5 Hated Earnings Stocks You Should Love

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Short-sellers hate being caught short a stock that reports a blowout quarter. When this happens, we often see a tradable short squeeze develop as the bears rush to cover their positions to avoid big losses. Even the best short-sellers know that it's never a great idea to stay short once a bullish earnings report sparks a big short-covering rally.

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This is why I scan the market for heavily shorted stocks that are about to report earnings. You only need to find a few of these stocks in a year to help enhance your portfolio returns -- the gains become so outsized in such a short time frame that your profits add up quickly.

That said, let's not forget that stocks are heavily shorted for a reason, so you have to use trading discipline and sound money management when playing earnings short-squeeze candidates. It's important that you don't go betting the farm on these plays and that you manage your risk accordingly. Sometimes the best play is to wait for the stock to break out following the report before you jump in to profit off a short squeeze. This way, you're letting the trend emerge after the market has digested all of the news.

Of course, sometimes the stock is going to be in such high demand that you risk missing a lot of the move by waiting. That's why it can be worth betting prior to the report -- but only if the stock is acting technically very bullish and you have a very strong conviction that it is going to rip higher. Just remember that even when you have that conviction and have done your due diligence, the stock can still get hammered if The Street doesn't like the numbers or guidance.

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If you do decide to bet ahead of a quarter, then you might want to use options to limit your capital exposure. Heavily shorted stocks are usually the names that make the biggest post-earnings moves and have the most volatility. I personally prefer to wait until all the earnings-related news is out for a heavily shorted stock and then jump in and trade the prevailing trend.

With that in mind, here's a look at several stocks that could experience big short squeezes when they report earnings this week.

InvenSense

My first earnings short-squeeze trade idea is semiconductor player InvenSense (INVN), which is set to release numbers on Thursday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect InvenSense to report revenue of $57.42 million on earnings of 10 cents per share.

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Just recently, Pacific Crest increased its price target on InvenSense to $27 from $20, as the firm believes the launch of the iWatch and iPhone 6 by Apple (AAPL) could enable InvenSense to finally obtain a deal from the tech giant. The firm reiterated its outperform rating on the stock.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for InvenSense is extremely high at 35%. That means that out of the 73.41 million shares in the tradable float, 24.97 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 3.9%, or by about 963,000 shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a bullish quarter, then shares of INVN could easily rip sharply higher post-earnings as the bears jump to cover some of their positions.

From a technical perspective, INVN is currently trending above its 200-day moving average and just below its 50-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock recently formed a triple bottom chart pattern at $20.10, $20.19 and $20.08 a share. Following that bottom, shares of INVN are now starting to spike higher and move within range of triggering a major breakout trade post-earnings.

If you're bullish on INVN, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $22.50 to its all-time high at $24.34 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 2.67 million shares. If that breakout starts post-earnings, then INVN will set up to enter new all-time-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $30 to $35 a share.

I would simply avoid INVN or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout and then drops back below some key near-term support levels at $20.08 to its 200-day moving average of $18.96 a share high volume. If we get that move, then INVN will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support levels at $17.76 to $16 a share.

Energy XXI

Another potential earnings short-squeeze play is oil and gas exploration player Energy XXI (EXXI), which is set to release its numbers on Thursday before the market open. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Energy XXI to report revenue $285.80 million on earnings of 31 cents per share.

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The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Energy XXI is extremely high at 28%. That means that out of the 61.58 million shares in the tradable float, 17.37 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 14.9%, or by about 2.24 million shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a strong quarter, then shares of EXXI could easily soar sharply higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their bets.

From a technical perspective, EXXI is currently trending above its 50-day moving average and below its 200-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been trending sideways and consolidating for the last three months, with shares moving between $21.32 on the downside and $24.59 on the upside. Shares of EXXI are now starting to bounce off its 50-day moving average and it's quickly moving within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade above the upper-end of its sideways trading chart pattern.

If you're in the bull camp on EXXI, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $24.26 to $24.59 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2.18 million shares. If that breakout hits, then EXXI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $27.66 to $28.50 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give EXXI a chance tag $30 to $32 a share.

I would simply avoid EXXI or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout and then drops back below its 50-day moving average of $23.34 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then EXXI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support levels at $22.07 to its 52-week low of $20.40 a share. Any move below $20.40 will then push shares of EXXI into new 52-week-low territory, which is bearish technical price action.

Weight Watchers

Another potential earnings short-squeeze candidate is global-branded consumer weight management services provider Weight Watchers (WTW), which is set to release numbers on Wednesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Weight Watchers to report revenue of $399.20 million on earnings of 9 cents per share.

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The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Weight Watchers is extremely high a 38%. That means that out of the 27.55 million shares in the tradable float, 10.77 million shares are sold short by the bears. This is a stock with a monster short interest and a very low tradable float. Any bullish earnings news could easily send shares of WTW soaring higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their positions.

From a technical perspective, WTW is currently trending above its 50-day moving average and well below its 200-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been trending sideways and consolidating for the last two months and change, with shares moving between $19.50 on the downside and $22.16 on the upside. Any high-volume move above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern could trigger a major breakout trade for shares of WTW post-earnings.

If you're bullish on WTW, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $21.64 to $22.16 a share and then once it takes out its gap-down-day high of $23.18 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.25 million shares. If that breakout materializes after earnings, then WTW will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap-down-day zone from February that started at $31.40 a share.

I would avoid WTW or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout and then drops back below some near-term support levels at $20.27 to its 52-week low of $19.50 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then WTW will set up to enter new 52-week-low territory, which is bearish technical price action.

Outerwall

Another earnings short-squeeze prospect is automated retail solutions provider Outerwall (OUTR), which is set to release numbers on Thursday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Outerwall to report revenue of $586.65 million on earnings of 95 cents per share.

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Just recently, Wedbush Securities wrote in a note to investors that they're maintaining their outperform rating on OUTR and a 12-month price target of $82 per share. That price target reflects just over 11 times their 2014 EPS estimate of $7.34, which is a discount to its historical valuation and reflects recent rental demand declines and uneven profitability.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Outerwall is extremely high at 34%. That means that out of the 19.35 million shares in the tradable float, 8.06 million shares are sold short by the bears. This is a stock that currently sports a gigantic short interest and an extremely low tradable float. If the bulls get the earnings news they're looking for, then shares of OUTR could explode to the upside as the bears rush to cover some of their bets.

From a technical perspective, OUTR is currently trending below its 50-day moving average and above its 200-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock recently pulled back to its 200-day moving average, and subsequently has rebounded in a V-shaped pattern back to around its 50-day moving average. This move is starting to push shares of OUTR within range of triggering a major breakout trade post-earnings.

If you're bullish on OUTR, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $72 to $73.25 a share and then once it clears its 52-week high at $74.30 a share with strong volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 916,340 shares. If that breakout gets underway post-earnings, then OUTR will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off breakout are $85 to $90 a share, or even $95 a share.

I would simply avoid OUTR or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout and then drops back below some key near-term support levels at $67 to $66 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then OUTR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support levels at its 200-day moving average of $64.60 to $62.60 a share. Any high-volume move below those levels will then give OUTR a chance to tag $57 to $55 a share.

Blucora

My final earnings short-squeeze play is online solutions provider Blucora (BCOR), which is set to release numbers on Thursday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Blucora to report revenue of $216.98 million on earnings of $1.03 per share.

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The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Blucora is very high at 17.8%. That means that out of the 40.09 million shares in the tradable float, 7.10 million shares are sold short by the bears. This stock sports a large short interest with a relatively low tradable float. If this company can deliver the earnings news the bulls are looking for, then shares of BCOR could easily rip sharply higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their bets.

From a technical perspective, BCOR is currently trending below both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bearish. This stock has been consolidating and trending sideways for the last two months, with shares moving between $18.06 on the downside and $20.65 on the upside. Any high-volume move above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading pattern post-earnings could easily push shares of BCOR into breakout territory.

If you're in the bull camp on BCOR, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $19.60 to $19.90 a share and then once it takes out more resistance at $20.65 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 894,050 shares. If that breakout triggers after earnings, then BCOR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $22.11 to its 200-day moving average of $23.36 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give BCOR a chance to tag $25 to $26 a share.

I would avoid BCOR or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below some key near-term support levels at $18.30 to $18.06 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then BOCR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week low at $14.52 a share.

To see more potential earnings short squeeze plays, check out the Earnings Short-Squeeze Plays portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

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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.

Best Valued Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Best Valued Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

Tupperware Brands Corporation operates as a direct seller of various products across a range of brands and categories through an independent sales force. The company engages in the manufacture and sale of kitchen and home products, and beauty and personal care products. It offers preparation, storage, and serving solutions for the kitchen and home, as well as kitchen cookware and tools, children?s educational toys, microwave products, and gifts under the Tupperware brand name primarily in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company provides beauty and personal care products, which include skin care products, cosmetics, bath and body care, toiletries, fragrances, nutritional products, apparel, and related products principally in Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Uruguay. It offers beauty and personal care products under the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo, and Swissgar de brand names. The company sells its Tupperware products directly to distributors, directors, managers, and dealers; and beauty products primarily through consultants and directors. As of December 26, 2009, the Tupperware distribution system had approximately 1,800 distributors, 61,300 managers, and 1.3 million dealers; and the sales force representing the Beauty businesses approximately 1.1 million. The company was formerly known as Tupperware Corporation and changed its name to Tupperware Brands Corporation in December 2005. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Berr]

  Multilevel marketing (MLM) groups such as Herbalife operate through independent sales representatives, who earn money both through the sales of product and by recruiting other people to join the! ir team. This business model — which is used by scores of companies, including Pampered Chef, which is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B), Tupperware (TUP) and Mary Kay Cosmetics — is legal provided that actual products are sold.

