Best Safest Companies To Buy For 2014

I'll admit it. The traditional grocery business isn't an exciting industry for investment potential. Profit margins are low, with almost zero chance of spiking higher. Meaningful sales growth is hard to find, too. And grocery stores suffer from the constant threat of having more nimble retailers push into their markets, as we saw with Amazon.com's latest expansion of its food delivery business.

However, the safest path to big investment returns is through buying into years of predictable growth at a reasonable price. That's why I think Kroger (NYSE: KR  ) stock could be a great option for long-term investors right now.

Kroger chugs along
The grocer's latest earnings show the kind of steady results that most companies can only dream about. With a 3.3% boost in sales, Kroger notched its 38th consecutive quarter of growth at its existing stores. Customers responded to the company's investments in its locations by making more frequent visits, and by purchasing more products per trip. Packed register lines brought quarterly revenue to an all-time high $30 billion, and profits were up about 10%, to $481 million.

Top 10 Oil Service Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Vanguard Natural Resources LLC(VNR)

Vanguard Natural Resources, LLC, through its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition and development of oil and natural gas properties in the United States. Its properties are located in the southern portion of the Appalachian Basin, primarily in southeast Kentucky and northeast Tennessee; the Permian Basin, primarily in west Texas and southeastern New Mexico; and south Texas. As of December 31, 2010, the company had estimated proved reserves of 69.3 million barrels of oil equivalent, as well as working interests in 2,270 net productive wells. Vanguard Natural Resources, LLC was founded in 2006 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  Vanguard Natural Resources LLC (VNR) engages in the acquisition and development of oil and natural gas properties in the U.S. Aug. 20, the company increased its monthly distribution 1.2% to $0.2075 per unit. The distribution is payable Sept. 13, 2013, to unitholders of record on Sept. 3, 2013. The yield based on the new payout is 9.2%.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  If you're looking for income investments, then it's awfully hard to argue with the massive distribution payments from LINN Energy (NASDAQ: LINE  ) (NASDAQ: LNCO  ) , Breitburn Energy Partners (NASDAQ: BBEP  ) , and Vanguard Natural Resources (NASDAQ: VNR  ) . Thing is, though, income investments need both a decent yield and a level of certainty that it will keep that distribution going for many years to come. Other than being high-yielding investments, they are also all master limited partnerships, which means you need to look beyond just the operations to see how these companies will stand the test of time.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Oil and gas producer, Vanguard Natural Resources (NASDAQ: VNR  ) is out with its first-quarter earnings. The company, known for its monthly distribution to investors, is one of a growing number of oil and gas production companies structured as an MLP/LLC. This makes the high yielder a favorite of income-starved investors. Let's take a quick look to ensure that income won't be drying up anytime soon.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Last year Vanguard Natural Resources (NASDAQ: VNR  ) changed its distribution policy and in so doing changed the game for oil and gas producing MLPs. The new monthly distribution policy enabled the company's income-seeking investors to better match their monthly cash outflows with monthly inflows from Vanguard. It was such a unique strategy that the company even trademarked the tag line that the company is "The Monthly Distribution MLP."

Best Safest Companies To Buy For 2014: Electronic Arts Inc (EA)

Electronic Arts Inc., incorporated in 1982, develops, markets, publishes and distributes game software content and services that can be played by consumers on a variety of video game machines and electronic devices (platforms). Its offers products, such as video game consoles, such as the Sony PLAYSTATION 3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii; personal computers, including the Apple Macintosh (the Company refers to personal computers and the Macintosh together as PCs); mobile devices, such as the Apple iPhone and Google Android compatible phones; tablets and electronic readers, such as the Apple iPad and the Amazon Kindle, and Internet, including social networking sites, such as Facebook. In August 2011, it acquired PopCap Games Inc. (PopCap), a developer of casual games for mobile devices, tablets, PCs, and social networking sites.

The Company has created, licensed and acquired a portfolio of brands, which span a diverse range of categories, including action-adventure, casual, family, fantasy, first-person shooter, horror, science fiction, role-playing, racing, simulation, social, sports, and strategy. The Company�� portfolio of brands includes wholly owned brands, such as Battlefield, Mass Effect, Need for Speed, The Sims, Bejeweled, and Plants v. Zombies. Its portfolio also includes sports-based brands, such as Madden NFL and FIFA, and titles-based on other brands, such as Star Wars: The Old Republic. It provides a variety of online-delivered products and services, including through its Origin platform. Its packaged goods products are also available through direct online download through the Internet. The Company also offers online-delivered content and services that are add-ons or related to its packaged goods products, such as additional game content or enhancements of multiplayer services. It provides other games, content and services that are available only via electronic delivery, such as Internet-only games and game services, and games for mobile devices.

The Comp! any operates development studios (which develop products and perform other related functions) in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. It also engages third parties to assist with the development of its games at their own development and production studios. Internationally, the Company conducts business through its international headquarters in Switzerland and has wholly owned subsidiaries worldwide, including offices in Europe, Australia, Asia and Latin America. The Company�� studios and development teams are organized around its Label structure. Each Label operates globally with dedicated game development and marketing teams. These Labels are supported by the Company�� Global Publishing Organization that is responsible for the distribution, sales, and marketing of its products, including planning, operations, and manufacturing functions.

