Top Low Price Companies To Invest In 2014

If you plan on flying anywhere over Thanksgiving or Christmas, now might be the best time to buy your tickets. By booking a flight in September, rather than waiting until closer to the holidays, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars, says CheapAir.com CEO Jeff Klee.

SEE ALSO: 26 Secrets to Save on Travel

That�� because the biggest factor influencing airfares is how full a flight is, Klee says. Once a flight is booked beyond a certain level, fares for that flight start increasing. Given that most flights fill up around the holidays, you��e more likely to get a better price the sooner you book.

However, you should be aware that you��e probably not going to find great deals. For example, if you see airlines advertising a fare sale now, don�� assume those low prices will be available for holiday travel. In fact, fares for round-trip flights during the long Thanksgiving weekend are $160 more, on average, than they are for the rest of fall and winter, Klee says. So if you travel a particular route often, don�� expect to see during peak holiday travel times the same standard fare you normally pay, he says. And think hard before holding out in hopes of a price drop because the trend for fares ��ill be up, up, up��between now and November, Klee says.

Top 10 Railroad Companies To Buy Right Now: Martin Marietta Materials Inc. (MLM)

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and sale of aggregates for the construction industry primarily in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Islands. The company operates in four segments: Mideast Group, Southeast Group, West Group, and Specialty Products. It mines, processes, and sells granite, limestone, sand, gravel, and other aggregate products for use in the public infrastructure, and nonresidential and residential construction industries, as well as in the agriculture, railroad ballast, chemical, and other applications. The company also offers asphalt, ready mixed concrete, and road paving materials. In addition, it manufactures and markets magnesia-based chemical products for the industrial, agricultural, and environmental applications; and dolomitic lime primarily for use in the steel industry. These chemical products are used in flame retardants, wastewater treatment, pulp and paper producti on, and other environmental applications. Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anna Prior]

  Martin Marietta Materials Inc.(MLM) will replace United States Steel Corp.(X) (X) in the Standard and Poor’s 500-stock index after the market closes July 1, according to S&P.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Vulcan have gained 7.6%, and given a lift to other cement makers today, including Martin Marietta Materials (MLM), which has risen 4.9% and reports earnings on Thursday, Cemex (CX), which has advanced 1.5%, and Texas Industries (TXI), which is up 4.9%.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Still, most companies in the space have high expectations for the future. Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE: MLM  ) said in its first-quarter report that it expects rising shipments for its aggregates, pointing to better housing starts, employment figures in the construction industry, and the need to upgrade highways as justifying greater sales.

Top Low Price Companies To Invest In 2014: LCA-Vision Inc.(LCAV)

LCA-Vision Inc. provides fixed-site laser vision correction services through its LasikPlus vision centers. Its vision centers offer laser vision correction services for correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 53 LasikPlus fixed-site laser vision correction centers located in metropolitan markets in the United States. LCA-Vision Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  LCA-Vision (LCAV) provides fixed-site laser vision correction services through its LasikPlus vision centers. This stock closed up 4.4% to $4 in Tuesday's trading session.

  Tuesday's Range: $3.85-$4.04
  
  52-Week Range: $2.67-$4.60
  
  Tuesday's Volume: 162,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 47,256

  From a technical perspective, LCAV bounced sharply higher here right above some near-term support levels at $3.75 to $372 with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of LCAV within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if LCAV manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.04 to $4.26 and then once it takes out its 52-week high at $4.60 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in LCAV as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $3.75 to $3.72 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 47,256 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then LCAV will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $6.19 to $7.

Top Low Price Companies To Invest In 2014: Alon USA Energy Inc. (ALJ)

Alon USA Energy, Inc. engages in refining and marketing petroleum products primarily in the South Central, Southwestern, and Western regions of the United States. The company operates in three segments: Refining and Marketing, Asphalt, and Retail. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil into petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, petrochemicals, feed stocks, asphalts, and other petroleum products. It markets finished products and blend stocks through sales and exchanges with other oil companies, state and federal governmental entities, unbranded wholesale distributors, and various other third parties. This segment also markets motor fuels to distributors under the Alon brand; and licenses Alon brand name and provides payment card processing services, advertising programs, and loyalty and other marketing programs to licensed locations. The Asphalt segment is involved in the marketing of patented tire rubber modified asphalt products; and production of paving and roofing grades of asphalt comprising performance-graded asphalts, emulsions, and cutbacks. This segment sells paving asphalt to road and materials manufacturers and highway construction/maintenance contractors; polymer modified or emulsion asphalt to highway maintenance contractors; and roofing asphalt to roofing shingle manufacturers or other industrial users. The Retail segment operates retail convenience stores that offer various grades of gasoline, diesel fuel, food products, tobacco products, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, and general merchandise primarily under the 7-Eleven and Alon brands. As of December 31, 2012, it had 298 retail convenience stores located in Central and West Texas, and New Mexico. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Alon USA Energy, Inc. is a subsidiary of Alon Israel Oil Company, Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Alon USA Energy (NYSE: ALJ  ) reported earnings on May 8. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

• [By Dan Dzombak]

  Among companies with over a $1 billion market cap, today's oil and gas stocks leader was Alon USA Energy (NYSE: ALJ  ) , up 4.95% to $17.16. During the refiners' drop on Tuesday and Wednesday, Alon dropped 12.89%. Despite the comeback today, the stock is still down 8.6% from where it was before the plunge. Alon USA owns refineries in Louisiana and California, 11 asphalt terminals, as well as 300 7-11 retail locations. The company has been profiting heavily from the massive price difference between WTI and Brent crude. In November of 2012, the company IPO'd its Big Springs refinery as a master limited partnership, Alon USA Partners LP,�the proceeds of which Alon used to pay down debt.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Alon USA Energy (ALJ) and Alon USA Partners (ALDW) are surging thanks to a Credit Suisse upgrade, even as refiners like Valero Energy (VLO), Phillips 66 (PSX) and Holly Frontier (HFC) stumble.

