Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now

In April, I told you one of the safest ways to generate income was to buy defense stocks.   Companies like Lockheed Martin (LMT), Northrop Grumman (NOC), and General Dynamics (GD) were yielding an average 3.7%. That was much higher than the 2% the S&P 500 was yielding.   Plus, these stocks were dirt-cheap – trading at an average of 10 times earnings. That was much cheaper than the average S&P 500 company, at 15 times earnings.   If you followed my advice, you are sitting on solid gains inside of three months. Defense companies soared 15%. That's more than double the S&P 500 index.   ��   Don't be disappointed if you missed this move. I still see defense stocks moving much higher from these levels.

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now: Under Armour Inc.(UA)

Under Armour, Inc. develops, markets, and distributes performance apparel, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and youth primarily in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It offers products made from moisture-wicking synthetic fabrics designed to regulate body temperature and enhance performance regardless of weather conditions. The company provides its products in three fit types: compression (tight fitting), fitted (athletic cut), and loose (relaxed) extending across the sporting goods, outdoor, and active lifestyle markets. Its footwear offerings comprise football, baseball, lacrosse, softball, and soccer cleats; slides; performance training footwear; and running footwear. The company also provides baseball batting, football, golf, and running gloves, as well as licenses bags, socks, headwear, custom-molded mouth guards, and eyewear that are designed to be used and worn before, during, and after competition. Under Armour sells its products through retai l stores, as well as directly to consumers through its own retail outlets and specialty stores, Website, and catalogs. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Daniel Sparks]

  Competition
  Though Nike does boast impressive gross margins compared to its footwear competitors, three of them, Adidas, Puma, and Under Armour (NYSE: UA  ) , are large enough to cause some disruption in some of Nike's markets.

• [By Anh HOANG]

  Under Armour's (NYSE: UA  ) shares went from around $6.20 per share in March 2009 to nearly $80.30 per share at the time of writing. The stock seems quite expensive because it is trading at around 28.20 times its EV/EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. However, the business has kept growing at an impressive rate. One of the main factors driving the business growth is Under Armour's ability to innovate to keep up with fast-changing customer behavior.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]

  Under Armour provides athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories to a growing health and wellness, athletic, and fitness enthusiast population around the world. The stock has been on a powerful move towards higher prices that has led to it trading at all-time highs. Earnings and revenue figures have increased over most of the last four quarters which has led to excited investors. Relative to its peers and sector, Under Armour has led in year-to-date performance by a wide margin. Look for Under Armour to OUTPERFORM.

• [By Cole Campbell]

  Under Armour (NYSE: UA  ) has performed tremendously in the stock market since it first went public in 2005, and it looks to sustain its rapid rate of growth over the coming years. With a market cap that is roughly one-tenth of its rival Nike's, Under Armour has plenty of room to grow and increase its market share in the athletic apparel and footwear market. The company continues to innovate by introducing new products and materials, such as its recent "Alter Ego" line of shirts that have sold extremely well.

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now: Fluor Corporation(FLR)

Fluor Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and project management services worldwide. Its Oil & Gas segment offers design, engineering, procurement, construction, and project management services to upstream oil and gas production, downstream refining, chemicals, and petrochemicals industries. This segment also provides consulting services comprising feasibility studies, process assessment, and project finance structuring and studies. The company?s Industrial & Infrastructure segment offers design, engineering, procurement, and construction services to the transportation, wind power, mining and metals, life sciences, manufacturing, commercial and institutional, telecommunications, microelectronics, and healthcare sectors. Its Government segment provides engineering, construction, logistics support, contingency response, management, and operations services to the United States government focusing on the Departme nt of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense. The company?s Global Services segment offers operations and maintenance, small capital project engineering and execution, site equipment and tool services, industrial fleet services, plant turnaround services, temporary staffing services, and supply chain solutions. Its Power segment provides engineering, procurement, construction, program management, start-up and commissioning, and operations and maintenance services to the gas fueled, solid fueled, plant betterment, renewables, nuclear, and power services markets. The company also offers unionized management and construction services in the United States and Canada. Fluor Corporation was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Fluor Corporation�� (NYSE:FLR) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, David Seaton, and Chief Financial Officer, Biggs Porter, will give a presentation to investors at the Credit Suisse 2012 Engineering & Construction Conference in New York on Thursday, June 7 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

• [By Louis Navellier]

  If we look at the sector using Portfolio Grader, we see that many of the big names in the group like Flour (FLR), Granite Construction (GVA) and KBR incorporated (KBR) are rated ��ell.��The anticipated spending for both government and private industry simply hasn�� materialized, and the companies are not seeing revenue or profit growth.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  South America has become an unsettled region to mine in. Newmont Mining (NYSE: NEM  ) had its Peruvian Conga project brought to a short stop over environmental concerns, while Vale (NYSE: VALE  ) recently abandoned an Argentinean project because of the country's policies.�Costs for Pascua-Lama have ballooned over the past decade and now stand at about $8.5 billion, putting it at risk of becoming an albatross around the miner's neck even before the court decision. Barrick even resorted to bringing in engineering specialist Fluor (NYSE: FLR  ) to expand the scope of its project management before the court order.

Top 10 Oil Companies To Own In Right Now: Goldman Sachs Group Inc.(The)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides investment banking, securities, and investment management services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and high-net-worth individuals worldwide. Its Investment Banking segment offers financial advisory, including advisory assignments with respect to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense, risk management, restructurings, and spin-offs; and underwriting securities, loans and other financial instruments, and derivative transactions. The company?s Institutional Client Services segment provides client execution activities, such as fixed income, currency, and commodities client execution related to making markets in interest rate products, credit products, mortgages, currencies, and commodities; and equities related to making markets in equity products, as well as commissions and fees from executing and clearing institutional client transactions on stock, options, and fu tures exchanges. This segment also engages in the securities services business providing financing, securities lending, and other prime brokerage services to institutional clients, including hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds, and foundations. Its Investing and Lending segment invests in debt securities, loans, public and private equity securities, real estate, consolidated investment entities, and power generation facilities. This segment also involves in the origination of loans to provide financing to clients. The company?s Investment Management segment provides investment management services and investment products to institutional and individual clients. This segment also offers wealth advisory services, including portfolio management and financial counseling, and brokerage and other transaction services to high-net-worth individuals and families. In addition, it provides global investment research services. The company was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now: Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras(PBR)

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. primarily engages in oil and natural gas exploration and production, refining, trade, and transportation businesses. The company?s Exploration and Production segment involves in the exploration, production, development, and production of oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and natural gas in Brazil. This segment supplies its products to the refineries in Brazil, as well as sells surplus petroleum and byproducts in domestic and foreign markets. Its Supply segment engages in the refining, logistics, transportation, and trade of oil and oil products; export of ethanol; and extraction and processing of schist, as well as holds interests in companies of the petrochemical sector in Brazil. The Gas and Energy segment involves in the transportation and trade of natural gas produced in or imported into Brazil; transportation and trade of LNG; and generation and trade of electric power. In addition, the segment has interests in natural gas transportation and d istribution companies; and thermoelectric power stations in Brazil, as well engages in fertilizer business. The Distribution segment distributes oil products, ethanol, and compressed natural gas in Brazil. The International segment involves in the exploration and production of oil and gas, as well as in supplying, gas and energy, and distribution operations in the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Further, the company involves in biofuel production business. Petroleo Brasileiro was founded in 1953 and is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  Transocean is as good a bellwether as any, given it's the world's largest offshore driller. The company's most recent fleet status report shows that a number of rigs that were idle are now booked for work. Seadrill (NYSE: SDRL  ) is no slouch either, with its fleet of 61 drillships and rigs. It just inked a massive $2.7 billion contract with Brazil's state-owned oil company, Petrobras (NYSE: PBR  ) .

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  And the winner is ...
  It all depends on your definition of "winning: to determine who came out on top of this auction. If your definition is most blocks won, then Petrobras (NYSE: PBR  ) �took that prize running away. The company spent $268 million for rights on 35 blocks. The next closest in terms of bids won was OGX, which secured 13 blocks in the entire auction. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that Petrobras was the most active in this auction. Not only is Petrobras Brazil's largest oil company, but it also just recently completed an $11 billion bond issuance, the largest corporate bond sale from an emerging market ever. Some of that money was probably pre-planned for both this auction and the next Brazilian auction to happen in October. This move will further secure Petrobras' position as the largest oil producer in the country.�

• [By Tyler Crowe and Aimee Duffy]

  There have been some mixed signals coming from Brazil's largest oil company, Petrobras (NYSE: PBR  ) . The company has been able to pick up its production numbers lately thanks to some of its idle rigs coming back on line. Also, the company seems to be lining itself up well to expand operations into the pre-salt layer, which will be auctioned off for the first time in October. The problem, though, is that the company will need to add to its already large debt load to make it happen.

