Top 5 Restaurant Stocks To Own For 2015

But even in conventionally valued stocks where the fundamentals have largely gone our way, it has been hard to make money on shorts. In many cases we��ve lost money. Let��s consider Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG). In recent years through the end of 2011, CMG and other upstarts in the fast-casual restaurant segment achieved substantial growth by offering consumers a higher quality menu than is typically found in fast-food chains. In contrast, Taco Bell (the largest Mexican fast-food chain) had lackluster and often negative growth. In early 2012, Taco Bell expanded its offerings to include new gourmet-style dishes as part of its Cantina Bell menu and introduced Doritos Locos Tacos. We believed that these innovations would enable Taco Bell to recapture market share from CMG. This is exactly what happened:

Notably, CMG��s comparable store sales benefit by about 2.5% per year because the company has a large number of new stores entering the comp base each year, which naturally ramp their volumes. Since Taco Bell has a mature store base, its comparable store sales don��t share that tailwind.

Top 10 Sliver Companies For 2016: Burger King Worldwide Inc (BKW)

Burger King Worldwide, Inc., incorporated on April 2, 2012, is a fast food hamburger restaurant, under the Burger King brand. The Company generates revenues from three sources: franchise revenues, consisting primarily of royalties based on a percentage of sales reported by franchise restaurants and fees paid by franchisees; property income from properties that it leases or subleases to franchisees, and retail sales at Company restaurants. In September 2012, it sold 41 Company-owned BURGER KING restaurants in Singapore to Rancak Selera Sdn Bhd. As of December 31, 2012, it owned or franchised a total of 12,997 restaurants in 86 countries and United States territories. In April 2013, it announced the sale of Burger King Restaurants of Canada (BKRC), including 94 Company owned BURGER KING restaurants in the Canada market to Redberry Investments Corp.

The Company operates in the FFHR category of the quick service restaurant (QSR), segment of the restaurant industry. In the United States, the QSR segment is the segment of the restaurant industry and has demonstrated steady growth over a long period of time. The Company launched four new menu platforms (salads, wraps, smoothies and desserts) and expanded its chicken, coffee and ancillary menu platforms. It has established a data driven marketing process, which is focused on driving restaurant sales and traffic, while targeting a broader consumer base with more inclusive messaging to reach women, parties with children and seniors.

United States and Canada (U.S. and Canada)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 7,293 franchise restaurants and 183 Company restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company refranchised 752 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, bringing the region to 98% franchised. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it also continued to implement its Four Pillars strategy to improve comparable sales growth and franchise profitability by enhancing its Menu, Marke! ting Communications, Image, and Operations.

Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 2,989 franchise restaurants and 132 Company restaurants in EMEA. While in Germany continues with 684 restaurants as of December 31, 2012, Turkey and Russia are two of its growing markets with net openings of 78 restaurants and 47 restaurants, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2012.

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 1,290 franchise and 100 Company restaurants in LAC. In 2011, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with Vinci Partners for Brazil and granted franchise and development rights to the joint venture. The Company received a minority stake and board seats in the joint venture without deploying its own capital.

Asia Pacific (APAC)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 1,007 franchise and 3 Company restaurants in APAC. As of December 31, 2012,the Company had 357 restaurants in Australia. It contributed 44 Company restaurants in China. In September 2012, the Company sold 38restaurants to Rancak Selera, the Burger King franchisee in Malaysia.

The Company competes with McDonald��s Corporation, Wendy��s Company, Carl��s Jr., Jack in the Box and Sonic.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Core Equity Research]

  The above chart shows some key valuation metrics of McDonald's as compared to some of its competitors which include Burger King Worldwide (BKW), Yum Brands (YUM) and Starbucks Corp. (SBUX). The table also shows the industry average. We see that across most of the valuation multiples, the company is undervalued and the stock price still has considerable upside potential. At the same time, the company is offering a dividend yield which remains unmatched across the company's major competitors and the overall industry.

• [By Barbara Thau]

  Nick Ut/AP Burger King's first-quarter earnings more than doubled even though revenue fell, as the fast-food chain trimmed several restaurant-related expenses. The Miami-based company had warned earlier this month that sales at established restaurants were expected to fall during the quarter, and they wound up declining 1.4 percent. That includes a 3 percent drop in the United States and Canada. Burger King Worldwide Inc. (BKW) said Friday its net income rose to $35.8 million, or 10 cents a share, in the quarter that ended March 31. That's up from $14.3 million, or 4 cents a share, in the previous year's quarter when it was still private. The company previously said adjusted earnings totaled 17 cents a share in the most recent quarter. Revenue fell about 42 percent to $327.7 million. Analysts expected $305.8 million, according to FactSet. Total restaurant expenses, which include things like food costs and payroll expenses, fell nearly 70 percent in the quarter to $108.1 million. Burger King has been undergoing a revamp since it was purchased and taken private in 2010 by 3G Capital, a private investment firm run by Brazilian billionaires. The company has been selling more restaurants to franchisees, a move that lowers overhead costs. Instead of booking sales from those restaurants, that means Burger King would collect franchise fees instead. In the first quarter, the company's restaurant revenues tumbled 69 percent to $121.1 million, but its franchise and property revenues rose 19 percent to $206.6 million. Burger King's selling, general and administrative expenses also fell about 30 percent to $66.7 million in the quarter. 3G Capital also has slashed costs, signed international expansion deals and changed the U.S. menu to appeal to a wider audience. The moves came ahead of the company's return to public trading the New York Stock Exchange last June. The company also is adjusting its strategy to focus on more menu deals, such as an offer for a $1.29 J

• [By Quantum Research]

  The Big Mac maker has 14,200 locations in the U.S. and is facing tough challenges in native stores too. The company is trying to lure customers by offering discounts and revamping outlets, but all ideas seem to be in vain. It was offering Jalapeno burgers for $2 and chicken nuggets for $5. Burger King (BKW) and Taco Bell, the two

Top 5 Restaurant Stocks To Own For 2015: Einstein Noah Restaurant Group Inc (BAGL)

Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc. (ENRGI), incorporated on October 21, 1992, is an owner/operator, franchisor and licensor of bagel specialty restaurants in the United States. ENRGI operates under the Einstein Bros. Bagels (Einstein Bros.), Noah��s New York Bagels (Noah��s) and Manhattan Bagel Company (Manhattan Bagel) brands. ENRGI operates in three business segments: the Company-owned restaurants segment, the manufacturing and commissary segment, and the franchise and license segment. The Company-owned restaurants segment includes the restaurants that it owns. The manufacturing and commissary segment produces and distributes bagel dough and other products to its Company-owned restaurants, licensees and franchisees and other third parties. The franchise and license segment earns royalties and other fees from the use of trademarks and operating systems developed for the Einstein Bros., Noah��s and Manhattan Bagel brands.

During the fiscal year ended January 1, 2013 (fiscal 2012), ENRGI acquired eight restaurants and opened an additional 15 Company-owned restaurants. It closed one Company-owned restaurant during fiscal 2012. On January 31, 2012, the Company sold a Company-owned restaurant. As of January 1, 2013, it had 816 restaurants in 39 states and in the District of Columbia. In January 2013, the Company opened an Einstein Bros. franchise in Montana. Its product offerings include fresh-baked bagels and other bakery items baked onsite, ma de-to-order breakfast and lunch sandwiches on a range of bagels, breads or wraps, gourmet soups and salads, assorted pastries, premium coffees and an assortment of snacks. Its manufacturing and independent distribution network delivers ingredients that are delivered fresh to its restaurants.

Company-owned restaurants

Einstein Bros. offers a menu that provides food for breakfast and lunch, including fresh-baked bagels and hot breakfast sandwiches, freshly prepared lunch sandwiches, cream cheese and other spreads, specia! lty coffees and teas, soups, salads and other menu offerings. Noah��s is a neighborhood-based bakery/deli restaurant that serves fresh-baked bagels, hot breakfast sandwiches, made-to-order deli-style sandwiches, cream cheese and other spreads, specialty coffees and teas, soups, salads and other menu offerings. Manhattan Bagel provides a traditional New York style boil and baked bagel. Manhattan Bagel also serves a range of grilled sandwiches, freshly made deli sandwiches, freshly prepared breakfast sandwiches, soups, and a range of other fresh-baked sweets. Similar to Einstein Bros. and Noah��s, Manhattan Bagel also features a line of fresh brewed coffees and specialty coffee/espresso beverages. During fiscal 2012, ENRGI generated approximately 90% of its total revenue from restaurant sales at its Company-owned restaurants.

Manufacturing and Commissaries

ENRGI operates a bagel dough manufacturing facility in Whittier, California and has contracts with two suppliers to produce bagel dough and sweets to the specifications. These facilities provide frozen dough, partially-baked frozen bagels and fully baked sweets for its Company-owned restaurants, franchisees and licensees. These operations provide the restaurants with food products, such as sliced meats, cheeses, and/or certain salad ingredients. It has recipes and production processes for the bagel dough, cream cheese and coffee. Frozen, or partially baked and frozen, bagel dough is shipped to all of its Company-owned, franchised and licensed restaurants where the dough is then baked onsite. Its purchases other ingredients used in the restaurants, such as meat, lettuce, tomatoes and condiments, from a select group of third party suppliers.

