Deckers Outdoor: Ugh on Guidance

Yesterday, we asked if cold-weather demand for Ugg boots would boost Deckers Outdoor (DECK) financial results during the fourth quarter. We asked the wrong question.

EPA

Deckers fourth-quarter results were warm and fuzzy. The footwear company said it earned $4.04 a share, beating the Street’s consensus for $3.80. The guidance for 2014 was well below analyst forecasts, however, so down goes the stock.

Canaccord Genuity’s Camilo Lyon and Patrick O’Brien call the guidance “highly conservative.” They explain:

2014 guidance underwhelmed (implied EPS of $4.54 vs. our/consensus estimates of $5.22/$4.70), leaving us (and others) speculating about the level of conservatism embedded in it. Most notably, backlogs are up 24% at Dec. 31 (consistent with our channel/industry checks), yet it is less than 50% complete. Given that all retailers had a solid season with UGG, we have no reason to believe the remaining orders will change dramatically from those already in the book; thus making the 10% sales growth guide (and implied 4% wholesale growth), highly conservative we believe.

Lyon and O’Brien did, however, lower their price target on Deckers Outdoor to $103 from $111 to account for the lower forecast and higher expenses.

Shares of Deckers Outdoor have dropped 13% to $73.90, while Crocs (CROX) has gained 0.8% to $15.24, Steve Madden (SHOO) has dropped 0.1% to $36.52, Wolverine World Wide (WWW) has fallen 1.2% to $126.36 and Skechers (SKX) has fallen 1.6% to $33.82.

Hong Kong shares up as China Mobile advances

HONG KONG (MarketWatch)-- Hong Kong stocks rose early Thursday, as China Mobile Ltd. shined on news of iPhone pre-orders hitting 1 million units. The Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) added 0.6% to 23,032.09. Market heavyweight China Mobile (HK:941) (CHL) rallied 0.9%, as the world's largest mobile carrier said it has received more than 1 million pre-orders for the iPhone before it goes on sale in the carrier's stores on Friday, at a time when Apple Inc. (AAPL) Chief Executive Tim Cook visited Beijing for future cooperation between the two giants. Telecom equipment shares also advanced, with ZTE Corp. (HK:763) (ZTCOF) rising 1.2%. Meanwhile, China Mobile's smaller rivals slipped, as China Unicom (HK:762) (CHU) dropped 0.7%, and China Telecom (HK:738) (CNCT) fell 0.5%. China South City Holdings (HK:1668) , a developer of logistics and trade centers, surged 56%, after the company announced that Internet giant Tencent Holdings (HK:700) (TCTZF) would invest about 1.5 billion Hong Kong dollars ($195 million) for an almost 10% stake in the developer in order to expand their business online, including e-commerce and online payment services. Tencent Holdings (HK:700) (TCTZF) climbed 3%. On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite (CN:SHCOMP) edged down 0.1% at 2,021.62.

Oil & Gas Mergers & Acquisitions Slashed in 2013

The dollar value of global merger & acquisition (M&A) transactions in the oil & gas industry plunged by nearly 50% in 2013 from a record high level in 2012. The transaction count fell by 20% led by a very sluggish first half of the year. The data was reported last Thursday by research firm IHS Inc. (NYSE: IHS).

The value of M&A deals in 2012 totaled nearly $250 billion compared with a total of around $136 billion in 2013. In the three years from 2010 through 2012 more than $600 billion in M&A deals were completed.

No corporate merger valued at more than $5 billion occurred in 2013, while there were several deals valued at more than $10 billion in 2012. Two of 2012's biggest deals were Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc.'s (NYSE: FCX) acquisition of McMoRan Exploration and Plains Exploration & Production for a total of about $20 billion. Another big acquisition in 2012 was Cnooc Ltd.'s (NYSE: CEO) $15 billion deal for Nexen Energy.

2012's biggest deal, of course, was Rosneft's $60 billion buyout of TNK-BP, and there was no deal anywhere near that size in 2013.

Last year's largest deal was the $6 billion acquisition of Eagle Ford assets from privately held GeoSouthern Energy by Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN). Only 3 of the 20 largest global deals involved North American acquisitions and North American deals totaled less than 45% of global deals, down from around 50% in 2012.

According to IHS, half of 2013's 10 biggest deals were completed by national oil companies from China and the Caspian region. Other areas where M&A activity grew were West and East Africa and Latin America.

While M&A activity may have slowed, capital spending did not. IHS notes, "[T]he total global upstream capital investment increased by approximately 10 percent in 2013 due to the significant growth in exploration and development spending." Considering that the three-year spending total on M&A was $600 billion, it makes sense that companies would slow down their buying and spend some time developing their new assets — or in the case of sellers, spending their new money.

4 Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Professional traders running mutual funds and hedge funds don't just look at a stock's price moves; they also track big changes in volume activity. Often when above-average volume moves into an equity, it precedes a large spike in volatility.

>>5 Stocks Ready to Explode Higher

Major moves in volume can signal unusual activity, such as insider buying or selling -- or buying or selling by "superinvestors."

Unusual volume can also be a major signal that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. These types of traders like to get in well before a large spike, so it's always a smart move to monitor unusual volume. That said, remember to combine trend and price action with unusual volume. Put them all together to help you decipher the next big trend for any stock.

>>5 Stocks Hedge Funds Love

With that in mind, let's take a look at several stocks rising on unusual volume recently.

Infoblox

Infoblox (BLOX) develops, markets and sells automated network control solutions worldwide. This stock closed up 5.6% to $18.16 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 8.33 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.58 million

Volume % Change: 708%

From a technical perspective, BLOX ripped higher here right above its recent low of $17.10 with monster upside volume. This stock recently gapped down sharply from over $32 to $17.10 with monster downside volume. That move has pushed shares of BLOX into oversold territory, since its current relative strength index reading is 20.38. Oversold can always get more oversold, but it's also an area where a stock can bounce sharply higher from.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in BLOX as long as it's trending above its recent low of $17.10 and then once it sustains a move or close above Wednesday's high of $18.38 to its gap-down-day high of $18.94 with volume that hits near or above 1.58 million shares. If we get that move soon, then BLOX will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap-down-day zone that started at $32. Look for a quick move towards $24 to $25.

Generac

Generac (GNRC) designs, manufactures, and markets a range of generators and other engine powered products for the residential, light commercial, industrial, and construction markets in the U.S. Canada, and Mexico. This stock closed up 3.9% to $49.89 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 2.09 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 768,027

Volume % Change: 166%

From a technical perspective, GNRC bounced notably higher here right above some near-term support at $47.95 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending over the last month, with shares moving higher from its low of $45.02 to its intraday high of $50.72. During that move, shares of GNRC have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of GNRC within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if GNRC manages to take out Wednesday's high of $50.72 to its 50-day moving average of $52.25 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in GNRC as long as it's trending above support at $47.95 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 768,027 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then GNRC will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $56 to its 52-week high at $57.29.

Ophthotech

Ophthotech (OPHT), biopharmaceutical company, develops various therapeutics to treat diseases of the eye. This stock closed up 4.2% at $34.04 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 1.57 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 171,718

Volume % Change: 866%

From a technical perspective, OPHT ripped higher here and broke out above some near-term overhead resistance at $33.42 with heavy upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of OPHT within range of triggering an even bigger breakout trade. That trade will hit if OPHT manages to clear Wednesday's high of $34.42 to its all-time high at $36.60 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in OPHT as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $32.42 or above its 50-day at $30.91 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 171,718 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then OPHT will set up to enter new all-time-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $40 to $45.

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor (TRIP) is an online travel research company, enabling users to plan and have a trip. This stock closed up 7.2% at $90.27 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 9.08 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.83 million

Volume % Change: 406%

From a technical perspective, TRIP gapped up sharply higher here and broke out into new 52-week-high territory with heavy upside volume. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if TRIP manages to take out Wednesday's high of $93.13 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in TRIP as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $87.60 and then once it sustains a move or close above $93.13 with volume that's near or above 1.83 million shares. If we get that move soon, then TRIP will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $100 to $110.

To see more stocks rising on unusual volume, check out the Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

>>3 Big Stocks on Traders' Radars

>>5 Oversold Stocks Ready to Rebound

>>3 Stocks Under $10 Making Big Moves

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) ��The U.S. stock market rose modestly on Tuesday after a drop in factory orders during December was smaller than economists had expected.

The main indexes rebounded from their worst declines since June a day earlier, which were sparked by disappointing manufacturing data that stoked fears over a possible slowdown in the economy.

Tuesday, orders for goods produced in U.S. factories fell by less than economists expected, led by a drop for durable goods.

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The S&P 500 (SPX) �was 11 points, or 0.7%, higher at 1,753.16, recovering somewhat after Monday�� steep selloff left the index more than 5% below its peak, reached on Jan 15. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) �rose 50 points, or 0.3% to 15,448.22, after dipping briefly into red early Tuesday.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Northgate Minerals Corporation(NXG)

Northgate Minerals Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in exploring, developing, processing, and mining gold and copper deposits in Canada and Australia. Its principal producing assets include 100% interests in the Fosterville and Stawell Gold mines in Victoria, Australia; and the Kemess South mine located in north-central British Columbia, Canada. The company was formerly known as Northgate Exploration Limited and changed its name to Northgate Minerals Corporation in May 2004. Northgate Minerals Corporation was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: NEW GOLD INC.(NGD)

New Gold Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation of mineral properties. The company primarily explore for gold, silver, and copper deposits. Its operating properties include the Mesquite gold mine in the United States; the Cerro San Pedro gold-silver mine in Mexico; and the Peak gold-copper mine in Australia. The company also has development projects, including the New Afton gold, silver, and copper project in Canada; and a 30% interest in the El Morro copper-gold project in Chile. The company was formerly known as DRC Resources Corporation and changed its name to New Gold Inc. in June 2005. New Gold Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Hamed singles out Goldcorp (GG) and Yamana Gold (AUY) as two companies that have strong production growth, falling costs, declining capital obligations and less debt than competitors. New Gold (NGD), meanwhile, should have the lowest all-on costs in the group at $731 an ounce, but its capital spending is likely to notes, Hamed says. Hamed rates Goldcorp and Yamana Overweight, while New Gold is rated Equal Weight.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Even bad news has failed to dent the rise in gold stocks today. NewGold (NGD), for instance, has gained 1.8% to $7.49 despite the fact that the wall of one of its mines collapsed. The Wall Street Journal has the details:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  January is nearing an end, and that means one thing: Gold miners will start announcing earnings. New Gold (NGD) will get things started on Feb 6, followed by Kinross Gold (KGC) on Feb. 12 and Goldcorp (GG) and Barrick Gold (ABX) on Feb. 13.