Boeing's Dreamliner -- and Its Stock -- Are Flying

U.S. stocks started the week off on a strong note, as the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) both gained 0.7% and 0.1%, respectively. That was enough to push the S&P 500 to a record high, with the index recording gains in six of the last seven trading sessions. That consistency on the upside is also present when we widen out the timescale: With one day left in April, the S&P 500 is ahead 1.6% on the month, which means it is well positioned to record its sixth consecutive monthly gain -- its longest streak since Sep. 2009.

Somewhat unusually, in light of stocks' buoyancy, the VIX Index (VOLATILITYINDICES: ^VIX  ) , Wall Street's fear gauge, rose today by 1%, to close at 13.71. (The VIX is calculated from S&P 500 option prices and reflects investor expectations for stock market volatility over the coming 30 days.) This may be the result of hedging activity by investors in the run-up to the Fed's rate-setting meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday

Flying high!
What an extraordinary turn of events! I never expected to hear that a Boeing (NYSE: BA  ) 787 Dreamliner would be up and flying -- in a scheduled commercial flight, not a test flight -- before the month of April was out. Yet that's exactly what happened on Saturday, as Ethiopian Airlines flight 801 took off from the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa en route to Nairobi, Kenya. (It did arrive safely, in case you were wondering.)

On Sunday, Japanese airline ANA, which is the largest operator of 787s, with a fleet of seventeen, conducted a test flight, two days after Japanese regulators lifted a flight ban on the aircraft. ANA said it may resume commercial flights in June.

Regulators worldwide grounded the Dreamliner in January, following two incidents in which the aircraft's advanced lithium-ion battery unit overheated, producing smoke and catching fire.

I'm puzzled that regulators have approved what looks like an aggressive flight resumption timetable, particularly if one considers that the cause of the problem has not been identified. Instead, Boeing has proposed a series of modifications, including a different battery containment enclosure, which were approved by the FAA on April 19.

The market, on the other hand, seems to have discounted this best-case scenario from the outset, despite the massive headline risk the company faced:

Source: BA data by YCharts.

The shares barely went into negative territory and, although they did underperform the market through February, they now have the S&P 500 eating their dust. While that price behavior seems extraordinary to me, it suggests two things: First, the market had a better appreciation for this story than I did, and, second, the stock began the year significantly undervalued.

Boeing operates as a major player in a multitrillion-dollar market in which the opportunities and responsibilities are absolutely massive. However, emerging competitors and the company's execution problems have investors wondering whether Boeing will live up to its shareholder responsibilities. In our premium research report on the company, two of The Motley Fool's best minds on industrials have collaborated to provide investors with the key, must-know issues surrounding Boeing. They'll be updating the report as key news hits, so don't miss out -- simply click here now to claim your copy today.

WESCO International Increases Sales but Misses Estimates on Earnings

WESCO International (NYSE: WCC  ) reported earnings on April 18. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), WESCO International met expectations on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue expanded. Non-GAAP earnings per share grew. GAAP earnings per share increased significantly.

Margins grew across the board.

Revenue details
WESCO International recorded revenue of $1.81 billion. The 18 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted revenue of $1.83 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 13% higher than the prior-year quarter's $1.61 billion.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
EPS came in at $1.12. The 19 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ averaged $1.14 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $1.12 for Q1 were 8.7% higher than the prior-year quarter's $1.03 per share. GAAP EPS of $1.60 for Q1 were 55% higher than the prior-year quarter's $1.03 per share.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 21.1%, 120 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 7.6%, 240 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 4.7%, 140 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $1.96 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.48.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $7.73 billion. The average EPS estimate is $5.80.

Investor sentiment

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on WESCO International is outperform, with an average price target of $80.25.

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Add WESCO International to My Watchlist.

Are the Earnings at Team Hiding Something?

It takes money to make money. Most investors know that, but with business media so focused on the "how much," very few investors bother to ask, "How fast?"

When judging a company's prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it's booking in the accounting fantasy world we call "earnings." This is one of the first metrics I check when I'm hunting for the market's best stocks. Today, we'll see how it applies to Team (NYSE: TISI  ) .

Let's break this down
In this series, we measure how swiftly a company turns cash into goods or services and back into cash. We'll use a quick, relatively foolproof tool known as the cash conversion cycle, or CCC for short.

Why does the CCC matter? The less time it takes a firm to convert outgoing cash into incoming cash, the more powerful and flexible its profit engine is. The less money tied up in inventory and accounts receivable, the more available to grow the company, pay investors, or both.

To calculate the cash conversion cycle, add days inventory outstanding to days sales outstanding, then subtract days payable outstanding. Like golf, the lower your score here, the better. The CCC figure for Team for the trailing 12 months is 81.8.

For younger, fast-growth companies, the CCC can give you valuable insight into the sustainability of that growth. A company that's taking longer to make cash may need to tap financing to keep its momentum. For older, mature companies, the CCC can tell you how well the company is managed. Firms that begin to lose control of the CCC may be losing their clout with their suppliers (who might be demanding stricter payment terms) and customers (who might be demanding more generous terms). This can sometimes be an important signal of future distress -- one most investors are likely to miss.

In this series, I'm most interested in comparing a company's CCC to its prior performance. Here's where I believe all investors need to become trend-watchers. Sure, there may be legitimate reasons for an increase in the CCC, but all things being equal, I want to see this number stay steady or move downward over time.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Dollar amounts in millions. FY = fiscal year. TTM = trailing 12 months.

Because of the seasonality in some businesses, the CCC for the TTM period may not be strictly comparable to the fiscal-year periods shown in the chart. Even the steadiest-looking businesses on an annual basis will experience some quarterly fluctuations in the CCC. To get an understanding of the usual ebb and flow at Team, consult the quarterly-period chart below.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Dollar amounts in millions. FQ = fiscal quarter.

On a 12-month basis, the trend at Team looks good. At 81.8 days, it is 6.2 days better than the five-year average of 88. days. The biggest contributor to that improvement was DSO, which improved 12.4 days compared to the five-year average. That was partially offset by a 7.2-day increase in DPO.

Considering the numbers on a quarterly basis, the CCC trend at Team looks OK. At 107.6 days, it is 19.3 days worse than the average of the past eight quarters. Investors will want to keep an eye on this for the future to make sure it doesn't stray too far in the wrong direction. With quarterly CCC doing worse than average and the latest 12-month CCC coming in better, Team gets a mixed review in this cash-conversion checkup.

Though the CCC can take a little work to calculate, it's definitely worth watching every quarter. You'll be better informed about potential problems, and you'll improve your odds of finding underappreciated home run stocks.

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5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- There isn't a day that goes by on Wall Street when certain stocks trading for $10 a share or less don't experience massive spikes higher. Traders savvy enough to follow the low-priced names and trade them with discipline and sound risk management are banking ridiculous coin on a regular basis.

Just take a look at some of the hot movers in the under-$10 complex from Thursday, including InfoSonics (IFON), which is exploding higher by 42%; FreeSeas (FREE), which is ripping higher by over 30%; NewLead (NEWL), which is spiking higher by 17%; and North American Palladium (PAL), which is soaring to the upside by 16%. You don't even have to catch the entire move in lower-priced stocks such as these to make outsized returns when trading.

One low-priced stock that has exploded higher since I featured it recently is defense and security products player Arotech (ARTX), which I highlighted in Nov. 21's "5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar" at $2.07 per share. I mentioned in that piece that shares of Arotech were spiking higher at the time back above its 50-day moving average of $1.84 a share with above-average volume. This move was quickly pushing shares of ARTX within range of triggering a major breakout trade above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.35 to its 52-week high at $2.71 a share.

Guess what happened? Shares of Arotech didn't wait long to trigger that breakout, since the stock started to take out those key overhead resistance levels in early to mid-December with strong upside volume flows. Shares of ARTX have done nothing but uptrend strong since I flagged the stock, with shares tagging a new 52-week high a few days ago at $3.91 a share. That represents a monster gain of close to 90% in a very short timeframe.

Low-priced stocks are something that I tweet about on a regular basis. I frequently flag high-probability setups, breakout candidates and low-priced stocks that are acting technically bullish. I like to hunt for low-priced stocks that are showing bullish price and volume trends, since that increases the probability of those stocks heading higher. These setups often produce monster moves higher in very short time frames.

I'm not as eager to recommend investing long-term in stocks that trade less than $10 a share because these names can be very speculative, and the odds for picking the long-term winners aren't great. But I definitely love to trade stocks that are priced below $10. I like to view them as a trading vehicle with lots of volatility and lots of upside when the trade is timed right.

When I trade under-$10 names, I do it almost entirely based off of the charts and technical analysis. I also like to find under-$10 names with a catalyst, but that's secondary to the chart and volume patterns.

With that in mind, here's a look at several under-$10 stocks that look poised to potentially trade higher from current levels.

Coronado Biosciences

One under-$10 biopharmaceutical player that's quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Coronado Biosciences (CNDO), which is focused on novel immunotherapy biologic agents for autoimmune diseases and cancer. This stock has been hit hard by the bears in 2013, with shares off by 43%.

