Delamaide: Bank reform’s populist virtues

WASHINGTON — Tougher measures to rein in the banks might be a popular idea, but is it populist?

This question is coming to frame the political debate as "populist" once again becomes a buzzword in Washington.

An article in The Washington Post this week was headlined "More liberal, populist movement emerging in Democratic Party ahead of 2016 elections," and the word was used 10 times in the story, to describe everything from "tougher financial regulations" to a higher minimum wage.

Democratic strategist Doug Sosnik wrote in Politico of a "populist push" from both the left and the right creating pressure to pull back from global affairs and focus on domestic issues, including the coddling of business and the wealthy.

The dictionary tells us that "populism" can mean "grass-roots democracy" or "working-class activism," but more often than not it carries negative connotations of anti-establishment agitation or demagogic pandering to the great unwashed.

As such, it is a put-down, and use of the word can reflect an elitist bias that implies anything or anyone described as "populist" is on the fringe, unrealistic or downright kooky.

The media watch group FAIR notes that the Post article, like a similar one in The New York Times in July, unfairly contrasts "populist" notions with "centrist" policies.

FAIR cites the Post's own super-blogger Ezra Klein, who pointed out in a blog titled "There's no such thing as 'the center,'" that regulating banks and other policies of this ilk, regardless of where you try to position them on the political spectrum, are "really popular."

At the center of this discussion, inevitably, is Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who launched her political career as champion for greater bank regulation and is now seen by many liberal Democrats as an alternative presidential candidate to Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Fox News cites a "populist wave" creating a buzz for Warren as president. NBC News talks about Warren's crusade as a "happy w! arrior populist."

Pundits have been quick to pooh-pooh Warren's prospects, saying her "populist message" might win primaries but won't carry a general election or dismissing her as a "novelty candidate" like former Ohio representative Dennis Kucinich or former Texas representative Ron Paul — basically too far out there to attract "moderate voters."

Really? How moderate or immoderate is someone who is included in the 83% of likely American voters who want to see tougher financial regulation?

This is the figure, based on a survey by Americans for Financial Reform, cited by Warren in her speech at the AFL-CIO national convention in September that had delegates standing on their chairs and wildly applauding her call to action.

"Our agenda is America's agenda," Warren thundered, citing the more than 80% of Americans who want financial reform, the 71% of Americans who want a higher minimum wage, and the 87% of Americans who don't want any cuts to Social Security.

Call it populism, call it demagoguery, if you like, but Warren was the only top Democrat to speak at the labor convention, held only every four years, and it's tough for a Democrat to win the White House without union support. (President Obama was scheduled to speak but pleaded the Syria crisis to address the meeting with a three-minute video message instead.)

And besides, Warren, unlike Kucinich or Paul in the House, has quickly become one of the most influential members of the Senate, driving the debate on everything from bank regulation to who is the best person to chair the Federal Reserve.

For some reason, the widespread desire of the American public to rein in the banks is one issue that is invariably branded populist.

In the early weeks of his presidency, still in the full flush of the financial crisis, Obama summoned the chief executives from 13 big banks and cut off their banter with the curt observation, "My administration is the only thing between you and the pitchforks."

Pitchfork, W! ikipedia ! informs us, "because of its association with the peasantry," is often a populist symbol.

Even as he tried to call them to account for their role in causing the financial crisis, Obama was willing to offer his administration as a bulwark against "populist" pressures calling for sanctions against the banks.

And Obama Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner did, in fact, protect the banks, with the result that they are bigger and more powerful than ever.

And that brings us to the present and the persistent backlash against a Wall Street that remains largely unbowed and untamed.

The pitchforks are coming out again and the peasants are restless. As Hillary Clinton hobnobs with Wall Streeters, Elizabeth Warren is tapping into this grass-roots resentment.

It may be populism at its finest, but it would be foolish to dismiss it as a passing phenomenon on the fringe.

Darrell Delamaide has reported on business and economics from New York, Paris, Berlin and Washington for Dow Jones news service, Barron's, Institutional Investor and Bloomberg News service, among others. He is the author of four books, including the financial thriller Gold.

Most European Stocks Drop Before U.S. Retail, Home Data

European stocks were little changed as investors awaited reports on U.S. retail and housing to gauge the health of the world's biggest economy before minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting. U.S. index futures were little changed, while Asian shares retreated.

Diageo Plc dropped 1.5 percent after Chief Executive Officer Ivan Menezes said uncertainties in the global economy will drag on sales growth.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added less than 0.1 percent to 322.64 at 8:44 a.m. in London. The benchmark gauge yesterday fell from a five-year high, trimming this year's gains to 15 percent. It is trading at 15.1 times projected earnings, near its highest level since the end of 2009 and more than the 10-year average of 12.1 times earnings, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Standard & Poor's 500 Index futures gained 0.1 percent, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index slipped 0.5 percent.

"Recent market exuberance gives way to a little more temperance ahead of the release of the latest FOMC minutes from the October meeting as well as retail sales data," Michael Hewson, a market analyst at CMC Markets Plc in London, wrote in a note, referring to the Federal Open Market Committee. "While this week has got off to a fairly slow start, today's events could well prompt a strong response if markets get something they hadn't bargained for."

Economic Data

In the U.S., a report at 8:30 a.m. in Washington may show retail sales rose 0.1 percent in October, having dropped 0.1 percent a month earlier, economists forecast in a Bloomberg survey. A separate release will probably show sales of previously owned homes increased to a 5.14 million annual pace, from a 5.29 million rate a month earlier.

The Federal Reserve will release minutes of its October policy meeting after European markets close today. The document will reveal more details on the central bank's decision to maintain its pace of asset purchases at $85 billion a month. Fed policy makers will probably trim the bond-buying to $70 billion at their March 18-19 meeting, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey.

Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said late yesterday the central bank will probably maintain its target interest rate long after ending its monthly bond purchases.

"The target for the federal funds rate is likely to remain near zero for a considerable time after the asset purchases end, perhaps well after" the jobless rate breaches the Fed's 6.5 percent threshold, Bernanke said in a speech to economists in Washington.

Diageo Guidance

Diageo Plc lost 1.5 percent to 1,998.5 pence after Menezes told journalists yesterday he expects the "uncertain" global economy to continue to affect sales growth for the world's biggest distiller.

Menezes said the company was committed to its profitability target despite slowing growth in some economies. Diageo said in August 2011 it would increase organic sales by an average of 6 percent a year and widen its operating margin, a measure of profitability, by 200 basis points over three years.

Societe Television Francaise 1 rose 6.4 percent to 14.18 euros after France beat Ukraine to advance to the next year's soccer World Cup. TF1 yesterday fell as much as 1.3 percent in intraday trading as Natixis wrote in a note that the probability of the French national team qualifying for the tournament was "very low."

TD Ameritrade Posts Healthy Profits, Revenue in Q4 and FY 2013

TD Ameritrade Holdings (AMTD) announced Tuesday net income of $675 million, or $1.22 per diluted share, on record net revenues of $2.76 billion for its fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2013. In its fiscal fourth quarter, TD Ameritrade had net income of $200 million, or $0.36 per diluted share, on revenues of $709 million. Both earnings numbers beat analysts’ consensus estimates slightly.

In an interview with ThinkAdvisor, CEO Fred Tomczyk said “we’re very happy” with the results, noting that it was the fifth straight year that the company had achieved double-digit net new client asset growth; this year posting 10% growth in net client assets of about $50 billion. He also expressed satisfaction that “expenses haven’t grown in three years,” and that at TD Ameritrade Institutional, “we continue to increase the size of our clients.” He said that the “combination of $50 billion in net new assets and strong expense controls” proves that “our management team has done a good job.”

Additionally, Tomczyk noted that the company increased its annual dividend 33% and instituted a special $0.50 dividend. “We’ve returned over 100% of our earnings to shareholders,” he declared.

While TD does not break out separate results for its retail and advisor units, in his discussion with analysts about the earnings report this morning, Tomczyk pointed out that TDAI had added 389 breakaway brokers to its RIA custody business, which “enjoyed strong growth driven by new and existing RIAs.” He further said that its pipeline of prospective new advisor clients was “robust.”

Speaking of the overall market and economy and a recent downturn in consumer confidence, Tomczyk said that “gridlock in Washington is affecting consumers’ psychology,” but if “we just got rid of the uncertainty in Washington” the government could increase its revenue by “geting the economy going.” However, he said that “this kind of market plays into the hands of RIAs.” 

Addressing regulatory issues facing RIAs, Tomczyk reiterated TD Ameritrade’s concern that when it comes to any fiduciary standard imposed by the SEC, “we don’t want it watered down.”

---

Check out ThinkAdvisor’s 2013 Q3 Earnings Calendar for the Finance Sector.

Bats Uses Chicago Backup After Network Issue Shuts BYX

Bats Global Markets Inc.'s BYX Exchange reopened using a Chicago backup site after a computer malfunction forced the equity market to shut for three hours.

Bats, the Lenexa, Kansas-based company that's planning to merge with Direct Edge Holdings LLC to become the second-largest U.S. stock exchange operator, said a programming bug in a vendor's network software caused the disruption that closed BYX at 9:44 a.m. New York time. That exchange accounted for 2 percent of daily U.S. volume in September, according to data compiled by Bats.

