Best Communications Equipment Stocks To Own For 2014

In this video, tech and telecom analyst Andrew Tonner discusses three areas Nokia (NYSE: NOK  ) investors need to watch. First, keep an eye on Nokia sales numbers, particularly for its new Lumia smartphones. A lot is riding on the success of this smartphone launched last December. Second, can Nokia keep a robust innovative product pipeline going? Apple and Google are good at this. Nokia will have to be in order to compete long term. Finally, investors must stay tuned to the joint venture with Siemens to build communications equipment. This has struggled in the past and how it pans out in the future will impact Nokia's earnings.

Nokia's been struggling in a world of Apple and Android smartphone dominance. However, the company has banked its future on its next generation of Windows smartphones. Motley Fool analyst Charly Travers has created a new premium report that digs into both the opportunities and risks facing Nokia to help investors decide if the company is a buy or sell. To get started, simply click here now.

Top 5 Defensive Companies To Buy Right Now: Houston Wire & Cable Co (HWCC)

Houston Wire & Cable Company, incorporated in 1997, provides wire and cable and related services to the United States market. The Company offers its customers with a single-source solution for wire and cable, hardware and related services. The Company offers products in categories of wire and cable, including continuous and interlocked armor cable, control and power cable, electronic wire and cable, flexible and portable cords, instrumentation and thermocouple cable, lead and high temperature cable, medium voltage cable, premise and category wire and cable, wire rope and wire rope slings, as well as nylon slings, chain, shackles and other related hardware. It also offers private branded products, including its brand LifeGuard, a low-smoke, zero-halogen cable. On January 1, 2011, the acquired companies were merged into HWC Wire & Cable Company.

The Company�� products are used in repair and replacement, also known as maintenance, repair and operations (MRO), and related projects, larger-scale projects in the utility, industrial and infrastructure markets and a diverse range of industrial applications, including communications, energy, engineering and construction, general manufacturing, mining, construction, oilfield services, infrastructure, petrochemical, transportation, utility, wastewater treatment, marine construction and marine transportation. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company served approximately 6,000 customers.

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 Houston Wire & Cable (Nasdaq: HWCC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Best Communications Equipment Stocks To Own For 2014: Ubiquiti Networks Inc (UBNT)

Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. (Ubiquiti), incorporated on June 24, 2010, is a communications technology Company. designs, manufactures and sells broadband wireless solutions worldwide. The Company offers a portfolio of wireless networking products and solutions, including systems, high performance radios, antennas and management tools, designed for wireless networking and other applications in the unlicensed radio frequency (RF) spectrum. The Company offers solutions that incorporate its RF technology, antenna design and firmware technologies, which it refers to as AirTechnologies. It offers a portfolio of communications networking products and solutions and it recently introduced products in the video surveillance, wireless backhaul and machine-to-machine communication markets.

The Company�� business is driven by a community of network operators, service providers, distributors, value added resellers (VARs) and system integrators, which it refers to as the Ubiquiti Community. As of June 30, 2013, Ubiquiti�� AirTechnologies included, UBNT, airMAX, UniFi, mFi, EdgeMAX, airVision, airFiber, airOS, NanoStation, airGrid, NanoBridge, and a number of trademark applications and registrations in the United States and other countries. The Company technology enables it to provide end to end wireless networking solutions for network operators and service providers in underserved and underpenetrated markets. It designs its products and solutions using hardware and industry standard chipsets to enable these providers to deliver carrier class wireless broadband access and services to their subscribers.

Enterprise WLAN - UniFi

Unifi hardware utilizes MIMO technology, works with 802.11 standards, and uses a single cable for data transmission and power-over-ethernet. Unlike other enterprise Wi-Fi systems that utilize a hardware Wi-Fi switch, Unifi uses a virtual controller that allows for on-site management or remote management through the cloud. Each UniFi access point a! nd can be managed centrally with the UniFi Controller software. The UniFi Controller enables enterprise WLAN managers to centrally configure and administer a UniFi network and individual access points without any special training and through secure access from any Web browser. The UniFi Controller provides automatic UniFi access point detection, firmware updates, real-time status, map loading and advanced security options.

Video Surveillance - airVision

The H.264 cameras use a single cable for data transmission and power-over-ethernet. AirVision, its management controller software, can be used to manage multiple AirCam H.264 IP cameras as well as manage other digital video recorder devices. AirVision software is available for download at no cost on its Website and only manages Ubiquiti Network camera devices. Similar to its other network management products, airVision can be accessed securely from any Web browser, provides statistical reporting and analytics and provides a management console with camera settings and event recordings.

Machine-To-Machine Communication - mFi

In June 2012, the Company announced mFi, which includes hardware sensors, power devices, and management software that allows devices to be controlled remotely. For example, mFi allows users to manage and monitor their building temperature and power consumption. The management controller software is IP based and can be accessed from any browser locally or through the cloud. MFi software allows management to create rules using if/then statements to control numerous devices.

The Company competes with Motorola, Trango, Cisco Systems, Proxim, Mikrotikls, Senao, Ceragon Networks, DragonWave, Ruckus Wireless, TP-LINK Technologies CO., LTD, Andrew Corporation, PCTEL, Aruba Networks, Inc, Vivotek, Inc., Axis Communications AB , Mobotix Corp, Cambium Networks , SAF Tehnika, EnergyHub, Inc., AlertMe.com Ltd and Radio Waves Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Ubiquiti Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: UBNT) was given a cautious Neutral rating as well, and it had the least negative bias in Garcha’s call. He said:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  To the layperson, the 802.11ac standard means absolutely nothing, even if that individual is using that particular technology. As such, there's no apparent difference between the networking technology offered by the likes of Ubiquiti Networks (NASDAQ:UBNT), Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO), Aruba Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARUN), and most other networking companies. To industry insiders who understand why 802.11ac is an important step-up in the world of wireless networking though, they're apt to have also noticed ARUN has more effectively taken advantage of this technology paradigm shift than peers like UBNT and slower-moving CSCO have. Investors would be wise to take notice too.

• [By Peter Graham]

  The third quarter 2014�earnings report for network communication platform maker�Ubiquiti Networks Inc (NASDAQ: UBNT), a peer of small cap stocks�Aviat Networks Inc (NASDAQ: AVNW), Ceragon Networks Ltd (NASDAQ: CRNT) and�DragonWave, Inc (NASDAQ: DRWI), is due out after the market closes on Thursday with shares already trending upwards as they closed 4.08% higher on Tuesday. Aside from the Ubiquiti Networks earnings report, it should be said that Aviat Networks Inc reported earnings yesterday after the market closed (shares were sinking hard in after hours trading); Ceragon Networks Ltd will report earnings before the market opens on Thursday; and DragonWave, Inc is scheduled to report after the market closes next Wednesday. So it�� a busy week for network communications stocks.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of communications networking technologist Ubiquiti Networks (NASDAQ: UBNT  ) soared 23% today after its quarterly results and outlook topped Wall Street expectations.

Best Communications Equipment Stocks To Own For 2014: Digicore Holdings Ltd (DGC)

Digicore Holdings Limited is a South Africa-based holding company engaged in the manufacturing and distribution of fleet management and vehicle tracking solutions. The Company operates in three segments: South African Distribution, Foreign Distribution, Product Development and Manufacturing and Group Management. The Company's South African distribution segment focuses on distribution of manufactured fleet management and vehicle tracking solutions within the South African consumer market. Foreign distribution focuses on the distribution of manufactured fleet management and vehicle tracking solutions all around the world. Product development and manufacturing segment focuses on investing in research, manufacturing and development of vehicle tracking and fleet management solutions for distribution. Group Management segment renders management services to the Company. On August 31, 2012, the Company obtained an additional 27% shareholding in Ctrack (Pty) Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Lam]

  Detour Gold (DGC) plunged 18 percent to C$6.35, an almost five-year low. The company said in a statement it will not reach its 2013 production target of 270,000 ounces of gold and now forecasts 240,000 to 260,000 ounces.

Best Communications Equipment Stocks To Own For 2014: Nokia Oyj (NOK1V)

Nokia Oyj is a Finland-based company engaged in the manufacture of mobile devices and networks. It operates three business segments. Devices & Services segment is divided into two areas, Smart Devices, focused on Nokia�� advanced products, such as smart phones, product development and marketing; and Mobile Phones, active in the area of mass market entry and feature phones, affordable smart phones, services, and applications. It also includes net sale of spare parts. Location & Commerce (HERE) segment develops location-based products and services for consumers, as well as platform services and local commerce services for the Group. Additionally, it provides content and map data to NAVTEQ�� customers. Nokia Siemens Networks segment provides a portfolio of mobile, fixed and converged network technology, and professional services, such as consultancy, systems integration, deployment and maintenance. In August 2013, it acquired Siemens AG's whole stake in Nokia Siemens Networks. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Caroline Chen]

  Activist funds generally acquire equity stakes in companies and try to force management and boards to make changes that boost share prices and investor returns. New York-based Third Point was founded by Loeb and this year disclosed stakes in companies including Sony, Nokia Oyj (NOK1V) and Sotheby��.

• [By Adam Ewing]

  A sale would provide the shareholders with cash, while potentially strengthening DNA against larger rivals Elisa Oyj (ELI1V) and TeliaSonera AB. (TLSN) The IPO could be the biggest in Finland, home of Nokia Oyj (NOK1V) and ��ngry Birds��maker Rovio Entertainment Oy, since 2005.

Best Communications Equipment Stocks To Own For 2014: Alcatel Lucent SA (ALU)

Alcatel Lucent, incorporated on June 18, 1898, is engaged in mobile, fixed, Internet Protocol (IP) and Optics technologies, applications and services. The Company is a partner of service providers, enterprises, industries and governments worldwide. Alcatel-Lucent includes Bell Labs centres of research in communications technology. Its operations are in more than 130 countries. The Company operates in three business segments: networks, applications, and services. On December 31, 2010, the Company completed the sale of its Vacuum pump solutions and instruments business to Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology AG. In September 2010, the Company acquired OpenPlug, a mobile software and applications development tools vendor. In June 29, 2010, the Company acquired ProgrammableWeb.

During 2010, the Company launched the Digital Media Store, a multicontent digital storefront that allows service providers to deliver content to end-users. Launched during 2010, Optism is a permission-based mobile marketing solution. During 2010, it launched Alcatel-Lucent�� Mobile Wallet Service (MWS), which allows the mobile operator to leverage its secure network to deliver a mobile payment capability through a mobile handset. During 2010, it also launched Alcatel-Lucent�� Application Exposure Suite to facilitate the development of new services by third-party application developers and content providers.

Networks Segment

The Networks segment supplies a portfolio of products and offerings used by fixed, wireless and converged service providers, as well as enterprises and governments for their business communications. The Company�� IP portfolio consists of four product families that deliver multiple services, including broadband triple play for residential customers; Ethernet and IP Virtual Private Network (VPN) services for Enterprise customers, and wireless second-generation (2G), third-generation (3G) and long term evolution (LTE) broadband services for mobile operators. The main product fami! lies include Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) service routers, Carrier Ethernet service switche, Multi-service wide-area-network (or MS WAN) switches and Content Delivery Network (CDN) appliances.

Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) service routers direct traffic within and between carriers��national and international networks to enable delivery of a range of IP-based services (including Internet access, Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), Voice over IP (VoIP), mobile phone and data, and managed Enterprise VPN services) on a single common network infrastructure with superior performance, with application intelligence, and with scalability (such as the simultaneous support of many diverse types of traffic and customers); Carrier Ethernet service switches. Carrier Ethernet service switches enable carriers to deliver residential, business and wireless services, and these products are mainly used in metropolitan area networks; Multi-service wide-area-network (MS WAN) switches. Multi-service wide-area-network (MS WAN) switches enable fixed line and wireless carriers to transition their existing networks to support newer technologies and services, and Content Delivery Network (CDN) appliances. Content Delivery Network (CDN) appliances distribute and cache (store) Web and video content.