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  Corporate earnings took a back seat today to the Fed's latest policy decision. Still, quarterly financial results, and other news sent shares of McCormick & Co. (MKC) and Tupperware (TUP), falling during regular market hours Here's a rundown of several of today's moves:

• [By John Kell]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Dow Chemical Co.(DOW), Tupperware Brands Corp.(TUP) and Yahoo Inc.(YHOO)

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-valued-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Amazon, Internet stocks cool tech rally; Apple gains

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Losses from Internet stocks largely overshadowed gains from Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corp. Monday as declines from Amazon.com Inc. stood out following the e-commerce giant's latest business forecasts.

Bloomberg Amazon stock is down more than 10% since the company reported earnings Thursday.

Amazon (AMZN)  came back from its session lows, but fell by 2.4% to close at $296.58. It was the first time the online-retailer's stock closed below $300 a share since Sept. 16, 2013. Amazon's shares have fallen more than 10% since the company reported first-quarter results on Thursday. Amazon gave an upbeat first-quarter report, but said its expenses are going to increase as its spends more on delivery services and new technology products such as its Amazon Fire TV set-top box.

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Other losses came from Salesforce (CRM) , down almost 7%; Netflix Inc. (NFLX) , which fell 2.4%; Groupon Inc. (GRPN) , off by more than 2%; LinkedIn Corp. (LNKD) , which fell more than 6%; and Pandora Media Inc. (P) , down by almost 3%.

/quotes/zigman/63011/delayed/quotes/nls/amzn AMZN 296.58, -7.25, -2.39% Amazon shares

EBay Inc. (EBAY)  ended the day down by 8 cents a share at $53.64 a day ahead of the company's first-quarter earnings report.

Apple Inc. (AAPL)  and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)   held on to their gains Monday, but those tech leaders proved to be among the outliers. Apple (AAPL)  rose almost 4% to close at $594.09, while Microsoft (MSFT)  rose 2.4% to end the day at $40.87.

Microsoft was dealing with the headache of a security vulnerability in its Internet Explorer browser, which was disclosed over the weekend.

IBM Corp. (IBM)  shares rose almost 2% to $193.14.

The Nasdaq Composite Index (COMP)  spent the day alternately rising and falling by large amounts before finally closing with a loss of 1 point at 4,074. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX)  also ended the day in the red.

Investors were having their sentiment tested by several matters, including the continuing crisis between Russia and Ukraine. The U.S. and the EU announced a series of new sanctions against Russia over its role in the upheaval in Ukraine.

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Hedge Funds Are More About Playing Games Than About Investing

George Soros recently took a large stake in Herbalife (NYSE: HLF  ) , the same company hedge fund giants Bill Ackman, Carl Icahn, and Dan Loeb have been fighting over for most of the past year. The tiff between the men highlights how much of a game hedge fund investing can be. It's not about long-term investing like we promote here at The Motley Fool; it's about short-term profits and bashing the competition whenever possible.

Hedge funds have at times become more focused on this game that they are on investing. And believe me, this isn't a game you or I can play.

The art of the short squeeze
Shorting a stock is one of the few ways to make a profit when a stock goes down, but it's also a dangerous way to bet, because your downside potential is limitless, which is why hedge funds target short-sellers like Ackman.

I first learned of the power of the short squeeze in hedge funds from Jim Cramer's Confessions of a Street Addict, which came out in 2002 before dozens of hedge fund managers became household names. Cramer wasn't always the boisterous TV personality he is today; he was once a respected, albeit volatile, hedge fund manager with a long track record of solid returns.

What a lot of people outside Wall Street don't understand is how small the inner circle is there. Ackman and Icahn have had dealings in the past, Loeb was once friends with Ackman, and lots of smaller funds run with the same crowd. That's why it's easy to learn when someone is building a big short position and when other managers may be able to implement a short squeeze. In Ackman's case, it would go something like this:

Ackman has made a $1 billion bet against Herbalife, which would be difficult to liquidate, given its sheer size. If other managers buy up large stakes and go on talk shows touting the stock, and the market pushes it higher in response, Ackman could be sitting on a big loss. Even a 100% loss on the short position may not be devastating to his $12 billion hedge fund Pershing Square Capital, but if he has a few redemptions or a few other bets go the wrong way, it could force Ackman to liquidate, causing a short squeeze. That's when other managers see blood in the water, and whether they like a company or not, the mechanics of the market can push a stock higher -- fast.

Just look at Tesla Motors' (NASDAQ: TSLA  ) meteoric rise over the past three months. When Tesla reported earnings last, there were 116 million shares outstanding, and about 26% of those shares were sold short. When the stock began to rise, many investors panicked and closed out short positions, fueling the rise over the next few weeks. Since then, 12 million fewer shares are short, and the short squeeze was a huge winner for those who could ride it. 

Trading games
The short squeeze is just one of the games hedge funds play that most investors can't. David Einhorn has become masterful at using speaking engagements at investing conferences to tout his positions, usually resulting in a herd mentality to follow him. Others will go on CNBC or contact newspapers to spread rumors that may or may not be true. Then there's insider trading that Steve Cohen's SAC Capital is currently dealing with.

These aren't games most people can play, and they highlight what a different world hedge funds live in. Most aren't in a stock for the long-term; they simply see an opportunity they can exploit and will do so as long as it's legal or they can avoid getting caught. That's why following a big name can be dangerous, because by the time you know what they're doing, they've already won and may be taking the opposite side of the very trade you're making to follow them.

Long-term investing wins
The average investor can't wage a proxy war like Carl Icahn, short a stock like Bill Ackman, or bring a company to its knees like David Einhorn, and we really shouldn't try. Foolish investors know that long-term investing is about finding great companies and holding them for a long time.

There's also no guarantee that playing games like big hedge-fund managers do will work. David Einhorn returned just 8.3% last year, Ackman returned 12.4%, and John Paulson's famous gold fund is down 65% so far this year. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average's (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) total return for 2012 was 8.6%, the S&P 500's (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) was 14.2%, and the two are up 20.9% and 20.6%, respectively, so far this year.

You, too, can outperform hedge fund titans -- without playing games. Dividend stocks are key to market-beating returns, and while they don't garner the notoriety of highflying hedge funds, they're also less likely to crash and burn. And over the long term, the compounding effect of the quarterly payouts, as well as their growth, adds up faster than most investors imagine. With this in mind, our analysts sat down to identify the absolute best of the best when it comes to rock-solid dividend stocks, drawing up a list in this free report of nine that fit the bill. To discover the identities of these companies before the rest of the market catches on, you can download this valuable free report by simply clicking here now.

5 Best Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now

5 Best Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now: First Horizon National Corp (FHN)

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

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

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

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

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

FHN's investment portfolio consists of debt securities, including government agency issued mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and government agency issued collateralized mortgage obligations (CMO). During the year ended December 31, 2011, Government agency issued MBS and CMO, and other agencies averaged $2.9 billion. During 2011, the United States treasury securities and municipal bonds averaged $79.5 million.! During 2! 011, investments in equity securities averaged $222.3 million.

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

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

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

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

• [By John Maxfield]

  Given that you clicked on this article, it seems safe to assume you either own stock in First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN  ) or are considering buying shares in the near future. If so, then you've come to the right place. The table below reveals the nine most critical numbers that investors need to know about First Horizon stock before deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold it.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  After the close of trading Friday, the S&P 500 will include Pfizer spinoff Zoetis (NYSE: ZTS  ) . The stock replaces First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN  ) , which is to find a new home on the S&P MidCap 400.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/5-best-bank-stocks-to-watch-right-now-2.html

Will Wall Street Remain the World's Financial Capital?