If you take a look at the chart for Coronado Biosciences, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong since it double bottomed in November, with shares moving higher from its low of $1.25 to its intraday high of $2.58 a share. During that uptrend, shares of CNDO have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of CNDO within range of triggering a major breakout trade.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CNDO if it manages to break out above some key overhead resistance at $2.70 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.97 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then CNDO will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from October that started near $7 a share. Some possible upside targets if CNDO gets into that gap with volume are $4 to $5 a share.

Traders can look to buy CNDO off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right around some key near-term support at $2 a share. One can also buy CNDO off strength once it takes out $2.70 a share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Active Power

Another under-$10 electrical components and equipment player that's starting to move within range of a near-term breakout trade is Active Power (ACPW), which designs, manufactures and markets power solutions that provide business continuity and protect customers in the event of an electrical power disturbance. Its products deliver clean power, protecting customers from voltage fluctuations. This stock has hasn't done much so far in 2013, with shares off by 6.7%.

If you take a look at the chart for Active Power, you'll notice that this stock recently formed a double bottom chart pattern at $2.82 to $2.80 a share. Since forming that bottom, shares of ACPW have started to uptrend and move back above its 50-day moving average of $2.94 a share. That move is quickly pushing shares of ACPW within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

Market players should now look for long-biased trades in ACPW if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.14 to $3.23 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 87,166 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then ACPW will set up to re-test or possibly take its next major overhead resistance levels at $3.65 to $3.76 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give ACPW a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $4 to $4.20, or even $4.50 a share.

Traders can look to buy ACPW off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day moving average at $2.94 a share, or near its double bottom zone at $2.80 a share. One can also buy ACPW off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Biolase

Another under-$10 stock that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Biolase (BIOL), which develops, manufactures and markets laser systems for dental and medical applications. This stock has been trending modestly higher in 2013, with shares up by 15.9%.

If you take a look at the chart for Biolase, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last month and change, with shares pushing higher from its low of $1.47 to its recent high of $2.25 a share. During that uptrend, shares of BIOL have been mostly making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of BIOL within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in BIOL if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.25 to $2.50 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 311,533 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then BIOL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 200-day moving average of $3.07 a share to $3.50 or $3.70 a share.

Traders can look to buy BIOL off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day moving average of $1.85 a share. One can also buy BIOL off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Neostem

Another under-$10 biopharmaceutical player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Neostem (NBS), engages in the development of proprietary cell therapy products. This stock has been hit hard by the sellers during the last three months, with shares off by 22%.

If you take a look at the chart for Neostem, you'll notice that this stock has recently spiked higher back above both its 50-day moving average at $6.41 and its 200-day moving average of $6.60 a share. This move has also pushed shares of NBS back above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $6.57 to $6.98 a share. That move is quickly pushing NBS within range of triggering another breakout trade above some key near-term overhead resistance.

Market players should now look for long-biased trades in NBS if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $7.22 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action 327,514 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then NBS will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from October that started just above $8 a share. If that that gap gets filled with volume, then NBS could easily tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $9 to $9.50 a share, or even its 52-week high at $9.89 a share.

Traders can look to buy NBS off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day moving average of $6.41 a share, or near more support at $6 a share. One can also buy NBS off strength once it takes out $7.22 a share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

ChinaCache International

One final under-$10 stock that looks ready to trigger a major breakout trade is ChinaCache International (CCIH), a provider of Internet content and application delivery services in China. This stock has been on fire in 2013, with shares up huge by 160%.

If you take a look at the chart for ChinaCache International, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last month, with shares soaring higher from its low of $6.80 to its recent high of $9.98 a share. During that uptrend, shares of CCIH have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of CCIH within range of triggering a major breakout trade.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CCIH if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $9.98 a share to its 52-week high at $10.64 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 503,461 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then CCIH will set up to enter new 52-week high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $14 to $16 a share.

Traders can look to buy CCIH off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $9 or at $8.50 a share. One can also buy CCIH off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

To see more hot under-$10 equities, check out the Stocks Under $10 Setting Up to Explode portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

 RELATED LINKS:

 >>5 Stocks Insiders Love Right Now
>>5 Cash-Rich Stocks That Could Pay Triple the Gains in 2014
>>5 Commodity-Drive Stocks to Trade for Gains

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

 

Gannett closes on Belo acquisition

Gannett, the parent company of USA TODAY, said today it has closed its $2.2 billion purchase of Belo in a deal that nearly doubles its portfolio of TV stations.

The deal was completed after Gannett and Sander Media announced KMOTV in St. Louis would be sold to marketing and media company Meredith to satisfy their obligations under an agreement with the Justice Department to clear the Belo purchase.

Under a separate agreement, Gannett and Sander will also sell to Meredith two other stations, KTVK-TV and KASW-TV in Phoenix. Meredith will pay $407.5 million for all three stations.

The Belo acquisition, announced in June, expands Gannett's stable of TV stations to 42 from 23 and its reach to nearly a third of U.S. households. The company is now the largest independent station group of major network affiliates in the top 25 markets, with 21 stations in those regions.

The deal makes the company the largest owner of CBS affiliates and expands its NBC affiliate group, which is already No. 1.

"We are thrilled to combine these two storied media companies, both of which are known for award-winning journalism, operational excellence and strong brand leadership," Gannett CEO Gracia Martore said in a statement. "The completion of this transaction marks a significant milestone in its ongoing transformation into a higher margin and more highly diversified company in the rapidly evolving media business."

Gannett, based in McLean, Va., acquired Dallas-based Belo for $13.75 a share, or $1.5 billion in cash, and the assumption of $715 million of outstanding debt.

The closing follows all regulatory clearances and approval of the deal by Belo shareholders. Belo stock will no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In 2014

Gold prices plunged over the past three months, making it almost impossible to find a money-making trade in the precious-metals sector during the second quarter. But by using exchange-traded products designed for short-term traders, those courageous enough to ride the wave downward in gold and silver prices were richly rewarded with huge gains. Let's take a closer look at these investments with an eye toward deciding if they make sense for those with a longer-term perspective.

The perfect time for precious-metals leverage
The best-performing exchange-traded products in the market were those that bet against gold and silver bullion and mining companies. In particular, VelocityShares 3x Inverse Silver ETN (NYSEMKT: DSLV  ) managed to rise 140% over the past three months, while the similar inverse gold ETN posted more modest gains of about 90%. Bets against mining stocks were equally lucrative, with the popular Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 3x (NYSEMKT: DUST  ) coming close to matching the inverse silver ETN's performance at a nearly 140% rise.

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In 2014: NEW GOLD INC.(NGD)

New Gold Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation of mineral properties. The company primarily explore for gold, silver, and copper deposits. Its operating properties include the Mesquite gold mine in the United States; the Cerro San Pedro gold-silver mine in Mexico; and the Peak gold-copper mine in Australia. The company also has development projects, including the New Afton gold, silver, and copper project in Canada; and a 30% interest in the El Morro copper-gold project in Chile. The company was formerly known as DRC Resources Corporation and changed its name to New Gold Inc. in June 2005. New Gold Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  One group of stocks not feeling the optimism today: Gold miners. With fewer concerns that a U.S. attack on Syria will be disruptive and more evidence that tapering will begin this month, the price of the precious metal has dropped 1.6% to $1,388.90 an ounce–and gold stocks are falling with it. New Gold (NGD), for one, has dropped 3% to $6.55, while Barrick Gold (ABX) has fallen 1.3% to $19.25.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Bridges favorite stocks include Goldcorp, Newmont, Eldorado Gold (EGO) and New Gold (NGD).

  Note, however, that these recommendations are all qualified in one way or another. Investors should keep that in mind before going all in on the gold miners.

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In 2014: Claude Resources Inc.(CGR)

Claude Resources Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal properties, as well as production and marketing of minerals in Canada. It primarily explores for gold in northern Saskatchewan and northwestern Ontario. The company holds interests in the Seabee gold mine located at Laonil Lake, northern Saskatchewan; and the Madsen property that consists of 6 contiguous claim blocks totaling approximately 10,000 acres, located in the Red Lake Mining District of northwestern Ontario. It also holds interest in the Amisk Gold project, which covers an area of 13,800 hectares in the province of Saskatchewan. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in Saskatoon, Canada.

Best Performing Companies To Own For 2014: Newmont Mining Corporation(Holding Company)

Newmont Mining Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and production of gold and copper properties. The company?s assets or operations are located in the United States, Australia, Peru, Indonesia, Ghana, Canada, New Zealand, and Mexico. As of December 31, 2009, it had proven and probable gold reserves of approximately 93.5 million equity ounces and an aggregate land position of approximately 27,500 square miles. The company was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado.