The Company�� Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) and Carrier Ethernet products are designed to facilitate the development and availability of applications for the more participatory and interactive Web 2.0 business and consumer services. Its service routers are particularly well suited to deliver complex services to business, residential and mobile end-users. Its IP/MPLS service routers and Carrier Ethernet service switches are often used in conjunction with its DSL and Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) access products to deliver these newer triple-play services, or with its wireless access products to deliver LTE solutions, or w! ith its D! ense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) and optical switching products to deliver converged backbone transformation solutions for optimizing IP transport. Its Optics division designs and markets equipment for the long distance transportation of data over fiber optic connections via land (terrestrial) and under sea (submarine), as well as for short distances in metropolitan and regional areas.

The Company�� transport portfolio also includes the microwave wireless transmission equipment. Its terrestrial optical products offer a portfolio designed to seamlessly support service growth from the metro to the network core. With its products, carriers manage voice, data and video traffic patterns based on different applications or platforms and can introduce a range of managed data services, including multiple service quality capabilities, variable service rates and traffic congestion management. These products allow carriers to leverage their existing network infrastructure to offer these new services. Its submarine cable networks can connect continents (using optical amplification required over long distances), a mainland and an island, several islands together, or many points along a coast. It offers a portfolio of point-to-point microwave radio products meeting both European telecommunications standards (ETSI) and American standards-based (ANSI) requirements.

The Company�� Wireless All Around message developed during 2010 is a combination of wireless and IP products. The version of CDMA technology, known as 1X EV-DO Revision A, enables operators to offer two-way, real-time, high-speed data applications, such as VoIP, mobile video, push-to-talk and push-to-multimedia. The introduction of High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and HSPA+ (the latest evolutions of W-CDMA technology) on networks and devices has led to increases in data speeds available to broadband devices. The Company develops mobile radio products for the second generation (2G) Global System for Mobile communications (GS! M) standa! rd, including General Packet Radio Service / Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (GPRS/EDGE) technology upgrades to that standard.

LTE offers service providers a compelling evolution path from all existing networks (GSM, W-CDMA, CDMA or WiMAX) by simplifying the radio access network and converging on a common IP base. RFS designs and sells cable, antenna, tower systems and their related electronic components, providing an end-to-end suite of radio frequency products. RFS serves original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), distributors, system integrators, network operators and installers in the broadcast, wireless communications, microwave and defense sectors. Specific applications for RFS products include cellular sites, in-tunnel and in-building radio coverage, microwave links, television and radio. The Company offers products that extend from legacy switching systems to IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) solutions for fixed, mobile, and converged operators. It has deployed its next-generation network (NGN) products in more than 170 fixed NGN networks, and it has provided the core network for more than 66 full IMS fixed and mobile networks. Its fixed access solutions allow carriers to offer triple-play services over a single access line. Its carrier customers are offering both residential and business customers multiple services, such as a number of broadcast channels, video on demand, high definition television (HDTV), VoIP, high speed Internet, and business access services.

Applications Segment

The Applications segment develops software-based applications and solutions that contribute to the personal communications for users. The Applications group is divided into two businesses: Enterprise Applications and Network Applications. The Enterprise Applications business includes its IP-based communications and collaboration applications for enterprises, including the Genesys contact center business. The Network Applications business develops applications used by service pr! oviders t! o deliver a range of services to their customers, and also includes Motive, which provides software for service providers to remotely manage their customers��at-home networks, networked devices and broadband and mobile data services. During the year ended December 31, 2010, its Applications segment accounted 12% of its total revenue.

The Applications segment is investing resources in next generation collaboration and communications systems offered by its Enterprise Applications division; customer contact, customer engagement and service management areas addressed by its Genesys and Motive businesses; carrier applications, such as communication and messaging, next-generation telephony, digital media and multi-screen delivery of content and personalized advertising, device agnostic location based address book services, and technologies, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), IP multimedia subsystem (IMS), and Application Enablement.

Services Segment

The Services segment is focused in helping the service provider and customers realize the potential of media, information technology (IT) and telecommunications services and technologies. These services address the lifecycle of its customers��networks and operations, and encompass business consulting, systems design and integration, maintenance and managed services. The service offerings are organized around four areas: network and system integration, managed and outsourcing solutions, multi-vendor maintenance, and product-attached services.

The Company competes with Avaya, Cisco Systems, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Huawei, ZTE and Nokia Siemens Networks.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Cash-balance plans may be the future...
  The newly discovered pension plan that's been gaining in popularity lately is called a cash-balance plan. As a recent MarketWatch article discussed, the number of cash-balance plans among employers has jumped nearly 500% in the past 10 years, with 11 million participants and plan assets of nearly $725 billion as of 2011. Companies including Ford (NYSE: F  ) , Alcatel Lucent (NYSE: ALU  ) , and Boeing (NYSE: BA  ) are among the biggest providers of cash-balance plans.

• [By Andrew Tonner]

  The last six months have seen spectacular returns for investors in French-American telecom equipment giant�Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU  )

• [By Alex Planes]

  Glassmaker Corning (NYSE: GLW  ) soared nearly 500% from the start of 1998 to the peak of the dot-com bubble in early 2000 on hopes for its fiber-optic cable division. Corning had grown into the world's largest fiber-optics manufacturer, ahead of second-place Lucent and third-place Alcatel, which merged in 2006 to become Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU  ) ; the combined stock chart for these companies shows a double from 1998 to early 2000. Millions of miles of fiber-optic cabling now crisscross the globe, but that hasn't helped either Corning or Alcatel-Lucent. The two largest fiber-optic manufacturers have suffered respective share-price declines of 70% and more than 90% since their peaks. Sometimes technological progress can be so fast that even its largest proponents lose out -- at least for a while.

Best Communications Equipment Stocks To Own For 2014: Audience Inc (ADNC)

Audience, Inc., incorporated on May 24, 2011, is a provider of voice and audio solutions that improve voice quality and the user experience in mobile devices. The Company�� solutions include hardware-accelerated digital signal processors (DSPs), and audio codecs and associated algorithms for noise suppression in mobile devices. Its computational auditory scene analysis (CASA) maps the sound separation functions in human hearing, into a computational framework. The Company�� platform consists of its DSPs and audio codec, analog and mixed signal circuits and algorithms for voice isolation and noise suppression.

The Company also provides its AuViD graphical design tools to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The Company had sold over 250 million processors to its OEM customers as of December 31, 2012. In addition to the mobile device market, the Company�� voice and audio technology is also applicable to a range of other market segments, including automobile infotainment systems, digital cameras, digital televisions, headsets and set top boxes.

The Company�� product portfolio supports both analog and digital interfaces. As of December 31, 2012, the Company offered eS515, eS325, eS305, eS310, eS110, A1028 and A1026 custom voice and audio processors for device platforms, including smartphones, feature phones and media tablets. eS515 is a third generation voice and audio processor with an integrated audio codec, featuring support of three-microphones; eS325is a third generation voice and audio processor that features simultaneous three microphone processing; eS305 is a second generation voice and audio processor utilizing new hardware acceleration architecture and algorithms for far-field, wideband communications and capable of advanced speech recognition assist, and uses an all digital interface; eS310, provides similar capabilities to the eS305; eS110 is a first generation narrowband voice processor designed for real-time communications and far-field as well as near-field u! se with features such as acoustic echo cancelation, voice equalization and automatic gain control; A1026, is a first generation narrowband voice processor designed for real-time communications and typical near-field use, and A1028, which is a first generation narrowband voice processor designed for real-time communications and far-field, as well as near-field use.

The Company derives its revenue primarily from the sale of voice and audio processors to OEMs, which incorporate them into mobile devices. As of December 31, 2012, OEMs, CMs and distributors worldwide had purchased more than 250 million of its processors and incorporated them in over 140 mobile device models.

The Company competes with Maxim, ON Semiconductor, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Wolfson Microelectronics plc, DSP Group, Inc. and Yamaha Corporation.

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 Audience (Nasdaq: ADNC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Hot Small Cap Companies To Buy For 2015

Hot Small Cap Companies To Buy For 2015: Sky-mobi Limited(MOBI)

Sky-mobi Limited engages in the operation of a mobile application store in the People?s Republic of China. It works with handset companies to pre-install its Maopao mobile application store on handsets and with content developers to provide users with applications and content titles. The users of its Maopao store could browse, download, and purchase a range of applications and content, such as single-player games, mobile music, and books. The company?s Maopao store enables mobile applications and content to be downloaded and run on various mobile handsets with hardware and operating system configurations. It also operates a mobile social network community, the Maopao Community, where it offers localized mobile social games, as well as applications and content with social network functions to its registered members. The company owns proprietary mobile application technology in the cloud computing, the MRP format, and SDK development environment. As of March 31, 2011, it had entered into cooperation agreements with approximately 523 handset companies to pre-install Maopao. The company was formerly known as Profit Star Limited and changed its name to Sky-Mobi Limited in October 2010. Sky-mobi Limited was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Hangzhou, China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Sky-mobi (NASDAQ: MOBI) is projected to report its Q2 results.

  Perfect World Co (NASDAQ: PWRD) is estimated to post its Q2 earnings at $0.41 per share on revenue of $150.56 million.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another stock that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Sky-mobi (MOBI), which, through its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of a mobile application platform embedded on mobile phones to provide mobile application store and services in the Peo! ple's Republic of China. This stock has been red hot so far in 2013, with shares up a whopping 88%.

  If you look at the chart for Sky-mobi, you'll notice that this stock recently formed a triple bottom chart pattern at $3.31, $3.28 and $3.40 a share. That bottoming pattern occurred over the last two months. Shares of MOBI have now started to uptrend and flirt with its 50-day moving average of $3.76 a share. That move is quickly pushing MOBI within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MOBI if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.71 to $3.83 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 145,934 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then MOBI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $4.96 a share. Any high-volume move above that level will then give MOBI a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $5.55 to $6.13 a share.

  Traders can look to buy MOBI off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $3.40 to $3.28 a share. One can also buy MOBI off strength once it takes out that breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-small-cap-companies-to-buy-for-2015-2.html

5 Best Prefered Stocks To Own Right Now

5 Best Prefered Stocks To Own Right Now: Aceto Corporation(ACET)

Aceto Corporation engages in the sourcing, regulatory support, marketing, and distribution of pharmaceutical intermediates and active ingredients, finished dosage form generics, nutraceutical products, agricultural protection products, and specialty chemicals worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Health Sciences, Specialty Chemicals, and Agricultural Protection Products. The Health Sciences segment supplies raw materials used in the production of nutritional and packaged dietary supplements, including vitamins, amino acids, iron compounds, and bio chemicals used in pharmaceutical and nutritional preparations. The Specialty Chemicals segment provides various chemicals used in plastics, surface coatings, textiles, fuels, and lubricants; organic intermediates used in the production of agrochemicals; and dye and pigment intermediates used in the color-producing industries, such as textiles, inks, paper, and coatings. This segment also offers diazos and couplers to the paper, film, and electronics industries. The Agricultural Protection Products segment sells herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and other agricultural chemicals that control weed growth, as well as control the spread of insects and other microorganisms that can damage plant growth. This segment also provides sprout inhibitor for potatoes and an herbicide for sugar cane. It serves pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, agricultural, coatings, and industrial chemical consuming industries. Aceto Corporation was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Port Washington, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Richard Moroney]

  Aceto (ACET) announced a 9% increase in its per-share dividend in August, the first increase since it switched to a quarterly payout schedule in 2012.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Aceto (NASDAQ: ACET) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.17 per share on revenue of $134.23 million.

  SeaC! hange International (NASDAQ: SEAC) is estimated to post a Q2 loss at $0.18 per share on revenue of $26.80 million.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/5-best-prefered-stocks-to-own-right-now.html

10 Best Rising Stocks For 2014

��ELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Professional traders running mutual funds and hedge funds don't just look at a stock's price moves; they also track big changes in volume activity. Often when above-average volume moves into an equity, it precedes a large spike in volatility.

>>5 Stocks With Big Insider Buying

Major moves in volume can signal unusual activity, such as insider buying or selling -- or buying or selling by "superinvestors."

Unusual volume can also be a major signal that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. These types of traders like to get in well before a large spike, so it's always a smart move to monitor unusual volume. That said, remember to combine trend and price action with unusual volume. Put them all together to help you decipher the next big trend for any stock.

>>5 Bargain Bin Stocks to Buy in March

With that in mind, let's take a look at several stocks rising on unusual volume recently.

