Top 5 Railroad Stocks To Invest In 2015

No investor is a bigger superstar than Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK-A  ) (NYSE: BRK-B  ) Warren Buffett. But the beauty of Berkshire Hathaway stock is that even when Buffett is no longer able to run the company, the tenets that have guided his investment decisions will remain in place for his successors to follow for decades to come. Let's take a closer look at why Berkshire Hathaway stock offers good long-term prospects even after its recent run to record highs.

Berkshire's one-stop shop for investors
Even among conglomerates, you won't often find the breadth of industry coverage that you'll see among Berkshire's mix of businesses. Among the largest parts of Berkshire are its core insurance business, with its GEICO unit being the best-known insurance carrier in the mix; the railroad company Burlington Northern Santa Fe, which it purchased in early 2010; and its majority stake in MidAmerican Energy, which provides electric utility services as well as operating power-generation facilities using both conventional fuels and renewable generation methods like wind.

Hot Logistics Companies To Buy Right Now: 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��s 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��s 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 Tom Stoukas]

  Alcatel Lucent SA (ALU) jumped 6.3 percent to 2.69 euros. Nokia Oyj (NOK1V), which is set to become a manufacturer focusing on wireless networks after the sale of its handset business, is evaluating a linkup with the French company, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

• [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 ��Angry Birds�� maker Rovio Entertainment Oy, since 2005.

Top 5 Railroad Stocks To Invest In 2015: Adams Resources & Energy Inc. (AE)

Adams Resources & Energy, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in marketing crude oil, natural gas, and petroleum products. It purchases crude oil, and arranges sales and deliveries to refiners and other customers in Texas and Louisiana with additional operations in Michigan and New Mexico; purchases, distributes, and markets natural gas; and offers value added services by providing access to common carrier pipelines and handling daily volume balancing requirements, as well as risk management services. The company also markets branded and unbranded refined petroleum products, such as motor fuels and lubricants. In addition, it transports liquid chemicals on a �for hire� basis in the continental United States and Canada, as well as engages in the exploration and development of domestic oil and natural gas properties primarily in Texas and the south central region of the United States. Adams Resources & Energy, Inc. was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Hous ton, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake Mann]

  Energy has been the sector most beaten up in 2014. It has yielded up a number of deeply undervalued companies and it's likely that it enjoys some rebound in 2015. My favorite companies are Adams Resources & Energy Inc (NYSE: AE), VAALCO Energy, Inc. (NYSE: EGY), Pacific Ethanol Inc (NASDAQ: PEIX), Statoil ASA (ADR) (NYSE: STO), VOC Energy Trust (NYSE: VOC), Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (NYSE: GTE), Petrobras Argentina SA ADR (NYSE: PZE), and PBF Energy Inc (NYSE: PBF), all of which are cheap on an acquirer's multiple basis.

Top 5 Railroad Stocks To Invest In 2015: TriQuint Semiconductor Inc.(TQNT)

TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. provides radio frequency (RF) solutions and technology for communications, defense, and aerospace companies worldwide. The company designs, develops, and manufactures RF solutions with gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride, bipolar high electron mobility transistor, surface acoustic wave (SAW), temperature compensated surface acoustic wave, bulk acoustic wave (BAW), copper flip, and wafer level packaging technologies. The company offers an array of filtering, switching, and amplification products for RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave applications. It sells electronic components for mobile phones, including transmit modules, RF filters, power amplifiers and power amplifier modules, duplexers, switches, other RF devices, and integrated products to mobile device manufacturers. The company also offers signal amplification and filtering products, including a portfolio of GaAs microwave monolithic integrated circuits and transistors, and SAW and BAW filter components that support the transfer of voice, data, and video across wireless or wired infrastructure. Its network products comprise millimeter wave power amplifiers, frequency converters, and voltage controlled oscillators. In addition, the company provides defense and aerospace devices, including packaged products, die-level integrated circuits (ICs), microwave monolithic ICs, and multi-chip modules to military contractors serving the U.S. government for use in various communications and phased array radar programs, such as ship-based, airborne, and battlefield systems, as well as sat-com, electronic warfare, and guidance applications. Further, TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. offers foundry services. The company sells its products through independent manufacturers? representatives, independent distributors, and direct sales staff. TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By FinanceGuru]

  After reporting losses and falling short of estimates in the past year or so, TriQuint Semiconductor's (TQNT) last reported quarter and guidance did please investors. In the last six months, the stock has surged more than 65% as investors seem to be very hopeful that the much awaited turnaround is here and the company will soon be delivering profits. Let's analyze what's going to help the radio frequency chip manufacturer to deliver in the future.

• [By Rich Bieglmeier]

  TriQuint Semiconductor (NASDAQ:TQNT) is struggling to get above water today despite an upgrade from Brean Capital. Analyst, Mike Burton says the tech company is a "Buy" today, up from yesterday's "Hold" recommendation. Brean's change of opinion comes with a price-target of $16.00 �� 40% upside to target as we inflame our carpal tunnel.

Top 5 Railroad Stocks To Invest In 2015: Westfield Group (WEFIF)

Westfield Group is engaged in ownership, development, design, construction, funds/asset management, leasing and marketing activities undertaken with respect to its global portfolio of retail properties. Property investments segment includes net property income from existing shopping centers and completed developments, revaluation of existing centers and other operational expenses. Property and project management segment includes income from third parties, property management and development fees, and associated business expenses. The development segment includes revaluation of redevelopments and development projects. The corporate business unit includes unallocated corporate entity expenses. In November 2013, Starwood Capital Group LLC acquired a majority interest in seven regional malls in the United States from the Westfield Group. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australia stocks tilted lower early Monday as the Sydney markets reacted to last week's disappointing jobs numbers out of the U.S., with the S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) down 0.2% at 5,304.40. Data out Friday showed the U.S. added a net 74,000 jobs, trailing a forecast for 193,000 positions, and while Wall Street ended mixed following the numbers, Australian stocks will global exposure moved lower. Financial major Macquarie Group Ltd. (AU:MQG) (MCQEF) fell 1.8%, mall developer Westfield Group Australia (AU:WDC) (WEFIF) retreated 0.6%, and media firm News Corp. (AU:NWS) (NWS) -- the parent of MarketWatch, publisher of this report -- gave up 1.3%. But the jobs report also depressed the U.S. dollar, which helped boost prices for dollar-denominated commodities, and this in turn supported Australian resource shares. BHP Billiton Ltd. (AU:BHP) (BHP) gained 0.6%, Rio Tinto Ltd. (AU:RIO) (RIO) added 0.9%, Alumina Ltd. (AU:AWC) (AWCMF) rallied 4.5%, and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) improved by 1.2%. A strong showing for Comex gold on Friday also sent Newcrest Mining Ltd.

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks fell early Wednesday, tracking a weak lead from the U.S. but with a few blue-chip miners higher after gains for some commodities overnight. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) retreated 0.4% to 5,237.80 after similar losses for the main Wall Street indexes, with the Australian benchmark trading around its lowest level since October. Among the major decliners, Qantas Airways Ltd. (AU:QAN) (QUBSF) lost 2.5%, Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. (AU:HVN) (HNORY) gave up 1.3%, and Incitec Pivot Ltd. (AU:IPL) (ICPVY) fell 1.8%. Santos Ltd. (AU:STO) (STOSF) fell 2.6% on indication it will miss its lowered production guidance for 2013, according to the Australian Financial Review. On the upside, top miners BHP Billiton Ltd. (AU:BHP) (BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd. (AU:RIO) (RIO) rose 0.3% and 0.7%, respectively, while Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) traded 1% higher. Shares of global shopping-mall developer Westfield Group Australia (AU:WDC) (WEFIF) were on halt

10 Best Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Invest In Right Now

10 Best Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Invest In Right Now: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation(SNP)

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of crude oil and natural gas properties primarily in China. It operates 16 oil and gas production fields in China. As of December 31, 2010, the company?s estimated proved reserves of crude oil and natural gas consisted of 3,963 million barrels-of-oil equivalent comprising 2,888 million barrels of crude oil and 6,447 billion cubic feet of natural gas. It also engages in the refining of crude oil; marketing and distribution of refined petroleum products; and production and sale of petrochemical products that consist of intermediate petrochemicals, synthetic resins, synthetic fiber monomers and polymers, synthetic fibers, synthetic rubber, and chemical fertilizers, as well as owns and operates oil depots and service stations. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China. China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation is a subsidiary of C hina Petrochemical Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Benjamin Shepherd]

  So far, 2014 has been a year of heightened geopolitical risk. Russia has annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine, Syria remains embroiled in a civil war, political protests continue in Egypt and Turkey, and North Korea has once again fired missiles into the sea to protest joint US-South Korea military exercises.
  
  Earlier this month, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, pointed to these simmering geopolitical tensions as an impediment to global economic growth.
  
