10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch For 2014

In the matter of how large the holiday sales pie will be this year, the size apparently will be small. That means retailers, both store-based and Internet-based, will need to take business from one another, and it is the companies that take the most in that battle that have a chance of doing well — but only modestly. There is no rising tide. Consumers have not bought holiday gifts in large enough numbers in 2013�and will not between now and the end of the year.

According to new data from Gallup on holiday spending intentions:

Americans’ average prediction for the total amount they will spend on Christmas gifts this season is now $740, midway between the $786 they estimated in October and the $704 in November. Given how the most recent prediction compares with previous years — coming in below last year’s $770 and falling well short of consumers’ spending intentions in years prior to the 2008 financial crisis — the 2013 holiday season will likely be a ho-hum one for retailers.

Top 5 Telecom Stocks For 2015: eBay Inc.(EBAY)

eBay Inc. provides online platforms, services, and tools to help individuals and merchants in online and mobile commerce and payments in the United States and internationally. Its Marketplaces segment operates ecommerce platform eBay.com; vertical shopping sites, such as StubHub, Fashion, Motors, and Half.com; and classifieds Websites, including Den Bl�Avis, BilBasen, Gumtree, Kijiji, LoQUo, Marktplaats.nl, mobile.de, Alamaula, Rent.com, eBay Anuncios, eBay Kleinanzeigen, and eBay Annunci, as well as provides advertising services. The company?s Payments segment offers payment and settlement services for consumers and merchants on and off eBay Websites and other merchant Websites. This segment operates PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to send and receive payments online and through mobile devices; Bill Me Later that enables the United States merchants to offer, the United States consumers to obtain, credit at the point of sale for ecommerce and mobile tra nsactions; Zong, which allows users with mobile phones to purchase digital goods and have the transactions charged to their phone bill; and BillSAFE that enables customers pay for purchases upon receipt of an invoice. Its GSI segment offers an ecommerce services suite for enterprise clients that operate in general merchandise categories, including apparel, sporting goods, toys and baby, health and beauty, and home; and marketing services comprising full-service digital agency, enterprise email marketing, mobile advertising, affiliate marketing, advertisement retargeting, and in-depth analytics services. The company also offers X.commerce platform that provides software developers access to the company?s applications programming interfaces to develop functionality for various merchants; and Magento Connect, which allows developers to market and sell add-on functionality and solutions to merchants that use a Magento storefront. eBay Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquarter ed in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steve Heller]

  Under the rule of John Donahoe, eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) has undergone a massive transformation. Between all of its segments, the company expects that by 2015, it will enable more than $300 billion in global commerce, which represents an increase of more than 70% from 2012 levels. But like every great growth story, there are obstacles to overcome. In this video, Fool contributor Steve Heller weighs in on what will keep eBay from meeting its aggressive goal.�

• [By Jessica Alling]

  But banks aren't the only ones threatened by the development (and wild success) of digital currencies. eBay's (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) PayPal is the current leader of digital wallets, with 137 million active accounts in markets spread across 26 currencies. But the payment processor has been losing ground to newer, easier systems that have popped up across the Internet -- including Braintree, which eBay just acquired.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  What's coming
  Moreover, more tax increases look likely to hit ordinary Americans in the near future. Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) has been making agreements with an increasing number of states to collect sales tax on online purchases, and a federal law could subject Amazon, eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) , and other online sellers with the obligation to collect taxes. That has helped Best Buy (NYSE: BBY  ) and other competing brick-and-mortar retailers, but it means consumers pay more in overall tax. Technically, most taxpayers already owe uncollected sales taxes to their respective states, but few states enforce those provisions vigorously. With state and local sales taxes representing 12 days' worth of the average American's tax burden, increases would have a small but significant impact on many people.

10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch For 2014: IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI)

IAC/InterActiveCorp engages in the Internet business in the United States and internationally. The company�s Search segment develops, markets, and distributes various downloadable toolbars; provides search, reference, and content services through its destination search and other Websites, including Ask.com and Dictionary.com; and aggregates and integrates local advertising and content for distribution to publishers on Web and mobile platforms, as well as markets and distributes mobile applications through which it provides search and additional services. Its Match segment offers subscription-based and advertiser-supported online personals services through its Websites comprising Match.com, Chemistry.com, OurTime.com, BlackPeopleMeet.com, and OkCupid.com, as well as through mobile applications and Meetic-branded Websites. The company�s ServiceMagic segment offers Market Match service that matches consumers with service professionals; Exact Match service, which enables con sumers to review service professional profiles and select the service professional that meets their specific needs; and 1800Contractor.com, an online directory of service professionals. This segment also offers Website design and hosting services. Its Media and Other segment operates CollegeHumor.com, an online entertainment Website that targets young males; Vimeo, a Website on which users can upload, share, and view video; and Pronto.com, a comparison search engine. This segment also engages in the creation of video content for various distribution platforms; and operates as an Internet retailer of footwear and related apparel and accessories, as well as focuses on multimedia business. The company was formerly known as InterActiveCorp and changed its name to IAC/InterActiveCorp in July 2004. IAC/InterActiveCorp was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Isidore]