While the switch to Chicago took effect at 12:40 p.m. New York time, volume on BYX didn't accelerate until about an hour later, data compiled by Bloomberg show. This was the first time Bats turned to the backup site in Chicago, spokesman Randy Williams said. Three previous uses of a facility in Nutley, New Jersey, were scheduled in advance, he said.

Today's pause followed a series of breakdowns at bourse operators around the world, including a three-hour trading halt on Aug. 22 for thousands of U.S. stocks listed by Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Jo White told the industry during a Sept. 12 meeting to collaborate on making markets more reliable.

Bats shut the BZX Exchange, its largest U.S. stock exchange, for 50 minutes on Aug. 6 because of a network malfunction.

Stocks Advance Despite Speculation Fed to Taper

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- U.S. stocks rose for a third time Tuesday as investors await guidance from the Federal Reserve about the future of its sweeping economic stimulus program.

The S&P 500 rose 0.42% to close at 1,704.76 while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.29% to finish at 15,539.63. The Nasdaq gained 0.75% to 3,745.70.

The S&P has gained 4.4% in September, but is sideways since the end of July as investors voiced concern about the strength of the U.S. economic recovery and the possibility that the Fed would begin to curb the stimulus measures that helped fuel the S&P 500's 18% gain during the first seven months of 2013. The S&P 500 has advanced 1.1% since July 31.

"Everybody thought that tapering was going to take the market down, but so far it hasn't," said Dan Veru, chief investment officer at Palisade Capital Management. "So far, the big scary September-October period hasn't been so scary."

Microsoft  (MSFT) added 0.39% to $32.93 after the software maker announced a 22% increase to its dividend and a replacement to its $40 billion buyback program.

Safeway (SWY) was the biggest gainer on the S&P, surging 10.5% to $30.99 as the food and drug retailer said it's implementing a one-year stockholder rights plan that includes the activation of a poison pill if a person or group acquires 10% or more of the company's outstanding common stock or 15% or more in the case of a passive institutional investor. Safeway made the announcement after it "became aware of an accumulation of a significant amount of the common stock of the company."

"Everyone can exhale until we have to start worrying about what the Fed will do next, and how the latest fiscal battle in Washington will play out," Ed Yardeni, the New York-based president and chief investment strategist at Yardeni Research said in a client note. "When these issues are resolved, there will be another relief rally."

The Goldman Sachs financial conditions index shows that the economy has worsened slightly since the committee's July meeting owing largely to higher interest rates. Goldman Sachs anticipates the Fed will announce the beginnings of a "soft taper" at this week's meeting, featuring a widely expected $10 billion cut to the monthly rate of asset purchases, as the Fed appears to remain particularly concerned about the continued rise in mortgage rates while weighing the potential cost of the ongoing purchases.

The Consumer Price Index increased by a less-than-expected 0.1% in August after gaining 0.2% in July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Tuesday. Economists were expecting an increase of 0.2%, according to a Thomson Reuters survey of economists.

The National Association of Home Builders' housing market index meanwhile remained at 58 for September after August's number was downwardly revised from 59. The index continues to sit at an eight-year high, though the NAHB commented there has been a pause in momentum as consumers wait to see where interest rates settle.

The benchmark 10-year Treasury was increasing 3/32, raising the yield to 2.855%.

U.S. stocks gained Monday with the S&P 500 advancing to a six-week high as investors bet on an extension of the Federal Reserve's stimulus program and a smooth leadership transition at the central bank as former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers withdrew his name from consideration as the next Fed chairman.

Follow @atwtse

-- Written by Andrea Tse and Joe Deaux in New York

>To contact the writer of this article, click here: Andrea Tse.>

The show Informed Investor brings together people from various walks of life and demystifies the essence of investments and the myth of the market. The sector-specific forums will help to bring together the communities that can engage directly with the best financial minds in the country.

This special episode of Informed Investor brings together members of the legal community and tries to find out what their investment requirements are.

Teaming up with CNBC-TV18 in this endeavor is S Naren, CIO Equity, ICICI Prudential and Ambreesh Baliga COO at Way2Wealth.

When CNBC-TV18 decided to engage with the members of the legal community and find out what the investment requirements are, it thought the best way to go about it would be to perhaps find out what their current investment practices are…what are they doing?

So CNBC-TV18 reporters and researchers scanned the length and breadth of the country. They engaged with lawyers from various law firms from across age groups and from various brackets of income and levels of experience. They had a lot of research that they found out and some of it is quite startling. About 40% of lawyers that we had surveyed said that they preferred investing in bank FDs.

Only 6% of the lawyers we surveyed who said they would be interested in perhaps equity or even mutual funds. 26% of the lawyers we surveyed still preferred the safety of holding onto solid gold or silver.

There were only 11% who said they were willing to invest in gold ETFs. A whopping 46% of those surveyed said that their annual investment was under Rs 1 lakh, which perhaps just about qualifies as their tax saving requirements. There were only 13% of the people who said that they invested between Rs 3-5 lakhs a year. It is perhaps is indicative of the lack of proactive approach towards wealth creation.

As they say, 'wealth cannot be earned; it can only be created' and CNBC-TV18 is here to help you do just that: Create wealth and manage it!

Below is an edited transcript of Naren and Baliga's discussion. Also watch the attached videos.

Q: You have had time to study the findings of the survey. Are you at all surprised by the lack of participation in the market? Is it just the volatility in the markets that's keeping the retail investor away or is it perhaps a lack of awareness about the options that are there at their disposal?

Naren: As is typical of all financial products, there are period when greed comes to a particular asset class and people are very passionately involved in it. Then there are other periods of time when fear comes to asset class and people forget about the asset class.

I have seen in my career of 20 years, there has been periods like 1997-98, 2001-2003 and increasingly now where I find that people have just forgotten about equities as an asset class. They only think about other asset classes, although the experience of investors shows that the people who invested in the 80s, 1997-98, 2001-2003, they were the people who made all the money and others actually didn't make money.

If you go back and see the period of mania in equities was 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2007. These were the four years where I believe even lawyers would have entered equity markets saying, this is the way to make money. In other years they would have said equity doesn't look to be a place to make money. So, my sad experience has been that investors get drawn in at the wrong time because they think it should be invested like the weather. Whereas if you want to make money in markets like equities, the whole process is that you have to invest irrespective of the weather. You can't say the weather is bad today, so I won't invest or if the weather is very good today and I will invest.

Unfortunately, investors choose to invest in equities through the weather. What we have done in the mutual fund is that, we have started to create products like SIPs and systematic transfer plans, which basically force people to invest irrespective of the weather, but that works for sometime.

Now, people ask me: "For five years, I have not made money in SIP, so what do I do now?" But the global experience is that this is not the time to worry about SIP. These are the time to increase your SIPs. This seems to be a global problem, not just an India problem. What we have done is: We have added debt to product. We have added gold ETFs to our products. Our regulators helped us to add all these products. We have hybrid products, which invest in multiple of two or three asset classes. So, when we do all these things, our goal is to get people in all the time and that's the hope for us that we want them to invest irrespective of the weather. But I can still tell you people invest based on the weather.

Q: It's investment discipline that needs to be followed. What Naren is saying is absolutely right...that a lot of people are lacking discipline. Do you think this lack of participation in equities is also because of lot of confusion between investment and trading?

Baliga: Absolutely. People are not really looking at equities or various other classes. From the statistics, this is not only specific to the legal community. If you look across the various Indian investors or I would say savers, our saving rate is one of the highest in the world and the amount of money, which comes in to equities, is minuscule.

One of the reasons is people are not really aware and they don't know how one can go about investing in equities or other asset classes and when it comes to investing in equities again there is confusion whether you should be investing or whether you should be trading. There again the weather comes to play, what Naren was talking of, when you have the markets doing extremely well, everyone turns to trading because that's the way to make quick money and once you get stuck on the way down, you become an investor. This is the story of most of the investors around.

Abidi: The takeaway from our expert advice is - if you want your money to work for you, you have to work at investing it right.

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Best Buys from the Adens

Our overall strategy this year was to diversify, keeping the largest chunk in stocks and only a small position in gold; we still feel this is a good strategy, suggest Mary Anne and Pamela Aden in The Aden Forecast.

Over the years, when interest rates were low, the price to earnings ratio for stocks tended to rise to above average levels. As such, low interest rates are very bullish for stocks.

And considering they'll likely stay low for, at least, another year or two, this will continue to bode well for stocks.

Seasonal factors are very bullish for the market too. For instance, November through April has historically been positive for stocks nearly 80% of the time, and it looks like the months ahead will not be an exception.

Our technical indicators also remain super bullish. Despite the strong rises we've already seen in the stock market, our indicators are telling us that stocks are not yet overbought.

Stocks have been stronger than all other markets and they pay dividends. In this era of super low interest rates, that makes stocks especially attractive, likely driving them even higher.

There's a good possibility the S&P500 (SPX) could keep rising up to near the top side of its uptrending channel. If so, it could eventually get to near the 3,000 level.

If this seems unreasonable, it's important to remember that good years in stocks, like we've seen this year, are historically followed by further gains the next year, in most cases.