Franchise and Licensing

ENRGI offers Einstein Bros. franchises to qualified area developers. As of January 1, 2013, the Company was registered to offer Einstein Bros. franchises in 49 states and the District of Columbia. It also has a franchise base in the Manhatt! an Bagel ! brand. Its licensees are located primarily in colleges and universities, hospitals, airports and military bases. As of February 25, 2013, it had 28 development agreements in place for 136 total restaurants, 34 of which have already opened. During fiscal 2012, it opened 13 franchised locations and 27 licensed locations. During fiscal 2012, approximately 3% of its total revenue was generated by the Company��s franchise and license operations.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  The Q1 2014 Potbelly Corp (NASDAQ: PBPB) earnings report is scheduled for after the market closes on Tuesday, May 6th, with investors and traders alike who follow either the sandwich restaurant chain stock (which debuted last October and is down some 44% for retail investors)�or who are into potential small cap peers like Cosi Inc (NASDAQ: COSI), Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc (NASDAQ: BAGL) and Panera Bread Co (NASDAQ: PNRA) should be paying attention. Aside from the Potbelly Corp earnings report, it should be said that the Q1 2014 Panera Bread Co earnings report was last Tuesday while the�Q1 2014 Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc earnings report came last Thursday and the the Q1 2014 Cosi Inc�earnings report is likely scheduled for Monday, May 12. However, Potbelly Corp has attracted a bit of attention for its potential growth trajectory as well as its�vision to be the ��Neighborhood Sandwich Shop.��

• [By John Udovich]

  At the end of last week, small cap sandwich stock Potbelly Corp (NASDAQ: PBPB) had a delicious surge of 120% for its IPO��� meaning its probably a good idea to see whether its still worth getting in on the action plus take a look at the performance of peers�Cosi Inc (NASDAQ: COSI), Panera Bread Co (NASDAQ: PNRA) and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc (NASDAQ: BAGL) as Subway remains private. I should mention that competing with Subway in the sandwich business is a tall order as they have 40,229 restaurants in 102 countries and territories as of early September��� making them the�largest single-brand restaurant chain and the largest restaurant operator globally. However, Potbelly Corp and its peers Cosi Inc, Panera Bread Co and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group aren��t slugging it out directly with Subway.

Top 5 Restaurant Stocks To Own For 2015: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc (PLKI)

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc, formerly AFC Enterprises, Inc. incorporated on July 27, 1992, develops, operates, and franchises quick-service restaurants (QSRs or restaurants) under the trade names Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (collectively Popeyes). Within Popeyes, it manages two business segments: franchise operations and ompany-operated restaurants. Within the QSR industry, Popeyes distinguishes itself with a Louisiana style menu, which features spicy chicken, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, fried shrimp and other seafood, red beans and rice and other regional items. As of December 25, 2012, the Company operated and franchised 2,104 Popeyes restaurants in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Cayman Islands and 26 foreign countries. As of December 25, 2012, of its 1,634 domestic franchised restaurants, approximately 70% were concentrated in Texas, California, Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Georgia, Virginia and Mississippi. Of its 425 international franchised restaurants, approximately 60% were located in Korea, Canada, and Turkey. Of its 45 Company-operated restaurants, approximately 80% were concentrated in Louisiana and Tennessee. In November 2012, the Company acquired 27 restaurants in Minnesota and California.

As of December 25, 2012, the Company had 340 franchisees operating restaurants within the Popeyes system. During the fiscal year ended December 25, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Popeyes system opened 141 restaurants, which included 75 domestic and 65 international restaurants. During fiscal 2011, the Popeyes system permanently closed 75 restaurants, resulting in 66 net restaurant openings, compared to 65 net openings. As of December 25, 2012, it leased 12 restaurants and subleased 44 restaurants to franchisees. In addition, it leased three properties to unrelated third parties. Of the restaurants leased or subleased to franchisees, 29 were located in Texas and 16 were located in Georgia. On November 7, 2012,! the Company entered into a new agreement with the King Features Syndicate Division of Hearst Holdings, Inc., licensor of the Popeye the Sailorman and associated cartoon characters.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sue Chang]

  Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc. (PLKI) �is expected to report first-quarter earnings of 45 cents a share.

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  Alamy Fried chicken and waffles is a staple menu item at countless soul food and comfort food restaurants, but that's not stopping Burger King (BKW) from trying to give the meal a fast-food spin. Burger King is testing a new sandwich in the Northeast that takes the breaded chicken patty used in its Classic Crispy Chicken Sandwich from its King Deals Value Menu and replaces the bun with a split waffle. Burger King's Chicken & Waffle Sandwich isn't as hearty as the meal that it's based on. It's selling for as little as $2.29. But the chain's latest attempt to turn heads with a unique menu item will at least attract curious nibblers if it does decide to broaden the offering across the country. Waffling About Burger King isn't the first popular chain to attempt to reinvent this classic dish. As Nation's Restaurant News points out, last summer, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (PLKI) offered Chicken Waffle Tenders -- consisting of chicken tenders dipped in a vanilla maple-scented waffle batter, served with a honey maple dipping sauce. DineEquity's (DIN) IHOP did it three years ago by combining its chicken strips with Belgian waffle quarters. Yum! Brands (YUM) tried to breathe new life into its breakfast business last summer by testing a Waffle Taco -- an egg, sausage, and waffle breakfast sandwich. Even if it doesn't succeed -- and some of the early taste tests haven't been very flattering to the chain's new sandwich -- it's at least comforting to see that Burger King isn't just copying McDonald's (MCD) the way that it has for the past couple of years. Burger King followed McDonald's in offering fancy coffee drinks, fresh fruit smoothies, and popcorn chicken. It has gone on to roll out doppelgangers of the Egg McMuffin and McRib sandwiches. In November, it introduced the Big King, which any patron will quickly recognize as a body double to the Big Mac. Then again, it's not as if following McDonald's lead is such a clever idea right now. The world's largest re

Top 5 Restaurant Stocks To Own For 2015: Chanticleer Holdings Inc (HOTR)

Chanticleer Holdings, Inc., incorporated in 1999, is a business operator focused on expanding the Hooters casual dining restaurant brand in international markets. Chanticleer has rights to develop and operate Hooters restaurants in South Africa and has joint ventured with the current franchisee in Australia. The company also has franchise rights to develop Hungary and parts of Brazil while evaluating several additional opportunities internationally. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Chanticleer and a group of private equity investors acquired Hooters of America, Inc. (HOA). HOA is the franchisor and operator of over 450 Hooters restaurants in 44 states and 28 foreign countries. In October 2013, Chanticleer Holdings Inc purchased American Roadside Burgers, Inc. In December 12, 2013, Chanticleer Holdings Inc acquired a 51% interest in JF Restaurants LLC, an owner and operator of restaurants. In February 2014, it acquired Hooters' United States Pacific Northwest franchise rights and two existing restaurants in Oregon and Washington.

The Company operates in two business segments: Hooters franchise restaurants, and investment management and consulting services businesses. Hooters has also branched out to other areas, including licensing its name to a golf tour and the sale of packaged food in supermarkets. Its subsidiaries include Chanticleer Advisors, LLC, (Advisors), Avenel Ventures, LLC (Ventures), Avenel Financial Services, LLC (AFS), Chanticleer Holdings Limited (CHL), Chanticleer Holdings Australia Pty, Ltd. (CHA), Chanticleer Investment Partners, LLC (CIP), DineOut SA Ltd. (DineOut), Kiarabrite (Pty) Ltd (KPL), Dimaflo (Pty) Ltd (DFLO), Tundraspex (Pty) Ltd (TPL), Civisign (Pty) Ltd (CPL), Dimalogix (Pty) Ltd (DLOG) and Crown Restaurants Kft. (CRK).

South Africa

As of December 31, 2011, the Company had four Hooters locations in South Africa in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg (two locations), which are owned by four companies, which it control. The Com! pany formed a management company to operate the current South African Hooters locations. It owns 80% of the management company, with two members of local management owning the remaining 20%. The management company charges a management fee of 5% of net revenues to the Hooters locations in South Africa.

Other Countries

The Company has acquired development rights for Hooters in five states of Brazil, which would include Rio de Janeiro. It has applied to HOA for franchise rights in Hungary, where it own 80% of the entity the Company anticipate will hold the franchise rights and its local partner owns the remaining 20%. The Company has partnered with the Hooters franchisee in a joint venture in which it owns 49% and its partner 51%. The first Hooters restaurant under this joint venture (which would be the third Hooters restaurant open in Australia) opened in January 2012 in Campbelltown, a suburb of Sydney. It has a non-binding letter of intent with a franchisee to purchase 100% of an existing Hooters location.

Management and consulting services

The Company provides management and consulting services for small companies, which are seeking to become publicly traded. The Company also provides management and investment services for Investors LLC and Investors II, which are affiliates of the Company.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Konrad Kuhn]

  Chanticleer Holdings (HOTR), a franchisee of international Hooters restaurants, has exploded through its upside target prices; however, in our view, the stock has a long way to go, as it expands its restaurants abroad, and in the US.

Top Five Guru-Held Health Care Companies

Using the GuruFocus Aggregated Portfolio Screener you can filter results to see what companies maintain the highest amount of guru ownership. By using this screener, we filtered down to see which healthcare companies are held by the most gurus. As of the second quarter, the following five health care companies are held by the largest number of gurus.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

As of the close of the second quarter there were 42 guru owners of Johnson & Johnson. During the past quarter there were 11 gurus buying shares of JNJ and there were 25 gurus making sells of their stake in the company. These gurus maintain a combined weighting of 87.18%%.

The top three guru shareholders of Johnson & Johnson:

1. Jeremy Grantham: 23,171,691 shares, representing 0.82% of the company's shares outstanding and 5.2% of his total portfolio.
2. James Barrow: 17,156,379 shares, representing 0.61% of the company's shares outstanding and 2.5% of his total portfolio.
3. PRIMECAP Management: 13,996,087 shares, representing 0.5% of the company's shares outstanding and 1.7% of the fund's total assets managed.

