Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own For 2014

It is no longer news that International Business Machine (IBM) released disappointing 2013 third quarter results. It is also no longer news that the stock has taken a beating since then from $186.73 per share it traded at the close of business just before the third quarter financials were released to the investing public on Wednesday, Oct. 16. The negative reactions of investors to the third quarter results were noticed during the extended hours of trading on that same day when the stock took a dip from $186.73 to $175.99 per share. That sudden dip in IBM�� stock price amounts to a loss of about 6% per share within a space of a few hours after the release of the third quarter results.

Really, IBM needs no introduction to a large number of the investing public because it is renowned as one of the blue chip companies with the best stock rating many love to own. In the last decade, IBM maintained a good rating as the only tech company that offered consistent yearly dividend increases. IBM is a tech company that has survived three eras of computing technology transitions. In the last two decades, the company has transitioned from the mainframe era to the PC era and now to the era of mobile computing technology where it is taking a foothold in the software and services line of business and declining its operations from being a pure hardware producing company.

Top 10 Gold Stocks To Own For 2015: Apple Inc.(AAPL)

Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Alamy As the Dow Jones Industrial Index keeps setting new record highs, individual investors are returning to the stock market in droves. Four years of steady stock market growth have been capped by this year's 24 percent year-to-date rise on the Dow. Individual investors hoping to catch the rising tide have put $167 billion into stock mutual funds the stock market so far this year. Leaving aside the question of whether that's a wise move -- investing after the market has hit an all-time high, rather than putting money to work after a correction when stocks are cheap -- there's a more pertinent question for these investors: What method will use to you invest your money in the market, and how much will it cost you? "Free" Is a Nice Price Would you believe it might cost you nothing at all to invest in the stock market -- at least as far as stock buying fees are concerned? It has been years since investors last saw companies offering them truly commission-free online brokerage services. Years since sites like Freetrade.com and Zecco.com went belly up. (Zecco got bought by TradeKing, and upped its commission cost from $0 to $4.95). But now a new site says it's ready to give the free trading business model another whirl -- and its name is "Loyal3." Operating out of offices in San Francisco and Haverhill, Mass., private equity-backed Loyal3 is putting its unique stamp on the zero-fee stock trading game, featuring: a $10 minimum balance to open an account the option to buy stocks with a credit card the ability to buy fractions of a share (if, for example, if the $515 price tag on a whole share of Apple (AAPL) is beyond your budget, you can buy just a slice) $0 cost to buy a stock, or to sell a stock, too -- even for IPOs and for new investors nervous about privacy, a guarantee that the company uses "military grade encryption to protect your data" and "will not provide your information to third parties," either. Simplify, Simplify There are a few caveats, of cou

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  4. An Apple trade-in a day
  Bloomberg is reporting that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) is getting into the trade-in business.

  Sources are saying that the consumer tech giant will allow buyers to swap out their old iPhones for credit on new devices. A third party will be administering the program, but it's still a win-win for Apple.

• [By Jim Woods]

  Now, for the past five years, investors have been binging on NFLX stock, which has posted a five-year total return of more than 800%. Yes, that ride has been fraught with a lot of volatility, but like any good TV action hero, NFLX stock has proven it can overcome adversity. The latest round of dings has come since NFLX stock hit its March 4 high. Shares are down some 23% since then, partly due to the wider selloff in tech, but also due to talk of competition from a new streaming service created by powerhouses Apple (AAPL) and Comcast (CMSCA).

Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own For 2014: Chevron Corporation(CVX)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alyssa Oursler]

  If you’re looking to dig up a solid dividend, look no further than oil and gas giant Chevron (CVX). The Dependable Dividend stock has been paying a dividend for an jaw-dropping 101 years, and has increased that payout by over 185% in the past decade alone.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  One of the best assets that Buckeye has acquired recently is the Perth Amboy marine terminal in the New York Harbor, which it purchased from Chevron (NYSE: CVX  ) for $260 million. In conjunction with the sale, Chevron entered into a multi-year storage and services agreement. Buckeye plans to spend more than $100 million to transform the terminal into one that can store multiple products as well as link it by pipeline to its nearby Linden complex and to upgrade it to handle Bakken-sourced crude oil coming in by rail and ship. This is an area where Buckeye really excels as it can take an underutilized asset from a large integrated company like Chevron and turn it into something of even greater value.�

• [By Travis Hoium]

  If you thought stocks were getting hit hard today, you need to take a look at the commodities market. Gold is down 9.6% as I write, silver has fallen 12.9%, and oil is down 2.7% to less than $89 per barrel. This drop has hit oil giants Chevron (NYSE: CVX  ) and ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM  ) , who are down 2.5% and 2.3%, respectively. You can see in the chart below that a drop in oil's price may impact earnings at both companies, but it'll have to be a lot more severe than $2 per barrel.

Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own For 2014: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)

McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tamara Rutter]

  Mouth off
  It's no secret that McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) is fighting critics who claim advertising fast food to children is wrong. In 2004, the Golden Arches started offering sliced apples as an alternative to fries in its iconic Happy Meals, in an attempt to offer healthier options for children eating at its restaurants. Unfortunately, that didn't do the trick.

Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own For 2014: Philip Morris International Inc(PM)

Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States. Its international product brand line comprises Marlboro, Merit, Parliament, Virginia Slims, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street, Lark, Muratti, Next, Philip Morris, and Red & White. The company also offers its products under the A Mild, Dji Sam Soe, and A Hijau in Indonesia; Diana in Italy; Optima and Apollo-Soyuz in the Russian Federation; Morven Gold in Pakistan; Boston in Colombia; Belmont, Canadian Classics, and Number 7 in Canada; Best and Classic in Serbia; f6 in Germany; Delicados in Mexico; Assos in Greece; and Petra in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It operates primarily in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) has experienced more than impressive growth in both its share price and its profits in the past four years. Lately its gains have petered out. The problem is that much of that growth has come from a few countries in Asia, and if one analyst report is accurate, there will be little to no growth from those areas ahead. Nomura Securities is downgrading Philip Morris to a Reduce rating from Neutral, but for all practical purposes it is a Sell rating. The firm’s $76 price target suggests downside of more than $10 ahead.

• [By Editor , Dividend Growth Investor]

  Philip Morris� (PM), through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells cigarettes and other tobacco products. This dividend machine has rewarded shareholders with a dividend increase since being spun-offs from Altria Group (MO) in 2008.

• [By Jacob Roche]

  A recent report from research group KPMG, and commissioned by Philip Morris (NYSE: PM  ) , revealed that while total consumption of cigarettes in Europe has fallen in recent years, the illegal contraband and counterfeit trade has grown from 8.3% of total consumption to 11.1%. The report suggests that the high profitability and low risk of penalties attracts organized crime, which can use the trade as a cash cow to fund far more objectionable activities. An ad from British American Tobacco (NYSEMKT: BTI  ) goes as far as to suggest that the trade could even be indirectly funding terrorism.

• [By GuruFocus]

  Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) Reached the 52-Week Low of $85.37

  The prices of Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) shares have declined to close to the 52-week low of $85.37, which is 15.1% off the 52-week high of $96.73. Philip Morris International Inc. is owned by 31 Gurus we are tracking. Among them, 14 have added to their positions during the past quarter. Ten reduced their positions.