If you're a new buyer and concerned that it's too late to buy, consider buying on weakness. If you want to buy, and or, add to your positions, we'd stick with our strongest stocks, which are: the Powershares NASDAQ (QQQ), the MSCI Germany ETF (EWG), Microsoft (MSFT), and Market Vector Retail ETF (RTH).

For now, the market will remain very strong and bullish with the indexes above these levels: 15,500 on the Dow Industrials, 3,850 on the Nasdaq, and 1,730 on the S&P 500.

Subscribe to The Aden Forecast here…

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Should I Buy Diageo?

LONDON -- I'm browsing for bargain shares right now, so should I pop Diageo (LSE: DGE  ) (NYSE: DEO  ) into my basket?

Go, Diageo!
It's rare for investors to agree, but a strong consensus seems to be developing around global drinks giant Diageo, which owns Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Baileys, and many other top brands. It's a great company, but the shares are expensive. So are they too expensive?

Outgoing chief executive Paul Walsh has transformed Diageo since taking over 13 years ago, creating the world's biggest premium-drinks company. His acquisition-driven growth strategy tripled the company's share price in that time, but he's calling last orders from July, and that will worry many investors. Will Diageo miss Walsh as much as Tesco misses Sir Terry Leahy?

Following an inspirational leader is never easy. Cynics often say that good leaders move on because they can see trouble coming. That's another worry, especially given April's disappointing interim management statement, which admitted that Western European sales had dropped 4%, with peripheral eurozone troubles giving Diageo a nasty hangover. However, that performance was offset by 6% growth in North America.

Ivan can?
So what will new chief executive Ivan Menezes do to keep the growth party going? The same as almost every other FTSE 100 boss right now: target emerging markets.

Menezes reckons Diageo can hit its target of generating 50% of its profit in the developing world within just three years, up from 40% today. The firm's recent statement showed 14% growth in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as 9% growth in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey, plus 4% in Asia-Pacific. There was, however, slippage in Brazil, Korea, and Nigeria.

I bought Diageo in May 2010 at £11.27. Today, it trades at £19.57 -- a rise of 74%. Its share price is up 23% over the past 12 months, versus 18% for the FTSE 100, but the figure that catches everybody's attention is its pricey P/E ratio of 20.8 times earnings, versus 12.5 times for the index. The PEG ratio of 1.6 is on the higher side as well.

Diageo is forecast to post earnings-per-share growth of 12% for the year to June 30, 2014, but living up to that valuation is still a tall order. The yield has dipped to a disappointing 2.2% (compared to 3.5% for the index as a whole), although the payout is covered a healthy 2.2 times, and the income is forecast to hit 2.7% next year.

Drink up!
With a 22% operating margin and a 43% return on capital employed, Diageo is a smooth operator. That said, it is heavily geared, with net borrowings hitting a hefty £8.43 billion in March, up from £7.89 billion in December.

I last took the firm's measure in September, when it traded at 17.4 times earnings and yielded 2.6%. I decided then that it looked expensive, and it looks even pricier today. With markets looking a little shaky right now, I'm tempted to drink some of my profits.

Indeed, if you're looking for a far higher income than 2.2%, check out Motley Fool's favorite stock pick. Our analysts have singled out this FTSE 100 favorite because it offers a sky-high yield and great growth prospects. To find out what it is, download our free guide "Power up Your Portfolio." It won't be available much longer, so click here now.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now

Xcel Energy Inc.'s (XEL) operating division, Southwestern Public Service Company, in an effort to boost its renewable portfolio is seeking approval from the New Mexico regulators to procure 700 megawatts (MW) of wind capacity via three power-purchase agreements.

The agreement with NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE) entails wind energy purchases from separate facilities in Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, which will increase Xcel Energy�� wind capacity by 14%. The deal includes buying 199 MW from NextEra Energy�� Mammoth Plains Wind Energy Center in Dewey and Blaine counties, Okla., 249 MW from the Palo Duro Wind Energy Center in Hansford and Ochiltree counties, Texas and 250 MW from Infinity Wind Resources/Roosevelt Wind Ranch in Roosevelt County, N.M.

These purchases will reduce fuel costs for customers in Texas and New Mexico. Xcel Energy estimates the deal will lead to savings of $590.4 million over 20 years. The additional contracts are expected to double its wind asset base and will bring the total Texas-New Mexico wind capacity in excess of 2,200 MW.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Illinois Tool Works Inc.(ITW)

Illinois Tool Works Inc. manufactures a range of industrial products and equipment worldwide. The company?s Transportation segment offers metal and plastic components, fasteners, and assemblies; fluids and polymers; fillers and putties; polyester coatings, and patch and repair products; and truck remanufacturing and related parts and service. Its Industrial Packaging segment offers steel and plastic strapping and related tools and equipment; plastic stretch film and related equipment; paper and plastic products that protect goods in transit; and metal jacketing products. The company?s Food Equipment segment provides warewashing, cooking, refrigeration, and food processing equipment; and kitchen exhaust, ventilation, and pollution control systems. Its Power Systems & Electronics segment provides arc welding equipment; metal arc welding consumables; metal solder materials for PC board fabrication; equipment and services for microelectronics assembly; electronic components an d component packaging; and airport ground support equipment. The company?s Construction Products segment offers anchors, fasteners, and related fastening tools for wood, metal, and concrete applications; metal plate truss components, and related equipment and software; and packaged hardware and other products for retail. Its Polymers & Fluids segment provides adhesives, chemical fluids, epoxy and resin-based coating products, hand wipes and cleaners, and pressure-sensitive adhesives and components. The company?s Decorative Surfaces segment offers laminate for furniture, office and retail space, and countertops; and laminate flooring and worktops. In addition, the company offers plastic reclosable packages and bags, and consumables; plastic and metal fasteners, and components; foil and film products; product coding and marking, paint spray, and static and contamination control equipment; and swabs and mats. The company was founded in 1912 and is based in Glenview, Illinois. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By The Part-time Investor]

  The following stocks met the criteria in January of 2008 and were put into the initial portfolio:

  Abbot Labs (ABT)Advanced data processing (ADP)Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC)Bank of America (BAC)BB&T Corp. (BBT)Bemis Company (BMS)Anheuser Busch (BUD)The Chubb Corporation (CB)Clorox (CLX)Comerica Inc. (CMA)Diebold Inc. (DBD)Emerson Electronics (EMR)First Dollar Corp. (FDO)First Third BanCorp. (FITB)Gannett Co, Inc. (GCI)General Electric (GE)Hershey (HSY)Illinois Tools Works (ITW)Johnson and Johnson (JNJ)Leggett and Platt (LEG)Eli Lilly (LLY)La-Z-Boy (LZB)McDonald's (MCD)Marsh and Ilsley (MI)M&T Bancorp (MTB)PepsiCo (PEP)Pfizer (PFE)Procter & Gamble (PG)Pentair Ltd. (PNR)Regions Financial Corp. (RF)Rohm and Haas (ROH)RPM International (RPM)Sherwin Williams (SHW)Sysco Corp. (SYY)UDR Inc. (UDR)

  Historical quotes were taken from Yahoo Finance. $10,000 was put into each position, to the nearest whole share, so a total of $349,262.89 was invested. From 1/15/08 through 5/16/13 all dividends were reinvested back into the stock that paid them. If a dividend cut was announced, that stock was sold on the ex-div date of the new, lower dividend.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: DAILY MAIL & GENERAL TRUST 'A'ORD NON VTG GBP0.125(DMGT.L)

Daily Mail and General Trust plc operates in the media and information business primarily in the United Kingdom, the rest of Europe, North America, and Australia. It offers various products and services for the quantification and management of catastrophe risk associated with perils, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, windstorms, and terrorist attacks; and business-to-business information to the property, financial, energy, geospatial, and educational recruitment markets. The company also produces business-to-business exhibitions and conferences for the energy, technology, digital marketing, gift, construction, and interior industries with events in North America, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It operates approximately 36 exhibitions and 2 conference businesses in 11 countries. In addition, Daily Mail and General Trust plc publishes approximately 70 magazines, newsletters, and journals, including Euromoney, Institutional Investor, and Metal Bulletin; conducts conferences, seminars, and training courses; and provides electronic information and data covering international finance, metals, and commodities markets. Further, the company operates newspaper companion digital sites; travel, jobs, motors, and property digital businesses; and mobile and television business, as well as provides printing services. Additionally, it publishes approximately 100 publications, including 17 paid-for daily titles, 2 free daily titles, 23 paid-for weeklies, 4 weekly classified titles, 17 monthly magazines, and 40 free weekly newspapers. The company was founded in 1896 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Top 10 Growth Stocks To Buy Right Now: Superconductor Technologies Inc.(SCON)

