Thursday, February 26, 2015

5 Best Stocks For 2014

Wednesday brought the week having all three days with a gain or a loss of triple-digits during the day in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Bank earnings were the key driver, and a slightly elevated core-reading on the Producer Price Index failed to�distract the bulls. Earnings season is getting into full gear and the earnings floodgates open wide next week.

What really stood out was another new all-time high of just over 1,850 for the S&P 500 Index earlier in the day�and a high on the NASDAQ going back to highs not seen since the dot-com and tech bubble seen more than a decade ago.

The unofficial closing bell readings will change from official closing levels, but these were as follows:

DJIA +108.08 at 16,481.94 S&P 500 +9.50 at 1,848.38 NASDAQ +31.87 at 4,214.88

The big bank earnings winner was former DJIA component Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC). While JPMorgan and Wells Fargo had mixed earnings on Tuesday, BofA handily beat its earnings estimates when it reported on Wednesday. Shares were up 2.3% at $17.16 in the final minutes, but this marked a new 52-week high and the stock hit a high of $17.42. While BofA is not a DJIA stock any longer, this helped to propel J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) higher and Jamie Dimon can send Brian Moynihan a thank you letter. J.P. Morgan shares were up 3.2% at $59.58 right before the closing bell.

Top International Companies To Invest In Right Now: Banner Corporation(BANR)

Banner Corporation operates as the holding company for Banner Bank and Islanders Bank that provide commercial banking and financial products and services to individuals, businesses, and public sector entities. It generates various deposit instruments, including demand checking accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, money market deposit accounts, regular savings accounts, certificates of deposit, cash management services, and retirement savings plans. The company also originates commercial business and commercial real estate loans, agricultural business loans, construction and land development loans, one to four-family residential loans, and consumer loans. In addition, it engages in mortgage banking operations primarily through the origination and sale of one to four-family residential loans. As of December 31, 2010, Banner Bank operated 86 branch offices and 7 loan production offices in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho; and Islanders Bank conducted business from 3 locations in San Juan County, Washington. The company was founded in 1890 and is based in Walla Walla, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Washington-based bank holding company Banner (BANR) raised its quarterly dividend 25% to 15 cents per share, payable on Oct. 16 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 7.
    BANR Dividend Yield: 1.57%

  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Bank holding company Banner (BANR) raised its quarterly dividend 20% to 18 cents per share, payable April 15 to shareholders or record as of April 7.
    BANR Dividend Yield: 1.75%

  • [By Diane Alter]

    Dividend Stocks That Increased Payout in September

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

    Bank-holding company Banner Corp.(BANR) on Tuesday said it had agreed to buy Home Federal Bancorp Inc.(HFBL) (HOME) for $197 million in cash and stock. The deal, expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, will result in a combined company with about $5.2 billion in assets, making it the fourth-largest bank in the Pacific Northwest by assets, the companies said.

5 Best Stocks For 2014: Shiloh Industries Inc.(SHLO)

Shiloh Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells first operation blanks, engineered welded blanks, stampings, and modular assemblies for the automotive, heavy truck, and other industrial markets. The company offers blanks for use in structural and exterior steel components, such as support brackets, frame sides, fenders, hoods and doors; and stampings primarily for use as components in mufflers, seat frames, structural rails, window lifts, heat shields, vehicle brakes, and other structural body components. It builds modular assemblies, including components in the structural and powertrain systems of vehicles. The company also designs, engineers, and sells precision tools and dies, and welding and assembly equipment to original equipment manufacturers, automotive suppliers, and other industrial customers. In addition, it offers a range of intermediate steel processing services, such as oiling, leveling, cutting-to-length, multi-blanking, slitt ing, edge trimming of hot and cold-rolled steel coils, and inventory control services for automotive and steel industry customers. The company supplies its products to automotive manufacturers and automotive suppliers, as well as to manufacturers in the lawn and garden, and heavy duty truck and trailer industries. Shiloh Industries was founded in 1950 and is based in Valley City, Ohio. Shiloh Industries, Inc. is a subsidiary of MTD Holdings Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Shiloh Industries (NASDAQ: SHLO) is projected to report its Q3 earnings.

    Quiksilver (NYSE: ZQK) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.03 per share on revenue of $440.64 million.