  Bloomberg News

  Analyst Edward Westlake and team explain their optimism for the Alon USA pair:

  ALDW: Accounting for the revised commodity forecasts (plus support from
  the self-help programs that the company is pursuing), our LT EBITDA rises by c4% on average. Granted that there is the possibility that ALDW will not be able to pay out a distribution in 4Q13/1Q14, we flag that for those willing to look past the near-term headwinds, the rolling 12 month forward potential yield starting in 2Q14 is 15% (and rises to c20% by 4Q14) ��Certainly hard to overlook at these levels.

  ALJ: Accounting for the revised commodity forecasts (plus support from selfhelp
  programs), our LT EBITDA rises by c9% on average. ALJ could be worth up to c$15/sh (including the $2.25/sh expected contribution from the Bakersfield start-up ��Delivery of this project is key). At current levels, the stock still provides c20% upside in the scenario where Bakersfield does not proceed (or c40% if it does). We raise our rating and target price to Neutral and $14/sh.

  Alon USA Energy has gained 11% to $11.34 and Alon USA Partners has risen 5.2% to $11.12, even as Valero Energy has dropped 0.5% to $40.12, Phillips 66 has dipped 0.4% to $65.09 and Holly Frontier has fallen 1.1% to $43.71.

Top Low Price Companies To Invest In 2014: Spectrum Rare Earths Ltd (SPX)

Spectrum Rare Earths Limited, formerly TUC Resources Ltd, is engaged in the exploration and evaluation of rare earths, uranium, base metals and gold mineral interests. On October 2, 2012, holds approximately 18,000 square kilometer of prospective land package across 44 tenements. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, the Company is focuses on its Stromberg Heavy Rare Earth Project. The Company has 50, 100% owned tenements in the Northern Territory. Tenements within the Pine Creek Project consist of EL's 24884, 25224, 25228 and uranium rights on EL24906. Parts of EL24906 and EL24884 are located within the Rum Jungle Mineral Field. The Arnhem Project encompasses all the Company�� tenement holdings in the East Alligator River region within 150 kilometer of the high grade Narbalek uranium mine. The Litchfield Uranium Project consists of granted licenses EL25195 and EL25176 and license applications 25472, 25473 and 25221. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  We've already seen a good example of this at the end of last week, when optimism that the White House and House Republicans were close to a deal soared. We got a very impressive 2.2% rally in the Standard & Poor's 500 (SPX) on Thursday, October 10, and a decent follow on of 0.63% on Friday, October 11.

• [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock-index futures early Monday were suggesting a lower open, as conflict intensified in Iraq, sending oil prices higher. With just over 12 hours to go before the New York open, futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) were down 0.3%, as were those for the Nasdaq 100, while futures for the S&P 500 (SPX) were quoted 0.4% lower. Nymex July crude-oil futures (CLN4) were up 0.4% as reports said the U.S. and Iran may cooperate to ease fighting in Iraq. Asian stocks were mostly lower, with Tokyo's Nikkei Average (JP:NIK) down 1.1% in early afternoon trade, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) down 0.1% at the midday break.

• [By Lawrence G. McMillan]

  Now the S&P 500 index (SPX) �has moved to new highs once again, both on an intraday and a closing basis (the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is about to do the same). Those highs were confirmed by consecutive closes yesterday and today.

Top Low Price Companies To Invest In 2014: Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (CCLAF)

Coca-Cola Amatil Limited (CCA) with its subsidiaries is engaged in the manufacture, distribution and marketing of carbonated soft drinks, still and mineral waters, fruit juices, coffee and other alcohol-free beverages. CCA operates in four business segments: The Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, and Indonesia and PNG segments. CCA is also engaged in the processing and marketing of fruits, vegetables and other food products, and the manufacture and distribution of alcohol ready-to-drink products, and the distribution of premium spirits and beer brands. The Company�� principal operations are in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG). On January 13, 2012, the sale of CCA�� 50% interest in Pacific Beverages to SABMiller was completed. On February 21, 2011, the Company acquired Vending business, a non-alcohol beverage in Australia. On September 7, 2012, CCA acquired an 89.6% shareholding in Paradise Beverages (Fiji) Ltd (Paradise Beverages). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks seesawed in early Monday trade, with gains for miners and energy names helping support the market, as the S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) sat 0.1% higher at 5,325.90 after changing direction several times. Official Chinese data showing manufacturing holding its growth rate in October appeared to help some miners, as did gains for some commodity prices. Shares of Rio Tinto Ltd. (AU:RIO) (RIO) rose 0.5%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) added 0.7%, Oz Minerals Ltd. (AU:OZL) (OZMLF) advanced 1%, and Whitehaven Coal Ltd. (AU:WHC) improved by 1.9%. Likewise, an advance for gold futures sent Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) rallying 3.4%, and Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. (AU:KCN) (KSKGF) up 2.9%. Energy shares also traded higher, with Oil Search Ltd. (AU:OSH) (OISHF) up 1.3%, and Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. (AU:KAR) (KRNGF) adding 1.7%. On the downside, retailers were mostly lower, with David Jones Ltd. (AU:DJS) (DVDJF)