Top 5 Defensive Stocks To Own For 2015: BT Group plc (BT)

BT Group plc provides communications solutions and services worldwide. It engages in the provision of networked IT services; and local, national, and international telecommunications services for use at home, at work, and on the move. The company also offers broadband and Internet products in the United Kingdom (U.K.), as well as TV and converged fixed/mobile services. It operates in four segments: BT Global Services, BT Retail, BT Wholesale, and Openreach. The BT Global Services segment provides managed networked IT services to multinational corporations, domestic businesses, and national and local government organizations. The BT Retail segment offers broadband, telephony, and TV services, as well IT and telephony for small to medium sized businesses in the United Kingdom. It also provides video and telephone conferencing, CCTV, and alarm systems. This segment serves corporate, small and medium enterprises, consumer, and wholesale markets in the U.K., the Republic of Ire land, and Northern Ireland. The BT Wholesale segment provides voice, broadband, and data communications services, including managed services for fixed and mobile network operators, Internet service providers, and telecoms resellers in the U.K. The Openreach segment connects communications providers? customers to their local telephone exchange, giving them access to the U.K. network. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was founded in 1981 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By G. A. Chester]

  LONDON -- BT Group� (LSE: BT-A  ) (NYSE: BT  ) is due to announce its annual results on Friday, May 10.

  Shares in Britain's leading fixed-line telecoms company have out-performed the FTSE 100 over the past 12 months, having risen 31% compared with a 12% rise for the index.

• [By Mark Rogers]

  Today I'm looking at the EPS forecasts for�BT� (LSE: BT-A  ) (NYSE: BT  ) , the FTSE 100 telecom giant. All my figures are courtesy of S&P Capital IQ.

10 Best Rising Stocks For 2014: Drinks Americas Holdings Ltd (DKAM)

Drinks Americas Holdings, Ltd., incorporated in February 14, 2005, develops, produces, markets and/or distributes alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for sale primarily in the continental United States. Through its majority-owned subsidiaries, Drinks imports, distributes and markets premium wine and spirits and alcoholic beverages to beverage wholesalers throughout the United States and internationally. The alcoholic products distributed by the Company are KAH Tequila, Old Whiskey River Bourbon (R), Rheingold Beer, Damiana, a Mexican liqueur, Mexicali Beer, Agave 99, Chili Devil Beer, Crazy PigAle and Red Pig Ale. In June, 2011 the Company acquired the rights to distribute and market existing brands and products from Fabrica De Tequilas Finos S.A. de C.V. (Finos) and Cervecera Mexicana, S. de R.L. de C.V. (Cerveceria). In June 2011, the Company acquired the rights to distribute and market existing brands and products through a licensing agreement with Worldwide Beverage Imports, LLC, (WBI). On November 2, 2011, the Company acquired worldwide licensing and distribution rights on both the spirits and beer products owned or licensed by WBI. In June 2013, the Company announced the development of Drinks Americas Consumer Beverage Consulting Division.

The Company owns, distributes or licenses or collects royalties from a number of Spirits Brands to include Old Whiskey River Bourbon, Damiana Liqueur and Rheingold Beer. The Company owns 25% interest in Old Whiskey River Distilling Company, LLC which owns or licenses the related trademarks and trade names associated with the Old Whiskey River products.

The Company compets with Diageo, Allied Domecq, Pernod Ricard, Brown-Forman and Bacardi & Company, Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Drinks Americas Holdings, Ltd (OTCMKTS: DKAM), 7 Star Entertainment Inc (OTCMKTS: SAEE), Rising India Inc (OTCMKTS: RSII) and Big Tree Group Inc (OTCMKTS: BIGG) have all been attracting attention thanks to paid promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed and paid for promotions or investor relation activities, but they can backfire on unwary investors and traders alike. So are stock promoters blowing a bunch of hot air regarding these four small cap stocks or are they actually potential winners? Here is a quick reality check to help you decide:

  Drinks Americas Holdings, Ltd (OTCMKTS: DKAM) Has One of the Top Beers of 2013

  Small cap Drinks Americas Holdings mission is to identify and invest the majority brand-building resources on beers and spirits with the greatest growth potential. Currently, Drinks Americas is the exclusive United States broker for leading premium authentic Mexican beers currently available in over 32 states, hundreds of chain retailers and restaurants and is on target to be the leading broker for this growing category in each of the markets in which it operates. On Friday, Drinks Americas Holdings rose 2.15% to $0.0095 for a market cap of $280,110 plus DKAM is down 89.3% over the past year and down 94.6% over the past five years according to Google Finance.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Even though you're reading this now, odds are that three weeks ago you'd never even heard of Drinks Americas Holdings, Ltd. (OTCMKTS:DKAM). And, like so many other young, nano-cap stocks, it would be easy to assume the current strength being exhibited by DKAM is nothing but a short-term phenomenon, meaning there's no particular reason to jump on the stock now. If there was ever a reason to jump onto a micro cap name for a quick trade though, this may be it.

10 Best Rising Stocks For 2014: Ryanair Holdings PLC (RYA)

Ryanair Holdings plc (Ryanair Holdings), is a holding company for Ryanair Limited (Ryanair). Ryanair operates a low-cost, scheduled-passenger airline serving short-haul, point-to-point routes between Ireland, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, and Morocco. As of June 30, 2012, the Company offered approximately over 1,500 scheduled short-haul flights per day serving approximately 160 airports largely throughout Europe with an operating fleet of 294 aircraft flying approximately 1,500 routes. Ryanair sells seats on a one-way basis. The Company also holds a 29.8% interest in Aer Lingus Group plc. As of June 30, 2012, Ryanair�� operating fleet was composed of 294 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, each having 189 seats. Ryanair�� fleet totaled 294 Boeing 737-800s at March 31, 2012. As of June 30, 2012, Ryanair owned and operated four Boeing 737-800 full flight simulators for pilot training. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Ryanair Holdings Plc (RYA), the discount airline operator that�� the second-biggest stock in Ireland�� ISEQ index, declined 1.7 percent to 7.23 euros in Dublin. Kerry Group, a supplier of food ingredients, sank 1.4 percent to 45.24 euros.

10 Best Rising Stocks For 2014: Employers Holdings Inc (EIG)

Employers Holdings, Inc. (EHI), incorporated on March 9, 2005, is a holding company. The Company is a provider of workers compensation insurance focused on select small businesses in low to medium hazard industries. It employs a disciplined, conservative underwriting approach designed to individually select specific types of businesses, predominantly those in the lowest four of the seven workers' compensation insurance industry defined hazard groups, that it believe will have fewer and less costly claims relative to other businesses in the same hazard groups. Workers' compensation is provided for under a statutory system wherein employers are required to provide coverage for their employees' medical, disability, vocational rehabilitation, and/or death benefit costs for work-related injuries or illnesses. It operates as a single reportable segment and conduct operations in 31 states and the District of Columbia, with a concentration in California, where over one-half of its business is generated.

Workers' compensation provides insurance coverage for the statutorily prescribed benefits that employers are required to provide to their employees who may be injured or suffer illness in the course of employment. The level of benefits varies by state, the nature and severity of the injury or disease, and the wages of the injured worker. Each state has a statutory, regulatory, and adjudicatory system that sets the amount of wage replacement to be paid, determines the level of medical care required to be provided, establishes the degree of permanent impairment, and specifies the options in selecting healthcare providers. These state laws generally require two types of benefits for injured employees: medical benefits, including expenses related to the diagnosis and treatment of an injury, disease, or both, as well as any required rehabilitation and (indemnity payments, which consists of temporary wage replacement, permanent disability payments, and death benefits to surviving family members.

Disciplined Underwriting

The Company focuses on disciplined underwriting and continues to pursue profitable growth opportunities across market cycles. It carefully monitor market trends to assess new business opportunities that it expects will meet its pricing and risk standards. It prices its policies based on the specific risks associated with each potential insured rather than solely on the industry class in which a potential insured is classified. Its disciplined underwriting approach is a critical element of its culture and its believe that it has allowed them to offer competitive prices, diversify its risks, and out-perform the industry.

It executes its underwriting processes through automated systems and experienced underwriters with specific knowledge of local markets. It has developed automated underwriting templates for specific classes of business that produce faster quotes when certain underwriting criteria are met. Its underwriting guidelines consider many factors, such as type of business, nature of operations, and risk exposures, and are designed to minimize or prevent underwriting of certain undesirable classes of business.

Loss Control

Its loss control professionals provide consultation to policyholders to assist them in preventing losses and containing costs once claims occur. They also assist its underwriting personnel in evaluating potential and current policyholders and are an important part of its underwriting discipline.

Premium Audit

It conducts premium audits on substantially all of its policyholders annually upon the policy expiration. Premium audits allow them to comply with applicable state and reporting bureau requirements and to verify that policyholders have accurately reported their payroll and employee job classifications. It also selectively perform interim audits on certain classes of business or if unusual claims are filed or concerns are raised regarding projected annual payrolls, whi! ch could ! result in substantial variances at final audit.

Claims and Medical Case Management

The role of its claims department is to actively and efficiently investigate, evaluate, and pay claims, and to aid injured workers in returning to work in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. It has implemented rigorous claims guidelines and control procedures in its claims units and have claims operations throughout the markets it serves. It also provides medical case management services for those claims that it determines will benefit from such involvement. utilize medical provider networks affiliated with Anthem Blue Cross of California (Anthem) and Coventry Health Care, Inc. and make every appropriate effort to direct injured workers into these networks for medical treatments.

In addition to its medical networks, it work closely with local vendors, including attorneys, medical professionals, and investigators, to bring local to its reported claims. It pays special attention to reducing costs and have established discounting arrangements with the aforementioned service providers. It uses preferred provider organizations, bill review services, and utilization management to closely monitor medical costs. It actively pursues fraud and subrogation recoveries to mitigate claims costs. Subrogation rights are based upon state and federal laws, as well as the insurance policies it issues. Its fraud and subrogation efforts are handled through dedicated units.

The Company competes with The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Travelers Insurance Group Holdings, Inc., Zurich Insurance Group Ltd., and Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Employers Holdings (EIG) is a provider of worker's compensation insurance focused on select small businesses engaged in low to medium hazard industries. This stock closed up 2.9% at $28.48 in Thursday's trading session.

  Thursday's Volume: 252,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 119,789
  
  Volume % Change: 75%

  From a technical perspective, EIG jumped notably higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $26.48 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last five months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $21.03 to its recent high of $29.12. During that move, shares of EIG have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of EIG within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if EIG manages to take out its 52-week high at $29.18 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in EIG as long as it's trending above Thursday's low of $27.65 or above its 50-day at $26.48 and then once it sustains a move or close above its 52-week high at $29.18 with volume that's near or above 119,789 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then EIG will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $33 to $35.

10 Best Rising Stocks For 2014: Measurement Specialties Inc.(MEAS)

Measurement Specialties, Inc. engages in the design, development, and manufacture of sensors and sensor-based systems for original equipment manufacturers and end users. Its sensor products include pressure sensors and transducers, pressure and temperature scanning instrumentation, linear/rotary position sensors, piezoelectric polymer film sensors, custom microstructures, load cells, accelerometers, optical sensors, and hydrostatic pressure transducers, as well as humidity, temperature, and fluid property sensors. The company?s technologies comprise piezo-resistive silicon sensors, application-specific integrated circuits, micro-electromechanical systems, piezoelectric polymers, foil strain gauges, force balance systems, fluid capacitive devices, linear and rotational variable differential transformers, electromagnetic displacement sensors, hygroscopic capacitive sensors, ultrasonic sensors, optical sensors, negative thermal coefficient ceramic sensors, torque sensors, me chanical resonators, and submersible hydrostatic level sensors. Its sensors are used for engine and vehicle, medical, general industrial, consumer and home appliance, military/aerospace, water monitoring, and test and measurement applications. The company offers its products under the MEAS brand name. It sells its products through regional sales managers, distributors, and outside sales representatives in the United States, France, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, and China. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Hampton, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Measurement Specialties (NASDAQ: MEAS) shares shot up 10.50 percent to $86.19 after the company agreed to be acquired by TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) for $86 cash per share.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Measurement Specialties (Nasdaq: MEAS  ) reported earnings on June 5. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q4), Measurement Specialties met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Measurement Specialties (NASDAQ: MEAS) shares shot up 10.46 percent to $86.16 after the company agreed to be acquired by TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) for $86 cash per share.

