Hot Consumer Companies To Invest In Right Now

Significance of Gold: People buy gold for a variety of reasons such as for its auspicious sentiment; as an investment (Gold continues to command long term value, a tag for being a safe haven); hedge against inflation; asset allocation, etc. Gold also carries a high perceived value and a high emotional quotient. It reinforces closeness of relationships. Gold coins in smaller denominations are also considered apt for Corporate gifting and rewards for contests or for commemorative giveaways.

The Indian Consumer�� sentiment towards Gold: Many people think that Indians are gold crazy. Though this statement cannot be completely negative, the truth is that Gold has always had a special significance for all ages. The old adage - all that glitters is not gold, also in a way underlines the importance accorded to Gold.  Gold lends itself as a commemorative medium to various engagements like golden anniversaries, golden jubilee, gold medals, gold credit card etc. In India people buy gold anytime and not only during special occasions like weddings, festivals or special events. Gold is also offered to Indian deities. The Indian Hindu calendar even has auspicious days to buy gold like Dhanteras and Dassera. Gold is also bought on festivals like Onam, Pongal and Durga Puja.

Top 5 Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2015: Forward Industries Inc.(FORD)

Forward Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, markets, and distributes carry and protective solutions. The company offers soft-sided carrying cases, bags, clips, hand straps, protective plates, and skins, as well as other accessories for hand held electronic devices, including medical monitoring and diagnostic kits, bar code scanners, GPS and location devices, and cellular telephones. It also designs, markets, and distributes carry and protective solutions for other consumer products, such as laptop computers, MP3 players, firearms, sporting, recreational, and aeronautical products. The company provides its products for used by consumers in protecting, and carrying or transporting portable electronic and other products. Forward Industries, Inc. sells its products to original equipment manufacturers and contract manufacturers in the Asia Pacific, the Americas, and Europe. Forward Industries was founded in 1954 and is based in Santa Monica, California. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Woodyard]

  For the moment, Cotter says Ford isn't releasing any other pricing information on the next Mustang ��just the base price. To sell off current stocks of Mustang and make way for the new one, he says there are incentives of about $1,000 on the sporty car.

  The redesigned 2015 Ford Mustang is to hit dealerships this fall, a few months after the pony car's 50th birthday.  (Photo: Ford) Fullscreen Ford decided on evolutionary styling on the 2015 Mustang to retain loyalists, hoping the look also is adventuresome enough to draw new buyers.  (Photo: Ford) Fullscreen Dramatic suspension and chassis changes required a wider back end on the 2015 Mustang. Rear wheels are nearly 3 inches further apart and rear fenders are about 1.5 in. wider than on current car.  (Photo: Ford) Fullscreen The 2015 Ford Mustang's headlights are more powerful and the fog lights are relocated.   (Photo: Ford) Fullscreen The design of the 2015 Ford Mustang was done at the huge Mustang studio in Dearborn, Mich., near the automaker's headquarters. That's counter to the trend of designing in California or overseas.  (Photo: Ford) Fullscreen The middle roof pillar -- called the B pillar -- is hidden behind the door glass for a smoother silhouette. The B pillar normally is exposed and sits between the front and rear window glass.   (Photo: Ford) Fullscreen Roof line of the 2015 Mustang is 1.5 in. lower than on its predecessor, to help the car slip through the air easier.  (Photo: Ford) Fullscreen Engineers gave all versions of the 2015 Mustang an independent rear suspension. That's a first, intended to improve ride, handling and steering. It's costlier than the solid rear axle the car has used since l
• [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).

• [By James R. Healey and Fred Meier] Ford Motor's F-150 continued a sales boom in 2013. Ford's F-series lineup was the best-selling vehicle of any kind in the U.S. for 32nd consecutive year. An F-150 Tremor sport truck model is shown.(Photo: Ford)

• [By John Emerson]

  I will conclude Part one of Reflections from 20 Years of Investing (2001- 2008) with the discussion of three more sizable winners: Forward Industries (FORD), Lake Gaming (LACO) and Fairchild (FA).