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In 2014: Australian Dollar(AU)

AngloGold Ashanti Limited primarily engages in the exploration and production of gold. It also produces silver, uranium oxide, and sulfuric acid. The company conducts gold-mining operations in South Africa; continental Africa, including Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Namibia, and Tanzania; Australia; and the Americas, which include Argentina, Brazil, and the United States. It also has mining or exploration operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, and Colombia. As of December 31, 2010, the company had proved and probable gold reserves of 71.2 million ounces. The company has a strategic alliance with Thani Dubai Mining Limited to explore, develop, and operate mines across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. AngloGold Ashanti Limited, formerly known as Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited, was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Patricio Kehoe] stion arises: Why is First Eagle bullish regarding such a company? The answer might lie in the huge discount at which the third-largest gold producer by output is trading, along with a certain degree of long-term optimism.

  Huge Holdings Point to Long-Term Commitment

  Since First Eagle recently increased its stake in Anglogold by more than 20%, bringing his total holding to over 32.5 million shares, I believe we are looking at a long-term investment. I am keen on pointing this out, since the stock is currently performing very poorly, and has already lost around 275% of its value year to date. Above average production costs and plummeting gold prices have put a huge deal of pressure on the gold miner, leading to very poor results. In addition, since many of its operations are in geopolitically risky countries such as Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo, shareholders have been shedding this stock in large volumes.

  Although Anglogold had a very rough year, and will continue to face elevated cash costs and reduced margins going into 2014, there are some positive signals looking forward. One of the most promising features, are the firm�� operations in South America and Australia, which are enjoying solid organic growth. Although investors will have to wait some years for assets in these regions to reach full production, large profits should be achieved in the long-term. In other words, First Eagle surely has its eyes set on the company�� new projects, and their future growth potential.

  Projected Growth and Low Price

  Another attractive feature investors must keep in mind is a stock�� growth potential. When looking at Anglogold, this becomes especially relevant, as a comparison to Barrick Gold Corp (ABX) will demonstrate. Anglogold currently offers 13.6% returns on invested capital, compared to Barrick�� -2.8%, and has an EBITDA growth rate of 465.7%, the highest in the industry. Thus, whereas the Canadian miner has a negative EPS

• [By Daniel Putnam]

  First, and most important, earnings estimates are stabilizing. In the past sixty days, 2013 estimates for the major gold miners have begun to tick up. In most cases, the increase is very modest. For instance, Goldcorp‘s (GG) EPS estimates have climbed from $0.91 to $0.95, while Barrick Gold‘s (ABX) have inched up from $2.57 to $2.64. Newmont Mining (NEM), Anglogold Ashanti (AU), and Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI) have shown similar gains. This positive rate of change marks a significant departure from the steady stream of bad news investors have had to endure in recent years.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  The second largest market cap company, at $11.22 billion, is Anglogold Ashanti Ltd. (AU). Its afternoon stock price of $29.15 is within 5% of its three-year low, and has experienced a more significant drop than Newmont ��it is down 44.9% from its high price of $52.86 a share.

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In 2014: Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc.(TC)

Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in mining, milling, processing, and marketing molybdenum products in the United States and Canada. The company?s principal properties include the Thompson Creek Mine and mill in Idaho; a metallurgical roasting facility in Langeloth, Pennsylvania; and a joint venture interest in the Endako Mine, mill, and roasting facility in British Columbia. It also holds interests in development projects comprising the Davidson molybdenum property and the Berg copper-molybdenum-silver property located in northern British Columbia; the Howard?s Pass property, a lead and zinc project situated in the Yukon territory-northwest territories border; and the Maze Lake property, a gold project located in the Kivalliq district of Nunavut. The company produces molybdenum products, primarily molybdic oxide and ferromolybdenum, as well as soluble technical oxide, pure molybdenum tri-oxide, and high purity molybdenum disulfide. As o f December 31, 2010, its consolidated recoverable proven and probable ore reserves totaled 462.2 million pounds of contained molybdenum in the Thompson Creek Mine and the Endako Mine. The company was formerly known as Blue Pearl Mining Ltd. and changed its name to Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. in May 2007. Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. is based in Denver, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  The biggest new holdings are Chesapeake Energy�puts, and shares of Discovery Communications. Other new holdings of interest include Halcon Resources (NYSE: HK  ) , and Thompson Creek Metals (NYSE: TC  ) . Oil and gas company Halcon, operating in the promising Bakken region, as well as Texas's productive Eagle Ford shale region, among others, is expected to grow by 30% annually over the coming years. It recently reported 2012 net daily production 128% higher than year-ago levels, and proven reserves up 417%. Halcon was recently one of my colleague Joel South's top two energy holdings, and analysts at Stifel recently upped its rating�from Hold to Buy.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Thompson Creek Metals Co. Inc. (NYSE: TC) was at 54% discount to its book value of $8.30 per share at the time, and the stock price of $3.90 is up from $3.03 Deutsche Bank’s team nailed upside of more than 28% here. Its price target was $4 at the time versus a consensus target of $4.50 at the time. The 52-week range here is $2.42 to $4.55, but we would point out that the consensus price target is $3.93.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  The stock market liked what it heard Wednesday, August 7, from Thompson Creek Metals (TC) after the close in New York. Second quarter adjusted net earnings of 8 cents a share crushed the Wall Street consensus of a penny a share. Revenue climbed 3.8% to $117.8 million versus expectations for revenue of just $1.3.8 million. The company also said that its new Mt. Milligan mine is on schedule with a start-up for the concentrator expected this month, with first ore-feed by mid-August. The company said it expects commercial production to begin in the fourth quarter of 2013, with production ramping to full capacity over the next twelve months.

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In 2014: Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited(AEM)

Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral properties in Canada, Finland, and Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, as well as silver, copper, zinc, and lead. Its flagship property includes the LaRonde mine located in the southern portion of the Abitibi volcanic belt, Canada. The company was founded in 1953 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Markus Aarnio]

  Other gold miners that have seen intensive insider buying during the past four months include St. Andrew Goldfields (STADF.PK), Continental Gold (CGOOF.PK), Kinross (KGC) and Agnico-Eagle Mines (AEM).

• [By Daniel Putnam]

  The second factor working in gold stocks��favor is that analysts are growing optimistic again. Yesterday, HSBC put out a bullish note on gold and upgraded Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM), Yamana Gold (AUY), Barrick Gold, Iamgold (IAG), and Goldcorp. Most gold stocks are ranked ��old��or ��uy��(as opposed to ��trong Buy�� by the majority of analysts, meaning that there�� plenty of room for continued positive news flow on this front.

• [By Itinerant]

  Before we continue, we would like to give references to sources that we used liberally for this article: Brian Christie, VP Investor Relations at Agnico-Eagle (AEM), gave a talk at the Denver Gold Group Luncheon on May 6 in Toronto and the presentation can be viewed here. Andrew J Vigar of Mining Associates gave a keynote at the Mines and Money conference in Hong Kong in March 2013 and the presentation is here. The Visual Capitalist has uploaded a relevant presentation on the topic here. And the Break Away Digger has an interesting piece available here. These documents come with a recommendation for your weekend reading from your humble scribe.

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In 2014: Goldman Sachs Group Inc.(The)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides investment banking, securities, and investment management services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and high-net-worth individuals worldwide. Its Investment Banking segment offers financial advisory, including advisory assignments with respect to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense, risk management, restructurings, and spin-offs; and underwriting securities, loans and other financial instruments, and derivative transactions. The company?s Institutional Client Services segment provides client execution activities, such as fixed income, currency, and commodities client execution related to making markets in interest rate products, credit products, mortgages, currencies, and commodities; and equities related to making markets in equity products, as well as commissions and fees from executing and clearing institutional client transactions on stock, options, and fu tures exchanges. This segment also engages in the securities services business providing financing, securities lending, and other prime brokerage services to institutional clients, including hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds, and foundations. Its Investing and Lending segment invests in debt securities, loans, public and private equity securities, real estate, consolidated investment entities, and power generation facilities. This segment also involves in the origination of loans to provide financing to clients. The company?s Investment Management segment provides investment management services and investment products to institutional and individual clients. This segment also offers wealth advisory services, including portfolio management and financial counseling, and brokerage and other transaction services to high-net-worth individuals and families. In addition, it provides global investment research services. The company was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In 2014: Northgate Minerals Corporation(NXG)

Northgate Minerals Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in exploring, developing, processing, and mining gold and copper deposits in Canada and Australia. Its principal producing assets include 100% interests in the Fosterville and Stawell Gold mines in Victoria, Australia; and the Kemess South mine located in north-central British Columbia, Canada. The company was formerly known as Northgate Exploration Limited and changed its name to Northgate Minerals Corporation in May 2004. Northgate Minerals Corporation was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Mass hack affects almost 2 million Internet acc…

Almost 2 million accounts on Facebook, Google, Twitter, Yahoo and other social media and Internet sites have been breached, according to a Chicago-based cybersecurity firm.