EA Games

EA Games is home to a number of the Company�� studios and development teams, which together create a portfolio of games and related content and services marketed under the EA brand in categories, such as action-adventure, role playing, racing and first-person shooter games. The EA Games portfolio includes a number of franchises, such as Battlefield, Dead Space, Medal of Honor and Need for Speed. EA Games titles are developed primarily at the following EA studios, Criterion, DICE, EA Los Angeles, Visceral, and EA Montreal. EA Games also contracts with external game developers, to provide these developers with a variety of services, including development assistance, publishing, and distribution of their games.

EA SPORTS

EA SPORTS develops a collection of sports-based video games and related content and services marketed under the EA SPORTS brand. EA SPORTS games range from simulated sports titles with realistic graphics based on real-world sports leagues, players, events and venues to more casual games with arcade-style gameplay and graphics. The Company�� EA SPORTS franchises include FIFA, Fig! ht Night,! Madden NFL, NCAA Football, NHL Hockey, and Tiger Woods PGA Tour. EA SPORTS games are developed primarily at the Company�� EA Canada studio in Burnaby, British Columbia, and its EA Tiburon studio located in Orlando, Florida.

BioWare

BioWare develops role-playing games, focused on stories, characters and worlds to discover. BioWare�� portfolio includes the MMO role-playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic and the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises. BioWare operates in Texas, California, Canada and Ireland.

Maxis

Maxis (formerly EA Play) are focused on creating games and related content and services for a mass audience. Maxis products include wholly owned franchises, such as The Sims, SimCity, MySims, and Spore. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company released titles in The Sims 3 franchise, and together with Playfish, The Sims Social game on Facebook. Maxis oversees internal studios and development teams located in California, Utah, Beijing, China and Guildford, England, and works with third-party developers.

PopCap

PopCap develops easy-to-learn games. PopCap games, including Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies, Zuma, Peggle, and Bookworm are gameplays. PopCap games are developed primarily in Seattle, Washington.

Social/Mobile Studios

The Company�� Social/Mobile studios is focused on developing interactive games for play on mobile devices and Internet platforms, including social networking sites, such as Facebook. Through EA Mobile, the Company is a global publisher of games for mobile devices. Its customers purchase and download the Company�� games through a mobile carrier�� e-commerce service and mobile application storefronts accessed directly from their mobile devices. EA Mobile develops games for mobile devices at studios located in the United States, Canada, Romania, Australia, India and Korea. Through Playfish, it offers free-to-play social games, in! cluding T! he Sims Social, Pet Society, EA Sports FIFA Superstars and Madden NFL Superstars that can be played on platforms, such as Facebook, Google, iPhone and Android. Playfish generates revenue through sales of digital content and Internet-based advertising.

The Company, through its Pogo online service, offers games, such as card, puzzle and word games on www.pogo.com, as well as on Facebook and other platforms. In addition to paid subscriptions, Pogo also generates revenue through Internet-based advertising and sales of digital content. In addition, it has a licensing agreement with Hasbro, which provides the Company with the rights to create digital games for all platforms based on most of Hasbro�� toy and game intellectual properties, including MONOPOLY, SCRABBLE (for United States and Canada), YAHTZEE (excluding the Nordic countries), NERF, and LITTLEST PET SHOP. Hasbro games are developed by its EA Mobile, Pogo and Social studios.

The Company competes with Activision Blizzard, Take-Two Interactive, THQ, Ubisoft, Disney, Capcom Mobile, DeNA, Gameloft, Glu Mobile, Gree, Rovio, Zynga, Big Fish, Nexon, Tencent and Facebook.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tess Stynes var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(fu]

  Videogame maker Electronic Arts Inc.(EA) said better-than-expected sales of new videogame consoles have helped to increase sales at a more rapid pace than it expected, powering increased profits along the way. Shares rose 14% to $32.11 premarket.

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  AP, Rockstar GamesGrand Theft Auto V has been a big winner for Take-Two Interactive. When it releases its earnings this week, we'll find out just how big. You can never know in advance all the news that will move the market in a given week, but some things you can see coming. From earnings reports out of Apple to a deal on burritos on Halloween, here are some of the items that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street. Monday -- An Apple a Day: Last Tuesday Apple (AAPL) had the ear of consumers as it introduced new iPads, iMacs, and an updated operating system. Monday afternoon it will be time to sway investors with its fiscal fourth quarter report. Apple is still the top dog in consumer electronics, but iPad, iPod, and Mac sales have been slipping lately. Apple's iPhone is the only product category growing, and the end result is that analysts see flat revenue growth at Apple on declining profitability. Apple's quarter ended with the welcome news that it had sold 9 million iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c devices in their initial weekend of availability. Now it's time to see if it was enough to save Apple's quarter. Tuesday -- Game On: After years of sluggish sales the video game console industry showed signs of life last month. Take-Two Interactive's (TTWO) Grand Theft Auto V was a smashing success, helping push the industry to a rare monthly gain. Things will get even more interesting next month when the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 hit the market. The market will get a good read on the state of the industry on Tuesday as Take-Two Interactive and the larger Electronic Arts (EA) report fresh earnings. It may be too early for either company to have reliable projections on how the new consoles will fare, but any insight would be incremental at this point. Wednesday -- Face to Facebook: One of last year's most prolific IPOs was Facebook (FB). The leading social networking website operator went public at $38, but a few months later the stock was -- like th

