Align Technology: Invisible Braces Equal Visible Gains

Its braces might be invisible but Align Technology’s (ALGN) gains are not.

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The maker of transparent braces and other dental products reported earnings of 42 cents a share, week above analyst forecasts for a 30 cent profit. Revenue, meanwhile, rose to $164.5 million, above the $158.6 million forecast.

William Blair’s John Kreger and team are impressed:

We are encouraged by the strong results, which stand in stark contrast to second half 2012 when volume growth and margins declined unexpectedly. Align’s Invisalign is clearly gaining market share, generating 16% unit growth in an environment where overall orthodontic procedures are essentially flat by our estimates.

Stifel’s Jonathan Block and Ethan Roth can barely contain their excitement. They write:

Our entire 2014 leverage thesis played out in 3Q13 as ALGN significantly beat EPS numbers…yet we were silly enough to make a cautious call in front of the quarter. That said, we think our 2014 $1.66 versus the Street's $1.53 should no longer be viewed as an "unrealistic expectation" and we believe consensus likely brings their estimates up to us….overnight. Align seems to be in the sweet spot as past investments (APAC, N.A. sales reps) are starting to pay off and new innovations (SmartTrack) are resonating with docs and helping to drive utilization higher. We are raising our 2014 and 2015 EPS estimates. Reiterate Buy and increase PT from $54 to $57.

Cantor Fitzgerald’s Jeremy Feffer upgrades Aligns shares to Buy from Hold:

After seemingly hitting bottom in 3Q:12, ALGN has taken concrete steps to revitalize its North American GP dentist segment, stabilize/improve pricing, and build a formidable O-U.S. sales and training operation, all of which are paying dividends. With better overall volume trends, the ClearCorrect ITC victory, and the Realine launch, we see plenty of runway for continued outperformance.

Shares of Align have surged 24% to $57 at 12:37 p.m. Sirona Dental Systems (SIRO) has risen 0.8% to $69.61, Dentsply International (XRAY) is up 0.1% at $45.44, Integra Lifesciences (IART) has  gained 0.4% to $44.23 and Danaher (DHR) has fallen 0.3% to $72.13.

Monday Closing Bell: Markets Mixed on Apple, Summers

September 16, 2013: U.S. markets opened higher Monday morning after an announcement on Sunday by Larry Summers that he was withdrawing his name from consideration as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve. Summers was seen as more likely to end the Fed's asset purchase program quickly than is Janet Yellen, who is now the betting favorite to be the new Fed chair. U.S. markets closed mixed as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) dragged the tech sector and the Nasdaq Composite down. Longer term, though, Apple might not look so bad.

Asian and European markets closed mostly higer today, while Latin American markets closed mixed.

Tuesday's calendar includes the beginning of the two-day FOMC meeting and the following data releases and events (all times Eastern):

8:30 a.m. – Consumer price index 9:00 a.m. – Treasury international capital (TIC) data 10:00 a.m. – Housing market index 11:30 a.m. – 4- and 52-week bill auctions

Here are the closing bell levels for Monday:

S&P500 1,697.60 (+9.60; +0.257%) DJIA 15,494.78 (+118.72; +0.77%) NASDAQ 3,717.85 (-4.34; -0.12%) 10YR TNOTE 2.880% (+0.0625) Gold $1,317.80 (+9.20; +0.7%) WTI Crude oil $106.59 (-1.62; -1.5%) Euro/Dollar: 1.3335 (-0.0021; -0.15%)

Top Undervalued Stocks To Own Right Now

There were no earnings of note today. Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) reports third quarter earnings after markets close tomorrow and Oracle Corp. (NYSE: ORCL) reports third quarter results on Wednesday.

Stocks on the move: Boise Inc. (NYSE: BZ) is up 26% at $12.55 following the company's acquisition by Packaging Corporation of America Inc. (NYSE: PKG) for $12.55 a share ($1.28 billion). Omeros Corp. (NASDAQ: OMER) is up 68.2% at $8.56 following an analyst upgrade. Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (NYSEArca: NAK) is down 33.3% at $1.48 following an announcement from Anglo American plc that it was withdrawing from a massive copper mining project in Alaska.

In all, 233 stocks put up new 52-week highs today, while just 17 stocks posted new lows.

Caton Financial Is First Public ‘Partner’ on Ron Carson’s CIA Platform

It took Nancy Caton eight years and several detours before she found the succession solution for herself, her clients and her firm, Caton Financial in the San Franciso Bay area.

On Wednesday, Carson Wealth Management announced that Caton and her RIA firm, with $218 million in AUM, will become the first public partner of Ron Carson’s Carson Institutional Advisory (CIA) platform, and will continue to run her firm and serve her clients, and look for new ones, as the head of Carson Wealth’s San Francisco branch.

“For eight years I’ve been trying to get some kind of succession plan going,” Caton said in an interview on Thursday with ThinkAdvisor, but joining CIA “solved all of my problems.”

A long-time Raymond James advisor, Caton, now a "very young 65," attempted three different solutions to succession planning—hiring and attempting to groom a more junior advisor to be her successor; hiring an advisor from a bank; and bringing on an ex-wirehouse person. None worked out, for various reasons. She then explored the notion of “finding somebody who had money,” hiring a business broker and “trying a bank” as a buyer for her firm, which “turned into a disaster.” After those detours, she spoke to Ron Carson, who she had known for 18 years, and eventually decided to cast her lot with the new platform, which Carson announced last year.

Caton began her succession planning adventure out of concern for her clients, but throughout that adventure, she discovered “it’s difficult to find people who share” the same ethics and holistic approach to serving clients without being product-focused.

“One of the best parts” of joining CIA, she said, is that “I’ll get rid of that ‘running my business’ part of my job; the HR department is closed.” Instead, she will “have the ability to spend my days” with her clients, “to do what I do best,” while taking advantage of Carson’s research and investing offerings. “I think the clients will be excited” about the new structure of her business, “we can improve their investment situation; we can lower their fees.” She’s had no negative feedback at all from her clients, she reports: “Everybody has been excited; enthusiastic.”

“We’ve rebranded as Carson Wealth Management,” she said, with her title being managing director. Under terms of the deal, Caton will remain with Carson Wealth for at least five years, though she said she has no plans to retire even after those five years.

In the same interview on Thursday, Carson said the CIA platform helps provide “overnight succession plans,” benefiting the owner advisor, while “even smaller offices become Carson Wealth-capable overnight,” referring to those same investment offerings and economies of scale. One of the benefits to Caton and other partners will be the ability to respond to RFPs from institutions, that smaller firms would be unable to accomplish, Carson says. Moreover, Carson says that particularly over the last few years, “larger prospects want details on how your succession plans are structured” before they’ll agree to work with an advisor.

While Caton Financial is the first public “partner” in CIA, Carson said that he will be making a “big announcement” in the second week of September revealing “all of our partners.” He also noted that under “our normal way of doing things, we usually do ‘monetization’ after two years” for partners, but that knowing Caton and her firm for 18 years, that the terms were different in her case.

“Culture eats strategy for lunch,” Carson said. His strategy for CIA “starts with the right partners” and begins by asking “Would I go into business with this person today?” and then realizing “that I can learn as much from them” as those partners can from CIA.

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Check out these related stories on ThinkAdvisor:

Analyst: Here’s How Amazon Disappointed Bulls on Friday

Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

In trend most investors have come to expect, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) had marched uphill on a steady pace, rising over 20 percent since the start of May and 22 percent on the year. In fact, shares hit their all-time high above $309 recently. Despite all the good news for Amazon bulls, several were disappointed at the close of trading.

According to Schaeffer’s analyst Karee Venema, the nearly 3,500 contracts with the July 315 call bargained on Amazon hitting $315.40 by Friday. The VWAP of $0.40 plus the $315 left bulls hoping Amazon would rush to unforeseen heights before the week ended. That didn’t happen.

Amazon closed at $305.23 on Friday in New York, leaving many bulls with hopes dashed, though the losses would only amount to the premium paid on the options bet. For Amazon, a bit of overconfidence from investors is nothing new. The stock usually rewards them for their conviction.

Schaeffer’s analyst Milissa Hodepohl noted a similar trend in her Monday report. She noted that for every 100 puts, 132 calls had been bought on the CBOE, Nasdaq, and ISE for a period of almost two weeks. The ratio held until Thursday, when Venema noted 1.16 calls for every put over the course of 50 sessions.

Hudepohl noted another popular option, the July 310 strike, which also wasn’t met for Amazon bulls on Friday. In this round, nearly 4,500 contracts were bought with a $312. 05 target in sight. Amazon was nearly $7 under that call price for the week.

Yet analysts aren’t changing any forecasts, and nearly every one has a positive or neutral take on the online retail giant. Hudepohl notes 23 of the 33 with opinions on the stock give it a buy rating while the remaining 10 calling it a hold at the moment.

Investors are heeding that advice.  Hudepohl noted on July 15 the call/put ratio of 1.32 was above 94 percent of the readings taken during the previous 10 days of trading. There are many more bulls than bears in Amazon’s corner, at a level that is nearly unmatched.

Is there more disappointment in the works? Venema noted Amazon’s Relative Strength Index sat at 80 on Thursday. With the stock so overbought, it had little chance to beat out either of the two strikes.

Using a solid investing framework such as this can help improve your stock-picking skills. Don't waste another minute — click here and get our CHEAT SHEET stock picks now.