10 Best Rising Stocks For 2014: j2 Global Inc (JCOM)

j2 Global, Inc., incorporated on December 14, 1995, is a provider of services delivered through the Internet. The Company provides cloud services to businesses of all sizes, from individuals to enterprises. The Company operates in two segments: Business Cloud Services and Digital Media. The Company's Digital Media business segment consists of the Web properties and business operations of Ziff Davis, Inc. (Ziff Davis). The Company�� cloud services and solutions include fax, voice and unified communications, email and customer relationship management, online backup, global network and operations, and customer support services. In February 2013, it acquired IGN Entertainment, Inc. On November 9, 2012, the Company acquired Ziff Davis. Effective March 18, 2013, it acquired MetroFax Inc. In April 2013, the Company acquired Backup Connect BV.

Business Cloud Services

The Company's eFax and MyFax online fax services enable users to receive faxes into their email inboxes and to send faxes via the Internet. eVoice and Onebox provides the Company's customers a virtual phone system with various available enhancements. The Company's FuseMail service provides the Company's customers email, archival and perimeter protection solutions, while Campaigner provides its customers email marketing solutions. KeepItSafe enables the Company's customers to securely backup their data and dispose of tape or other physical systems. The Company's CampaignerCRM business provides customer relationship management solutions designed to increase the Company's customers' sales and increase efficiency. The Company also generates Business Cloud Services revenues from patent licensing and sales and advertising. The Company�� Business Cloud Services and solutions are of two types: direct inward-dial number (DID) -based, which are services provided in whole or in part through a telephone number and non-DID-based, which are its other cloud services for business. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had DIDs issued! to approximately 2.1 million paying subscribers.

The Company's services allow individuals to receive and send faxes as email attachments. In addition to eFax , the Company offers online fax services under a variety of alternative brands, including MyFax , eFax Plus , eFax Pro, eFax Corporate and eFax Developer . eVoice is a virtual phone system that provides small and medium-sized businesses on-demand voice communications services, featuring a toll-free or local company DID, auto-attendant and menu tree. With these services, a subscriber can assign departmental and individual extensions that can connect to multiple United States or Canadian DIDs, including land-line and mobile phones and Internet protocol (IP) networks. These services also include advanced integrated voicemail for each extension, unifying mobile, office and other separate voicemail services and improving efficiency by delivering voicemails in both native audio format and as transcribed text. Onebox is a unified communications suite. It combines the features of many of the Company's other branded services, plus added functionality, to provide a virtual office. Onebox includes a virtual phone system, hosted email, online fax, audio conferencing and Web conferencing.

FuseMail offers hosted email, email encryption and email archival services to businesses. These solutions are hosted offsite and seamlessly integrated into a customer's existing email system. The services include hosted email, VirusSMART virus scanning, CypherSMART encryption services, SpamSMART SPAM filtering and VaultSMART / PolicySMART archiving, which delivers a secure, scalable email archiving and customizable compliance tool to correspond with a company's retention policy. Campaigner is an email marketing service that enables businesses to easily create and send personalized one-to-one email communications to subscribers and customers to build better relationships. Campaigner also helps businesses increase the size of their mailing lists, compl! y with em! ail regulations like CAN-SPAM and get more emails to more inboxes. CampaignerCRM is a cloud-based CRM solution specifically designed to help small/medium-sized businesses close more deals, reduce the sales cycle and sell larger deals. CampaignerCRM has a sales checklist capability that gives sales representatives a step-by-step plan to closing a deal. With CampaignerCRM's Social CRM capabilities, companies can seamlessly integrate a customer's latest information from Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook directly into their Contact profile. KeepItSafe provides managed and monitored online backup solutions for businesses, using its ISO-certified platform.

The Company's Business Cloud Services business operates multiple physical Points of Presence (POPs) worldwide, a central data center in Los Angeles and several remote disaster recovery facilities. The Company connects its POPs to its central data centers through redundant, and often times diverse, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) using the Internet. The Company's network is designed to deliver value-added user applications, customer support and billing services for the Company's customers anywhere in the world and a local presence for its DID-based service customers from thousands of cities in 49 countries on six continents. The Company offers DIDs covering all major metropolitan areas in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, and such other major cities as Berlin, Hong Kong, Madrid, Manila, Mexico City, Milan, Paris, Rome, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo and Zurich. The Company has customers located throughout the world.

The Company's Business Cloud Services customer service organization supports the Company's cloud services customers through a combination of online self-help, email communications, interactive chat sessions and telephone calls. The Company's Internet-based online self-help tools enable customers to resolve simple issues on their own, eliminating the need to speak or write to the Company's customer service re! presentat! ives. The Company's Business Cloud Services segment customer service organization provides email support seven days per week, 24 hours per day to all subscribers. Paying subscribers have access to live-operator telephone support seven days per week, 24 hours per day. Dedicated telephone support is provided for corporate customers 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Live sales and customer support services are available in nine languages, including English, Spanish, Dutch, German, French and Cantonese.

Digital Media

The Ziff Davis portfolio of Web properties, including PCMag.com, ExtremeTech.com, Geek.com, ComputerShopper.com, LogicBuy.com and Toolbox.com features reviews of technology products, technology-oriented news and commentary, professional networking tools for IT professionals and online deals and discounts for consumers. The Company generates Digital Media revenues from the sale of display advertising targeted to in-market technology buyers and from the sale of customer leads to online merchants and business-to-business leads to IT vendors. During the year ended December 31, 2012, Digital Media Web properties attracted 345 million visits and 1.1 billion page views.

PCMag is a trusted online resource for laboratory-based product reviews, technology news and buying guides. Toolbox.com is a network of online communities that allows experienced technology professionals to share collective knowledge and collaborate to resolve problems more efficiently. Toolbox.com includes professional networking tools, blogs, collaboration tools and reference guides. Geek.com is an online technology resource and community for technology enthusiasts and professionals. Its gaming site includes IGN.com and men's lifestyle site includes AskMen.com.

The Company competes with Google AdSense, DoubleClick Ad Exchange, AOL's Ad.com and Microsoft Media Network.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  j2 Global Inc. (JCOM)

  One company that many readers may not be familiar with is j2 Global Inc. My purpose in featuring this aggressive candidate was to offer an example of a historically pure growth technology company that appears to be morphing into a dividend growth stock. But before I show that, I offer the following slide that provides an overview of j2 Global�� business.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another potential earnings short-squeeze trade idea is cloud services player J2 Global (JCOM), which is set to release its numbers on Tuesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect J2 Global to report revenue $130.43 million on earnings of 71cents per share.

  The current short interest as a percentage of the float for J2 Global is extremely high at 20.6%. That means that out of the 43.70 million shares in the tradable float, 9.01 million shares are sold short by the bears. If the bulls get the earnings news they're looking for, then shares of JCOM could easily explode higher post-earnings.

  From a technical perspective, JCOM is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last six months, with shares moving higher from its low of $38.07 to its recent high of $56.24 a share. During that uptrend, shares of JCOM have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of JCOM within range of triggering a major breakout trade post-earnings.

  If you're in the bull camp on JCOM, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above its 52-week high at $56.42 a share (or Tuesday's intraday high if higher) on high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 292,457 shares. If that breakout hits, then JCOM will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $65 to $75 a share.

  I would simply avoid JCOM or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops below some key near-term support levels at $54 to $53 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then JCOM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its ne

10 Best Rising Stocks For 2014: Adobe Systems Inc (ADBE)

Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe), incorporated on October 5, 1983, is a diversified software company. The Company offers a line of software and services used by professionals, marketers, knowledge workers, application developers, enterprises and consumers for creating, managing, delivering, measuring and engaging with content and experiences across multiple operating systems, devices and media. The Company markets and licenses its software directly to enterprise customers through its sales force and to end users through application stores and its Website at www.adobe.com. Adobe also distributes its products through a network of distributors, value-added resellers (VARs), systems integrators, independent software vendors (ISVs), retailers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). In addition, Adobe licenses its technology to hardware manufacturers, software developers and service providers for use in their products and solutions. It offers some of its products via a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model (also known as a hosted model or cloud-based model), as well as through term subscription and pay-per-use models. The Company�� software runs on personal computers (PCs) and server-based computers, as well as on smartphones, tablets and other devices, depending on the product. It has operations in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia. On January 13, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of Efficient Frontier. In January 2011, the Company acquired Demdex. In July 2011, the Company acquired EchoSign. In October 2011, the Company acquired Typekit Inc. In November 2011, it acquired Auditude Inc. In January 2012, the Company acquired Efficient Frontier. In December 2012, the Company acquired Behance. In May 2013, Adobe Systems Inc acquired Ideacodes LLC. In July 2013, Adobe Systems Inc announced the completion of acquisition of privately held Neolane.

Digital Media

The Digital Media segment provides tools and solutions that enable individuals, small! businesses and enterprises to create, publish, promote and monetize their content anywhere. Its customers include content creators, Web application developers and digital media professionals, as well as their management in marketing departments and agencies, companies and publishers. The flagship of the Company�� Digital Media business is its Creative Suite family of products. Consisting of 13 individual products and five suites that contain different configurations of these products, the Company focuses on the needs of professional customers, which include graphic designers, production artists, Web designers and developers, user interface designers, writers, videographers, motion graphic artists, prepress professionals, video game developers, mobile application developers, students and administrators. They use and rely on its solutions for publishing, Web design and development, video and animation production, mobile applications and gaming development and, document creation and collaboration. They work in businesses ranging from publishers, media companies and global enterprises, to design agencies, small and medium-sized businesses, and individual freelancers. Its Creative Suite family of products is used by creative professionals to create the printed and online information people see, read and interact with every day, including newspapers, magazines, websites, mobile applications, catalogs, advertisements, brochures, product documentation, books, memos, reports and banners. Its tools are also used to create content, including video, animation and mobile content, that is created by multimedia, film, television, audio and video producers who work in advertising, Web design, music, entertainment, corporate and marketing communications, product design, user interface design, sales training, printing, architecture and fine arts. Knowledge workers, educators and hobbyists also use its creative products to create and deliver content.

Adobe Digital Publishing solution is an online, hosted p! ublishing! solution that enables magazine and newspaper publishers to deliver engaging, reading experiences of their publications to an array of mobile and tablet devices. Its Digital Publishing solution utilizes E-commerce models to sell single issues and subscriptions directly to consumers through mobile marketplaces, and analytics capabilities based on its Adobe Digital Marketing Suite. The Company�� Digital Media-Creative products include Adobe After Effects, Adobe Audition, Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium, Adobe Creative Suite Design Standard, Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection, Adobe Creative Suite Production Premium, Adobe Creative Suite Web Premium, CS Live Services, Adobe Digital Publishing solution, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Edge, Adobe Encore, Adobe Fireworks, Adobe Flash Professional, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InCopy, Adobe InDesign, Adobe InDesign Server, Adobe Muse, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Express, Adobe Photoshop Express Mobile, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Adobe Photoshop Extended, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Adobe Premiere Elements, Adobe Premiere Express, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Soundbooth, Adobe Story, Adobe Visual Communicator, Business Catalyst and TypeKit. Its Digital Media-Touch App Products include Adobe Revel, Adobe Collage, Adobe Debut, Adobe Ideas, Adobe Kuler, Adobe Photoshop Touch and Adobe Proto. Its Developer and Platform products include Adobe AIR, Adobe Flash Builder, Adobe Flash Catalyst, Adobe Flash Lite, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Flash Platform Services, Adobe Flex and PhoneGap Build. The Company�� Adobe Media Server products include Adobe Flash Access, Adobe Media Interactive Server, Adobe Media Enterprise Server, Adobe Media Live Encoder, Adobe Media Playback, Adobe Media Streaming Server, Adobe Video Streaming Service, Adobe Pass, Auditude, HTTP Dynamic Streaming, Digital Media, Adobe Acrobat Standard, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Adobe Acrobat Suite, Adobe CreatePDF, Adobe SendNow and EchoSign.

The Company competes with Apple, Aviar! y, Avid, ! Corel, Microsoft, Quark, ACDsee, Mediascape, Xara, Bare Bones Software, FlashDevelop, JetBrains, Panic, MacRabbit, MacroMates, Oracle, Micro Focus, IBM, Amazon, Aquafada, Google, Texterity, Zinio, ACD Systems, AI Soft (Japan), ArcSoft, Corel, i4 (Japan), Kodak, Nova Development, Magix, Microsoft, Rovi, Sony, Canon, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Nikon, Phase One, Autodesk, Broderbund and Grass Valley.