  Newsweek, the news magazine whose print version was abandoned late last year, was sold in August by IAC (IACI) to another all-digital news company, IBT Media.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  IAC/InterActiveCorp provides information and entertainment services through its wide portfolio of websites to consumers and companies across the globe. The stock has been moving higher in recent years and seems to be getting ready to test all-time high prices. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been mixed while revenues have been increasing, which has pleased investors. Relative to its peers and sector, IAC/InterActiveCorp has trailed in year-to-date performance. Look for IAC/InterActiveCorp to catch up and OUTPERFORM.

• [By Rex Crum]

  Additionally, Devitt initiated coverage of IAC/InterActive Corp. (IACI) �with an equal weight rating and best-case stock price scenario of $67 a share.

• [By Brian Stelter]

  I hesitated, but she insisted that I come to the headquarters of Barry Diller's IAC (IACI) for an in-person demonstration of the product, which she called an "online TV platform." Once I was there, I understood. "Surprisingly high-quality signal," I scribbled in my notebook. "Place- and time-shifting!"

10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch For 2014: Amazon.com Inc.(AMZN)

Amazon.com, Inc. operates as an online retailer in North America and internationally. It operates retail Web sites, including amazon.com and amazon.ca. The company serves consumers through its retail Web sites and focuses on selection, price, and convenience. It also offers programs that enable sellers to sell their products on its Web sites, and their own branded Web sites. In addition, the company serves developer customers through Amazon Web Services, which provides access to technology infrastructure that developers can use to enable virtually various type of business. Further, it manufactures and sells the Kindle e-reader. Additionally, the company provides fulfillment; miscellaneous marketing and promotional agreements, such as online advertising; and co-branded credit cards. Amazon.com, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Neiger]

  Why be wary
  Netflix's stock is currently trading at 165 times 2013 earnings per share. That's not a typo -- it's really 165. Considering the average P/E ratio for the sector is about 14, the company's stock is valued extremely high. For comparison's sake, video-streaming competitor and online retail juggernaut Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) sells for 182 times earnings. Reuters pointed out the other day that this makes Netflix the fourth most pricey stock on the S&P 500 right now, on a valuation basis.

• [By Dan Newman]

  Now Amazon.com� (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) has released the same ability for application and website developers to add "Login With Amazon." Not only is this is a perfect complement to Amazon's current services, but it will also beat all of its aforementioned competitors for a majority of sites because of a fundamental difference: Amazon isn't a social network, and it won't share your actions with the world.

10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch For 2014: Yahoo! Inc.(YHOO)

Yahoo! Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a digital media company that delivers personalized digital content and experiences through various devices worldwide. It offers online properties and services to users; and a range of marketing services to businesses. The company?s communications and communities offerings include Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Messenger, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, Flickr, and Connected TV, which provide a range of communication and social services to users and small businesses enabling users to organize into groups and share knowledge, common interests, and photos. Its search products comprise Yahoo! Search and Yahoo! Local, available free to users to navigate the Internet and discover content. The company?s marketplaces offerings and services include Yahoo! Shopping, Yahoo! Travel, Yahoo! Real Estate, Yahoo! Autos, and Yahoo! Small Business, which allow users to research specific topics, products, services, or areas of interest by review ing and exchanging information, obtaining contact details, or considering offers from providers of goods, services, or parties with similar interests. Its media offerings comprise Yahoo! Homepage, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo! Finance, My Yahoo!, Yahoo! Toolbar, Yahoo! Entertainment & Lifestyles, Yahoo! Contributor Network, and Yahoo! Pulse, which are designed to engage users with online content and services on the Web. The company also offers marketing services, such as display and search advertising, listing-based services, and commerce-based transactions to advertisers. In addition, it provides software and platform offerings for third-party developers, advertisers, and publishers, such as Yahoo! Developer Network, Yahoo! Open Strategy, Yahoo! Application Platform, Yahoo! Updates, Yahoo! Query Language, and Yahoo! Search BOSS. The company has strategic alliances with Nokia and ABC News, Inc. Yahoo! Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Californi a.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) shares gained 1.58% to $32.86 in the pre-market session after Bernstein upgraded the stock from Market Perform to Outperform.

• [By Sean Williams]

  There's little denying the fact that relatively new Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO  ) CEO Marissa Mayer means business. Since taking the helm just 10 months ago, she's already led Yahoo! to 10 acquisitions, has eliminated off-site work in an effort to improve productivity, and unlocked value through the partial sale of its stake in Alibaba for $7.6 billion in pre-tax profits.