Superconductor Technologies Inc. engages in the development and production of high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials and associated technologies worldwide. The company is leveraging its technologies, including HTS materials and cryogenics, to develop second generation (2G) HTS wire for power applications. Its HTS-based products play a role in emerging power generation, conversion, and distribution applications by enhancing grid reliability and efficiency. The company?s flagship wireless product, SuperLink, combines a specialized filter using patented HTS technology with a proprietary cryogenic cooler and a low-noise amplifier. Its commercial product offerings include SuperLink, a receiver front-end HTS wireless filter system that eliminates out-of-band interference for wireless base stations; AmpLink, a ground-mounted unit for wireless base stations that includes a high-performance amplifier and up to six dual duplexers; and SuperPlex, a multiplexer that provide s low insertion loss and cross-band isolation. The company also grants the U.S. government a royalty-free, non-exclusive, and nontransferable license to use its intellectual property. It sells its products primarily to wireless carriers through direct sales force in the United States, as well as through indirect channels internationally. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Santa Barbara, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Just for the record, Superconductor Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCON) isn't over the hump yet. But, given the likelihood that it could get over the hump with little to no fanfare, now's the time to put SCON on your radar.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Scientific Learning Corporation(SCIL)

Scientific Learning Corporation develops, distributes, and licenses technology worldwide that accelerates learning by enhancing the processing efficiency of the brain. It offers the Fast ForWord language products for elementary learners; the literacy products for adolescent learners; the Fast ForWord reading products, which focus on phonemic awareness, phonics and decoding, spelling, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension; and Reading Assistant, a software that combines advanced speech verification technology with scientifically-based interventions to help elementary and secondary students strengthen their reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. It also provides Progress Tracker, an Internet-based data analysis and reporting tool, which analyzes student learning results to provide diagnostic and prescriptive intervention information and allows educators to track and report their students? learning progress; Reading Progress Indicator that assesses student?s readi ng skills; BrainSpark products that target learners of age 5 to 13 who are at or above grade level and want to enhance their overall learning potential; and BrainPro targeted at learners who are below grade level. In addition, the company offers KinderSpark series that collects iPad games for children aged 3 to 6 for building readiness skills and excel in learning. Scientific Learning Corporation offers its products to educational institutions, speech and language clinics, learning centers, and parents. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Oakland, California.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Forest Laboratories Inc (FRX)

Forest Laboratories, Inc. (Forest), incorporated on April 11, 1956, develops, manufactures and sells branded forms of ethical drug products, most of which requires a physician's prescription. The Company also focuses on the development and introduction of new products, including products developed in collaboration with licensing partners. Its products include those developed by the Company and those acquired from other pharmaceutical companies and integrated into its marketing and distribution systems. The Company�� principal products include Lexapro, its selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults and adolescents and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults; Namenda, its N-methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) antagonist for the treatment of moderate and severe Alzheimer's disease; Bystolic, its beta-blocker for the treatment of hypertension; Savella, its selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) for the management of fibromyalgia and its newest marketed product Teflaro, a broad-spectrum hospital-based injectable cephalosporin antibiotic for the treatment of adults with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. On April 13, 2011, the Company acquired Clinical Data Inc. (Clinical Data), a specialty pharmaceutical company.

Aclidinium

In June 2011, the Company ahs submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for aclidinium (aclidinium bromide), a long-acting antimuscarinic agent developed as an inhaled therapy for the maintenance treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). When given by inhalation, aclidinium leads to bronchodilation by inhibiting airway smooth muscle contraction. Aclidinium is rapidly hydrolyzed in human plasma to two major inactive metabolites. Aclidinium is administered to patients using a multi-dose dry powder inhaler (MDPI). This inhaler was designed with a feedback system which, through a ��olored control window��and an a! udible click, helps confirm that the patient has inhaled correctly. It contains multiple doses of aclidinium, includes a visible dose-level indicator, and also incorporates features such as an anti-double dosing mechanism and an end-of-dose lock-out system to prevent use of an empty inhaler.

Linaclotide

Linaclotide is being investigated for the treatment of constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C) and chronic constipation (CC). Linaclotide is an agonist of the guanylate cyclase type-C receptor found in the intestine and acts by a mechanism. Linaclotide increases fluid secretions leading to increased bowel movement frequency and reduces abdominal pain. Linaclotide is administered orally but acts locally in the intestine with no measurable systemic exposure at therapeutic doses and is intended for once-daily administration.

Viibryd

As a result of its acquisition of Clinical Data, Inc. (Clinical Data) completed in April 2011, the Company obtained worldwide rights to develop and market Viibryd (vilazodone HCl) a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and a 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist developed by Clinical Data for the treatment of adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). Viibryd became available to patients during the June 2011 quarter and was formally launched in the U.S. in late August 2011.

Daliresp

In February 2011, the Company received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the marketing of Daliresp (roflumilast). Daliresp is once-daily, orally administered, selective phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) enzyme inhibitor, developed by its partner, Nycomed GmbH (Nycomed), as a treatment to reduce the risk of exacerbations in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with chronic bronchitis and a history of exacerbations.

Namenda

Namenda (memantine HCl) is an N-methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonist for the treatmen! t of mode! rate and severe Alzheimer�� disease. In June 2010, Namenda XR was approved by the FDA for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer�� type. Namenda XR is a 28 milligrams once-daily extended-release formulation of Namenda. The Company has obtained the exclusive rights to develop and market memantine in the United States by license agreement with Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KgaA (Merz) of Germany, the originator of the product.

Bystolic

Bystolic is a beta-1 selective beta-blocker with vasodilating properties. Bystolic decreases heart rate and myocardial contractility and suppresses rennin activity. The Company licensed exclusive United States and Canadian rights to Bystolic from Mylan Inc. (Mylan).

Savella

Savella (milnacipran HCl) is the Company�� selective serotonin and norepinephrine inhibitor (SNRI) for the management of fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and decreased physical function. The Company licensed the United States and Canadian rights to develop and commercialize Savella from Cypress Bioscience, Inc. (Cypress). Its license agreement includes two patents covering the use of Savella for the management of fibromyalgia.

Teflaro

In October 2010, the Company received marketing approval from the FDA for Teflaro (ceftaroline) for the treatment of adults with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, including cases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia and with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, including cases caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Teflaro is a spectrum, hospital-based injectable cephalosporin antibiotic with activity against Gram-positive bacteria and common Gram-negative bacteria. Teflaro is a member of the cephalosporin class of antibiotics. The worldwide rights (excluding Japan) to Teflaro are in-licensed on an exclusive basis from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company (Takeda). Teflaro is als! o covered! by two United States patents that relate to the ceftaroline formulation that expire in 2021 and that may provide additional exclusivity.

Avibactam

Avibactam is designed to be co-administered with select antibiotics to enhance their spectrum of activity. The Company received the exclusive rights to administer avibactam with ceftaroline as a combination product in North America. Avibactam is a beta-lactamase inhibitor designed to be co-administered with select antibiotics to enhance their spectrum of activity by overcoming beta-lactamase-related antibacterial resistance.

Lexapro

Lexapro�� is a SSRI for the treatment of MDD in adults and adolescents and GAD in adults. Lexapro�� (escitalopram oxalate) single isomer version of citalopram HBr, for the treatment of MDD in adults and adolescents and GAD in adults.

Cariprazine

Cariprazine is an oral D2/D3 partial agonist. Cariprazine is also undergoing Phase III trials for schizophrenia and acute mania associated with bipolar depression, bipolar depression and as an adjunct treatment for MDD.

Levomilnacipran

Levomilnacipran is a once-daily, selective norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitor, two neurotransmitters known to play an essential role in regulating mood, and is being developed for the treatment of MDD.

GRT 6005

In December 2010, the Company entered into a license agreement with Grunenthal GmbH for the co-development and commercialization of GRT 6005 and its follow-on compound GRT 6006, small molecule analgesic compounds being developed by Grunenthal for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain. GRT 6005 and GRT 6006 are compounds with pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profiles that may enhance their effect in certain pain conditions. GRT 6005 has completed initial proof-of-concept studies in nociceptive and neuropathic pain with further Phase II studies planned prior to initiation of Phase III s! tudies.

TTP399

In June 2010, the Company entered into a license agreement with TransTech Pharma, Inc. (TransTech) for the development and commercialization of TTP399, a functionally liver selective glucokinase activator (GKA) discovered and developed by TransTech for the treatment of Type II diabetes. Early Phase I testing suggests that pharmacological enhancement of glucokinase activity may lower blood glucose in diabetic patients.

Azimilide

In April 2011, the Company entered into an agreement with Blue Ash Therapeutics, LLC (Blue Ash) pursuant to which it acquired the worldwide rights to azimilide, a class III antiarrhythmic agent developed by Proctor & Gamble Pharmaceuticals. Based on its mechanism of action and results of clinical trials, azimilide was determined to be suited for use in patients with a history of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and who have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. In 2010, the FDA agreed to one additional Phase III study to support a regulatory submission for azimilide in the U.S.

RGH-618

RGH-618 involves a series of compounds that target metabotropic glutamate receptors and are agonists, which represent potential agents for the treatment of anxiety, depression and other central nervous system (CNS) conditions. In March 2012, the Company initiated a Phase I study in healthy volunteers of RGH-618.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  So what: Take that phrase "better than expected" with a grain of salt, because when you're a growing biotechnology company with a newly approved drug, Wall Street tends to cut you some slack. For the quarter, Ironwood recorded a 34% decline in revenue to $9.7 million as its loss widened to $0.57 per share. Comparatively speaking, though, this was far better than the $0.70 loss per share on $6.2 million in revenue that the Street had expected. Furthermore, Ironwood backed its full-year sales and marketing expense guidance for its lead drug, Linzess, that it co-markets with Forest Laboratories (NYSE: FRX  ) . According to Forest Labs, sales of the drug, which is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation in adults, totaled $28.8 million for the second quarter.