Johnson & Johnson is engaged in the research and development, manufacture and sale of a range of products in the health care field. It is a holding company, which has more than 250 operating companies conducting business in virtually all countries of the world.

Johnson & Johnson's historical revenue and net income:

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The company recently announced that they product STELARA received FDA approval to treat active psoriatic arthritis.

The analysis on Johnson & Johnson reports:

· The operating margin is expanding.
· It has issued $3.3 billion of debt over the past three years.
· The price is nearing a 10-year high.
· JNJ has shown predictable revenue and earnings growth.
· The dividend yield is nearing a three-year low.

The Peter Lynch Chart sug! gests that the company is currently overvalued:

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Johnson & Johnson has a market cap of $249.09 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $88.39 with a P/E ratio of 19.60, a P/S ratio of 3.60 and a P/B ratio of 3.60. Johnson & Johnson had an annual average earnings growth of 6.3% over the past 10 years.

GuruFocus rated JNJ the business predictability rank of 3-star.

Pfizer (PFE)

As of the close of the second quarter there were 32 guru owners of Pfizer. During the past quarter there were nine gurus buying shares of PFE and there were 27 gurus making sells of their stake in the company. These gurus maintain a combined weighting of 46.82%.

The top three guru shareholders of Pfizer:

1. Dodge & Cox: 69,191,798 shares, representing 1.03% of the company's shares outstanding and 2.3% of their total portfolio.
2. James Barrow: 60,830,964 shares, representing 0.92% of the company's shares outstanding and 2.9% of his total portfolio.
3. Jeremy Grantham: 58,022,697 shares, representing 0.88% of the company's shares outstanding and 4.2% of his total portfolio.

Pfizer is a global pharmaceutical firm which develops and produces medicines and vaccines for a range of conditions which include areas of immunology, inflammation, oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neuroscience and pain.

Pfizer's historical revenue and net income:

[ Enlarge Image ]

The company's most recent quarterly results reported:

· Revenues of $13 billion and adjusted EPS of $0.56 and reported diluted EPS of $1.98.
· Repurchased $3.3 billion and $8.7 billion of common stock in Q2 and year-to-date, respectively.
· Accepted 405.1 million shares of common stock in exchange for remaining Zoetis interest.
· Announced plan to create separate, internal, global innovative and valu! e busines! ses.

The analysis on Pfizer reports that the company's revenue has been in decline over the past year, its price is nearing a five-year high and its operating margin is expanding.

The Peter Lynch Chart suggests that the company is currently undervalued:

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Pfizer has a market cap of $191.06 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $28.86 with a P/E ratio of 19.10, a P/S ratio of 3.70 and a P/B ratio of 2.40. The company had an annual average earnings growth of 4.9% over the past 10 years.

Pfizer has the business predictability rank of 3-star.

Merck & Co (MRK)

As of the close of the second quarter there were 32 guru owners of Merck & Co. During the past quarter there were 15 gurus buying shares of MRK and there were 14 gurus making sells of their stake in the company. These gurus maintain a combined weighting of 36.38%.

The top three guru shareholders of Merck & Co:

1. Dodge & Cox: 50,697,146 shares, representing 1.73% of the company's shares outstanding and 2.8% of their total portfolio.
2. Vanguard Health Care Fund: 35,919,648 shares, representing 1.23% of the company's shares outstanding and 6.1% of the fund's total assets managed.
3. James Barrow: 29,318,754 shares, representing 1% of the company's shares outstanding and 2.3% of his total portfolio.

Merck & Co is a global health care company that delivers innovative health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products, which it markets directly and through its joint ventures.

Merck's historical revenue and net income:

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The company recently entered a license agreement with AstraZeneca for the investigational Oral WEE1 Kinase Inhibitor therapy for cancer. Merck was also recently named one of the top 100 ! companies! to work for by working mothers.

The analysis on Merck reports that the company's revenue has been in decline over the past year, the price is near a five-year high and that the company has issued $10.1 billion of debt in the past three years.

The Peter Lynch Chart suggests that Merck is currently overvalued:

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Merck & Co has a market cap of $139.73 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $47.75 with a P/E ratio of 28.30, a P/S ratio of 3.30 and a P/B ratio of 3.00. The company had an annual average earnings growth of 1.9% over the past 10 years.

UnitedHealth Group (UNH)

As of the close of the second quarter there were 27 guru owners of UnitedHealth Group. During the past quarter there were 14 gurus buying shares of UNH and there were 15 gurus making sells of their stake in the company. These gurus maintain a combined weighting of 34.35%.

The top three guru shareholders of UnitedHealth Group:

1. Vanguard Health Care Fund: 19,960,200 shares, representing 1.96% of the company's shares outstanding and 4.8% of the fund's total assets managed.
2. Chris Davis: 14,750,586 shares, representing 1.45% of the company's shares outstanding and 2.5% of his total portfolio.
3. Meryl Witmer: 10,971,511 shares, representing 1.08% of the company's shares outstanding and 3.8% of her total portfolio.

UnitedHealth is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making health care work better. UnitedHealthcare, through UnitedHealthcare and Optum, serve more than 80 million worldwide.

UnitedHealth's historical revenue and net income:

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The company's third quarter results are set to be released on Oct. 17. The company was also named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America and World Indices for ! the 15th ! year in a row.

The analysis on UnitedHealth reports that the company's price is nearing a 10-year high, its revenue and earnings growth are consistently growing and its has also issued $5.4 billion over the past three years.

The Peter Lynch Chart suggests that the company is currently undervalued:

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UnitedHealth has a market cap of $73.75 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $72.45 with a P/E ratio of 13.80, a P/S ratio of 0.60 and a P/B ratio of 2.30. The company had an annual average earnings growth of 13.7% over the past ten years.

GuruFocus rated UnitedHealth the business predictability rank of 3.5-star.

Baxter International (BAX)

As of the close of the second quarter there were 27 guru owners of Baxter International. During the past quarter there were 9 gurus buying shares of BAX and there were 11 gurus making sells of their stake in the company. These gurus maintain a combined weighting of 20.48%.

The top three guru shareholders of Baxter International:

1. James Barrow: 3,550,586 shares, representing 0.65% of the company's shares outstanding and 0.41% of his total portfolio.
2. Vanguard Health Care Fund: 3,179,300 shares, representing 0.59% of the company's shares outstanding and 0.81% of the fund's total assets managed
3. Tweedy Browne: 2,607,066 shares, representing 0.48% of the company's shares outstanding and 4.5% of the fund's total portfolio.

Baxter International is a diversified healthcare company. Through its subsidiaries, it develops, manufactures and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people with hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma, and other chronic and acute medical conditions.

Baxter's historical revenue and net income:

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The analysis on Baxte! r reports! that the company has shown predictable revenue and earnings growth, its price is nearing a 10-year high, the dividend yield is at a 10-year high and the company has issued $4.5 billion of debt over the past three years.

The Peter Lynch Chart suggests that the company is currently overvalued:

[ Enlarge Image ]

Baxter International has a market cap of $38.67 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $71.25 with a P/E ratio of 17.70, a P/S ratio of 2.80 and a P/B ratio of 5.30. The company had an annual average earnings growth of 11.4% over the past 10 years.

GuruFocus rated Baxter International the business predictability rank of 4.5-star.

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Top 5 Consumer Service Companies To Buy For 2016

Top 5 Consumer Service Companies To Buy For 2016: Xueda Education Group(XUE)

Xueda Education Group provides tutoring services for primary and secondary school students in the People?s Republic of China with a focus on offering personalized tutoring services. Its services include consultation and assessment, formulation of a customized study plan, personalized tutoring, and delivery of supporting services. The company also provides course offerings that cover various academic subjects taught in primary and secondary schools, such as mathematics, English, physics, Chinese, and chemistry; and self-designed courses beyond the standard curriculum in certain subjects, as well as in subjects not taught at public primary and secondary schools. As of December 31, 2010, its tutoring service network comprised 207 learning centers and approximately 9,650 full-time service professionals, serving customers located in 53 economically developed cities across 27 of China?s 31 provinces and municipalities. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Beij ing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  In trading on Friday, non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.09 percent. Among the leading sector stocks, gains came from Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD) and Xueda Education Group (NYSE: XUE). Financial sector was the leading decliner in the US market today.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares fell 0.45 percent on Tuesday. Top losers in the sector included Diamond Foods (NASDAQ: DMND), down 3.4 percent, and Xueda Education Group (NYSE: XUE), off 2.6 percent.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-5-consumer-service-companies-to-buy-for-2016.html

Top 10 Freight Stocks To Buy Right Now

Top 10 Freight Stocks To Buy Right Now: Hub Group Inc (HUBG)

Hub Group, Inc., incorporated on March 8, 1995, is an asset-light freight transportation management companies. The Company offers intermodal, truck brokerage and logistics services. The Company operates distinct business segments: Mode, which includes the acquired Mode business acquired by the Company on April 1, 2011, and Hub, which is all business other than Mode. Both segments offer intermodal, truck brokerage and logistics services. Hub operates through a network of operating centers throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Hub services a diversified customer base in a broad range of industries, including consumer products, retail and durable goods. Mode markets and operates its freight transportation services primarily through its network of independent business owners (IBOs) who enter into contracts with Mode. Mode's company managed operation includes a business arranging for the transportation of raw materials and finished products for a food producer and, t o a lesser extent, other highway brokerage, intermodal and logistics operations.