Hot Medical Companies To Invest In 2015: First Majestic Silver Corp.(AG)

First Majestic Silver Corp. engages in the production, development, exploration, and acquisition of mineral properties with a focus on silver in Mexico. The company owns interests in La Encantada Silver Mine comprising 4,076 hectares of mining rights and 1,343 hectares of surface land located in Coahuila; La Parrilla Silver Mine consisting of mining concessions covering an area of 69,867 hectares; and San Martin Silver Mine comprising approximately 7,841 hectares of mineral rights and approximately 1,300 hectares of surface land rights located in Jalisco. It also holds interests in Del Toro Silver Mine consisting of 393 contiguous hectares of mining claims and an additional 129 hectares of surface rights located in Zacatecas; Real de Catorce Silver Project comprising 22 mining concessions covering 6,327 hectares located in San Luis Potosi state; and Jalisco Group of Properties consisting of mining claims totalling 5,240 hectares located in Jalisco. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Doug Ehrman]

  While many precious-metals companies have been in a slump of late, there is one that belongs perpetually in your portfolio: Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) . The company is not like other miners -- including Pan American Silver (NASDAQ: PAAS  ) and First Majestic (NYSE: AG  ) -- in that it has a unique business plan that insulates it against many of the vagaries of the mining business. Moreover, because silver will always have a significant industrial demand component, even with the heightened volatility you see in the silver market, maintaining exposure to silver is appropriate.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Iamgold Corporation(IAG)

IAMGOLD Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral resource properties worldwide. It primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, copper, niobium, diamonds, and other metals. The company holds interests in eight operating gold mines, a niobium producer, a diamond royalty, and exploration and development projects located in Africa and the Americas. Its advanced exploration and development projects include the Westwood project in Canada; and the Quimsacocha project, which consists of 3 mining concessions covering an aggregate area of approximately 8,030 hectares in Ecuador. The company was formerly known as IAMGOLD International African Mining Gold Corporation and changed its name to IAMGOLD Corporation in June 1997. IAMGOLD Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Air France led airlines lower, falling 4 percent to 7.30 euros. International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) lost 1.9 percent to 270.7 pence while Deutsche Lufthansa AG slid 2.1 percent to 15.75 euros.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  He increased his holdings in gold companies in the fourth quarter accordingly. Gold stocks he found attractive in the fourth quarter are: Novagold Resources (NG), Randgold Resources (GOLD), Iamgold Corp. (IAG), Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX), Agnico Eagle (AEM) and International Tower Hill (THM).

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  IAMGOLD (NYSE: IAG  ) will release its quarterly report on Monday, and as with most gold mining companies, it's expected to post disappointing results compared to last year's figures because of the big drop in gold prices during the second quarter. Yet investors still expect IAMGOLD earnings to show the company's profitability, giving it a competitive advantage over weaker producers that are struggling to stay out of the red.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Golden Star Resources Ltd(GSS)

Golden Star Resources Ltd., a gold mining and exploration company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of gold properties. It owns and operates the Bogoso/Prestea gold mining and processing operation that covers approximately 40 kilometers of strike along the southwest-trending Ashanti gold district in western Ghana; and the Wassa open-pit gold mine located to the east of Bogoso/Prestea in southwest Ghana. The company also has an 81% interest in the Prestea underground gold mine located in Ghana. In addition, it holds interests in various gold exploration projects in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Cote d?Ivoire, as well as holds and manages exploration properties in Brazil in South America. The company was founded in 1984 and is based in Littleton, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Golden Star Resources (NYSEMKT: GSS  )
  It's simple physics: The bigger they are, the harder they fall. When gold prices nosedived earlier this week, gold miners with historically higher operating costs took the brunt of the hit. For the most part, that meant that development-stage miners, and those operating in Africa, where labor and political costs make cost-effective mining a challenge, took it on the chin. Possibly no stock was hammered more than Golden Star Resources, a gold miner in Ghana, which lost about one-quarter of its value on Monday alone.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Goldcorp Incorporated(GG)

Goldcorp Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of precious metal properties in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. It produces and sells gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc. The company was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Osisko Mining’s (OSKFF)� board formally rejected Goldcorp’s (GG) bid for the company the company yesterday.

  Reuters

  Bloomberg has the details:

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc.(TC)

Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in mining, milling, processing, and marketing molybdenum products in the United States and Canada. The company?s principal properties include the Thompson Creek Mine and mill in Idaho; a metallurgical roasting facility in Langeloth, Pennsylvania; and a joint venture interest in the Endako Mine, mill, and roasting facility in British Columbia. It also holds interests in development projects comprising the Davidson molybdenum property and the Berg copper-molybdenum-silver property located in northern British Columbia; the Howard?s Pass property, a lead and zinc project situated in the Yukon territory-northwest territories border; and the Maze Lake property, a gold project located in the Kivalliq district of Nunavut. The company produces molybdenum products, primarily molybdic oxide and ferromolybdenum, as well as soluble technical oxide, pure molybdenum tri-oxide, and high purity molybdenum disulfide. As o f December 31, 2010, its consolidated recoverable proven and probable ore reserves totaled 462.2 million pounds of contained molybdenum in the Thompson Creek Mine and the Endako Mine. The company was formerly known as Blue Pearl Mining Ltd. and changed its name to Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. in May 2007. Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. is based in Denver, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  The stock market liked what it heard Wednesday, August 7, from Thompson Creek Metals (TC) after the close in New York. Second quarter adjusted net earnings of 8 cents a share crushed the Wall Street consensus of a penny a share. Revenue climbed 3.8% to $117.8 million versus expectations for revenue of just $1.3.8 million. The company also said that its new Mt. Milligan mine is on schedule with a start-up for the concentrator expected this month, with first ore-feed by mid-August. The company said it expects commercial production to begin in the fourth quarter of 2013, with production ramping to full capacity over the next twelve months.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Thompson Creek Metals Co. Inc. (NYSE: TC) was at 54% discount to its book value of $8.30 per share at the time, and the stock price of $3.90 is up from $3.03 Deutsche Bank’s team nailed upside of more than 28% here. Its price target was $4 at the time versus a consensus target of $4.50 at the time. The 52-week range here is $2.42 to $4.55, but we would point out that the consensus price target is $3.93.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  The biggest new holdings are Chesapeake Energy�puts, and shares of Discovery Communications. Other new holdings of interest include Halcon Resources (NYSE: HK  ) , and Thompson Creek Metals (NYSE: TC  ) . Oil and gas company Halcon, operating in the promising Bakken region, as well as Texas's productive Eagle Ford shale region, among others, is expected to grow by 30% annually over the coming years. It recently reported 2012 net daily production 128% higher than year-ago levels, and proven reserves up 417%. Halcon was recently one of my colleague Joel South's top two energy holdings, and analysts at Stifel recently upped its rating�from Hold to Buy.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Beaten-down companies that you think are likely to recover strongly are also good candidates. Molybdenum miner Thompson Creek Metals (NYSE: TC  ) , for example, sports average annual losses of 35% over the past five years, and carries substantial debt, but molybdenum's long-term outlook is promising, with price increases likely, and the company has a promising gold and copper mine on track to start producing by the end of the year. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX  ) is another major molybdenum player, with considerable operations in other metals, as well -- along with new investments in oil and gas production.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Goldman Sachs Group Inc.(The)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides investment banking, securities, and investment management services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and high-net-worth individuals worldwide. Its Investment Banking segment offers financial advisory, including advisory assignments with respect to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense, risk management, restructurings, and spin-offs; and underwriting securities, loans and other financial instruments, and derivative transactions. The company?s Institutional Client Services segment provides client execution activities, such as fixed income, currency, and commodities client execution related to making markets in interest rate products, credit products, mortgages, currencies, and commodities; and equities related to making markets in equity products, as well as commissions and fees from executing and clearing institutional client transactions on stock, options, and fu tures exchanges. This segment also engages in the securities services business providing financing, securities lending, and other prime brokerage services to institutional clients, including hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds, and foundations. Its Investing and Lending segment invests in debt securities, loans, public and private equity securities, real estate, consolidated investment entities, and power generation facilities. This segment also involves in the origination of loans to provide financing to clients. The company?s Investment Management segment provides investment management services and investment products to institutional and individual clients. This segment also offers wealth advisory services, including portfolio management and financial counseling, and brokerage and other transaction services to high-net-worth individuals and families. In addition, it provides global investment research services. The company was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Newmont Mining Corporation(Holding Company)

Newmont Mining Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and production of gold and copper properties. The company?s assets or operations are located in the United States, Australia, Peru, Indonesia, Ghana, Canada, New Zealand, and Mexico. As of December 31, 2009, it had proven and probable gold reserves of approximately 93.5 million equity ounces and an aggregate land position of approximately 27,500 square miles. The company was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado.

5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Australian Dollar(AU)

AngloGold Ashanti Limited primarily engages in the exploration and production of gold. It also produces silver, uranium oxide, and sulfuric acid. The company conducts gold-mining operations in South Africa; continental Africa, including Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Namibia, and Tanzania; Australia; and the Americas, which include Argentina, Brazil, and the United States. It also has mining or exploration operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, and Colombia. As of December 31, 2010, the company had proved and probable gold reserves of 71.2 million ounces. The company has a strategic alliance with Thani Dubai Mining Limited to explore, develop, and operate mines across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. AngloGold Ashanti Limited, formerly known as Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited, was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Considering the work stoppages and violent clashes that have become the norm at South African precious-metals mines, perhaps the miners were wondering exactly what they were getting for their money. An expose by South Africa's Daily Maverick has uncovered a system where miners such as AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE: AU  ) and BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP  ) surreptitiously paid for the salaries of the heads of the local mining unions to keep the mine workers in line, and it's only because the miners sought to end the "uncomfortable arrangement" with the unions that the matter came to light.

Cott Investor Says LBO is Best Way to Pop Share Value

NEW YORK (The Deal) -- One Cott  (COT) shareholder believes the parent company of several soda and non-carbonated drinks brands could fetch nearly $1.8 billion if it can find a buyer, even as waning demand for soda and stiff competition from players including PepsiCo (PEP) and Coca-Cola  (KO) continue to weigh on the private-label beverage maker.

"Private label is challenged. Carbonated soft drinks are challenged. [Cott's] customers are challenged," said Jack Murphy, a portfolio manager of Levin Capital Strategies, in a phone interview. "Taking out the public equity is one option. Cash flow is so significant, there has to be people looking at that option."

Levin, a New York-based hedge fund, owns about 5.4% of Cott's outstanding shares.

