PLC (CFYN)

Caffyns plc is a United Kingdom-based company. The Company is engaged in the sale and maintenance of motor vehicles including the sale of tyres, oil, parts and accessories. The Company�� dealerships include Audi, Chevrolet, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Skoda, Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Volvo. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had nine franchises from 19 locations in Sussex, Kent, Surrey and Hampshire offering new car sales, used cars for sale, corporate sales car servicing, car repairs, parts accessories, wholesale parts, motability and accident repair.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Officemax Incorporated(OMX)

OfficeMax Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, distributes business-to-business and retail office products. Its Contract segment markets and sells office supplies and paper, technology products and solutions, office furniture, and print and document services directly to large corporate and government offices, as well as to small and medium-sized offices through field salespeople, outbound telesales, catalogs, Internet, and office products stores. As of December 31, 2011, this segment operated 38 distribution centers in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; 4 customer service and outbound telesales centers in the United States; and 47 office products stores in Canada, Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand. The company?s Retail segment markets and sells office supplies and paper, print and document services, technology products and solutions, and office furniture to small and medium-sized businesses and consumers through a network of reta il stores. As of December 31, 2011, this segment operated 978 stores in the United States and Mexico; 3 large distribution centers in the United States; and 1 small distribution center in Mexico. The company, formerly known as Boise Cascade Corporation, was founded in 1913 and is headquartered in Naperville, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  We still have many key oil and energy companies reporting in the week ahead but we have now seen the sector leaders report earnings. Earnings previews have been prepared for the following stocks:

  CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) Hertz Global Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HTZ) Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) Office Depot Inc. (NYSE: ODP) and OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) American Water Works Company Inc. (NYSE: AWK) Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE: DUK) QUALCOMM Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFM) Groupon Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN) Molycorp Inc. (NYSE: MCP) The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) Priceline.com Inc. (NASDAQ: PCLN) The Wendy’s Company (NYSE: WEN)

  CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) reports earnings on Monday morning. With all of the exchange mergers of the last decade this remains one of the dominant exchanges. Estimates are $0.73 EPS and $713.3 million in revenue. Keep in mind that this exchange is now worth $25 billion. At $74.70, the consensus analyst price target is only just barely higher at almost $75.50.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Coach Inc (COH)

Coach, Inc. (Coach), incorporated in June 2000, is a marketer of fine accessories and gifts for women and men. Coach�� product offerings include women�� and men�� bag, accessories, business cases, footwear, wearables, jewelry, sunwear, travel bags, watches and fragrance. The Company operates in two segments: Direct-to-Consumer and Indirect. Accessories include women�� and men�� small leather goods, novelty accessories and women�� and men�� belts. Women�� small leather goods, which coordinate with its handbags, include money pieces, wristlets, and cosmetic cases. Men�� small leather goods consist primarily of wallets and card cases. Novelty accessories include time management and electronic accessories. Key rings and charms are also included in this category. Men�� handbag collections include business cases, computer bags, messenger-style bags and totes. Footwear is distributed through select Coach retail stores, coach.com and about 1,000 United States department stores. Wearables category is comprised of jackets, sweaters, gloves, hats and scarves, including both cold weather and fashion.

The Company�� Jewelry category is comprised of bangle bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings offered in both sterling silver and non-precious metals. Marchon Eyewear, Inc. (Marchon) is the Coach�� eyewear licensee. Coach sunglasses are sold in Coach retail stores and coach.com, department stores, select sunglass retailers and optical retailers in major markets. The travel collections are comprised of luggage and related accessories, such as travel kits and valet trays. Movado Group, Inc. (Movado) is the Company�� watch licensee, which develops a collection of watches.

Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (Estee Lauder), through its subsidiary, Aramis Inc., is Coach�� fragrance licensee. Fragrance is distributed through Coach retail stores, coach.com and about 4,000 United States department stores and 500 international locations. Coach offers four women�� fragrance col! lections and one men�� fragrance. The women�� fragrance collections include eau de perfume spray, eau de toilette spray, purse spray, body lotion and body splashes.

Direct-to-Consumer Segment

The Direct-to-Consumer segment consists of channels that provide the Company with immediate, controlled access to consumers: Coach-operated stores in North America; Japan; Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore and the Internet. This segment represented approximately 89% of Coach�� total net sales during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), with North American stores and the Internet, Coach Japan and Coach China contributing approximately 63%, 18% and 6% of total net sales, respectively. Coach stores are located in regional shopping centers and metropolitan areas throughout the United States and Canada. The retail stores carry an assortment of products. Its stores are located in locations, such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Toronto.