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  Two months since becoming chief executive at Forest Laboratories (FRX), and Brenton Saunders is putting his mark on the drug maker.

  On Monday, Forest outlined ��roject Rejuvenate,��a plan to cut costs $500 million by 2016, while scaling back research and development efforts and reducing the company�� work force.

  It�� been a common story among big pharmaceutical companies. The industry has grown to depend on acquisitions and licensing deals or partnerships with small drug makers rather than in-house efforts to produce the blockbuster products needed to grow sales and offset revenue lost to generic rivals.

  Investors seem to approve. At $55.54, the stock surged 8.2% during afternoon market action.

  It was actually a pretty busy day for Forest. Though it restructuring plans attracted the most attention, the company also announced the sale of $1 billion of new debt to help fund $400 million in accelerated stock buybacks as part of a larger $1 billion share repurchase plan and a $250 million deal to acquire exclusive rights to the schizophrenia medication Saphris from Merck & Co. (MRK).

  Altogether, it could be quite a boon for Forest�� bottom line. Leerink Swann analyst Seamus Fernandez raised his per share earnings estimate for 2015 and 2016 to $2.89 and $3.24 respectively from the previous $1.87 and $1.19. Fernandez writes:

  We see several potential accretive Saphris-like opportunities for FRX particularly as companies like MRK partner or exit cost-intensive primary care/specialty categories (e.g., respiratory, antibiotics/antifungal, cardiology, GI, CNS). Incorporating these changes (and assuming no impact to sales ests of FRX’s existing portfolio), our new DCF valuation increases to $63/shr.

• [By Brian Marckx]

  Several large pharma companies have OA drug candidates in various stages of clinical trials including GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Abbott Laboratories (ABT), and Forest Laboratories (FRX) and would have potentially significant interest in a test such as ILIU's OA test.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Campbell Soup Co (CPB)

Campbell Soup Company (Campbell), incorporated on November 23, 1922, together with its subsidiaries, is a manufacturer and marketer of branded convenience food products. The Company operates in five segments: U.S. Simple Meals; Global Baking and Snacking; International Simple Meals and Beverages; U.S. Beverages; and North America Foodservice. In June 2012, the Company purchased 1300 Admiral Wilson Boulevard in Camden. On August 6, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of BF Bolthouse Holdco LLC (Bolthouse Farms). In September 2012, Vilmorin & Cie SA acquired the tomato and pepper breeding and sales business of the Company. In June 2013, Campbell Soup Co completed the acquisition of Plum Organics. In August 2013, Campbell Soup Company completed the acquisition of Kelsen Group A/S.

In the United States, Canada and Latin America, the Company�� products are resold to consumers in retail food chains, mass discounters, mass merchandisers, club stores, convenience stores, drug stores, dollar stores and other retail, commercial and non-commercial establishments. In Europe, the Company�� products are resold to consumers in retail food chains, mass discounters, mass merchandisers, club stores, convenience stores and other retail, commercial and non-commercial establishments. In the Asia Pacific region, the Company�� products are resold to consumers through retail food chains, convenience stores and other retail, commercial and non-commercial establishments.

U.S. Simple Meals

The U.S. Simple Meals segment aggregates the operating segments: U.S. Soup and U.S. Sauces. The U.S. Soup retail business includes the products, such as Campbell�� condensed and ready-to-serve soups, and Swanson broth and stocks. The U.S. Sauces retail business includes Pregopasta sauces, Pace Mexican sauces, Campbell�� canned gravies, pasta, and beans, and Swanson canned poultry.

Global Baking and Snacking

The Global Baking and Snacking segment include Pepperi! dge Farm cookies, crackers, bakery and frozen products in the United States retail. It also includes Arnott�� biscuits in Australia and Asia Pacific.

International Simple Meals and Beverages

The International Simple Meals and Beverages segment aggregates the simple meals and beverages operating segments outside of the United States, including Europe, the retail business in Canada, and the businesses in Asia Pacific, Latin America and China. The segment�� operations include Erasco and Heisse Tasse soups in Germany,Liebig and Royco soups in France, Devos Lemmens mayonnaise and cold sauces and Campbell�� and Royco soups in Belgium, and Bla Band soups and sauces in Sweden. In Canada, operations include Habitant and Campbell�� soups, Prego pasta sauces, Pace Mexican sauces, V8 juices and beverages and certain Pepperidge Farm products. In Asia Pacific, operations include Campbell�� soup and stock, Kimball sauces, V8 juices and beverages, Prego pasta sauce and Swanson broths.

U.S. Beverages

The U.S. Beverages segment represents the United States retail beverages business, including V8 juices and beverages, and Campbell�� tomato juice.

North America Foodservice

The North America Foodservice segment represents the distribution of products, such as soup, specialty entrees, beverage products, other prepared foods and Pepperidge Farm products through food service channels in the United States and Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Big earnings movers: Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB) is down 3.2% at $43.30. Corinthian Colleges Inc. (NASDAQ: COCO) is down 10.3% at $2.34. JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO) is down 6.9% at $7.40.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  What is it with food stocks this week? Tyson Foods (TSN) releases earnings on Monday and gains 7.5% through today. Campbell Soup (CPB) releases on Tuesday and falls 6.2%. And now JM Smucker (SJM) releases its own results and has experienced a big move of its own–a plunge.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Ascot Resources Ltd. (AOT.V)

Ascot Resources Ltd., a junior resource company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, evaluation, and development of mineral properties in the North America. Its properties include the Mt. Margaret porphyry copper-molybdenum-gold-silver located to the southwest of Randle Washington in Skamania county; the Premier gold mine located to the north of Stewart, British Columbia; the Dilworth property located to the north of Stewart, north western British Columbia; and the Swamp Point aggregate property, a sand and gravel deposit, located on the Portland Canal in northwestern British Columbia. The company was incorporated in 1986 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Wonder Auto Technology Inc.(WATG)

Wonder Auto Technology, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of electrical parts, suspension products, and engine components. It offers starters, alternators, engine valves, and tappets in the People?s Republic of China, South Korea, and Brazil, as well as airbags and seatbelts in People?s Republic of China. The company?s products are primarily used in a range of passenger and commercial automobiles. It also manufactures and sells rectifier and regulator products for use in alternators; and various rods and shafts for use in shock absorbers, alternators, and starters. Its customers include automakers, engine manufacturers, and auto parts suppliers. Wonder Auto Technology, Inc. is headquartered in Jinzhou City, the People?s Republic of China.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: NxStage Medical Inc.(NXTM)

NxStage Medical, Inc., a medical device company, develops, manufactures, and markets products for the treatment of kidney failure, fluid overload, and related blood treatments and procedures. Its primary product, the NxStage System One, is a portable hemodialysis system used for home hemodialysis and a range of dialysis therapies for chronic home hemodialysis treatment, and the treatment of acute kidney failure and fluid overload. The NxStage System One comprises components, such as The NxStage Cycler, a compact portable electromechanical device; The NxStage Cartridge, a single-use integrated treatment cartridge; and premixed dialysate for hemodialysis applications. The company also sells a line of extracorporeal disposable products for use primarily for in-center dialysis treatments for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD); and needles and blood tubing sets primarily to dialysis clinics for the treatment of ESRD. NxStage Medical, Inc. markets its products primaril y to dialysis clinics, nephrologists, and hospitals through distributors and sales representatives in the United States, Mexico, and Europe. The company was formerly known as QB Medical, Inc. and changed its name to NxStage Medical, Inc. NxStage Medical, Inc. founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap dialysis stock Rockwell Medical Inc (NASDAQ: RMTI) looks set to decline when the market opens after Brean Capital initiated coverage with a sell rating and a price target of $4.00, meaning it might be time to take a closer look at what is going on with the stock along with�the performance of large cap dialysis stocks DaVita Healthcare Partners (NYSE: DVA)�and Fresenius Medical Care (NYSE: FMS) along with small cap dialysis stocks NxStage Medical, Inc (NASDAQ: NXTM).�

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Gobimin Inc. (GMN.V)

GobiMin Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and exploitation of mineral properties primarily in Xinjiang, the People�s Republic of China. It principally explores for gold, copper, and nickel. The company holds a 70% equity interest in the Sawayaerdun gold project covering an area of approximately 1.7094 square kilometers in Xinjiang; and an 8% equity interest in the Yanxi copper property covering an area of approximately 21.67 square kilometers in Xinjiang. The company is based in Toronto, Canada.

Hacked Twitter Account Ignites Flash Crash, but Stocks Still Surge

What were you doing at 1:07PM this afternoon? If you were responsible for social media at the Associated Press, odds are you were preparing to have a mild heart attack.

At exactly that moment, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) went into free fall, plummeting by 150 points in less than three minutes before quickly recovering. The cause? The Associated Press' Twitter account had been hacked and then used to announce that the White House was under attack.

As the news agency quickly noted in a follow-up statement:

"The @AP twitter account has been hacked. The tweet about an attack at the White House is false. We will advise more as soon as possible."

And just when you thought earnings season was getting monotonous.