In response to market speculation that it was undergoing a strategic review, Cott confirmed in a Feb. 5 statement that it had retained Credit Suisse Group to help evaluate alternatives. Though specific options weren't identified, Murphy thinks that if a leveraged buyout transaction were to take place, its equity would be worth significantly more than the $8 or so that Cott's shares are currently trading for on the New York Stock Exchange. More specifically, the investor believes Cott could demand about $14 a share, which would represent a 75% premium over its current stock price. Given its approximately 94.23 million shares outstanding, that would value a deal at about $1.78 billion. Murphy based the significant premium on Cott's capability to cut costs and take advantage of the extra capacity to boost cash flow, but didn't say if he based it on a multiple of Ebitda or other financial metric. Cott most recently generated $77.2 million in free cash flow for the third quarter ended Sept. 28, representing cash flow per share of approximately $0.82. Murphy believes cash flow per share can exceed $1 a share through cost cutting and other measures. As of Sept. 28, Cott's cash balance was $125.8 million and debt totaled $608.1 million. Cott, with headquarters in Toronto, makes and distributes a wide array of carbonated beverages including soft drinks, juices, flavored waters, energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas. Cott is best known for its Royal Crown Cola International, or RC Cola, brand, which it owns everywhere outside North America. (Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc.  (DPS) owns the North American rights). But Cott also owns other private-label brands, including Vess soda products, Vintage seltzer water and mixers, Red Rain energy drinks, Clear Choice sparkling water, Golden Crown juice and Chadwick Bay tea. Though Wal-Mart Stores  (WMT) continues to serve as its primary customer, Cott's exclusive supply agreement for carbonated soft drinks was terminated by the retailer in January 2009. The company has since faced additional headwinds as demand for soda has declined and larger players such as Pepsi and Coke continue to dominate the market. Cott most recently posted third-quarter revenue of $543 million for the period ended Sept. 28 -- 30% of which stemmed from Wal-Mart -- as compared with $584 million a year earlier. Ebitda slid to $54 million, from $56 million. Over the last nine months, Cott's value in terms of market capitalization has also taken a beating. Its market cap was about $753.8 million as of Feb. 10, as compared with a five-year high of about $1.06 billion on April 26. "They're in a category that's clearly not in favor," said Cathy Jaros, managing director of middle-market investment firm Peakstone Group, by phone. "There are going to be a lot of companies like Cott out there that are going to try to find a partner that doesn't exist." Because Cott hasn't successfully kept pace with the trend toward healthier beverages, Jaros believes finding a buyer could be difficult. Jaros noted that a transaction would most like occur with either a smaller regional strategic player or private equity buyer, though she declined to identify possibilities among both. If Cott doesn't pursue a sale, a number of other options remain on the table, including using its cash to make acquisitions, Levin's Murphy noted. Jaros also agreed that penetrating other beverage categories such as energy drinks through acquisitions could be an easier way to unlock value. Cott's last significant purchase was on Aug. 19, 2010, when it acquired Dunkirk, N.Y.-based Cliffstart for $500 million in cash, plus an earnout payment of up to $55 million. More recently, on April 30, 2013, Cott agreed to acquire Cooke Bros Holdings , which includes its Calypso Soft Drinks and Mr. Freeze  subsidiaries, for an undisclosed sum. Cott officials didn't return calls or e-mails.

Stock quotes in this article: COT, PEP, KO, DPS, WMT 

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015

Investors have sought out the highest dividend paying stocks they can find in order to maximize their income in a low-interest rate environment. But despite the popularity of high-yield dividend stocks, their laser focus on current yield at the expense of other desirable characteristics often make them less-than-ideal long-term investments.

Too much of a good thing?
In general, dividend paying stocks are a great place for investors to start in their quest for solid investment opportunities. By paying a dividend, a company demonstrates its ability to generate dependable cash flow as well as its commitment to reward shareholders for investing in its stock. Moreover, companies tend to want to avoid making dividend cuts in the future, and so they tend to wait until they're absolutely sure that they'll be able to sustain their quarterly payouts before they initiate or boost a dividend.

But companies that pay high dividend yields often don't have the same favorable traits you'll find in their lower-yielding counterparts. All too often, a high yield comes about because of a decline in the company's overall business prospects that sends the stock price plunging. Although companies sometimes are able to sustain dividend levels even in light of faltering business conditions, the highest dividend paying stocks usually succumb to the pressure to reduce their payouts.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Myer Holdings Limited(MYR.AX)

Myer Holdings Limited engages in the operation of department stores in Australia. The company offers approximately 600,000 product lines across 11 product categories comprising 2,400 brands. Its product categories include womenswear, menswear, youth fashion, childrenswear, intimate apparel, homewares, electrical goods, toys, fashion accessories, and general merchandise, as well as beauty, fragrance, and cosmetics. The company also provides retail customer loyalty programs. It operates approximately 67 stores under the MYER brand name. Myer Holdings Limited was founded in 1900 and is based in Docklands, Australia.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Royale Energy Inc.(ROYL)

Royale Energy, Inc. operates as an independent oil and natural gas producer in the United States. It engages in the production and sale of oil and natural gas; acquisition of oil and gas lease interests and proved reserves; drilling of exploratory and development wells; and sale of working interests in wells to be drilled. The company also owns wells and leases located principally in the Sacramento Basin and San Joaquin Basin in California, as well as in Utah, Texas, and Louisiana. In addition, it holds proved developed producing reserves of oil and natural gas in Texas and Louisiana. As of December 31, 2009, Royale Energy operated 52 natural gas wells in California; owned and operated 7 natural gas wells in Utah; and had non operating interests in 17 oil and gas wells in Texas, 3 in Oklahoma, 1 in California, and 2 in Louisiana. It also had proved developed reserves of 4,563 MMcf and total proved reserves of 4,617 MMcf of natural gas; and proved developed oil reserves of 16 Mbbl and total proved oil reserves of 16 Mbbl. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  With nothing more than a passing glance at Royale Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROYL), it would be easy to dismiss it as just another volatile small caps... one of many small cap stocks that gets a little squirrelly every now and then. The longer you study the chart of ROYL, however, the clearer it becomes... this chart looks like it's coming out of a slightly bearish lull and working its way into an uptrends.

Top 5 Blue Chip Stocks To Own Right Now: Oil-Dri Corporation Of America(ODC)

Oil-Dri Corporation of America engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of sorbent products in the United States and internationally. The company offers cat litter products, including coarse and scoopable products under Cat?s Pride and Jonny Cat brands; industrial and automotive sorbent products comprising clay-based, polypropylene-based, and cotton-based sorbent products to absorb oil, grease, water, and chemical spills under the Oil-Dri brand; and bleaching clay and clarification aid products for bleaching, purification, and filtration applications under Pure-Flo, Perform, Select, and Ultra-Clear names. It also provides agricultural and horticultural products consisting of granular and powdered mineral absorbent products that are used as carriers for crop protection chemicals, agricultural drying agents, bulk processing aids, growing media components, and seed enhancement media under Agsorb, Verge, Flo-Fre, and Terra-Green brands. In addition, the company offers animal health and nutrition products, such as enterosorbent products and animal feed binders for the livestock industry under Calibrin, ConditionAde, Pel-Unite, and Pel-Unite Plus names; and sports products for use on baseball, football, and soccer fields under the Pro?s Choice brand. Its customers include mass merchandisers, wholesale clubs, drugstore chains, pet specialty retail outlets, dollar stores, retail grocery stores, distributors of industrial cleanup and automotive products, environmental service companies, and sports field product users; processors and refiners of edible oils, petroleum-based oils, and biodiesel fuel; manufacturers of animal feed and agricultural chemicals; and marketers of consumer products. Oil-Dri Corporation of America sells its products through sales force; food brokers; distributors, including industrial, auto parts, safety, sanitary supply, chemical, and paper distributors; and catalogs. The company was founded in 1941 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Oil-Dri Corp. of America (NYSE: ODC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: FedEx Corporation(FDX)

FedEx Corporation provides transportation, e-commerce, and business services in the United States and internationally. It operates in four segments: FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services. The FedEx Express segment offers various shipping services for the delivery of packages and freight. This segment also provides international trade services specializing in customs brokerage, and ocean and air freight forwarding services; customs clearance services, as well as global trade data, an information tool that allows customers to track and manage imports; and international trade advisory services, including assistance with the customs-trade partnership against terrorism program, as well as publishes customs duty and tax information in various customs areas. In addition, it offers supply chain solutions, including critical inventory logistics, transportation management, fulfillment, and fleet services. The FedEx Ground segment provides business and reside ntial ground package delivery services. It primarily serves customers in the small-package market in North America. The FedEx Freight segment offers less-than-truckload freight services, as well as freight-shipping services. As of May 31, 2010, this segment operated approximately 60,000 vehicles and trailers from a network of 492 service centers. The FedEx Services segment provides sales, marketing, information technology support, and customer service support services; and access to copying and digital printing through retail and Web-based platforms, signs and graphics, professional finishing, computer rentals, and a range of ground shipping and time-definite express shipping services. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Arjun Sreekumar]

  Another major freight services company, FedEx (NYSE: FDX  ) , is also investigating the benefits of natural gas. The company is currently running tests ��using two LNG-powered and two CNG-powered trucks ��to determine whether or not to convert more of its 90,000 motorized vehicles to run on the cleaner-burning fuel. The company's chairman and CEO, Frederick W. Smith, said he expects 5%-30% of long-distance trucks to run on CNG or LNG over the next decade, as costs fall and the number of fueling stations rises. �

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Neoprobe Corporation(NEOP)

Neoprobe Corporation, a biomedical company, engages in the development and commercialization of precision diagnostics that enhance patient care and improve patient benefit. The company is developing and commercializing targeted agents aimed at the identification of occult (undetected) disease. Neoprobe?s two lead radiopharmaceutical agent platforms, Lymphoseek and RIGScan are intended to help surgeons better identify and treat certain types of cancer. Lymphoseek is a diagnostic imaging agent intended for radiolabeling and administration in radiodetection and visualization of the lymphatic system draining the region of injection for delineation of the lymphatic tissue; and RIGScan is an intraoperative biologic targeting agent consisting of a radiolabeled murine monoclonal antibody. The company has a biopharmaceutical development and supply agreement with Laureate Biopharmaceutical Services, Inc. to support the initial evaluation of the viability of the CC49 master working c ell bank, as well as the initial steps in re-validating the commercial production process for the biologic agent used in RIGScan CR. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in Dublin, Ohio.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Orrstown Financial Services Inc(ORRF)