Getty Images "People think you can just walk right in," the bemused security guard said to his co-worker, who snickered, shook his head and returned to his outpost under the tented area outside the otherwise-regal entrance to the New York Stock Exchange. The dejected tourist walked away after learning that, no, there is no visitors' gallery at the exchange where he could watch what was happening inside 11 Wall Street. He then disappeared into a dense crowd of tourists. Nearby, folks posed in front of the George Washington statue at Federal Hall, across the walkway from the exchange. They aimed their camera phones curiously around Broad and Wall streets, many drawn to the enormous American flag that flies in front of the NYSE, where it has stood since shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. And they wondered what was going on inside. This is supposed to be the financial capital of the world. Truth is, there's really not that much to see anymore inside these majestic halls. An exchange that used to house more than 5,000 traders shouting out their business now is a mostly docile habitat in which those still left on the floor quietly tap out orders on hand-held computers and barely make a peep at swift changes in market activity. Things indeed have changed a lot for the exchange over the past 25 years. The next 25 years-well, things could get dicey. The Future of Trading Will the exchange still exist? Will it be a museum? An office complex? An automated emporium run by robots? More importantly, will New York still be the financial capital of the world? Nobody seems quite sure, though the building itself does maintain its nostalgic appeal even if it's lost much of its relevance as a trading center. "Symbols matter," said Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at New York-based brokerage ConvergEx. "It's important to have a symbol that people can relate to, and it's much easier to relate to a physical space. It will be important for the New York Stock Exchange to maintain some relevance with investors." Prospects for the building and what happens inside it hinge on three things: Just how far the trading community pushes automation, how hard regulators push back and how well the 80 or so locations now where stocks are traded can maintain their trust and credibility with the investing public. A Rapidly Changing Ecosystem New York faces a bevy of challenges. Automated trading has taken up about four-fifths of the market's volume. Dark pools -- privately run trading centers away from the NYSE -- are scattered around the metropolitan area. Exchanges around the world -- such as those in Tokyo, London and Shanghai -- are seeing their volumes increase, though they still draw just a fraction of the volume seen in New York at the NYSE and the Nasdaq. The current market is dealing with one whale of a black eye caused by suspicion over high-frequency trading and its stranglehold on market activity. The proliferation of trading aberrations such as 2010's "Flash Crash" and the intense debate over "Flash Boys," Michael Lewis' 2014 HFT-centered book, has underscored the credibility problem, which will have to be rectified -- and soon. Conversations with the folks who help make the market machinery work reveal some interesting-and surprising-thought trends. For instance, there is a pervasive belief that the market will become less fractured and perhaps even a bit slower than the current incomprehensible millisecond-moving speeds. While automation is a fact of life, there is no widely shared dystopian view of a market run by faceless machines without accountability. There's even a bit of whimsy. Look Into a Hypothetical Crystal Ball Market veteran Art Hogan sees two megamergers that could shake Wall Street. One would see Facebook (FB) and Twitter (TWTR) take over the NYSE; the other would have Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG) wrest control of the Nasdaq, which trades mostly tech stocks. In the Hogan scenario, the two mammoths blow out the rest of the 80 or so exchanges and dark pools where trades currently take place and defragment the market. At the same time, regulators change trading "ticks," or the increments in which stocks can trade, from the current decimalization to nickel sizes, eliminating the benefits that high-frequency traders enjoy from capitalizing on moves of pennies. Hogan is kidding ... sort of, but in a way that indicates the general direction the market needs to trend to win back investor confidence. "You've got a world [in 25 years] where technology, social media and financial markets have come together to increase investor confidence in markets," said Hogan, the chief market strategist at Wunderlich Securities. In his future vision, "Wall Street gets to play its role again as the greatest place to form capital for emerging companies, and to research those emerging companies." Don't laugh too loudly. Hogan's scenario of a market that undergoes massive transformation that actually benefits the retail investor and re-establishes some sanity in a market that has lost so much of its trading volume over the years is a widely shared vision. "We're moving faster and faster. The speeds are incredible, but we're going to get to the point where it doesn't go any faster," said Peter Costa, president of Empire Executions and an NYSE governor with 33 years of trading experience. A Quieter Street In the Costa scenario, trading changes completely. In a future world where cash becomes marginalized and digital "credits" take over as a system of payments, companies find stock issuance a trite method of raising funds. Stocks, meanwhile, start to more closely resemble mutual funds, with very little if any price movement during market hours and instead "a final pricing at the end of the day," Costa said. "There will be more financial options for investors," said Todd Schoenberger, managing partner at LandColt Capital. "For example, we now have stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. Look for new products to enter the market, which will be a real hassle for regulators. But, expanded options is what you get when you have too many players transacting business." Whatever form trading takes -- high speed, low speed or no speed -- what will matter most is fairness, and many Wall Street pros expect Washington regulators to continue their pursuit of an equitable environment. "What they're realizing is money managers like myself don't care about getting a sell in half a second," said Michael Cohn, chief market strategist at Atlantis Asset Management. "I don't care about the pennies; I care about the perception and the fairness. It affects my business if people think the market is not fair." If there is a common theme in terms of hopes for the future, it indeed would be some simple fairness. "You can still have automation, but it would be nice to bring back some sort of ecosystem into it," said Joe Saluzzi, co-founder of Themis Trading and an ardent campaigner against the ills of high-frequency trading. He hopes the next 25 years hold a greater emphasis on human involvement, not less. "You like to have someone involved. The investor relations officer, the chief financial officer, really has no idea what's going on in their stock," he said. "There are no specialists involved. They need more information as to what's going on. It's not there anymore." While the amount of bodies on the exchange floor indeed has dimmed considerably over the years, the level of employment in financial services has remained fairly and surprisingly resilient. Financial services jobs peaked out in late 2006 at about 8.4 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While that level certainly has declined, the nearly 6 percent drop to 7.9 million as of March 2014 could have been much worse considering the way Wall Street banks cut jobs en masse during the crisis. A Shift to Markets Abroad Expectations, though, are for even fewer footsteps on the Street. "The amount of employees that will be working on Wall Street, if you want to call it that, is going to continue to go down year after year," said Marc Pfeffer, a former trader at Goldman Sachs (GS) and the defunct Bear Stearns who now works as a portfolio manager at CLS Investments. "I am perplexed till today to understand why there are that many people at these firms. I think they're going to be cut by a huge percentage, if they even exist at all."

"I don't think the NYSE exists anymore period." Dick Bove

So where does that leave the exchange as a physical property? If you close your eyes tightly enough you can almost see the tumbleweeds rolling across the cobblestones past the Wall Street subway station, past the Deutsche Bank (DB) building and gliding on a path to nowhere. After all, what possible use could there be for such a structure in the next age of trading? "I don't think the NYSE exists anymore period," said Dick Bove, the outspoken banking analyst and vice president of equity research at Rafferty Capital Markets. "I think it's a good television set" for appearances in the media. But is it possible the building will serve no function? Bove sees the global financial center shifting from New York to wherever countries are committed to a thriving banking sector and not obsessed with handcuffing "too big to fail" institutions. He also points out that the exchange isn't even owned by a New York firm anymore, and that most of the trading happens at high-frequency nerve centers in New Jersey.

Tesla's Cars Are On The Move In China, But For How Long?

Just like the media had reported, Elon Musk really was in China on Tuesday. He was on hand to deliver Tesla's first eight units of the Model S to Chinese customers. Additionally, Musk was also apologizing to some unhappy consumers for the delayed delivery of their cars.

But most importantly, Musk was here to see through what may be his biggest challenge in China: To ensure Tesla drivers will have access to an adequate supply of electricity through a network of charging stations. Otherwise, his Model S is at risk of becoming a  piece of artwork sitting in the parking lot. (Garage is not a familiar word for Chinese as high-rise is common.)

On WeChat – the main information source for scores of Chinese these days – the focus of discussion has switched from curiosity to skepticism–can the Model S actually survive on China's roads? The catalyst for the change in sentiment came from Musk himself during an interview he gave to CCTV News in which he discussed the lack of adequate charging stations.

Within 24 hours, the pundits were already detailing the complexities of China's power system and explaining why the task of building charging stations could turn out to be a major roadblock for Tesla going forward.

In order to ensure everything goes well, Tesla will have to overcome three big hurdles: the transmission of electricity from the grid to the charging stations that are owned by different companies, the approval of multiple levels of government officials and the lethargy of the state-owned grid operators.

English: Tesla Model S sedan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Easier said than done. And Tesla is not alone. Other Chinese carmakers that aspired to churn out electric vehicles that are even more friendly to the environment also ran into these very same issues. A case in point would be BYD BYD – Warren Buffet's pick. Even with the advantage of local knowledge, none of the domestic players have come up with a solution for these problems.

The key supplier of electricity to the charging units would likely be a company called NARI Group Corporation, a subsidiary of the State Grid and Sinopec, one of the oil giants, while the stations themselves would belong to a Beijing-based power generation company called Hanergy. In other words, Tesla will have to convince NARI, Sinopec and Hanergy to cooperate in finding a solution for Tesla's fuel problem. Moreover, the state-owned power grids may not be up to the task of producing the needed electricity to the network and require further investment and development.

Assuming that Musk could seal multiple deals with his various Chinese partners for the charging stations, he'll also need to win the support of countless government officials at the city, county and provincial levels. Tesla needs to convince the government at all tiers to facilitate the construction of charging stations in each of their territories he hopes to sell his cars.

Musk, in fact, is also busy trying to develop solar energy as another source of electricity, but then a new problem arises – a high cost would become a key concern.

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Can Sprint Become a Serious Wireless Player Now?

News that SoftBank was completing its $21.6 billion takeover of Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S  ) led the stock to trade as much as 10% higher during the next trading session. Helping matters was both an upgrade of the stock and news that the wireless carrier would be offering new rate plans designed to keep customers for life. Sprint continues to work hard to differentiate itself from both Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) and AT&T (NYSE: T  ) but has been playing catch up in terms of its network.

In the following video, Fool.com contributor Doug Ehrman discusses how both the deal and the rate plans may give Sprint the tools it needs to become a more serious contender in the space.