Intermodal

As an intermodal marketing company (IMC), the Company arranges for the movement of its customers freight in containers and trailers, typically over long distances of 750 miles or more. The Company contracts with railroads to provide transportation for the long-haul portions of the shipment and with local trucking companies, known as drayage companies, for pickup and delivery. As part of the Company's intermodal services, the Company negotiates rail and drayage rates, electronically tracks shipments in transit, consolidate billing and handle claims for freight loss or damage on behalf of its customers.

The Company uses its network to access containers and trailers owned by leasing companies, railroads and steamship lines. The Company is able to tra! ck trailers and containers entering a service area and reuses that equipment to fulfill the customer s' outbound shipping requirements. As of December 31, 2012, ! Hub had access to approximately 9,111 rail-owned containers for the Company's dedicated use on the Union Pacific (UP) and the Norfolk Southern (NS) rails. In addition to these rail-owned containers, as of December 31, 2012, the Company had a total of 14,756 53-inch private containers for use on the UP and NS. The Company financed 6,167 of these containers with operating leases and the Company owns 8,589 containers.

As of December 31, 2012, approximately 66% of the Company's drayage needs were met by its subsidiary, Comtrak Logistics, Inc. (Comtrak), which assists its customers. Comtrak has terminals in Atlanta, Birmingham, Charleston, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus (OH), Dallas, Harrisburg, Huntsville, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Memphis, Nashville, Newark, Los Angeles, Perry (FL), Philadelphia, Savannah, Seattle, St. Louis, Stockton, and Titusville (FL). As of December 31, 2012, Comtrak owned 260 tractors, leased or owned 448 trailers, employed 296 drivers and contracted with 2,178 owner-operators.

Truck Brokerage (Highway Services)

The Company is a truck broker in the United States. As part of the truck brokerage services, the Company negotiates rates , track shipments in transit and handle claims for freights loss and damage on behalf of its customers.

Logistics and Other Services

Hub's logistics business operates under the name of Unyson Logistics. Unyson Logistics consists of a network of logistics professionals dedicated to developing, implementing and operating customized logistics solutions. Unyson offers a range of transportation management services and technology solutions, including shipment optimization, load consolidation, mode selection, carrier management, load planning and execution and Web-based shipment visibilit! y. Unyson! Logistics operates throughout North America, providing operations through its main operating loca tion in St. Louis with additional support locations in Bosto! n, Chicag! o, Cleveland and Minneapolis. Certain Mode agents provide logistics services. The Company's multi-modal transportation capabilities through both the Hub and Mode segments include small parcel, heavyweight, expedited, less-than-truckload, truckload, intermodal and railcar.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By cody56]

  During the third quarters these holdering were the worse performers for Diamond Hill Small Cap Fund. Rosseta Resources Inc. (ROSE) , TriMas Corp. (TRS) , Tenneco Inc. (TEN) , Popular Inc. (BPOP) and Hub Group (HUBG).

• [By Vera Yuan]

  •Freight transportation management company Hub Group, Inc. (HUBG) rose as investors began to focus on margin improvement opportunities due to indications of improving intermodal pricing as well as company-specific cost improvement initiatives.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Hub Group (NASDAQ: HUBG) surged 3.13% to $44.20. The volume of Hub Group shares traded was 388% higher than normal. Hub Group reported its Q1 earnings of $0.33 per share on revenue of $848.40 million. Longbow Research upgraded Hub Group from Neutral to Buy.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-freight-stocks-to-buy-right-now-3.html

Top Small Cap Stocks To Watch For 2016

Top Small Cap Stocks To Watch For 2016: Sky-mobi Limited(MOBI)

Sky-mobi Limited engages in the operation of a mobile application store in the People?s Republic of China. It works with handset companies to pre-install its Maopao mobile application store on handsets and with content developers to provide users with applications and content titles. The users of its Maopao store could browse, download, and purchase a range of applications and content, such as single-player games, mobile music, and books. The company?s Maopao store enables mobile applications and content to be downloaded and run on various mobile handsets with hardware and operating system configurations. It also operates a mobile social network community, the Maopao Community, where it offers localized mobile social games, as well as applications and content with social network functions to its registered members. The company owns proprietary mobile application technology in the cloud computing, the MRP format, and SDK development environment. As of March 31, 2011, it had entered into cooperation agreements with approximately 523 handset companies to pre-install Maopao. The company was formerly known as Profit Star Limited and changed its name to Sky-Mobi Limited in October 2010. Sky-mobi Limited was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Hangzhou, China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Sky-mobi (NASDAQ: MOBI) is projected to report its Q2 results.

  Perfect World Co (NASDAQ: PWRD) is estimated to post its Q2 earnings at $0.41 per share on revenue of $150.56 million.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another stock that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Sky-mobi (MOBI), which, through its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of a mobile application platform embedded on mobile phones to provide mobile application store and services in the Peopl! e's Republic of China. This stock has been red hot so far in 2013, with shares up a whopping 88%.

  If you look at the chart for Sky-mobi, you'll notice that this stock recently formed a triple bottom chart pattern at $3.31, $3.28 and $3.40 a share. That bottoming pattern occurred over the last two months. Shares of MOBI have now started to uptrend and flirt with its 50-day moving average of $3.76 a share. That move is quickly pushing MOBI within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MOBI if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.71 to $3.83 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 145,934 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then MOBI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $4.96 a share. Any high-volume move above that level will then give MOBI a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $5.55 to $6.13 a share.

  Traders can look to buy MOBI off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $3.40 to $3.28 a share. One can also buy MOBI off strength once it takes out that breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-small-cap-stocks-to-watch-for-2016.html

Top Trucking Stocks To Watch Right Now

Top Trucking Stocks To Watch Right Now: First Financial Bancorp.(FFBC)

First Financial Bancorp. operates as the holding company for First Financial Bank, National Association that provides commercial banking, and other banking and banking-related services. The company accepts various deposit products that include interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing deposit accounts, time deposits, and cash management services for commercial customers. It also offers various lending products, including residential real estate loans; commercial real estate loans; commercial loans for various business purposes; home equity lines of credit; and consumer loans, such as vehicle loans, second mortgages on residential real estate, and unsecured loans. In addition, the company provides trust services, brokerage, investment, and other related services. As of June 3, 2011, it operated 102 banking centers in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By , DividendChannel.com]

  Looking at the universe of stocks we cover at Dividend Channel, on May 28, First Financial Bancorp (FFBC), Goldman Sachs (GS) and M & T Bank Corp. (MTB) will all trade ex-dividend for their respective upcoming dividends. First Financial Bancorp will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.15 on July 1, Goldman Sachs will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.55 on June 27 and M & T Bank will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.70 on June 30.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-trucking-stocks-to-watch-right-now-3.html

10 Best Biotech Stocks To Invest In 2016

10 Best Biotech Stocks To Invest In 2016: Regulus Therapeutics Inc (RGLS)

Regulus Therapeutics Inc., incorporated on September 5, 2007, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing microRNAs to treat a range of diseases. microRNAs are naturally occurring ribonucleic acid (RNA), molecules that play a critical role in regulating key biological pathways. The Company uses its microRNA product platform to develop chemically modified, single-stranded oligonucleotides that the Company calls anti-miRs. As of December 31, 2012, the Company's operations included acquiring and in-licensing intellectual property rights, developing its microRNA, undertaking basic research around microRNA targets and conducting preclinical studies for its initial programs.

The Company is developing RG-101 for the treatment of HCV and is advancing other microRNA therapeutics toward clinical development in several areas, including oncology, fibrosis and metabolic diseases. The Company intends to focus its resources on product opportunitie s in therapeutic areas where development and commercialization activities are appropriate for its size and financial resources, which the Company anticipates will include niche indications and orphan diseases.

The Company competes with Groove Biopharma, Inc., miRagen Therapeutics, Inc., Mirna Therapeutics, Inc., and Santaris Pharma A/S.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  sixflags.com Plenty of stocks go up and down in any given week. The gainers inspire us to keep investing. The decliners keep greed in check while reminding us about the risks of the equity markets. Let's go over some of last week's best and worst performers. Regulus Therapeutics (RGLS) -- Up 161 percent last week Last week's biggest winner was a biotech upstart that got welcome news on a potential hepatitis C treatment. Regulus Therapeut! ics is showing that patients receiving a single injection of its drug are reporting lower viral loads a month later. There are still plenty of regulatory hurdles to clear, but it's certainly encouraging. Select Comfort (SCSS) -- Up 21 percent last week Shares of Select Comfort moved higher after it announced blowout quarterly results. The company behind the Sleep Number air-chambered mattresses saw net sales and earnings per share climb 23 percent and 22 percent, respectively. Select Comfort's strong performance was fueled by an impressive 16 percent spike in comparable-store sales. The favorable momentum is going to linger: Select Comfort is boosting its guidance for the entire year. Six Flags (SIX) -- Up 16 percent last week It was a summer of thrills at Six Flags. Shares of the regional amusement park operator rose like a coaster on a chain lift after it announced better-than-expected revenue growth. Revenue increased 7 percent on a combination of a slight uptick in attendance, higher admission prices, and guests spending more once inside the park. The report was encouraging enough for Six Flags to boost its dividend. The stock is now yielding a hearty 5.3 percent. Boulder Brands (BDBD) -- Down 31 percent last week Shares of Boulder Brands lost nearly a third of their value after the food company behind Smart Balance buttery spreads and EVOL frozen entrees warned of a soft holiday quarter. It now foresees net sales of $132 million to $137 million for the fourth quarter. We would be looking at a sequential dip from

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Regulus Therapeutics (NASDAQ: RGLS  ) , a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapies utilizing its proprietary microRNA product platform, saw its shares skyrocket as much as 127% at one point today after announcing the interim results for its human proof-of-concept trial for its early stage hepatitis C drug RG-101.