Orrstown Financial Services, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Orrstown Bank that provides various commercial banking and trust services in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The company offers various deposit products, including demand, time, savings, checking, and money market deposits. It also provides various loan products comprising commercial loans, such as commercial real estate, equipment, working capital, and other commercial purpose loans; consumer loans consisting of home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, and other consumer loans; construction, land development, and mortgage loans; and financial and agricultural loans. In addition, the company renders services as trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, managing agent, custodian, and investment advisor, as well as provides other fiduciary and retail brokerage services. Further, it offers a line of financial services, including brokerage, mutual funds, estate planning, investments, and life insura nce products. As of June 23, 2011, the company operated 21 banking offices and 2 remote service facilities located in Cumberland, Franklin, and Perry Counties, Pennsylvania; and Washington County, Maryland. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: QUALCOMM Incorporated(QCOM)

QUALCOMM Incorporated engages in the development, design, manufacture, and marketing of digital wireless telecommunications products and services. The company operates in four segments: Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT), Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL), Qualcomm Wireless and Internet (QWI), and Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives (QSI). The QCT segment develops and supplies code division multiple access (CDMA)-based integrated circuits and system software for wireless voice and data communications, multimedia functions and global positioning system products. The QTL segment grants licenses to use portions of its intellectual property portfolio comprising patent rights useful in the manufacture and sale of wireless products, such as products implementing cdmaOne, CDMA2000, WCDMA, CDMA TDD, GSM/GPRS/EDGE, and/or OFDMA standards and their derivatives The QWI segment consists of Qualcomm Internet Services that provides content enablement services for the wireless industry and pu sh-to-talk and other products and services for wireless network operators; Qualcomm Government Technologies, which offers development, hardware, and analytical services to the United States government agencies involving wireless communications technologies; Qualcomm Enterprise Services that provides satellite and terrestrial-based two-way data messaging, position reporting, wireless application services, and managed data services to transportation and logistics companies and other enterprise companies; and Firethorn, which builds and manages software applications that enable mobile commerce services. The QSI segment makes strategic investments to support the worldwide adoption of CDMA- and OFDMA-based technologies and services. QUALCOMM Incorporated primarily operates in China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States. The company was founded in 1985 and is based in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Neiger]

  8. Patents don't just protect technology -- they can bring in big revenue. Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM  ) makes 3% to 5% on every CDMA-enabled mobile device. Maybe that's why the company literally has a wall of patents at its headquarters.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Big Earnings Movers: SolarCity Corp. (NASDAQ: SCTY) is down 16.7% at $49.71 after providing weak guidance with earnings last night. Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) is down 3.7% at $67.15 after a mixed earnings report last night. Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFM) is down 11.2% at $57.27 as the store tries to shed its luxury image. Himax Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: HIMX) is down 10.2% at $8.50 on weak guidance.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Boeing(BOE.L)

The Boeing Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, sale, and support of commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense, human space flight, and launch systems and services worldwide. The company operates through five segments: Commercial Airplanes, Boeing Military Aircraft (BMA), Network and Space Systems (N&SS), Global Services and Support (GS&S), and Boeing Capital Corporation (BCC). The Commercial Airplanes segment develops, produces, and markets commercial jet aircraft for various passenger and cargo requirements, as well as provides related support services to the commercial airline industry. It also offers aviation services support, aircraft modifications, spares, training, maintenance documents, and technical advice to commercial and government customers. The BMA segment engages in the research, development, production, and modification of manned and unmanned military weapons systems for the glo bal strike, mobility and surveillance, and engagement markets, as well as provides related services. The N&SS segment is involved in the research, development, production, and modification of products and services to assist its customers in transforming their operations through its network integration, information and cyber applications, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance space exploration and satellites. The GS&S segment offers operations, maintenance, training, upgrades, and logistics support services for military platforms and operations. The BCC segment facilitates, arranges, structures, and provides financing solutions for its commercial airplanes customers and government customers. Its financing portfolio consists of equipment under operating leases, finance leases, notes and other receivables, assets held for sale or re-lease, and investments. The Boeing Company was founded in 1916 and is based in Chicago, Illin ois.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Agria Corporation (GRO)

Agria Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as an agriculture company in China and internationally. Its China Seeds segment primarily engages in the research and development, production, and sale of seed products, including field corn seeds, edible corn seeds, and vegetable seeds. This segment markets its seed products to distributors, farmers, and other customers. The company�s International Seeds segment supplies commodity and proprietary forage seed products, such as grass seeds, seed treatment products, forage legumes, forage brassicas, herb seeds, pea seeds, and turf seeds; imports and wholesales liquid animal feeds based on sugar cane molasses; manufactures and supplies products for treating facial eczema in livestock; and supplies cereal seeds comprising feed wheat, milling wheat, malting barley, feed barley, maize, and proprietary cereals. Its AgriServices segment supplies agricultural products and services, including agri-chemicals, stockfeed, fencing p roducts, chemicals, fertilizers, pollination products, and frost protection products; and provides advice in relation to livestock genetics, stocking and animal evaluation, valuation, and selling and buying strategies, as well as offers insurance products consisting of farm, domestic, livestock, crop, and business insurance. This segment also operates a national rural real estate business; and engages in the design and installation of turnkey irrigation and pumping projects for arable, pastoral, and dairy platforms. Agria Corporation was incorporated in 2000 and is based in Beijing, the People�s Republic of China.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Southern Arc Minerals Inc (SA.V)

Southern Arc Minerals Inc., a natural resource company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of resource properties in Indonesia. It primarily explores for copper, gold, silver, precious metal, and base metal ores. The company holds interests in properties located on Lombok and Sumbawa Islands. Its principal project includes the West Lombok project covering an area of 24,928 acres situated in Lombok Island. The company was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Ima(IMAI.MI)

I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of automatic machines for the processing and packaging of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, tea, and coffee. The company operates in three segments: Tea, Herbal Tea, and Coffee Packaging; Pharmaceutical Packaging; and Pharmaceutical Processing. The Tea, Herbal Tea, and Coffee Packaging segment offers machines for the packaging of tea and herbal teas in filter bags and coffee in pods; and related services. The Pharmaceutical Packaging segment provides machines for the packaging of pharmaceutical capsules and tablets in blisters and bottles; machines for filling bottles and vials with liquid and powdered products in sterile and non-sterile environments; machines for freeze-drying; machines for cartoning and end-of-line equipment; tube-filling machines for the pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemicals, and food industries; and related services. The Pharmaceutical P rocessing segment offers machines for the production of tablets and capsules; machines for coating and fluid bed granulators; and related services. The company also operates in the food and beverage, and personal care packaging activities. I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A. sells its products primarily in Italy, European Union, other European countries, North America, Asia, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Ozzano dell?Emilia, Italy. I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A. is a subsidiary of SO.FI.M.A. Societa Finanziaria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: LPL Investment Holdings Inc.(LPLA)

LPL Investment Holdings Inc. provides an integrated platform of brokerage and investment advisory services to independent financial advisors and financial advisors at financial institutions in the United States. The company?s brokerage offerings include variable and fixed annuities, mutual funds, general securities, alternative investments, retirement and 529 education savings plans, and fixed income; and insurance offerings comprise personalized advance case design, point-of-sale service, and product support for a range of life, disability, and long-term care products. Its fee-based advisory platforms and support solutions offer access to no-load/load-waived mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, stocks, bonds, conservative option strategies, unit investment trusts and no-load, institutional money managers, and multi-manager variable annuities through five platforms, as well as third-party equity research and asset-management services, and fee-based advisory and consulting services to retirement plans. The company?s cash sweep programs consist of money market sweep vehicles and an insured bank deposit sweep vehicles. Its services also include tools and services that enable advisors to maintain their practice; and trust, investment management oversight, and custodial services for estates and families, as well as technology and open architecture investment management solutions to trust departments of financial institutions. LPL Investment Holdings Inc. provides its services to approximately 12,800 independent financial advisors from a range of firms, including wirehouses, regional and insurance broker dealers, banks, and other independent firms; and registered investment advisors, and advisors at small and mid-sized financial institutions. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Discount brokers had a great 2013, in large part because of the perceived boost they would get from rising interest rates and rising stock prices. Charles Schwab returned 83%, E*Trade Financial (ETFC) surged 119%, TD Ameritrade (AMTD) rose 88%, and LPL Financial (LPLA) finished the year up 69%.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Obagi Medical Products Inc.(OMPI)

Obagi Medical Products, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, develops, markets, and sells topical aesthetic and therapeutic prescription skin care systems. It offers Obagi Nu-Derm System, including prescription and OTC drugs that are used for the treatment of fine lines, wrinkles, acne, photo damage, hyperpigmentation, melasma, laxity, and skin sallowness; Obagi Condition and Enhance Systems that are used before and after surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures; Obagi-C Rx System comprises Vitamin C with 4% hydroquinone system to treat skin conditions resulting from sun damage and the oxidative damage of free radicals; and Professional-C products consisting of Vitamin C serums for the treatment of antioxidant protection, fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. The company also provides ELASTIderm Eye and D�olletage, which increases the elasticity and skin tone of eyes, face, neckline, and chest; ELASTILash Eyelash Solution that enhances the appearance of thickness and fullness of eyelashes; CLENZIderm M.D. Systems and Tretinoin for treating acne; and Obagi Rosaclear System used for the treatment of rosacea. In addition, it offers Refissa and Blue Peel RADIANCE used for the treatment of fine facial lines, hyperpigmentation, and tactile roughness; Metronidazole used for the treatment of rosacea; Obagi Blue Peel Essential Kit used for the treatment of fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. Further, the company licenses non-prescription product concepts under the Obagi trademark to a Japanese-based pharmaceutical company for sale through consumer distribution channels in Japan. Obagi Medical Products, Inc. sells its products through sales force and distribution partners in the United States, North and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia to dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and other physicians that are focused on aesthetic and therapeutic skin care. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Lon g Beach, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Keith Speights]

  "Bidness" is good
  Last week, Obagi Medical Products (NASDAQ: OMPI  ) made our list of humongous performers after Valeant Pharmaceuticals� (NYSE: VRX  ) announced a $344 million bid for the company. This week saw a bidding frenzy, with Obagi shares jumping another 29%.