Coach�� factory stores serve as a means to sell manufactured-for-factory-store product, including factory exclusives, as well as discontinued and irregular inventory outside the retail channel. These stores operate under the Coach Factory name. Coach�� factory store design, visual presentations and customer service levels support. Coach views its Website as a key communications vehicle for the brand to promote traffic in Coach retail stores and department store locations. Its online store provides a showcase environment where consumers can browse through a selected offering of the latest styles and colors.

Coach Japan operates department store shop-in-shop locations and freestanding flagship, retail and factory stores, as well as an e-commerce Website. Flagship stores offer an assortment of Coach products that are located in select shopping districts throughout Japan. Coach China operates department store shop-in-shop locations, as well as freestanding flagship, retail and factory sto! res. Flag! ship stores, which offer an assortment of Coach products, are located in select shopping districts throughout Hong Kong and mainland China. Coach Singapore and Taiwan operate department store shop-in-shop locations as well as freestanding flagship, retail and factory stores. Flagship stores, which offer a range of assortment of Coach products, are located in select shopping districts in Singapore and Taiwan.

The Reed Krakoff brand represents New American luxury primarily for handbags, accessories and ready-to-wear. Reed Krakoff operates department store shop-in-shop locations, freestanding flagship stores, as well as an e-commerce Website at reedkrakoff.com. Flagship stores, which offer an assortment of Reed Krakoff products, are located in select shopping districts in the United States and Japan.

Indirect Segment

The Indirect segment represented approximately 11% of total net sales in fiscal 2012, with United States Wholesale and Coach International representing approximately 6% and 4% of total net sales, respectively. The Indirect segment also includes royalties earned on licensed product. U.S. Wholesale channel offers access to Coach products to consumers who prefer shopping at department stores. Coach products are also available on macys.com, dillards.com, bloomingdales.com, lordandtaylor.com, belk.com, vonmaur.com and nordstrom.com. Coach�� products are sold in approximately 990 wholesale locations in the United States and Canada. Its U.S. wholesale customers are Macy�� (including Bloomingdale��), Dillard��, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Carson�� and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Coach International channel represents sales to international wholesale distributors and authorized retailers. Coach has developed relationships with a select group of distributors who sell Coach products through department stores and freestanding retail locations in over 20 countries. Coach�� network of international distributors serves various markets: South Korea, US & T! erritorie! s, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Japan, Australia, Singapore, UAE, France, China, Macau, Indonesia, Kuwait, Bahamas, Aruba, Vietnam, New Zealand, Bahrain, India and Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividend]

  Coach (COH) has a market capitalization of $14.96 billion. The company employs 18,000 people, generates revenue of $5.075 billion and has a net income of $1.034 billion. Coach�� earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $1.524 billion. The EBITDA margin is 30.04 percent (the operating margin is 30.04 percent and the net profit margin 20.38 percent).

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Upscale chains are thriving these days. Michael Kors (NYSE: KORS  ) posted blowout quarterly results last week, and handbag rival Coach (NYSE: COH  ) boosted its dividend a week earlier. This should be a good time for Lululemon to bounce back, but it's going to have to prove that it's up to the task.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Coach (NYSE: COH) dipped 5.86% to $49.47 in the pre-market session after the company reported downbeat fiscal second-quarter profit.

  International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM) shares dropped 3.35% to $182.11 in pre-market trading after the company reported downbeat fourth-quarter revenue and issued weak full-year earnings forecast.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Pier 1 Imports Inc (PIR)

Pier 1 Imports, Inc. (Pier 1 Imports), incorporated in April 30, 1986, is a global importer of imported decorative home furnishings and gifts. As of March 2, 2013, the Company had 1,062 stores in the United States and Canada. During the fiscal year ended March 2, 2013 (fiscal 2013), the Company opened 22 new Pier 1 Imports stores and closed 12 stores. The Company operates regional distribution center facilities in or near Baltimore, Maryland; Columbus, Ohio; Fort Worth, Texas; Ontario, California; Savannah, Georgia, and Tacoma, Washington. The specialty retail operations of the Company consist of retail stores and e-Commerce operations conducting business under the name Pier 1 Imports, which sell a range of furniture, decorative home furnishings, dining and kitchen goods, candles, gifts and other specialty items for the home.