  Geopolitical risk can affect a variety of asset classes, ranging from energy and gold to bonds and equities. In the energy space, Brent crude, essentially the equivalent of West Texas Intermediate (! WTI), traded above $109 a barrel thanks to worries that Russia might make a play for more Ukrainian territory. While WTI also spiked, it finished the week essentially flat following a stronger than expected inventory report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).< br>
  Even as oil prices are on the rise, so is production. In the US, the EIA reports that crude production average 7.5 million barrels per day (BPD) last year, 1 million BPD over 2012 and the highest annual rate since 1989. The agency estimates that production should run about 8.5 million BPD this year and hit 9.6 million BPD next year, the highest level of production since 1970.
  
  The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which produces about 40 percent of the world's oil, is forecasting similar supply growth. This past January production rose by 28,000 BPD to 29.71 million BPD, largely thanks to increased production from Libya. Including America's production increase, non-OPEC countries are expected to boost their supply by 1.29 million BPD to 55.43 million BPD.
  
  With consumption forecast to grow by about 1.3 million BPD in 2014, that leaves supply and demand in almost perfect balance, supporting strong oil prices even when and if the cris is in Ukraine abates.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  First, TOT has entered the potentially prolific play in Chinese shale. Total recently partnered with Sinopec (SNP) to begin fracking China's vast shale rock formations. Estimates peg China's shale reserves as the world's largest. The 1,500 square-mile region that Total and SNP are prospecting will yield around 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas by 2017.

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Sinopec (NYSE: SNP) has agreed to purchase assets from Russian oil producer Lukoil in Kazakhstan for approximately $1.2 billion. Shares lost 3.77 percent, closing at $88.86.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com! /10-best-! healthcare-equipment-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now-2.html

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF)

iShares Lehman 7-10 Year Treasury Bond Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the intermediate-term sector of the United States Treasury market as defined by the Lehman Brothers 7-10 Year U.S. Treasury Index (the Index). The Index includes all publicly issued, United States Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity of between 7 and 10 years, are non-convertible, are denominated in United States dollars, are rated Baa3 by Moody's Investors Service or BBB- by S&P, are fixed rate, and have more than $250 million par outstanding. Excluded from the Index are certain special issues, such as flower bonds, targeted investor notes (TINs), and state and local government bonds, and coupon issues that have been stripped from assets that are already included in the Index.

The Index is a market capitalization-weighted index. The Fund invests in a representative sample of the securities in the Index , which has a similar investment profile as the Index. The Fund's investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisor.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew McCall]

  The iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (NYSE: IEF) is down 3.5 percent in the last two months and is trading at three-month low. Since hitting an all-time high in 2012 the ETF is down 10 percent, however the downtrend may only be in the early stages. If interest rates on the 10-year move back to where they were in 2007 it would send IEF down another 20 percent.

• [By John Maxfield]

  And finally, the yield on the 10-year Treasury has shot up -- meaning that the underlying bond prices have declined. Nearly a year ago, the benchmark security yielded less than 1.5%. Today, it's yielding more than 2.6%. It follows, then, that the pr! ices of ETFs holding longer-duration Treasuries have responded in kind. Among others, the iShares Barclays 7-10 Year Treasury (NYSEMKT: IEF  ) is off by 6.9% since the beginning of May. And on the other side of the equation, funds that are short government bonds like the ProShares UltraShort 20+ Year Treasury (NYSEMKT: TBT  ) are in the midst of an impressive rally.

• [By John Dowdee]

  For comparison with bonds and equities, I also included the following ETFs in the analysis:

  iShares Barclays 7 to 10 Year Treasury Bond (IEF). This ETF tracks the performance of intermediate-term treasury bonds and yields 1.7%. iShares Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond (TLT). This ETF tracks the performance of long-term treasury bonds and yields 2.9%. iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bonds (HYG). This ETF tracks the performance of high yield corporate bonds. It yields 6.4%. SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) This ETF tracks the performance of the S&P 500 equity index and yields 2%.

  To analyze the risks and return of floating rate CEFs, I used the Smartfolio 3 program (smartfolio.com), using data over the past 6 years. The results are shown in Figure 1, which plots the rate of return in excess of the risk free rate of return (called Excess Mu on the charts) against the historical volatility.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-regional-bank-companies-to-own-in-right-now-2.html

Best Dow Dividend Companies To Invest In Right Now

Best Dow Dividend Companies To Invest In Right Now: Fifth Third Bancorp(FITB)

Fifth Third Bancorp operates as a diversified financial services holding company in the United States. The company?s Commercial Banking segment offers credit intermediation, cash management, and financial services; lending and depository products; and foreign exchange and international trade finance, derivatives and capital markets services, asset-based lending, real estate finance, public finance, commercial leasing, and syndicated finance for business, government, and professional customers. Its Branch Banking segment provides deposit and loan, and lease products to individuals and small businesses. This segment?s products include checking and savings accounts, home equity loans and lines of credit, credit cards, loans for automobile and personal financing needs, and cash management services. The company?s Consumer Lending segment engages in the mortgage and home equity lending activities, such as origination, retention, and servicing of mortgage and home equity loans ; and other indirect lending activities, which include loans to consumers through mortgage brokers and automobile dealers. Its Investment Advisors segment offers investment alternatives for individuals, companies, and not-for-profit organizations. It offers retail brokerage services to individual clients, and broker dealer services to the institutional marketplace. This segment also provides asset management services; holistic strategies to affluent clients in wealth planning, investing, insurance, and wealth protection; and advisory services for institutional clients, as well as advises the company?s proprietary family of mutual funds. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 1,316 full-service banking centers, including 104 Bank Mart locations; and 2,425 automated teller machines in 12 states in the midwestern and southeastern regions of the U! nited States. The company was founded in 1862 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ovenerio]

  In this article, let's take a look at Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB), a $150.37 billion market cap company, which is a diversified financial services company, based in Cincinnati, which operates 1,340 branches in 12 states, with a focus on Ohio, Michigan and Illinois.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Wells Fargo’s (WFC) financial results disappointed investors but could be good news for PNC Financial Services (PNC), Fifth Third (FITB), KeyCorp (KEY) and Comerica (CMA).

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-dow-dividend-companies-to-invest-in-right-now-3.html

Best Asian Companies To Buy Right Now

Best Asian Companies To Buy Right Now: Ishares Trust Dj Us Technology (IYW)

iShares Dow Jones U.S. Technology Sector Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Technology Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the technology sector of the United States equity market. The Index includes companies in industry groups, such as software and computer services, and technology hardware and equipment. The Index is a subset of the Dow Jones U.S. Total Market Index and is capitalization weighted. The Index is reconstituted quarterly.

The Fund will concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent as the Index is so concentrated. The Funds investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  The PowerShares QQQ ETF tracks the Nasdaq 100 Index, which is made up of 100 of the biggest stocks in the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. It includes U.S. and international companies but excludes the financial industry and a few others. It's technology-heavy, featuring industries such as telecommunications, retail, biotechnology, and computer hardware and software. Compared to many other major technology-focused ETFs, such as the iShares US Technology ETF (NYSEMKT: IYW  ) , this one is bigger, charges less in fees, and has a more impressive performance record. Its expense ratio, or annual fee, is a very low 0.2%, comparing favorably with many peers. It doesn't offer much of a dividend, as many of its holdings don't pay them.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/best-asian-companies-to-buy-right-now.html

Top Asian Stocks To Watch For 2016

Top Asian Stocks To Watch For 2016: Choice Hotels International Inc. (CHH)

Choice Hotels International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a hotel franchisor worldwide. It franchises lodging properties under its proprietary brand names, including Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Clarion, Sleep Inn, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Cambria Suites, and Ascend Collection brands. As of March 31, 2011, it operated 6,128 open hotels comprising 492,733 rooms, as well as 606 hotels consisting of 49,908 rooms under construction, awaiting conversion, or approved for development in 49 states, and the District of Columbia in the United States; and approximately 40 countries and other territories. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Getty Images From a door-to-door selling icon stocking up on blush after a disappointing quarter to several hotel chains checking in with strong occupancy trends, here's a rundown of the week's smartest moves and biggest blunders in the business world. Hotels -- Winners Hoteliers were apparently hopping during the first quarter. Despite the iffy weather and the equally iffy economy, the leading chains reporting this week posted surprisingly robust activity. Revenue per available room is a key metric because it tracks occupancy levels as well as prevailing overnight rates. The industry's doing well when RevPAR is positive, and that's just what we saw with this week's reports. Choice Hotels (CHH), Marriott (MAR), and Hyatt (H) clocked in with RevPAR increases of 5.6 percent, 6.3 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively. Twitter (TWTR) -- Loser Shares of Twitter hit an all-time low this week after the company posted disappointing user growth. Sure, the "all-time low" remark needs to be accompanied by the caveat that Twi! tter has only been trading publicly for less than six months. It's still a grim milestone for last year's most anticipated debutante. Twitter's revenue growth was fine, propelled by the recent success of its monetization initiatives. Its outlook was upbeat. However, the one thing that haunted investors this week was that Twitter had just 14 million more unique monthly visitors than it had a quarter earlier. That kind of sequential uptick would've impressed at most companies, but Twitter trades at a juicy premium to the market. #Letdown. J.C. Penney (JCP) -- Winner The struggling department store operator isn't out of the woods just yet, but at least one supplier is offering up encouraging insight. PVH (PVH) was presenting at an investor conference in Miami earlier in the week when its CEO offered up an encouraging perspective. "The Penney's business is running on or ahead of plan and given what their sales trends are," said CEO Manny Chirico,

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap hotel stock La Quinta Holdings Inc (NYSE: LQ) just had its IPO to raise a lower than expected $650 million after being priced below its expected range, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock which is focused on the mid-priced hotel market along with the performance of potential benchmarks like hotel stocks Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ: MAR), Choice Hotels International Inc (NYSE: CHH) and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN).