• [By David Williamson]

  Though many excited traders had hoped to see the bidding war continue between Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: VRX  ) and Merz over Obagi Medical Products (NASDAQ: OMPI  ) and a subsequent run-up in the stock price of the smaller dermatological products maker, Merz has now walked away from the table, leaving the highly acquisitive Valeant the victor. In this video, Motley Fool health care analyst David Williamson gives us some background on these companies and tells us how Valeant plans to profit from the deal, and describes for investors why this is a win both for Obagi and for Valeant.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Argosy Energy Inc He Co. (GSY.TO)

Argosy Energy Inc., a junior energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, exploitation, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas in Alberta, Canada. Its principal properties include the Claresholm property located in the south of Calgary; the Ante Creek property situated in the northwest of Edmonton; and the Pouce Coupe property. Argosy Energy Inc. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Huntsworth(HNT.L)

Huntsworth plc engages in the provision of public relations and healthcare communications consultancy services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It offers public relations services in the healthcare, financial, technology, public affairs, consumer, and corporate sectors. The company operates under various brands, including Citigate, Grayling, Huntsworth Health, and Red. Huntsworth plc is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Vanguard raked in almost every dollar that went into U.S. equity funds this year

If you bought a U.S. equity fund this year, there's about a 98% chance you invested in a fund managed by the Vanguard Group Inc.

Vanguard, best known for its index funds and emphasis on low-cost investing, received $41.4 billion of net inflows into its U.S equity funds in 2013 through Nov. 30, according to Morningstar Inc. U.S. stock funds not managed by the company founded by John C. Bogle in 1974 took in a net total of about $1.1 billion.

Much of Vanguard's success in attracting investors is thanks to Mr. Bogle's creation — the index fund. Of the $41.4 billion invested in its domestic equity funds this year, about $36 billion went into the firm's U.S. equity index mutual funds, including the $296.4 billion Vanguard Total Stock Market Fund (VITSX), which passed the $244 billion Pimco Total Return Fund (PTTAX) as the world's largest mutual fund last month.

“The story works,” mutual fund industry consultant Geoff Bobroff said. “They've got a confirmed audience that likes the Vanguard approach and low costs.”

Index funds have surged in popularity in the wake of the financial crisis, as more and more investors have become disenchanted with costs and the inability of active managers to outperform consistently.

Still, this year has turned that logic somewhat on its head, Mr. Bobroff said.

“In a low-return environment, low costs matter, but we haven't had a low-return environment,” he said.

In fact, the S&P 500 index is up more than 25% year-to-date through Dec. 16, on pace for its best year since it returned 26.5% bouncing off the financial crisis lows in 2009. Its five-year annualized return now tops 16%, thanks to the magic of time, which has rolled away the carnage of the market's free fall in late 2008 and early 2009.

And with returns like that, fewer investors appear worried about paying 1%, even for a manager who's slightly underperforming.

Indeed, actively managed U.S. stock funds have seen a boost from the market rally and are on pace for their best year of sales since 2005, the last time these funds had net inflows as a group. Though still negative, over the first 11 months of 2013, actively managed U.S. stock funds have had only $10 billion of net outflows, down 92.3% from $130 billion in 2012.

Vanguard has quite a bit of firepower in that department too. The index giant has more than $650 billion in actively managed mutual funds, which is more than Pacific Investment Management Co. manages in total fund assets.

Vanguard's suite of actively managed equity funds, including its $39 billion Vanguard Primcap Fund (VPMCX), has had $5 billion of net inflows for the year through November.

J.P. Morgan Funds, with $10.4 billion of inflows, and MFS Investments, with $6.9 billion, are the only two mutual fund companies to attract more net new money into U.S. equity funds from investors over that t! ime period.

Vanguard's success this year goes beyond just U.S. equity funds, though. Its mutual funds, including international equities and bonds, have had $65 billion of inflows through the first 11 months, and the company is well on its way to winning the annual flows crown for the third straight year.

Perhaps most impressive stat — or scary, depending on your perspective — is that the gap between Vanguard and the rest of the mutual fund world is only growing.

Dimensional Fund Advisors, the second-best -selling mutual fund company, trails Vanguard by $44.3 billion in sales. Last year, Pimco was within $28.8 billion when it finished in second place.

The story is not much different in the exchange-traded-fund market. Vanguard's $51 billion of ETF inflows top BlackRock Inc.'s iShares' $37.7 billion, even though iShares' total ETF assets are almost double that of Vanguard's.

So just how much bigger can Vanguard grow than any other fund company?

The company's market share of mutual funds and ETFs across all asset classes has grown to 17.6%, from 13% in 2007. The last two years, Vanguard has punched above its weight, though, attracting around a quarter of total net inflows. If it keeps growing at that pace, the U.S. Mint may have to replace George Washington with Mr. Bogle on all its quarters.

One More Nudge for Prosensa Holding Should do the Trick (RNA)

Anybody who knows at least something about Prosensa Holding NV (NASDAQ:RNA) will at least know the stock turned into a disaster a few weeks ago, plunging from a close of $24.00 on September 19th to a close of $7.14 on September 20th, thanks to the failure of its MS drug drisapersen, which was jointly developed with GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE:GSK). Such is the life of a company with only one drug anywhere close to being approved; drisapersen was in Phase 3 trials - RNA shares could have just as easily gained 70% rather than lost 70% had the drug worked.

Yet, now that the dust has settled and the shock has worn off, it may be time to start poking around RNA again. See, the company still has six other programs in the pipeline. Although multiple sclerosis was the biggie, bear in mind that after a 70% beat-down, the new price of Prosensa Holding NV shares may fairly reflect the risk/reward-adjusted value of pipeline as it stands right now, following the failure (and unlikely future) of drisapersen.

In fact, it's the stock more so than the company that's the important part of the Prosensa Holding NV story right now. See, whether they're "supposed to" be doing it now or not, RNA shares are saying the market's testing the bullish waters here, and looking for a reason to get this stock rolling again. More than that, one more nudge could light that fire.... if it hasn't already.

The nearby chart tells the tale. The $4.92 level was a problem in late October, again in late November (though the stock did trade above that level briefly around that time), and it was a resistance line late last week. The bulls aren't giving up, however, and if you look real closely, you'll see that RNA shares traded above the $4.92 ceiling for a while this afternoon. Though they're back under $4.92 now, Prosensa Holding NV shares are well within striking distance of a breakout. Any daily CLOSE above the $4.92 mark should do the trick.

The interesting and encouraging aspect of this brewing breakout is the fact that the media's rhetoric has also changed ... in favor of RNA. That, ironically, is the best thing the stock has going for it - the higher it goes, the more the media and traders talk about it, driving the price even higher, causing more news sources to talk it up. Such is the self-supporting nature of story stocks. Prosensa Holding NV could be one of those stocks, and a close above $4.92 could put the bidding/chatter cycle all the way into self-sustaining mode.

For more trading ideas and insights like these, be sure to sign up for the free SmallCap Network newsletter.

SEC's Aguilar Laments Slow Adoption of Reg D Protections

Securities and Exchange Commissioner Luis Aguilar told consumer advocates Thursday that every day the agency fails to adopt its proposals regarding Rule 506 private offerings under Regulation D is “another day that investors face greater harm.”

“Unfortunately, notwithstanding the 'real-world' evidence, we have recently seen a focus on legislation — such as the JOBS Act  —that seems to prioritize making 'capital-raising' quicker and cheaper, while often overlooking what is required for real capital formation,” Aguilar told attendees at the Consumer Federation of America’s financial services conference in Washington. “The clearest example of this is the new general solicitation provisions in Rule 506 of Regulation D, which were enacted without including the investor protections that many investors, academics and state regulators recommended.”

He said the risks of Rule 506, which allows general advertising of private offerings, were “well documented,” citing recent statistics by the North American Securities Administrators Association that found Rule 506 offerings were “still the most frequent source of enforcement cases conducted by state securities regulators.”

General solicitation, Aguilar continued, “simply exacerbates this problem by enabling potential fraudsters to cast a wider net.” He said that he agreed with NASAA’s prediction that scam artists were likely to use general solicitation under Regulation D “to their advantage.”

Said Aguilar: “Like NASAA and many others, I am concerned that removing the prohibition on general solicitation, without strengthening investor protections, puts investors at risk.”

When the commission adopted the amendment to Rule 506, the agency directed the SEC staff to execute a comprehensive work plan to review and analyze the use of the new exemption. The work plan includes, among other things:

However, “for this work plan to be successful, the commission needs access to timely and useful information regarding the use of the Regulation D exemptions,” Aguilar said.

He noted the rule amendments that the SEC adopted at the same time the agency adopted the rule permitting general solicitation and advertising.

The proposed amendments would require the filing of a Form D in Rule 506(c) offerings before the issuer engages in general solicitation, and would provide for the filing of a closing amendment to Form D after the termination of any Rule 506 offering. Also, they would require written general solicitation materials to include certain legends and other disclosures, extend the antifraud guidance contained in Rule 156 to the sales literature of private funds, and disqualify issuers that fail to make required filings under Rule 506 from using that exemption for future offerings, for at least a year.

“It is now almost five months since those proposals were issued for public comment,” Aguilar said. “I urge the Commission to move forward promptly to adopt the proposed rules.”

But Aguilar told CFA attendees that adoption of these amendments wouldn’t likely be seen in “the next month or two.”

---

Check out SEC Tags Fiduciary as 'Long-Term' Action; Advocates Unfazed on ThinkAdvisor.

 

Searching in Vain for Cheap Propane

The extremely cold weather thus far this winter has had customers scrambling for short supplies of natural gas, fuel oil, and propane. Last week the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that propane and heating oil fuels hit record US average prices for the week. Propane prices have skyrocketed to $4.01 per gallon, while heating oil reached $4.18/gal. 


The culprit is low propane stocks, but as you may guess from the graph there are some broader changes underway in the propane markets. A year ago propane supplies were in good shape, above the five-year average. But this year a combination of a wet corn crop that required unusually large volumes of propane for drying, cold weather and robust exports have resulted in a perfect storm. Since mid-December propane stocks have been below the bottom of the five-year range, and falling fast.

This has led to some questions about whether this may signal an opportunity for MLPs that specialize in propane. There are four that I will highlight, but first a word of caution. The surge in propane prices is temporary. Propane prices will decline as soon as the extraordinary weather-related demand eases up, so there won’t be a long-lasting impact. Further, it isn’t a given that everyone along the propane supply chain will benefit from higher prices.

Having said that, the propane market itself is shifting in a way I expect the natural gas market to shift in coming years. New propane supplies have certainly come online with the surge of natural gas production in the US, but that is starting to be impacted by exports of propane and propylene (which is made from propane) that are now reaching record levels.

The four propane-focused MLPs are AmeriGas Partners (NYSE: APU), Suburban Propane Partners (NYSE: SPH), NGL Energy Partners (NYSE: NGL), and Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP).

AmeriGas is the country’s largest retail propane marketer, serving some 2.3 million customers in all 50 states from approximately 2,100 distribution locations. In addition to distributing propane, the partnership sells, installs and services propane heaters and other related appliances.

