10 Best Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB  ) has released its first-quarter earnings, and overall things look pretty good for the large regional bank. It earned $1.43 billion, or $0.73 per share, right in line with analysts' expectations. Nevertheless, shares have been down as much as 2.6% this morning, prompting a deeper look into that earnings release. Here are three reasons investors may not be that pleased with the big Minnesota-based bank.

1. Net revenue
While net income increased by 6.7% from the same quarter last year, the same cannot be said about the top line. For the quarter, U.S. Bancorp recorded total net revenue of $4.9 billion. This was a 4.7% decline from the fourth quarter and a 1.1% decline from the same quarter last year.�

Noninterest income, which we'll cover in depth shortly, was primarily to blame. It was down 7% from the fourth quarter, and 3.3% from the same quarter last year, primarily because of lower mortgage banking revenues, as well as seasonally lower payments-related revenue.

Top 5 Canadian Companies To Own For 2015: Intercontinentalexchange Group Inc (ICE)

IntercontinentalExchange Group, Inc., incorporated on March 6, 2013, is a network of regulated exchanges and clearing houses for financial and commodity markets. The Company delivers transparent and accessible data, technology and risk management services to markets around the world through its portfolio of exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, ICE Futures, Liffe and Euronext. In February 2014, Intercontinentalexchange Group Inc completed the acquisition of Singapore Mercantile Exchange.

In November 2013, the Company announced the acquisition of NYSE Euronext. In November 2013, Financial Technologies (India) Ltd announced that Financial Technologies Singapore Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Technologies (India) Ltd., sold its ownership in SMX (together with its wholly owned subsidiary SMX CC) to ICE Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., an entity owned by the Intercontinentalexchange Group Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anna Prior]

  IntercontinentalExchange Inc.(ICE) and NYSE Euronext sa(NYX)id Friday they had received the necessary regulatory approvals to close their deal. ICE’s $9.4 billion acquisition of NYSE will close Wednesday, the companies said.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  As the company behind the prestigious New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Euronext (NYSE: NYX  ) makes money when people trade any stock. Yet for its own part, NYSE Euronext stock has soared in anticipation of its pending $8.2 billion acquisition by rival IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE  ) . With European regulators having approved the deal earlier this week, the transaction appears to be on track to close during the second half of the year, although the SEC and other regulators have yet to weigh in. Let's take a closer look at the exchange industry and what shareholders in NYSE Euronext can expect going forward.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  IntercontinentalExchange Inc. (NYSE: ICE) was reiterated as Buy but the price target was raised to $200 from $190 at BofA/Merrill Lynch.

  Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral with a $38 price target at Nomura.

10 Best Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited(AEM)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Louis Navellier]

  Agnico-Eagle Mines (AEM) runs mineral properties in Canada, Finland and Mexico. Gold is AEM�� primary focus but it also looks for and mines silver, copper, zinc and lead.

• [By vaninaegea]

  In august, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) published the mid-year review for the agricultural sector. Their findings point to a slowdown for the industry, highlighting a 9.5% decline on exports through the first half of 2013. Also, late soybean planting in the USA is expected to compound the industry�� slowdown. So, what are the prospects for AGCO (AGCO), CNH Global (CNH), and Deere & Co. (DE) under such conditions?

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Gold miners are getting a boost today from solid earnings from the likes of Barrick Gold (ABX), Goldcorp (GG) and Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM). The exception: Kinross Gold (KGC), which missed earnings forecasts and cut its reserves.

• [By Patricio Kehoe] e, has cash costs of $912 per ounce, and Agnico Eagle�� costs do not even reach the $700 per ounce mark. Hence, it comes as little surprise that revenue has been decreasing steadily, since gold prices are hovering around the $1300 mark at best. As the company is hemorrhaging money, investment gurus the like of John Burbank and Seth Klarman have decided to sell their entire stake in the firm. I agree with this bearish stance, and recommend investors stay away from Kinross Gold.

  Any Long Term Investment?
  
  If you were to follow Jean-Marie Eveillard�� purchases, one would be inclined to see good growth prospects for Agnico Eagle, and thus believe in this stock�� potential. And, you wouldn�� be wrong, as the firm has been growing at a steady pace, with no end in sight to its expansion possibilities. However, with a 171% price premium, investors might be better off waiting until a more favorable entry-point is available. Nevertheless, as a long-term investment, I feel highly optimistic and would thus even consider paying the additional cost.

  Disclosure: Patricio Kehoe holds no position in any stocks mentioned.
  