As the battle for smartphone supremacy continues to intensify, both hardware manufacturers and carriers are doing battle. Truth be told, one company sits at the crossroads of smartphone technology as we know it. It's not your typical household name, either. In fact, you've probably never even heard of it! But it stands to reap massive profits no matter who ultimately wins the smartphone war. To find out what it is, click here to access the "One Stock You Must Buy Before the iPhone-Android War Escalates Any Further."

Microsoft's Big Change

The following video is from Thursday's Investor Beat, in which host Chris Hill, and analysts Jason Moser and Isaac Pino dissect the hardest-hitting investing stories of the day.

Shares of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) rose nearly 3% on news that the tech giant is planning a major reorganization. Microsoft will be organized around key functions rather than specific products, and the goal is a better sharing of information, better devices, and better services. In our lead story on Investor Beat, Motley Fool analysts Jason Moser and Isaac Pino discuss how Microsoft seems to be modeling its changes on Ford Motor's (NYSE: F  ) most recent reorganization, and whether investors will benefit.

It's incredible to think just how much of our digital and technological lives are almost entirely shaped and molded by just a handful of companies. Find out "Who Will Win the War Between the 5 Biggest Tech Stocks?" in The Motley Fool's latest free report, which details the knock-down, drag-out battle being waged by the five kings of tech. Click here to keep reading.

Top Information Technology Stocks To Invest In Right Now

The relevant video segment can be found between 0:17 and 2:29.

How Grocery Delivery Can Save You Time and Money

Mario Tama/Getty Images

When my husband and I lived in New York City, we became spoiled. Every two weeks, a truck would show up to our second-floor walkup, and a strapping young man would deliver fresh groceries to our door. How did we get sucked into such a luxury? FirstDirect, the city's top grocery deliverer, was offering a promo for first-time customers, and Johnny and I decided to give it a try. We found that promo or not, having our groceries delivered was comparable and often cheaper than shopping at our local grocers. No more carrying groceries five blocks as each of our fingers slowly lost circulation? Yes, please. While grocery delivery may currently only be the norm in metro areas, soon it may be an option for you. And you. And you. Amazon.com (AMZN) and Walmart Stores (WMT) have recently joined the grocery delivery industry. While AmazonFresh was only available in Seattle just a year ago, it has now expanded to San Francisco and Los Angeles. Before you shrug this off as a modern-day fairytale (delivery by drone?) or just an unnecessary extravagance, consider the following reasons grocery delivery could save you money -- and most definitely time: No More Impulse or Distracted Purchases Oreos on a screen are much less tempting than an actual package in a grocery store. Marketers spend millions of dollars figuring out the most effective ways of tempting you while you browse the aisles. By shopping online, you can stay focused on the shopping list. And you won't have a toddler screaming and grabbing items off the shelf as you struggle to compare prices on salad dressing.

Comparable Prices However unbelievable it may seem, prices for delivered groceries tend to be comparable to local grocers. And just like local grocers, delivery services offer coupons, weekly specials and price matching. Some companies even waive the delivery fee once your total reaches a certain amount. My husband and I made a habit of only ordering if we had a coupon for free delivery, which happened regularly. No Travel Expenses Grocery delivery eliminates the costs incurred for traveling to and from the grocery store, which means no more money spent on gasoline or a cab fare. And the opportunity cost of avoiding the grocery store means you can do your shopping while watching Jimmy Fallon at night. Knowing the Total Before You Buy I try to add up how much my groceries are going to cost as I shop in brick-and-mortar stores, but inevitably I lose count or get distracted. With online grocery shopping, you can see the total before you confirm your order. And that means you can check and double check whether each item is really necessary. It's both more difficult and less likely to go back on purchases that have already been rung up by a cashier. While currently only a handful of cities have grocery delivery, within the next 10 years, it might be an option for most of the country. And when that day comes, you can bet that my wallet and I will be first in virtual line to have groceries delivered to our door, drone and all.

A Case for Small Caps, in One Chart

Early last month we warned that small-cap stocks were ripe for a pullback. Valuation metrics and technical indicators flashed red flags that the Russell 2000 index had gotten overly extended, and that a pullback was needed before small stocks could continue rallying.

Sure enough, the small-cap index slumped 8% in a month amid a selloff that brought down the so-called momentum stocks that had been soaring higher and higher for much of the previous year.  Small caps were caught up in the selloff as the high-flyers–including social-media companies, cloud-computing firms and early stage drug producers–came back to earth.

More In Stocks Correction Odds, Delayed Not Diminished Morning MoneyBeat: Another Selloff Averted Selloff? What Selloff? Stocks Notch One of Best Weeks of the Year No Profits, No Problem? Think Again Morning MoneyBeat: Big Blue's Big Drag

But the Russell rebounded 2.4% last week amid a broad-market rally. And now, some market watchers suggest small caps could be poised for even better times ahead.

In a white paper, portfolio managers at Deutsche As(DBK.XE)set and Wealth Management make the case for investing in global small- and mid-cap stocks for a longer time horizon. Historical performance backs up their thesis: Since 1926, small-cap stocks have outperformed large caps by 2.38% annually as of Dec. 31, according to data compiled by Deutsche.

Smaller stocks tend to outpace their larger brethren mainly because small caps are more isolated to global economic troubles than multinational firms. They tend to be more thinly traded, which can exacerbate their price swings in either direction. The Russell is up 232% from the March 2009 low, compared to a 175% rally for the S&P 500 and a 150% gain for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Even after the big rally over the past five years, Deutsche is still bullish on small caps, primarily because of their positive long-term track record. As the chart below shows, small-cap stocks have had a positive performance over every rolling 10-year period since June 1930, the firm says.

Click for bigger image Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management

In 2014, the Russell 2000 is down 2.2% year-to-date, whereas the S&P 500 is up 0.9%. But over the past 12 months, the Russell is up 26%, while the S&P 500 is up 21%.

“We believe after three years the performance potential of small-cap stocks may outweigh their volatility,” Deutsche said in the white paper. “Therefore, in our opinion, investors with time horizons of greater than three years may wish to consider allocating a portion of their equity portfolios to small-cap stocks.”

Why Tenet Healthcare and Vanguard Health Systems Shares Soared

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of acute care and specialty hospital operators Vanguard Health Systems (NYSE: VHS  ) and Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC  ) vaulted higher by as much as 70% and 10%, respectively, after Tenet announced a deal to buy Vanguard Health Systems.

So what: Under the terms of the deal, Tenet Healthcare will acquire Vanguard Health for $1.8 billion, or $21 per share, while also assuming its $2.5 billion in net debt. Tenet has arranged financing through Bank of America/Merrill Lynch and plans to refinance Vanguard Health's debt to a lower interest rate once the deal is complete. The impetus behind the move for Tenet is that it'll move the hospital operator into new markets and greatly expand its hospital revenue management segment as we enter the final months before the full implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Now what: I'd certainly say that Vanguard Health Systems shareholders are walking away like bandits with a 70% premium on a hospital stock that I already considered to be possibly the most overvalued of the bunch. While I understand Tenet's reasoning behind the move and the urge to expand prior to Obamacare's full implementation, my concern grows as it takes on more debt to pay out a hefty premium -- 25 times forward earnings -- for Vanguard Health. There's little doubt in my mind hospital operators will benefit from a reduction in doubtful accounts due to the individual mandate portion of the PPACA, but I'm not certain I feel as strongly about this deal as investors do. I would suggest hitting the sidelines for a few quarters and letting the inevitable "merger hiccups" run their course.

Hot Information Technology Stocks To Buy Right Now

Craving more input? Start by adding Vanguard Health Systems and Tenet Healthcare to your free and personalized watchlist so you can keep up on the latest news with the company.

Still in the dark about how Obamacare might affect you and your portfolio? The Motley Fool's special report, "Everything You Need to Know About Obamacare," takes a 360-degree look at how the law may impact your taxes, health insurance, and investments. Click here to grab your free copy today.

Top Consumer Companies To Buy For 2015

Watch out, Oreos. You too, Sprite. Quit laughing, Fruity Pebbles. You aren't immune from this, either.

In the wake of the most recent recession, many consumers are rethinking past cavalier spending habits. And a recent study shows one way people are cutting back is by switching to private-label goods. Big brands, are your days numbered?

A shift in the way people shop
According to Deloitte's annual American Pantry Study, brand loyalty has dropped for the second year in a row, signaling a dwindling number of consumers who are staying loyal to their favorite brands. The study shows nearly nine in 10 consumers are swapping out big branded goods for private-label ones.�

The survey also found that 94% of Americans indicate they'll remain cautious and keep their spending for foods, beverages, and household goods at current levels, despite the rising stock market and strengthening economy.

Shaking in their fancy packaging
Should the manufacturers of big-branded goods be scared? That depends. If they can find ways to differentiate their products and get them into consumers' fridges and pantries, then they'll come out OK. In fact, during the two years Deloitte's study has shown declining brand loyalty, some very big brands have gotten even bigger.