Suburban Propane markets and distributes propane, fuel oil and refined fuels, and also markets natural gas and electricity in deregulated markets. The partnership serves approximately 750,000 residential and commercial customers through some 300 locations in 30 states (primarily on the east and west coasts).

NGL Energy Partners operates in three segments: retail propane; wholesale supply and marketing; and midstream. The retail propane business sells propane to end users, while the wholesale supply and marketing business supplies propane and other natural gas liquids (NGLs) and provides related storage. The midstream business takes delivery of propane from pipelines or trucks at propane terminals and transfers the fuel to third-party transport trucks.

Ferrellgas Partners distributes propane and related equipment and supplies to approximately one million residential, industrial/commercial, portable tank exchange, agricultural, wholesale and other customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Its propane distribution business consists of transporting propane purchased from third parties to propane distribution locations and then to customers’ premises or to portable propane tanks delivered to nationwide and local retailers.

Over the past 12 months the group has had mixed results. Unit prices appreciated less than 10 percent for APU and SPH, while FGP and NGL gained 30.3 percent and 36.9 percent respectively. The latter two have also surged since mid-December, while APU and SPH have actually declined slightly since then.

Because NGL Energy Partners is involved in more of the supply chain than the others, it stands to capture more of the value from surging propane prices. Its midstream business is well-positioned to benefit from growing propane exports. But, as a result NGL unit prices trade at a premium to its competitors:

Keep in mind that skyrocketing propane prices don’t necessarily benefit everyone in the supply chain. Remember, the reason prices are rising is that propane is currently in short supply. A propane marketer/distributor that can’t get enough product to sell may enjoy high margins, but the sale volumes may prove insufficient to provide a significant earnings boost.

Nevertheless, a longer-term opportunity is developing in the propane market, even though propane distributors aren’t ideally positioned to benefit from growing propane exports. Rather look to propane producers and partnerships that provide propane logistics services to be the primary beneficiaries in the years ahead. NGL Energy Partners is the one partnership of the four highlighted that comes closest to fitting that description, and unsurprisingly it has had the largest price appreciation over the past year.

(Follow Robert Rapier on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook.)

5 Stocks With Prime Operating Margin Growth — PHM IRC WAC RP OSTK

Popular Posts: 6 Biotechnology Stocks to Buy Now4 Pharmaceutical Stocks to Buy Now3 Pharmaceutical Stocks to Buy Now Recent Posts: 5 Stocks With Prime Operating Margin Growth — PHM IRC WAC RP OSTK 5 Stocks With Superb Sales Growth — PCYC HTH INSY CREG GV 5 Best Sectors to Watch This Week View All Posts

This week, these five stocks have the best ratings in Operating Margin Growth, one of the eight Fundamental Categories on Portfolio Grader.

PulteGroup, Inc. () sells and constructs homes, and purchases, develops, and sells residential land and develops active adult communities. PHM gets A’s in Earnings Growth, Earnings Momentum, Earnings Surprises and Cash Flow as well. The stock has a trailing PE Ratio of 3.00. .

Inland Real Estate Corporation () is a real estate investment trust that acquires neighborhood retail centers and community centers located in Illinois. IRC also gets A’s in Equity, Cash Flow and Sales Growth. The stock’s current trailing PE Ratio is 8.50. .

Walter Investment Management () is a mortgage servicer and mortgage portfolio owner specializing in credit-challenged, non-conforming residential loans primarily in the southeastern United States. WAC also gets A’s in Earnings Growth, Earnings Momentum, Analyst Earnings Revisions, Earnings Surprises, Equity, Cash Flow and Sales Growth. The stock currently has a trailing PE Ratio of 5.60. .

RealPage, Inc. () provides a platform of on demand software solutions that integrate and streamline rental property management business functions. RP also gets an A in Earnings Growth. .

Overstock.com, Inc. () offers discounted brand-name merchandise for sale over the Internet. OSTK also gets A’s in Earnings Momentum, Analyst Earnings Revisions, Earnings Surprises and Equity. .

Louis Navellier’s proprietary Portfolio Grader stock ranking system assesses roughly 5,000 companies every week based on a number of fundamental and quantitative measures. Stocks are given a letter grade based on their results — with A being “strong buy,” and F being “strong sell.” Explore the tool here.

Last-Minute Moves to Protect Your Home from Winter Storms

It looks like a big storm is headed my way this weekend. Is there anything I can still do now to protect my home?

SEE ALSO: 10 States Most at Risk of Disaster

It's not too late to take some precautions that can help protect your home and avoid potentially expensive damage. Taking the following steps even a day or two before a winter storm hits can make a big difference.

Keep your pipes warm. Some of the most expensive winter damage comes from burst pipes. Even if the rest of your house is warm, the water in the pipes in your attic, basement, crawl space and in the back of cabinets can freeze. Wrap the pipes in the cold parts of your house in insulation, and open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow warm air to circulate around the pipes. Also, let water drip slowly from the faucets to help keep the water flowing.

Avoid ice-dam damage.Another cause of winter damage is from ice dams. This happens when the heat inside your house causes water to melt in the middle of your roof and it then refreezes near the edges, creating a dam that can lead to leaks in your roof and damage to your ceilings and walls. If you have icicles hanging from your roof, that may be a sign that ice dams are forming. To help protect against this problem, keep your attic cold -- no more than 5 to 10 degrees warmer than the outside temperature -- by sealing holes from light fixtures and ceiling fans to prevent warm air from escaping into your attic, says Remington Brown, senior engineering manager for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. See Preventing Ice Dams on Homes for more information.

Protect the outside of your house.If you have time, clean your gutters so water doesn't back up and freeze. Check downspouts and make sure water will be diverted away from your house. Trim any low-hanging tree branches that can freeze, become brittle, snap and damage your house or power lines. Use weatherstripping or caulk to seal drafty windows and doors. Disconnect garden hoses. See 15 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Winter for more ideas.

Check your roof.If a lot of snow accumulates, your roof could collapse -- especially flat roofs or the roof over porches and additions. You shouldn't have a problem with average accumulations or very dry snow. But if heavy snow starts to build up, consider getting a roof rake with a long handle so you can remove packed snow while you are on the ground. Going on the roof to shovel it yourself could damage the roof (and possibly you, too).

Don't hire strangers going door-to-door offering to shovel roofs. Consider lining up a contractor before a big snowstorm. (Your neighbors may have recommendations.) For more information, see DisasterSafety.org's Prevent Roof Collapse on Homes fact sheet.

Keep two emergency kits.Keep one kit in your home and one in your car. In case the power goes out, stock flashlights, extra batteries, a battery-powered radio and, if you still have a landline, a phone that plugs into your wall and doesn't need electricity to run. (If you don't have a landline, a car charger in your vehicle can power your cell phone and other electronics.) Keep some extra cash on hand, too, in case you have trouble getting to an ATM. The Red Cross also recommends stocking a three-day supply of food and water for everyone in your house, a first-aid kit and a seven-day supply of medications. And don't forget to have extra food for your pets, too.

In case you get stuck or stalled in the cold for a long time in your car, keep a shovel, windshield scraper and small broom, some energy bars and water, extra hats, socks and mittens, booster cables, and emergency flares and reflectors, recommends Tod Pritchard, emergency preparedness coordinator for Wisconsin Emergency Management. Also keep some road salt (or cat litter), a first-aid kit, a car charger for your phone and electronics, a battery-powered radio and flashlight (with extra batteries), and a sleeping bag or blanket. Also keep your gas tank at least half full during the winter. See the Red Cross Store for pre-made emergency kits, and 7 Must-Haves for your Emergency Kit.

Buy a carbon-monoxide detector.One of the biggest winter dangers is carbon-monoxide poisoning, caused by improper ventilation of furnaces, generators, charcoal-burning or propane-burning devices, or wood-burning stoves. Pritchard recommends keeping a carbon-monoxide detector on all floors of your home.

Consider a generator.You may not have time to buy a generator before this weekend's storm, but it's something to keep in mind as you make longer-term preparations for the rest of the winter. A generator can help keep your heat and power -- as well as your sump pump, and your fire and burglar alarms -- running. It can help prevent frozen pipes and keep you a lot more comfortable, too. An automatic standby generator, which immediately turns on after a power outage, may qualify you for a discount on your homeowners insurance, too. See Costs, Benefits of a Generator for more information.

For more advice about protecting your home from storms, see DisasterSafety.org, especially the map where you can see the main disaster risks you face by zip code. Also see the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes site and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's winter storms page.

Got a question? Ask Kim at askkim@kiplinger.com.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015

The following video is from Tuesday's Investor Beat,�in which host Chris Hill and analysts Jason Moser and Charly Travers dissect the hardest-hitting investing stories of the day.

Shares of Sony (NYSE: SNE  ) rise after the company's new PlayStation4 game console is priced at $399. Softbank raised its offer to buy Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S  ) by $1.5 billion. Dole Food (NYSE: DOLE  ) CEO David Murdock offers to buy the entire company. And bricks-and-mortar retailer GameStop (NYSE: GME  ) also gets a boost from Sony's news that the new PlayStation4 will allow unlimited used-game sales. In this installment of Investor Beat, our analysts discuss four stocks making big moves.