Hot Consumer Companies To Invest In Right Now: Movado Group Inc. (MOV)

Movado Group, Inc. designs, sources, markets, and distributes fine watches. It operates in two segments, Wholesale and Retail. The company offers its watches under the Coach, Concord, Ebel, ESQ, Scuderia Ferrari, HUGO BOSS, Juicy Couture, Lacoste, Movado, and Tommy Hilfiger brands to jewelry store chains, department stores, independent regional jewelers, licensed partner retail stores, and a network of independent distributors. It is also involved in the after-sales service activities and shipping. In addition, Movado Group, Inc. operates retail outlet stores. As of January 31, 2013, the company operated 34 outlet stores. It operates principally in the United States, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The company was formerly known as North American Watch Corporation and changed its name to Movado Group, Inc. in 1996. Movado Group, Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Paramus, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  On Wednesday, Movado (NYSE: MOV  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The stock has hit some bumps in the road lately, raising questions about whether it can successfully compete with its luxury-retail peers.

Hot Consumer Companies To Invest In Right Now: Furniture Brands International Inc. (FBN)

Furniture Brands International, Inc. engages in designing, manufacturing, sourcing, and retailing home furnishings in the United States and internationally. The company offers case goods, such as bedroom, dining room, and living room wood furniture; stationary upholstery products comprising sofas, loveseats, sectionals, and chairs; and motion upholstered furniture, including recliners and sleep sofas. It also provides occasional furniture, such as accent pieces, home entertainment centers, and home office furniture, as well as wood, metal, and glass tables; and decorative accessories and accent pieces. The company�s brand portfolio includes Thomasville, Broyhill, Lane, Drexel Heritage, Henredon, Pearson, Hickory Chair, Lane Venture, Maitland-Smith, La Barge, and Creative Interiors. It markets its products through its Thomasville retail stores, interior designers, multi-line/independent retailers, and mass merchant stores to retailers, including independently owned furnitu re stores, department stores, and chains. The company was formerly known as Interco Inc. and changed its name to Furniture Brands International, Inc. in 1996. Furniture Brands International, Inc. was founded in 1921 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Fox Business]

  Billionaire Investor Sam Zell spoke with FOX Business Network�� (FBN) Maria Bartiromo during Opening Bell with Maria Bartiromo in a wide ranging interview about the Federal Reserve, the stock market and growth sectors in the economy. Regarding the Federal Reserve, Zell said, �� just do not know whether the Fed has the guts to really complete the taper��and that the tapering won�� ��e over by October.��Zell discussed the stock market saying, �� think the stock market is over exuberant��and �� think that the stock market reflects the fact that there's very little other options��for investors. When asked about international investments Zell said, ��e have invested very little in Europe��and that ��exico is one of the places that we're very excited about.��Zell also commented on the commercial real estate market saying, the hot markets are ��an Francisco, New York and Seattle. Those three markets have pricing that's very different from the rest of the country.��/p>

• [By Sally Jones]

  Here�� a look at what goes inside those new homes: new furniture. As furniture makers increase outsourcing and the U.S. manufacturing sector declines, investors must be wondering about the future of American furniture companies. Trading histories show Guru billionaires have taken years of losses, especially in the case of Furniture Brand International Inc. (FBN), but the recent insider trades at Furniture Brand may be some indication of what we can expect from Guru shareholders when their second quarter trading activity in this sector is revealed.

Hot Consumer Companies To Invest In Right Now: Kellogg Co (K)

Kellogg Company (Kellogg), incorporated in 1922, is engaged in the manufacture and marketing of ready-to-eat cereal and convenience foods. Kellogg�� principal products are ready-to-eat cereals and convenience foods, such as cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles and veggie foods. As of February 28, 2012, these products were, manufactured by the Company in 17 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries. It also markets cookies, crackers, and other convenience foods, under brands, such as Kellogg��, Keebler, Cheez-It, Murray, Austin and Famous Amos, to supermarkets in the United States. Its cereal products are generally marketed under the Kellogg�� name and are sold principally to the grocery trade through direct sales forces for resale to consumers. Effective June 1, 2012, Procter & Gamble Co announced that it has completed the sale of its Pringles business to Kellogg.

As of February 28, 2012, Kellogg operated manufacturing plants and distribution and warehousing facilities totaling more than 30 million square feet of building area in the United States and other countries. Its manufacturing facilities in the United States include four cereal plants and warehouses located in Battle Creek, Michigan; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Memphis, Tennessee; Omaha, Nebraska and other plants or facilities in San Jose, California; Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, and Rome, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Seelyville, Indiana; Kansas City, Kansas; Florence, Louisville, and Pikeville, Kentucky; Grand Rapids and Wyoming, Michigan; Blue Anchor, New Jersey; Cary and Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati, West Jefferson, and Zanesville, Ohio; Muncy, Pennsylvania; Rossville, Tennessee; Clearfield, Utah; and Allyn, Washington. As of February 28, 2012, outside the United States, the Company had, additional manufacturing locations, some with warehousing facilities, in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Great Britain, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, S! outh Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand and Venezuela.