Top Consumer Companies To Buy For 2015: Carter's Inc.(CRI)

Carter's, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, sources, and markets branded children?s wear. The company provides products under the Carter?s, Child of Mine, Just One You, Precious Firsts, OshKosh, and related brand names. Its Carter?s brand baby products include bodysuits, pants, undershirts, towels, washcloths, receiving blankets, layette gowns, bibs, caps, and booties; playclothes products consist of knit and woven cotton apparel; sleepwear products comprise pajamas and blanket sleepers; and other products consist of bedding, outerwear, swimwear, shoes, socks, diaper bags, gift sets, toys, and hair accessories. The company also provides playclothes products, including denim apparel products, overalls, woven bottoms, knit tops, and playclothes products for sizes newborn to 12 under the OshKosh brand. In addition, it offers baby, sleepwear, outerwear, shoes, hosiery, and accessories under the OshKosh brand. The company sells its products in department stores, national chains, and specialty retailers, as well as through its Carter?s and OshKosh retail stores; and online at carters.com and oshkoshbgosh.com. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 359 Carter?s and 170 OshKosh outlet and brand retail stores in the United States; and 65 retail stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By AnnaLisa Kraft]

  Carter's (NYSE: CRI  ) , the branded marketer of baby and children's wear, is facing the headwinds of declining birthrates in the US and Canada. In the US, the crude birth rate (births per 1,000 people) has declined to levels not seen since the Great Depression: down 7% plus since 2007.Worldwide, the crude birth rate is expected to decline from the early 1950's 37.2 births to 13.4.

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

Top Consumer Companies To Buy For 2015: Attitude Drinks Inc (ATTD)

Attitude Drinks Incorporated (Attitude), incorporated on May 10, 1988, is a brand-development company. The Company focuses on the non-alcoholic single serving beverage business, developing and marketing of milk based products in two segments: sports recovery and functional dairy. The Company does not directly manufacture its products but instead outsources the manufacturing process to third party packers.

Attitude has developed its second product, which is branded as Phase III Recovery is a milk-based protein drink which is available in chocolate and vanilla flavors. The Company�� co-packer for its dairy based product is O-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative, Inc. in Batavia, New York. This product contains 35 grams of protein that are inherent in filtered milk. The product is packaged as a retort-processed shelf stable dairy-based 100% milk-based sports recovery drink in both chocolate and vanilla flavors.

The Company competes with The Coca-Cola Company and Pepsico Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Attitude Drinks Inc (OTCMKTS: ATTD), Axiologix, Inc (OTCMKTS: AXLX) and Unisource Corporation (OTCMKTS: USRC) have all been getting some attention lately in investment emails or investor alerts thanks in part to paid promotions. And while there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions or investor relations activity, such activity can backfire on unwary investors or traders. With that in mind, here is a closer look at all three small cap stocks to help you decide whether they are truly hot or not:

Top Promising Stocks To Own Right Now: Federal-Mogul Corporation(FDML)

Federal-Mogul Corporation supplies powertrain and safety technologies worldwide. The company?s Powertrain Energy segment offers powertrain components, such as engine pistons, piston rings, piston pins, cylinder liners, camshafts, valve seats and guides, and ignition products under the Federal-Mogul, AE, Champion, Goetze, Nural, and Daros brand names. Its Powertrain Sealing and Bearings segment provides dynamic seals, bonded piston seals, combustion and exhaust gaskets, static gaskets and seals, rigid heat shields, engine bearings, industrial bearings, bushings and washers, sintered engine and transmission components, and metallic filters, as well as polymer bearings primarily under the Federal-Mogul, Deva, Fel-Pro, FP Diesel, Glyco, Metafram, Metagliss, National, Payen, and Poral brand names. The company?s Vehicle Safety and Protection segment offers brake disc pads, brake linings, brake blocks, element resistant systems protection sleeving products, flexible heat shield s, brake system components, chassis products, windshield wipers, fuel pumps, and lighting products under the Federal-Mogul, Abex, Anco, Bentley-Harris, Beral, Champion, Ferodo, Moog, ThermoQuiet, and Wagner brands. Its Global Aftermarket segment provides aftermarket products to distributors, retail parts stores, and mass merchants who distribute these products to professional service providers and do-it-yourself consumers under the Abex, AE, ANCO, Beral, Carter, Champion, Fel-Pro, Ferodo, FP Diesel, Glyco, Goetze, MOOG, National, Necto, Nural, Payen, Sealed Power, ThermoQuiet, and Wagner brand names. The company serves original equipment manufacturers of automotive, as well as light, medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles; and agricultural, marine, rail, aerospace, off-road, and industrial applications, as well as the aftermarket sector. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. Federal-Mogul Corporation is a subsidiary of Icahn Enterpr ises L.P.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Patrick Morris]

  Honeywell (NYSE: HON  ) announced today that Federal-Mogul (NASDAQ: FDML  ) has agreed to purchase portions of its brake friction business in the automotive and industrial sectors for $155 million. Honeywell has more than 2,000 global employees in its Friction Material business, which is headquartered in Germany.�

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Honeywell International Inc.(HON) agreed to sell its friction-materials business unit to Federal-Mogul Corp.'s(FDML) (FDML) European business for roughly $155 million. The deal, expected to close in the second half of this year, includes two plants in China and Romania.

• [By John Udovich]

  Auto parts retailers like large cap O'Reilly Automotive Inc (NASDAQ: ORLY) and mid cap Advance Auto Parts, Inc (NYSE: AAP)�along with small cap auto parts stock Federal-Mogul Corp (NASDAQ: FDML) have been a bright spot on the economy as consumers try to stretch the lives of their automobiles or vehicles in the bad or uncertain economy. In fact, Investors Business Daily has recently noted that the�average age of cars on the road is about 11.5 years and that�� of course good news for auto parts retailers while�any uptick in sales or production of auto parts in general�will be good for companies like Federal-Mogul Corp. With that in mind, here�is a look at�how these three auto parts retailers or auto parts stocks are taking investors for a ride in a good way:

Top Consumer Companies To Buy For 2015: Generac Holdlings Inc. (GNRC)

Generac Holdings Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets a range of generators and other engine powered products for the residential, light commercial, industrial, and construction markets in the United States and Canada. It offers generators and other products fueled by natural gas, liquid propane, gasoline, diesel, and Bi-Fuel under the Generac and Magnum brands. The company�s product line includes residential power products, commercial and industrial power products, and other products. Its residential power products comprise automatic residential standby generators that range in output from 6kW to 60kW; air-cooled residential standby generators, which range in outputs from 6kW to 20kW; and liquid-cooled generators that range in outputs from 20kW to 60kW. The residential power product line also includes portable generators consisting of GP series ranging from 1,850W to 17,500W for homeowners; the XG series ranging from 4,000W to 10,000W for the premium homeowner market; the XP series ranging from 4,000W to 8,000W for the professional contractor market; and the iX series ranging from 800W to 2,000W for the recreational market. The company�s industrial and commercial power products comprise light-commercial standby generators ranging from 22kW to 150kW for grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants, gas stations, pharmacies, retail banks, and healthcare facilities; single-engine industrial generators, which range in output from 10kW to 600kW; and generator systems ranging from 20kW air-cooled generators to 3mW modular power system for the telecommunications market, as well as aftermarket service parts and RV generators. The company sells its generators through independent residential and industrial dealers, wholesalers, national accounts, private label arrangements, retailers, catalogs, e-commerce merchants, equipment rental companies and dealers, and construction companies. Generac Holdings Inc. was founded in 1959 and is headquartere d in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Generac (NYSE: GNRC  ) has reached abroad for its latest asset buy. The company announced Thursday that it inked an agreement to acquire Tower Light, an Italy-based company that develops and sells mobile light towers.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Generator maker Generac (NYSE: GNRC  ) announced this morning it had completed the refinancing of its senior secured�term loan credit facility and, as it previously promised, will use part of the proceeds to pay investors a special dividend of $5.00 per share,�payable on June 21�to stockholders of record on June 12.�

Top Consumer Companies To Buy For 2015: Strattec Security Corporation(STRT)

Strattec Security Corporation engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of automotive access control products. The company?s products include mechanical locks and keys, electronically enhanced locks and keys, steering column and instrument panel ignition lock housings, latches, power sliding door systems, power lift gate systems, power deck lid systems, door handles, and related products. It also provides full service and aftermarket support for its products. The company offers its products primarily for automotive manufacturers. It markets its products in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Korea, and China. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Martin Vlcek]

  Strattec Security Corp. (STRT) is a growing small-cap company with more than 100 years in the automotive supply industry and strong sales growth since 2009. The success and growth of Strattec are still mostly influenced by the global automotive markets. As many analysts still predict ongoing industry growth, the company is poised to continue strongly benefiting from this automotive tailwind. However, the company's recent diversification efforts into new product lines, industries outside of automotive and countries outside of the U.S. have created multiple new growth drivers that will ensure Strattec's continued robust sales and EPS expansion. The company's growth has also become much more balanced and more resilient to a potential automotive industry shock or U.S. slowdown.