The best investing approach is to choose great companies and stick with them for the long term. The Motley Fool's free report "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich" names stocks that could help you build long-term wealth and retire well, along with some winning wealth-building strategies that every investor should be aware of.�Click here now�to keep reading.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: Nash-Finch Company(NAFC)

Nash-Finch Company operates as a wholesale food distributor in the United States. The company?s Military segment distributes grocery products to the United States military commissaries and exchanges in the United States and the District of Columbia, Europe, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Azores, Egypt, and Bahrain. Its Food Distribution segment sells and distributes various branded and private label grocery products and perishable food products to approximately 1,500 independent retail locations through its 14 distribution centers. This segment also provides various services, including promotional, advertising, and merchandising programs; installation of computerized ordering, receiving, and scanning systems; retail equipment procurement assistance; accounting, budgeting, and payroll contract services; consumer and market research; remodeling and store development services; supply chain through Internet services; and securing existing grocery stores. The company?s Retail segment operates corporate-owned grocery stores under the Sun Mart, Econofoods, AVANZA, Family Thrift Center, Pick ?n Save, Family Fresh Market, Prairie Market, Saver?s Choice, Wally?s Supermarkets, and Wholesale Food Outlet banners primarily in the states of Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. This segment?s conventional grocery stores offer a range of grocery products and services, such as fresh meat counters, delicatessens, bakeries, eat-in cafes, pharmacies, banks, and floral departments, as well as provide check cashing, fax services, and money transfer services. As of December 31, 2011, the company served 93 retail stores operating under the IGA banner and 50 retail stores under the Food Pride banner; and operated 43 conventional supermarkets, 1 AVANZA grocery store, 1 Wholesale Food Outlet grocery store, and 1 Saver?s Choice store. Nash-Finch Company was founded in 1885 and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  Sysco has avoided the margin compression suffered by chicken producers Tyson (NYSE: TSN  ) and Cal-Maine Foods (NASDAQ: CALM  ) and which was more deeply felt by smaller food-service operator Nash-Finch (NASDAQ: NAFC  ) . (It is omitted from this chart due to its drop into outright negative operating margin territory (a decline of roughly 250% in two years.) However, fellow food-service company United Natural Foods (NASDAQ: UNFI  ) has actually improved its margins, and restaurant chains both large and small (well, mid-size) have done an admirable job of holding the margin line in the face of rising input costs. So it appears that scale alone isn't enough to help Sysco outrun the rising costs of its products.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of Nash-Finch (NASDAQ: NAFC  ) and Spartan Stores (NASDAQ: SPTN  ) jumped as much as 16% and 15%, respectively, after Spartan said it would buy Nash-Finch, primarily for its military stores.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: Unilever Nigeria PLC (UNILEVE.LG)

Unilever Nigeria Plc is engaged in manufacturing and marketing of foods and food ingredients, and home and personal care products. The Company has manufacturing plants in Lagos and Agbara, Ogun State. The Company operates in two segments: Home and Personal Care, and Foods. Home and Personal Care includes sales of skin and hair care products, and oral products. Food segment includes sale of tea, sauces, margarines and spreads, and cooking products, such as liquid margarines. The Company�� brands include Close up, Lipton, Blue Band, Knorr, Lux, Royco, Vaseline, Lifebuoy, OMO, Sunlight, Pepsodent and Pears.

Top 5 Healthcare Technology Companies To Buy Right Now: Creative Edge Nutrition Inc (FITX)

Creative Edge Nutrition Inc. (CENergy), formerly Laufer Bridge Enterprises Inc, incorporated on January 10, 2008, is engaged in the development, marketing and sales of nutraceuticals and health supplements. The Company�� product categories include lean, energy, essentials, mass, vitamins and apparel. In July 2012, it acquired Innovative Fulfillment Corp. In August 2012, the Company acquired SCD Enterprises, LLC. In September 2012, the Company acquired A-Z-Nutrition.com. In September 2012, the Company acquired Sci-Fit and Nature's Science product brands. In March 2013, it announced its entrance into the Medical Marijuana Sector through Hemp Protein Powder, Naturals Line, Hemp-plex and Chia-plex. In May 2013, Creative Edge Nutrition Inc acquired Canadian Nutrition Super Stores.

Metabolic Xtreme utilizes the technology and advancement in weight loss technology. Cenergy�� Amino Acid Complex is the supplement for athletes, bodybuilders and anyone who's trying to live a healthy lifestyle.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks CD International Enterprises Inc (OTCMKTS: CDII), Creative Edge Nutrition Inc (OTCMKTS: FITX) and Metrospaces Inc (OTCMKTS: MSPC) have all been the subject of recent as well as past paid for stock promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed stock promotions or investor awareness campaigns, but they can and do often backfire on unwary investors and traders alike. With that in mind, will investors and traders come out winners with these small caps or should they just be left to the promoters? Here is a quick reality check:

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: Latteno Food Corp (LATF)

Latteno Food Corp. (Latteno), incorporated on August 24, 1994, is engaged in acquiring, organizing, developing and upgrading companies in the international food and beverage market. Latteno is specializing in the dairy industry and coffee industry. The Company operates through its subsidiary in Brazil. On February 10, 2010 Latteno acquired Global Milk Businesses and Administration of Private Properties Ltda. (Global Milk). Global Milk holds the rights of certain intellectual property of the brand name products manufactured and sold under the brand name Teixeira. In March 2013, the Company acquired Green Cannabis Collective Inc.

Latteno is leasing an instant and roasted coffee factory located in Cruzeiro, Sao-Paulo, which was property the Company previously owned under its BDFC Brasil Alimentos Ltda (BDFC) subsidiary. In addition to the lease, the Company has maintained ownership of four brand names, Samba Cafe, Vivenda, Torino and Brazilian Best, used in the past by Latteno to sell its instant and roasted coffee across the world. The Company engaged the service companies to assist with its operations, such as Log-Frio Ltda, SigaSolutions Ltda, Microsiga Ltda and Varistao Transportes Ltda.

The Company competes with Nestle, Companhia Cacique de Cafe Soluvel, Cafe Soluvel Brasilia and Companhia lguacu de Cafe Soluvel.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: MusclePharm Corp (MSLP)

MusclePharm Corporation (MusclePharm), incorporated on August 4, 2006, is engaged in the business of providing personal fitness training using isometric techniques (Tone in Twenty). Muscle Pharm offers 12 products: Assault, Battle Fuel, Bullet Proof, Combat Powder, MuscleGel, Shred Matrix, Re-con, Armor-V, BCAA 3:1:2, ZMA Max, Glutamine and Creatine. MusclePharm is an expanding healthy life-style company that develops and distributes a full line of National Sanitation Foundation International and scientifically approved, nutritional supplements that are 100% free of any banned substances. MusclePharm products are sold in over 120 countries and available in over 5,000 United States retail outlets, including GNC, Vitamin Shoppe and Vitamin World. The Company also sells its products in over 100 online stores, including bodybuilding.com, amazon.com and vitacost.com.

Assault

Assault helps fight fatigue, boost performance, build muscle, increase intensity, hydrate muscles and feed muscles valuable, clinically-proven nutrients, such as ConCrete, Beta Alanine, BCAAs and Cinnulin. Assault is a safe pre-workout formula that increases strength, aerobic and anaerobic performance, reduces stomach fat and meets NFS and informed choice product standards for being free of banned substances.

Battle Fuel

Battle Fuel helps to increase lean mass and strength, improve endurance and energy levels, naturally detoxify and enhance aggressive mental focus. The herbal formula enhances and supports all things masculine to drive strength, power and lean muscle mass development. Battle Fuel also assists with recovery through an intense combination of cleansing agents and natural elements that reduce fatigue and improve cellular immunity.

Bullet Proof

Bullet Proof helps increase recovery effectiveness and hormonal up-regulation. It also improves lean muscle tissue growth and helps relieve some forms of pain.

Combat Powder

Combat! helps the body receive 25 grams of high quality protein, fuel fat loss, support healthy body composition, nourish lean muscle and speed up recovery. Combat is designed to help fill the gap in nutrition that athletes and super-active people may experience, to ensure their bodies are growing and recovering.

MuscleGel

MuscleGel helps in receiving more of the nutrients that body needs every day. Packed full of different proteins like building block amino acids, MuscleGel�� patented Pro-Fusion Technology gel format yields a fast-absorbing, highly bio-available source of next generation fitness food. For protein, carbohydrates and vitamins, MuscleGel delivers. It works on-the-go, fills athletes up and streams right to those parts of an athletes��body where nutrients are needed most.

SHRED Matrix

SHRED Matrix is superior for burning fat naturally, counteracting mood swings and helping athletes stay focused on weight loss and quick results. This 8-Stage Weight Loss System was specifically made for athletes and people who exercise regularly. As a total body diet, it sheds pounds, burns fat cells and attacks fat loss from every angle. While natural fat burners are at work, proven ingredients like Sugar Stop and the enzyme aid matrix keep athletes��appetites in check. Additionally, the formula is tuned so users won�� experience jitters or a crash.

Re-con

Re-con helps athletes recover quicker and more effectively, repair muscle cells, feed the body nutrients and grow stronger with ingredients, such as BCAAs, EAAs, cellular detoxifiers, muscle-loading carbohydrates and stress hormone regulators. This maximizes an athlete�� anabolic window, the post-workout phase where the body repairs and rebuilds tissue. Re-con promotes growth from every angle, delivering proteins and nutritious elements in their ideal forms.

Armor-V

Armor-V helps athletes receive a full dose of important vitamins and minerals, keeps v! ital orga! ns, such as the liver clean of toxins, recover faster and keep the body�� hormones balanced. This system was designed to meet the standards of high-performance athletes, who need a dedicated source of vitamins and minerals. Loaded with anti-oxidants and system optimizers derived from fruits and vegetables, Armor-V brings together organic, herbal and natural ingredients into a multi-nutrient complex that benefits active bodies.

BCAA 3:1:2

BCAA helps athletes receive ideal amounts of the Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine, from this patented ratio of 3:1:2, promote muscle development and maintenance, increase lean body mass and spur weight loss. BCAAs are part of the group of essential amino acids a body needs. Its patented 3:1:2 ratio is designed to release the ideal amounts of each amino acid both before and after a workout. This prevents muscle breakdown and leads to gains in body mass without losing weight.

ZMA Max

MusclePharm ZMA Max supports muscle growth and recovery, promotes deeper and more efficient sleep to maximize healing, tissue repair, anabolic hormone production and testosterone levels. It delivers the benefits of precise dosages and ZMA ingredient ratios and adds the synergistic effects of clinically-proven Fenugreek to support the balance of cholesterol levels, as well as increase of healthy libido function in women and men.

MP Glutamine

MusclePharm Core Series MP Glutamine supplement increases whole body glutamine status by enhancing an athlete�� uptake, bioavailability and digestion. Feeding the body a dedicated source of glutamine ultimately provides optimal muscle-tissue saturation through an range of three pure yet diverse nutritional glutamine complexes that delivers a substantial range of benefits.

Creatine

MusclePharm MP Core Series Creatine increases creatine status by enhancing uptake and bioavailability while fueling stamina, strength and le! an muscle! growth. Many athletes who engage in high-intensity/short duration exercises like weightlifting use creatine. The clinically-proven ingredient Cinnulin heightens absorption, which assists its five pure and diverse creatine complexes, delivering a range of benefits will launch directly into muscles. MP Creatine increases explosive energy, ATP energy and overall power.

The Company competes with Optimum Nutrition, Inc. (Optimum), Iovate Health Sciences, Inc. (IHS), Bio-Engineered Supplements and Nutrition, Inc. (BSN).