Speaking of earnings season, the actual news today is just that. Stocks are broadly higher today after a bevy of blue-chip companies reported better-than-expected first-quarter results.

Company

EPS Actual

EPS Estimate

Beat/(Miss)

Travelers (NYSE: TRV  )	$2.31	$2.02	14.36%
United Technologies (NYSE: UTX  )	$1.39	$1.29	7.75%
DuPont (NYSE: DD  )	$1.56	$1.53	1.96%

Source: The Wall Street Journal.

As you can see, the best performance of today's bunch was turned in by Travelers. For the quarter, the insurance company increased its bottom line by an impressive 11% over last year. According to chairman and chief executive officer Jay Fishman, this amounted to the insurer's "highest quarterly operating income per diluted share since Travelers' initial public offering in 2002."

While less impressive than Travelers', United Technologies' performance appeared at first to be a welcome relief to shareholders, as the industrial conglomerate beat bottom-line estimates by 7.75%. Yet shares of the company are down today -- in fact, that United Technologies is the worst-performing stock on the Dow. While United Technologies beat estimates for EPS, it missed revenue estimates: For the three months ended March 31, it notched $14.4 billion in revenue versus an expected $14.9 billion.

Shares of DuPont are leading the blue-chip index higher this afternoon, up more than 3.5% at the time of writing. As my colleague Dan Dzombak explained earlier today, DuPont is riding high on the heels of a better-than-expected first quarter in which it earned $1.56 per share on $10.4 billion in revenue.

Profiting from our increasingly global economy can be as easy as investing in your own backyard. The Motley Fool's free report "3 American Companies Set to Dominate the World" shows you how. Click here to get your free copy before it's gone.

Ask Matt: How do Amazon and Sears match up?

USA TODAY markets reporter Matt Krantz answers a different reader question every weekday. To submit a question, e-mail Matt at mkrantz@usatoday.com.

Q: How do Amazon and Sears match up as investments?

A: During the holidays, consumers start to compare and contrast retailers. But sizing-up retailers is something investors do all the time, trying to find the best opportunities.

But from the perspective of investors, Amazon and Sears don't have much in common. The fact they're both retailers, lose money and are publicly traded are about the only things Amazon and Sears share.

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Retailers are often treated as a group, yet these two well-known retailers couldn't be much more different from a financial standpoint.

Amazon.com is richly valued retailer that's still finding ways to grow faster than the industry. Amazon's revenue over the past twelve months rose 22.5% over the same period a year ago. Compare that with the 5.5% decline in revenue at Sears.

Meanwhile, while Amazon lost money in its latest quarter, it still posted a profit of $132 million over the past twelve months. Sears lost $1.5 billion during the same period. Meanwhile, Amazon does nearly twice the amount of annual revenue than Sears, most recently $70.1 billion over the past twelve months.

But with its faster growth and better profit forecasts, investors are paying up for Amazon. Amazon sports a market value of $181 billion, well above the $4.8 billion value of Sears. Amazon also has a P-E ratio of 1,428 times, which is beyond nosebleed levels. Sears, on the other hand, doesn't have a P-E ratio, because it loses money. Investors have demonstrated that they can't get enough of Amazon, while Sears has lagged the market. Shares of Amazon are up nearly 58% this year, while Sears' stock is up 10%.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now

SanDisk Corporation (Nasdaq: SNDK)

Shares of SNDK surged after the company reported its financial results for the third quarter fiscal 2013, posting achievements that according to SNDK, keep them on track to deliver record 2013 results.

For the third quarter fiscal 2013, SNDK posted revenue of $1.63 billion, a 28% increase year over year and 10% sequentially, and, on a GAAP basis, net income of $277 million, or $1.18 per diluted share, compared to net income of $77 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, in the same period the prior year and $262 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, in the previous quarter.

According to SNDK, the company delivered outstanding third quarter results driven by its strategy to shift to higher value solutions across their portfolio

SNDK last trade on Thursday's trading session was at $68.50 per share, representing an increase of $5.56 or 8.83%, with volume of 13,676,826 shares

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Northeast Community Bancorp Inc.(NECB)

Northeast Community Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Northeast Community Bank that provides various banking and financial products and services to consumers and businesses. It offers interest bearing demand accounts, such as negotiable order of withdrawal and money market accounts; savings accounts; non-interest bearing demand accounts, including checking accounts; and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio comprises multi-family and mixed-use real estate loans, non-residential real estate loans, equity lines of credit on real estate loans, commercial loans, construction loans, and consumer loans. In addition, it provides investment advisory and financial planning services. As of July 11, 2011, the company operated four full-service offices in New York; two full-service branches in Danvers and Plymouth, Massachusetts; and a loan production office in Danvers, Massachusetts. It serves customers in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecti cut, and Pennsylvania. The company is headquartered in White Plains, New York.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Vestin Realty Mortgage II Inc.(VRTB)

Vestin Realty Mortgage II, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), invests in short-term loans secured by real estate through deeds of trust or mortgages. The company offers various real estate loans, including commercial property, construction, acquisition and development, raw and unimproved land, and residential loans. It operates in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas. The company has elected to be treated as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. As a REIT, it would not be subject to federal income tax, provided it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. Vestin Realty Mortgage II was founded in 2000 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

10 Best Low Price Stocks To Own Right Now: Gafisa SA (GFA)

Gafisa S.A. (Gafisa), incorporated on November 12, 1996, is a diversified national homebuilder serving all demographic segments of the Brazilian market. The Company�� brands include Tenda, which serves the affordable entry-level housing segments, Gafisa, which offers a variety of residential options to the mid to higher income segments and Alphaville, which focuses on the identification, development and sale of residential communities. In addition, it provides construction services to third parties. Gafisa�� core business is the development of residential units in attractive locations. During the year ended December 31, 2009, approximately 55% of the value of its launches was derived from high and mid high-level residential developments under the Gafisa brand. It is also engaged in the development of land subdivisions, also known as residential communities, representing approximately 18% of the value of its launches under the Alphaville brand, and affordable entry-level housing, which represents approximately 27% of the value of its launches under the Tenda brand. In addition, it provides construction services to third parties. Gafisa operates in more than 120 cities, including Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Fortaleza, Natal, Curitiba, Belo Horizonte, Manaus, Porto Alegre and Belem, across 21 states and the Federal District.

Real Estate Activities

The Company�� real estate business includes developments for sale of residential units; land subdivisions (also known as residential communities); commercial buildings; construction services to third parties, and sale of units through its brokerage subsidiaries, Gafisa Vendas and Gafisa Vendas Rio, jointly referred to as Gafisa Vendas. In the residential buildings product category, Gafisa develops three main types of products: luxury buildings targeted at upper-income customers, buildings targeted at middle-income customers; and affordable entry-level housing targeted at lower-income customers. Quality residential buildi! ngs for middle- and upper-income customers are its core products. Luxury buildings units usually have over 180 square meters of private area, at least four bedrooms and three parking spaces. The development includes swimming pools, gyms, visitor parking, and other amenities.

Buildings targeted at middle-income customers have accounted for the majority of its sales. Units usually have between 90 and 180 square meters of private area, three or four bedrooms and two to three underground parking spaces. Buildings are usually developed in large tracts of land as part of multi-building developments and, to a lesser extent, in smaller lots in attractive neighborhoods. Affordable entry-level housing consists of building and house units. Units usually have between 42 to 60 square meters of indoor private area and two to three bedrooms.

Commercial Buildings

During 2009, the Company launched four commercial buildings. These buildings include Centro Empresarial Madureira, Paulista Corporate, Reserva Eco Office Life and Global Offices.

Construction Service

Gafisa provide construction services to third parties, building residential and commercial projects for developers in Brazil. The Company�� principal construction services clients are large companies, many of them developers that do not build their own projects. As of December 31, 2009, its principal construction services clients were Fibra Empreendimentos Imobiliarios S.A., Sisan-Grupo Silvio Santos, Camargo Correa Desenvolvimento Imobiliario S.A., Helbor Empreendimentos Imobiliarios Ltda., InCons S.A., SDI Desenvolvimento Imobiliario Ltda. and Abyara. It also provides construction services on certain developments where it retains an equity interest.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Gafisa (GFA) is a homebuilder in Brazil. This stock closed up 5% to $3.13 in Tuesday's trading session.

  Tuesday's Range: $2.97-$3.15
  
  52-Week Range: $2.22-$5.24
  
  Tuesday's Volume: 1.70 million
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 1.77 million

  From a technical perspective, GFA ripped higher here right above some near-term support at $2.80 with decent upside volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last month, with shares moving higher from its low of $2.27 to its intraday high of $3.15. During that move, shares of GFA have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of GFA within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if GFA manages to take out Tuesday's high of $3.15 to some past resistance at $3.30 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in GFA as long as it's trending above support at $2.80 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.77 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then GFA will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 200-day moving average of $3.68 to more resistance at $4.20 to $4.70.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Brazilian construction firm Gafisa (NYSE: GFA  ) is not only selling houses these days. The company has signed an agreement to sell a 70% stake in residential community developer Alphaville Urbanismo to funds managed by Blackstone (NYSE: BX  ) and the American company's Brazilian partner firm Patria Investimentos.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Apartment Investment and Management Co (AIV)

Apartment Investment and Management Company (Aimco), incorporated on January 10, 1994, is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company is engaged in the ownership and operation of a portfolio of apartment properties. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, AIMCO-GP, Inc. and AIMCO-LP Trust, it owns majority interests in AIMCO Properties, L.P., which it refers to as the Aimco Operating Partnership. The Company conducts substantially all of its business and owns substantially all of its assets through the Aimco Operating Partnership. As of December 31, 2011, Aimco�� portfolio of owned and/or managed properties consisted of 518 properties with 93,694 apartment units.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired limited partnership interests in 12 real estate partnerships that owned 15 properties and in which its affiliates served as general partner. During 2011, it acquired a vacant, 126-unit property located in Marin County, north of San Francisco, California. During 2011, it acquired 50% interest in entities that owned four contiguous properties with 142 units located in La Jolla, California. During 2011, it sold 67 consolidated properties. During 2011, the Company owned general and limited partner interests in real estate partnerships that owned approximately 123 properties.