Digital Marketing

Digital Marketing segment provides solutions and services for how digital advertising and marketing are created, managed, executed, measured and optimized. Its customers include digital marketers, advertisers, publishers, merchandisers, Web analysts, chief marketing officers and chief revenue officers. The Company�� Digital Marketing Business unit provides solutions that include Web analytics, online business optimization and Web experience management products, solutions and services. It delivers these capabilities through its Digital Marketing Suite, which includes its Day CQ5 WEM offerings, as well as the offerings gained through its acquisition of Efficient Frontier. The Company�� products include Adobe SearchCenter, Adobe AudienceManager, Context Optional Social Marketing Suite, Adobe CQ, Adobe Merchandising, Adobe Publish, Adobe Recommendations, Adobe Scene7 On-Demand, Adobe Search&Promote, Adobe SiteSearch, Adobe Test&Target, Adobe Discover, Adobe SiteCatalyst, Adobe SocialAnalytics, Adobe Survey, Adobe Tag Manager, Adobe Insight, Adobe Insight for Retail, Adobe CRX, Adobe DataWarehouse and Adobe Genesis.

The Company�� Digital Enterprise Products include Adobe Connect, Adobe LiveCycle Collaboration Service, Adobe LiveCycle Connectors for ECM, Adobe LiveCycle Content Services, Adobe LiveCycle Mosaic, Adobe LiveCycle Data Services, Adobe LiveCycle Forms, Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions, Adobe LiveCycle Output, Adobe LiveCycle PDF Generator, Adobe LiveCycle Production Print, Adobe LiveCycle Digital Signatures, Adobe LiveCycle Rights Management, A! dobe Live! Cycle Process Management, Adobe LiveCycle Business Activity Monitoring, Adobe LiveCycle Managed Services, Adobe Central Pro Output Server, Adobe LiveCycle Designer, Adobe Output Designer, Adobe Output Pak for mySAP.com and Adobe Web Output Pak.

The Company competes with Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, HP, salesforce.com, AdXpose, WebTrends, Infor, Nielsen Company, SAS Institute, Microsoft Advertising, WPP, Truviso, Clickfox, QlikTech, Teradata, Accenture, Acxiom Digital, [x + 1], Celebros, SLI Systems, Nextopia Software, Fredhopper. EMC, OpenText, Alfresco, CoreMedia, Percussion, SDL, Cisco WebEx, IBM Lotus Sametime, Citrix GoToMeeting, PegaSystems, Nuance and Ultimus.

Print and Publishing

The Company�� Print and Publishing business segment contains products and services that address market opportunities, including eLearning solutions, technical document publishing, Web application development and high-end printing. Its ColdFusion offering provides ways to build and deploy Internet applications. Developers can extend or integrate ColdFusion with Java or .NET applications, connect to enterprise data and applications, create and interact via Web services, or interface with short messaging service (SMS) on mobile devices or instant messaging clients. Its Print and Publishing products include Adobe Authorware, Adobe Captivate, Adobe ColdFusion, Adobe Contribute, Adobe Director, Adobe eLearning Suite, Adobe FrameMaker, Adobe FrameMaker Server, Adobe Font Folio, Adobe JRun, Adobe PageMaker, Adobe PDF Print Engine, Adobe PostScript, Adobe RoboHelp, Adobe Shockwave Player, Adobe Technical Communication Suite, Adobe Type Classics for Learning, Adobe Type Sets and FreeHand MX.

The Company competes with Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Oracle.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anders Bylund]

  Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE  ) is leaving permanent software licenses behind, and will deliver its creative tools exclusively via its cloud-based subscription hub. The company hailed this move as an "accelerated shift to the cloud."

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Adobe provides valuable software products to a wide range of consumers and businesses operating in diverse countries and industries around the world. The stock has been a strong performer in recent years and may be setting-up to head higher. Earnings and revenue figures have been mostly increasing in recent quarters which has kept investors satisfied. Relative to its peers and sector, Adobe has been a year-to-date performance leader. Look for Adobe to OUTPERFORM.

• [By Fusion Research]

  Technology heavyweight, Adobe Systems (ADBE) also has web fonts of its own. Typekit was a pioneer in web font technology when it launched it in 2009. However, Adobe acquired Typekit in 2011. This acquisition allowed Adobe to have its own Typekit Web Fonts library consisting of 1200 web fonts. This Typekit library has become a vital part of Adobe Creative Cloud. With this acquisition, Adobe could have been a threat for Monotype Imaging. Strangely, Adobe is Monotype Imaging's largest client. Adobe entered a partnership last year with Monotype Imaging that adds over 1,000 Monotype Imaging fonts to Adobe's typekit service. Hence, Adobe Creative Cloud now also offers Monotype Imaging fonts.

Hot Food Stocks To Buy Right Now

  Sriracha factory too hot for neighbors NEW YORK (CNNMoney) A Sriracha hot sauce factory is getting a chilly reception in Southern California.

A judge in Los Angeles County has ordered Sriracha maker Huy Fong Foods to suspend operations at a plant in the city of Irwindale that local residents claim has caused an overpowering odor.

Irwindale claimed in a lawsuit that the stench was causing watery eyes, sore throats and headaches, prompting complaints from dozens of residents.

"You couldn't stay outside in some places," Irwindale city manager John Davidson said. "We've had softball teams that have had to cancel their games and practices because their eyes were watering."

Top 5 Logistics Stocks To Watch For 2015: Suedzucker Mannheim Ochsenfurt AG (SZU)

Suedzucker Mannheim Ochsenfurt AG is a Germany-based company engaged in the processing of agricultural raw materials. The Company is organized, along with its subsidiaries, into four segments: the Sugar segment comprises sugar production and the agricultural division; the Special Products segment includes the activities of four divisions: BENEO, which produces and sells ingredients made from natural raw materials for food products and animal feed; the Freiberger Group is a producer of chilled and frozen pizzas, frozen pasta dishes and snacks; the PortionPack Europe group specializes in portion packs, and the starch division comprises starch companies in Hungary and Romania, bio-ethanol production in Austria and Hungary, as well as starch production facilities in Austria; the CropEnergies segment includes the bio-ethanol activities of the Company in Germany, Belgium and France, and the Fruit segment comprises the fruit juice preparations and fruit juice concentrates divisions. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Volkswagen AG (VOW), Europe�� biggest automaker, climbed 3.7 percent as data showed European car sales increased for the first time in 19 months in April. Suedzucker AG (SZU) dropped to an eight-month low as J&E Davy Holdings Ltd. downgraded the shares.

Hot Food Stocks To Buy Right Now: Paradise Inc (PARF)

Paradise, Inc., incorporated in September, 1961, conducts operations through two business segments: Candied Fruit and Molded Plastics. The Candied Fruit segment is engaged in the production of candied fruit, a basic fruitcake ingredient, sold to manufacturing bakers, institutional users, and retailers for use in home baking. Based on market conditions, it is also engaged in the processing of frozen strawberry products for sale to commercial and institutional users, such as preservers, dairies and drink manufacturers. The Molded Plastics segment is engaged in the production of plastic containers for the Company�� products and other molded plastics for sale to unaffiliated customers.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, in terms of candied fruit sales, approximately 20% were shipped to manufacturing bakers and other institutional users, with the balance being sold through supermarkets and other retail outlets for ultimate use in the home. Sales to retail outlets are usually generated through registered food brokers operating in exclusively franchised territories.

The Company�� trademarks Paradise, Dixie, Mor-Fruit and Sun-Ripe are registered with the appropriate Federal and State authorities for use on the Company�� candied fruit. During 2011, the Company derived approximately 15% of its consolidated net sales from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  What is the advantage of being a huge company? There are some. For one, we know the business is ��or was ��growable. A lot of small companies stay small because their circle of competence is small. Paradise (PARF) is an over the counter stock. It has a market cap of $10 million. And it dominates the candied fruit market in the U.S. Why isn�� the company bigger?

Hot Food Stocks To Buy Right Now: Nestle SA (NSRGY)

Nestle SA is a company engaged in the nutrition, health and wellness sectors. It is the holding company of the Nestle Group, which comprises subsidiaries, associated companies and joint ventures throughout the world. The Company has such business units as Food and Beverage, Nestle Waters and Nestle Nutrition. Nestle is also active in the pharmaceutical sector. It divides its products into nine categories: Prepared dishes and cooking aids, Beverages, Confectionery, Ice cream, Water, PetCare, Milk products, Nutrition and Pharma. It has numerous subsidiaries engaged in various areas of activity, including Alcon Ophthalmika GmbH (Austria), Alcon Bulgaria EOOD (Bulgaria) and Galderma Laboratorium GmbH (Germany) for pharmaceuticals; Novartis Nutrition GmbH (Austria) and Hjem-IS A/S (Denmark) for food and beverages, and Galderma International SAS (France) and Galderma Laboratorium GmbH (Germany) for health and beauty activities. The Company is headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland. In July 2008, Novartis AG acquired a 25% stake in Alcon, Inc. from Nestle SA. In March 2010, the Company acquired Kraft Foods Inc' frozen pizza business.

In April 2008, L'Oreal and Nestle SA's joint venture, Galderma Pharma S.A., announced that its United States holding company, Galderma Laboratories, Inc., had acquired approximately 97% interest in CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. During the year ended December 31, 2004, Nestle had 500 factories in 83 countries around the world. In 2004, 15 factories were acquired or opened and 29 closed or divested.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Nestle� (NASDAQOTH: NSRGY  ) is the industry leader. owning about one-third of the market with Deer Park and Poland Spring brands, and�Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO  ) has its Smartwater, but it's also besieged at the moment with false labeling claims�for its Vitaminwater brand, even if they seem a bit specious. Regardless, Pepsi doesn't need to always follow Coke's lead, does it?

Hot Food Stocks To Buy Right Now: Sysco Corporation(SYY)

Sysco Corporation, through its subsidiaries, distributes food and related products primarily to the foodservice or food-away-from-home industry in North America and Europe. The company offers a line of frozen foods, such as meats, fully prepared entrees, fruits, vegetables, and desserts; a line of canned and dry foods; fresh meats, custom-cut fresh steaks, other meat, seafood, and poultry; dairy products; beverage products; imported specialties; and fresh produce. It also supplies various non-food items, including paper products, such as disposable napkins, plates, and cups; tableware, which include china and silverware; cookware comprising pots, pans, and utensils; restaurant and kitchen equipment and supplies; and cleaning supplies. In addition, the company offers personal care guest amenities, equipment, housekeeping supplies, room accessories, and textiles to the lodging industry. It serves restaurants, hospitals and nursing homes, schools and colleges, hotels and mote ls, lodging establishments, and other foodservice customers. Sysco Corporation was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

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• [By Shauna O'Brien]

  Shares of SYSCO Corporation (SYY) were up over 29% on Monday morning after the company announced that it has agreed to acquire US Foods.

  Sysco will acquire US Foods for a total of $3.5 billion. The deal also include Sysco assuming or refinancing US Food’s net debt, which is approximately $4.7 billion. The total enterprise value of this deal will be $8.2 billion.

  The deal will result in equity holders of US Foods owning 87 million shares, or 13%, of SYY. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2014. The combined company will be run by SYY’s president and CEO Bill DeLaney.

  DeLaney commented: “As we continue on our transformational journey at Sysco, this transaction will position us to significantly accelerate our progress in achieving the vision we have for our company: to be our customers’ most valued and trusted business partner. Sysco and US Foods have highly complementary core strengths including a broad product portfolio and passionate food people deeply committed to customer service, quality-assured products and safety. In particular we look forward to welcoming US Foods’ talented employees and continuing to invest in the development of all of our people. Together we will strive to enhance shareholder value by providing our customers with highly differentiated products and services.”

  SYSCO shares were up $10.19, or 29.70%, during pre-market trading Monday. The stock is up 8% YTD.