• [By Sean Williams]

  Don't make the wrong Choice
  I predict that 2013 will be the return of the "staycation." In the depths of the recession, instead of taking expensive getaways, consumers chose simply to take time off work and stay home or locally. I think we have the perfect confluence of factors that could make life difficult for Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH  ) , operator of Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, and a multitude of other mid-price-point hotels.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of Choic! e Hotels ! (NYSE: CHH  ) were getting picked last by investors today, falling 11% after cutting EPS guidance in its quarterly report.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-asian-stocks-to-watch-for-2016.html

Top 5 Financial Companies To Watch In Right Now

Top 5 Financial Companies To Watch In Right Now: First Horizon National Corp (FHN)

First Horizon National Corporation (FHN), incorporated in 1968, is a bank holding company. The Company provides financial services through its subsidiary, First Tennessee Bank National Association (the Bank), and its subsidiaries. The Company's two brands First Tennessee and FTN Financial provide customers with a range of products and services. First Tennessee provides retail and commercial banking services throughout Tennessee. FTN Financial (FTNF) is engaged in fixed income sales, trading, and strategies for institutional clients in the United States and abroad. FHN has four operating business segments: regional banking, capital markets, corporate, and non-strategic. As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had $16.4 billion in total deposits and $16 billion in total net loans. As of December 31, 2011, the Company's subsidiaries had over 200 business locations in 17 the United States states, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, excluding off-premises automated teller machines (ATMs). As o f December 31, 2011, the Bank had 183 branch locations in four states, which include 172 branches in metropolitan areas of Tennessee; two branches in northwestern Georgia; seven branches in northwestern Mississippi, and two branches in North Carolina. As of December 31, 2011, FTN Financial products and services were offered through 18 offices in total, including 16 offices in 14 states plus an office in each of Hong Kong and Tokyo.

The regional banking segment offers financial products and services, including traditional lending and deposit taking, to retail and commercial customers in Tennessee and surrounding markets. Regional banking provides investments, financial planning, trust services and asset management, credit card, cash management, and first lien mortgage originations within the Tennessee footprint. In addition, the regio! nal banking segment includes correspondent banking, which provides credit, depository, and other banking related services to other financial institutions.

The capital markets se! gment consists of fixed income sales, trading, and strategies for institutional clients in the United States and abroad, as well as loan sales, portfolio advisory, and derivative sales. The corporate segment consists of gains on the extinguishment of debt, unallocated corporate expenses, expense on subordinated debt issuances and preferred stock, bank-owned life insurance, unallocated interest income associated with excess equity, net impact of raising incremental capital, revenue and expense associated with deferred compensation plans, funds management, low income housing investment activities, and charges related to restructuring, repositioning, and efficiency. The non-strategic segment consists of the wind-down national consumer lending activities, legacy mortgage banking elements, including servicing fees, and the associated ancillary revenues and expenses related to these businesses. Non-strategic also includes the wind-down trust preferred loan portfolio and exited bus inesses along with the associated restructuring, repositioning, and efficiency charges.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided services through its subsidiaries, which include general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments; through FTN Financial fixed income sales and trading, underwriting of bank, loan sales, advisory services and derivative sales; discount brokerage and full-service brokerage; correspondent banking; transaction processing, such as nationwide check clearing services and remittance processing; trust, fiduciary, and agency services; credit card products; equipment finance; investment and financial advisory services; mutual fund sales as agent; retail insurance sales as agent, and mortgage banking services.

As of December 31, 2011, the commercial,! financia! l, and industrial (C&I) portfolio was eight billion dollars, and is consisted of loans used for general business purposes, and co nsisted of relationship customers in Tennessee and certain n! eighborin! g states, which are managed within the regional bank. Products include working capital lines of credit, term loan financing of owner-occupied real estate and fixed assets, and trade credit enhancement through letters of credit. As of December 31, 2011, the unpaid principal balance (UPB) of trust preferred loans totaled $447.2 million with the UPB of other bank-related loans totaling approximately $161.8 million. The commercial real estate portfolio includes both financings for commercial construction and non-construction loans. This portfolio is segregated between income commercial real estate (CRE) loans which contain loans, lines, and letters of credit to commercial real estate developers for the construction and mini- permanent financing of income-producing real estate, and residential CRE loans. The residential CRE portfolio includes loans to residential builders and developers for the purpose of constructing single-family detached homes, condominiums, and town homes. As of December 31, 2011, the residential CRE portfolio was $.1 billion. As of December 31, 2011, the consumer real estate portfolio was $5.3 billion, and is composed of home equity lines and installment loans. As of December 31, 2011, the credit card and other portfolios were $.3 billion, and primarily include credit card receivables, automobile loans, and over-the-counter (OTC) construction loans and other consumer related credits.

FHN's investment portfolio consists of debt securities, including government agency issued mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and government agency issued collateralized mortgage obligations (CMO). During the year ended December 31, 2011, Government agency issued MBS and CMO, and other agencies averaged $2.9 billion. During 2011, the United States treasury securities and municipal bonds ave! raged $79! .5 million. During 2011, investments in equity securities averaged $222.3 million.

During 2011, short-term funds (certificates of deposit greater than $100,000, federal funds purchased (! FFP), sec! urities sold under agreements to repurchase, trading liabilities, and other short-term borrowings) averaged $3.6 billion. During 2011, other borrowings increased to $.3 billion. Term borrowings include senior and subordinated borrowings and advances with original maturities greater than one year. During 2011, average term borrowings averaged $2.6 billion.

The Company competes with Regions Bank, SunTrust Bank, Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Bank of America N.A., and Pinnacle National Bank.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.17 per share on revenue of $286.98 million.

  Synacor (NASDAQ: SYNC) is estimated to post a Q1 loss at $0.05 per share on revenue of $24.53 million.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $0.18 per share on revenue of $307.14 million.

  Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (NYSE: LH) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.80 per share on revenue of $1.45 billion.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-financial-companies-to-watch-in-right-now-3.html

Best Construction Material Companies To Watch In Right Now

Best Construction Material Companies To Watch In Right Now: Societe Libanaise des Ciments Blancs SAL (CBN)

Societe Libanaise des Ciments Blancs SAL is a Lebanon-based joint stock company that operates in the construction materials industry sector. The Company is engaged in the production and sale of white cement. The Company is a 65.99% owned by Holcim (Liban) SAL. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CanadianValue]

  Nigeria's reformed banking system has provided many foreigners with an attractive means to invest in the fast-growing domestic economy. The banking industry is important, not only because of the rise of microfinance, but because of the move by banks into consumer banking. Until recently, banks were mainly financing large businesses or the government through bond purchases. Following a banking crisis in 2008, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) conducted an audit of the commercial banking sector. All banks that failed the audit had their CEOs replaced. The state-owned Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) was created to purchase non-performing loans and recapitalize the unhealthy banks. A recent review of the country's banks by the IMF showed a dramatic increase in profits for the industry in 2012, while the capital adequacy ratio was above the minimum requirement of 10% and non-performing loans were below the mandated threshold of 5%5.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-construction-material-companies-to-watch-in-right-now-3.html

Top Shipping Stocks To Watch Right Now

Top Shipping Stocks To Watch Right Now: Indo Global Exchange(IGEX)

Indo Global Exchange(s) Pte, Ltd., formerly Claridge Ventures, Inc., incorporated on May 7, 2008, presents and provides online trading platforms. The Companys online trading platforms offer market access to the clients, which include over 30 global equity exchanges for trading in securities; over 30 global equity exchanges for trading in contracts for differences (CFD's), which include Euro Zone, the United Kingdom, Japan, Asia, Oceania, Canada, & the United States; over 180 currency pairs in spot (Cash), forwards and options; gold and silver trading in spot (Cash), forwards and options; global commodity futures exchanges including financial futures, and indices and commodity CFD's.

The Companys trading services products include stocks, CDFs, forex, futures, contract option, exchange traded funds (ETF's) and exchange traded commodities (ETCs), foreign-exchange (FX) option and managed account. Education centre offers information through free tutorial and self paced learning for Shares, CFD's, Futures and FX for beginners and experienced traders alike. It is acting as the administrator, promoter, educator and integrator for the clients in Asia. The Company uses Halifax Investment Services Pty Ltd and Australian Stock Report as its clearing and settling operation in Australia. The Company is supported by global trading platforms in equities, CFDs, derivatives, commodities, energies, foreign exchange and options.