Property Operations

The Company�� owned real estate portfolio consists of two business components: conventional and affordable property operations. Its conventional property operations consist of market-rate apartments with rents paid by the resident and included 198 properties with 62,834 units in which it held an average interest of 93% as of December 31, 2011. The Company�� affordable property operations consist of apartments with rents that are generally paid, in whole or part, by a government agency and consisted of 172 properties with 20,612 units in which it held an average interest of 59% as of December 31, 2011. The Compa! ny�� property operations are organized into two geographic areas, the West and East.

Portfolio Management

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� affordable portfolio included 172 properties with 20,612 units. As of December 31, 2011, its conventional portfolio included 198 properties with 62,834 units in 33 markets.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Apartment Investment & Management Co. (NYSE: AIV  )
  When long-term lending rates began rising dramatically just a few weeks ago, anything related to the housing sector dove, including apartment rental community operator Apartment Investment & Management, better known as AIMCO. Investors who sold may have made a big mistake, as rental communities look to be stronger than ever as the housing sector gets caught in a nasty catch-22.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Community Partners Bancorp(CPBC)

Community Partners Bancorp operates as the holding company for Two River Community Bank, a state-chartered commercial bank that provides a range of commercial and retail banking services to small and medium-sized businesses, not-for-profit organizations, professionals, and individuals principally in Monmouth and Union counties, New Jersey. The company offers a range of deposit products, including non-interest bearing or lower cost interest bearing checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit accounts. It also provides various loan products consisting of construction loans for residential dwellings, apartment buildings, restaurants, shopping centers, and owner-occupied business properties; commercial business loans; commercial real estate loans for the acquisition of new property or the refinancing of existing property; residential real estate and consumer loans, including residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit, equity loans, personal loans, automobile loans, and overdraft protection; participation loans; and small business administration loans. In addition, the company offers safe deposit boxes, night depositories, wire transfers, money orders, travelers? checks, automated teller machines, direct deposits, telephone and Internet banking services, and corporate business services. It operates 15 banking offices in Middletown, Allaire, Atlantic Highlands, Cliffwood, Manasquan, Navesink, Port Monmouth, Red Bank, Tinton Falls, West Long Branch, Westfield, Cranford, and Fanwood, New Jersey. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Middletown, New Jersey.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Unum Group(UNM)

Unum Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides group and individual disability insurance products primarily in the United States and the United Kingdom. It also provides a portfolio of other insurance products, including employer-and employee-paid group benefits, life insurance, long-term care insurance, and related services. Its products include group long-term and short-term disability; group life and accidental death, and dismemberment; individual disability; group long-term care; voluntary benefits; group life; accident, sickness, and disability; and cancer and critical illness insurance products. The company also provides individual life and corporate-owned life insurance, reinsurance pools and management operations, group pension, health insurance, and individual annuities. Unum Group markets its products primarily to employers interested in providing benefits to their employees. The company sells its products through field sales personnel, independent brokers, consultants, and agency sales force. Unum Group was founded in 1848 and is based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Specialty insurance provider�Unum (NYSE: UNM  ) announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.145 per share, an 11% increase to the payout made last quarter of $0.13 per share.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Among the biggest losers in the S&P 500: Air Products and Chemicals (APD), which dropped 3.3% to $103.20 as its Bill Ackman bounce fades, Charles Schwab (SCHW), which fell 2.4% to $21.76 as it became the 165th most popular short in the S&P 500, and Unum Group (UNM), which finished off 2.3% at $29.63 after Barron’s Sandra Ward recommended investors take profits on the insurance company.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Torchmark Corporation(TMK)

Torchmark Corporation, an insurance holding company, provides individual life and supplemental health insurance, and annuities, to middle income households in the United States. Its life insurance products include traditional and interest sensitive whole-life insurance, term life insurance, and other life insurance; and supplemental limited-benefit health insurance products comprise cancer and accident plans, as well as Medicare Supplements plans and Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance. The company?s annuity products consist of single-premium and flexible-premium deferred annuities. The company sells its products through direct mail, Internet, television, magazine, exclusive agents, and independent agents in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. Torchmark Corporation was founded in 1900 and is headquartered in McKinney, Texas.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Prudential Bancorp Inc. of Pennsylvania(PBIP)

Prudential Bancorp, Inc. of Pennsylvania operates as the holding company for Prudential Savings Bank that provides various financial products and services in Pennsylvania. Its deposit products include interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing checking, money market, savings, and certificate of deposit accounts. The company?s loan portfolio comprises single-family residential mortgage loans, construction and land development loans, non-residential or commercial real estate mortgage loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, commercial business loans, and consumer loans. The company also provides securities and insurance products, as well as automated teller machine and online banking services. As of September 30, 2010, it operated a main office and six branch offices located in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties. The company was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Prudential Bancorp, Inc. of Pennsylvania is a subsidiary of Prudential Mutu al Holding Company.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: DCT Industrial Trust Inc (DCT)

DCT Industrial Trust Inc. (DCT) is an industrial real estate company that owns, operates and develops bulk distribution and light industrial properties in distribution markets in the United States and Mexico. The Company is structured as an umbrella partnership real estate investment trust (REIT), under which substantially all of its business is, and will be, conducted through a majority-owned and controlled subsidiary, DCT Industrial Operating Partnership LP (the operating partnership), a Delaware limited partnership, for which DCT Industrial Trust Inc. is the sole general partner. The Company owns properties through its operating partnership and its subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2011, DCT owned approximately 90% of the outstanding equity interests in its operating partnership. In March 2012, DCT acquired a 32.6 acre land parcel in Romeoville, within the southern I-55 industrial submarket of Chicago. In May 2012, the Company acquired two Class A industrial buildings totaling 98,000 square feet in Houston, known as DCT Claymoore Center. Located in the Northwest submarket of Houston, DCT Claymoore Center encompasses a bulk and light industrial facility and is 95.8%-occupied.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired 24 buildings comprising 2.8 million square feet and controlling ownership interests in three buildings totaling 0.4 million square feet. In 2011, the Company sold 16 operating properties totaling approximately 2.7 million square feet to third-parties. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� consolidated operating properties had leases with approximately 900 customers with no single customer accounting for more than 1.7% of the total annualized base rents of its properties. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned interests in, managed or had under development approximately 75.5 million square feet of properties leased to approximately 900 customers, including 58.1 million square feet comprising 408 consolidated properties owned in its operating portfo! lio, which were 90.6% occupied; 0.2 million square feet comprising one consolidated property under redevelopment, and 17.2 million square feet comprising 52 unconsolidated properties, which were 86.3% occupied and one managed-only property operated on behalf of five institutional capital management partners. As of December 31, 2011, its total consolidated portfolio consisted of 409 properties with an average size of 142,000 square feet and an average age of 20.2 years.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brad Thomas]

  Other REITs mentioned: (O), (NNN), (STAG), (DCT), (EGP), (PDM), (DRE), (LRY)

  Source: Chambers Street: More Liquidity Magic On The Way In REIT-Dom

  Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. (More...)

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Guocoleisure Limited (B16.SI)

GuocoLeisure Limited operates as an investment company in Singapore. The company owns, leases, and manages a chain of hotels under the Guoman and Thistle brand names. It has 37 hotels in the United Kingdom and 2 hotels in Malaysia. GuocoLeisure also involves in casino betting activities through the operation of The Clermont Club in London, the United Kingdom. In addition, the company engages in the development of land and properties on Fijian and Hawaiian islands. Further, it has royalty interest in the oil and gas production from Bass Strait, Australia. The company was formerly known as BIL International Limited changed its name to GuocoLeisure Limited in October 2007. GuocoLeisure Limited was founded in 1961 and is based in Singapore.

Best Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now

LONDON -- The FTSE 100 (FTSEINDICES: ^FTSE  ) has suffered a bit of a reversal over the past week. After reaching a 13-year high of 6,876 on May 22, the index of top U.K. shares has since dropped 293 points to today's close of 6,583. But the fall has at least boosted the index's average forward dividend yield a little to 3.2%. But if you're investing for income, you can do probably better than that.

We take a look at three companies that have lifted their dividends this week.

Severn Trent (LSE: SVT  )
Severn Trent raised its full-year dividend by 8.2% to 75.85 pence per share on Thursday after reporting a 3.4% rise in full-year turnover, a 37.3% rise in pre-tax profits, and an 11.2% rise in adjusted earnings per share. The payment consists of a final dividend of 45.51 pence to be added to the earlier interim 30.34 pence.