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Sysco (NYSE: SYY) reported its first quarter results this morning. The company earned $0.52 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $0.51. Revenue of $12.45 billion beat the consensus estimate of $12.35 billion. Shares lost 2.78 percent, closing at $37.47.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The S&P 500 got a lift from Sysco (SYY), which gained 10% to $37.62 after purchasing a competitor,� Davita HealthCare Partners (DVA), which rose 6.7% to $62.17, and Cabot Oil & Gas (COG), which reported stronger than expected production in the Marcellus region. Big losers include Newfield Exploration (NFX), which dropped 8% to $24.33 after offering disappointing production guidance, and Edwards Lifesciences (EW), which fell 5.4% to $62.73 after releasing disappointing earnings guidance.

Hot International Stocks To Own Right Now

Accenture (ACN) provides management consulting, technology, and business process outsourcing services worldwide. It is organized in five segments ��Communications Media & Technology, Financial Services, Health & Public Service, Products, and Resources. This international dividend achiever has paid dividends since 2005, and has increased them every year since then.

The company�� last dividend increase was in September 2013 when the Board of Directors approved a 15 % increase in the semi-annual dividend to 93 cents per share. The company�� peer group includes IBM (IBM) and Deloitte Consulting.

Over the past decade this dividend growth stock has delivered an annualized total return of 16.50% to its shareholders.

The company has managed to deliver a 15.50% average increase in annual EPS between 2003 and 2012. Analysts expect Accenture to earn $4.47 per share in 2014 and $4.95 per share in 2015. In comparison, the company earned $4.22 per share in 2013. Over the next five years, analysts expect EPS to rise by 10.14% per annum. The company has also managed to reduce the number of outstanding shares over the past decade from 997 million in 2003 to 715 million in 2013.

Top Small Cap Companies To Buy For 2015: TeliaSonera AB (TLSN)

TeliaSonera AB is a Sweden-based company engaged in the provision of network access and telecommunication services to individual and business customers. The Company is organized into four business segments: the Mobile Services segment provides mobile services, which include mobile voice and data, mobile content, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Hotspots, mobile broadband and Wireless Office to the consumer and enterprise markets; the Broadband Services segment provides services for connecting homes and offices, including broadband over copper, fiber and cable, television (TV), voice over Internet, home communications services, Internet Protocol- Virtual Private Network (IP-VPN)/Business Internet, leased lines and traditional telephony; the Eurasia segment comprises mobile operations in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Moldova and Nepal, and the Other operations segment comprises Other Business Services, TeliaSonera Holding and Corporate functions. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Ewing]

  A sale would provide the shareholders with cash, while potentially strengthening DNA against larger rivals Elisa Oyj (ELI1V) and TeliaSonera AB. (TLSN) The IPO could be the biggest in Finland, home of Nokia Oyj (NOK1V) and ��ngry Birds��maker Rovio Entertainment Oy, since 2005.

• [By Stephen Kirkland]

  Telecom Italia SpA jumped 8.4 percent after La Repubblica reported that Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris may buy a stake in the phone company. The newspaper did not cite anyone. TeliaSonera AB (TLSN) slid 1.9 percent after Solidium Oy, Finland�� state-owned asset manager, started an accelerated book build to sell a stake in the Swedish telecommunications operator.

Hot International Stocks To Own Right Now: Sunoco Logistics Partners LP (SXL)

Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. engages in the transport, terminalling, and storage of refined products and crude oil, as well as the purchase and sale of crude oil in the United States. Its Refined Products Pipeline System segment owns and operates approximately 2,200 miles of refined product pipelines that transport gasoline, heating oil, diesel and jet fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). This segment also includes approximately 100-mile refined products Harbor pipeline, and 50 miles of inter refinery pipelines; and various joint venture interests in refined product pipeline companies. The company?s Terminal Facilities segment consists of 42 refined product terminals with an aggregate storage capacity of 7.2 million barrels, primarily serving the Refined Products Pipeline System; the Nederland Terminal, a 20.2 million barrel marine crude oil terminal on the Texas Gulf Coast; a 2.0 million barrel refined products terminal serving Sunoco?s Marcus Hook refinery near Phi ladelphia, Pennsylvania; 1 inland and 2 marine crude oil terminals with a combined capacity of 3.4 million barrels, and related pipelines that serve Sunoco?s Philadelphia refinery; and a 1.0 million barrel LPG terminal near Detroit, Michigan. Its Crude Oil Pipeline System segment gathers, purchases, sells, and transports crude oil principally in Oklahoma and Texas. This segment consists of approximately 4,900 miles of crude oil trunk pipelines; approximately 500 miles of crude oil gathering lines; approximately 110 crude oil transport trucks; and approximately 100 crude oil truck unloading facilities. This segment also holds a 91% interest in the Mid-Valley Pipeline Company that owns approximately 1,000 miles of crude oil pipelines; a 60.3% interest in West Texas Gulf Pipe Line Company, which includes approximately 600 miles of crude oil pipe; and a 37.0 percent undivided interest in the 100-mile Mesa Pipe Line system. The company was founded in 2001 and is based in Philadel phia, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  While its former parent Sunoco no longer exists as a standalone company nor as a refiner, Sunoco Logistics Partners (SXL) continues to churn out steady and rising distributions for its shareholders.

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  As management continues to simplify the structure at ETP -- which requires moving assets between Energy Transfer Equity (NYSE: ETE  ) �and theoretically Sunoco Logistics Partners (NYSE: SXL  ) -- year-over-year comparisons will be full of asterisks indicating earnings from the previous structure, as well as the one-time charges we are accustomed to seeing. With that in mind, today I'm focusing primarily on ETP from an operations and progress perspective, highlighting three key areas investors should take away from the first quarter.

Hot International Stocks To Own Right Now: Charm Communications Inc.(CHRM)

Charm Communications Inc. operates as an advertising agency in China. The company offers a range of advertising agency services from planning and managing the advertising campaigns to creating and placing the advertisements. It places advertisements for its clients on a range of television channels, including CCTV, and satellite and regional television channels, and on other media platforms, including Internet and out-of-home media. The company also engages in media investment management through identifying, securing, and selling of advertising resources. In addition, it provides branding and identity services, including design, development, and production of advertisements; and marketing consulting services. The company is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) reported a drop in its third-quarter profit. Time Warner Cable's quarterly profit fell to $532 million, or $1.84 per share, from $808 million, or $2.60 per share, in the year-ago period. To read the full news, click here. Synergy Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SGYP) today announced the start of a phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SP-333, its second-generation GC-C agonist and once-daily oral treatment, in adult patients with opioid-induced constipation (OIC). To read the full news, click here. Cigna (NYSE: CI) reported a 19% rise in its third-quarter earnings and lifted its full-year earnings outlook. To read the full news, click here. Charm Communications (NASDAQ: CHRM) announced today that the special committee of the Company's board of directors, consisting of independent directors Mr. Zhan Wang, Mr. Andrew J. Rickards and Mr. Gang Chen, has retained China Renaissance Securities (Hong Kong) Limited as its financial advisor and Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP as its legal advisor. To read the full news, click here.

  Posted-In: Bank of America US Stock FuturesNews Eurozone Futures Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets

Hot International Stocks To Own Right Now: MutualFirst Financial Inc.(MFSF)

MutualFirst Financial, Inc. operates as a holding company for MutualBank that provides financial products services to individuals and businesses. It accepts various savings deposit accounts, NOW and demand accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company also provides one- to four-family residential mortgage loans, multi-family and commercial real estate loans, construction and development loans, commercial business loans, and consumer loans, including home equity and lines of credit, home improvement, auto, boat, and recreational vehicle loans, as well as loans secured by savings deposits, and credit card and unsecured loans. In addition, it operates as an insurance agent and sells life insurance, and credit-life and health insurance products. Further, the company provides investment money management and trust services. It operates 33 full service financial centers located in Delaware, Elkhart, Grant, Kosciusko, Randolph, St. Joseph, and Wabash counties, Indiana. The co mpany was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Muncie, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  MutualFirst Financial (MFSF) makes the list, trading at 80% of book value and yielding 1.61%. The bank has total assets of about $1.4 billion and is located in Muncie, Ind. Like a lot of small banks today, the story here is one of steady credit improvement and compressed net interest margins. It is one of many smaller institutions that I think will eventually be taken over; the current regulatory climate simply does not favor little banks. Insiders own about 10% of the stock, so they are invested in the idea of a much higher stock price.

Best Promising Stocks To Watch For 2014

Every quarter, many money managers have to disclose what they've bought and sold, via "13F" filings. Their latest moves can shine a bright light on smart stock picks.

Today, let's look at Citadel Advisors, founded and run by Kenneth Griffin. It's one of the biggest hedge fund companies around, with a reportable stock portfolio totaling $66 billion�in value as of March 31, 2013.

According to the folks at InsiderMonkey.com, Griffin and his team use "a combination of advanced computer code, complicated financial algorithms and secrecy. Griffin was using quantitative, technology-based methods before many other firms had cell phones." The company took a big hit of more than 50% back in 2008, and with an impressive 20% gain in 2011, finally surpassed its 2008 high.

Interesting developments
So what does Citadel's latest quarterly 13F filing tell us? Here are a few interesting details:

The biggest new holdings are Chevron�and Salesforce.com. Other new holdings of interest include Brazilian oil giant Petrobras (NYSE: PBR  ) , which has seen its stock fall over the past few years. The company is weighed down by a lot of debt, but there are also promising signs from it, such as rising production numbers as some offshore rigs are brought back into service. Some are hopeful that solid car sales in Brazil will boost Petrobras' business.

Top 10 Mid Cap Stocks To Buy For 2015: NCR Corp (NCR)

NCR Corporation (NCR), incorporated on January 02, 1926, is a technology company, which provides products and services, which enable businesses to connect, interact and transact with their customers and enhance their customer relationships by addressing consumer demand for convenience, value and individual service. NCR�� portfolio of self-service and assisted-service solutions serve customers in the financial services, retail, hospitality, travel and gaming and entertainment industries and include automated teller machines (ATMs), self-service kiosks and point of sale (POS) devices, as well as software applications, which can be used by consumers to enable them to interact with businesses from their computer or mobile device. NCR complements these product solutions by offering a portfolio of services to help customers design, deploy and support its technology tools. NCR also resells third-party networking products and provides related service offerings in the telecommunications and technology sectors. The Company operates in four segments: Financial Services, Retail Solutions, Hospitality (formerly Hospitality and Specialty Retail), and Emerging Industries. Its product and service offerings include ATMs and Other Financial Products, Self-Service Kiosks, Point of Sale, Check and Document Imaging, Services, and Consumables. In June 2012, the Company acquired POS Integrated Solutions, a reseller of the NCR Aloha solution for restaurants; Wyse Sistemas de Informatica Ltda., a provider of software solutions, including the Colibri suite of hospitality software, and Radiant Distribution Solutions (RDS), a NCR Hospitality hardware distribution partner. In June 2012, Coinstar, Inc.�� wholly owned subsidiary, Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, acquired certain assets of the Company�� self-service entertainment DVD kiosk business. In November 2012, NCR acquired Retalix Ltd. In January 2013, the Company purchased uGenius Technology, Inc. In February 2013, the Company acquired Retalix Ltd. In January 2014, NCR Co! rp completed the acquisition of Digital Insight Corporation.

ATMs and Other Financial Products

The Company provides financial institutions, retailers and independent deployers with financial-oriented self-service technologies, such as ATMs, cash dispensers, and software solutions, including the APTRA application suite as well as consulting services related to ATM security, software and bank branch optimization. ATM and other financial product solutions are designed to quickly and reliably process consumer transactions and incorporate advanced features such as automated check cashing/deposit, automated cash deposit, Web-enablement and bill payment (including mobile bill payment).

Point of Sale

The Company provides retail and hospitality oriented technologies such as point of sale terminals, bar-code scanners, software and services to companies and venues worldwide. Combining its retail and hospitality industry, software and hardware technologies, and consulting services, its solutions are designed to enable cost reductions and improve operational efficiency while increasing customer satisfaction.

Self-Service Kiosks

The Company provides self-service kiosks to the retail, hospitality, travel and gaming, and entertainment industries and also owns and operates self-service kiosks in the entertainment industry. Its versatile kiosk solutions can support retail self-service functions, including self-checkout, wayfinding, bill payment and gift registries. It provides self check in/out kiosk solutions to airlines, hotels and casinos, which allows guests to check-in/out without assistance. These solutions create pleasant and convenient experiences for consumers and enable its customers to reduce costs. Its kiosks for the hospitality industry provide consumers the ability to order and pay at restaurants while enabling its customers to streamline order processing and reduce operating costs.