The Company�� trademarks include Kellogg�� for cereals, convenience foods and its other products, and the brand names of certain ready-to-eat cereals, including All-Bran, Apple Jacks, Bran Buds, Cinnamon Crunch Crispix, Choco Zucaritas, Cocoa Krispies, Complete, Kellogg�� Corn Flakes, Corn Pops, Cracklin��Oat Bran, Crispix, Cruncheroos, Crunchmania, Crunchy Nut, Eggo, Kellogg�� FiberPlus, Froot Loops, Kellogg�� Frosted Flakes, Kellogg�� Krave, Frosted Krispies, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Fruit Harvest, Just Right, Kellogg�� Low Fat Granola, Mueslix, Pops, Product 19, Kellogg�� Raisin Bran, Raisin Bran Crunch, Rice Krispies, Rice Krispies Treats, Smacks/Honey Smacks, Smart Start, Kellogg�� Smorz, Special K, Special K Red Berries and Zucaritas in the United States and elsewhere; Crusli, Sucrilhos, Vector, Musli, NutriDia, and Choco Krispis for cereals in Latin America. Vive and Vector are brands in Canada; Coco Pops, Chocos, Frosties, Fruit�� Fibre, Kellogg�� Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes, Honey Loops, Kellogg�� Extra, Sustain, Muslix, Country Store, Ricicles, Smacks, Start, Pops, Optima and Tresor for cereals in Europe; and Cerola, Sultana Bran, Chex, Frosties, Goldies, Rice Bubbles, Nutri-Grain, Kellogg�� Iron Man Food, and BeBig for cereals in Asia and Australia. In additional, the Company trademarks are the names of certain combinations of ready-to-eat Kellogg�� cereals, including Fun Pak, Jumbo, and Variety.

Other Company brand names include Kellogg�� Corn Flake Crumbs; All-Bran, Choco Krispis, Froot Loops, Special K, NutriDia, Kuadri-Krispis, Zucaritas and Crusli for cereal bars, Komplete for biscuits; and Kaos for snacks in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America; Pop-Tarts and Pop-Tarts Ice Cream Shoppe for toaster pastries; Pop-Tarts Mini Crisps for crackers; Eggo, Eggo FiberPlus and Nutri-Grain for frozen waffles and pancakes; Rice Krispies Treats for baked snacks and convenience foods; Special K! and Spec! ial K2O for flavored protein water mixes and protein shakes, and Nutri-Grain cereal bars, Nutri-Grain yogurt bars, for convenience foods in the United States and elsewhere. Brands like K-Time, Rice Bubbles, Day Dawn, Be Natural, Sunibrite and LCMs for convenience foods in Asia and Australia; Nutri-Grain Squares, Nutri-Grain Elevenses, and Rice Krispies Squares for convenience foods in Europe; Kashi and GoLean for certain cereals, nutrition bars, and mixes; TLC for granola and cereal bars, crackers and cookies; Special K and Vector for meal replacement products; Bear Naked for granola cereal, bars and trail mix and Morningstar Farms, Loma Linda, Natural Touch, Gardenburger and Worthington for certain meat and egg alternatives. It also markets convenience foods under trademarks and trade names, which include Keebler, Austin, Keebler Baker�� Treasures, Cheez-It, Chips Deluxe, Club, E. L. Fudge, Famous Amos, Fudge Shoppe, Kellogg�� FiberPlus, Gripz, Jack��, Jackson��, Krispy, Mother��, Murray, Murray Sugar Free, Ready Crust, Right Bites, Sandies, Special K, Soft Batch, Stretch Island, Sunshine, Toasteds, Town House, Vienna Creams, Vienna Fingers, Wheatables and Zesta.

