Top 5 Information Technology Companies For 2015

Technology continues to be a top sector to buy at the major Wall Street firms that we cover at 24/7 Wall Street. One of the top areas that could show strong upside this year is the applied and emerging technology subsector. While many of the names are well known, and leaders in their respective categories, they often seem to be overshadowed by the mega-cap technology names.

In a new report from J.P. Morgan, the analysts focus on the stocks that have groundbreaking technology and applications. These are companies that may have the ability to grow earnings and margins far faster than some of their mega-cap brethren. They are also the companies that some of the huge players may have their eye on. Here are some of the top applied and emerging technology stocks to buy at J.P. Morgan with strong upside potential.

Cubic Corp. (NYSE: CUB) makes the list at J.P. Morgan. It has three major business segments. Cubic Transportation Systems is a leading integrator of payment and information technology and services for intelligent travel solutions. Cubic Defense Systems is a leading provider of realistic combat training systems and secure communications. Mission Support Services is a leading provider of training, operations, maintenance, technical and other support services for the United States and allied nations. Investors are paid a small 0.5% dividend. The J.P. Morgan price target is $57. The Thomson/First Call estimate is $56.20. The stock closed Tuesday at $52.51.

Top Shipping Companies To Watch For 2016: Vanguard FTSE All World ex US Index Fund Investor Shares (VEU)

Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded class of shares of Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund. The Fund seeks to track the performance of an index that measures the investment return of stocks of companies located in developed and emerging markets worldwide. The Fund employs a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the FTSE All-World ex US Index (the Index), a free-float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index designed to measure equity market performance of international markets.

The Index includes approximately 2,200 stocks of companies located in 47 countries, including both developed and emerging markets. The Fund typically holds 1,200 to 1,300 stocks in the Index (covering nearly 95% of the Index�� total market capitalization) and a representative sample of the remaining stocks. The Fund holds a range of securities that, in the aggregate, approximate the full Index in terms of key characteristics. These key characteristics include industry weightings and market capitalization, as well as certain financial measures, such as price/earnings ratio and dividend yield. The Fund�� investment advisor is The Vanguard Group, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Philip Springer, President, Retirement Wealth Management, Inc.]

  Our favorite is Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US (VEU). This all-in-one ETF combines broad diversification, a high yield (4.7%) and a rock-bottom expense ratio (0.15%).

Top 5 Information Technology Companies For 2015: Liberty Coal Energy Corp (LBTG)

Liberty Coal Energy Corp, incorporated on August 31, 2007, is an exploration-stage company. The Company is a precious metal mineral exploration, development and production company. The primary business focus of the Company is to acquire, explore and develop coal properties in North America. On February 1, 2012, the Company entered into a letter of intent for the acquisition of private mineral leasehold rights to certain coal mining property in Owsley County, Kentucky with AMS Development LLC. and Colt Resources, Inc.

The Owsley property covers approximately 1,000 acres and has 3,600,000 tons of coal recoverable by surface and high wall (auger) methods. As of September 31, 2011, the Company had not earned any revenues.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  On Friday, small cap mining stocks Maverick Minerals Corp (OTCMKTS: MVRM) and Liberty Coal Energy Corp (OTCMKTS: LBTG) plus oil stock Gray Fox Petroleum Corp (OTCBB: GFOX) sank 30.9%, 16.67% and 11.2%, respectively. However, only one of these stocks appears to have been the subject of some kind of paid promotion in the form of an investment in some shares. So will these three small cap mining or oil stocks keep coming up empty for investors this week? Here is a closer look:

Top 5 Information Technology Companies For 2015: Cannabusiness Group Inc (CBGI)

Cannabusiness Group Inc, formerly Muscle Warfare International Inc, incorporated on June 24, 2005, focuses to research, evaluate, and acquire profitable private firms in the business segments of entertainment, technology, medical, energy, and business services for the benefit of its shareholders. The Company's subsidiaries include American West Baseball League and Elite Representation Associates. In April 2013, it announced acquiring 100% of Muscle Warfare, Inc. In July 2013, the Company announced the acquisition of a company that develops, manufactures, and markets sports nutrition products for athletes around the world in all sports, including both professional and amateur enthusiasts.

Elite Representation Associates is an athlete/coach management and marketing agency. The American West Baseball League is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Southwest United States. It operates in cities not served by major or minor league baseball team.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Burrows]

  From questions regarding the accuracy of publicly-available information about these companies��operations to potential illegal activity, these marijuana stocks have incurred the wrath of federal regulators for good reason:

  GrowLife (PHOT) FusionPharm (FSPM) CannaBusiness Group (CBGI) Advanced Cannabis Solutions (CANN) Petrotech Oil and Gas (PTOG) Marijuana Stocks Asking for Trouble

  But it doesn’t end there. Investors should run away from all OTC marijuana stocks, including Medical Marijuana (MJNA), Cannabis Science (CBIS), CannaVest (CANV), MediSwipe (MWIP) and GreenGro Technologies (GRNH). As the SEC warns:

Top 5 Information Technology Companies For 2015: Spdr S&P Semiconductor Etf (XSD)

SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (the Fund) seeks to closely match the returns and characteristics of the S&P Semiconductor Select Industry Index. The S&P Semiconductor Select Industry Index represents the Semiconductor sub-industry portion of the S&P Total Markets Index. The S&P TMI tracks all the United States common stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (NASDAQ) National Market and NASDAQ Small Cap exchanges. The Semiconductor Index is a modified equal weight index. SSgA Funds Management, Inc. is the Fund's investment advisor. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  There appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for mid cap fabless semiconductor stock Marvell Technology Group Ltd (NASDAQ: MRVL) despite the fact that the company has lost a patent infringement battle with Carnegie Mellon University that could cost it $1.54 billion, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of semiconductor ETF benchmarks like SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (NYSEARCA: XSD), iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector (NASDAQ: SOXX) and Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: SOXL).

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  The SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (NYSE Arca: XSD) offers tech investors a broad play on the entire chip sector. It holds some four dozen companies that make microprocessors, computer memory, and sensors.

• [By John Udovich]

  On Thursday after the market closed, mid cap fabless semiconductor stock Marvell Technology Group Ltd (NASDAQ: MRVL) reported earnings and was slipping in after hours trading, meaning its worth taking a closer look at those earnings along with the performance of potential semiconductor benchmarks like the SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (NYSEARCA: XSD), iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector (NASDAQ: SOXX) and Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: SOXL). In case you aren�� familiar with the term fabless semiconductor, it�� a�business�model that involves the�outsourcing the manufacturing of silicon wafers.�Most semiconductor companies are actually fabless because of the high cost of building�a facility and manufacturing fab. Therefore, fabless semiconductor companies can�concentrate on the design and marketing of chips while outsourcing the actual production to larger foundry companies.

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  A more recent recommendation was the SPDR S&P Semiconductor (ETF) (NYSE Arca: XSD), an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tries to reflect the performance of the Standard & Poor's Semiconductor Select Industry Index. The fund is already up 11.2% since the April 7 "Buy" call.