Check and Document Imaging

The ! Company�� check and document imaging offerings provide end-to-end solutions for both traditional paper-based and image-based check and item processing. These solutions utilize advanced image recognition and workflow technologies to automate item processing, helping financial institutions efficiency and reduce operating costs. Consisting of hardware, software, consulting and support services, its comprehensive check and document imaging solutions enable check and item-based transactions to be digitally captured, processed and retained within a flexible, scalable environment.

Consumables

The Company develop, produce and market a complete line of printer consumables for various print technologies. These products include two-sided thermal paper (2ST), paper rolls for receipts in ATMs and POS solutions, inkjet and laser printer supplies, thermal transfer and ink ribbons, labels, laser documents, business forms, and specialty media items such as photo and presentation papers. Consumables are designed to optimize operations and improve transaction accuracy, while reducing overall costs.

Services

The Company provides maintenance and support services for its product offerings and also provides other services, including site assessment and preparation, staging, installation and implementation, systems management and complete managed services. It also offers a range of software and services, such as Software-as-a-Service, hosted services, and online, mobile and transactional services and applications, such as bill pay and digital signage. In addition, it is also focused on expanding the resale of third party networking products and related service offerings to a base of customers in the telecommunications and technology sectors and servicing third-party computer hardware from select manufacturers.

The Company competes with Diebold, Inc., Wincor Nixdorf GmbH & Co., Hyosung, IBM, Wincor, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, ToshibaTec, Dell, Honeywell, Micros Syste! ms, Verif! one, Datalogic, SITA and IER.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  NCR Corp. (NYSE: NCR) is an old-school name with new world technology. The company is the global leader in consumer transaction technologies, turning everyday interactions with businesses into exceptional experiences. With its software, hardware, and portfolio of services, NCR enables more than 485 million transactions daily across retail, financial, travel, hospitality, telecom and technology and small business. NCR solutions run the everyday transactions that make life easier. The J.P. Morgan price target for the stock is a large $48, and the consensus target is $42.60. NCR closed Tuesday at $34.47.

• [By Suravi Thacker]

  One of its strongest rivals, NCR Corporation (NCR), has been getting some great contracts to deliver its technology. Its expansion in China looks interesting with China Eastern Airlines expanding NCR check-in kiosks for its domestic airports.

Best Promising Stocks To Watch For 2014: Dynegy Inc (DYN)

Dynegy Inc. (Dynegy), incorporated in 2007, is a holding company and conducts the business operations through its subsidiaries. Dynegy�� primary business is the production and sale of electric energy, capacity and ancillary services from the fleet of 16 operating power plants in six states totaling approximately 11,600 megawatts of generating capacity. The Company sells electric energy, capacity and ancillary services on a wholesale basis from its power generation facilities. Its customers include Regional Transmission Organization (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs), integrated utilities, municipalities, electric cooperatives, transmission and distribution utilities, industrial customers, power marketers, financial participants, such as banks and hedge funds, and other power generators. Dynegy operates in three segments: the Coal segment (Coal), the Gas Segment (Gas) and the Dynegy Northeast Segment (DNE). In September 2011, it acquired direct ownership of Dynegy Coal Holdco, LLC. In July 2012, the Company announced that it has filed a voluntary petition to reorganize under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, Poughkeepsie Division. It emerged from bankruptcy, on October 1, 2012. In May 2013, the Company sold its Roseton power generation facility (Roseton) to a subsidiary of Castleton Commodities International LLC (CCI).

Coal segment

Dynegy�� Coal segment consists of four operating coal-fired power generation facilities and two operating natural gas-fired peaker facilities in Illinois with a total generating capacity of 3,132 megawatts. On November 17, 2011, it permanently retired the 176 megawatts Vermilion power generation facility. As of December 31, 2011, the facilities operated entirely within MISO. Its Coal segment is primarily a fleet of baseload coal facilities, located in Illinois. The MISO market includes all of Wisconsin and portions of Michigan, Kentucky, Indian! a, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana and Manitoba, Canada. MISO is as an independent RTO.

Gas Segment

Dynegy�� Gas segment consists of seven operating natural gas-fired power generation facilities located in California (two), Nevada (one), Illinois (one), Pennsylvania (one), New York (one), and Maine (one), and one fuel-oil fired power generation facility located in California, totaling 6,771 megawatts of electric generating capacity. On November 7, 2011, it deconsolidated DH, which indirectly owns all of its assets in the Gas segment. The PJM market includes all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. The Company�� Kendall and Ontelaunee facilities located in Illinois and Pennsylvania operate in PJM with an aggregate net generating capacity of 1,780 megawatts.

DNE Segment

Dynegy�� DNE segment consists of the Roseton and Danskammer facilities located in Newburgh, New York, with a total capacity of 1,693 megawatts. Its total of 1,570 megawatts of generation capacity relates to leased units at the two facilities. The Company�� Roseton and Danskammer facility sites are adjacent and share common resources, such as fuel handling, a docking terminal, personnel and certain associated systems.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bram de Haas]

  Dynegy Inc (DYN) emerged from bankruptcy last year. The share price didn't really go anywhere. In the meantime 2013 free cash flow guidance is being revised upward to $190 million - $215 million and a deal to take over capacity from Ameren Corp (AEE) is likely to be finalized in the 4th quarter. On the basis of current cash flow, the company is fairly valued. If the Ameren facilities are added in, the cash flow of the combined facilities is greatly undervalued.

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  With a successful $900 million asset sale to Dynegy (NYSE: DYN  ) in March, Ameren has three leftover gas-fired energy centers it still needs to offload.

• [By Ali Berri]

  Dynegy (NYSE: DYN) shares shot up 7.62 percent to $31.99 after the company announced its plans to acquire assets from Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and Energy Capital Partners for a total consideration of $6.25 billion.

Best Promising Stocks To Watch For 2014: Universal Display Corp (OLED)

Universal Display Corporation, incorporated on April, 24, 1985, is engaged in the research, development and commercialization of organic light emitting diode (OLED) technologies and materials for use in flat panel display, solid state lighting and other product applications. The Company�� primary business strategy is to develop and license its OLED technologies to product manufacturers for use in these applications. Its primary business is to develop and license its OLED technologies to manufacturers of products for display applications, such as cell phones, portable media devices, tablets, laptop computers and televisions, and specialty and general lighting products; and develop new OLED materials and sell the materials to those product manufacturers. The Company sells its OLED materials to customers for evaluation and use in commercial OLED products. As of December 31, 2012, the Company owns, exclusively license or have the sole right to sublicense more than 3,000 patents issued and pending worldwide. On July 23, 2012, the Company entered into a Patent Sale Agreement (the Agreement) with FUJIFILM. Under the Agreement, FUJIFILM sold more than 1,200 OLED related patents and patent applications.

Phosphorescent Organic Light Emitting Diode Technologies

Phosphorescent OLEDs utilize specialized materials and device structures that allow OLEDs to emit light through a process known as phosphorescence. Traditional fluorescent OLEDs emit light through an inherently less efficient process. Theory and experiment show that phosphorescent OLEDs exhibit device efficiencies up to four times higher than those exhibited by fluorescent OLEDs. Phosphorescence substantially reduces the power requirements of an OLED and is potentially useful in displays for hand-held devices, such as Smartphone��, where battery power is often a limiting factor. Phosphorescence is also important for area displays such as televisions, where higher device efficiency and lower heat generation may enable longer ! product lifetimes and increased energy efficiency.

Additional Proprietary Organic Light Emitting Diode Technologies

Additional OLED Technologies include FOLED Flexible OLEDs, Thin-Film Encapsulation, UniversalP2OLED Printable Phosphorescent OLEDs, OVJP Organic Vapor Jet Printing, OVPD Organic Vapor Phase Deposition and TOLED Transparent OLEDs. The Company is working on a number of technologies required for the fabrication of OLEDs on flexible substrates. As of December 31, 2012, it was conducting research and development on FOLED technologies internally, under several of its United States government programs and in connection with the government-sponsored Flexible Display Center at Arizona State University (ASU). The Company announced its, patented encapsulation technology for the packaging of flexible OLEDs and other thin-film devices, as well as for use as a barrier film for plastic substrates. Its approach for manufacturing a small molecule OLED, including a PHOLED, is based on a vacuum thermal evaporation (VTE) process.

The Company has partnered with Aixtron AG, which is a manufacturer of metal-organic chemical vapor deposition equipment, to develop and qualify equipment for the fabrication of OLED displays utilizing the OVPD process. It has developed a technology for the fabrication of OLEDs that have transparent cathodes. TOLEDs use a transparent cathode and either a transparent, reflective or opaque metal anode.

Organic Light Emitting Diode Materials Supply Business

The Company supplies its proprietary UniversalPHOLED materials to display manufacturers and others. The Company qualifies its materials in OLED devices before shipment in order to ensure that they meet required specifications. During 2012, the Company continued supplying its proprietary UniversalPHOLED materials to SDC for use in its commercial AMOLED display products and for its development efforts. During 2012, the Company also supplied its UniversalPHOLED materials to! LG Displ! ay for use in its commercial AMOLED display products, to Tohoku Pioneer for use in its commercial PMOLED display products, and Konica Minolta for its manufacture of commercial OLED lighting products. During 2012, the Company also supplied its proprietary OLED materials to these and various other product manufacturers for evaluation and for purposes of development, manufacturing qualification and product testing.

The Company competes with Eastman Kodak Company (Kodak), Cambridge Display Technology, Ltd. (CDT), Sumitomo Chemical Company (Sumitomo), Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (Idemitsu Kosan), Merck KGaA and BASF Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Simon Erickson]

  Rule Breakers�analyst Simon Erickson breaks down the story, including the suggested cost of the latest and greatest televisions. He also offers three important takeaways for investors -- including how this development could affect Universal Display (NASDAQ: OLED  ) , Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX  ) , and Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) .

• [By Steve Symington]

  If playing an integral role in millions of smartphone displays and (soon)�big-screen TVs weren't enough, the folks at Universal Display (NASDAQ: OLED  ) have fixed their eyes on aircraft interiors around the world.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap Universal Display Corporation is a�world leader in the development of innovative organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology for use in flat panel displays, lighting and organic electronics. Universal Display Corporation also has one of the largest patent portfolios in the OLED field with licensing rights to over 1,000 issued and pending patents worldwide in a broad array of OLED technologies, materials and processes.��Moreover, Universal Display Corporation has entered into more than 30 business agreements with leading manufacturers in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Europe and the US including with companies such as Chi Mei EL, DuPont Displays, Konica Minolta, LG Display, Samsung SMD, Seiko Epson, Sony, Tohoku Pioneer and Toyota Industries.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Corning is also tied to the TV industry, where large-screen models require far more of its glass than relatively tiny smartphone screens. The company does have competition, though, such as from Universal Display (NASDAQ: OLED  ) , with its impressive OLED technology that threatens LCD displays' share. Both companies stand to benefit from Samsung's upcoming S4 phone, though, with its bigger and better screens.

Best Promising Stocks To Watch For 2014: Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS)

Vestas Wind Systems A/S is a Denmark-based company active within the wind power industry. The Company operates within four business areas: Finance, Sales, Manufacturing & Global Sourcing, and Technology & Service Solutions. The Finance business area focuses on business support services. The Sales business area is divided into six geographical units: Americas, Asia Pacific & China, Central Europe, Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Offshore. The Manufacturing & Global Sourcing business area is engaged in the manufacturing of assembly, blades, components, controls and generators. The Technology & Service Solutions business area is responsible for the engineering solutions, platform and product management, as well as service engineering, among others. As of December 31, 2012, the Company operated globally through a network of subsidiaries located in Denmark, Germany, Italy, China, the United States, Spain, Estonia, Sweden and Norway. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS) surged 11 percent to 66.30 kroner, its highest price since February 2012. Credit Suisse Group AG raised the world�� biggest wind-turbine maker to neutral from underperform, citing benefits from cost cuts.