The Big Surprise in the Great Rotation Into U.S. Stocks

Now that the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) has reached record highs once more, investors are finally starting to recognize the advantages of U.S. stocks by increasing their investments into exchange-traded funds that own domestic equities. That's not surprising, given long predictions of what's become known as a "great rotation" into stocks.

But the surprising thing about the way the great rotation is taking shape is what investors are selling in order to put more money into U.S. stocks. Although expectations were that investors would take money out of the bond market, it's actually coming from some other sources that most people wouldn't have picked as candidates until very recently.

Where the sales are
The reason most investors expected bonds to be a big funding source for equity-fund inflows is that bond investments have posted huge losses lately. As interest rates rose from their rock-bottom levels, bond prices plunged, with some bond funds facing double-digit percentage losses in just a matter of a couple of months. Given how conservative bond investors typically are, those losses aren't something that many of them were prepared to see, and a mass flight from bond funds would leave some of those investors with little choice but to take money and put it into stocks.

Instead, though, other niches of the investment world are seeing an exodus from investors. A recent blog post at Barron's gave figures from ConvergEx that identified several surprising sources. First and foremost was gold, with the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSEMKT: GLD  ) seeing redemptions of $1.3 billion since the month began. In a classic example of selling only after big price declines, gold investors are apparently tired of holding onto ETF shares that have lost a third of their value from gold's highs over the past couple of years.

Top 5 Casino Stocks To Invest In 2014

The other big loser that's getting sold to fund U.S. stock purchases is the emerging-market stock area, where investors have moved more than $200 million out of ETFs. Higher interest rates have lowered the risk tolerance of many investors, and emerging-market holdings were among the first to suffer, as many emerging markets have actually posted losses for the year compared to the S&P's very strong gains. All told, the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEMKT: EEM  ) has performed consistently with many other emerging-market investments, with the ETF having fallen 10% on the year.

The unwillingness to take big bets has also driven money out of leveraged and inverse funds. The big losses in many inverse stock ETFs makes outflows logical, but leveraged bullish ETFs have posted amazing returns. ProShares Ultra S&P (NYSEMKT: SSO  ) , for instance, has posted more than double the rise of the unleveraged S&P 500 so far this year. Nevertheless, short-term traders are apparently satisfied to cash in their profits and take less aggressive positions going forward.

Finally, income-oriented funds in the real-estate and preferred-stock areas have seen outflows. This actually is most consistent with the original great-rotation theory, as these types of investments often behave in line with the bond market. With losses having come from rising interest rates, investors who believe rates will keep going up are selling to avoid further declines down the road.

Will the Great Rotation continue?
As long as macroeconomic conditions keep pointing toward a healthier recovery, it's likely that the same trend toward U.S. stocks and away from these other investments is likely to continue. Bonds might well follow suit as well and eventually provide even more inflows to the stock market, and as long as stocks keep attracting capital, it's possible for the bull market in stocks to continue well into its fifth year.

Whether you buy them directly or through an ETF, the best investing approach is to choose great companies and stick with them for the long term. The Motley Fool's free report "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich" names stocks that could help you build long-term wealth and retire well, along with some winning wealth-building strategies that every investor should be aware of. Click here now to keep reading.

Microsoft Pulls a Dramatic 180

It's safe to say that Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) next-generation Xbox One game console has gotten off to a bad start.

Many gamers slammed the console for its restrictive policies. They cited its digital rights management system that requires users to check in online once every 24 hours or else the console shuts down, its lack of freedom over trading or lending used games, and other policies. Microsoft tried to counter at last week's E3 conference with a slate of high-profile future games for the Xbox One, but the furor over the console drowned out anything else. Competitor Sony (NYSE: SNE  ) was all too happy to capitalize at E3, pointing out how its next-gen PlayStation 4 won't require an "always-online" connection and will support the trading and resale of used games.

After E3, momentum largely shifted to Sony, with Microsoft struggling to fend off the intensifying criticism over the new Xbox. Yesterday, Microsoft gave in and offered consumers an olive branch.

Giving in to what consumers want
Microsoft announced on the official Xbox website that the company will drop several of the major hot-button policies that so riled up consumers. According to Microsoft, the Xbox One will no longer require an Internet connection to play games offline. The console will still require gamers to log on to the Internet while setting up the device, but after that, no more checking in every 24 hours for offline play.

In a huge boon for the used games market, Microsoft also reversed course on its previously draconian used games policy. Microsoft originally planned to restrict the sale or trading of game discs, a major issue that won points for Sony when it made sure to support used games during E3. Yesterday, Microsoft stated that disc-based games won't have any new restrictions. The market for used Xbox One discs "will work just as it does today on Xbox 360."

Digitally downloaded titles will still be restricted -- but that's no new revelation to the industry -- and digital titles will also be available to play offline without any checking in. Microsoft also pulled back its regional restrictions, where games and devices had once been locked depending on location.

Microsoft had to make a move after watching consumers and analysts rally around Sony's PS4 after E3, particularly after GameStop (NYSE: GME  ) representatives claimed that PS4 pre-orders were sharply outpacing those of the Xbox One. No digital rights management restriction is worth lost sales, and Microsoft couldn't afford to let Sony get an early lead in the next-generation console battle before either device even launched.

Some of the damage to the Xbox One's reputation can't be undone, and the device still has a few issues that consumers don't like, such as its requirement to have Microsoft's Kinect motion-capture device connected. Still, Microsoft's admission that its previous policies had upset consumers may have averted disastrous sales for the console. Sony's still riding its wave of optimism after E3, but Microsoft's top gaming competitor won't be able to rely on its consumer-friendly policies alone now to cement the PS4's future market leadership. The race for next-generation console leadership just got a lot closer.

The real winner from this revelation isn't Microsoft or Sony, however. GameStop's future is twice as bright after Microsoft's about-face. While GameStop's tried to diversify its sales away from used games, this market still makes up a significant portion of the retailer's revenue, with pre-owned video game products contributing more than 21% of the company's total sales last year. A future without the Xbox One's original heavy-handed used games restrictions is one where GameStop investors can breathe a whole lot easier. The relief was plain late Wednesday, as GameStop's stock shot up by 6% in after-hours trading.

Microsoft does the right thing
Microsoft's battle with Sony for next-gen sales is only just beginning, but yesterday's announcement is a major step in the right direction for the Xbox's future. Microsoft may have admitted defeat over its planned policies for the console, but the company and investors have avoided a potentially far more devastating defeat in what really matters: sales.

The Xbox One announcement is a spot of optimism in what's been a frustrating path for Microsoft investors, who've watched the company fail to capitalize on the incredible growth in mobile over the past decade. However, with the release of its own tablet, along with the widely anticipated Windows 8 operating system, the company is looking to make a splash in this booming market. In a new premium report on Microsoft, a Motley Fool analyst explains that while the opportunity is huge, so are the challenges. The report includes regular updates as key events occur, so make sure to claim a copy of this report now by clicking here.

Grocery Manufacturers Spend to Defeat Food Label Efforts

Top 10 Low Price Stocks To Own Right Now

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Although the battles over labeling genetically modified foods are hardly new, the current spending by the Grocery Manufacturers Association to defeat the federal labeling drive is unprecedented.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association, representing more than 300 food and beverage entities, reported its largest spending increase in federal lobbying from the previous quarter. The trade association, which lists Coca-Cola (KO), General Mills (GIS), Campbell Soup (CPB) and Hillshire Brands (HSH) among its members, spent about $7.4 million from July 1 through Sept. 30 on lobbying efforts in Washington.

That amount was an increase from the second quarter of more than $6.2 million. For the first three quarters of 2012, the Grocery Manufacturers Association spent about $2.6 million. In toto, there has been $9.3 million expended this year. That is an increase of over 500% for the quarter, more than twice the next biggest increase for a group seeking to influence Congress and others in the nation's capital.

What is bringing the torrents of cash to Washington is the labeling of genetically modified food issue. The impact of genetically modified foods on health and the environment, including pesticides resistance, is also a major item for the industry. So is the role of government regulators. The impact of genetically modified crops for farmers and its role in feeding the growing population of the world are also vital. Another Washington, the state, was also critical due to a food labeling measure. For that campaign, the Grocery Manufacturers Association raised over $11 million. To defeat a similar labeling effort in California a year ago required about $44 million. The Grocery Manufacturers Association contends that any genetically modified organism (GMO) labeling would end up costing the consumer hundreds of dollars a year in higher costs at the supermarket.

Here's a statement from Brian Kennedy, the spokesman for the GMA, about the win in the state of Washington:

"It [the bill] would require tens of thousands of common food and beverage products to be relabeled exclusively for Washington state unless they are remade with higher-priced, specially developed ingredients. The measure will increase grocery costs for a typical Washington family by hundreds of dollars per year... that these products are not safe or that they are somehow different."

Those supporting food labeling regulations such as Greenpeace and the Organic Consumers Association claim the risks of GMOs are not adequately known. Doubts persist about the objectivity and effectiveness of regulatory authorities. There are also concerns about the regulatory process, contamination of the food supply, the effects on the environment and nature and about the consolidation of control and protection of the food supply in companies that make and sell these products. 