As of March 2, 2013, the Company operated 982 Pier 1 Imports stores in the United States and 80 Pier 1 Imports stores in Canada. During fiscal 2013, the Company supplied merchandise and licensed the Pier 1 Imports name to Grupo Sanborns, which sold Pier 1 Imports merchandise primarily in a store within a store format in 49 Sears Mexico stores and one store in El Salvador. The stores consist of freestanding units located near shopping centers or malls and in-line positions in major shopping centers. Pier 1 Imports operates in all major United States metropolitan areas and many of the primary smaller markets.

Decorative Accessories

This merchandise group constitutes the range of category of merchandise in Pier 1 Imports��sales mix. These items are imported primarily from Asian and European countries, as well as some domestic sources. This merchandise group includes decorative accents, lamps, vases, dried and artificial flowers, baskets, ceramics, dinnerware, bath and fragrance products, candles, seasonal and gift items.

Furniture

This merchandise group consists of furniture and furniture cushions to be used in livin! g, dining, office, kitchen and bedroom areas, sunrooms and on patios. Also included in this group are wall decorations and mirrors. These goods are imported from a variety of countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brazil, Thailand, China, the Philippines, India and Indonesia, and are also obtained from domestic sources. This merchandise group is made of metal or handcrafted natural materials, including rattan, pine, beech, rubberwood and selected hardwoods with either natural, stained, painted or upholstered finishes.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR  ) reported earnings on April 11. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 2 (Q4), Pier 1 Imports met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) were down 12.33 percent to $20.45 after the company reported weak December sales and lowered its outlook.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: American Eagle Outfitters Inc (AEO)

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AEO, Inc) is a specialty retailer that operates in the United Sates and Canada, and online at ae.com. AEO, Inc operates under the American Eagle (AE), aerie by American Eagle (aerie), and 77kids by american eagle (77kids) brands. Through the Company�� family of brands, it offers clothing, accessories and personal care products. As of January 28, 2012, the Company operated 1,090 stores in the United States and Canada under the American Eagle Outfitters, aerie and 77kids brands. The Company also had 21 franchised stores operated by its franchise partners in 10 countries. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, the Company opened 33 new stores. As of December 31, 2011, it operated in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. During fiscal 2011, the Company remodeled and refurbished a total of 106 AE stores.

AE Brand

The American Eagle Outfitters brand targets 15 to 25-year old men and women. Denim is the cornerstone of the American Eagle product assortment, which is complemented by other categories including sweaters, graphic t-shirts, fleece, outerwear and accessories. As of January 28, 2012, the Company operated 911 American Eagle Outfitters stores. During fiscal 2011, it opened 11 AE stores.

aerie by American Eagle

The Company�� aerie is a collection of Dormwear, intimates and personal care products for the AE girl. The collection is available in aerie stores throughout the United States and Canada, online at aerie.com and at select American Eagle stores. As of January 28, 2012, AEO, Inc operated 158 aerie stores. During fiscal 2011, it opened 10 aerie stores.

77kids by american eagle

77kids offers clothing and accessories for kid�� ages 2 to 14 and babies under the brand name little77TM. As of January 28, 2012, the Company operated 21 77kids stores. All 77kids clothing is backed by the brand�� 77wash and 77soft. During fiscal 2011, AEO, Inc opened 12 77kids stores.

AEO Direct

The Company's online business, AEO Direct, ships to 77 countries worldwide. The Company sells merchandise via its e-commerce operations, ae.com, aerie.com and 77kids.com, which are extensions of the lifestyle that it conveys in its stores. As of December 31, 2011, AEO Direct shipped to 77 countries worldwide. In addition to purchasing items online, customers can experience AEO Direct in-store through Store-to-Door. Store-to-Door enables store associates to sell any item available online to an in-store customer in a single transaction. The Company accepts PayPal and Bill Me Later as a means of payment from its ae.com, aerie.com and 77kids.com customers.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) fell 9.5% to close at $14.85 after the teen retailer offered up a muted outlook for the current quarter, which includes the critical holiday season.