• [By Sean Williams]

  A blast to the past
  It's occas! ionally v! ery difficult to value biotech stocks, because of the wide range of outcomes possible given their pipelines. Other times, as in the case with Regulus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RGLS  ) , I bang my head against a table and wonder what the heck investors are thinking.

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Partners like this investment idea
  When Regulus Therapeutics (NASDAQ: RGLS  ) went public last year, investors weren't the only ones buying the share offering; Regulus' partners and founders clearly thought it was a good investment idea, because they bought more shares. Lots of them. AstraZeneca, Biogen Idec, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline and Isis combined to purchase more than 70% of the shares that raised nearly $81 million for the biotech.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/10-best-biotech-stocks-to-invest-in-2016-2.html

Hot Retail Companies To Invest In 2015

By Jeff Bailey

It�� not every day that a New York Stock Exchange-listed company has its very reason for being questioned in the New York Times, but that�� what happened to GNC Holdings GNC Holdings, the supplements and vitamins retailer.

In the Times weekly Science section, the paper reported on an editorial in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, which was headlined rather unambiguously, ��nough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements.��/p>

The Times summed up the article thusly:

��he message is simple,��the editorial continued. ��ost supplements do not prevent chronic disease or death, their use is not justified, and they should be avoided.��/p>

��e have so much information from so many studies,��Dr. Cynthia Mulrow, senior deputy editor of Annals of Internal Medicine and an author of the editorial, said in an interview. ��e don�� need a lot more evidence to put this to bed.��/p>

Top Construction Stocks For 2016: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)

McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Andr茅s Cardenal]

  The war for breakfast is getting hotter than ever, with big fast-food companies such as Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM  ) , McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) , and Burger King (NYSE: BKW  ) intensifying their competitive pressure in that lucrative niche. On the other hand, at the higher end of the pricing spectrum, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX  ) could be a clear winner in that competition thanks to its differentiated quality and successful menu innovations.

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Analysts at Citigroup maintained a Neutral rating on McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) with a price target lowered to $103 from a previous $106. Shares gained 0.14 percent, closing at $95.95.

• [By Patrick M. Sheridan]

  The fight for higher wages has been a recent theme across the retail and fast-food industries. McDonald's (MCD) workers and union organizers have staged strikes, even taking protests to the annual shareholder meeting last month.

Hot Retail Companies To Invest In 2015: J.C. Penney Company Inc. Holding Company(JCP)

J. C. Penney Company, Inc., through its subsidiary, J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc., operates department stores in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company sells family apparel and footwear, accessories, fine and fashion jewelry, beauty products, and home furnishings. It also provides various services, such as styling salon, optical, portrait photography, and custom decorating. The company also sells its products through its Internet Web site, jcp.com. J. C. Penney Company, Inc. has strategic alliance with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. As of December 7, 2011, it operated approximately 1,100 department stores. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in Plano, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  The combination of the two retailers will create the fourth largest retailer of menswear, behind department-store chains Macy's (NYSE: M  ) , Kohl's (NYSE: KSS  ) , and�J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP  ) with�1,700 stores, 23,000 employees, and pro forma sales of $3.5 billion. Yet Men's Wearhouse has rightly said it's not going to rebrand Bank's stores in recognition of the two companies' separate customer bases and different corporate cultures.

• [By Will Ashworth]

  However, the reports of JCPenney�� (JCP) death have been greatly exaggerated.

  JCP stock finished Friday up roughly 13% on very heavy trading after reporting anything but mediocre Q1 earnings. In the conference call, Ullman let investors know the first two phases of its turnaround plan were complete. It�� now moving into the third phase, which involves returning JCPenney to long-term profitability.

• [By Jason Hall]

  J.C. Penney� (NYSE: JCP  ) potentially destroyed huge amounts of shareholder wealth last week with a 44% dilution of shareholders in what could be management's last chance to return the company to relevance with close to $1 billion in new cash. Just a few weeks prior,�Clean Energy Fuels� (NASDAQ: CLNE  ) issued $220 million in convertible notes, paying 5.25% interest to bondholders while also seeing CEO Andrew Littlefair buy almost $1.5 million in shares.�

• [By Matt Brownell]

  Getty ImagesStarbucks Chairman Howard Schultz (left) and William "Bill" Ackman, founder and chief executive officer of Pershing Square Capital Management. Oh, you thought everything would get back to normal at J.C. Penney (JCP) once Ron Johnson was gone? Just four months after Johnson was ousted as CEO, the struggling retailer once again finds itself embroiled in a leadership controversy. Activist investor Bill Ackman, who was responsible for bringing on Johnson in the first place, is now making noise about replacing current CEO Myron Ullman. Ullman had preceded Johnson as CEO, and was brought back by the board in April to stabilize things after Johnson's disastrous reign. Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management represents one of the company's biggest investors, and despite the failure of his last hand-picked chief executive, Ackman hasn't hesitated to throw his weight around. Last week, he sent a letter to the board urging it to speed up it search for a new CEO; the board fired back, calling his efforts "disruptive and counterproductive" and calling Ullman "the right person to rebuild J.C. Penney." Ackman is also pushing for Allen Questrom, another former CEO, to replace Tom Engibous as chairman of the board. Ackman's efforts to undermine the current leadership have drawn sharp rebukes from outside the company. Most notably, Starbucks (SBUX) CEO Howard Schultz jumped into the fray late last week, blasting Ackman for trying to oust Ullman. "It is despicable of Ackman to leak a letter asking for [Ullman's] removal," he told the Wall Street Journal. "The irony is that Ackman himself has every step of the way severely damaged this company." Schultz also told CNBC that he thought the board should move to remove Ackman. Schultz isn't the only one weighing in on the controversy. Bloomberg reports that George Soros -- who owns a sizable stake in the company -- likewise told J.C. Penney that he supports Ullman and Engibous. But Ackman isn't without allies: Rich

Hot Retail Companies To Invest In 2015: Office Depot Inc.(ODP)

Office Depot, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies office products and services. Its North American Retail division sells an assortment of merchandise, such as general office supplies, computer supplies, business machines and related supplies, and office furniture under various labels, including Office Depot, Viking Office Products, Foray, Ativa, Break Escapes, Niceday, and Worklife through its chain of office supply stores. It also provides printing, reproduction, mailing, shipping, and other services, as well as personal computer support and network installation service. As of December 25, 2010, this division operated 1,147 office supply stores in the United States and Canada. The company?s North American Business Solutions division sells nationally branded and private brand office supplies, technology products, furniture, and services to small- to medium-sized customers through a dedicated sales force, catalogs, and Internet. Its International division sells o ffice products and services through direct mail catalogs, contract sales forces, Internet sites, and retail stores using a mix of company-owned operations, joint ventures, licensing and franchise agreements, alliances, and other arrangements. As of December 25, 2010, it sold its office products to customers in 53 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. This division operated, through wholly-owned or majority-owned entities, 97 retail stores in France, Hungary, South Korea, and Sweden; and participates under licensing and merchandise arrangements in South Korea, Thailand, India, Israel, Japan, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Richard Drew/AP BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Office Depot is planning to close at least 400 U.S. stores, as its merger with OfficeMax resulted in an overlap of retail locations that can be consolidated. The combined company's financial results beat Wall Street estimates for the January-March quarter and it raised its full year forecast for operating income Tuesday. Office Depot (ODP) shares jumped 17 percent in morning trading. The office supply retailer had 1,900 stores in the U.S. at the end of the first quarter, so the plans call for closing about 21 percent of them. Office Depot and OfficeMax Inc. completed their $1.2 billion deal last November. Office Depot said it hasn't quantified the number of jobs that will be affected by the store closures but that it will look to place its best talent impacted by the store closings into new roles, wherever possible. Chairman and CEO Roland Smith said in a statement that one of the company's goals this year was to improve how its stores are positioned in North America to meet customer demand better and ensure that it's well positioned in the markets it serves. "The overlapping retail footprint resulting from the merger provides us with a unique opportunity to consolidate and optimize our store portfolio, while maintaining the retail presence necessary to serve our customer," Smith said. Office Depot said Tuesday that it expects to close 150 U.S. stores this year, mostly in the fourth quarter. It closed 14 stores in the first quarter, a company spokeswoman said. All of the store closures are anticipated to occur by the end of 2016. The store closings are expected to result in at least $75 million in annual savings by 2016's end and add to earnings starting next year. Office Depot, which is based in Boca Raton, Florida, said that it's still trying to determine expected working capital savings and costs related to the store closings. The company also reported its first-quarter financial results Tuesday, which includ

• [By Charley Blaine]

  Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) wasn�� the only stock hit by its admission that deep discounting failed to boost holiday sales. Investors dumped Best Buy shares heavily in response, and they drove down shares of Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS) and Office Depot, Inc. (NYSE: ODP) as well. Neither has shown anything along the lines of Best Buy’s holiday disappointment, but investors are shooting them as well.

• [By Amanda Alix]

  Last Friday saw Target and a slew of others,�such as JCPenney (NYSE: JCP  ) and Office Depot (NYSE: ODP  ) , file their own lawsuits, citing the same complaints as the Walmart crew. In response, Visa and MasterCard have sued right back, requesting a judge to rule in favor of the card issuers' fee structure and implementation practices.