Not all grocers are opposed to those goals of food labeling supporters, however. Whole Foods (WFM) recently announced that all products in its U.S. and Canadian stores containing genetically modified organisms would be labeled as such by 2018.  At the Natural Products Expo West, Walter Robb, the co-chief executive, stated that Whole Foods was "setting a stake in the ground on GMO labeling to support the consumer's right to know." He also reminded the audience that the private label products of Whole Foods have been certified as non-GMO since 2009. The upscale grocer currently sells 250 brands that have 3,300 non-GMO products. Last year, in an interview with  Bloomberg Businessweek, Robb contended that transparency is becoming more in demand by consumers for health and environmental concerns: "I suppose there will always be a market for the cheapest possible food, but issues around water quality, farm workers, all that stuff, keep surfacing. There will be no place to hide in terms of what your practices are and what you're doing."  

It has, however, been determined by highly regarded groups such as the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, the British Royal Society and the U.S. Academy of Sciences that genetically modified products are not any riskier than conventional items. But anything codified into law brings much greater risks of legal liability to the food sector: No group wants to become the next tobacco industry, constantly being sued and on the defensive in courtrooms and legislative bodies across the country with huge legal expenses impacting the bottom line, as just happened with JPMorgan Chase (JPM) in its earnings for the most recent quarter.

Campbell, Trader Joe's, and Ben & Jerry's are all defendants in class-action suits for allegations about food labels misrepresenting the ingredients in products that were sold to the public. If food labeling legislation becomes law increasing disclosure requirements for companies, so will the potential legal liability. At the time of publication the author had no position in any of the stocks mentioned. This article was written by an independent contributor, separate from TheStreet's regular news coverage.

Jonathan Yates is a financial writer who has had thousands of articles appear in periodicals and Web sites such as TheStreet, Newsweek, The Washington Post and many others. He has degrees from Harvard University, Georgetown University Law Center and The Johns Hopkins University. He does not have a position in any of the stocks mentioned in this article.

Stocks Going Ex-Dividend on Monday, December 23 (MO, PM, More)

Ex-dividend dates are very important to dividend investors, since you must purchase a stock prior to its ex-dividend date in order to receive its upcoming dividend payout. For more information, check out Everything Investors Need to Know About Ex-Dividend Dates.

Below we highlight 10 big-name stocks going ex-dividend on Monday, December 23.

Altria
Altria Group Inc (MO) offers a dividend yield of 5.02% based on Thursday's closing price of $38.22 and the company's quarterly dividend payout of 48 cents. The stock is up 22% year-to-date. Dividend.com currently rates MO as “Recommended” with a DARS™ rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Philip Morris
Philip Morri

Is Target Worth Investing In?

With shares of Target (NYSE:TGT) trading around $62, is TGT an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Target operates general stores in the United States as well as online, where it sells merchandise at discounted prices. It operates in three segments: U.S. Retail, U.S. Credit Card, and Canadian. Target's online presence is designed to enable consumers to purchase products either online or by locating them in one of its stores with the aid of online research and location tools. Groceries, clothing, household items, and general merchandise can be found at Target, making it an efficient shopping experience for consumers throughout the nation.

Target prepared for the kickoff to the lucrative holiday shopping season for months, but nothing could have prepared the retailer for this. According to Reuters, Target alerted customers on Thursday that data from about 40 million credit and debit cards might have been stolen from shoppers at its stores during the first three weeks of the holiday season, starting on the day before Thanksgiving. The retailer said that it identified and resolved the issue on Sunday, and an investigation is currently underway. Following the announcement, Target's shares fell as much as 3.2 percent before the opening of trading on Thursday.

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart Are Weak

Target stock has recently been pulling back over the last couple of quarters after reaching all-time highs. The stock is currently trading in the low end of its range and may need time to stabilize before heading higher. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, Target is trading below its rising key averages, which signal neutral to bearish price action in the near-term.

(Source: Thinkorswim)

Taking a look at the implied volatility (red) and implied volatility skew levels of Target options may help determine if investors are bullish, neutral, or bearish.

	Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Watch Right Now Implied Volatility (IV)	30-Day IV Percentile	90-Day IV Percentile
Target options	20.18%	70%	68%

What does this mean? This means that investors or traders are buying a very significant amount of call and put options contracts, as compared to the last 30 and 90 trading days.

	Put IV Skew	Call IV Skew
January Options	Steep	Average
February Options	Steep	Average

As of today, there is an average demand from call buyers or sellers and high demand by put buyers or low demand by put sellers, all neutral to bearish over the next two months. To summarize, investors are buying a very significant amount of call and put option contracts and are leaning neutral to bearish over the next two months.

On the next page, let’s take a look at the earnings and revenue growth rates and the conclusion.

E = Earnings Are Mixed Quarter-Over-Quarter

Rising stock prices are often strongly correlated with rising earnings and revenue growth rates. Also, the last four quarterly earnings announcement reactions help gauge investor sentiment on Target’s stock. What do the last four quarterly earnings and revenue growth (Y-O-Y) figures for Target look like and more importantly, how did the markets like these numbers?

	2013 Q3	2013 Q2	2013 Q1	2012 Q4
Earnings Growth (Y-O-Y)	-43.75%	-10.38%	-25.96%	0.81%
Revenue Growth (Y-O-Y)	1.95%	2.01%	-0.95%	6.76%
Earnings Reaction	-3.45%	-3.60%	-4.01%	-1.45%

Target has seen decreasing earnings and increasing revenue figures over the last four quarters. From these numbers, the markets have not been too happy about Target’s recent earnings announcements.

P = Weak Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has Target stock done relative to its peers, Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT), Costco (NASDAQ:COST), Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS), and sector?

	Target	Wal-Mart	Costco	Kohl’s	Sector
Year-to-Date Return	5.02%	13.57%	19.78%	26.92%	17.32%

Target has been a poor relative performer, year-to-date.

Conclusion

Target operates discount general stores across North America, where consumers continue to enjoy their shopping experience. The company alerted customers on Thursday that data from about 40 million credit and debit cards might have been stolen from shoppers at its stores during the first three weeks of the holiday season. The stock is currently trading lower and may need some time to stabilize. Over the last four quarters, investors in the company have not been pleased, as earnings have been decreasing while revenues have been rising. Relative to its peers and sector, Target has been a poor year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what Target does the rest of this quarter.

Hot Medical Stocks To Watch For 2014

It was a humbling experience.

Lately here in Mexico, I (Akaisha here) have been spending a good deal of time at the ophthalmologist's office having tests done on my eyes. This is something I find to be less than comfortable: someone poking around so close to my face, touching my eyes, putting in various colored drops, anesthetics, washes, and such.

After several months of these tests and return visits, I became only the slightest bit accustomed to machines touching my cornea, measuring my optic nerve, and puffing for pressure, and brilliant lights to see into my eyeball.

One doctor said it perfectly: "I know this is torture, but you are a good patient. And at least it only needs to be done a couple of times a year."

Oh, thank you, Doctor. At least someone understands and recognizes my efforts.

It seems that when we go through medical procedures, there can be a self-absorption with our "presenting condition" and how the results of these tests might affect our future lives. It's sort of an underlying mantra that never stops: My life, my life, my life. How will my life change? What will I need to do differently? Can I handle the changes? And on it goes.

Hot Medical Stocks To Watch For 2014: Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc (NAVB)

Navidea Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Navidea), formerly Neoprobe Corporation, incorporated in 1983, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of precision diagnostic agents. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� radiopharmaceutical development programs included Lymphoseek (Lymphoseek, Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m for Injection), a radiopharmaceutical agent for lymph node mapping; AZD4694, an imaging agent, and RIGScan, a tumor antigen-specific targeting agent. In January 2012, the Company executed an option agreement with Alseres Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Alseres) to license [123I]-E-IACFT Injection, also called Altropane, an Iodine-123 radiolabeled imaging agent, being developed as an aid in the diagnosis of Parkinson�� disease, movement disorders and dementia. In August 2011, the Company sold its gamma detection device line of business (the GDS Business) to Devicor Medical Products, Inc.

Lymphoseek

Navidea�� pipeline includes clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical agents used to identify the presence and status of disease. Lymphoseek (Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m for Injection) is a lymph node targeting agent intended for use in intraoperative lymphatic mapping (ILM) procedures and lymphoscintigraphy employed in the overall diagnostic assessment of certain solid tumor cancers. The lymph system is a component of the body�� immune system. The key components of the lymph system are lymph nodes-small anatomic structures that contain disease-fighting lymphocytes, filter lymph of bacteria and cancer cells, and signal infection in response to heightened levels of pathogens. In Navidea�� Phase III clinical studies of Lymphoseek, it detected over 99% of positive nodes identified by vital blue dye (VBD). As of December 31, 2011, Navidea, in co-operation with UC, San Diego affiliate (UCSD), completed or initiated five Phase I clinical trials, one multi-center Phase II trial and three multi-center Phase II trials inv! olving Lymphoseek. Two Phase III studies were completed in subjects with breast cancer and melanoma. During the year ended December 31, 2011, data from NEO3-09 were released, which indicated that all primary and secondary endpoints for the study were met. As of December 31, 2011, third Phase III clinical trial for Lymphoseek in subjects with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (NEO3-06) was in progress.

AZD4694

AZD4694 is a Fluorine-18 labeled precision radiopharmaceutical candidate for use in the imaging and evaluation of patients with signs or symptoms of cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). It binds to beta-amyloid deposits in the brain that can then be imaged in positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Amyloid plaque pathology is a required feature of AD and the presence of amyloid pathology is a supportive feature for diagnosis of probable AD. Patients who are negative for amyloid pathology do not have AD. AZD4694 has been studied in several clinical trials. Clinical studies through Phase IIa have included more than 80 patients to date, both suspected AD patients and healthy volunteers. No significant adverse events have been observed. Results suggest that AZD4694 has the ability to image patients quickly and safely with high sensitivity.