• [By Rich Bieglmeier]

  The stock market stinks today, but American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AEO) is rocking the joint. AEO ain't no Twitter (TWTR), but it's up almost 7% while the overall market tumbles.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: The Pantry Inc.(PTRY)

The Pantry, Inc. operates a chain of convenience stores in the southeastern United States. The company?s stores offer a selection of merchandise, fuel, and ancillary products and services. Its merchandise products include cigarettes, grocery and other tobacco products, packaged beverages, beer, and wine. The company operates stores under various selected banners, which primarily include Kangaroo Express. As of September 29, 2011, it operated 1,649 convenience stores located in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Virginia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Indiana, and Missouri; and 233 quick service restaurants. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

• [By Sean Williams]

  Much of the same can be said about The Pantry (NASDAQ: PTRY  ) , a predominantly Southeastern U.S. convenience store chain that operates under the Kangaroo Express name. Food inflation has been minimal, the weather hasn't been as cooperative, and consumer traffic fell 4.6% in its most recent quarter. But where other investors see weakness, I see an opportunity.

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  For one thing, I can�� tell a great oil company from a not so great oil company. I can�� evaluate the company�� culture, management, etc. There was no way I was ever going to answer questions like that. But I can easily split Murphy�� U.S. retail business from its other operations. And I can compare that part of the company to other public companies like Pantry (PTRY) and Susser (SUSS). I can also ��this is much harder ��look at Murphy�� reserves and compare them to other oil companies��reserves. The SEC now requires a standardized way of reporting discounted net cash flows for all oil companies. So, there�� certainly a specific number available for every company. Whether it�� a very good number or not depends on the assumptions the method uses.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Arch Therapeutics Inc (ARTH.OB)

Arch Therapeutics, Inc. (Arch), formerly Almah, Inc., incorporated on September 16, 2009, operates as a life science company developing polymers containing peptides intended to form gel-like barriers over wounds to stop or control bleeding. Arch is a medical device company offering an approach to the rapid cessation of bleeding (hemostasis) and control of fluid leakage (sealant) during surgery and trauma care. Arch�� products are in preclinical development. The first product, AC5, is designed for hemostasis in minimally invasive (laparoscopic) and open surgical procedures.

AC5

AC5 is a synthetic peptide consisting of naturally occurring amino acids. When squirted or sprayed onto a wound, AC5 intercalates into the nooks and crannies of the connective tissue where it builds itself into a physical, mechanical structure. That structure provides a barrier to leaking substances, including blood and other bodily fluids, regardless of type of surgery or, based on early data, clotting ability.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Express Scripts Holding Co (ESRX)

Express Scripts Holding Company, incorporated in 2011, provides healthcare management and administration services on behalf of its clients, which include health maintenance organizations (HMOs), health insurers, third-party administrators, employers, union-sponsored benefit plans, workers compensation plans, and government health programs. The Company operates in two segments: Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) and Emerging Markets (EM). PBM services include network claims processing, home delivery services, patient care and direct specialty and fertility home delivery to patients, benefit plan design consultation, drug utilization review, formulary management, drug data analysis services, distribution of injectable drugs to patients homes and physicians offices, bio-pharma services, and fulfillment of prescriptions to low-income patients through manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs. EM segment provides distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to providers and clinics, healthcare account administration and implementation of consumer-directed healthcare solutions. In September 2013, it announced the acquisition of the SmartD Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP).

On July 20, 2011, Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI) entered into a merger agreement (the Merger Agreement) with Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (Medco). During the year ended December 31, 2011, it reorganized its FreedomFP line of business from its EM segment into its PBM segment. On April 2, 2012, the Company completed the Merger Agreement, and after which ESI and Medco became the wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. The Company�� customers include HMOs, health insurers, third-party administrators, employers, union-sponsored benefit plans, government health programs, office-based oncologists, renal dialysis clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, primary care physicians, retina specialists and others.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Express Scripts (ESRX) has fallen 2.7% to $62 in after-hours trading after it reported a profit of $1.08, in line with analyst forecasts, but said the fourth quarter would come in between $109 and $1.13. Analyst had forecast $1.12.

• [By Stephen Quickel]

  In the healthcare sector, we are restoring two previously successful picks to our recommended list: Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN) and pharmacy benefits leader Express Scripts (ESRX).

• [By Mani]

  Express Scripts Holding Company (NASDAQ:ESRX) could deliver relative outperformance in 2014 as the upcoming generic wave should offer a two-fold opportunity for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

• [By Keith Speights]

  There's always a flip side to any coin. I recently wrote about seven states that pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts (NASDAQ: ESRX  ) identified as the most wasteful when it comes to medication-related spending. Since that article focused on the negative side, it's only fitting that I also highlight the states that are doing the best on this front.