The Company provides online Forex trading for 24 hours a day on currency pairs worldwide. It offers a range of ETF's and ETCs that are tradable on live prices through its online trading platforms. It offers 1,500+ ETFs and ETCs. The Companys platforms include Online Trader, WEBTrader and Mobiletrader. Its stock accesses more than 14,000 stocks from 29 global exchanges. Its CFDs access to over 8,000 CFDs including 21 Index-Tracking CFDs, 20 Commodity CFDs and Forex CFDs across 29 global excha! nges wo rldwide. Its futures offer more than 190 instruments, including crude oil, currencies, gold and silver, agricultural products, meats, softs and stock indices.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  So who's going to head-to-head with E-TRADE, TD Ameritrade, or Charles Schwab and become the next heavy-hitter in the world of web-based stock brokers? Well, no one's going to go head to head with those firms to become an online trading powerhouse. Rather, Indo Global Exchange(s) PteLtd (OTCMKTS:IGEX) is going to mirror the success those companies have had in the United States (and to some extent their success in other nations) by becoming Indonesia's first - and best - online stock brokerage service.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Care to venture a guess as to what country is the world's fourth largest by population, and 16th largest by gross domestic product? Few get the right answer, even with both descriptors. Likewise, since most underestimate the size and strength of this nation, they also underestimate the size and scope of one particular investment opportunity. The country: Indonesia. The stock: Indo Global Exchanges PteLtd (OTCMKTS:IGEX). Indo Global is planting the seeds to become that country's first, best (and so far, only) online stock-trading service... a country where Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE:SCHW), TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (NYSE:AMTD), and E-TRADE Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:ETFC) don't have a presence to get in Indo's way.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-shipping-stocks-to-watch-right-now-2.html

Zacks #1 Ranked Federated Mutual Funds - Best of Fund Family

10 Best Up And Coming Stocks To Watch For 2016

Federated Investors has used a disciplined approach to deliver superior value to investors since its inception in 1955. The company is now one of the largest investment managers in the U.S. managing more than $377.3 billion worth of assets. Federated offers a wide range of products, including domestic and international equity, fixed-income and money market funds. These products are distributed through a large network of around 4,700 financial intermediaries and institutions.

Below we will share with you 5 top rated Federated mutual funds. Each has earned a Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) as we expect these mutual funds to outperform their peers in the future. To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all Federated funds, investors can click here to see the complete list of funds.

Federated High Yield Trust Service (FHYTX) seeks current income growth. The fund invests primarily in high-yield U.S. corporate bonds with low ratings. A maximum of 20% of assets is parked in convertible and equity securities. The fund has a three year annualized return of 13.71%.

The Fund Manager is Gene E. Neavin and he has managed this Federated mutual fund since 2011.

Federated MDT Stock (FSTKX) invests a majority of assets in common stock of domestic companies. Most of these companies have large market capitalizations and are listed on the Russell 1000 Value Index. The fund has a three year annualized return of 18.04%.

The Federated mutual fund has an expense ratio of 0.99% compared to a category average of 1.21%.

Federated Capital Income A (CAPAX) seeks income growth on a long-term basis along with current income. The fund invests in both equity and fixed income securities which have the potential to provide high returns. Equity securities of those companies are chosen which are established and whose market capitalizations r! ange from mid-cap and large cap. Debt securities which provide high dividend yields and are expected to continue the trend are selected for investment. The fund has a three year annualized return of 11.43%.

As of March 2013, this Federated mutual fund held 115 issues, with 25.02% of its total assets invested in High Yield Bond Portfolio.

Federated Bond A (FDBAX) invests primarily in investment grade fixed-income securities. A maximum of 35% of assets is invested in junk bonds. Investments are also parked in government securities which are backed by the U.S Government. It may also invest in derivatives. The fund has a three year annualized return of 7.93%.

The Fund Manager is Joseph M. Balestrino and he has managed this Federated mutual fund since 1993.

Federated Kaufmann A (KAUAX) seeks capital growth. The fund invests in those small and mid-cap companies which are listed on national security exchanges; the Nasdaq and the over counter market. Not more than 30% of its assets are invested in foreign securities. The fund may also invest in exchange-traded-funds, fixed-income securities and American Depository Receipts (ADRs). The fund has a three year annualized return of 12.32%.

The Federated mutual fund has a minimum initial investment of $1,500 and an expense ratio of 1.95% compared to a category average of 1.35%.

To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all Federated mutual funds, investors can click here to see the complete list of funds.

About Zacks Mutual Fund Rank

By applying the Zacks Rank to mutual funds, investors can find funds that not only outpaced the market in the past but are also expected to outperform going forward. Learn more about the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank at http://www.zacks.com/funds.

Top Energy Companies For 2015

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The broader markets were able to end the week on a positive note.

On CNBC's "Fast Money" TV show, Pete Najarian said he's raising cash and feels the market's move higher is only short-term. He also stressed that he's not bearish but he wants to lighten up his equity exposure.

Tim Seymour said despite the historical weakness for equities in September, the month has been pretty good the past couple of years. He added that he would take some gains.

Guy Adami said the recent strength in stocks is something to sell into. He added that he likes ConocoPhillips (COP) near $66 and Exxon Mobil (XOM) near $85. Steve Grasso said he sold his position in Tesla Motors (TSLA) and will look to buy on a pullback, and is still long the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM). He added that the market seems to have baked in about $15 billion per month in tapering from the Federal Reserve. Gold had its worst week since June, but spiked near the end of the day on concerns over Syria. Grasso said that while the Fed does matter for gold, all the focus is on Syria right now. In other commodities, Adami said steel looks to have turned the corner, despite having a bad day on Friday. He added that U.S. Steel Corp. (X) has formed a solid base. Seymour said the industrial side of the world is starting to accelerate and wants to be in three main industries: cyclical industrials, bulks and industrial metals. He added he expects four to six weeks of weakness, but thinks the fourth quarter will be strong. Mary Ann Bartels, CIO of portfolio strategies at Merrill Lynch, was a guest on the show and said she remains very bullish on equities, with a 1,750 year-end target for the S&P 500. She added that stocks have been impressively strong in the face of potential tapering and rising rates. Bartels likes the energy, technology and industrial sectors. Disney (DIS) was the first stock on the show's "Pops & Drops" segment and Grasso said he would buy any weakness in the name.

Top 10 Cheapest Stocks To Watch Right Now: Building Turbines Inc (BLDW)

Building Turbines Inc (BTI), incorporated on November 17, 1997, is engaged in the designing and manufacturing rooftop mounted wind turbines. The patented BTI�� design is ideal for commercial applications and creates reliable, cost-effective, clean and on-site renewable electricity. The Company offers a different, patented wind turbine product that can bring the dream of clean, affordable wind energy to a reality. The turbine is mounted on a steel frame, it has a low profile, low maintenance needs, and creates almost no noise or vibration.

The Company�� design possesses these exemplary and robust structural, mechanical and electrical characteristics that are particularly important when mounting a renewable energy system onto a building's roof. The turbine can help office buildings, schools, warehouses, distribution centers, airports, hotels, and a variety of other buildings offset electricity purchased from the grid by creating it on-site from the wind. The turbine creates reliable, cost-effective and clean renewable electricity with little building modification required.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap green stocks Building Turbines Inc (OTCMKTS: BLDW), Virtual Sourcing, Inc (OTCMKTS: PGCX) and Unseen Solar, Inc (OTCMKTS: PCWT) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters in part because some ��reen�� is being paid out in the form of paid promotions or investor relation activity. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions, but you do need to remember that small cap stocks (especially those in new ��reen�� industries) already come with risk. With that in mind, here is a quick reality check about these three green small cap stocks and whether you can expect to see some green in the form of profits:

  Building Turbines Inc (OTCMKTS: BLDW) Has Secured a $5 Million Line of Credit

  Small cap Building Turbines Inc is focused on the design and manufacture of patented rooftop wind turbines as well as vertically integrating them into other renewable energy solutions to complete a total ��reen Energy Solution��for any urban environment. Building Turbines Inc�� subsidiary, Green City Planet, is also a premier provider of LED lighting and environmentally sound industrial solutions. On Friday, Building Turbines Inc fell 9.76% to $0.0370 for a market cap of $8.71 million plus BLDW is up 51% over the past year and down 87.2% since June 2011 according to Google Finance.

Top Energy Companies For 2015: Kinder Morgan Management LLC (KMR)

Kinder Morgan Management, LLC is a limited partner in Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P (KMP), and manages and controls its business and affairs pursuant to a delegation of control agreement. Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc., of which Kinder Morgan, Inc. indirectly owns all of the outstanding common equity, is the general partner of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (KMP). Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc., pursuant to a delegation of control agreement among the Company, Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc. and KMP, has delegated to the Company, to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law and KMP�� limited partnership agreement, all of its rights and powers to manage and control the business and affairs of KMP, subject to the general partner�� right to approve specified actions.