The hackers stole 1.58 million website login credentials and 320,000 e-mail account credentials, among other items, the firm Trustwave reported. Included in the breaches were thefts of 318,121 passwords from Facebook, 59,549 from Yahoo, 54,437 from Google, 21,708 from Twitter and 8,490 from LinkedIn. The list also includes 7,978 from ADP, the payroll service provider. According to a Trustwave blog, "Payroll services accounts could actually have direct financial repercussions."

The hacking began Oct. 21 and might still be taking place, according to CNN.

John Miller, a security research manager at Trustwave, told CNN, "We don't have evidence they logged into these accounts, but they probably did."

There are several other servers Trustwave has not yet tracked down, Miller told CNN.

ADP, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter told CNN they have notified users and reset passwords for compromised accounts. Google declined to comment and Yahoo did not respond immediately, CNN reported.

The majority of passwords were from the Netherlands, followed by Thailand, Germany, Singapore, Indonesia and the United States, which accounted for 859 reports from machines and 1,943 passwords, according to Trustwave. In all, just over 100 countries were affected, and Trustwave said this shows the attack is "fairly global."

In compiling the data, Trustwave also discovered that many users are doing just what computer specialists advise against – using simplistic passwords that can easily be guessed. For instance, the top five passwords Trustwave found in researching the breaches were: 123456, 123456789, 1234, password and 12345.

According to its website, Trustwave helps businesses fight computer crime, protect data and reduce security risks.

The breaches operated through software maliciously installed on comput! ers around the world, CNN reports Trustwave said. The virus borne from the software has been sending the stolen information over to a server in the Netherlands controlled by the hackers, according to CNN.

Trustwave researchers on Nov. 24 detected the server and found compromised credentials for about 100,000 websites.

U.S. Index Futures Advance Before Shortened Trading Day

U.S. stock-index futures increased, indicating the Standard & Poor's 500 Index may extend a record in today's shortened trading session, before economic reports next week.

Apple Inc. climbed 0.8 percent in early New York trading after a report showed the company sold three of every four smartphones in Japan last month. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. rose 0.5 percent in European trading after Australia blocked a A$2.2 billion ($2 billion) takeover of GrainCorp Ltd.

S&P 500 futures expiring in December advanced 0.3 percent to 1,809.10 at 7:20 a.m. in New York. Dow Jones Industrial Average contracts added 51 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,125. The S&P 500 climbed 27 percent this year, and the Dow gained 23 percent, after the Federal Reserve refrained from tapering its third round of economic stimulus.

"Investors are waiting for indications on when tapering may come," said Ioan Smith, strategist at KCG Europe Ltd. "The minutes revealed a wide-ranging discussion of various policy scenarios and contingencies. It is still the case that there's not enough sustained evidence to meet the taper criteria as soon as next month."

The S&P 500 and the Dow closed at records on Nov. 27, as jobless claims unexpectedly declined and a measure of consumer confidence beat estimates. U.S. markets were closed yesterday for the Thanksgiving holiday and trading in the New York Stock Exchange will end at 1 p.m. local time today.

Fed Minutes

Minutes of the last Fed meeting released on Nov. 20 showed that officials are considering scaling back their $85 billion in monthly bond purchases "in coming months" if the economy improves as anticipated.

Investors will await reports on manufacturing and home sales next week, and the November release of non-farm payrolls on Dec. 6. Janet Yellen, who will replace Ben S. Bernanke as chairman of the Fed, has said she will ensure monetary stimulus isn't removed too soon to support economic recovery in the U.S. There are no economic reports scheduled for today.

Apple rose 0.8 percent to $550.30 in early New York trading. The company accounted for 76 percent of smartphone sales in Japan last month after the country's largest carrier, NTT Docomo Inc., began offering the iPhone, market researcher Kantar Worldpanel ComTech said yesterday.

ADM (ADM) rose 0.5 percent to $41.69 in European composite trading. Australia's rejection of the agricultural commodities producer's takeover prompted a record 22 percent drop in GrainCorp, the biggest crop handler on Australia's east coast, and a slide in the local currency.

"This proposal has attracted a high level of concern from stakeholders and the broader community," Treasurer Joe Hockey said today, ruling U.S.-based ADM's bid of A$12.20 a share isn't in the national interest. "Now is not the right time for a 100 percent foreign acquisition of this key Australian business."

4 Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume

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

>>5 Stocks Poised for Breakouts

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

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

>>5 Big Stocks to Trade for Big Gains

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

Iron Mountain

Iron Mountain (IRM) is a global provider of information protection and storage services. This stock closed up 5.8% to $30.15 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 7.28 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.71 million

Volume % Change: 392%

>>5 Stocks With Big Insider Buying

From a technical perspective, IRM spiked sharply higher here and broke out above some key overhead resistance at $29.06 with heavy upside volume. This move also pushed shares of IRM into its previous gap down zone from June that started near $34. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if IRM can manage to take out Friday's high of $30.31 and its 200-day moving average at $30.69 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in IRM as long as it's trending above Friday's low of $28.45 and then once it sustains a move or close above $30.31 to $30.69 with volume that hits near or above 1.71 million shares. If we get that move soon, then IRM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $34 to $36.

Healthcare Services Group

Healthcare Services Group (HCSG) provides management, administrative and operating expertise and services to the housekeeping, laundry, linen, facility maintenance and dietary service departments of the health care industry in the U.S. This stock closed up 3.9% to $28 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 895,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 248,289

Volume % Change: 264% 


>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

From a technical perspective, HCSG ripped higher here and broke out above some near-term overhead resistance at $27.90 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last five months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $21.57 to its intraday high on Friday of $28.01. During that uptrend, shares of HCSG have been mostly making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if HCSG can take Friday's high of $28.01 to its 52-week high at $28.07 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in HCSG as long as it's trending above Friday's low of $26.87 or above its 50-day at $26.30 and then once it sustains a move or close above $28.01 to $28.07 with volume that hits near or above 248,289 shares. If we get that move soon, then HCSG will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $33 to $35.

Ternium

Ternium (TX) is engaged in the manufacturing and processing of flat and long steel products for the construction, home appliances, capital goods, container, food, energy and automotive industries. This stock closed up 2.9% at $27.96 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 693,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 203,238

Volume % Change: 310%

From a technical perspective, TX trended higher here right above some key near-term support levels at $26.40 and its 50-day moving average at $26.02 with heavy upside volume. This move briefly pushed shares of TX into new 52-week-high territory, since the stock flirted with some near-term overhead resistance at $28.18. Shares of TX managed to close just below that level at $27.96. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if TX can manage to take out Friday's high of $28.40 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in TX as long as it's trending above Friday's low of $27.04 or above its 50-day at $26.02 and then once it sustains a move or close above Friday's high of $28.40 with volume that this near or above 203,238 shares. If we get that move soon, then TX will set up to enter new 52-week high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are its next major overhead resistance levels at $32 to $34.

Intrexon

Intrexon (XON) is a synthetic biology company that designs, builds and regulates gene programs using its proprietary and complementary technologies. This stock closed up 8.5% at $19.67 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 1.38 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 390,792

Volume % Change: 219%

From a technical perspective, XON gapped sharply higher here with strong upside volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last three months, with shares dropping sharply lower from its high of $31.44 to its recent low of $17.52. During that move, shares of XON have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of XON could be ready to see an end to its downside volatility in the short-term if this stock can take out Friday's high and enter a new uptrend.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in XON as long as it's trending above $19 or $18 and then once it sustains a move or close above Friday's high of $20.45 with volume that's near or above 390,792 shares. If we get that move soon, then XON will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 50-day of $22.17 to $23, or even $24.

To see more stocks rising on unusual volume, check out the Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

>>4 Stocks Under $10 to Trade for Breakouts

>>2 Airline Stocks You Really Should Own in 2014

>>Why You Should Buy Hedge Funds' 5 Favorite Stocks

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014

LONDON: The�FTSE 100� (FTSEINDICES: ^FTSE  ) dipped early this morning, despite the news that the U.K. economy has so far avoided a triple-dip recession by growing 0.3% in the first quarter of the year. But sentiment seems to have settled after the index was shaken by a couple of disappointing results, and the FTSE is now 11 points up on the day, to 6,442.

So which big companies have held the FTSE back today? We take a look:

Unilever
Unilever� (LSE: ULVR  ) shares fell 55p (1.9%), to 2,790p, after a first-quarter update told us of�lower-than-anticipated sales in Europe. Double-digit growth in emerging markets did, however, help drive underlying sales up 4.9%. And the firm was happy enough with these figures to lift its quarterly dividend by 10.7% to 26.9 euro cents per share.