• [By CNNMoney Staff]

  Shares of Electronic Arts (EA) were higher as investors shrugged off a weak outlook and focused on earnings and sales that topped forecasts.

  Overall, the bulk of quarterly results for the companies in the S&P 500 have been better than expected. Of the 114 companies that have reported earnings, 98 have topped analysts' modest expectations, according to S&P Capital IQ.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  Shares of US game makers such as Electronic Arts (EA) have fallen slightly, but US Internet momentum favorites such as Facebook (FB) have been largely immune. (Maybe because they��e been punished previously in what looks like a top in momentum favorites.)

Best Safest Companies To Buy For 2014: Wolverine World Wide Inc.(WWW)

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. designs, manufactures, sources, markets, licenses, and distributes branded footwear, apparel, and accessories. It offers industrial work shoes, boots, uniform shoes, outdoor sports footwear, rugged casual footwear, lifestyle footwear, sandals, and closed-toe products. It also provides outdoor apparel, and work and rugged casual apparel; and accessories, such as packs, bags, and luggage, as well as eyewear, gloves, handbags, socks, watches, and plush toys. The company offers its products under various brand names, including Bates, Cat Footwear, Chaco, Cushe, Harley-Davidson Footwear, Hush Puppies, HyTest, Merrell, Patagonia Footwear, Sebago, Soft Style, and Wolverine. It sells its products to a range of retail customers, which comprise department stores, national chains, catalogs, specialty retailers, mass merchants, Internet retailers, governments, and municipalities in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company also markets its products in approximately 190 countries and territories through company-owned wholesale operations, licensees, and distributors. It also licenses its brands for use on non-footwear products. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 101 retail stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom; and operated 42 consumer-direct Websites. Further, it markets pigskin leather, and purchases raw pigskins from other source. Wolverine World Wide, Inc. was founded in 1883 and is based in Rockford, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  Wolverine World Wide (WWW): A Faster Growing Global Marketer of Footwear

  Our third example, Wolverine World Wide, moves farther up the growth chain with earnings averaging 9.4% per annum. Nevertheless, we once again see the strong relationship and close correlation between stock price and earnings over the long run. Perhaps due to the faster earnings growth rate, we do see several periods where the company�� price earnings ratio has deviated significantly above the 15 standard, indicating overvaluation. Nevertheless, just as we saw with our first two examples, stock price inevitably and soon moves back into alignment with earnings.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Wolverine World Wide (WWW) has gained 1.1% to $58.41 after it reported a profit of $1.16 a share, above forecasts for $1.02.

  Tower Group International (TWGP) has plunged 28% to $5.35 after the insurance company increased the amount of cash it needed to set aside well above expectations and Fitch downgraded its credit rating.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Wolverine World Wide (NYSE: WWW  ) will be one of the first companies to release its earnings for the quarter. But Wolverine World Wide stock has already anticipated strong results from the company next Tuesday, and even though analyst projections are calling for a decline in earnings from the year-ago quarter, massive sales growth should point the way to an earnings recovery in the long run.

Best Safest Companies To Buy For 2014: Generale de Sante SA (GDS)

Generale de Sante SA, (also GDS), is a France-based provider of private hospital healthcare services. The Company offers a range of hospital services and, in partnership with independent medical specialists, delivers a spectrum of care services. Generale de Sante SA also provides services in the areas of mental health; oncology and radiation therapy; care for alcohol abuse and obesity; rehabilitation, such as cardiac rehabilitation and orthopedic and neurological reeducation, and diagnostics, such as medical imaging and analysis. It operates through one wholly owned subsidiary, CGS (Compagnie Generale de Sante). As of March 31, 2011, Sante Developpement Europe held a 54.47% stake in the Company�� shareholdings. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By stanh30]

  It does not matter if it�� a penny stock, all that matters is whether or not my reasoning is correct. However, in June the Global Depositary Shares (GDS) will undergo a 60:1 reverse split (pending shareholder approval) and the stock will no longer be a penny stock. Unfortunately the reverse split will occur after the June 12, 2014 record date for determining the persons and/or entities liable to the Depositary for the annual fee of $0.02 per Global Depositary shares for depositary services. This is an enormous fee for GDS shares, but one that I will pay due to the extreme undervaluation. Just remember that if you purchase the GDS shares on or before June 12th you are effectively paying an extra $0.02 per share.