Top Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: Walgreen Co (WAG)

Walgreen Co. (Walgreens), incorporated on February 15, 1909, together with its subsidiaries, operates the drugstore chain in the United States. The Company provides its customers with access to consumer goods and services, pharmacy, and health and wellness services in communities across America. The Company offers its products and services through drugstores, as well as through mails, by telephone and online. The Company sells prescription and non-prescription drugs, as well as general merchandises, including household items, convenience and fresh foods, personal care, beauty care, photofinishing and candy. On August 2, 2012, it acquired 45% interest in Alliance Boots GmbH (Alliance Boots). In September 2012, the Company completed the purchase of a regional drugstore chain in the mid-South region of the United States that included 144 stores operated under the USA Drug, Super D Drug, May��, Med-X and Drug Warehouse names. In September 2012, WP Carey & Co LLC acquired five retail stores leased to Walgreen Co. In December 2012, the Company completed a transaction giving company a ownership stake in Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Pharmacy LLC.

The Company's pharmacy, health and wellness services include retail, specialty, infusion and respiratory services, mail service, convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers. These services help improve health outcomes and manage costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The Company's Take Care Health Systems subsidiary is a manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the United States.

As of August 31, 2012, Walgreens operated 8,385 locations in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. In 2012, the Company opened or acquired 266 locations for a net increase of 175 locations after relocations and closings. As of August 31, 2012, the Com! pany had 7,930 of Drugstores, 366 of Worksite Health and Wellness Centers, 76 of Infusion and Respiratory Services Facilities, 11 of Specialty Pharmacies and two of Mail Service Facilities. The Company's drugstores are engaged in the retail sale of prescription and non-prescription drugs and general merchandise. General merchandise includes, among other things, household items, convenience and fresh foods, personal care, beauty care, photofinishing and candy.

The Company offers specialty pharmacy services that provide customers nationwide access to a variety of medications, services and programs for managing complex and chronic health conditions. In addition, the Company offers its customers infusion therapy services, including the administration of intravenous (IV) medications for cancer treatments, chronic pain, heart failure, and other infections and disorders which must be treated by IV. Walgreens provides these infusion services at home, at the workplace, in a physician's office or at a Walgreens alternate treatment site. The Company also provides clinical services, such as laboratory monitoring, medication profile review, nutritional assessments and patient and caregiver education.

Customers can also access the Company's e-commerce solutions, which extend the convenience to purchase most products available within its drugstores, as well as additional products sold exclusively online through its walgreens.com and drugstore.com Websites, including beauty.com and visiondirect.com. The Company's Websites allow consumers to purchase general merchandise including beauty, personal care, home medical equipment, contact lenses, vitamins and supplements and other health and wellness solutions. The Company's mobile applications also allow customers to refill prescriptions through their mobile device, download weekly promotions and find the nearest Walgreens drugstore. The Company also offers services through Take Care Health Systems, which manages its Take Care Clinics at select Wa! lgreens d! rugstores throughout the country.

Alliance Boots is a pharmacy-led health and beauty retailing and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution business. As of March 31, 2012, its fiscal year end, Alliance Boots had, together with its associates and joint ventures, pharmacy-led health and beauty retail businesses in 11 countries and operated more than 3,330 health and beauty retail stores, of which over 3,200 had a pharmacy. In addition, Alliance Boots had approximately 625 optical practices, approximately 185 of which operated on a franchise basis. Its pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution businesses, including its associates and joint ventures, supplied medicines, other healthcare products and related services to more than 170,000 pharmacies, doctors, health centers and hospitals from over 370 distribution centers in 21 countries.

Alliance Boots�� stores located in the United Kingdom, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Thailand and Lithuania and through its associates and joint ventures in Switzerland, China, Italy, Russia and Croatia. In addition, as of March 31, 2012, there were 58 Boots stores operated in the Middle East on a franchised basis. In its Health & Beauty Division, Alliance Boots has product brands such as No7, Soltan and Botanics, together with other brands, such as Boots Pharmaceuticals and Boots Laboratories. Through its Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division and several of its associates, Alliance Boots sells Almus, its line of generic medicines, in five countries and Alvita, its line of patient care products, in six countries.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  More recently, other brands have sought to change their label in hopes of boosting stagnating sales. Boston Beer updated its Samuel Adams brand, hoping to reverse slowing sales of the craft brew, while Walgreen (NYSE: WAG  ) brought all of its private-label brands under a new, updated Nice! label.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Walgreen (NYSE: WAG  ) reported earnings on June 25. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended May 31 (Q3), Walgreen met expectations on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.