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) �said late Thursday it will accept questions from the public during its earnings call late Tuesday that are tweeted with the hashtag #YHOOearnings. Shares rose less than 0.1% to $34.02 in moderate volume.

• [By Steven Russolillo]

  By comparison, retail giant Target Corp.(TGT) has a $39 billion market cap, Yahoo Inc.(YHOO) has a $41.1 billion market value and Time Warner Cable(TWC) has a market cap of $37.6 billion.

10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch For 2014: Google Inc.(GOOG)

Google Inc. maintains an index of Web sites and other online content for users, advertisers, and Google network members and other content providers. It offers AdWords, an auction-based advertising program; AdSense program, which enables Web sites that are part of the Google Network to deliver ads from its AdWords advertisers; Google Display, a display advertising network that comprises the videos, text, images, and other interactive ads; DoubleClick Ad Exchange, a real-time auction marketplace for the trading of display ad space; and YouTube that provides video, interactive, and other ad formats for advertisers. The company also provides Google Mobile that optimizes Google?s applications for mobile devices in browser and downloadable form; and enables advertisers to run search ad campaigns on mobile devices, as well as Google Local that provides local information on the Web; and Google Boost for small businesses to participate in the ads auction. In addition, it offers And roid, an open source mobile software platform; Google Chrome OS, an open source operating system; Google Chrome, a Web browser; Google TV, a platform for the consumers to use the television and the Internet on a single screen; and Google Books platform to discover, search, and consume content from printed books online. Further, the company provides Google Apps, a cloud computing suite of message and collaboration tools, which includes Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Sites; Google Search Appliance that offers real-time search of business and intranet applications, and public Web sites; Google Site Search, a custom search engine; Google Commerce Search for online retail enterprises; Google Checkout to make online shopping and payments streamlined and secure; Google Maps Application Programming Interface; and Google Earth Enterprise, a firewall software solution for imagery and data visualization. Google Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  1. Chrome wasn't billed in a day
  Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) is aggressively expanding its Chromebook retail presence.

  The online search giant behind the largely web-based Chrome operating system announced that it would be tripling the number of stores stocking its entry-level laptops.

• [By Richard Moroney]

  Google (GOOG)

  Unlike the other four stocks featured below, Google is not cheap, trading at 27 times trailing earnings and earning a Quadrix Value score of 31. However, it looks more reasonable based on the long-term outlook, with a PEG ratio (P/E divided by estimated five-year profit growth) of 1.2, cheaper than about 68% of US stocks.

• [By Benedict Evans]

  Google (GOOG), of course, is trying to address the fragmentation embodied in these charts with a shift to Google Play services, as neatly explained by Ars Technica here. But though this means Google itself is less subject to fragmentation, it isn't much help to a developer wondering whether to use APIs that are only in Android 4.2 or later - let alone one wondering why the app crashes on one Android 4.2 phone but not another.

• [By ICRAOnline]

  In the past quarter, sales of iPad dropped 16% year over year. According to management, the decline was driven by channel inventory changes. Though the obvious reasons could be -- cheaper offerings from Amazon (AMZN), Google (GOOG) and Samsung, and higher preference for a phone upgrade than a tablet upgrade. iPad is Apple�� second largest revenue contributor, and if the company fails to boost sales total revenue will be severely hit.

10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch For 2014: Symantec Corporation(SYMC)

Symantec Corporation provides security, storage, and systems management solutions internationally. The company?s Consumer segment delivers Internet security, PC tune-up, and online backup solutions and services to individual users and home offices. Its Security and Compliance segment provides solutions for endpoint security and management, compliance, messaging management, data loss prevention, encryption, and authentication services to large, medium, and small-sized businesses, as well as offers solutions through its software-as-a-service (SaaS) security offerings. This segment?s products enable customers to secure, provision, and remotely manage their laptops, PCs, mobile devices, and servers. The company?s Storage and Server Management segment provides storage and server management, backup, archiving, and data protection solutions across heterogeneous storage and server platforms, as well as solutions delivered through its SaaS offerings to large, medium, and small-s ized businesses. Symantec?s Services segment offers implementation services and solutions, including consulting, business critical services, education, and managed security services. The company also provides various enterprise support offerings, such as annual maintenance support contracts, including content, upgrades, and technical support. It sells its products through its eCommerce platform, as well as through distributors, direct marketers, Internet-based resellers, system builders, ISPs, and retail locations worldwide. Symantec markets and sells its products through distributors, retailers, direct marketers, Internet-based resellers, original equipment manufacturers, system builders, and Internet service providers; and its e-commerce channels, as well as direct sales force, value-added and large account resellers, and system integrators. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Symantec (NASDAQ: SYMC) were down 11.70 percent to $18.46 after the company fired President and Chief Executive Steve Bennett and appointed director Michael Brown as interim president and CEO. UBS downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral and lowered the price target from $27.00 to $21.00.