Top 5 Cheap Stocks For 2014

The FDIC collects data from banks they insure. According to their latest report, bank deposits in large cities have grown 9.1%, the most in six years. In this video, David Hanson details why he thinks Citigroup stands to benefit the most from this trend. Citi has focused on 150 cities that it believes to be important to the nation's economy. It's trying to do more with less -- specifically, to do more banking operations�with less office space. With this increase in deposits, Citi, with its emphasis on large�metropolitan areas, can now deploy more capital from fewer branch offices, which should help improve earnings down the road.

Check out the video for more details.

Citigroup's stock looks tantalizingly cheap. Yet the bank's balance sheet is still in need of more repair, and there's a considerable amount of uncertainty after a shocking management shakeup. Should investors be treading carefully, or jumping on an opportunity to buy? To help figure out whether Citigroup deserves a spot on your watchlist, I invite you to read our premium research report on the bank today.�We'll fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Citigroup, and what areas that Citigroup�investors need to watch going forward.�Click here now�for instant access to our best expert's take on Citigroup.

Top 5 Cheap Stocks For 2014: Uranium Resources Inc.(URRE)

Uranium Resources, Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and mining of uranium properties, using the in situ recovery or solution mining process. It owns developed and undeveloped uranium properties in South Texas; and undeveloped uranium properties in New Mexico. The company?s primary customers include utilities who utilize nuclear power to generate electricity. Uranium Resources, Inc. was founded in 1977 and is based in Lewisville, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Since the start of the week, small cap nuclear fuel stock USEC Inc (NYSE: USU) more than doubled for investors, something that has not happened for investors in uranium stocks like Uranium Resources, Inc (NASDAQ: URRE), Denison Mines Corp (NYSEMKT: DNN), Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSEMKT: URG) and Uranerz Energy Corp (NYSEMKT: URZ). To recap: USEC Inc closed at the $6 level on Friday, but then it surged to the $15 level on Monday only to open at the $10 level on Tuesday when it ultimately closed at $12.46. So what in the world is going on with USEC Inc and is it time to revisit nuclear fuel and uranium stocks?

• [By James E. Brumley]

  You know, were it just Uranium Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ:URRE) or just Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSEMKT:URG) or just Uranerz Energy Corp. (NYSEMKT:URZ) making a decided bullish move, I might be able to dismiss it. Similarly, if URZ had only been moving higher for one or two days (or only URG or only URRE), it might be easy to not be impressed. Neither of those situations has been the actual case, however. All three stocks have been moving upward for several days now, quite a bit, on noticeably higher volume. There's something "going on", as it were, and if prior group-wide movements are any clue, it's the kind of move worth tapping into.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Well, I'll give myself an A for effort, but a C- for timing. But, I can bump that C- up to a B+ if my intuition is right as we head into the last few days of 2013 and the first few of 2014. What I'm talking about is a bullish commentary I penned back on November 26th regarding Uranerz Energy Corp. (NYSEMKT:URZ), Uranium Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ:URRE), and Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSEMKT:URG). All three stocks were perking up, and more than that, the buzz surrounding URG, URRE, and URZ was getting louder. More often than not, when the fervor and bullish action and chatter reaches the levels they had reached a month ago, an explosion is right around the corner.

Top 5 Cheap Stocks For 2014: The Travelers Companies Inc.(TRV)

The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various commercial and personal property and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Business Insurance; Financial, Professional, and International Insurance; and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment offers property and casualty products and services, such as commercial multi-peril, property, general liability, commercial auto, and workers? compensation insurance. It operates in six groups: Select Accounts, which serves small businesses; Commercial Accounts that serves mid-sized businesses; National Accounts, which serves large companies; Industry-Focused Underwriting that serves targeted industries; Target Risk Underwriting, which serves commercial businesses requiring specialized product underwriting, claims handling, and risk management services; and Special ized Distribution that offers products to customers through licensed wholesale, general, and program agents. The Financial, Professional, and International Insurance segment provides surety and financial liability coverage, which uses a credit-based underwriting process; and property and casualty products primarily in the United States., the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada. The Personal Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals. It distributes its products through independent agents, sponsoring organizations, joint marketing arrangements with other insurers, and direct marketing. The company was founded in 1853 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Thalman]

  This past week, in contrast, IBM lost 3.74%. That's still a large decline, but it represents only about 57 points of the Dow's 270-point loss. This time around, AT&T (NYSE: T  ) was the index's largest decliner, losing 4.47% this past week, but the stock represents only about 1.4% of the Dow, so it didn't play a major role in tanking the index. The next largest decliner, at 4.13%, was Travelers (NYSE: TRV  ) -- which, besides AT&T, was the only other component to lose more than 4% of its value. But, while Travelers' weight is substantially larger than AT&T, it still makes up only 4.1% of the index, ranking it as the 10th heaviest component.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]

  It would be difficult to find a significant negative for Travelers. One could argue that competition is increasing, but competition seems to be increasing in every industry due to unusual economic conditions. It’s difficult�to see the real long-term winners when times are good because everyone is winning. When times are more challenging, the true winners will remain strong. Travelers is likely to fit into that category.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Despite the Dow's overall losses, though, a few Dow stocks have posted gains. Travelers (NYSE: TRV  ) is rising after a report from Fitch Ratings noted favorable trends in earnings throughout the property and casualty insurance sector. With past-year catastrophic events having helped companies boost premiums while loss experiences more recently have become favorable, Travelers and its industry peers have seen loss ratios plunge, boosting profits. The insurance industry tends to run in cycles like this, so investors shouldn't expect Travelers to stay this profitable forever. But after a tough couple of years for the industry, it's good for insurance company investors to see conditions finally improving.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]

  Travelers provides valuable insurance products and services to an increasing number of consumers and companies. However, a recent earnings report has investors in the company feeling a bit disappointed. The stock has been on a modest rise over the last several months, but is now seeing a slight pullback. Over most of the last four quarters, investors in the company have had mixed feelings about the stock, though earnings and revenue figures have been rising. Relative to its peers and sector, Travelers has been an average year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what Travelers does this coming quarter.