Hot Retail Companies To Invest In 2015: Pier 1 Imports Inc (PIR)

Pier 1 Imports, Inc. (Pier 1 Imports), incorporated in April 30, 1986, is a global importer of imported decorative home furnishings and gifts. As of March 2, 2013, the Company had 1,062 stores in the United States and Canada. During the fiscal year ended March 2, 2013 (fiscal 2013), the Company opened 22 new Pier 1 Imports stores and closed 12 stores. The Company operates regional distribution center facilities in or near Baltimore, Maryland; Columbus, Ohio; Fort Worth, Texas; Ontario, California; Savannah, Georgia, and Tacoma, Washington. The specialty retail operations of the Company consist of retail stores and e-Commerce operations conducting business under the name Pier 1 Imports, which sell a range of furniture, decorative home furnishings, dining and kitchen goods, candles, gifts and other specialty items for the home.

As of March 2, 2013, the Company operated 982 Pier 1 Imports stores in the United States and 80 Pier 1 Imports stores in Canada. During fiscal 2013, the Company supplied merchandise and licensed the Pier 1 Imports name to Grupo Sanborns, which sold Pier 1 Imports merchandise primarily in a store within a store format in 49 Sears Mexico stores and one store in El Salvador. The stores consist of freestanding units located near shopping centers or malls and in-line positions in major shopping centers. Pier 1 Imports operates in all major United States metropolitan areas and many of the primary smaller markets.

Decorative Accessories

This merchandise group constitutes the range of category of merchandise in Pier 1 Imports��sales mix. These items are imported primarily from Asian and European countries, as well as some domestic sources. This merchandise group includes decorative accents, lamps, vases, dried and artificial flowers, baskets, ceramics, dinnerware, bath and fragrance products, candles, seasonal and gift items.

Furniture

This merchandise group consists of furniture and furniture cushions to be used in livin! g, dining, office, kitchen and bedroom areas, sunrooms and on patios. Also included in this group are wall decorations and mirrors. These goods are imported from a variety of countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brazil, Thailand, China, the Philippines, India and Indonesia, and are also obtained from domestic sources. This merchandise group is made of metal or handcrafted natural materials, including rattan, pine, beech, rubberwood and selected hardwoods with either natural, stained, painted or upholstered finishes.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Friday’s session are Deckers Outdoor Corp.(DECK), KBR Inc.(KBR) and Pier 1 Imports Inc.(PIR)

• [By Peter Graham]

  The Q1 2014�earning report for furniture retailer Williams-Sonoma, Inc (NYSE: WSM), a peer of stocks like Bed Bath & Beyond Inc (NASDAQ: BBBY), Pier 1 Imports Inc (NYSE: PIR) and Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc (NYSE: RH), is scheduled for after the market closes on�Wednesday. Aside from the Williams-Sonoma's earnings report, it should be said that Bed Bath & Beyond Inc reported Q4 2013 earnings on April 9 and will report Q1 2014 earnings on June 23rd; Pier 1 Imports Inc reported Q4 2014 earnings on April 10 and will report Q1 2014 earnings around June 16th; and Restoration Hardware Holdings reported Q4 2013 earnings on March 27 and will report Q1 2014 earnings on June 2nd. However and unlike many other retailers,�Williams-Sonoma is going into the first quarter after having a great holiday season.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) were down 12.33 percent to $20.45 after the company reported weak December sales and lowered its outlook.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) were down 11.84 percent to $20.56 after the company reported weak December sales and lowered its outlook.

Hot Retail Companies To Invest In 2015: Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc (SHOS)

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. (SHO), incorporated on April 23, 2012, is a retailer primarily focused on selling home appliances, hardware, tools and lawn and garden equipment. As of April 28, 2012, the Company and its dealers and franchisees operated 1,238 stores across all 50 states and Puerto Rico, Guam and Bermuda. The Company also provides its customers with a range of services, including home delivery and installation and product protection agreements. SHO operates in two segments: the Sears Hometown and Hardware segment and the Sears Outlet segment.

Sears Hometown

Sears Hometown and Hardware segment�� stores are designed to provide its customers with in-store and online access to a range selection of brands of home appliances, tools, lawn and garden equipment, sporting goods, consumer electronics and household goods, depending on the particular store. Its Sears Outlet stores are designed to provide its customers with in-store and online access to purchase new, one-of-a-kind, out-of-carton, discontinued, obsolete, used, reconditioned, overstocked and scratched and dented products, collectively, outlet-value products, including home appliances, lawn and garden equipment, apparel, mattresses, televisions, sporting goods and tools.

As of April 28, 2012, the Sears Hometown and Hardware segment consisted of 944 Sears Hometown Stores, 96 Sears Hardware Stores and 76 Sears Home Appliance Showrooms. The 944 Sears Hometown Stores are primarily independently owned stores, predominantly located in smaller communities and offering appliances, consumer electronics, lawn and garden equipment, and hardware. Hometown Stores carry y Sears brand products, such as Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard, as well as other brands. 96 Sears Hardware Stores are hardware stores that carry Craftsman brand tools and lawn and garden equipment, DieHard brand batteries and other national brands and other home improvement products. 93 of these locations also offer a selection of Kenm! ore and other national brands of home appliances.

Sears Hometown and Hardware business operates through three formats: Sears Hometown Stores (Hometown Stores), Sears Hardware Stores (Hardware Stores), and Sears Home Appliance Showrooms (Home Appliance Showrooms). Hometown Stores offer products and services across a range of merchandise categories, including home appliances, consumer electronics, lawn and garden equipment, sporting goods, tools and household goods. Most of its Hometown Stores carry Sears brand products, such as Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard, as well as other national brands. Its Hardware Stores offer products and services across a range of merchandise categories and sales are primarily driven by tools, lawn and garden equipment, home appliances, and other home improvement products. In addition, these stores offer blade sharpening, key cutting and screen repair, as well as products typically found in local hardware stores, such as fasteners, electrical supplies and plumbing supplies. These stores carry Craftsman brand tools and lawn and garden equipment, DieHard brand batteries and a range of national brands and other home improvement products. Its Home Appliance Showrooms offer home appliances and related services in stores primarily located in strip malls and lifestyle centers of metropolitan areas. Home Appliance Showroom sales are primarily driven by big-ticket cooking, laundry and refrigeration home appliances, as well as, in certain stores, mattresses. These stores carry Kenmore and other national brands of home appliances. As of April 28, 2012, out of 76 Home Appliance Showrooms in 19 states, 44 of these stores are owned and operated by franchisees, 30 stores are owned and operated by the Company and two are owned and operated by independent dealers.

Sears Outlet

As of April 28, 2012, the Sears Outlet segment consisted of 122 Sears Outlet Stores. The Company�� Sears Outlet stores provide in-store and online access to purchase outlet-value ! products ! across a range of merchandise categories, including home appliances, consumer electronics, lawn and garden equipment, apparel, sporting goods, tools, and household goods.

The Company competes with Sears Holdings, The Home Depot, Best Buy, Lowe�� and Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware, True Value, HH Gregg and US Appliances.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James Brumley]

  The folks who originally said Eddie Lampert — hedge fund manager, major SHLD shareholder, and now acting Sears CEO — was mostly viewing Sears Holdings as a real estate play have since been vindicated. In addition to the spinoff of Orchard Supply Hardware (OSHWQ) in 2011 and last year’s spinoff of the relatively successful Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores (SHOS), Lampert is now finally getting serious about shedding SHLD department store units. Last year he sold or closed 46 of the company’s 1,300 or so full-line mall stores, vs. letting go of less than 10 in any year since he became a major shareholder back in 2006.

Top Paper Companies To Watch In Right Now

Despite the fact that many investors are currently playing a waiting game in regards to the price of gold, MoneyShow's Jim Jubak, also of Jubak's Picks, still feels it's the right time to examine some golden differences.

It's early in the transition of gold mining companies to lower the price of gold, but I think we can already stake out a few of the important differences among the mining companies.

On this scorecard, I think Yamana Gold (AUY) is a good example of what you should be looking for in the sector, even if it may still be a little early in the transition to buy anything. (If you disagree with me on timing, I'd start with a stock such as Yamana. Yamana is a member of my long-term Jubak Picks 50 portfolio. And I do think Yamana is a good trading vehicle for this market in gold.)

First, write downs. This is an obvious difference, and all things else being equal, you'd prefer a company with less in write downs, (such as Yamana,) to one with more in write downs, such as Barrick Gold (ABX). But the absolute size of the write down is actually less important than the details. A write down is just a paper expression of the fall in the price of gold if a company is simply writing down the value of current reserves. These write downs will go back into the company accounts when gold prices rise. They are, however, important in a more lasting way if they express a more permanent impairment of assets, either through a sale, or a closing, or abandonment of a project.

Top Chemical Stocks To Watch For 2016: Fibria Celulose SA (FIBR3)

Fibria Celulose SA, formerly Votorantim Celulose e Papel SA, is a Brazil-based company involved in the production and sale of short fiber pulp. The Company operates pulp manufacturing plants in Aracruz (Espirito Santo), Tres Lagoas (Mato Grosso do Sul), Jacarei (Sao Paulo) and Veracel (Bahia). Additionally, the Company is engaged in the cultivation of eucalyptus. It has plantations in the Brazilian states of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso do Sul, Bahia and Espirito Santo. In 2011, the Company sold a business unit active in paper production. The Company has a number of subsidiaries in Brazil and abroad, including Normus Empreendimentos e Participacoes Ltda, Fibria Overseas Finance Ltd and Fibria Celulose (USA) Inc, among others. On October, 2013, the Company announced merger by incorporation of Normus Empreendimentos e Participacoes Ltda, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, in order to simplify the corporate structure. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Julia Leite]

  Fibria Celulose SA (FIBR3), the world�� largest pulp producer, climbed after settling a tax dispute with Brazil over profits at its foreign units. Iron-ore producer Vale SA (VALE5) gained before a report due this weekend forecast to show manufacturing is still expanding in China, the company�� main export market.