The Company�� trademarks also include logos and depictions of certain animated characters in conjunction with its products, including Snap!Crackle!Pop! for Cocoa Krispies and Rice Krispies cereals and Rice Krispies Treats convenience foods; Tony the Tiger for Kellogg�� Frosted Flakes, Zucaritas, Sucrilhos and Frosties cereals and convenience foods, and Ernie Keebler for cookies, convenience foods and other products. It also includes the Hollow Tree logo for certain convenience foods; Toucan Sam for Froot Loops cereal; Dig ��m for Smacks/Honey Smacks cereal; Sunny for Kellogg�� Raisin Bran and Raisin Bran Crunch cereals, Coco the Monkey for Coco Pops cereal; Cornelius for Kellogg�� Corn Flakes; Melvin the Elephant for certain cereal and convenience foods, and Chocos the Bear, Sammy the Seal (aka Smaxey the Seal! ) for cer! tain cereal products.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  This quarter, big economic bellwether stocks such as IBM (IBM) and Kellogg (K) have shown signs that the days of being able to use stock buybacks and cost cutting to generate growth in earnings per share, even when revenue isn't growing, may be numbered. Or, at least, that the market's enthusiasm might be waning.

• [By Alex Planes]

  A patented breakfast product
  Kellogg (NYSE: K  ) can trace its origins to 1894, when Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and Will Keith Kellogg invented corn flakes by accident. That invention gained legal legitimacy on April 14, 1896, when the U.S. Patent Office granted Dr. Kellogg a patent for the new "flaked cereal." For several years, the two brothers tried to market the product together under the banner of the Sanitas Nut Food Company, which defended the corn-flake patent vigorously against imitators.

• [By Barbara Kollmeyer]

  Earnings from Kellogg (K) �and Sysco Corp. (SYY) �are also due ahead of the opening bell. Shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A) (BRK.B) �could also be active after the conglomerate posted a 29% rise in third-quarter profit.

Hot Consumer Companies To Invest In Right Now: Carrefour SA (CRERF)

Carrefour SA is a France-based company that is primarily engaged in retail distribution sector. The Company operates a network of hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount stores, convenience stores and cash-and-carry outlets and offers e-commerce services. The Company's hypermarkets named Carrefour offer a range of food and non-food products. Carrefour SA�� hypermarkets, supermarkets and convenience stores are operating under the Carrefour city, Carrefour contact, Carrefour express, 8aHuit, Shopi, Marche Plus, Proxi banners and cash & carry stores are operating under the Promocash banner, which primarily offer food, clothing and household goods, among others. The Company operates in mainland France and French overseas territories, as well as in Europe, Asia, Latin America, North Africa and the Middle East through a network of consolidated and franchised stores, and stores that Carrefour SA runs with partner companies. In January 2014, it acquired 129 convenience stores. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sophia Yan]

  Carrefour (CRERF) has also shuttered many stores, and is reported to be exploring a sale of its China and Taiwan businesses.

  Hypermarkets -- big box stores that combine supermarkets and department stores -- first opened up in China's largest cities over a decade ago. And it's no wonder companies such as Wal-Mart have been keen to get a slice of the market.

Hot Consumer Companies To Invest In Right Now: West Pharmaceutical Services Inc.(WST)

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. manufactures and sells components and systems for injectable drug delivery and plastic packaging, and delivery system components for the pharmaceutical, healthcare, and consumer products industries. The company?s Packaging Systems segment provides packaging components and systems used in injectable drug delivery. This segment offers elastomeric stoppers and discs, elastomeric plungers, needle shields, tip caps, aluminum seals and removable plastic buttons, elastomeric components, flashback bulbs and sleeve stoppers, elastomer and co-molded elastomer/plastic components, non-filled syringe components, and dropper bulbs, as well as pharmaceutical containers, closures, and dispensers. This segment also provides laboratory and other services comprising extractables and leachables testing, package/container testing, method development/validation, stability testing, process development, and problem resolution. Its Delivery Systems segment offer s healthcare devices, such as ready-to-use prefilled syringe systems and sterile vials. This segment also offers sterile devices and electronic patch injector systems; passive safety needle systems, disposable auto-injector systems, and safety systems for prefilled syringes; and contract manufacturing services for personal care and consumer products, including infant nurser assemblies, closures for beverage containers, and child-resistant and tamper-evident closures and dispensers. In addition, this segment engages in contract manufacturing and assembling injection molded components and devices for surgical, ophthalmic, diagnostic, and drug delivery systems. The company distributes its products through its sales force and distribution network, as well as through contract sales agents and regional distributors in the United States, Germany, France, and other European countries. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Lionville, Pennsylva nia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

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