Unilever shares have had a very good 12 months, rising by around 35%. But that does put them on a forward P/E of 20 now, which some will see as perhaps a bit overpriced for a household consumables company.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Public Storage(PSA)

Public Storage operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). It engages in the acquisition, development, ownership, and operation of self-storage facilities in the United States and Europe. The company?s self-storage facilities offer storage spaces for lease on a month-to-month basis for personal and business use. Public Storage also has interests in commercial properties containing commercial and industrial rental space; facilities that lease storage containers; and ancillary operations, which include reinsurance of policies against losses to goods stored by its self-storage tenants, retail operations comprising merchandise sales and truck rental operations. As of December 31, 2008, the company had interests in 2,012 self-storage facilities with approximately 127 million net rentable square feet in 38 states; and 181 self-storage facilities with approximately 10 million net rentable square feet in 7 western European nations. It also had direct and indirect equity int erests in approximately 21 million net rentable square feet of commercial space located in 11 states in the U.S. As a REIT, the company would not be subject to federal income tax to the extent that it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. Public Storage was founded in 1971 and is based in Glendale, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mike Deane]

  Public Storage (PSA) announced its third quarter earnings after the bell on Thursday, posting an increase in net income and revenues.

  PSA Earnings in Brief

  -Public Storage announced total quarterly revenues of $419 million, which were up from last year’s $397 million, but below the average analyst estimate of $464.58 million.
  -The company’s net income came in at $231.4 million, or $1.34 per share, which was up from last year’s Q3 net income of $202.5 million, or $1.18 per share.
  -PSA’s core FFO per share was up from last year’s $1.76 to $1.92 for the most recent quarter; this beat analysts’ estimates of $1.89.

  Dividend Raise

  Public Storage announced that its board has approved to raise its dividend 12% to $1.40 per common share. This is a 15 cent raise from the company’s previous quarterly payout of $1.25 and brings the annualized payout to $5.60. The new dividend is payable on December 30 to all shareholders on record as of December 13.

  Share Performance

  PSA stock was down 66 cents, or 0.39%, on the day, but was up steeply in after-hours trading. YTD, the company’s stock is up 14.74%.

   

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Matthews International Corporation(MATW)

Matthews International Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets memorialization products and brand solutions for the cemetery and funeral home industries in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company's Bronze segment offers cast bronze memorials and other memorialization products; and cast and etched architectural products, as well as builds mausoleums. Its Casket segment provides wood and metal caskets; and casket components, such as stamped metal parts, metal locking mechanisms for gasketed metal caskets, adjustable beds, interior panels, and plastic ornamental hardware, as well as provides assortment planning and merchandising, and display products to funeral service businesses. The company's Cremation segment offers cremation equipment; cremation caskets; equipment service and supplies; and cremation urns and memorial products, as well as offers environmental systems; crematory operations and management services; and cremation col umbarium and niche units. Its Graphics Imaging segment provides brand management, pre-press services, printing plates, gravure cylinders, steel bases, embossing tools, special purpose machinery, engineering and print process assistance, print production management, digital asset management, content management, and package design services. The company's Marking Products segment offers a range of marking and coding products and related consumables, and industrial automation products for identifying, tracking, and conveying consumer and industrial products, components, and packaging containers. Its Merchandising Solutions segment provides merchandising displays and systems, such as permanent and temporary displays, custom store fixtures, brand concept shops, interactive kiosks, custom packaging, and screen and digitally printed promotional signage; and offers design and engineering services. The company was founded in 1850 and is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  The first thing to realize about StoneMor is that arcane and flexible accounting rules make it important to dig beneath its GAAP earnings. Growth throughout the industry has been substantial, as up-and-coming Carriage Services (NYSE: CSV  ) continued to stay on pace for double-digit sales growth as it rapidly expands its reach. Even well-established player Matthews International (NASDAQ: MATW  ) managed to grow revenue by nearly 14% in the quarter that ended in March, although its earnings fell slightly from the year-ago quarter. Still, StoneMor's sales haven't been able to rise as quickly as its peers, with its previous report including just a 6% gain in revenue.

10 Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: 3M Company(MMM)

3M Company, together with subsidiaries, operates as a diversified technology company worldwide. The company?s Industrial and Transportation segment offers tapes, coated and non-woven abrasives, adhesives, specialty materials, filtration products, energy control products, closure systems for personal hygiene products, acoustic systems products, and components and products that are used in the manufacture, repair, and maintenance of automotive, marine, aircraft, and specialty vehicles. Its Health Care segment provides medical and surgical supplies, skin health and infection prevention products, inhalation and transdermal drug delivery systems, dental and orthodontic products, health information systems, and food safety products. The company?s Display and Graphics offers optical film solutions for LCD electronic displays; computer screen filters; reflective sheeting for transportation safety; commercial graphics sheeting and systems; and mobile interactive solutions, includin g mobile display technology, visual systems products, and computer privacy filters. The company?s Consumer and Office segment provides office supply products, stationery products, construction and home improvement products, home care products, protective material products, certain consumer retail personal safety products, and consumer health care products. Its Safety, Security and Protection Services segment offers personal protection products, safety and security products, cleaning and protection products for commercial establishments, track and trace solutions, and roofing granules for asphalt shingles. The company?s Electro and Communications segment provides packaging and interconnection devices; fluids that are used in the manufacture of computer chips, and for cooling electronics and lubricating computer hard disk drives; high-temperature and display tapes; insulating materials, including tapes and resins; and related items. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  The Dow's consumer stocks are also on the rise, with 3M (NYSE: MMM  ) shares up 1.9%. More jobs and increased consumer spending should help 3M's revenue stay on course in the future, but at least one leading financial firm is cautious about the company's direction. Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock from "overweight" to "equal weight" earlier in the week, citing the stock's run-up this year as evidence that it may not have much more room to run ahead of rivals in its space. While that may be worrisome to short-term traders, it's no bother to long-term investors: 3M's a solid pick for income investors with its 2.3% dividend yield and highly manageable 38% payout ratio, and the company's consistent gains in sales over the past few years despite a sluggish economic recovery offers hope for a stable future. Perhaps Morgan Stanley is right and 3M will struggle to rise the rest of the year, but in the long term, this stock is as stable a cash cow as you can find.

• [By John Maxfield]

  Alternatively, shares of 3M (NYSE: MMM  ) continue to drag on the blue-chip index. The industrial conglomerate reported its earnings yesterday, sending shares in the company down nearly 3%. Like many of its peers on the Dow, 3M saw its revenue decline on a year-over-year basis, and felt compelled to lower its forward earnings guidance for the remainder of the year.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Pacific Gas & Electric Co.(PCG)

PG&E Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility company that engages in electricity and natural gas distribution primarily in northern and central California. The company also involves in the generation, procurement, transmission, and distribution of electricity; and procurement, transportation, storage, and distribution of natural gas. It owns and operates electricity generation facilities, transmission and distribution lines, and substations; and an integrated natural gas transportation, storage, and distribution system, as well as has underground natural gas storage fields in California. The company serves residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, public street and highway lighting, and other electric utility customers. As of December 31, 2009, it served approximately 5.1 million electricity distribution customers and approximately 4.3 million natural gas distribution customers. The company also operated 18,650 circuit miles of intercon nected transmission lines and 141,213 circuit miles of distribution lines for electricity; and 42,142 miles of distribution pipelines, 6,438 miles of backbone and local transmission pipelines, and 3 storage facilities for natural gas. PG&E Corporation was founded in 1905 and is based in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alyce Lomax]

  Even massive conglomerate Honeywell (NYSE: HON  ) has delved into the demand response and energy efficiency arena. In March, Honeywell teamed up with Opower to provide an integrated energy management platform with five utilities, including PG&E (NYSE: PCG  ) , to test-drive the relatively untapped residential market.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Utility operator�PG&E (NYSE: PCG  ) announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.455 per share, the same rate it's paid since 2010.

• [By Alex Planes]

  Looking for a way to invest in hydropower? California's PG&E (NYSE: PCG  ) is the nation's largest hydropower utility, producing nearly 12 billion kilowatt-hours of water-sourced electricity each year. CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS  ) , which currently operates 13 hydroelectric power plants in Michigan -- including one near the site of that first Grand Rapids turbine -- provides power to about 70,000 people each year from the movement of water.