5 Best Stocks For 2014: Edison International (EIX)

Edison International, incorporated on April 20, 1987, is a holding company of Southern California Edison Company (SCE). SCE is a public utility primarily engaged in the business of supplying electricity to an approximately 50,000 square-mile area of southern California. The SCE service territory contains a population of nearly 14 million people and SCE serves the population through approximately 5 million customer accounts. In August 2013, Edison International completed the acquisition of SoCore Energy, LLC.

SCE's retail operations are subject to regulation by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). SCE has a five tier residential rate structure. SCE supplies electricity to its customers through transmission and distribution networks. Its transmission facilities, which are located primarily in California but also in Nevada and Arizona, deliver power from generating sources to the distribution network and consist of lines ranging from 33 kilovolts to 500 kilovolts and substations. SCE's distribution system, which takes power from substations to customers, includes over 59,000 circuit miles of overhead lines, 44,000 circuit miles of underground lines and over 700 distribution substations, all of which are located in California. San Onofre, Four Corners, certain of SCE's substations, and portions of its transmission, distribution and communication systems are located on lands owned by the United States or others under licenses, permits, easements or leases, or on public streets or highways pursuant to franchises. Thirty-one of SCE's 36 hydroelectric plants and related reservoirs are located in whole or in part on United States-owned lands and are subject to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licenses.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Justin Loiseau]

    3. Edison International (NYSE: EIX  )
    Most recently, Edison International announced a month ago today that it would permanently retire two nuclear units in San Onofre, Calif. Similar to Duke Energy, Edison's units were shut down in January 2012 after workers discovered a steam generator leak. Unlike Duke Energy, Edison's generators were manufactured by third-party Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and the utility is planning to seek damages.

  • [By Justin Loiseau]

    Duke forecasts sunshine
    On Wednesday, Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK  ) announced its purchase of two California solar farms from Germany-based SolarWorld. The new acquisitions will add 21 megawatts of solar electricity to its current 61 MW of capacity. Collectively, the two farms will become Duke's largest commercial solar farm in the nation, and the company has already arranged a 20-year power purchase agreement with Edison International (NYSE: EIX  ) .

5 Best Stocks For 2014: Magellan Health Services Inc.(MGLN)

Magellan Health Services, Inc. engages in the specialty managed healthcare business in the United States. The company, through its contracted network of third-party treatment providers, offers managed behavioral healthcare services, including outpatient programs, such as counseling or therapy; intermediate care programs comprising intensive outpatient programs and partial hospitalization services; and inpatient treatment and crisis intervention services. It also provides radiology benefits management services, such as the delivery of diagnostic imaging and other therapeutic services through contracts with health plans and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. In addition, the company offers specialty pharmaceutical management services, including contracting and formulary optimization programs; specialty pharmaceutical dispensing operations; and medical pharmacy management programs. Its specialty pharmaceutical management services are provided under contracts with health plans, insurance companies, employers, and governmental agencies to manage specialty drugs used in the treatment of conditions, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, hemophilia, infertility, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic forms of hepatitis, and other diseases. Further, the company provides Medicaid administration services comprising pharmacy point-of-sale claims processing systems and administration, drug utilization review, clinical prior authorization, utilization and formulary management services, preferred drug list programs, maximum allowable cost programs, and drug rebate program services under contracts with health plans and public sector healthcare clients for Medicaid and other program recipients. It serves health plans, insurance companies, employers, labor unions, and various governmental agencies. Magellan Health Services, Inc. was founded in 1969 and is based in Avon, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Susan J. Aluise]

    Although Medicaid has far slimmer margins than other business lines, MOH has the expertise to gain volume as enrollees grow. It also has a strong Medicaid franchise in two key states: California and Washington. MOH has a price to earnings growth (PEG) ratio of only 0.8, suggesting that the stock could be undervalued. It also has a forward P/E of 14, lower than many other healthcare stocks.

    Healthcare Stocks: Magellan Health Services (MGLN)

    Magellan Health Services (MGLN) recently rebranded its business lines into three distinct units. The company’s behavior health affiliates, along with integrated health business Magellan Complete Care, are branded under the Magellan Healthcare business. Magellan Rx Management focuses on Magellan’s pharmacy business. And the specialty solutions business is now branded under NIA Magellan.

  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    Magellan Health Services(MGLN), which manages public-sector pharmacy benefits programs and other health-care services, offered a preliminary earnings forecast for next year that badly missed Wall Street expectations as share repurchases and the effect of the Affordable Care Act tax are seen hurting the bottom line, while its revenue estimate was stronger than expected.

  • [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 Magellan Health Services (Nasdaq: MGLN  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

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