Top Consumer Companies To Buy For 2015: Nestle SA (NESN)

Nestle SA is a Swiss Company engaged in the nutrition, health and wellness sectors. It is the holding company of the Nestle Group, which comprises subsidiaries, associated companies and joint ventures throughout the world. It has such business units as Food and Beverage, Nestle Waters and Nestle Nutrition. It is also active in the pharmaceutical sector. It divides its products into Powdered and liquid beverages, Water, Milk products and Ice cream, Nutrition, Prepared dishes and cooking aids, Confectionery, PetCare and Pharmaceutical products. In February 2011, the Company acquired CM&D Pharma Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Swiss stocks fell for a second day, their first back-to-back losses this month, as Nestle (NESN) SA retreated after reporting slower growth in sales.

Top Consumer Companies To Buy For 2015: United-Guardian Inc.(UG)

United-Guardian, Inc. researches, develops, manufactures, and markets cosmetic ingredients, personal and health care products, pharmaceuticals, and specialty industrial products in the United States, Canada, China, France, and internationally. Its personal care products include LUBRAJEL, a line of water-based moisturizing and lubricating gel formulations; KLENSOFT, a surfactant for cosmetic formulations; UNITWIX, a cosmetic additive used as a thickener for oils and oil-based liquids; CONFETTI DERMAL DELIVERY FLAKES for use in various water-based products; ORCHID COMPLEX, a base for cosmetics; LUBRASLIDE and B-122 lubricants used in cosmetics; AQUATHIK, a powder used as a gelling agent for aqueous solutions or emulsions; and HYDRAJEL PL, a personal lubricant for the feminine personal care market. The company?s medical products comprise LUBRAJEL RR and RC water-based gels used as lubricants for catheters; LUBRAJEL MG to lubricate urinary catheters, prelubricated enema tips, and other medical devices; LUBRAJEL LC, a mouth moisturizer for oral use; and LUBRAJEL FLUID to lubricate water-soluble products. Its pharmaceuticals consists of RENACIDIN, a prescription drug to prevent and dissolve calcifications in urethral catheters and the urinary bladder; and CLORPACTIN WCS-90, an antimicrobial for use in urology and surgery to treat infections in the urinary bladder. United-Guardian?s industrial products include DESELEX Liquid, a sequestering and chelating agent; and POLYCOMPLEX M and Q complexing agents to produce clear solutions of water-insoluble materials. The company distributes its products to drug wholesalers, drug stores, hospitals, physicians, long-term care facilities, Veteran?s Administration, and other government agencies through marketing partners, distributors, advertising in medical and trade journals, mailings to physicians, and exhibitions. United-Guardian, Inc. was founded in 1942 and is based in Hauppauge, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dorothee Tschampa]

  Volkswagen AG (VOW) (VOW), PSA Peugeot Citroen (UG) and Renault SA (RNO) (RNO), Europe�� three largest carmakers, all dropped 5 percent or more after preliminary data showed Chinese manufacturing is unexpectedly contracting.

Top Consumer Companies To Buy For 2015: Ingredion Inc (INGR)

Ingredion Incorporated (Ingredion), formerly Corn Products International, Inc., incorporated on March 27, 1997, is a global manufacturer and supplier of starch and sweetener ingredients to a range of industries, including packaged food, beverage, brewing and industrial customers. The Company's product line includes starches and sweeteners, animal feed products and edible corn oil.

The Company's starch-based products include both food-grade and industrial starches. The Company's sweetener products include glucose syrups, high maltose syrups, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), caramel color, dextrose, polyols, maltodextrins and glucose and syrup solids. The Company's products are derived primarily from the processing of corn and other starch-based materials, such as tapioca, potato and rice.

Sweetener Products

The Company's sweetener products represented approximately 44% of the Company's net sales for the year ended December 31, 2012. Glucose syrups are fundamental ingredients used in food products, such as baked goods, snack foods, beverages, canned fruits, condiments, candy and other sweets, dairy products, ice cream, jams and jellies, prepared mixes and table syrups. Glucose syrups offer functionality in addition to sweetness to processed foods. High Maltose Syrup is special type of glucose syrup, which is primarily used as a fermentable sugar in brewing beers. High maltose syrups are also used in the production of confections, canning and some other food processing applications. The Company's high maltose syrups actually speeds the fermentation process, allowing brewers to increase capacity without adding capital.

High fructose corn syrup is used in a variety of consumer products, including soft drinks, fruit-flavored beverages, baked goods, dairy products, confections and other food and beverage products. In addition to sweetness and ease of use, high fructose corn syrup provides body,humectancy and aids in browning, freezing point and crystalliza! tion control.

Dextrose has a range of applications in the food and confection industries, in solutions for intravenous and other pharmaceutical applications, and numerous industrial applications like wallboard, biodegradable surface agents and moisture control agents. Dextrose functionality in foods, beverages and confectionary includes sweetness control; body and viscosity; acts as a bulking, drying and anti-caking agent; serves as a carrier; provides freezing point and crystallization control; and aids in fermentation. Dextrose is also a fermentation agent in the production of light beer. In pharmaceutical applications dextrose is used in IV solutions as well as an excipient suitable for direct compression in tableting.

Polyols products are sugar-free, reduced calorie sweeteners primarily derived from starch or sugar for the food, beverage, confectionery, industrial, personal and oral care, and nutritional supplement markets. In addition to sweetness, polyols inhibit crystallization; provide binding, humectancy and plasticity; add texture; extend shelf life; prevent moisture migration, and are an excipient suitable for tableting.

Maltodextrins and Glucose Syrup Solids products have a multitude of food applications, including formulations where liquid syrups cannot be used. Maltodextrins are resistant to browning, provide solubility, have a low hydroscopicity (do not retain moisture), and are ideal for their carrier/bulking properties. Glucose syrup solids have a bland flavor, remain clear in solution are easy to handle and provide bulking properties.

Starch Products

The Company's starch products represented approximately 37 % of the Company's net sales for 2012. Starches are an important component in a range of processed foods, where they are used for adhesions, clouding, dusting, expansion, fat replacement, freshness, gelling, glazing, mouth feel, stabilization and texture. Starches are also used in paper production to create a smooth s! urface fo! r printed communications and to improve strength in recycled papers. Specialty starches are used for enhanced drainage, fiber retention, oil and grease resistance, improved printability and biochemical oxygen demand control. Industrial starches are used in the production of construction materials, textiles, adhesives, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, as well as in mining, water filtration and oil and gas drilling. Specialty starches are used for biomaterial applications including biodegradable plastics, fabric softeners and detergents, hair and skin care applications, dusting powders for surgical gloves and in the production of glass fiber and insulation.

Co-Products and others

Co-products and others accounted for 19% of the Company's net sales for 2012. Refined corn oil (from germ) is sold to packers of cooking oil and to producers of margarine, salad dressings, shortening, mayonnaise and other foods. Corn gluten feed is sold as animal feed. Corn gluten meal is sold as high protein feed for chickens, pet food and aquaculture.

The Company competes with ADM Corn Processing Division (ADM), Cargill, Inc. and Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of Ingredion (NYSE: INGR  ) were down as much as 10% today after the ingredient seller cut its full-year and current-quarter EPS forecast.

Salesforce Poaches a President

Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM  ) , itself founded by former Oracle executive Marc Benioff, has gone back to the well to hire another exec.

On Thursday, Salesforce announced that it has hired away Keith Block, Oracle's executive vice president of North America sales and consulting, to become its own new company president, and also vice chairman of its board of directors.

In a statement on the hire, Salesforce described Block as a man who "led an 11,000-person team and built a multibillion-dollar sales business unit that achieved record revenue growth and margin expansion over the span of 10 years." In this regard, he seems a perfect fit for a job with Salesforce, which itself has a workforce of 9,800, does more than $3.2 billion in annual business, and grew its revenues 28% last quarter.

Best Shipping Stocks To Own Right Now

Expressing his enthusiasm for his new job, Block said: "I'm incredibly excited to join salesforce.com and help pave the way to $10 billion by delivering innovation, growth and customer success."

Salesforce has not filed details on Block's compensation plan with the SEC as of this time.

Hot Mid Cap Stocks For 2015

Everyone is familiar with�the Tupperware brand from�consumer products stock Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP) and you are probably familiar with the brands�of mid cap stock Jarden Corp (NYSE: JAH) along with small cap stocks Libbey Inc (NYSEMKT: LBY) and Lifetime Brands Inc (NASDAQ: LCUT); but what about the stocks themselves? Chances are, their brands or products are right under your nose at home and you probably don�� know anything about the mid cap or small cap stock behind them.

What You Need to Know About JAH, LBY & LCUT

Here is what investors should know about these three overlooked consumer stocks:

Jarden Corp. With a diverse portfolio of innovative products, over 120 iconic market-leading brands and a global presence, mid cap Jarden Corp operates in three primary business segments: Branded Consumables, Consumer Solutions and Outdoor Solutions. Jarden Corp�� brands include�many�that are�over 100 years old including Coleman庐, Rawlings庐, Ball庐, Bicycle庐, Diamond庐, Worth庐, Pflueger庐, and Madshus庐, as well as other recognized brands such as Mr. Coffee庐, First Alert庐, Oster庐, Sunbeam庐 and�Shakespeare庐. Just yesterday, Jarden Corp announced the acquisition of privately held Yankee Candle Co Inc, the largest scented candle company in the United States,�for $1.75 billion after private equity owner Madison Dearborn Partners LLC failed to sell it for a higher price earlier this year (they wanted $2 billion for it). Analysts say the deal will boost Jarden Corp�� branded consumables division while investors gave the deal a vote of confidence as share rose more than 10%. Otherwise and back in July, Jarden Corp�� reported a�5% revenue rise�to $1.76 billion�and a net income fall of 8% to $76.4 million due to one time charges. On Tuesday, Jarden Corp rose 10.43% to $47.43 (JAH has a 52 week trading range of $31.94 to $49.28 a share) for a market cap of $5.34 billion plus the stock is up 41.3% since the start of the year, up 47.2% over the past year and up 177.2% over the past five years.