• [By Richard Stavros]

  There are also thermal energy storage systems that turn rooftop air conditioners and campus-wide cogeneration plants into virtual-grid, energy-shifting arrays, and PG&E Corp (NYSE: PCG) is developing a compressed-air energy storage (CAES) system. Meanwhile, Southern California Edison, a subsidiary of Edison International (NYSE: EIX), is looking into using plug-in electrical vehicles as storage, and Sempra Energy’s (NYSE: SRE) San Diego Gas and Electric has focused on microgrid projects.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Leggett & Platt Incorporated(LEG)

Leggett & Platt, Incorporated designs and produces various engineered components and products worldwide. Its Residential Furnishings segment offers bedding components, such as innersprings and wire forms; furniture components, including steel mechanisms, springs, seat suspensions, steel tubular seat frames, bed frames, ornamental beds, and power foundations; and structural fabrics, carpet underlay materials, and geo components. This segment serves manufacturers of finished bedding products or upholstered furniture. The company?s Commercial Fixturing & Components segment provides shelving, counters, showcases, and garment racks; standardized shelvings; point-of-purchase displays; and bases, columns, back rests, casters, and frames. This segment offers its products to retail chains and specialty shops; brand name marketers; distributors of consumer products; and office, institutional, and commercial furniture manufacturers. Its Industrial Materials segment provides steel rod s, drawn wires, steel billets, fabricated wire products, welded steel tubing, and fabricated tube components to bedding and furniture, and mechanical spring makers; automotive seating, and lawn and garden equipment manufacturers; and waste recyclers, waste removal businesses, and medical supply businesses. The company?s Specialized Products segment offers manual and power lumbar support and massage systems; seat suspension systems; automotive control cables; low voltage motors; actuation assemblies; formed metal and wire components; quilting machines; machines for shaping wire into springs; industrial sewing/finishing machines; van interiors; and docking stations, as well as specialty trailers for telephone, cable, and utility companies. It serves bedding and automobile seating manufacturers. The company sells its products through its sales representatives and distributors. Leggett & Platt, Incorporated was founded in 1883 and is based in Carthage, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Leggett & Platt Inc. (LEG) makes a broad line of bedding and furniture components and other home, office and commercial furnishings, as well as products for non-furnishings markets. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1939 and has increased its dividend payments for 41 consecutive years. Yield: 3.6%

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Leggett & Platt (LEG) is a leading manufacturer of engineered products and components. As the pioneer of steel coil springs found in mattresses and furniture, the company continues to supply a variety of components to bedding and furniture manufacturers. Additionally, Leggett & Platt's broader product line includes retail store fixtures, office furniture components, automotive seating components and industrial steel wire and tubing. Customers choose Leggett & Platt as a supplier because the company's manufacturing scale and processes result in lower costs than customers can produce themselves. We believe earnings should grow based on the contribution of new products, cost reduction efforts and the improving housing market. Moreover, future dividend growth appears likely based on a 42-year record of dividend increases. We believe Leggett & Platt is an attractive investment based on its 3.8% dividend yield and positive growth outlook.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: CCA Industries Inc.(CAW)

CCA Industries, Inc. engages in manufacturing and selling health and beauty aid products primarily in the United States and Canada. The company primarily offers toothpastes and teeth whiteners under the Plus+White brand; anti-aging skin care products under the Sudden Change brand; nail care treatments under the Nutra Nail and Power Gel brands; medicated topical and shave gels under the Bikini Zone brand; diet supplements under the Mega-T Green Tea brand; and gums and mint products under the Mega?T Green Tea brand. It also provides hair removal and depilatory products under the Hair Off brand; foot-care products under the IPR brand; sun-care products under the Solar Sense brand; shampoos and conditioners under the Wash ?N Curl brand; vanilla fragrances, including perfumes under the Parfume de Vanille brand; ear-care products under the Lobe Wonder brand; topical analgesic products under the Pain Bust*R II brand; and scar diminishing cream under the Scar Zone brand. CCA Indus tries, Inc. markets and sells its products through its sales force, independent sales representatives, and distributors to drug, food, and mass-merchandise retail chains, as well as to warehouse clubs and wholesalers. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Plum Creek Timber Company Inc.(PCL)

Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. is a publicly owned real estate investment trust (REIT). The trust owns and manages timberlands in the United States. Its products include lumber products, plywood, medium density fiberboard, and related by-products, such as wood chips. The trust also focuses on mineral extraction and natural gas production, communication, and transportation. Plum Creek Timber Company was founded in 1989 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Victor Selva]

  Plum Creek Timber Co Inc. (PCL) owns 6.4 million acres of timberland across 19 states and manages timberland and manufactures wood products. The company is structured as a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust), and so, it is not required to pay federal income taxes on earnings generated by timber harvest activities. Other earnings, like those from its wood products and real estate segments are subject to federal income tax.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  High lumber prices are the key driver of earnings growth for Weyerhaeuser, and in recent years, price trends in the industry have been quite strong. Infestations of mountain pine beetles have consumed about 12% of forested land west of the Mississippi, and that pushed lumber prices to levels not seen since the housing boom in the mid-2000s. Weyerhaeuser rival Plum Creek Timber (NYSE: PCL  ) has benefited even more from the trend, because unlike Weyerhaeuser, much of Plum Creek's timberland is in areas not affected by the beetle. Nevertheless, Weyerhaeuser was able to triple its profits in the first quarter from the year-ago period, posting its best quarterly earnings in eight years.

• [By John Divine]

  Plum Creek Timber (NYSE: PCL  ) , which is a real estate investment trust, or REIT, also lost 4.7% today. REITs had a rough go of it Wednesday; they frequently borrow money to pay their high dividends, and with the prospect of higher interest rates around the corner as the Fed starts allowing rates to rise, REITs like Plum Creek will have to pay more just to keep their payouts stagnant.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Ordinarily, price pressure might lead to decreased demand for housing, which could send Weyerhaeuser's cyclical prospects downward. But so far, that hasn't materialized, and Plum Creek Timber (NYSE: PCL  ) has seen greater investment in mills as well as expanded work-shifts at existing facilities. Furthermore, logging capacity has been under pressure, which could continue to support prices.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Kohlberg Capital Corporation(KCAP)

Kohlberg Capital Corporation is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in buyouts and mezzanine investments. It focuses on mature and middle market companies. The firm structures its investments through senior debt, second lien debt, secured and unsecured subordinated debt, mezzanine debt, and equity. It invests in all sectors except cyclical industries. The firm invests equity in both minority and control transactions alongside other equity investors. It invests through its own balance sheet. Kohlberg Capital Corporation is based in the New York, New York.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings(LH)

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as an independent clinical laboratory company in the United States. The company offers a range of testing services used by the medical profession in routine testing, patient diagnosis, and in the monitoring and treatment of disease, as well as specialty testing services. Its routine tests include blood chemistry analyses, urinalyses, blood cell counts, thyroid tests, Pap tests, HIV tests, microbiology cultures and procedures, and alcohol and other substance-abuse tests. The company?s specialty tests and related services comprise viral load measurements, genotyping and phenotyping, and host genetic factors for managing and treating HIV infections; cytogenetic, molecular cytogenetic, biochemical, and molecular genetic tests for diagnostic genetics; oncology tests for diagnosing and monitoring certain cancers and treatments; clinical trials testing for pharmaceutical companies, which conducts clinical research trials on diag nostic assays; forensic identity testing used in criminal proceedings and parentage evaluation services, as well as testing services in reconstruction cases; allergy testing; and occupational testing for the detection of drug and alcohol abuse. Its customers include independent physicians and physician groups, hospitals, managed care organizations, governmental agencies, employers, pharmaceutical companies, and other independent clinical laboratories. The company operates a network of 51 primary laboratories and approximately 1,700 patient service centers. In addition, it delivers a co-branded electronic health records Lite solution for physician practices. The company works with university, hospital, and academic institutions, such as Duke University, The Johns Hopkins University, the University of Minnesota, and Yale University to license and commercialize new diagnostic tests. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Burlingto n, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (NYSE: LH  ) reported earnings on July 19. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: S&P Smallcap 600(PH)

Parker Hannifin Corporation manufactures fluid power systems, electromechanical controls, and related components worldwide. Its Industrial segment offers pneumatic and electromechanical components, and systems; filters, systems, and instruments to monitor and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors that control, transmit, and contain fluid; hydraulic components and systems for builders and users of industrial and mobile machinery and equipment; critical flow components for process instrumentation, healthcare, and ultra-high-purity applications; and static and dynamic sealing devices. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their replacement markets in the manufacturing, transportation, and processing industries. The company?s Aerospace segment provides flight control systems and components, including hydraulic, electrohydraulic, electric backup hydraulic, electrohydrostatic, and electro -mechanical components for precise control of aircraft rudders, elevators, ailerons, and other aerodynamic control surfaces. It also provides electronics thermal management heat rejection systems, and single-phase and two-phase heat collection systems for radar, ISAR, and power electronics. This segment markets its products primarily to OEMs in the commercial, military, and general aviation markets, as well as to end users. Its Climate and Industrial Controls segment offers systems and components primarily for use in the mobile and stationary refrigeration, and air conditioning industry; and in fluid control applications in various industries, such as processing, fuel dispensing, beverage dispensing, and mobile emissions. This segment serves OEMs and their replacement markets. Parker-Hannifin Corporation markets its products through direct-sales employees, independent distributors, wholesalers, and sales representatives. The company was founded in 1918 and is headquartered i n Cleveland, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephen Rosenman]

  Can you really take a company's yearly guidance seriously? Who can predict future events a year from now? It's so hard most companies skip the ordeal. Who can blame them? So many unforeseen events can derail a company's guidance. Yet, a few daredevil companies continue giving their yearly outlook. As far as I'm concerned, that's akin to writing the front page of next year's Wall Street Journal. I've already highlighted how Caterpillar (CAT) and Parker Hannifin (PH) - two excellent companies - almost never get their yearly guidance right.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Motion and control systems manufacturer Parker-Hannifin (PH) raised its quarterly dividend 4.6% to 45 cents per share, payable on Dec. 6 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 8. The increase marks the 57th consecutive annual dividend increase.
  PH Dividend Yield:�1.55%

• [By Charles Mizrahi, President and CEO, Hampton Investors, Inc.]