RadioImmunoGuided Surgery

As of December 31, 2011, RIGScan had been studied in a number of clinical trials, including Phase III studies. Navidea has conducted two Phase III studies, NEO2-13 and NEO2-14, of RIGScan in patients with primary and metastatic colorectal cancer, respectively. Both studies were multi-institutional involving cancer treatment institutions in the United States, Israel, and the European Union.

The Company competes with Pharmalucence, Eli Lilly, Bayer Schering, General Electric and GE Healthcare.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Tuesday’s session are Toll Brothers Inc.(TOL) and Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc.(NAVB)

• [By Keith Speights]

  3. Navidea Biopharmaceuticals (NYSEMKT: NAVB  )
  Some investors were likely befuddled by Navidea's stock action earlier this year. The company received FDA approval in March for Lymphoseek, its radiopharmaceutical agent used for imaging lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer or melanoma. That was great news, but shares dropped quickly and still haven't returned to previous levels.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Diagnostics can also play an important role in early and late-stage breast cancer diagnoses. Navidea Biopharmaceuticals (NYSEMKT: NAVB  ) had Lymphoseek, its external lymph-node imaging and intra-operative lymphatic mapping diagnostic device, approved by the Food and Drug Administration earlier this year to help doctors stage cancer. Discovering whether breast cancer has invaded adjacent lymph nodes has never been easier or safer thanks to Lymphoseek, and it can dramatically aid physicians in determining the best course of action for breast cancer patients.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Another prime example here would be Navidea Biopharmaceuticals' (NYSEMKT: NAVB  ) Lymphoseek which is an injectable agent used in external lymph-node imaging and intra-operative lymphatic mapping. In English this means it will dramatically improve the staging and treatment options for patients with breast cancer. Being that breast cancer was also listed as a commonly misdiagnosed cancer, this is a big step in the right direction for patient care.

Hot Medical Stocks To Watch For 2014: Applied Nanotech Holdings Inc (APNT)

Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc., incorporated on May 22, 1989, is engaged in nanotechnology research and development business. The Company's nanotechnology research involves performing contract research and development services for others to develop products and materials for new applications, and then leveraging this research by applying it to other similar applications in other industries. The Company also develops intellectual property (IP) around its products and technologies. The Company develops five technology platforms: nanosensor technology; nanocomposites, based on carbon nanotube composites; thermal management materials; nanoelectronics applications, and electron emission activities, primarily in the display area. The Company's electron emission IP is divided into display activities and non-display activities. Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc. is the parent company. Applied Nanotech, Inc. (ANI) is a subsidiary of ANHI. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company formed EZDiagnostix, Inc., (EZDX).

Sensors

The Company develops sensors based on ion mobility sensor technology and differential mobility spectroscopy. The Company is involved in projects to develop Mercaptan and Methane sensors for uses in the natural gas industry. The Company is also applying this technology to other applications, including agricultural pathology, wound care, and breath analysis. The Company develops hydrogen sensor for use in the measurement of hydrogen in power transformer products. The Company develops carbon monoxide sensor that can last for 10,000 hours on a single battery. The Company's carbon nanotube technology is for use in biosensors. Sensors based on carbon nanotubes or other nanomaterials can be used to detect chemical, organic, or biological warfare agents, as well as explosives, hydrogen, ammonia and numerous other chemicals.

Nanocomposites

The Company is in the advanced stages of development of nanomaterials using carbon nanotube (CNT) and! other composites. Epoxies are used in industries with worldwide markets, with applications, including adhesives, paints, coatings, and composites. In addition to epoxy resins, the Company develops other types of resins, including polyesters and vinyl esters. Vinyl esters are used in a variety of industrial applications, including storage tanks, piping, and construction. The Company develops a process for coating nylon pellets with CNTs to improves electrical conductivity. Nylon 6 with improved electrical conductivity can be used for its anti-static qualities, electrostatic discharge, and electromagnetic/RF shielding.

Thermal Management

The Company markets thermal management material called CarbAl. CarbAl provides a passive thermal management solution for temperature control issues that plague electronics manufacturers. CarbAl is a carbon based metal nanocomposite comprised of 80% carbonaceous matrix and a dispersed metal component of 20% aluminum. The Company also develops a simplified version of CarbAl based on graphite.

Conductive Inks

The Company develops aluminum and silver inks and pastes that is ideal for use in the production of solar cells. The Company also develops aluminum paste that can be used in current solar cell production.

The Company competes with Zyvex Performance Materials, GSI Creos, Amroy Europe, Ltd., DuPont and Ferro

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anuchit Nguyen]

  India�� S&P BSE Sensex rose, holding at a three-year high, amid better-than-estimated corporate earnings. Engineering company Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (LT) rallied to a three-month high and Asian Paints Ltd. (APNT) surged about 6 percent after reporting profit that beat forecasts.

Top Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2014: Prima BioMed Ltd (PBMD)

Prima BioMed Ltd is a biotechnology company is engaged in the development and commercialization of medical therapies with a focus on oncology. Its product candidates in development include Cvac, an autologous dendritic cell vaccine for ovarian cancer, monoclonal antibodies for multiple tumour types, and an oral formulation for the human papilloma virus (HPV), vaccine. Its product candidate Cvac is a dendritic cell therapy, for which it is conducting a Phase IIb trial for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Cvac is designed to target the tumour antigen mucin-1, which is expressed at high levels on different tumour types. It also has two preclinical product development programs. In May 2011, Prima BioMed GmbH, a 100 % owned subsidiary of Prima BioMed Ltd, was incorporated in Germany. In May 2011, Prima BioMed Middle East FZLLC, a 100 % owned subsidiary of Prima BioMed Ltd, was incorporated in the United Arab Emirates. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Prima Biomed (NASDAQ: PBMD) dropped 38.17% to $1.45 after the company reported top-line analysis of CVac Phase 2 trial.

  Tower Group International (NASDAQ: TWGP) plummeted 24.31% to $10.49. Tower Group announced its plans to release its Q2 results during the week of October 7, 2013. FBR Capital downgraded the stock from Outperform to Market Perform.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Prima Biomed (NASDAQ: PBMD) shares dipped 38.59% to touch a new 52-week low of $1.44 after the company reported top-line analysis of CVac Phase 2 trial.

Hot Medical Stocks To Watch For 2014: Fuse Science Inc (DROP.PK)

Fuse Science, Inc. ( Fuse Science), incorporated on September 21, 1988, is a consumer products holding company. The Company maintains the rights to sublingual and transdermal delivery systems for bioactive agents that can effectively encapsulate and charge many varying molecules in order to produce complete product formulations which can be consumed orally, applied topically or delivered otherwise sublingually or transdermally, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and entering the blood stream directly. The Fuse Science technology is designed to accelerate conveyance of medicines or nutrients relative to traditional pills and liquids and can enhance how consumers receive these products. In December 2012, the Company launched its initial DROP products, PowerFuse, an energy formulation in a concentrated drop and ElectroFuse, an electrolyte formula in a concentrated drop, online, with the expansion into targeted retail distribution channels.

The Compan y is developing formulations and devices, which are compatible with alternative delivery systems for energy, medicines, vitamins and minerals, among other bioactives. These alternative systems include, but are not limited to, sublingual, transdermal and buccal drug delivery methods. use Science has developed and continues to advance, in conjunction with its scientific team, sublingual and transdermal delivery systems for bioactives that can effectively encapsulate and charge varying molecules in order to produce product formulations which can be consumed orally, applied topically or otherwise delivered sublingually or transdermally, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and entering the blood stream directly. The delivery technology is consists of encapsulation vesicles and ion exchange permeation enhancers. This technology utilizes a gradient across the mucosa membrane to help deliver the bioactive more efficiently through the mucosa.

The Company

Hot Medical Stocks To Watch For 2014: Johnson & Johnson(JNJ)

Johnson & Johnson engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of various products in the health care field worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices and Diagnostics. The Consumer segment provides products used in baby care, skin care, oral care, wound care, and women?s health care fields, as well as nutritional, over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, and wellness and prevention platforms under the brands of JOHNSON?S, AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, JOHNSON?S Adult, NEUTROGENA, RoC, LUBRIDERM, DABAO, LISTERINE, REACH, BAND-AID, CAREFREE, STAYFREE, SPLENDA, TYLENOL, SUDAFED, ZYRTEC, MOTRIN IB, and PEPCID AC. The Pharmaceutical segment offers products in various therapeutic areas, such as anti-infective, antipsychotic, contraceptive, dermatology, gastrointestinal, hematology, immunology, neurology, oncology, pain management, and virology. Its principal products include REMICADE for the treatment of immune me diated inflammatory diseases; STELARA for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis; SIMPONI, a treatment for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis; VELCADE for the treatment of multiple myeloma; PREZISTA and INTELENCE for treating HIV/AIDS patients; NUCYNTA for moderate to severe acute pain; INVEGA SUSTENNAtm for the acute and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in adults; RISPERDAL CONSTA for the management of bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia; and PROCRIT to stimulate red blood cell production. The Medical Devices and Diagnostics segment primarily offers circulatory disease management products; orthopaedic joint reconstruction, spinal care, and sports medicine products; surgical care, aesthetics, and women?s health products; blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery products; professional diagnostic products; and disposable contact lenses. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in Ne w Brunswick, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Before there was even a fancy term like "nicotine replacement therapy," the Swedish were using nicotine gum in the 1960s to help royal navy submariners manage their nicotine cravings while aboard the confines of the vessel.�That gum eventually became Nicorette gum, which today is�manufactured by�Johnson & Johnson's� (NYSE: JNJ  ) �McNeil subsidiary and�is distributed in the U.S. by�GlaxoSmithKline� (NYSE: GSK  ) , the industry's largest NRT manufacturer, with 50% market share.