Hot Mid Cap Stocks For 2015: Broadcom Corporation(BRCM)

Broadcom Corporation designs and develops semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. It provides a portfolio of system-on-a-chip (SoC) and software solutions for the manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices, which enable the delivery of voice, video, data, and multimedia content to the home, office, and mobile environment. Its broadband communications products include cable modem SoCs; femtocell SoCs; MPEG/AVC/VC-1 encoders and transcoders; xDSL, passive optical network, and cable modem customer premises equipment and central office solutions; powerline networking SoCs; digital cable, direct broadcast satellite, terrestrial, and Internet protocol (IP) set-top box integrated receiver demodulators; high definition television and standard definition TV SoCs; and Blu-ray disc SoCs. The company?s mobile and wireless products comprise Wi-Fi and Bluetooth SoCs, wireless connectivity com bo chips, global positioning system SoCs, multimedia processors, applications processors, power management units, VoIP SoCs, mobile TV SoCs, and near field communications tags. Its infrastructure and networking products include Ethernet copper transceivers, Ethernet controllers and switches, backplane and optical front-end physical layer devices, security processors and adapters, and broadband processors. The company markets and sells its products through direct sales force, distributors, and manufacturers? representatives in the United States, as well as through regional offices, and a network of independent distributors and representatives in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Big Earnings Movers: Broadcom Corp. (NASDAQ: BRCM) is down 2.9% at $26.36 after weak guidance. Cree Inc. (NASDAQ: CREE) is down 16.9% at $61.78 on even darker guidance. Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) is down 6% at $83.82 on poor earnings and a softer outlook. Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) is up 5.4% at $129.04 after posting a new 52-week high of $129.99 on good earnings and raised guidance.

Hot Mid Cap Stocks For 2015: Network Exploration Ltd (NET)

Network Exploration Ltd. is an exploration and development-stage company. The Company�� principal business activities include the exploration of minerals in its mineral properties. It focuses on base and precious metal properties in North and South America. Its activities include the process of exploring its mineral properties, reviewing and subsequently acquiring mineral properties and conducting exploration programs to determine whether these properties contain ore reserves that are recoverable. The Picha copper-silver project is located within the Tertiary Volcanic Arc of Southern Peru. The Pistala project is located east of the NW-SE trending Incapquio fault system in the Department of Tacna, Southern Peru. The Company is in the business of mineral exploration in Canada, Chile and Peru. Network Exploration Chile Limitada is its wholly owned subsidiary. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jason Rivera]

  Assets:Book Value:Reproduction Value:Current AssetsCash And Cash Equivalents506506Accounts Receivable (Net)3,6193,076Inventories10,0006,000Deferred Income Taxes919460Prepaid Expenses799400Total Current Assets15,8439,986PP&E Net2,4151,449Equity and Other Investments4,5763,432Intangible Assets3,1391,570Deferred Income Taxes991496Total Assets26,96417,387
  Number of shares is 7,383.

• [By Damian Illia]

  Although the company is overly relying on Afrezza, there is to say that MannKind has inked some deals in the recent past. These were primarily aimed to furthering its pipeline development but with less risk and with less research and development expenditure directly for the firm. In November, 2012 it signed a license agreement with Colby Pharmaceutical Company granting the latter exclusive rights to its early stage cancer program. Currently, the firm is also looking for partners regarding Afrezza. Last year in July, it entered one with Deerfield that ensured financing worth $160 million for MannKind. Also, in October 2012, the company raised $86 million (net) through the issuance of shares and has almost $120 million left under its credit facility. This has removed some concerned about a financial crisis in the company, although it hasn't done so throughly.

Top Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: Exterran Holdings Inc. (EXH)

Exterran Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides operations, maintenance, service, and equipment for oil and natural gas production, processing, and transportation applications. The company�s Contract Operations segment offers natural gas compression and production, and processing services, as well as engages in the engineering, procurement, and on site construction of natural gas compression stations and/or crude oil or natural gas production and processing facilities. As of December 31, 2011, this segment provided contract operations services primarily using a fleet of 8,485 natural gas compression units with an aggregate capacity of approximately 3,632,000 horsepower in North America; and a fleet of 1,063 units with an aggregate capacity of approximately 1,260,000 horsepower internationally. Its Aftermarket Services segment sells parts and components; and provides operation, maintenance, overhaul, and reconfiguration services for compression, productio n, treating, and oilfield power generation equipment. The company�s Fabrication segment engages in the design, engineering, installation, fabrication, and sale of natural gas compression units, and accessories and equipment used in the production, treatment, and processing of crude oil and natural gas; provision of engineering, procurement, and fabrication services primarily related to the manufacturing of critical process equipment for refinery and petrochemical facilities; and fabrication of tank farms, and evaporators and brine heaters for desalination plants. Its products include line heaters, oil and natural gas separators, glycol dehydration units, condensate stabilizers, dewpoint control plants, water treatment, mechanical refrigeration and cryogenic plants, and skid-mounted production packages designed for onshore and offshore production facilities. The company was founded in 1990 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ryan Lowery]

  All natural
  An obvious place to start is coal's biggest competitor, natural gas. For a while now, I've been a fan of the natural gas compression company, Exterran Holdings (NYSE: EXH  ) , which provides operations, maintenance, service, and equipment for both oil and natural gas production. Exterran's stock has had a steady climb the last couple of years -- it's up over 40% this year alone. The majority of analysts are calling Exterran a hold, but several rate it a buy or even a strong buy. Currently, Exterran is trading in the upper $20 range, and with a price target of $33, it still seems to have some upside. And for those interested in investing in master limited partnerships, Exterran operates an MLP as well, Exterran Partners (NASDAQ: EXLP  ) , which has seen a 33% gain in its price this year.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Exterran Holdings (NYSE: EXH  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on May 2. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Exterran Holdings's revenues will grow 21.6% and EPS will turn positive

Hot Mid Cap Stocks For 2015: Integrated Silicon Solution Inc.(ISSI)

Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc., a fabless semiconductor company, designs and markets integrated circuits for digital consumer electronics, networking and telecommunications, mobile communications, automotive electronics, and industrial markets. Its primary products include low and medium density DRAM; and high speed and low power SRAM. The company?s low and medium density DRAM products are used in wireless local area networks (WLANs), base stations, networking switches and routers, fiber to the home (FTTH), DSL and cable modems, set top boxes, digital cameras, MP3, flat panel TVs, LCD TVs, HDTVs, video phones, Voice over Internet Protocol, printers, disk drives, tape drives, audio/video equipment, instrumentation, global positioning systems (GPS), telematics, infotainment, smart meters, and other applications. Its SRAM products are used in WLANs, cell phones, base stations, networking switches and routers, FTTH, DSL modems, LCD TVs, set-top boxes, GPS systems, instrumen tation, engine control systems, medical equipment, telematics, audio and video equipment, satellite radio, POS terminals, fax machines, copiers, tape drives, and other applications. Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. also designs and markets application specific standard products, including high performance serial EEPROMs for use in TVs, networking systems, modems, telephone sets, security systems, video games, automobiles, and other consumer products; and SmartCards that have applications in transportation passes, payment cards, health care cards, and other cards that store secure data. The company markets and sells its products in Asia, the United States, and Europe through direct sales force, independent sales representatives, and distributors. Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Basic guidelines
  In this series, I examine inventory using a simple rule of thumb: Inventory increases ought to roughly parallel revenue increases. If inventory bloats more quickly than sales grow, this might be a sign that expected sales haven't materialized. Is the current inventory situation at Integrated Silicon Solution (Nasdaq: ISSI  ) out of line? To figure that out, start by comparing the company's inventory growth to sales growth. How is Integrated Silicon Solution doing by this quick checkup? At first glance, not so great. Trailing-12-month revenue increased 7.0%, and inventory increased 43.7%. Comparing the latest quarter to the prior-year quarter, the story looks potentially problematic. Revenue grew 20.0%, and inventory grew 43.7%. Over the sequential quarterly period, the trend looks OK but not great. Revenue dropped 1.8%, and inventory dropped 0.8%.

Hot Mid Cap Stocks For 2015: TruLan Resources Inc (TRLR)

Trulan Resources, Inc. (Trulan), incorporated on March 12, 1971, is a natural resource mineral exploration company. The Company�� focus is to locate and acquire mineral concessions and properties that have experienced various degrees of previous exploratory work where anomalous values of gold, silver and Platinum Group Metals (PGM��) projects in North and South America.