Best Promising Stocks To Watch For 2014: Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation(IPCC)

Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides personal automobile insurance with a concentration on nonstandard auto insurance in the United States. The company offers personal automobile insurance to individuals; mono-line commercial vehicle insurance to businesses; and classic collector insurance, which provides protection for classic collectible automobiles. It products provide coverage to individuals for liability to others for bodily injury and property damage, and for physical damage to an insured?s own vehicle from collision and various other perils. Infinity distributes its products primarily through a network of independent agencies and brokers. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Auto sales continue to rise and that is good news for small cap auto insurers Infinity Property and Casualty Corp (NASDAQ: IPCC), First Acceptance Corporation (NYSE: FAC) and Atlas Financial Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: AFH) which are focused on niche auto insurance markets.�A Yahoo! Autos blog post�recently noted that in August, automakers sold 1.5 million new vehicles for the highest rate in years. Moreover,�most industry forecasters expect sales to�return to the level they hit before the 2008 recession of 16 million vehicles a year. The blog post then went on to note the three forces driving auto sales:

Best Promising Stocks To Watch For 2014: Luna Innovations Incorporated(LUNA)

Luna Innovations Incorporated engages in the research, development, and commercialization of technologies in the areas of sensing and instrumentation products, and health care products primarily in the United States. The company?s Product and Licensing segment offers test and measurement products to monitor the integrity of fiber optic network and sub-assemblies. This segment provides Optical Vector Analyzer platform, a device for single-measurement, all-parameter analysis of fiber optic components and assemblies up to 150 meters in length; Optical Backscatter Reflectometer, a sensitive diagnostic device, for data and telecommunications companies, and service providers who maintain their own fiber optic networks; and Phoenix laser, a MEMs-based external cavity laser, that offers low noise and precise tuning capability over the C-band. It also offers distributed sensing systems, which comprise multiple sensors whose input is integrated through a fiber optic network and soft ware to detect distributed strain, shape, and temperature; and tunable lasers. In addition, this segment provides health care products, including medical devices for minimally invasive diagnostics, surgery, and therapy; non-invasive monitoring and diagnosis medical devices consisting of emboli detection and classification QUANTIFIER, a non-invasive medical device, that uses quantitative ultrasound technology to count emboli in ex-vivo blood circuit; and nanomaterial-based medical products comprising Trimetasphere nanomaterials. The company?s Technology Development segment provides contract research services to universities, government entities, and corporations. Luna Innovations Incorporated offers its services to energy, telecommunications, life sciences, and defense industries .The company was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Shares of microcap fiber optic test and measurement sensor-maker Luna Innovations (NASDAQ: LUNA  ) surged as much as 85% in Monday trading before finally settling down to book a 41% gain for the day. The catalyst: The company announced that it had extended its multiyear agreement to develop and supply "high-speed shape-sensing technology" to robotic surgery giant Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG  ) for use in its da Vinci surgical robots.

Best Promising Stocks To Watch For 2014: UBS AG (UBSN.VX)

UBS AG, incorporated on February 28, 1978, is a client-focused financial services company that offers a combination of wealth management, asset management and investment banking services on a global and regional basis. UBS AG is the parent company of the UBS Group (Group).The operational structure of the Company consists of the Corporate Center and four business divisions: Wealth Management & Swiss Bank, Wealth Management Americas, Global Asset Management and the Investment Bank. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated about 877 business and banking locations worldwide, of which about 42% were in Switzerland, 42% in the Americas, 11% in the rest of Europe, Middle East and Africa, and 5% in Asia-Pacific. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it completed acquisitions in Global Asset Management and in the equities business of the Investment Bank. In November 2011, investment management responsibility for a private equity fund of funds was transferred to Global Asset Management from Wealth Management & Swiss Bank. In October 2011, Global Asset Management acquired ING Investment Management Limited business in Australia. In July 2011, the infrastructure and private equity fund of funds businesses were transferred from its alternative and quantitative investment area to its infrastructure investment area. In January 2011, investment management responsibility for a multi-manager alternative fund was transferred to Global Asset Management from Wealth Management & Swiss Bank.

Wealth Management

Wealth Management provides wealthy private clients with financial advice, products and tools to fit their individual needs. As of December 31, 2011, Wealth Management had presence in over 40 countries and approximately 200 wealth management and representative offices, half of which are outside Switzerland, mostly in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. During 2011, the Company had CHF 750 billion of invested assets. The Company offers products and services to private! clients, focusing in particular on the ultra-high-net-worth (clients with investable assets of more than CHF 50 million) and high-net-worth client segments (clients with investable assets between CHF 2 million and CHF 50 million). In addition, it also provides wealth management solutions, products and services to financial intermediaries. Wealth Management has a presence in over 40 countries and approximately 200 wealth management and representative offices, half of which are outside Switzerland, mostly in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.

The Company�� Global Financial Intermediaries (Global FIM) business serves approximately 1,700 asset managers. It provides its clients with the financial advice, products and tools. The Company�� clients can trade a range of financial instruments from single securities, such as equities and bonds, to various investment funds, structured products and alternative investments. Additionally, it offers structured lending, corporate finance and wealth planning advice on client needs, such as funding for education, inheritance and succession. For its ultra high net worth clients, it offers institutional-like servicing that provides access to its Investment Bank and Global Asset Management offerings. Wealth Management also gives clients access to the knowledge, and product and service offerings from Global Asset Management and the Investment Bank, complemented by an open product platform providing access to an array of products from third-party providers.

The Company competes with Credit Suisse, Julius Bar, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, Citigroup, Barclays and Unicredit.

Retail & Corporate

The Company delivers financial products and services to its retail, corporate and institutional clients. The Retail & Corporate unit is a core element of UBS Switzerland�� universal bank delivery model. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had a network of around 300 branches, 1,250 automated teller machines! , self-se! rvice terminals and customer service centers, alongside e-banking and mobile banking. The Company�� retail clients have access to offering, including cash accounts, payments, savings and retirement solutions, investment fund products, residential mortgages, as well as life insurance and advisory services. It provides financing solutions to its corporate clients, offering access to capital markets (equity and debt capital), syndicated and structured credit, private placements, leasing and traditional financing. The Company�� transaction banking offers solutions for payments and cash management services, trade and export finance, receivable finance, as well as global custody solutions to institutional clients.

The Company competes with Credit Suisse, Raiffeisen and PostFinance.

Wealth Management Americas

Wealth Management Americas provides advice-based relationships through its financial advisors, who deliver a range of wealth management solutions. On December 31, 2011, the business division had CHF 709 billion in invested assets. Wealth Management Americas consisted of branch networks in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, with 6,967 financial advisors as of 31 December 2011. Most corporate and operational functions of the business division are located in the home office in Weehawken, New Jersey. In the United States and Puerto Rico, Wealth Management Americas operates through direct and indirect subsidiaries of UBS AG. Securities and operations activities are conducted primarily through two broker-dealers, UBS Financial Services Inc. and UBS Financial Services Incorporated of Puerto Rico. Its banking services in the United States include those conducted through the UBS AG branches and UBS Bank USA, a federally regulated Utah bank, which provides Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured deposit accounts. It includes the domestic US business, the domestic Canadian business and international business booked in the United States.

Ca! nadian we! alth management and banking operations are conducted through UBS Bank (Canada). The Company�� include wealth accumulation and preservation, income generation and portfolio diversification. The Company�� advisors work closely with internal consultants in areas, such as wealth planning, portfolio strategy, retirement and annuities, alternative investments, managed structured products, banking and lending, equities, and fixed income accounts, structured products, banking and lending, equities, and fixed income retirement and annuities, alternative investments, managed accounts, structured products, banking and lending, equities, and fixed income. It also offers lending and cash management services, such as securities-backed lending, the resource management account, FDIC-insured deposits, mortgages and credit cards. For corporate and institutional clients, it offers a range of solutions, including equity compensation, administration, investment consulting, defined benefit and contribution programs and cash management services. It offers a range of equity and fixed income instruments.

The Company competes with Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo.

Global Asset Management

The Company serves third-party institutional and wholesale clients and the clients of UBS�� wealth management businesses. The Company�� fund services unit, a global fund administration business, provides professional services, including legal fund set-up, accounting and reporting. Invested assets totaled CHF 574 billion and assets under administration were CHF 375 billion on December 31, 2011. Global Asset Management serves third-party institutional and wholesale clients, and the clients of UBS�� wealth management businesses. Global Asset Management�� business lines include traditional investments (equities, fixed income and global investment solutions); alternative and quantitative investments; global real estate; infrastructure and private equity, and fund services.

Global ! investment solutions offer asset allocation, currency, multi-manager, structured solutions, risk advisory and strategic investment advisory services. Alternative and quantitative investments has two primary business lines-Alternative Investment Solutions (AIS) and O��onnor. AIS offers a range of hedge fund solutions and advisory services, including multi-manager strategies. O��onnor is a provider of single-manager global hedge funds. Global real estate manages real estate investments globally and regionally within Asia, Europe, Switzerland and the United States. Infrastructure and private equity manages direct infrastructure investment and multi-manager infrastructure and private equity strategies for both institutional and high net worth investors. Infrastructure asset management manages direct investments in core infrastructure assets worldwide. Fund services, the global fund administration business, provides professional services, including legal set-up, reporting and accounting for retail and institutional investment funds, hedge funds and other alternative products.

The Company competes with Fidelity Investments, AllianceBernstein Investments, BlackRock, JP Morgan Asset Management and Goldman Sachs Asset Management.

Investment Bank

The Investment Bank provides a range of products and services in equities, fixed income, foreign exchange and commodities to corporate and institutional clients, sovereign and government bodies, financial intermediaries, alternative asset managers and UBS�� wealth management clients. The Investment Bank has three business areas: equities, fixed income, currencies and commodities (FICC), and the investment banking department. The Company operates through branches and subsidiaries of UBS AG. Securities activities in the United States are conducted through UBS Securities LLC, a broker-dealer. Securities research provides investment analysis across a range of asset classes of more than 3,400 companies worldwide.

The ! Company p! articipates in the primary and secondary markets for cash equity and equity-related products, including listed options, structured products, equity-linked securities, swaps, futures and over-the-counter (OTC) derivative contracts. Cash equities provide clients with liquidity, investment advisory, trade execution and related consultancy services. It offers trade execution for single stocks and portfolios, including capital commitment, block trading, small-cap execution and commission management services. In addition, it also provides clients with a range of electronic trading algorithms and analytical tools. Derivatives and equity-linked provides a range of flow, structured, synthetic and equity-linked products with worldwide access to primary and secondary markets.

Prime services offer brokerage business, including clearing and custody, capital consultancy, financing, securities lending and equity swaps execution. The FICC business area delivers products and solutions to corporate, institutional and public-sector clients in all markets, as well as to private clients via targeted intermediaries. Macro consists of the foreign exchange, money market and interest rate sales and trading businesses, as well as cash and collateral trading. It provides a range of foreign exchange, precious metals, treasury, and liquidity management solutions to institutional and private clients via targeted intermediaries. Credit sales and trading consists of the origination, underwriting, trading and distribution of cash and synthetic products across the credit spectrum - bonds, derivatives, notes and loans.

The investment banking department provides advice and a range of capital markets execution services to corporate clients, financial institutions, financial sponsors, sovereign clients and hedge funds. The Company also provides liquidity in local markets across foreign exchange, credit, rates and structured products. The advisory group assists in acquisitions and sale processes, and also advises on! reviews ! and corporate restructuring solutions. Global capital markets is a joint venture with the securities business. It offers financing and advisory services that cover all forms of capital raising, as well as risk management solutions. Global leveraged finance provides event-driven (acquisition, leveraged buyout) loans, and bond and mezzanine leveraged finance to corporate clients and financial sponsors.

The Company competes with Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Vigna]

  After rising as high as 1897 intraday, the S&P 500 took a straight dive down, and is now bouncing and churning around this key support level. The index tested it briefly at the open, falling to 1841.95, bounced off it again, then came back to it again. The day’s low, so far, is 1839.92. UBS's(UBSN.VX) Art Cashin puts the critical range between 1837-1840. John O’Hara at FBN thinks the market is going to churn in the 1820-1840 area this week, and test that lower boundary. “That would be a good set-up for a rally into week’s end,” he wrote.

• [By Telis Demos]

  UBS AG(UBSN.VX) has named a new head of its U.S. group that works on complex stock financings and investments for companies and wealthy individuals.