• [By Keith Speights]

  If you're looking for a textbook example of a steady rise in shares, it doesn't get much better than the current Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) stock run-up. Shares in the blue-chip company are up 15% year-to-date with a nice upward trend.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  While we can say that neither drug was significant, Eli Lilly was surely looking forward to eventual revenue from both. Atypical antipsychotic therapies such as Risperidone from Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) and Zyprexa haven't been improved upon much in decades. Each now has generic alternatives, which has left Big Pharma looking for proprietary treatments that are safer and more effective and have bigger impacts on the top line. Meanwhile, the lymphoma market has no shortage of competition. So investors shouldn't worry too much about these failures.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What's perhaps more remarkable is the fact that Pharmacyclics (NASDAQ: PCYC  ) has three of those 23 approved breakthrough therapy designations for its lead experimental drug, ibrutinib. Ibrutinib, which is also licensed to Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals, was designated as a breakthrough therapy for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma, and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. The big potential indication here is CLL, which is the most common adulthood leukemia and occurs in 113,000 people in the U.S. By comparison, MCL diagnoses number about 5,000 each year.

Hot Medical Stocks To Watch For 2014: Telik Inc (TELK)

Telik, Inc. (Telik), incorporated in 1988, is a clinical-stage drug development company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat cancer. The Company discovers its product candidates using the Company�� drug discovery technology, Target-Related Affinity Profiling (TRAP). TELINTRA, its principal drug product candidate in clinical development, is a small molecule glutathione analog inhibitor of the enzyme glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (GST P1-1). TELCYTA, its other product candidate, is a small molecule cancer drug product candidate designed to be activated in cancer cells.

Clinical Product Development

TELINTRA is the Company�� lead small molecule product candidate in clinical development for the treatment of blood disorders, including cancer. It has a mechanism of action and acts by inhibiting GST P1-1, an enzyme that is involved in the control of cellular growth and differentiation. Inhibition of GST P1-1 results in the activation of the signaling molecule Jun kinase, a regulator of the function of blood precursor cells. Preclinical tests show that TELINTRA is capable of causing the death or apoptosis of leukemic or malignant blood cells, while stimulating the growth and development of normal blood precursor cells. TELINTRA has been studied in Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) using two formulations. A liposomal formulation was developed for intravenous administration of TELINTRA and was used in Phase I and Phase II studies in MDS patients. The results from the Phase II intravenous liposomal TELINTRA clinical trials demonstrated that TELINTRA treatment was associated with improvement in all three types of blood cell levels in patients with all types of MDS, including those in intermediate and high-risk groups. An oral dosage formulation (tablet) was subsequently developed and results from a Phase I study with TELINTRA tablets showed clinical activity and the formulation to be well tolerated. In June 2011, the Company initiated a Phase II clinical ! trial to evaluate TELINTRA tablets. In October 2011, the Company initiated an additional Phase IIb clinical trial to evaluate TELINTRA tablets. '

The activity and safety profile of tablet formulation allowed the Company to complete a Phase II trial of TELINTRA tablets in MDS. The primary objective of the Phase II TELINTRA tablet study was to determine the efficacy of TELINTRA. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify MDS disease prognostic factors associated with erythroid improvement response rates, including prior MDS treatment, age, gender, the international prognostic scoring system (IPSS), risk, Eastern Cooperative Group performance status, years from MDS diagnosis, MDS World Health Organization subtypes, anemia only versus anemia plus other cytopenias, dose schedule and starting dose. Results from this study show that TELINTRA is the first GSTP1-1 enzyme inhibitor shown to cause clinically reductions in red blood cell transfusions, including transfusion independence in low to intermediate-1 risk MDS patients, as well as improvement in platelet count and white blood cell levels in certain patients. TELINTRA, administered orally twice daily, appeared to be convenient and flexible for chronic treatment administration.

TELCYTA is a small molecule drug product candidate that the Company is developed for the treatment of cancer. TELCYTA binds to GST. TELCYTA has been evaluated in multiple Phase II and Phase III clinical trials, including trials using TELCYTA as monotherapy and in combination regimens in ovarian, non-small cell lung, breast and colorectal cancer. Results from these clinical trials indicate that TELCYTA monotherapy was generally well-tolerated, with mostly mild to moderate side effects, particularly when compared to the side effects and toxicities of standard chemotherapeutic drugs. When TELCYTA was evaluated in combination with standard chemotherapeutic drugs, the tolerability of the combinations was similar to that expected of each! drug alo! ne.

Clinical activity including objective tumor responses and/or disease stabilization was reported in the TELCYTA Phase II trials; however, TELCYTA did not meet its primary endpoints in the Phase III studies. Positive results from a Phase I-IIa multicenter, dose-ranging study of TELCYTA in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel as first-line therapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, were published in a peer reviewed publication. Clinical data demonstrated positive results of TELCYTA in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel in the treatment of first-line lung cancer followed by TELCYTA maintenance therapy. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had an on-going investigator-led study at a single site of TELCYTA in patients with refractory or relapsed mantle cell lymphoma, diffuse B cell lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

Preclinical Drug Product Development

The Company has a small molecule compound, TLK60404, in preclinical development that inhibits both Aurora kinase and VEGFR kinase. Aurora kinase is a signaling enzyme whose function is required for cancer cell division, while VEGF plays a key role in tumor blood vessel formation, ensuring an adequate supply of nutrients to support tumor growth. These lead compounds prevented tumor growth in preclinical models of human colon cancer and human leukemia by inhibiting both Aurora kinase and VEGFR kinase. A development drug product candidate, TLK60404, has been selected.

The Company, using its TRAP technology has discovered TLK60357, a novel, potent small molecule inhibitor of cell division. TLK60357 inhibits the formation of microtubules that are necessary for cancer cell growth leading to persistent G2/M cancer cell cycle block and subsequent cell death. This compound demonstrates potent broad-spectrum anticancer activity against a number of human cancer cells. This compound also displays oral efficacy in multiple, standard preclinical models of cancer. TLK60596, a potent VG! FR kinase! inhibitor, blocks the formation of new blood vessels in tumors. Oral administration of TLK60596 to animal models of human colon cancer reduced tumor growth.

5 Best Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014

Royalty Pharma announced Monday that it's willing increase the $11-per-share offer it made for Elan (NYSE: ELN  ) back in February, depending on the result of Elan's buyback.

The biotech recently announced plans to repurchase $1 billion worth of shares through a Dutch auction. As part of the auction, investors are given the option to sell their shares back to the company at a price between $11.25 and $13.00, specified by the shareholder. Elan would then buy back shares at the lowest price that allows it to purchase shares worth $1 billion in aggregate.

Royalty Pharma has tied its offer to the price Elan ends up paying at the Dutch offering. It'll pay the same amount as shareholders were given if the offer is for $11.25 or $11.50. If shareholders demand $11.75 or $12, Royalty Pharma is willing to pay $12 per share for the remaining share of Elan. If shareholders demand more than $12, Royalty Pharma is willing to pay only $11 per share, presumably because it believes at that level Elan is overpaying to buy back its shares.

5 Best Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Oracle Financial Services Software Ltd (ORCL.NS)

Oracle Financial Services Software Limited is principally engaged in the business of providing information technology (IT) solutions and knowledge processing services to the financial services industry worldwide. The Company has a suite of banking products, which caters to the needs of corporate, retail, investment banking, treasury operations and data warehousing. The Company operates in three segments: Product licenses and related activities, IT solutions and consulting services, and Business Processing Services (BPO). Product licenses and related activities segment deals with various banking software products. IT solutions and consulting services segment offers services spanning the entire lifecycle of applications used by financial service institutions. The division�� portfolio includes Consulting, Application, Support and Technology Services. BPO Services consists of business process outsourcing services to the Lending, Collections, Customer Service and Capital Mark ets industry.

5 Best Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Orbit International Corporation(ORBT)

Orbit International Corp., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of electronic components and subsystems, and commercial and custom power units. The company operates through two segments, Electronics and Power. The Electronics segment designs, manufactures, and sells customized panels, components, and subsystems for contract program requirements to prime contractors, governmental procurement agencies, and research and development laboratories. Its products include remote control units; intercommunication panels; displays; keyboards, keypads, and pointing devices; operator control trays; command display units; gun computer system cabinets; gun mount control panels; serial data converters; harness assemblies; and system integration products. This segment?s products are deployed in surveillance aircraft, shipboard programs, and land-based guidance control programs. This segment also performs the analysis and evaluation of caliber naval gun we apon systems performance; involves in the design, integration, and production of components for caliber naval gun weapon systems; and offers engineering supplies and services in support of caliber naval gun weapon systems initiatives. The Power segment designs, manufactures, and sells power supplies, AC power sources, frequency converters, uninterruptible power supplies, and associated analytical equipment and other electronic equipment, as well as commercial-off-the-shelf power modules. This segment?s products are used in production lines, engineering labs, oil and gas exploration, aircraft and ships, and related ground support systems. The company markets its products primarily through its direct sales personnel, as well as through manufacturer's representatives and distributors. The company was formerly known as Orbit Instrument Corp. and changed its name to Orbit International Corp. in July 1991. Orbit International Corp. was founded in 1957 and is based in Hauppauge, N ew York.