KPM is a pipeline limited partnerships in the United States. KMP owns an investment in or operates approximately 28,000 miles of pipelines and 180 terminals. Its pipelines transport products, such as natural gas, crude oil, gasoline, and CO2, and its terminals store petroleum products and chemicals and handle materials like coal. Almost all of Kinder Morgan assets are owned by KMP, KMP operates in five business segments : Natural Gas Pipelines, Products Pipelines, CO2, Terminals and Kinder Morgan Canada.

Kinder Morgan is a transporter and marketer of carbon dioxide in North America. It delivers approximately 1.3 billion cubic feet per day of CO2 through about 1,300 miles of pipelines. It is an oil producer in Texas, producing over 55,000 barrels of oil per day at the SACROC Unit and the Yates Field in the Permian Basin. In addition to CO2 pipelines and oil producing fields, this business segment owns interests in and operates CO2 source fields, natural gas and gasoline processing plants, and a crude oil pipeline. Kinder Morgan owns and operates approximately 24,000 miles of gas pipelines in the Rocky Mountains, the Midwest and Texas. Through its Products Pipelines business unit, it transports over two million barre! ls per day of gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, natural gas liquids and other fuels through more than 8,000 miles of pipelines. The Company also has approximately 50 liquids terminals in this business segment that store fuels and offer blending services for ethanol and other products.

Kinder Morgan have more than 180 terminals that store petroleum products and chemicals, and handle bulk materials like coal, petroleum coke and steel products. Kinder Morgan operates a number of pipeline systems and terminal facilities in Canada including the Trans Mountain pipeline, the Express and Platte pipelines, the Cochin pipeline, the Puget Sound and the Trans Mountain Jet Fuel pipelines, the Westridge marine terminal, the Vancouver Wharves terminal in British Columbia and the North Forty terminal in Edmonton, Alberta.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Philip Springer]

  Kinder Morgan is a pioneer in the rapidly growing niche of energy master limited partnerships (MLPs). But the company reversed course this week, and announced that it will put all of its MLP assets into its traditional C corporation, Kinder Morgan Inc. (NYSE: KMI).
  
  Kinder Morgan’s various companies operate a huge network of “midstream” assets: pipelines and terminals that move and store oil and natural gas. The company is a direct, lower-risk beneficiary of the new energy boom in the U.S.
  
  In a $44 billion deal, general partner Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) will acquire the outstanding shares of Kinder�Morgan Energy Partners LP�(NYSE: KMP), Kinder Morgan Management LLC�(NYSE: KMR) and�El Paso Pipeline Partners LP�(NYSE: EPB).
  
  The new Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) will have an estimated enterprise value of about $140 billion��100 billion of market value and $40 billion of debt��aking it the third-largest energy company in the U.S., after ExxonMobil and Chevron.
  
  As of the announcement, the deal valued KMP and KMR at $90 per unit, and EPB at $39. All are significant premiums over their prices before the announcement. However, KMP, KMR and EPB now are trading well above those levels, as is KMI.
  
  Richard Kinder, co-founder and chief executive of Kinder Morgan, basically set in motion the increasingly popular MLP structure in the 1990s. MLPs pay no corporate taxes and distribute their profits to unit holders.
  
  MLPs over time have delivered high, growing payouts, which have fueled price appreciation too. The number of MLPs has grown from just 38 a decade ago to 120 now, with a combined market value of some $600 billion.
  
  But KMP, the biggest MLP of all ($45 billion market value), in particular has had two problems. MLPs need to constantly buy or build new assets in order to keep increasing their high distributions to investors. But KMP had grown so large that it was hard to find suitable targets.
  
  Secon

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Kinder’s little boost of confidence appears to have worked today. Kinder Morgan’s shares have gained 3% to $36.28 today, while Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (KMP) has ticked up 0.2% to $80.38. Kinder Morgan Management (KMR) has dropped 1.7% to $75.41.

Top Energy Companies For 2015: Peat Resources Ltd (PET)

Peat Resources Limited is a Canada-based, development-stage company. The Company is engaged in the exploration and development of peat properties in Newfoundland and Labrador (Newfoundland) and Ontario. During the fiscal year ended May 31, 2012, the Company had not generated any revenue from its operations. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By TaniaC]

  The Coca-Cola Company (KO) and its bottling partners in Mexico announced a joint, six-year investment of $8.2 billion at a ceremony commemorating the world's largest food-grade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle-to-bottle recycling plant. Coca-Cola began operations in Mexico 88 years ago.

Top Energy Companies For 2015: Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.(CLF)

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., a mining and natural resources company, produces iron ore pellets, lump and fines iron ore, and metallurgical coal products. The company operates six iron ore mines in Michigan, Minnesota, and eastern Canada; two iron ore mining complexes in Western Australia; five metallurgical coal mines located in West Virginia and Alabama; and one thermal coal mine located in West Virginia. It also owns a 45% economic interest in a coking and thermal coal mine located in Queensland, Australia; and a 30% interest in Amapa, a Brazilian iron ore project in Latin America, as well as chromite properties in Ontario, Canada. The company, formerly known as Cleveland-Cliffs Inc, was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Today’s been a lousy day for Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF).

  Reuters

  It’s shares have dropped 4.7% to $17.78 at 2:31 p.m. today, joining a selloff that has caused�Rio Tinto�(RIO) to fall 2.4% to $52.11, BHP Billiton (BHP) to decline 2.8% to $64.82 and Vale (VALE) to drop 3.2% to $12.62.

  The reason: China’s export data was tres terrible and commodity prices have dropped across the board–especially iron ore. And the one thing Cliffs Natural resources can’t afford is lower prices for iron ore.

  Axiom Capital’s Gordon Johnson and James Bardowski explain why:

  In summary, given our view on 2014 iron ore prices, we believe [Cliffs Natural Resources] will likely blow through its debt covenants in 2014, further cut its dividend, and likely need to do a very large dilutive equity deal (if the company is not able to execute these options, we see acute liquidity risk in the offing). While we recognize� [Cliffs Natural Resources] has recently replaced its senior management team (CEO/Chairman & CFO), providing a new, more risk-averse approach to allocating capital, given our view on iron ore prices (anchored by what we see as structurally slower growth in China), we view the issues plaguing the company currently as structural. While we see a turnaround as possible, $114 iron ore suggests bankruptcy is a growing reality, inspiring our report�� title ��iving On A Prayer��

  The sad thing is that it didn’t have to be this way, Johnson and Bardowski say. Cliffs Natural Resources once had a steady business selling iron to non-coastal companies but wanted to get in on the China play. So it purchased other mines, culminating in the acquisition of Consolidated Thompson. Now it’s paying for it.

  Shares of Cliffs Natural Resources have plunged 32% so far this year, while Rio Tinto has fallen 7.7%, BHP Billiton has dropped 4.9% and Vale has declined 17%.

Top Energy Companies For 2015: Crestwood Equity Partners LP (CEQP)

Crestwood Equity Partners LP, incorporated on March 7, 2001, is a master limited partnership. The Company owns the general partner interest (including the distribution rights) and an approximate 4% limited partner interest of Crestwood Midstream.

In addition, the Company's operations include a natural gas storage business in Texas and a natural gas liquid (NGL) and crude oil supply and logistics business that serves customers in the United States and Canada. On October 7, 2013, Crestwood Midstream Partners LP merged into Inergy Midstream, L.P.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  On Tuesday, Inergy (NYSE: CEQP  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed knee-jerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  With Kinder Morgan's acquisition of Copano Energy officially in the bag, all eyes are on the newest big deal in the midstream world: the merger of Crestwood Midstream Partners (NYSE: CMLP  ) and Inergy (NYSE: CEQP  ) . In this video, Fool.com contributor Aimee Duffy takes a look at this $7 billion deal, and explains what the ownership structure looks like at the new, yet-to-be-named entity.

3 Natural Gas Stocks to Buy Now

Popular Posts: 5 Energy Stocks to Power Your PortfolioShould I Buy XOM? 3 Pros, 3 ConsThe 4 Best ETFs for Young Investors Recent Posts: 3 Natural Gas Stocks to Buy Now 5 Energy Stocks to Power Your Portfolio Should I Buy XOM? 3 Pros, 3 Cons View All Posts

Now is a great time to be an investor in energy stocks: North America's shale oil and natural gas revolution keeps on rolling. Hydraulic fracturing has simply changed the game for the energy industry. And as the E&P sector continues to use fracking and other advanced drilling techniques, production numbers and reserves keep climbing.

All of that activity has been a big boon to natural gas stocks.

Various utilities are switching over from "dirty" coal to the cheaper, cleaner-burning fuel, and with consumers — both residential and commercial — increasing their demand, consumption of natural gas continues to spike. Meanwhile, the promises of liquefied natural gas exports and natural gas-fueled vehicles only heightened the potential boom for natural gas companies even further.

Overall, the Energy Information Administration projects that natural gas demand in the United States could be 26.55 trillion cubic feet by the year 2035 — a 16% increase since the hydraulic fracturing boom took off in 2009.