  Parker Hannifin (PH) generates strong revenue from its aerospace division, while its primary industrial segment is lagging.

  Overall, we like the company's balanced portfolio. PH had solid order rates this past year with backlog of $3.6 billion between its industrial and aerospace segments.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Parker-Hannifin (NYSE: PH) is expected to report its Q1 earnings at $1.48 per share on revenue of $3.26 billion.

  Textron (NYSE: TXT) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $0.47 per share on revenue of $2.97 billion.

Why Owens Corning Shares Slipped

While Fools should generally take the opinion of Wall Street with a grain of salt, it's not a bad idea to take a closer look at particularly stock-shaking upgrades and downgrades -- just in case their reasoning behind the call makes sense.

What: Shares of Owens Corning (NYSE: OC  ) slipped 2% today after Bank of America downgraded the building materials company from buy to neutral.

So what: Along with the downgrade, analyst George Staphos lowered his price target to $40 (from $43), representing about 6% worth of upside to yesterday's close. While contrarian investors might be attracted to Owens' steady slide in 2013, Staphos believes the appreciation potential remains limited given the somewhat optimistic profit estimates still built into the valuation.

Now what: B of A believes Owens' risks and rewards are pretty balanced at this point. "[Our] estimates are reduced once again which causes us to lower our normalized free cash flow (FCF) estimate (to $500mn from $600mn) and our targeted midcycle multiples by 1x," said the bank. "Ultimately, we believe OC should have leverage to a recovering housing sector." Of course, when you couple the beaten-down share price with its heavy debt load, Owens might have far more housing-fueled upside than B of A gives it credit for. 

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Top High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now

A few months ago, Ivor Braka called me to ask if he could visit my office. Ivor is the older brother of a high school friend I haven't seen or heard from for many years. Ivor's family for many generations had been unusually successful in a variety of businesses. As a result, his family has become among the most prominent in the small, middle class, Jersey Shore, beach town where I grew up. Although I could not recall having spoken to Ivor since 1961, when I graduated from Asbury Park High School, I invited him to lunch.

When Ivor visited, we spoke principally about his family's business interests. Under his entrepreneurial leadership, the value of his family's assets had grown materially. The assets for which he is now responsible comprise interests in real estate in New York and other gateway cities around the world; international banking; and, most recently, shipping. I asked him about his staff of advisors and how he achieved the expertise I believed was necessary to invest in such a diversified group of businesses. "Like you, I invest in people," he began. "I invest with people in whose skills I am confident and whom I know well. In most cases, we also knew their grandparents well. If I am uncomfortable with a potential partner's grandparents' ethics, integrity and character, we don't invest," this successful entrepreneur told me.

Top High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now: international ferro metals npv(IFL.L)

International Ferro Metals Limited operates as an integrated ferrochrome producer. It mines and processes chromite, as well as produces and sells ferrochrome for use in stainless steel production. The company owns Lesedi chromite mines in Buffelsfontein, South Africa; and 80% interest in the Sky Chrome project, which is located adjacent to the Buffelsfontein plant. It has operations in Australia, China, Europe, South Africa, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and the United States. The company is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.

Top High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Murgor Resources Inc (MGR.V)

Murgor Resources Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. The company explores for gold, copper, zinc, and silver deposits. It primarily focuses on exploring the Golden Arrow gold property that consists of 20 patented mining claims and 11 mining claims covering an area of 1,377 hectares in Hislop, McCann, and Playfair townships that are located to the east of the town of Timmins in Ontario. The company was formerly known as Advance Murgor Exploration Limited and changed its name to Murgor Resources Inc. in 1985. Murgor Resources Inc. was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Kingston, Canada.

Hot Cheap Companies To Buy For 2014: ANN Inc (ANN)

ANN INC., incorporated in 1988, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a specialty retailer of women�� apparel, shoes and accessories sold primarily under the Ann Taylor and LOFT brands. The Company�� Ann Taylor and LOFT brands offers a range of career and casual separates, dresses, tops, weekend wear, shoes and accessories. It offers updated past season sellers from the Ann Taylor and LOFT merchandise collections at its Ann Taylor Factory and LOFT Outlet stores, respectively, and the clients can also shop online at www.anntaylor.com and www.LOFT.com (together, Online Stores), or by phone at 1-800-DIAL-ANN and 1-888-LOFT-444. As of January 28, 2012, it operated 953 retail stores in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, consisted of 280 Ann Taylor stores, 500 LOFT stores, 99 Ann Taylor Factory stores and 74 LOFT Outlet stores.

Substantially all of the Company�� merchandise is developed by its in-house product design and development teams, who design merchandise exclusively for the Company. A small percentage of its merchandise is purchased through branded vendors, which is selected to complement its in-house assortment. The Company sourced merchandise from approximately 138 manufacturers and vendors in 19 countries. Approximately 42% of its merchandise unit purchases originated in China, 13% in the Philippines, 14% in Indonesia, 14% in India, and 13% in Vietnam. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, AnnTaylor Distribution Services, Inc., owns its 256,000-square-foot distribution center located in Louisville, Kentucky. The distribution center is located on approximately 27 acres. Its merchandise is distributed to stores, including the Online Stores, through this facility.

An average Ann Taylor store is approximately 5,500 square feet in size. The Company operates two Ann Taylor flagship stores, one located in New York City and one located in Chicago. LOFT stores average approximately 5,800 square feet. The Company also operates one LOFT flagship store! on the ground floor of 7 Times Square, its corporate headquarters, in New York City. During the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2011), it opened 14 LOFT stores that averaged approximately 5,500 square feet. Ann Taylor Factory stores average approximately 7,100 square feet. LOFT Outlet stores average approximately 7,000 square feet. During fiscal 2011, its LOFT Outlet stores were 38 new stores that averaged approximately 7,600 square feet.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  In commemoration of Earth Day, retailer ANN INC (NYSE: ANN  ) , the parent company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, says that not only has it already met its goal two years early of reducing its "carbon footprint" by 9% by 2015 but it's doubled it. And ANN isn't done "greening" yet.

• [By Andrew Marder]

  Last week, ANN (NYSE: ANN  ) updated its quarterly outlook, and things aren't looking great. Comparable sales are forecast to be down, gross margin compressed, and expenses up. The company owns both the Ann Taylor and Loft brands, with Ann Taylor focusing on higher-end consumers and Loft aiming at a younger, price-conscious crowd.

Top High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now: China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc.(NKBP)

China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, marketing, and sale of hospital-based medical products in the People?s Republic of China. The company?s principal products include Baquting, a hemocoagulase product derived from Bothrops atrox venom to treat and prevent bleeding; and Kaitong, a lipid emulsion alprostadil product for the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases, cardiocerebral microcirculation disorders, and post-surgery thrombosis. It also offers Aiduo, a cardiovascular stress imaging agent; and Aiwen, an anti-arrhythmic agent for the diagnosis and treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, as well as provides dipyridamole aspirin capsules for the prevention of strokes. In addition, the company?s products under development comprise a hemocoagulase derived from Agkistrodon acutus snake venom; lanthanum polystyrene sulfonate product candidate for the treatment of hyperphosphat emia; and adenosine as a myocardial protection agent for various cardiovascular-related clinical settings. Further, its product pipeline includes product candidates under development that address the medical needs for bleeding control and hematological, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. It sells its products to pharmaceutical distributors. China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in Shenyang, the People?s Republic of China.

Top High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now: InterXion Holding N.V. (INXN)

InterXion Holding N.V. provides carrier-neutral colocation data center services in Europe. It enables its customers to connect to a range of telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers, and other customers. The company�s data centers act as content and connectivity hubs that facilitate the processing, storage, sharing, and distribution of data, content, applications, and media among carriers and customers. The company offers colocation services, including space and power to enable customers to deploy IT infrastructure in its data centers; connectivity services; cross connect services; and monitoring services. It also provides managed services comprising systems monitoring, systems management, engineering support services, data back-up, and storage services. The company serves the digital media and distribution sector, enterprises, the financial services sector, managed services providers, and network providers. It serves 1,200 customers through 31 data centers in 11 countries. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Schiphol Rijk, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Interxion Holding N.V. (NYSE: INXN) provides data colocation services through its 34 data centers in 11 European countries. In 2012, the company generated approximately 62% of its total revenues from France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, which represents Interxion’s “Big 4″ markets. The remaining 38% revenue came from seven other European countries. The company�� data centers act as content and connectivity hubs that facilitate processing, storage, sharing and distribution of data, content and applications. The consensus price target for the stock is $20.78. Interxion closed at $22.52.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Interxion Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: INXN) was downgraded to Perform from outperform at Oppenheimer.

  M&T Bank Corp. (NYSE: MTB) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform by Credit Suisse.