Hot Insurance Stocks To Own For 2014: Algeta ASA (ALGETA)

Algeta ASA is a Norway-based biotechnology company engaged in the development of targeted cancer therapies based on its alpha-pharmaceutical platform. The Company�� principal product is Alpharadin for the treatment of bone metastases resulting from castration-resistant prostate cancer. The Company�� pipeline also includes Alpharadin for the treatment of bone metastases resulting from breast cancer, a combination of Alpharadin with Taxotere for the treatment of bone metastases resulting from prostate cancer and Thorium-227 showing various cancer indications. The Company develops Alpharadin in a development and marketing cooperation with Bayer Schering Pharma. Algeta ASA is active through the two wholly owned subsidiaries, Algeta Innovations AS and Algeta UK Limited. On April 12, 2012, the Company announced that it estabilished a subsidiary active in the United States, Algeta US.

5 Best Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Neurocrine Biosciences Inc.(NBIX)

Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of neurological and endocrine-related diseases and disorders in the United States. It develops drugs for endometriosis, stress-related disorders, pain, tardive dyskinesia, uterine fibroids, diabetes, insomnia, and other neurological and endocrine-related diseases and disorders. The company?s products in clinical development include Elagolix, a Phase II drug for endometriosis; Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 Inhibitor (VMAT2), a Phase II drug for movement disorders; CRF2 Peptide Agonist, a Phase II drug for cardiovascular diseases; CRF1 Antagonist, a Phase II drug for stress-related disorders; and Elagolix, a Phase II drug for uterine fibroids. Its research programs comprise G Protein-Coupled Receptor 119 (GPR119) for type II diabetes; VMAT2 for schizophrenia; GnRH Antagonists for men?s and women?s health, and oncology; Antiepileptic Drugs for epilepsy, essential tremor, and pain; and G Protein-Coupled Receptors for other conditions. The company has collaborations with GlaxoSmithKline to develop and commercialize CRF antagonists for psychiatric, neurological, and gastrointestinal diseases; Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co. Ltd. to develop and commercialize Indiplon in Japan; Abbott International Luxembourg S.�r.l. to develop and commercialize elagolix and GnRH antagonists for women?s and men?s health indications; and Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH to research, develop, and commercialize small molecule GPR119 agonists for the treatment of type II diabetes and other indications. Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another stock that's starting to trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX), which discovers, develops and commercializes drugs for the treatment of neurological and endocrine-related diseases and disorders. This stock has been a hot name with bulls so far in 2013, with shares up 57%.

  If you look at the chart for Neurocrine Biosciences, you'll notice that this stock recently gapped down sharply from $16.74 to below $11.50 a share with heavy downside volume flows. Following that gap down, shares of NBIX went on to continue its trend lower and the stock hit a new low of $10.42 a share. Shares of NBIX have started to rebound off that $10.42 low and it's now moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in NBIX if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at its 200-day moving average of $11.92 a share and above its gap down day high of $12.17 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 894,145 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then NBIX will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from September that started at $16.74 a share. Some possible upside targets for NBIX if it gets into that gap with volume are $14 to $15 a share.

  Traders can look to buy NBIX off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below support at $11 a share, or below that recent low of $10.42 a share. One can also buy NBIX off strength once it takes out that breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

5 Best Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Network Engines Inc(NEI)

Network Engines, Inc. designs and manufactures application platforms and appliance solutions on which software applications are applied for enterprise and telephony information technology networks. The company?s application platforms are pre-configured server-based network infrastructure devices designed to deliver specific software application functionality, and enhance the integration, manageability, and security of that software application in an end user?s network. It also offers platform management software tools and support services related to solution design, systems integration, application management, global logistics, and support and maintenance programs. The company markets its application platform solutions and services to original equipment manufacturers and independent software vendors in the United States and internationally. Network Engines, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  NEI (Nasdaq:NEI), a leading provider of server-based application platforms, deployment solutions and lifecycle support services for software technology developers and OEMs worldwide, announced today that it has signed a definitive merger agreement with UNICOM Systems, Inc. (“UNICOM”) and a new UNICOM subsidiary under which UNICOM, a global information technology company and part of the UNICOM group of companies, will acquire NEI for $1.45 per common share in cash.

IRS Issues Guidance On Employee Benefit Plans For Same-Sex Couples

In June of 2013, the Supreme Court ruled in its landmark Windsor decision that section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional, clearing the way for same-sex spouses to be respected as married couples for income tax purposes.

In August, the IRS jumped on board by issuing Revenue Ruling 2013-17, which provided that the Service will treat all same-sex couples as married provided the individuals were lawfully married under state law, even if the married couple currently resides in a state that does not recognize the validity of the same-sex marriage.

Since that time, tax advisors have been waiting for guidance from the IRS regarding how the decision will impact certain employee benefits; specifically, what do we do about a benefit that, when paid on behalf of a same-sex spouse of an employee would have been taxable prior to the Windsor decision, but that now should be treated as tax-free fringe benefits in light of the Supreme Court's ruling?

Revenue Ruling 2013-17 touched only briefly on Windsor's impact on employee benefit plans, stating that a taxpayer could rely on the Ruling for purposes of filing an amended return to claim a refund for income or employment taxes related to excludable employer-provided plans.

In September, we got guidance on the employer side, with the IRS issuing Notice 2013-61. In the Notice, the Service provided mechanisms for employers to request refunds of payroll taxes paid on benefits to a same-sex spouse that were taxable prior to Windsor but rendered tax-free in its aftermath.

Putting the three pieces of authority together, tax advisors guessed at their impact on employee benefit plans, with varying degrees of accuracy. Today, much of the guesswork has been rendered unnecessary, as the IRS issued concrete guidance on the Windsor decision's impact on such plans in the form of Notice 2014-1.

While the Notice reveals little that in the way of groundbreaking information – in fact, it largely echoes a Q&A previously posted on the Service's website – at least the guidance is now formalized. While the entire Notice deserves a read, here are the most noteworthy aspects, represented in easy-to-digest Q&A form:

Cafeteria Plans

Q: How does Windsor affect the tax treatment of health coverage for a same-sex spouse in the case of a cafeteria plan participant who had been paying for the cost of same-sex spouse coverage on an after-tax basis?

A: Let's start with a key definition, shall we?

A "cafeteria plan" is defined by Section 125(d)(1) as one under which an employee may choose among two or more benefits consisting of cash and qualified benefits. A "qualified benefit" is then defined as an employee benefit that is excludable from taxable income by virtue of a statutory provision.

Now that we've got that out of the way, let's look at what Notice 2014-1 has to say. An employee who participates in a cafeteria plan may elect to pay for the cost of health coverage for the employee, spouse, and dependents on a pre-tax basis through the cafeteria plan's salary reduction option. Prior to Windsor, however, if the employee elected to also cover a same-sex spouse, it was required to be treated as wages to the employee, because same-sex spouses were not eligible family members.

After Windsor, provided the same-sex couple is respected as married under Rev. Rul. 2013-17, any amounts the employee paid for coverage on his same-sex spouse will be treated as having been made on a pre-tax basis as part of the employee's salary reduction election. This is the case even if the employer reports the coverage for the same-sex spouse as taxable wages to the employee.  As a result, the amount the employee pays for the same-sex spouse will be excluded from the employee's income, regardless of how the employer treats it. This rule applies for the plan year that includes December 16, 2013, and any years that remain open under the statute of limitations, which is typically three years.  

Best Low Price Companies For 2014

Example: Employer sponsors a cafeteria plan with a calendar year plan year. Employee A married same-sex Spouse B in October 2012 in a state that recognized same-sex marriages. During open enrollment for the 2013 plan year, Employee A elected to pay for the employee portion of the cost of self-only health coverage through salary reduction under the cafeteria plan.

In addition, starting January 1, 2013, Employee A paid for the employee portion of health coverage for Spouse B on an after-tax basis. The value of Spouse B's coverage was $500 per month, and this amount was included as wages to Employee A through November 2013.

On November 1, 2013 – after the decision in Windsor —  Employee A made a change in status election to treat Spouse B as a recognized spouse, and elected to pay for the employee cost of Spouse B's health coverage on a pre-tax basis through salary reductions for the remainder of the year.

Earnings Season Has Not Been Kind to the Dow

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) is feeling the backlash from an earnings season that continues to disappoint investors. This morning, the index's largest component has pulled it down, with the Dow sitting at a 52-point loss as of 10:30 a.m. EDT, rebounding to a 9-point loss by 11:50 a.m. Without any economic news to be released today, the Dow has to rely on other components to offset this morning's earnings drag.

IBM: Index Busting Machine
Since IBM (NYSE: IBM  ) is the largest component of the weighted Dow index, its 7% drop this morning following negative reaction to its earnings report caused the index to drop as much as 100 points. It takes a lot of effort from the Dow's other component stocks to overcome that drag, making sense of the current losses even though 25 of the Dow's 30 stocks are in positive territory.