• [By Harry Suhartono]

  The Ibovespa dropped 1.8 percent as iron-ore producer Vale SA (VALE5), whose main export market is China, snapped a two-day gain. Pulp producer Fibria Celulose SA (FIBR3) retreated after posting quarterly earnings that trailed analysts��estimates. Brazil plans to sell dollar bonds due in 2025, creating a new benchmark security in international markets, and buy back notes maturing in as little as four years.

Top Paper Companies To Watch In Right Now: Fibria Celulose SA (FBR)

Fibria Celulose S.A. (Fibria), formerly Votorantim Celulose e Papel S.A., incorporated on July 25, 1941, is a producer of market pulp. During the year ended December 31, 2010, Fibria produced 5,054 kilotons of eucalyptus pulp (including 50.0% of the pulp production of Veracel). The Company also produces coated and uncoated paper, carbonless paper and thermal paper at its Piracicaba paper mill, located in the State of Sao Paulo with an annual production capacity of 190 kilotons. During 2010, it produced 115 kilotons of paper products and recorded consolidated net revenues. Fibria produces bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp at three pulp mills, the Aracruz pulp mill located in the State of Espirito Santo, which has an annual production capacity of 2.3 million tons; the Tres Lagoas pulp mill located in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, which has an annual production capacity of 1.3 million tons, and the Jacarei pulp mill located in the State of Sao Paulo, which has an annual production capacity of 1.1 million tons. The Company has a 50% interest in Veracel, which owns and operates a pulp mill in the municipality of Eunapolis, State of Bahia, with an annual production capacity of 1.1 million tons.

Pulp

Fibria produces bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp from planted eucalyptus trees. Bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp is a range of hardwood pulp. Eucalyptus is a hardwood tree, and its pulp has short fibers and is generally suited to manufacturing tissue, coated and uncoated printing and writing paper and coated packaging boards. Short fibers are optimal for manufacturing wood-free paper with good printability, smoothness, brightness and uniformity. Market pulp is the pulp sold to producers of paper products. Kraft pulp is pulp produced in a chemical process using sulphate. During 2010, it produced 5,054 kilotons of pulp (including 50.0% of the pulp production of Veracel).

Paper

During 2010, Fibria produced 115 kilotons of paper. The Company produced coated printing an! d writing paper, which is a coated woodfree paper used for promotional materials, folders, internal sheets and cover of magazines, books, tabloids, inserts and mailing; uncoated printing and writing paper, which is a uncoated woodfree paper in reels and sheets; carbonless paper, which is used to produce multi-copy forms, POS, invoices and other applications in place of traditional carbon paper, and thermal paper, which is traditionally used in fax machines; POS, bar code labels, toll tickets, water and gas bills and receipts for automated teller machines (ATMs) and credit card machines. It manufactures thermal paper products with technology licensed byOji Paper Co., Ltd (Oji Paper).

The Company competes with APRIL, Arauco, APP, Georgia Pacific, CMPC, Sodra, Stora Enso, Weyerhaeuser and Suzano.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Fibria Celulose (NYSE: FBR  ) reported earnings on July 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Fibria Celulose met expectations on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.

Top Paper Companies To Watch In Right Now: Resolute Forest Products Inc (RFP)

Resolute Forest Products Inc., AbitibiBowater Inc., is a global forest products company. The Company�� products include newsprint, commercial printing papers, market pulp and wood products. The Company owns or operates pulp and paper mills and wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea. On November 7, 2011, it began doing business as Resolute Forest Products. As of December 31, 2011, it owned or operated 18 pulp and paper mills and 23 wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea. The Company�� segments include newsprint, coated papers, specialty papers, market pulp and wood products. On January 14, 2011, it acquired the noncontrolling interest in Augusta Newsprint Company (ANC). In April 2012, the Company held approximately 48.8% of the outstanding shares of Fibrek Inc. In December 2012, the Company purchased Bowater Mersey Paper Company Limited. oklyn Power Corporation. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By George Putnam]

  Resolute Forest Products (RFP), formerly known as AbitibiBowater, entered into bankruptcy in early 2009, weighed down by roughly $6 billion in debt.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  There's no foolproof way to know the future for Resolute Forest Products (NYSE: RFP  ) or any other company. However, certain clues may help you see potential stumbles before they happen -- and before your stock craters as a result.

Top Paper Companies To Watch In Right Now: Weyerhaeuser Company(WY)

Weyerhaeuser Company, a forest products company, grows and harvests trees, builds homes, and manufactures forest products worldwide. It grows and harvests trees for use as lumber, other wood and building products, and pulp and paper. The company manages 6.4 million acres of private commercial forestland; and has long-term licenses on 13.9 million acres of forestland. It also offers timber; minerals, such as rock, sand, and gravel, as well as oil and gas to construction and energy markets; logs; timberland tracts; and seed and seedlings, poles, plywood, and hardwood lumber products. In addition, the company provides structural lumber products for structural framing; engineered lumber products for floor and roof joists, and headers and beams; structural panels for structural sheathing, subflooring, and stair treading for wood products dealers, do-it-yourself retailers, builders, and industrial users. Further, it offers building products comprising cedar, decking, siding, ins ulation, rebar, and engineered lumber connectors. Additionally, the company offers fluff pulp for use in sanitary disposable products; papergrade pulp for printing and writing papers, and tissues; specialty chemical cellulose pulp for use in textiles, absorbent products, specialty packaging, and high-bulking fibers; liquid packaging board converted into containers; and slush and wet lap pulp for manufacturing paper products. It also constructs single-family houses, as well as develops residential lots and land for construction and sale; and master-planned communities with mixed-use property. The company sells its cellulose fibers products through direct sales network, and liquid packaging products directly to carton and food product packaging converters; and wood products through sales organizations and distribution facilities. Weyerhaeuser Company has been elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust. The company was founded in 1900 and is headquartered in Federal Way, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Divine]

  Weyerhaeuser (NYSE: WY  ) , which also earned a spot on this ignominious list yesterday, fell 2.9% today. Shares in the company -- which grows and harvests trees, as well as provides end-products such as beams, framing products, decking, insulation, rebar, and plywood -- have fallen four of the past five days. As you can imagine, the company is sensitive to changes in the housing market, and with April's pending home sales growth trailing estimates by 1.2%, investors may be concerned with growth expectations.�

Top Paper Companies To Watch In Right Now: Crown Holdings Inc (CCK)

Crown Holdings, Inc., incorporated on February 7, 2003, is engaged in designing, manufacturing and sale of packaging products for consumer goods. Its business is organized within three divisions: Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. Its segments within the Americas Division are Americas Beverage and North America Food. Its segments within the European Division are European Beverage and European Food. Americas Beverage includes beverage can operations in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia and Mexico. North America Food includes food can and metal vacuum closure operations in the United States and Canada. European Beverage includes beverage can operations in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. European Food includes food can and metal vacuum closure operations in Europe and Africa. Its Asia Pacific Division consists of beverage and non-beverage can operations, primarily food cans and specialty packaging. As of December 31, 2012, it acquired Superior Multi-Packaging Ltd.

The Company supplies beverage cans and ends and other packaging products to a range of beverage and beer companies, including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Carlsberg, Coca-Cola, Cott Beverages, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Heineken, National Beverage and Pepsi-Cola, among others. The Company manufactures a range of food cans and ends, including two-and three-piece cans in numerous shapes and sizes, and sells food cans to food marketers, such as Bonduelle, Cecab, ConAgra, Continentale, Mars, Simmons Foods, Nestle, Princes Group and Stockmeyer, among others.

The Company offers a range of metal vacuum closures and sealing equipment. The Company�� customers for aerosol cans and ends include manufacturers of personal care, food, household and industrial products, including Colgate Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, SC Johnson and Unilever, among others. The Company�� customers for aerosol cans and ends include manufacturers of personal care, food, household and industrial products, including Colgate Palmolive, Procte! r & Gamble, SC Johnson and Unilever, among others.

Americas Division

The Americas Division includes operations in the United States, Brazil, Canada, the Caribbean, Colombia and Mexico. These operations manufacture beverage, food and aerosol cans and ends, specialty packaging and metal vacuum closures and caps. The Americas Beverage segment manufactures aluminum beverage cans and ends and steel crowns, referred to as bottle caps. The North America Food segment manufactures steel and aluminum food cans and ends and metal vacuum closures.

European Division

The European Division includes operations in Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. These operations manufacture beverage, food and aerosol cans and ends, specialty packaging and metal vacuum closures and caps. The European Beverage segment manufactures steel and aluminum beverage cans and ends. The European Food segment manufactures steel and aluminum food cans and ends, and metal vacuum closures.

Asia Pacific division

The Company's Asia Pacific Division consists of beverage can operations in Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and non-beverage can operations, primarily including food cans and specialty packaging in China, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. As of December 31, 2012, the division operated 32 plants in six countries.

The Company competes with Ardagh Group, Ball Corporation, BWAY Corporation, Can-Pack S.A., Metal Container Corporation, Mivisa Envases S.A.U., Rexam PLC and Silgan Holdings Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Crown Holdings Inc.(CCK) cut its third-quarter earnings guidance on lower end-user demand in some of the food-and-beverage packaging company’s markets, including European food cans and North American beverage cans.