  Also check out: Jean-Marie Eveillard Undervalued Stocks Jean-Marie Eveillard Top Growth Companies Jean-Marie Eveillard High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Jean-Marie Eveillard keeps buying John Burbank Undervalued Stocks John Burbank Top Growth Companies John Burbank High Yield stocks, and Stocks that John Burbank keeps buying
  The Strategy of Ben Graham ��Warren Buffett�� Mentor From 1923 to 1957 Warren Buffett�� mentor, Ben Graham, followed a strategy of investing in net-nets. He said: ��t always seemed, and still seems ridiculously simple to say that if one can acquire a diversified group of common stocks at a price less than the...net current assets alone��he results should be quite satisfactory. They were so in our experience, for more than 30 years.��br> Today net-nets are rare. They are collected under Gu

10 Best Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: Poly Shield Technologies Inc (SHPR)

Poly Shield Technologies Inc. (Poly Shield), incorporated on March 2, 2000, is a research, development and marketing company providing environmental, energy saving and durability solutions. The Company's are designed and manufactured under the advanced bio-scrubber technology and includes a line of protective fluoropolymer coatings. Poly Shield�� fluoropolymer products are manufactured at a production facility in Florida. Poly Shield�� manufactured fluoropolymer coatings are used in a number of different industries including marine, aerospace, oilfield, industrial, commercial, and residential applications. In addition, Poly Shield offers a line of antimicrobial coatings for use in hospital or food industries. In December 2013, Poly Shield Technologies Inc sold New World Technologies Group, Inc. to Viveros.

The Company's products include bio-scrubber, supershield, superiorshield and microshield. Its products are used in aerospace, cruise ship lines, marine, military, oil, and energy production industries. The Company's bio-scrubber is designed to remove alkali metals from fuel in an effort to protect gas turbines from high temperature corrosion. The technology has been installed on active ships within the cruise line industry.

SuperShield is a fluoropolymer coating that is formulated to work with a variety of residential, commercial, industrial and marine applications. It is a fluoroplymer resin that offers weathering ability and the choice of temperature curing. Its flagship product, SuperShield 100, containing fluoropolymer resins provides up to a 50 year service life on a steel and metal surfaces. Its SuperShield S is superhydrophobic and superoleophobic, with characteristic complex micro and nanoscopic surface, which minimizes adhesion. SuperShield S100 is also superhydrophobic and superoleophobic. SuperShield S100 is provides 50 year service life. The ultimate anti-fouling coating for ship hulls, oilfield rigs, heavy equipment, airplanes, bridges, etc.

! SuperiorShield is protective and energy saving roof coatings. Its superiorShield coating reduces heat transfer through infrared radiation, conduction and convection. SuperiorShield has the capability to reflect 90% of the suns ultraviolet (UV) rays.

MicroShield is a anti-microbial coating. MicroShield is an active antibacterial destroying the cell membrane and inducing oxidative deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and protein damage of microbes. It also acts as a bacteriostat, virostat and fungistat, inhibiting bacterial, viral and fungal growth.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Soul and Vibe Interactive Inc (OTCBB: SOUL), Globalstar, Inc (OTCMKTS: GSAT) and Poly Shield Technologies Inc (OTCBB: SHPR) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters or investor alerts with at least two of these stocks being the subject of some sort of paid stock promotional or investor relations type of activities. With that in mind, just how hot are these three small cap stocks for investors or traders? Here is a quick reality check:

10 Best Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc (IMMY)

Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company developing non-invasive, topically delivered products. The Company�� Transdel cream formulation technology is designed to facilitate the effective penetration of a variety of products through the tough skin barrier. Ketotransdel, the Company�� lead pain product, utilizes the Transdel platform technology to deliver the active drug, ketoprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), through the skin directly into the underlying tissues where the drug exerts its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Ketotransdel consists of a transdermal formulation of ketoprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and its Transdel drug delivery system and is being developed for the treatment of acute pain. In July 2013, it acquired intellectual property for IPI-120 from Buderer Drug Company.

Ketotransdel penetrates the skin barrier to reach the targeted underlying tissues where it exerts its localized anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. Transdel is the Company�� transdermal cream drug delivery platform. It consists of a cream that enables transdermal penetration of drugs avoiding first pass metabolism by the liver and minimizing systemic exposure. The Transdel drug delivery system facilitates the effective dissolution and delivery of a drug across the skin barrier to reach targeted underlying tissues.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  So far this year, Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NYSEMKT: RNN), Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: IMMY) and Arrowhead Research Corp (NASDAQ: ARWR) are up 186.3%, 157.2% and 142.5%, respectively, since the start of the year���making them the best performing small cap biotech stocks for 2014. But given their lackluster performance over the past few years, what is the secret behind their phenomenal 2014 rise and will they keep rising? For starters, none of these small caps have really produced anything in the way of blockbuster news:

• [By John Udovich]