Top Medical Stocks To Invest In 2014: Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc.(WEN)

The Wendy's Company operates as a quick-service hamburger company in the United States. The company, through its subsidiary, Wendy's International, Inc., operates as a franchisor of the Wendy's restaurant system. As of December 26, 2011, the Wendy's system comprised approximately 6,500 franchise and company restaurants in the United States and the United States territories, as well as in 26 other countries worldwide. The company was formerly known as Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. and changed its name to The Wendy's Company in July 2011. The Wendy's Company was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak, Senior Markets Editor, MoneyShow.com]

  It's hard for any company to raise prices in the current non-inflationary environment. But it's especially hard right now for operators of fast food restaurants, given the intense price competition in a very crowded marketplace. McDonald's sales growth in recent quarters has been driven by the success of its Dollar Menu, so raising prices in that segment are a big deal for the company. In addition, pushback from franchisees who say they can't afford to refurbish their stores, given higher charges from McDonald's hits at one of McDonald's key advantages in its market—it's ability to refresh stores more frequently than competitors. A McDonald's refresh at $600,000 on average, according to the company, costs substantially more than a remodel at Burger King (BKW) at $300,000 or Wendy's (WEN) at $375,000 for the least expensive version. McDonald's restaurants average $2.5 million in annual sales.

• [By Alyssa Oursler]

  Since Jan. 1, McDonald’s stock has climbed only 11% vs. 19% for the S&P 500 and 17% for the Dow. On top of that, fast-food rivals Wendy’s (WEN) and Burger King Worldwide (BKW) have climbed 54% and 20%, respectively, with only Yum Brands (YUM) falling behind.

Top 5 Cheap Stocks For 2014: Cloud Peak Energy Inc(CLD)

Cloud Peak Energy Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in coal mining operations in the Powder River Basin of the United States. It produces sub-bituminous steam coal with low sulfur content for electric utilities and industrial customers. The company owns and operates Antelope surface coal mine located to the south of Gillette, Wyoming; the Cordero Rojo surface coal mine located to the south of Gillette, Wyoming; and the Spring Creek surface coal mine located in Montana. It also owns a 50% interest in the Decker surface coal mine located in Montana. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 970 million tons of proven and probable reserves. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Gillette, Wyoming.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Cloud Peak Energy (CLD) has gained 3.1% to %15.03 after it was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Stifel.

  Novatris (NVS) has dropped 1.2% to $74.48 after it was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan.

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  As for specific stocks, the Goldman analysts issued five ratings changes:

  Upgrade CONSOL Energy to Buy given strong production growth at its E&P segment, improving cash flow from the coal business and potential for asset sales/restructuring to help realize its SOTP value. Downgrade Arch Coal to Sell due to high leverage, peak valuations and low free cash flow levels. Neutral Ratings on Cloud Peal Energy (CLD), Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) and Walt Energy (WLT): Goldman downgrade Cloud to a Neutral given a lower production outlook and a reduced PRB price forecast. The firm upgraded Alpha and Walt to Neutral from Sell, predicting that met coal prices have bottomed.

  Arch Coal has fallen 5.7% to day to $4.26, followed by Cloud Pearl, down 3.4% to $14.68, and a 3% drop by Walt Energy to $14.10. Alpha Natural dropped 2.8% to $6.10. And CONSOL fell 0.9% to $33.46.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Before you think the call was all positive, it is not. Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral. Industry-leading Peabody Energy Corp. (NYSE: BTU) was given a mere Neutral rating, but it does have a $20 target, versus a $17.85 close. Cloud Peak Energy Inc. (NYSE: CLD) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy and given a $15 price target, versus a $15.20 closing price.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  At the same time, there are a few glimmers of hope for the coal industry. Cloud Peak Energy's (NYSE: CLD  ) balance sheet shows some characteristics that could help it survive another rough patch for coal. It may not be a great balance sheet overall, but it's certainly better than many others in the space. Tune into the following video to get Fool.com contributors Tyler Crowe and Aimee Duffy's take on a couple other coal companies that either look like they are headed for a big fall or have stronger balance sheets to weather the storm.

Top 5 Cheap Stocks For 2014: SMTC Corporation(SMTX)

SMTC Corporation provides advanced electronics manufacturing services to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide. The company?s services include product design and engineering services, printed circuit board assembly production, enclosure fabrication, systems integration, testing, and configuration services. It also provides enclosure and precision metal fabrication, cable assembly, interconnect, and engineering design services. The company offers its integrated contract manufacturing services to OEMs and technology companies primarily in the industrial, computing and networking, communications, consumer, and medical market segments. SMTC Corporation was founded in 1985 and is based in Markham, Canada.