Big Blue reported after the bell last night, with its earnings missing estimates by $0.05. Though there were improvements in profits -- with EPS of $3 showing an increase of 8% -- revenues were lighter due to negative currency impacts. Revenues were down across the board geographically, and also in most of the company's segments. CEO Ginni Rometty stated that IBM was able to grow its bottom line and operating margins, but that the company missed on some of its goals for the quarter. Big Blue is still expected to meet its EPS guidance for the year of $16.70. Shares were down 3.1% in aftermarket trading and fell sharply once the bell rung this morning. 

Other earnings
McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) is also down in trading this morning after reporting lighter sales in many of its territories. Asia was the weakest geographical region, with lower sales in Japan and negative results in China. Overall revenue was up 1% and earnings were flat at $1.3 billion for Mickey D's, but the company still reported a 2% increase in EPS, though the $1.26 per share missed expectations by a penny. The fast-food chain is contending with some difficult comparisons to a strong period in 2012, making its results look weaker. The stock is down 1.84% as of this writing, with investors concerned about continued impacts of international economic headwinds and tougher outlooks for the coming quarters.

Top 5 Penny Companies For 2014

General Electric (NYSE: GE  ) is also down in trading after announcing first-quarter earnings, with a current loss of 3.59%. Despite meeting Wall Street's estimates for both revenue and earnings, the giant is down due to continued concerns about impacts from European weakness. The company reported flat revenue with a 14% increase in operating income. And excluding one-time items, GE met analyst estimates of $0.36 per share. CEO Jeff Immelt noted that GE is ready for potential headwinds in Europe, but a 17% decrease in industrial revenues points to worse-than-expected conditions.

On the up-and-up
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) is finally on the rise after two days of losses following its earnings report on Wednesday. Though investors were unimpressed with the bank's quadrupled earnings, the bank's report did provide a glimpse into the improvements made that allowed the operations to generate higher profits even with lower revenue. Project BAC has been in full swing for a while now, and the most recent earnings show that CEO Brian Moynihan's plan is working. The stock is up 1.4% as of this writing.

Bank of America's stock doubled in 2012. Is there more yet to come? With significant challenges still ahead, it's critical to have a solid understanding of this megabank before adding it to your portfolio. In The Motley Fool's premium research report on B of A, analysts Anand Chokkavelu, CFA, and Matt Koppenheffer, Financials bureau chief, lift the veil on the bank's operations, including detailing three reasons to buy and three reasons to sell. Click here now to claim your copy.

Best Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its preliminary report on August farm prices on Friday afternoon. The August all-products price index dropped by 12 points (6%) to 188 month-over-month, with the crop index down 7.4% and the livestock index down 1%. The preliminary all-products index is down 5% year-over-year. The index uses prices from 1990-1992 as its base value (100).

The USDA noted that increased sales of cattle, barley, and calves offset lower sales of wheat, corn, and soybeans.

Farm costs, measured by the prices paid index rose 1% month-over-month to 221, and that�� 5% higher than August of 2012. Higher prices for feeder cattle and LP gas, among other things, offset lower prices for nitrogen fertilizer, feed grains, and other fertilizers.

Prices received by farmers rose the most for commercial vegetables (up 13% from July) and fruits and nuts (up 1.6%). Oilseeds, cotton, feed grains and hay, and food grains were all lower month-over-month. Compared with August 2012, commercial vegetables prices are a whopping 30% higher than a year ago.

Best Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA (HRTPY.PK)

HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA, formerly BN 16 Participacoes Ltda, is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the oil and gas industry. The Company is primarily involved in the exploration and production (E&P) of oil and natural gas in Brazil and Namibia. Through its subsidiaries, it is active in the geophysical and geological research, exploration, development, production, import, export and sale of oil and natural gas, as well as in the provision of air logistics services in transporting people and equipment related to oil and gas activities in the exploratory campaign in the Solimoes Basin. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had seven subsidiaries, including Integrated Petroleum Expertise Company Servicos em Petroleo Ltda (IPEX), HRT O&G Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo Ltda, HRT Netherlands BV, HRT America Inc, HRT Africa, HRT Canada Inc and Air Amazonia Servicos Aereos Ltda.

Best Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Carnival Corporation(CCL)

Carnival Corporation operates as a cruise and vacation company. It provides cruises to various vacation destinations with a portfolio of cruise brands comprising Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America; and AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Ibero Cruises, and P&O Cruises in Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company also involves in operation of hotels, as well as offers tour and transportation services. It operates approximately 98 ships, as well as owns and operates 15 hotels or lodges that include 3,420 guest rooms; 395 motorcoaches; and 20 domed rail cars. The company sells its cruises through travel agents, including wholesalers and tour operators. Carnival Corporation was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Cruise ship operator�Carnival� (NYSE: CUK  ) (NYSE: CCL  ) has set the currency exchange ratio for its second-quarter dividend for shareholders of its London-based operations, which trade on the NYSE under the symbol CUK, at�16.39022 pence�per share.�

Best Low Price Stocks To Buy Right Now: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  Another reason that shale gas development has not as quickly developed is a lack of clear patent protection laws,�especially�in China. While both Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) and Haliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) have expressed an interest in developing Chinese shale gas, a lack of intellectual-property protection has them hesitant to going all in. Rather, both companies have taken minority interests in smaller,�Chinese-based companies and plan to take orders of drilling fluids and equipment. These kinds of moves are not necessary in the U.S. and have allowed companies to protect and profit from their expertise.

• [By Stephen Leeb]

  The portfolio is concentrated, holding the 25 largest oil-service firms in the world by market capitalization. Indeed, the top five positions account for 44% of assets, led by a 20% position in oilfield giant Schlumberger (SLB).

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]

  Schlumberger is best of breed in its industry, but the industry�� potential might not be as strong as advertised. There is a theory that decreasing energy prices will lead to increased demand, but that�� like saying someone flushed the toilet and then went to the bathroom. The truth is that global demand is on shaky ground, and if it falters, it will lead to a chain reaction that won�� benefit Schlumberger. In a somewhat related matter of importance, Schlumberger�� stock was hit hard during the financial crisis. The fact that it was deemed the financial crisis isn�� important in this case. What�� important is that it was a deflationary environment and Schlumberger couldn�� maintain its strength in that�environment. If the Federal Reserve removed all monetary stimulus, would a deflationary environment present itself once again? Nobody knows for sure, but it�� a possibility. In the meantime, potential rewards outweigh downside risks for Schlumberger. Therefore, Schlumberger is an OUTPERFORM.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Investors may wonder if peers like�Halliburton� (NYSE: HAL  ) �and�Schlumberger� (NYSE: SLB  ) �were pressured this quarter as well. Both companies have waded through the sluggish North American market by relying on growth overseas. If that trend continues, it should continue to mute some of the weakness Nabors experienced.

Best Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Pengrowth Energy Corp (PGH)

Pengrowth Energy Corporation (Pengrowth) is engaged in the development, production and acquisition of, and the exploration for, oil and natural gas reserves in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia. The Company�� producing properties include Lindbergh, Swan Hills Area, Greater Olds/Garrington Area and Southeast Saskatchewan. In February 2012, the Company commenced the injection of steam at its Lindbergh pilot project. On May 31, 2012, the Company acquired NAL Energy Corporation. In November 2012, the Company acquired additional Lochend Cardium assets with production capability of approximately 650 barrels of oil equivalent, weighted 95% to light oil. In March 2013, the Company completed the divestiture of its non-core Weyburn asset. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  The dividends continue to flow for investors in Canada's Pengrowth Energy (NYSE: PGH  ) . The company has declared its latest monthly distribution, which will be US$0.04 per share of its common stock, to be handed out on June 17 to shareholders of record as of May 23. That amount matches each of the company's preceding monthly dividends for calendar 2013.

• [By Alex Planes]

  Investors love stocks that consistently beat the Street without getting ahead of their fundamentals and risking a meltdown. The best stocks offer sustainable market-beating gains, with robust and improving financial metrics that support strong price growth. Does Pengrowth Energy (NYSE: PGH  ) fit the bill? Let's take a look at what its recent results tell us about its potential for future gains.

Best Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Abraxas Petroleum Corp (AXAS)

Abraxas Petroleum Corporation is an independent energy company primarily engaged in the acquisition, exploitation, development and production of oil and gas in the United States and Canada. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� estimated net proved reserves were 29.0 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBoe), (including reserves attributable to its 34.7% equity interest in the proved reserves of Blue Eagle), of which 53% were classified as proved developed, 54% were oil and natural gas liquids (NGL��) and 94% by PV-10 were operated. Its daily net production during the year ended December 31, 2011, was 3,484 barrels of oil equivalent per day, of which 45% was oil or liquids. Its oil and gas assets are located in four operating regions in the United States, the Rocky Mountain, Mid-Continent, Permian Basin and onshore Gulf Coast, and in the province of Alberta, Canada.

The Company�� properties in the Rocky Mountain region are located in the Williston Basin of North Dakota and Montana and in the Green River, Powder River and Unita Basins of Wyoming and Utah. In this region, its wells produce oil and gas from various reservoirs, including the Niobrara, Turner, Bakken and Three Forks formations. Well depths range from 7,000 feet down to 14,000 feet. The Company�� properties in the Mid-Continent region are primarily located in the Arkoma Basin and principally produce gas from the Hartshorne coals at 3,000 feet. Its properties in the Permian Basin region are primarily located in two sub-basins, the Delaware Basin and the Eastern Shelf. In the Delaware Basin, its wells are located in Pecos, Reeves, and Ward Counties, Texas and produce oil and gas from multiple stacked formations from the Bell Canyon at 5,000 feet down to the Ellenburger at 16,000 feet.