  The start of 2014 shows that biotech is still a hot area with the sector along with small cap biotech stocks like AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: AMAG), Mast Therapeutics Inc (NYSEMKT: MSTX), Cell Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: CTIC), Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: IMMY) and TNI BioTech (OTCMKTS: TNIB) producing news or returns�plus Auspex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ASPX), Cara Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CARA), Egalet (NASDAQ: EGLT), Flexion Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FLXN) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: RARE) are among the (many�� planned biotech IPOs that have recently been announced publicly:

10 Best Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: CSG Systems International Inc.(CSGS)

CSG Systems International, Inc. provides business support solutions primarily to the communications industry. Its suite of solutions comprises Advanced Convergent Platform, a billing and customer care, and business optimization platform; Singleview suite, an integrated customer care, billing, and real-time rating and charging solution; Total Service Mediation (TSM) framework supports offline, and real-time mediation requirements, as well as service activation; and Wholesale Business Management (WBM) solution, a wholesale settlement and routing solution that handles various types of traffic consisting of voice, data, and content. The company?s solutions also include customer interaction management solutions that deliver interactive voice, SMS/text, print, email, Web, and fax messages on behalf of clients; analytics and intelligence services suite delivers an approach for enhancing the customer experience, increasing sales opportunities, and optimizing business; and Content Direct solutions, which enable content providers to manage subscriber preferences and offer digital content. It also licenses software products, such as WBM solution, TSM, and Singleview products; and offers professional services to implement these software products. The company also provides its services to financial services, healthcare, utilities, entertainment, and content distribution industries. It operates in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Telecom industry services provider�CSG Systems (NASDAQ: CSGS  ) announced today�that it would initiate the payment of a quarterly dividend to investors, marking the first time in company history it has done so.

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

10 Best Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: Cedar Fair L.P. (FUN)

Cedar Fair, L.P. owns and operates amusement and water parks in the United States and Canada. As of February 19, 2013, the company operated 11 amusement parks, 4 outdoor water parks, 1 indoor water park, and 5 hotels, as well as the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in California under a management contract. Its amusement parks include Cedar Point located on Lake Erie between Cleveland and Toledo in Sandusky, Ohio; Kings Island near Cincinnati, Ohio; Canada's Wonderland near Toronto, Canada; Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom located near Allentown in South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania; Valleyfair located near Minneapolis/St. Paul in Shakopee, Minnesota; Michigan's Adventure located near Muskegon, Michigan; Kings Dominion near Richmond, Virginia; Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina; Worlds of Fun located in Kansas City, Missouri; Knott's Berry Farm located near Los Angeles in Buena Park, California; and California's Great America located in Santa Clara, California, as w ell as manages and operates Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy, California. The company also owns and operates the Castaway Bay Indoor Waterpark Resort in Sandusky, Ohio. Cedar Fair Management, Inc. serves as the general partner of Cedar Fair, L.P. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in Sandusky, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Magic Mountain now has a record 18 roller coasters, two more than Cedar Fair's (NYSE: FUN  ) Cedar Point park in Ohio. The two seemed to be jockeying back and forth for the crown a few years ago, but Cedar Fair eventually figured that this wasn't an arms race worth battling.

• [By John Udovich]

  While�most investors probably overlook the theme park sector, theme park stocks like SeaWorld Entertainment Inc (NYSE: SEAS), Six Flags Entertainment Corp (NYSE: SIX), Cedar Fair, L.P. (NYSE: FUN) and Independent Film Development Corporation (OTCMKTS: IFLM) have been producing returns ranging from being down 10.3% to up as much as 207.5% since the start of the year. Moreover, theme park stocks will remain active as consider the following news coming from important theme park stocks:

10 Best Regional Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: Gildan Activewear Inc.(GIL)

Gildan Activewear Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of apparel products primarily in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It sells T-shirts, fleece, and sport shirts to wholesale distributors under the Gildan brand name. The company also provides its activewear products for work and school uniforms and athletic team wear, and other purposes to convey individual, group, and team identity. In addition, it offers undecorated products to branded apparel companies and retailers; and underwear products. Further, the company markets its sock products under the various brands, including Gold Toe, PowerSox, SilverToe, Auro, All Pro, GT, and the Gildan brand. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA) and Allianz SE (ALV) led airlines and insurers lower, retreating at least 1.5 percent. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) slid 1.6 percent. Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) rose after JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its recommendation on the shares. Gildemeister AG (GIL) added 3.4 percent after Deutsche Bank upgraded the maker of cutting tools.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Gildan Activewear (NYSE: GIL  ) just bought itself a new wardrobe. The company announced it has acquired "substantially all of the assets" of privately held screen printing and apparel decoration specialist New Buffalo Shirt Factory for around $7 million.