The IGP Project totals 885 Hectares (2,186 Acres) of wide spread mineralization and ore bodies that contain high grades of Iron, Gold, Platinum and high value industrial metals. There are eight known deposits in close proximity which have been tested to the point where an Indicated Ore resource has been delineated. There are four ore bodies with an Indicated Reserve in excess of 247 Million Metric Tons. Its Eureka Placer Claim is located on Eureka Creek in California�� Sierra City Mining District. This district covers a area in Sierra County, extending through Furnier, Loganville, Church Meadows, Gold Valley, and the Sierra City-Buttes areas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap mining stocks Brazil Gold Corp (OTCMKTS: BRZG) and Trulan Resources (OTCMKTS: TRLR) were either active on the charts last week (in the case of the former) or recently the subject of paid promotions (in the case of the latter). However, mining is not exactly an easy business for a small and usually undercapitalized small cap mining stock given the amount it can cost to get a mine up and running. On the other hand, they could always be sitting on the next mother lode just waiting to come out of the ground. With that in mind, here is a quick reality check about these two small cap mining stocks:

Hot Mid Cap Stocks For 2015: Market Vectors Coal ETF (KOL)

Market Vectors-Coal ETF�� (the Fund) investment objective is to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Stowe Coal Index (the Coal Index). Van Eck Associates Corporation is the investment adviser to The Fund.

As of December 31, 2007, the Stowe Coal Index consists of the stocks of 60 publicly traded companies. These companies are engaged in the mining and/or transportation of coal, the manufacture of coal mining equipment and the production of clean coal.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The�Market Vectors Coal�ETF�(KOL) dropped 21% last year, but has gained 6.3% during the past six months. Peabody Energy�(BTU), meanwhile, fell 25% last year but has climbed 27% during the past six months, Alpha Natural Resources�(ANR) declined 27% but has gained 41% and Arch�Coal�(ACI) plunged 38% but gained 25% during the last six months. Consol Energy (CNX) rose 20% last year and gained 19% during the last six months.

Hot Mid Cap Stocks For 2015: Quicksilver Resources Inc. (KWK)

Quicksilver Resources Inc., an independent oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of onshore oil and gas in North America. The company focuses primarily on unconventional reservoirs, such as fractured shales, coal beds, and tight sands. It owns producing oil and natural gas properties principally in Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, as well as in Alberta and British Columbia. The company primarily holds interests in assets covering an area of approximately 140,000 net acres located in the Barnett Shale, Fort Worth basin, north Texas; exploratory licenses covering an area of approximately 130,000 net acres located in the Horn River basin of northeast British Columbia; and assets covering an area of approximately 36,929 net undeveloped acres located in the Horseshoe Canyon, southern and central Alberta. As of December 31, 2011, it had total proved reserves of approximately 2.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas equivale nts. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Over the long term, analysts speculate that FST will sell off the remaining chunk of its non-core properties in order to focus strictly on the Eagle Ford.�If it�� successful, the current share price of this $3.30 could be more valuable than a winning lotto ticket.

  Energy Stocks Under $10 to Buy Now:�Quicksilver Resources (KWK)

  Quicksilver Resources (KWK) is the last name on our list of cheap energy stocks under $10 … and it could also be one of the best rocket-ship plays for rising natural gas. KWK focuses primarily on unconventional reservoirs, such as shale formations, coal beds and tight sands. As such, about 99% of the company’s production comes from natural gas and NGLs.

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  Not for everyone
  Even in these MLP-friendly times, some companies ultimately decide not to take their business to the Street. Quicksilver Resources (NYSE: KWK  ) planned to spin off its subsidiary, Quicksilver Production Partners, into an oil and gas MLP this year, but withdrew its plans in May after recording quarter after quarter of dismal results.

Hot Mid Cap Stocks For 2015: eLong Inc.(LONG)

eLong, Inc. operates as an online travel service provider in the People?s Republic of China. The company provides its customers with travel information and the ability to book rooms, air tickets, vacation packages, and other travel related services utilizing call center and Web-based distribution technologies. It facilitates the customers to book rooms in approximately 10,000 hotels in 450 cities across China, and fulfills air ticket reservations in approximately 80 cities across China. In addition, the company offers the ability to book rooms at approximately 100,000 hotels outside of China; and provides the customers informative content relevant to hotel and air travel decisions, including tourist and event site destination information, hotel facility information, and photos. eLong markets its services through online marketing, traditional media advertising, co-marketing with established brands of other companies, and direct marketing. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China. eLong, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Expedia Asia Pacific Limited.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Belinda Cao]

  The Bloomberg China-US Equity Index (HSCEI) of the most-traded Chinese stocks in the U.S. added 0.3 percent to 103.21 yesterday. Renren, owner of a real-name social network website, jumped to the highest level since August as volumes surged. Web travel agency Elong Inc. (LONG) soared 20 percent. China Southern Airlines Co. (ZNH), Asia�� biggest carrier by passenger numbers, fell the most in a week and China Eastern Airlines Corp. slid to a three-week low.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  eLong (Nasdaq: LONG  ) reported earnings on May 13. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), eLong beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

Hot Mid Cap Stocks For 2015: iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO)

iShares Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment returns that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 2000 Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the Russell 2000 Index, and measures the performance of the small-capitalization growth sector of the United States equity market. The Index is a capitalization-weighted index and consists of those companies or portion of a company, with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth within the Russell 2000 Index.

The Index represents approximately 50% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 2000 Index. The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. iShares Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund's investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Gary Gordon]

  The hottest ETFs have taken the biggest hit over the past five trading days. Global X Social Media (SOCL), Market Vectors Biotech (BBH) and iShares Russell 2000 Small Cap Growth (IWO) have shed 7.0%, 6.5% and 4.0% respectively. Most attribute the over-sized losses to generalized anxiety over the debt ceiling showdown between Congress and the White House. On the other hand, the highest percentage gainers of 2013 may be dropping more precipitously for a different reason.

• [By John Udovich]

  Yesterday, Luna Innovations Incorporated (NASDAQ: LUNA), a rather unusual and innovative small cap stock,�soared some 23.26%���meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with its performance verses the performance of small cap benchmarks like the iShares Russell 2000 Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWM), the�iShares Russell 2000 Value Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWN) or the iShares Russell 2000 Growth Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWO).

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap custom carry and protective solutions stock Forward Industries, Inc (NASDAQ: FORD) jumped 22.51% earlier today as an apparent turnaround continues, meaning its worth taking a closer look at a stock that�� in a decidedly niche area plus look at the performance of potential investment benchmarks like the iShares Russell 2000 Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWM), iShares Russell 2000 Growth Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWO) and iShares Russell 2000 Value Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWN).

Hot Mid Cap Stocks For 2015: Fibria Celulose SA (FBR)

Fibria Celulose S.A. (Fibria), formerly Votorantim Celulose e Papel S.A., incorporated on July 25, 1941, is a producer of market pulp. During the year ended December 31, 2010, Fibria produced 5,054 kilotons of eucalyptus pulp (including 50.0% of the pulp production of Veracel). The Company also produces coated and uncoated paper, carbonless paper and thermal paper at its Piracicaba paper mill, located in the State of Sao Paulo with an annual production capacity of 190 kilotons. During 2010, it produced 115 kilotons of paper products and recorded consolidated net revenues. Fibria produces bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp at three pulp mills, the Aracruz pulp mill located in the State of Espirito Santo, which has an annual production capacity of 2.3 million tons; the Tres Lagoas pulp mill located in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, which has an annual production capacity of 1.3 million tons, and the Jacarei pulp mill located in the State of Sao Paulo, which has an annual production capacity of 1.1 million tons. The Company has a 50% interest in Veracel, which owns and operates a pulp mill in the municipality of Eunapolis, State of Bahia, with an annual production capacity of 1.1 million tons.

Pulp

Fibria produces bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp from planted eucalyptus trees. Bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp is a range of hardwood pulp. Eucalyptus is a hardwood tree, and its pulp has short fibers and is generally suited to manufacturing tissue, coated and uncoated printing and writing paper and coated packaging boards. Short fibers are optimal for manufacturing wood-free paper with good printability, smoothness, brightness and uniformity. Market pulp is the pulp sold to producers of paper products. Kraft pulp is pulp produced in a chemical process using sulphate. During 2010, it produced 5,054 kilotons of pulp (including 50.0% of the pulp production of Veracel).

Paper

During 2010, Fibria produced 115 kilotons of paper. The Company produced coated printing an! d writing paper, which is a coated woodfree paper used for promotional materials, folders, internal sheets and cover of magazines, books, tabloids, inserts and mailing; uncoated printing and writing paper, which is a uncoated woodfree paper in reels and sheets; carbonless paper, which is used to produce multi-copy forms, POS, invoices and other applications in place of traditional carbon paper, and thermal paper, which is traditionally used in fax machines; POS, bar code labels, toll tickets, water and gas bills and receipts for automated teller machines (ATMs) and credit card machines. It manufactures thermal paper products with technology licensed byOji Paper Co., Ltd (Oji Paper).

The Company competes with APRIL, Arauco, APP, Georgia Pacific, CMPC, Sodra, Stora Enso, Weyerhaeuser and Suzano.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Fibria Celulose (NYSE: FBR  ) reported earnings on July 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Fibria Celulose met expectations on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.