Simply put, natural gas stocks could be the energy stocks with biggest potential. Here are three prime natural gas stocks to buy now:

Southwestern Energy

Top 10 Airline Companies To Own For 2016

Southwestern Energy (SWN) is well-positioned to benefit from rising gas demand. The natural gas stock is one of the biggest players in some of the most prolific shale fields in the country. Those fields include Pennsylvania's mammoth Marcellus and roughly 915,000 acres in the Fayetteville shale of Oklahoma and Arkansas.

While the focus on dry gas has hindered many other natural gas stocks, SWN has benefited due to its drilling efficiencies and low cost structure. Southwestern’s finding and development costs have averaged below $1.50 per millions of cubic feet of natural gas equivalent over the last three years. Only a small handful of natural gas companies — including Range Resources (RRC) — have beaten SWN in that regard.

Those low capex costs have helped the firm see huge returns in the earnings department.

The natural gas stock reported a 34.2% jump in profits and a 25.5% increase revenues vs. the year-ago quarter. That follows SWN's massive 108% profit gain reported in the second quarter. With Southwestern deciding to hike its 2013 capital spending plan to $2.25 billion, analysts estimate that the boost in output should help profits grow even further into 2014.

SWN shares currently trade for a forward P/E of 17.

Cabot Oil & Gas

First mover status is vitally important when it comes to selecting energy stocks — just ask Cabot Oil & Gas (COG). The firm is one of the first and largest players in the Marcellus, where COG has seen the biggest production gains — to the tune of a 61% rise in the third quarter.

However, those gains are set to continue as COG just finished a massive capex spending plan. And like SWN, Cabot's costs remain one of the lowest in the industry — $1.20 per Mcf. The company plans on spending $1.475 billion on future drilling and well completion, which should help move the needle on cash flows and profits at the natural gas company.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs (GS) estimate that COG should produce pre-tax profits of $515 million in 2013 and jump to $800 million next year. That implies a $48 price target for the energy stock — $14 higher than today.

Ultra Petroleum

For those investors looking for natural gas companies with a bit more "oomph,” energy stock Ultra Petroleum (UPL) could be the prime portfolio play. As of the end of 2012, UPL's mix of production included about 96% dry natural gas. While that seems awfully scary given just how much prices for the fuel have swayed, Ultra is a low-cost leader … just like both SWN and COG.

In fact, UPL's finding and development costs are a little more than $1 per McfE, and it only needs natural gas to be at $2.88 to "break even" on its wells. Other natural gas companies — like kingpin Chesapeake (CHK) — need prices to be around $4 to make a profit.

Now, UPL has recently made moves to purchase more oil reserves and boost its overall product mix. The firm paid $650 million for acreage in Utah’s Uinta Basin, which features many of the same operating dynamics and low costs as UPL's current mix of shale assets. Ultimately, those oilier acres should help smooth out earnings for the stock and help produce higher cash flows. But much of Ultra's future production will still be tied to natural gas, making it one of the best natural gas stocks to buy if you want to play rising demand.

As of this writing, Aaron Levitt did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

Top Construction Material Companies To Watch In Right Now

Top Construction Material Companies To Watch In Right Now: CEMEX SAB de CV (CX)

CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (CEMEX), incorporated on January 20, 1931, is a global cement manufacturer with operations in North America, Europe, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The Company is a holding company engaged through the operating subsidiaries in the production, distribution, marketing and sale of cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and clinker. As of December 31, 2009, the Company's cement production facilities were located in Mexico, the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Latvia, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Egypt, the Philippines and Thailand.

The Company manufactures cement through a closely controlled chemical process, which begins with the mining and crushing of limestone and clay, and, in some instances, other raw materials. The clay and limestone are then pre-homogenized, a process which consists of combining diffe rent types of clay and limestone. The mix is typically dried, then fed into a grinder, which grinds the various materials in preparation for the kiln. The raw materials are calcined, or processed, at a very high temperature in a kiln, to produce clinker. Clinker is the intermediate product used in the manufacture of cement.

Ready-mix concrete is a combination of cement, fine and coarse aggregates, admixtures (which control properties of the concrete including plasticity, pumpability, freeze-thaw resistance, strength and setting time), and water. The Company is a supplier of aggregates primarily the crushed stone, sand and gravel, used in virtually all forms of construction.

Mexican Operations

During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Mexican operations represented approximately 21% of the Company! 's net sales. CEMEX Mexico is a direct subsidiary of CEMEX and is both a holding company for some of the operating companies in Mexico a nd an operating company involved in the manufacturing and ma! rketing of cement, plaster, gypsum, groundstone and other construction materials and cement by-products in Mexico. CEMEX Mexico, indirectly, is also the holding company for the international operations. The Company owns Tolteca, Monterrey, Maya, Anahuac, Campana, Gallo, and Centenario brands in Mexico. As of December 31, 2009, the Company owned 100% of CEMEX Mexico.

The Company competes with Holcim Ltd., Sociedad Cooperativa Cruz Azul, Cementos Moctezuma, Grupo Cementos Chihuahua and Lafarge Cementos in Mexico.

U.S. Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company's operations in the United States represented approximately 19% of the Company's net sales. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX, Inc. As of December 31, 2009, CEMEX had a cement manufacturing capacity of approximately 17.9 million tons per year in the United States operations. As of December 31, 2009, the Company operated 14 cement plants located in Al abama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. As of December 31, 2009, it also had 48 rails or water served active cement distribution terminals in the United States. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had 336 ready-mix concrete plants located in the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington and aggregates facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Spanish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the operations in Spain represented approximately 5% of the Company's net sales. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held approximately 99.8% of CEMEX Espana, the main operating subsidiary in Spain. The ce! ment acti! vities in Spain are conducted by CEMEX Espana. The ready-mix concrete activities in Spain are conducted by Hormicemex, S.A., a subsidiar y of CEMEX Espana, and the aggregates activities in Spain ar! e conduct! ed by Aricemex S.A., also a subsidiary of CEMEX Espana.

U.K. Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company's operations in the United Kingdom represented approximately 8% of the Company's net sales. As of December 31, 2009, it held 100% of CEMEX Investments Limited, the holding subsidiary in the United Kingdom. The Company is a provider of building materials in the United Kingdom with vertically integrated cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and asphalt operations. It is also a provider of concrete and precast materials solutions, such as concrete blocks, concrete block paving, roof tiles, flooring systems and sleepers for rail infrastructure.

The Company competes with Lafarge, Heidelberg, Tarmac, and Aggregate Industries in the United Kingdom.

German Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the operations in the Rest of Europe consisted of the operations in Germany, France, Ireland, Poland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Austria and Hungary, as well as the other European assets. The Company is a provider of building materials in Germany, with vertically integrated cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and concrete products operations (consisting mainly of prefabricated concrete ceilings and walls). It maintains a network for ready-mix concrete and aggregates in Germany. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Deutschland AG, the holding subsidiary in Germany.

The Company competes with Heidelberg, Dyckerhoff, Lafarge, Holcim and Schwenk in Germany.

French Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX France Gestion (S.A.S.), the holding subsidiary in France. It is a ready-mix concrete producer and aggregate producer in France. As of Decem! ber 31, 2! 009, the Company operated 239 ready-mix concrete plants in France, one maritime cement terminal located in LeHavre, on the northern coast of Franc e, 20 land distribution centers and 42 aggregates quarries.

The Company competes with Lafarge, Holcim, Italcementi, Vicat, Lafarge, Italcementi, Colas (Bouygues) and Eurovia (Vinci) in France.

Irish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held approximately 61.2% of Readymix Plc, the operating subsidiary in the Republic of Ireland. The operations in Ireland produce and supply sand, stone and gravel, as well as ready-mix concrete, mortar and concrete blocks. As of December 31, 2009, we operated 43 ready-mix concrete plants, 27 aggregates quarries and 15 block plants located in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. The Company imports and distributes cement in the Isle of Man.

The Company competes with CRH, the Lagan Group and Kilsaran in the Republic of Ireland.

Polish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Polska Sp. z.o.o. (CEMEX Polska), the holding subsidiary in Poland. It is a provider of building mat erials in Poland serving the cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates markets. As of December 31, 2009, CEMEX operated two cement plants and one grinding mill in Poland, with a total installed cement capacity of three million tons per year. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated 39 ready-mix concrete plants and nine aggregates quarries in Poland. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated 10 land distribution centers and two maritime terminals in Poland.

The Company competes with Heidelberg, Lafarge, CRH and Dyckerhoff in Poland.