In the Eastern Shelf, its wells are principally located in Coke, Scurry, Midland, Mitchell and Nolan Counties, Texas and produce oil and gas from the Strawn Reef formation at 5,000 to 7,500 feet and oil from the shallower Clea! rfork formation at depths ranging from 2,300 to 3,300 feet. The Company�� properties in the onshore Gulf Coast region are located along the Edwards trend in DeWitt and Lavaca Counties, Texas and in the Portilla field in San Patricio County, Texas. In the Edwards trend, its wells produce gas from the Edwards formation at a depth of 14,000 feet and in the Portilla field, its wells produce oil and gas from the Frio sands and the deeper Vicksburg from depths of approximately 7,000 to 9,000 feet. In addition, the Company also owns a 34.7% equity interest in a joint venture targeting the Eagle Ford in South Texas. Its properties in the province of Alberta, Canada are located in the Pekisko fairway and the Nordegg/Tomahawk area of Central Alberta.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company leased approximately 20,835 net acres, primarily in counties located on the Nesson Anticline and in areas west, including Rough Rider and Lewis & Clark in North Dakota and in Sheridan County, Montana, which are prospective for the Bakken and Three Forks formations. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company drilled two operated wells and participated in an additional 19 gross (1.0 net) non-operated wells. In July 2011, Abraxas purchased a used Oilwell 2000 horsepower diesel electric drilling rig. In August 2010, the Company formed a joint venture, Blue Eagle, with Rock Oil to develop its acreage in the Eagle Ford Shale play. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned a 34.7% interest in Blue Eagle. During 2011, Blue Eagle drilled, completed or participated in three gross (2.4 net) wells and added approximately 3,800 net acres to its holdings, principally in McMullen County, Texas.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company leased a total of approximately 20,720 gross (17,800 net) acres in the southern Powder River Basin, of which 17,800 gross (15,700 net) acres were located in the Brooks Draw field of Converse and Niobrara Counties, Wyoming. In addition, it owns approximately 2,100 net acres in sout! hern Camp! bell County, Wyoming which are held by production and are near the Crossbow field operated by EOG Resources, Inc. and other recent horizontal activity. As of December 31, 2011, the Company leased 6,880 net acres in western Alberta. In 2011, it drilled or completed six gross (6 net) wells in the Twining area. In the emerging southern Alberta Basin Bakken play of Toole and Glacier Counties, Montana, the Company leased approximately 10,000 gross/net acres under long-term leases or direct mineral ownership. As of December 31, 2011, it leased approximately 5,600 gross/net acres in Nolan County, Texas. In 2011, the Company drilled three wells in the Spires Ranch offsetting the prolific Nena Lucia field.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Penn Virginia has gained 6.9% to $7.15 at 11:56 p.m. today, while Sanchez Energy (SN) has advanced 5.2% to $29.10, Abraxas Petroleum (AXAS) has risen 2.4% to $2.97 and Gulfport Energy (GPOR) is up 1.3% at $67.31.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  With steam coal prices continuing to be weak due to the inroads made by natural gas, Natural Resource Partners (NYSE: NRP  ) has decided if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. It announced Monday it is buying producing�oil and gas�properties located in the Williston Basin of North Dakota and Montana from�Abraxas Petroleum (NASDAQ: AXAS  ) for $35.3 million in cash.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  In the energy world, it's never much of a surprise when an oil company picks up natural gas assets or vice versa. But a coal company getting into the oil business? Now that's a rarity. This week, Natural Resources Partners (NYSE: NRP  ) �did just that. The company announced that it's taking a working interest in some of Abraxas Petroleums (NASDAQ: AXAS  ) assets in the Bakken. While the $35 million purchase was not that large, it's a rare case where a coal company branches out into other natural resources.�

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Friday
  The market is typically quiet on Friday, but that's certainly not the case during earnings season. Abraxas Petroleum (NASDAQ: AXAS  ) checks in with its latest quarterly results on Friday morning. The San Antonio-based crude oil and natural gas exploration and production company is expected to post breakeven results.

Best Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Flotek Industries Inc (FTK)

Flotek Industries, Inc. (Flotek), incorporated on May 17, 1985, is a diversified global supplier of drilling and production related products and services. Its core focus is oilfield specialty chemicals and logistics, down-hole drilling tools and down-hole production tools used in the energy and mining industries. Flotek operates in three segments: Chemicals and Logistics, Drilling Products and Artificial Lift. The Company operates using third party agents in Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Asia. In May 2013, Flotek Industries Inc through its wholly owned subsidiary acquired the entire share capital of Florida Chemical Co Inc.

Chemicals and Logistics

The chemical business provides oil and natural gas field specialty chemicals for use in drilling, cementing, stimulation and production activities. The Company�� specialty chemicals are manufactured to withstand a range of down-hole pressures, temperatures and other well-specific conditions. Flotek operates two laboratories, a technical services laboratory and a research and development laboratory, which focus on design, development and testing of new chemical formulations and enhancement of existing products, often in cooperation with the customers. Its micro-emulsions are stable mixtures of oil, water and surface active agents, forming complex nano-fluids, in which the molecules are organized into nanostructures. The micro-emulsions are composed of renewable plant derived cleaning ingredients and oils and are biodegradable. Flotek�� logistics business designs, project manages and operates automated bulk material handling and loading facilities. These bulk facilities handle oilfield products, including sand and other materials for well-fracturing operations, dry cement and additives for oil and gas well cementing, and supply materials used in oilfield operations.

Drilling Products

Flotek is a provider of down-hole drilling tools used in the oilfield, min! ing, water-well and industrial drilling activities. It manufactures, sells, rents and inspects specialized equipment for use in drilling, completion, and production and workover activities. The rental tools include stabilizers, drill collars, reamers, wipers, jars, shock subs, wireless survey, and measurement while drilling (MWD) tools and mud-motors. Equipment sold primarily includes mining equipment, centralizers and drill bits. Flotek focuses its product marketing primarily in the Southeast, Northeast, Mid-Continent and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States, with international sales conducted through third party agents.

Artificial Lift

Flotek provides pumping system components, electric submersible pumps (ESPs), gas separators, production valves and services. The products address the needs of coal bed methane and traditional oil and gas production to move gas, oil and other fluids from the producing horizon to the surface. The Artificial Lift products employ technologies to improved performance. The Petrovalve product optimizes pumping efficiency in horizontal completions, heavy oil and wells with high liquid to gas ratios. Artificial Lift products are manufactured in China, assembled domestically and distributed globally.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Smith]

  Flotek Industries (NYSE: FTK  )
  I've mentioned Flotek Industries to Fools in the past. The relatively small ($940 million capitalization and growing) company provides a range of products and assistance for oil and gas operations, from well construction to production. It's also the only services company -- and one of but a handful of companies in any sector -- that's been accorded a perfect consensus of one (strong buy) by the analysts.

• [By David Smith]

  Flotek Industries (NYSE: FTK  )
  The smallest member of the trio, with a market cap of about $815 million, Flotek operates on the services side of the energy sector. As I've previously pointed out to Fools, it also constitutes a rare instance wherein the analysts who monitor the company all accord it strong buy ratings. But with Flotek's share price having risen by more than 40% year to date, it is difficult to contest that unanimous confidence.

Best Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Exxon Mobil Corporation(XOM)

Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas, and manufacture of petroleum products, as well as transportation and sale of crude oil, natural gas, and petroleum products. The company manufactures and markets commodity petrochemicals, including olefins, aromatics, polyethylene and polypropylene plastics, and other specialty products. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 35,691 gross and 30,494 net operated wells. The company has operations in the United States, Canada/South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia/Oceania. Exxon Mobil Corporation was founded in 1870 and is based in Irving, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Arjun Sreekumar]

  Recent pipeline spills, such as ExxonMobil's (NYSE: XOM  ) not-so-minor crude oil spill in Arkansas last month, have raised important questions about the effectiveness of pipeline operators' leak detection systems.

• [By Anders Bylund]

  The black gold still deserves its rich name. Chevron powers its generous dividends with outsize cash flows. The company's dividend boosts have left fellow Dow component and cash machine ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM  ) in the dust, even though Exxon's cash flows are an order of magnitude richer. Chevron hasn't suffered any massively damaging setbacks like BP 's (NYSE: BP  ) Deepwater Horizon disaster, which put a damper on that company's market-crushing dividend increases. Royal Dutch Shell's (NYSE: RDS-A  ) total payouts plunged when the merger of Royal Dutch and Shell was completed in 2005 -- and have stayed modest ever since.

Best Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Enhanced Oil Resources Inc (EOR)

Enhanced Oil Resources Inc. is a natural resource company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, exploitation, and development of natural resource properties in the Southwestern United States. The Company produces oil and gas from three Permian Basin crude oilfields located in eastern New Mexico and certain oilfield properties (Winters Fields) located near Abilene, Texas. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary EOR Operating Inc., owns a 98% interest in the 800 acre Crossroads Siluro-Devonian Unit and a 100% interest in an adjacent 160 acre lease. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary EOR Operating Inc., owns a 99% interest in the 4,880 acre Milnesand San Andres Unit and a 100% interest in the adjacent 1,800 acre Horton Federal lease.