Top 5 Beverage Companies To Watch For 2015

Wall Street�� advice on how to prepare for possible market corrections has always been the same. No matter what happens to the economy people will still have to eat, drink, and take their medicines. So consumer staples, food, beverage, healthcare, and drug companies will do well even in economic and market downturns.

Also on the list are large solid companies with stable earnings, particularly those like utilities that pay solid dividends that should offset declines in their stock prices.

As one prominent brokerage firm posts on its website, ��efensive stocks represent necessary items, like food, gas and medicine, and tend to change very little with the economic cycle because consumers are likely to continue buying them even in tough economic times.��/p>

Defensive stocks currently recommended by Wall Street firms include the usual; Proctor & Gamble (PG), Kellogg (K), Coca Cola (KO), PepsiCo (PEP), WalMart (WMT), McDonald�� (MCD), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Amgen (AMGN), Pfizer (PFE), and utilities companies.

Top 10 Machinery Stocks To Invest In 2016: Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd (STBFY)

Suntory Beverage & Food Limited is principally engaged in the manufacture and sale of beverages and food. The Company operates in two geographical segments. The Domestic segment is engaged in the manufacture and sale of various soft drinks within Japan, such as coffee drinks, mineral water, green tea drinks, tea drinks, carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, functional beverages, milk beverages, and food for specified health use, as well as syrup for general and business usage. The International segment is engaged in the manufacture and sale of carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, health food, seasoning, tea-based beverages and others, with operations in Europe, Oceania, Asia and the Americas. As of May 29, 2013, the Company had 80 subsidiaries and 10 associated companies. On October 15, 2013, the Company acquired Lucozade Ribena Suntory Limited. On December 12, 2013, the Company acquired Suntory Beverage & Food Europe Limited. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Charles Sizemore]

  Let�� start with Suntory Beverage & Food Limited (STBFY),which recently completed its acquisition of�Beam Inc., formerly the purest play on bourbon. Beam was the owner of the eponymous Jim Beam brand, as well as the higher-end Maker�� Mark and Knob Creek and the lower-end Old Crow.�Suntory is Japan�� leading spirits company, though most Americans will be unfamiliar with its Japanese whisky brands, such as Yamazaki and Hakushu. (Note for booze snobs: Japanese whisky��ike Scotch and Canadian whisky��s correctly spelled ��hisky.��American bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and Irish whiskey are correctly spelled ��hiskey.��

Top 5 Beverage Companies To Watch For 2015: SABMiller PLC (SBMRY)

SABMiller plc, incorporated on March 17, 1998, is a holding company, which has brewing and beverage interests across six continents. The Company together with its subsidiaries is engaged in the manufacture, distribution and sale of beverages. The Company is a brewer with more than 200 beer brands. The Company�� portfolio of brands includes international beers, such as Pilsner Urquell, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Miller Genuine Draft and Grolsch, as well as local brands, such as Aguila, Castle, Miller Lite, Snow, Tyskie and Victoria Bitter. It is a bottler for the Coca-Cola Company in Africa and Central America. It operates in Latin America, Europe, North America, Africa, Asia Pacific, and South Africa.

Latin America

The Company�� primary brewing and beverage operations cover six countries across South and Central America (Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Peru). The Company is brewer in Argentina, and it exports to Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay. It bottles soft drinks for The Coca-Cola Company in El Salvador and Honduras, and for Pepsico International in Panama.

Europe

The Company�� primary brewing operations cover eight countries: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain (Canary Islands) and the Netherlands. A further 16 countries, including Russia, Turkey and the Ukraine are covered in a strategic alliance with Anadolu Efes through brewing, soft drinks or export operations. The Company exports volumes to a further seven European markets, of which the largest are the United Kingdom and Germany.

North America

The Company�� North America segment includes its 58% owned MillerCoors and 100% of Miller Brewing International and the its North American holding companies. The Company�� wholly owned Miller Brewing International business is based in Milwaukee, the United States and exports its brands to Canada and Mexico and throughout the Americas.

Africa

The Compa! ny�� brewing and beverage operations in Africa cover 15 countries. A further 21 are covered through a strategic alliance with the Castel group and it also has an associated undertaking in Zimbabwe. The Company bottles soft drinks for The Coca-Cola Company in 20 of its African markets (in alliance with Castel in 14 of these markets).

Asia Pacific

The Company�� partners with China Resources Enterprise, Limited in China. The Company is engaged in brewing business in India. The Company has operation in Vietnam and it exports to various markets, including South Korea and Singapore.

South Africa

The Company�� South African Breweries (Pty) Ltd (SAB) is South Africa�� producer and distributor of lager and soft drinks. It also exports brands for distribution across Namibia. Its soft drinks division is bottler of products for The Coca-Cola Company. The Company has hotel and gaming interests through its associate, Tsogo Sun Holdings Ltd, a hotel and gaming group in South Africa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David O��ara]

  For an increasing number of U.K.-listed companies, Africa is their number one growth market. One example is super-brewer�SABMiller� (LSE: SAB  ) (NASDAQOTH: SBMRY  ) . In its recent final results, SAB reported 18% sales growth in Africa versus just 5% in Europe. The EBITDA contribution from Africa was 20% ahead of the previous year, too.

Top 5 Beverage Companies To Watch For 2015: Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (CCE)

Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. produces, distributes, and markets non-alcoholic beverages in Europe. It provides a range of beverage categories, including energy drinks, still and sparkling waters, juices, sports drinks, fruit drinks, coffee-based beverages, and teas. The company primarily offers its products under Coca-Cola, Diet Coke/Coke light, Fanta, Coca-Cola Zero, Capri Sun, Schweppes, Sprite, Chaudfontaine, MinuteMaid, and Dr. Pepper brands. It provides its products to customers and consumers through licensed territory agreements in Belgium, continental France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. was founded in 1986 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Berkshire’s ownership position in�Coca-Cola may set the stage for something similar to Duracell��ith Berkshire’s 400 million�Coca-Cola shares currently worth $17.8 billion, and an estimated value for CCR (Coca-Cola’s North American bottling assets) of $12.8 billion (based on 8x estimated EBITDA of $1.6 billion), this would not be a large enough transaction for Berkshire to completely transfer its�Coca-Cola stake. Of course, we do not think�Coca-Cola needs to capitalize the business with $5 billion in cash, as Procter & Gamble did for Duracell to “plug the gap” between the valuation of the business and Berkshire’s stake, but that may be a possibility in this instance as well. However��all us crazy��e think Berkshire could also take a look at CCEAG, Coca-Cola’s German bottling business. We valued this at $2.75 billion three years ago6, based on $3.8b of revenue, a 10.4% EBITDA margin and a 7.0x multiple. We think there is upward bias to a current valuation given likely cost rationalization that has occurred in the intervening years. If we wanted to get even more creative, we could even envision Berkshire taking a look more broadly at European bottlers like Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) and Coca-Cola HBC (CCH), which have similar industry dynamics to the U.S. bottlers. We note that some type of swap transaction, � la Duracell, could save Berkshire Hathaway nearly $5 billion in income taxes.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE: CCE  ) -- the regional bottler of pop that rules over Western Europe -- hosed down its near-term prospects last month.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Indeed, consumer-oriented stocks are among the weakest performers in the Dow today. Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO  ) is down 2%, likely in response to a reduced forecast from independent bottler Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE: CCE  ) . The bottling company said continued trouble in the European economy combined with cold, rainy weather throughout much of the region led to volume declines of 2.5% for the quarter, confirming Coca-Cola's own 4% decline in soda sales in North America that it reported last week. Coke investors need to remember that Coke, with its global operations, is not influenced by U.S.-centric consumer figures so much as domestically focused companies.

Top 5 Beverage Companies To Watch For 2015: Cott Corp (COT)

Cott Corporation (Cott), incorporated on December 31, 2006, is a producers of beverages on behalf of retailers, brand owners and distributors. The Company�� product lines include carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), 100% shelf stable juice and juice-based products, clear, still and sparkling flavored waters, energy products, sports products, new age beverages, and ready-to-drink teas, as well as alcoholic beverages for brand owners. The Company operates in five segments: North America (which includes the United States operating segment and Canada operating segment), the United Kingdom (which includes its United Kingdom reporting unit and its Continental European reporting unit), Mexico, Royal Crown International (RCI) and All Other. The Company markets or supplies over 500 retailer, licensed and Company-owned brands in its four core geographic segments. In March of 2012, its U.K. reporting segment acquired a beverage and wholesale business based in Scotland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Cott (COT) is engaged in the production of beverages on behalf of retailers and distributors. This stock closed up 4.5% to $8.75 a share in Thursday's trading session.

  Thursday's Range: $8.29-$8.84
  
  52-Week Range: $7.24-$11.25
  
  Thursday's Volume: 1.82 million
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 466,884

  From a technical perspective, COT jumped higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $8.14 with monster upside volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last month and change, with shares moving higher from its low of $7.39 to its intraday high of $8.84. During that move, shares of COT have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of COT within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if COT manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $8.84 to $9 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in COT as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $8.14 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 466,884 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then COT will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $9.50 to 10.25. Any high-volume move above $10.25 will then give COT a chance to re-fill its previous gap-down zone from May that stared near $11.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Cott Corp. (NYSE: COT) stock has pulled back some 30% from its 52-week high of $11.25 after second-quarter market conditions were presented as “challenging.” However, the dividend was reinstated after a ten-year hiatus, and the company bought back $6 million worth of shares in the second quarter. The company mainly does business in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Mexico, but it also sells beverage concentrate to 50 other countries. Deutsche Bank rates Cott as a stock to buy and has an $11 price target. The consensus is posted at $10. Investors are paid a decent 2.9% dividend. The Friday close for Cott was $7.87.