Southeast European Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Hrvatska d.d. (Hrvatska), the operating subsidiary in Croatia. As of December 31, 2009, it operated three cement plants in Croatia, with an i! nstalled ! capacity of 2.4 million tons per year. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated ten land distribution centers, three maritime cement terminals, e ight ready-mix concrete facilities and one aggregates quarry! in Croat! ia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GuruFocus]

  George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) just reported his first quarter portfolio. He buys Citrix Systems Inc, Baker Hughes Inc, Comcast Corp, Spansion Inc, etc during the 3-months ended 03/31/2014, according to the most recent filings of his investment company, Soros Fund Management LLC. As of 03/31/2014, Soros Fund Management LLC owns 305 stocks with a total value of $10.1 billion. These are the details of the buys and sells.New Purchases: BHI, CODE, CTRP, CLI, AVB, COMM, CNQ, AGO, AUY, ATML, ASH, BXMT, CSTM, AEM, CMA, ARE, CHKP, AUQ, BEAV, CX, ADSK, AALCP, BLK, AIG, BIIB, ADEP, AMRI, ARWR, ATHX, BALT, BCRX, BEAT, CFX, CLFD, CUR, CODE,Added Positions: CTXS, CMCSA, CNP, ALTR, BRCD, CBS, CRM, CHTR, CCJ, CIEN, BIDU, ALLE, ABT, CDNS, ACT,Reduced Positions: AAPL, CCI, AMT, ABBV, AAL, BITA, AL, ANGI, ARIA, CBST, BA, BIRT, EXAR,Sold Out: C, BAC, CRI, AMZN, AGN, CF, BRCM, COTY, BMY, AMCX, CAR, A, ADBE, AFL,For the details of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)'s stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=George+SorosThis is the sector weightings of his portfolio:Technology18.9%Energy14%Healthcare8.3%Consumer Defensive8.2%Communication Services8.1%Consumer Cyclical5.4%Industrials5.1%Basic Materials4.9%Financial Services2.5%Real Estate1.9%Utilities0.5%These are the top 5 holdings of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)1. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA) - 10,310,041 shares, 5.4% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 10.67%2. Herbalife Ltd (HLF) - 4,901,337 shares, 2.8% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 52.9%3. EQT Corp (EQT) - 2,573,814 shares, 2.5% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 3.27%4. Adecoagro SA (AGRO) - 25,9! 15,076 sh! ares, 2.1% of the total portfolio.5. Halliburton Co (HAL) - 3,596,353 shares, 2.1% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 20.73%New Purchase: Baker Hughes Inc (BHI)George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) initiated holdings in Baker Hughes Inc. His purchase prices were between $51.82 and $65.2 7, with an estimated

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Cemex SAB de CV (CX)

  As of the close of the third quarter there were nine guru owners of Cemex. These gurus held a combined weighting of 5.30%. During the third quarter, there were three gurus making buys and nine making sells of their stake in CX.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Vulcan have gained 7.6%, and given a lift to other cement makers today, including Martin Marietta Materials (MLM), which has risen 4.9% and reports earnings on Thursday, Cemex (CX), which has advanced 1.5%, and Texas Industries (TXI), which is up 4.9%.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-construction-material-companies-to-watch-in-right-now-3.html

Hot Transportation Stocks To Buy For 2016

Hot Transportation Stocks To Buy For 2016: DryShips Inc (DRYS)

DryShips Inc. (DryShips), incorporated in September 2004, is a holding company engaged in the ocean transportation services of drybulk cargoes and crude oil worldwide through the ownership and operation of drybulk carrier vessels and oil tankers and offshore drilling services through the ownership and operation of ultra-deepwater drilling units. As of December 31, 2011, DryShips owned and operated two fifth generation ultra-deepwater, semi-submersible offshore drilling rigs, the Leiv Eiriksson and the Eirik Raude, and four sixth generation, advanced capability ultra-deepwater drillships, the Ocean Rig Corcovado, the Ocean Rig Olympia, the Ocean Rig Poseidon and the Ocean Rig Mykonos. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned and operated four Aframax tankers, Saga, Daytona, Belmar, and Calida, and one Suezmax tanker, Vilamoura. On August 24, 2011, DryShips acquired all of their shares of OceanFreight Inc. On October 5, 2011, DryShips completed the partial spin off of Ocea n Rig UDW Inc. (Ocean Rig UDW). On November 3, 2011, the merger of Pelican Stockholdings Inc. (Pelican Stockholdings), its wholly owned subsidiary, and OceanFreight, was completed. In January 2013, it sold two of its tankers under construction at Samsung Heavy Industries, Esperona and Blanca.

As of December 31, 2011, DryShips operated its tankers under pooling arrangements that are managed by Heidmar Inc. As of March 6, 2012, the Company owned, through its subsidiaries, a fleet of 36 drybulk carriers, consisting of nine Capesize, 25 Panamax and two Supramax vessels, which have a combined deadweight tonnage of approximately 3.53 million deadweight tonnage and an average age of approximately eight years; six drilling units, comprised of two modern, fifth generation, advanced capability ultra-deepwater semisubmersible offshore drilling rigs and four sixth generation, advanced capability ultra-deepwater drillships, and five tankers, comprised of four! Aframax and on e Suezmax tankers.

The Companys drybulk flee! t principally carries a variety of drybulk commodities, including major bulk items, such as coal, iron ore, and grains, and minor bulk items, such as bauxite, phosphate, fertilizers and steel products. During the year ended December 31, 2011, DryShips sold the drybulk vessel Primera; contracted for and completed the sale of the drybulk vessels La Jolla, Conquistador, Brisbane, Samsara and Toro; took delivery of its four sixth-generation, ultra-deepwater advanced capability sister drillships constructed by Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (Samsung), the Ocean Rig Corcovado, the Ocean Rig Olympia, the Ocean Rig Poseidon and the Ocean Rig Mykonos; took delivery of three newbuilding Aframax tankers, Saga, Daytona and Belmar, and one newbuilding Suezmax tanker, Vilamoura, and acquired four Capesize vessels, MV Robusto, MV Cohiba, MV Montecristo and MV Partagas, two Panamax vessels, the MV Topeka and the MV Helena. DryShips contracted for and completed the sale of the drybulk ves sels Avoca and Padre, which were delivered to their new owners, on February 14, 2012 and February 24, 2012, respectively.

Drybulk Operations

The Company manages the deployment of its drybulk fleet between long-term and short-term time charters. A time charter is a contract to charter a vessel for a fixed period of time at a specified or floating daily or index-based daily rate and can last from a few days to several years. A spot charter refers to a voyage charter or a trip charter or a short-term time charter. Under a bareboat charter, the vessel is chartered for a stipulated period of time, which gives the charterer possession and control of the vessel, including the right to appoint the master and the crew.

Offshore Drilling Operations

In January 2012, following the completion of the contract with Tullow Oil plc (Tullow Oil) contract, discussed below, the Eirik Raude commenced a contract with Anadarko ! Cote dIvo! ire Com pany (Anadarko) for the drilling of two wells offshore West ! Africa. I! ts offshore drilling operations consist of the Ocean Rig Corcovado, the Ocean Rig Olympia, the Ocean Rig Poseidon and the Ocean Rig Mykonos. As of December 31, 2011, the Ocean Rig Corcovado was employed under a three-year contract, plus a mobilization period, with Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras Brazil) for drilling operations offshore Brazil. The Ocean Rig Olympia is operating under contracts to drill a total of five wells for exploration drilling offshore Ghana and the Ivory Coast. The Ocean Rig Poseidon commenced a contract with Petrobras Tanzania, a company related to Petrobras Oil & Gas B.V. (Petrobras Oil & Gas).

The Ocean Rig Mykonos commenced a three-year contract, plus a mobilization period, with Petrobras Brazil, on September 30, 2011, for drilling operations offshore Brazil. DryShipss wholly owned subsidiary, Ocean Rig AS, provides supervisory management services, including onshore management, to its operating drilling rigs and drillships. DryS hips also has contracts to provide offshore drilling services and drilling units.

Tanker Operations

The Company employs its Aframax tankers Saga, Daytona, Belmar and Calida, in the Sigma tanker pool, which consists of 46 Aframax tankers, with fourteen different pool partners. It employs its Suezmax tanker, Vilamoura, in the Blue Fin tanker pool, which consists of 18 Suezmax tankers with eight different pool partners.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MTF Investing]

  Why is it that every time I try and defend a company that I feel good about, they go and do something frustrating for investors like dilute shareholder value? For the record, I am a fan of DryShips, Inc (DRYS), and have written several articles about the company, and the turnaround in the Dry Shipping industry. So was this a smart move or just another way that George Economou has used the company as a way to rob share holders of value?

[B! y Bryan Murphy]

The last few weeks have been, shall we say "interesting" for maritime shipping stocks like FreeSeas Inc. (NASDAQ:FREE), DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS), and NewLead Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:NEWL). The strong rise in the Baltic Dry Index - the average daily charter rate of a dry goods vessel - since mid-August (and really since early June) has meant maritime shippers can charge more for their services, and who knows? Maybe they can even turn a profit sometime in the foreseeable future. As a result of that possibility, DRYS gained nearly 100% in a little over a month., NEWL was up as much as 70% at one point in late September, and FREE advanced nearly 300% on the heels of the Baltic Dry Index's runup from 1000 to more than 2000 in just a little over a month.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Two months ago, maritime shipping stocks FreeSeas Inc. (NASDAQ:FREE), NewLead Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:NEWL), and DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS) were all the rage; traders couldn't get enough of them. The spark for the new strength from DRYS, NEWL, and FREE was a strong - and somewhat surprising - bounce in Baltic Dry Index, which roughly measures the daily charter rate for maritime shipping vessels. It had risen from a low of 698 at the beginning of the year to above 1000 by July to a peak of 2113 in late September. Since these shipping companies had seen a tripling (in less than a year, mind you) of the prices they could charge customers, the rebounding interest in these stocks was certainly understandable. FreeSeas shares more than doubled in value during that time. DryShips nearly did the same. While NewLead Holdings Ltd didn't actually dole out any significant gain, it did draw a lot of new interest during that hot period as a potential "the next one to take off" idea.