On the current share price of 2,052 pence, the dividend represents a yield of 3.7%, which is pretty good for such a dependable payer. In fact, with Severn Trent's policy of growing its dividend by RPI plus 3% each year, the firm has already indicated an expected 80.4 pence for the year to March 2014 for a rise of 6%.

Best Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Paragon Shipping Inc.(PRGN)

Paragon Shipping Inc. provides shipping transportation services worldwide. The company engages in the ocean transportation of various drybulk cargoes and containers. Its fleet consists of 11 drybulk vessels with a total carrying capacity of 747,994 dwt. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Voula, Greece.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 name shipping player that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Paragon Shipping (PRGN), which is engaged in transporting drybulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along shipping routes worldwide. This stock has been on fire so far in 2013, with shares up sharply by 114%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Paragon Shipping, you'll notice that this stock just recently took out its 50-day moving average of $4.19 a share with strong upside volume. Shares of PRGN are showing relative strength today, despite the overall market weakness, which shows this stock is in strong demand at current levels. This move is now starting to push shares of PRGN within range of triggering a big breakout trade

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in PRGN if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $4.90 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 25,811 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then PRGN will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $5.70 a share. If that level gets taken out with volume, then PRGN could easily tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $7 to $8.35 a share.

  Traders can look to buy PRGN off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day moving average of $4.19 a share, or below its 200-day moving average at $3.74 a share. One can also buy PRGN off strength once it clears $4.90 a share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point. I would add to either position once PRGN takes out its 52-week high at $5.70 a share with strong upside volume flows.

Best Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Kraft Foods Inc.(KFT)

Kraft Foods Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets packaged food products worldwide. The company offers biscuits, including cookies, crackers, and salted snacks; confectionery products, such as chocolate, gum, and candy; beverages comprising coffee, packaged juice drinks, and powdered beverages; cheese products, including natural, processed, and cream cheeses; grocery items consisting of spoonable and pourable dressings, condiments, and desserts; and convenient meals, which comprise processed meats, packaged dinners, and lunch combinations. Its primary brand portfolio includes Oreo, Nabisco, and LU branded biscuits; Milka and Cadbury branded chocolates; Trident branded gum; Jacobs and Maxwell House branded coffees; Philadelphia branded cream cheeses; Kraft branded cheeses, dinners, and dressings; and Oscar Mayer branded meats. The company sells it products to supermarket chains, wholesalers, supercenters, club stores, mass merchandisers, distributor s, convenience stores, gasoline stations, drug stores, value stores, and retail food stores. Kraft Foods Inc. was founded in 2000 and is based in Northfield, Illinois.

Top 5 Warren Buffett Companies To Watch For 2014: Agrium Inc.(AGU)

Agrium Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces and markets agricultural nutrients, industrial products, and specialty products worldwide, as well as involves in the retail supply of agricultural products and services in North and South Americas. The company?s Retail segment markets crop nutrient products, including nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulphur, and micronutrients; crop protection products, such as herbicides, fungicides, adjuvants, and insecticides; and seeds. This segment also offers agronomic services, as well as product application, soil and leaf tissue testing and analysis, and crop scouting services. This segment operates 1,192 outlets in the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. The company?s Wholesale segment produces, markets, and distributes nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulphate, and other crop nutrient products for agricultural and industrial customers. This segment also owns and operates facilities that upgrade ammonia t o other nitrogen products, such as urea, nitric acid, and ammonium nitrate, as well as provides Rainbow plant food products. Agrium?s Advanced Technologies segment produces and markets controlled-release crop nutrients and micronutrients for the agriculture, specialty agriculture, professional turf, horticulture, and consumer lawn and garden markets. The company was formerly known as Cominco Fertilizers Ltd. and changed its name to Agrium Inc. in 1995. Agrium Inc. was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Neha Chamaria]

  Which companies are in danger?
  Members of Canpotex --�PotashCorp (NYSE: POT  ) , Mosaic (NYSE: MOS  ) , and Agrium (NYSE: AGU  ) �-- are the worst hit when India slows down potash purchases, since Canpotex controls all potash exports out of Saskatchewan, Canada. Similarly, marketing association, PhosChem handles phosphate exports from the U.S., so its two members, PotashCorp and Mosaic, bear the brunt of lower sales in that regard, too.

• [By Taylor Muckerman]

  When assessing the benefits of the three most common fertilizer components -- nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium -- potassium leaps out as the clear-cut choice when hoping to protect against arid conditions. The nutrient produced by companies like PotashCorp� (NYSE: POT  ) and Agrium� (NYSE: AGU  ) allows for more efficient utilization of water by corn, soy beans, and any number of other crops or plants. According to PotashCorp, treating an acre with 100 pounds of potassium has the potential to boost yields up to 50%.

Best Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Intel Corporation(INTC)

Intel Corporation engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of integrated circuits for computing and communications industries worldwide. It offers microprocessor products used in notebooks, netbooks, desktops, servers, workstations, storage products, embedded applications, communications products, consumer electronics devices, and handhelds. The company also provides system on chip products that integrate its core processing functionalities with other system components, such as graphics, audio, and video, onto a single chip. In addition, it offers chipset products that send data between the microprocessor and input, display, and storage devices, including keyboard, mouse, monitor, hard drive, and CD, DVD, or Blu-ray drives; motherboards designed for desktop, server, and workstation platforms, and that has connectors for attaching devices to the bus; and wired and wireless connectivity products consisting of network adapters and embedded wireless cards used to translate and transmit data across networks. Further, the company provides NAND flash memory products primarily used in portable memory storage devices, digital camera memory cards, and solid-state drives; software products comprising operating systems, middleware, and tools used to develop, run, and manage various enterprise, consumer, embedded, and handheld devices; and software development tools that enable the creation of applications. Additionally, it develops computing platforms, which are integrated hardware and software computing technologies designed to offer an optimized solution. The company sells its products principally to original equipment manufacturers, original design manufacturers, PC components and other products users, and other manufacturers of industrial and communications equipment. It has a strategic alliance with Scientific Conservation Inc. Intel Corporation was founded in 1968 and is based in Santa Clara, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Vivek Gupta]

  With about 40 million subscribers, Netflix (NFLX) is the clear leader in the online streaming industry. Companies like Amazon (AMZN), Hulu and YouTube (Google) are well known for their online video-streaming services and are competing in the industry. Some other players also operate in the industry. For example, Comcast offers streaming service by the name of Xfinity Streampix; Dish Network (DISH) is using Blockbuster to enter the streaming business; Intel (INTC), the semiconductor manufacturer, is trying to enter in a big way.

• [By Douglas A. McIntyre]

  Andy Grove, one of the founders of Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC)�and its greatest CEO has been gone since 1998. His company has fallen into deep decline as its place as engine of the PC has become irrelevant. John Young, Hewlett-Packard’s dominant CEO has been gone as long. None of the people from that generation of HP management would recognize the company today. Nor would the former heads of Intel competitor Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE: AMD)�or long-gone Compaq or Gateway.

Best Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Wisconsin Energy Corporation (WEC)

Wisconsin Energy Corporation engages in the generation, distribution, and sale of electric energy and steam. The company also involves in the purchase, distribution, and sale of natural gas to retail customers, as well as in the transportation of customer-owned natural gas in Wisconsin. It generates electricity from coal, natural gas, wind, and hydro sources. The company offers its services under ?We Energies? name. It serves approximately 1,120,200 electric customers in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan; approximately 1,064,500 gas customers in Wisconsin; and approximately 460 steam customers in metropolitan Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition, the company invests and develops in real estate properties, including business parks and other commercial real estate projects primarily in southeastern Wisconsin. It provides electric utility service to industries, such as mining, paper, foundry, food products, and machinery production, as well as to retail chains. The c ompany was founded in 1981 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Hill]

  Our analysts share why they're keeping a close eye on Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) , Wisconsin Energy (NYSE: WEC  ) �and Coach (NYSE: COH  ) .

• [By Larry Smith]

  Wisconsin Energy (WEC) - Wisconsin Energy is the largest electric and gas company in Wisconsin with 1.1 million electric customers and 1 million gas customers. Wisconsin Energy also owns a 26% interest in American Transmission Company, a multistate, transmission only utility. WEC has been named the most reliable utility in the Midwest seven out of the last 10 years and has very high customer satisfaction. I owned WEC briefly and would be willing to own it again at a price under $38.00.

Best Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Torch Energy Royalty Trust(TRU)

Torch Energy Royalty Trust, a grantor trust, holds net profits interests, to receive payments from the working interest owners. Its working interest owners include Torch Royalty Company, Torch E&P Company, Samson Lone Star Limited Partnership, and Constellation Energy Partners LLC. The trust is entitled to receive 95% of the net proceeds attributable to oil and natural gas produced and sold from wells on the underlying properties, including Chalkley Field in Louisiana; the Robinson?s Bend Field in the Black Warrior Basin in Alabama; Cotton Valley Fields in Texas; and Austin Chalk Fields in central Texas. Torch Energy Royalty Trust was founded in 1993 and is based in Wilmington, Delaware.