  < /li>
• [By Nickey Friedman]

  DryShips (NASDAQ: DRYS  ) reported fiscal third-quarter results Wednesday night that blew away estimates. But things weren't as good as they seemed, even as shares rose ! in after-! hours trading.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/hot-transportation-stocks-to-buy-for-2016.html

5 Best Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now

LOUISVILLE, Ky - The small package wrapped in brown paper and decorated with holiday stickers arrived at United Parcel Service's Worldport facility around midnight with an incorrect shipping label.

Within seconds, the package addressed from a child in California to her grandmother in Wisconsin was sent to the "sort exception area" -- more commonly called the "island of misfit toys." It's where all the packages that are mislabeled, unlabeled or damaged go to be fixed in the land of UPS.

"Sometimes you have to provide a little extra care to help get the packages to their right destination," said Jenna Clayton, a package handler and three-year UPS veteran who scanned the box and realized it contained the wrong ZIP code. "You see a lot of things that you know are presents this time of year. It's kind of exciting to be part of that."

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Invest In 2016: Sovereign Lithium Inc (SLCO)

Sovereign Lithium, Inc., formerly Great American Energy Inc., incorporated on February 22, 2007, is a mineral exploration and development company focused on supporting clean energy and clean technology industries. The Company is engaged in identifying, acquiring and developing mineral assets in the United States and surrounding countries. The Company�� portfolio of projects primarily targets lithium production with a sub-focus on rare earth elements (REE).

The Company�� project includes Big Smoky Valley lithium project and Bear Creek REE project. Big Smoky Valley lithium project is located in Esmeralda Country in Nevada. It represents 48 unpatented placer mining claims consisting of 7,680 acres (3,108 hectares) in and around Esmeralda Country, Nevada. Bear Creek REE project consists of 10 mining claims totaling 7,311 acres (2,959 hectares) in British Columbia, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Well, as it turns out, the snake that bit L&L Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:LLEN) and Sovereign Lithium Inc. (OTCMKTS:SLCO) didn't end up biting Makism 3D Corp. (OTCMKTS:MDDD). And in retrospect, that's probably how it should be. Indeed, the fact that MDDD didn't even come close to suffering the same fate as SLCO or LLEN did may be the biggest assurance Makism 3D fans could hope for that the company is everything it says it is.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap OTC stocks Sovereign Lithium Inc (OTCMKTS: SLCO), Life Stem Genetics Inc (OTCMKTS: LIFS), Nevada Gold Corp (OTCMKTS: NVGC), Guar Global Ltd (OTCMKTS: GGBL) and Makism 3D Corp (OTCMKTS: MDDD) all saw their trading halted late last year by the SEC, but now all of these stocks are trading again. So what's going on and why the sudden crackdown? First, here is a quick look at what happened to the following five small cap stocks:

5 Best Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: Hardinge Inc.(HDNG)

Hardinge Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and distributes machine tools in North America, Europe, Asia, internationally. It offers high-precision computer-numerically controlled cutting lathes, machining centers, grinding machines, collets, chucks, index fixtures, and other industrial products, as well as related accessories, including work holding, tool holding, and other industrial support products for companies making parts from hard to machine materials, and small and medium-sized independent job shops. The company also offers post-sale support services, including operation and maintenance training, in-field maintenance, and in-field repair. Its metal-cutting turning machines or lathes are used to remove materials from bar stock or a rough-formed part by moving multiple cutting tools against the surface of a part rotating at high speeds in a spindle mechanism; grinding machines are used to finish parts of various shapes and sizes; and machin ing centers are used to remove materials from stationary, prismatic, or box-like parts of various shapes. Hardinge Inc. serves aerospace, automotive, communications, computer, construction equipment, defense, energy, farm equipment, medical equipment, recreational equipment, and transportation industries. It sells its products through distributors, agents, and manufacturers? representatives. The company was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Elmira, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Emerson]

  Hardinge (HDNG) the Perfect Fit to the Investment Puzzle
  
  Several years earlier I had started following the machine tool sector and I became quite familiar with Hardinge. Although I never invested in the stock (I had opted for Hurco), I had noted that Jeffrey Gendell had been purchasing shares the company. Hurco (HURC) had much higher margins and it was my belief that the superior quality of their computerized machine tools and their accompanying software were reflected in their earnings. Hurco also held a vastly superior balance sheet at the time I made my investment.

5 Best Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: Speedway Motorsports Inc.(TRK)

Speedway Motorsports, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a promoter, marketer, and sponsor of motor sports activities in the United States. The company principally owns and operates Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Texas Motor Speedway racing facilities. The company also provides souvenir merchandising services; food, beverage, and hospitality catering services; and radio programming, production, and distribution services. In addition, it develops electronic media promotional programming; and distributes wholesale and retail racing, and other sports related souvenir merchandise and apparel. Further, the company manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts; and produces and sells an environmentally-friendly micro-lubricant. Speedway Motorsports has a joint venture with International Speedway Corporat ion to produce, market, and sell licensed motorsports collectible and consumer products, primarily trackside event souvenir merchandising. The company was founded in 1959 and is based in Concord, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

• [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 Speedway Motorsports (NYSE: TRK  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

5 Best Shipping Stocks To Buy Right Now: SK TELECOM ADR EACH REP 1/9 KRW500(CIT)

SK Telecom Co., Ltd. provides wireless telecommunications services using code division multiple access (CDMA) and wide-band CDMA technologies. It offers cellular voice services, such as wireless voice transmission services; and wireless global roaming services. The company also provides wireless data transmission services, such as wireless Internet access services, which allow subscribers to access online digital contents and services, as well as to send and receive text and multimedia messages. In addition, it offers broadband Internet and fixed-line telephone services, such as video-on-demand and IP TV services; and local, domestic, and international long-distance fixed-line telephone services to residential and commercial subscribers. Further, the company provides wireless entertainment-related contents and services, wireless finance-related contents and m-commerce services, and wireless news and search services; and international calling services, such as direct-dial, pre and post paid card calling services, bundled services for corporate customers, voice services using Internet protocol, Web-to-phone services, and data services. Additionally, it offers satellite digital media broadcasting services; telematics services; and fixed-line and online community portal services. The company also operates 11th Street, an online shopping mall; and T Store, an online open marketplace for mobile applications. As of March 31, 2011, SK Telecom Co. had 26 million wireless subscribers. It has strategic alliances with Bridge Alliance; Orange SA; Telecom Italia Mobile S.p.A.; T-Mobile International AG & Co; and Teliasonera Mobile Networks AB. The company was formerly known as Korea Mobile Telecommunications Co., Ltd. and changed its name to SK Telecom Co., Ltd. in March 1997. SK Telecom Co., Ltd. was founded in 1984 and is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Getty Images Interest rates in the bond market have risen dramatically this year, which has left borrowers shopping for mortgages or car loans facing higher financing costs. But here's the paradox: Even though rising rates have made it more costly to borrow, savers haven't seen much improvement on the interest rates they're getting on savings account balances and bank certificates of deposit. Rates on Savings Have Barely Budged In the money-market account category, savers have actually seen the rates they get paid fall, despite the run-up in bond-market rates. Average rates have fallen from around 0.50 percent this time last year to 0.40 percent currently, according to Bankrate. Looking at the average isn't always the best indication of the rates available, as it includes offerings from stingier banks that you'd want to avoid in any event. But even among banks paying the best rates on money-market accounts, it's hard to find any bank offering more than 1 percent. General Electric's (GE) GE Capital Bank and CIT's (CIT) CIT Bank both weigh in at 0.90 percent, while Ally Bank and American Express (AXP) Bank currently pay 0.85 percent. CD Rates: Better But Still Bad On the CD front, savers are faring a little bit better. After having fallen as low as 0.5 percent earlier this year, rates on one-year CDs have bounced back to about 0.7 percent. That's still below where they were in late 2012, though, and top rates from GE and other banks only fetch about 1.05 percent. Even if you're willing to lock up your money for a longer period of time -- five years -- banks are still pretty tight-fisted, with rates averaging 1.35 percent. That's up only slightly from mid-year lows around 1.15 percent. Although a few outliers will top the 2-percent mark, five years is still a long time to lock in rock-bottom savings rates -- especially when five-year CDs paid well over double that rate before the financial crisis. What's Behind the Skimpy Rates? Savers aren't benefiting fro

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) was raised to Buy from Neutral and the price target was raised to $58 from $52 (versus a $48.47 close) at Janney Capital.

• [By Lisa Abramowicz]

  ��here was this maturity wall that people were terrified of,��said Neil Wessan, the group head of New York-based CIT Group Inc. (CIT)�� capital markets unit. ��hat�� been spread out over a much broader period of time.��