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O)

Mondelez International, Inc. (Mondelez International), formerly Kraft Foods Inc., incorporated on December 7, 2000, is a maker of chocolate, biscuits, gum, candy, coffee and powdered beverages. The Company consists of the global snacking and food brands. Mondelez International's portfolio includes several brands, such as Cadbury and Milka chocolate, Jacobs coffee, LU, Nabisco and Oreo biscuits, Tang powdered beverages and Trident gums. The Company�� products include chocolates, cookies, gums, beverages and crackers. Alpen Gold is a chocolate brand in Russia. Alpen Gold is available in chocolate bars, boxed chocolates and creamy, mouth-watering pralines. Its markets include Poland, Russia and Ukraine. Bubbaloo is a gum brand sold in more than 25 countries and three different continents, including India, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. Belvita are breakfast biscuits made with wholegrain, cereals and fiber. It is sold in Belgium, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the U nited States.

The Cadbury Creme Egg brand is available annually from New Year�� Day to Easter Day. It is sold in Australia, Canada, New Zealand the United Kingdom and the United States. Carte Noire is the coffee brand in France. It is sold in France, Ireland, Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Chips Ahoy! cookies are chocolate chip cookies packed with chocolate chips. It is sold in Brazil, Canada, China, Ecuador, Mexico, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, the United States and Venezuela. Club Social is a cracker in Brazil and Latin America. The newest addition to the Club Social family is Club Social chips in Argentina, available in original, parmesano, and cream and onion flavors. Cote d'Or is a chocolate brand sold in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Middle East, Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Cadbury Dairy Milk is a milk chocolate bar sold in 33 countries, including Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and available in more ! t! han 23 varieties, like fruit and nut, WholeNut, Snack, Caramello and Breakaway. Dentyne is a gum to aid in oral hygiene sold in Canada and the United States.

Cadbury Flake is chocolate bars sold in Australia, Egypt, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Gevalia brand offers more than 50 varieties of coffee and 20 choices of tea, and sold in the United States, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the United States. Grand Mere coffee brand is sold at France. Green & Black�� is a chocolate brand and also includes gift chocolates, ice cream, biscuits and hot beverages. Halls is sold as a cold relief product. Halls is used as a refreshing candy. Halls products are available in more than 26 flavors.

Hollywood gum is a chewing gum in France. Jacobs coffee is sold throughout Europe and the Middle East, and in Austria, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Ukraine. Jacobs is available in roast and ground, whole beans, soluble crystals, coffee pods and flavored mixes. Kenco coffee is a coffee brand sold in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Lacta is a chocolate in Brazil. It also includes Bis chocolate wafers, Sonho de Valsa pralines and Lacta white chocolate.

LU biscuits are available in 100 countries. Other international brands under the LU name include Petit Dejuener, Mikado, Pepito (Mini Stars), Cracotte, Ourson and Tuc. Milka is a European chocolate. Marabou is a chocolate brand in Sweden. Nabisco�� brands include cookies and crackers. Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs includes 12 varieties, such as Chips Ahoy! Thin Crisps, Oreo Thin Crisps, Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookie Crisps, Ritz Snack Mix, Planters Peanut Butter Cookie Crisps, Kraft Cheese Nips Thin Crisps, Wheat Thins Multigrain Chips, Ritz Chips, Honey Maid Cinnamon Thin Crisps, Mini Teddy Grahams Cinnamon Cubs, Alpha-Bits Mini Cookies and Barnum�� Animals Choco Crackers.

Nutter Butter are sandwich cookies sold in the United States. Nill a wafers include original, reduced-fat and mini wafers. ! Newt! ons! are w! holesome snack made with real fruit. It also offers Newtons Fruit Thins and Fruit Crisps. The Natural Confectionery Company is a candy product. Onko offers coffee mixes in cappuccino flavors.

Oreo is a milk favorite cookie. Oreo is available in many flavors and varieties, such as chocolate covered, wafers, pie crusts and soft snack cakes. Premium saltine crackers come in six varieties, including unsalted tops, original, fat-free, low-sodium, soup and oyster and multi-grain. Prince biscuits are available in more than eight countries, including Algeria, Austria, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain. Prince biscuits come in creme-filled sandwiches, rolls and chocolate-covered varieties.

Stimorol is a chewing gum brand in Northern Europe, as well as 40 other markets from Greenland to Fiji. Simmenthal is a canned meat in jelly. Simmenthal�� products include beef in jelly with chili and chicken in jelly with curry. Tang is available in more than 30 countries and is a powdered beverage. Tassimo is a hot beverage system, which helps in making coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cappuccino, espresso and lattes. Toblerone is a Swiss chocolate bar made with honey and almond nougat. Trakinas is a creme-filled sandwich cookie.

Trident is a chewing gum brand in the world. Triscuit varieties include original, reduced fat, cheddar, cracked pepper and olive oil, fire roasted tomato and olive oil, garden herb, deli-style rye, roasted garlic, thin crisps, and rosemary and olive oil. Wheat Thins are wheat crackers in a variety of flavors, including sundried tomato and basil, multigrain and parmesan basil.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: Ralcorp Holdings Inc.(RAH)

Ralcorp Holdings, Inc. engages in manufacturing, distributing, and marketing private-brand food products, ready-to-eat cereal products, and other regional and value-brand food products. Its products include ready-to-eat and hot cereals; nutritional and cereal bars; snack mixes, corn-based chips, and extruded corn snack products; crackers and cookies; snack nuts; chocolate candy; salad dressings; mayonnaise; peanut butter; jams and jellies; syrups; sauces; frozen griddle products, including pancakes, waffles, and French toast; frozen biscuits and other frozen pre-baked products, such as breads and rolls; frozen and refrigerated doughs; and dry pasta. The company offers its products under various brands, including Post, Honey Bunches of Oats, Pebbles, Post Selects, Great Grains, Spoon Size, Grape-Nuts, Honeycomb, 3 Minute Brand, Ralston, Parco, Lofthouse, Krusteaz, Panne Provincio, Major Peters?, Medallion, Ry Krisp, Champagne, Monet, Rippin? Good, Hoody?s, Linette, JERO, Flavor House, Nutcracker, Pennsylvania Dutch, Heartland, Golden Grain, Anthony?s, Pasta Lensi, Ronco, and Mueller?s. It also develops, manufactures, and markets emulations of various types of branded food products to retailers, mass merchandisers, and drug stores to sell under their own store brands or under value-brands. Ralcorp Holdings, Inc. sells its products to retail chains, mass merchandisers, grocery wholesalers, warehouse club stores, drugstores, restaurant chains, and foodservice distributors in the United States, as well as in Canada, Europe, and southeast Asia. It offers its products through a broker network, internal sales staff, independent sales agency, a network of third party warehouses, and independent truck lines. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Will Ashworth]

  Post’s debt has risen substantially since its separation from Ralcorp (RAH) in February 2012. Including its $370 million acquisition of the Dakota Growers Pasta Company announced Sept. 16, Post has spent $717 million moving into other areas of the food industry beyond cereal.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: Koninklijke Ahold NV (AHONY.PK)

Koninklijke Ahold N.V. (Ahold), incorporated on April 29, 1920, is engaged in the operation of retail food stores in the United States and Europe through subsidiaries and joint ventures. Ahold�� retail operations are presented in four segments: Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover, Giant-Carlisle, Albert Heijn and Albert/Hypernova. During the fiscal year ended January 3, 2010 (fiscal 2009), it operated 2,909 stores. On February 8, 2010, Ahold�� Giant-Carlisle acquired 25 stores from Ukrop�� Super Markets

Franchisees operated 783 of the Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall stores, 463 of which were either owned by the franchisees or leased independently from Ahold. Of the 2,446 stores, 20% were company-owned and 80% were leased. Ahold�� stores range in size from 20 to over 10,000 square meters. Albert Heijn is a food retailer in the Netherlands. Etos is a health and beauty retailer in the Netherlands. Gall & Gall is a wine and liquor specialist in the Netherlan ds. Stop & Shop is a supermarket brand, operating in six states in the northeast United States. Giant-Landover is a supermarket brand, operating in four states in the mid-Atlantic United States. Peapod is an online grocery delivery service working in partnership with Stop & Shop and Giant-Landover. It also serves the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, and the northern areas of Indiana.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: Seneca Foods Corp (SENEB)

Seneca Foods Corporation is a producer and distributor of processed fruits and vegetables. The Company's product offerings include canned, frozen and bottled produce and snack chips. The Company has two segments: processing and sale of fruits and vegetables and processing and sale of chip products. These two segments constitute the food operation. As of March 31, 2012, the food operation constituted 98% of total sales, of which approximately 69% was canned vegetable processing, 18% was canned fruit processing, 12% was frozen fruit and vegetable processing and 1% was fruit chip processing. The Company packs Green Giant, Le Sueur and other brands of canned vegetables, as well as select Green Giant frozen vegetables for General Mills Operations, LLC (GMOL). In January 2013, the Company acquired Independent Foods, LLC.

As of March 31, 2012, the Company's facilities consisted of 21 processing plants located throughout the United States, two can manufacturing plants, two seed processing operations, a small farming operation and a limited logistical support network. The Company also maintains warehouses, which are located adjacent to its processing plants. The products are sold nationwide by grocery outlets, including supermarkets, merchandisers, limited assortment stores, club stores and dollar stores.

Products are sold to food service distributors, industrial markets, other food processors, export customers in 80 countries and federal, state and local governments for school and other feeding programs. Food processing operations are primarily supported by plant locations in New York, California, Wisconsin, Washington, Idaho, Illinois, and Minnesota. The Company�� products are sold under private label, as well as national and regional brands that the Company owns or licenses, including Seneca, Libby's, Aunt Nellie's Farm Kitchen, Stokely's, Read, Taste of the West, Cimarron, and Tendersweet.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: Nestle SA (NESN.VX)

Nestle SA is a Swiss Company engaged in the nutrition, health and wellness sectors. It is the holding company of the Nestle Group, which comprises subsidiaries, associated companies and joint ventures throughout the world. It has such business units as Food and Beverage, Nestle Waters and Nestle Nutrition. It is also active in the pharmaceutical sector. It divides its products into Powdered and liquid beverages, Water, Milk products and Ice cream, Nutrition, Prepared dishes and cooking aids, Confectionery, PetCare and Pharmaceutical products. In February 2011, the Company acquired CM&D Pharma Ltd.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: Pilgrim's Pride Corporation(PPC)

Pilgrim's Corp. produces, processes, markets, and distributes fresh and frozen chicken products to retailers, distributors, and foodservice operators primarily in the United States. Its fresh chicken products consist of refrigerated (non-frozen) whole or cut-up chicken; and pre-marinated or non-marinated, as well as prepackaged case-ready chicken, which includes various combinations of freshly refrigerated, whole chickens, and chicken parts. The company also offers a range of prepared chicken products, including portion-controlled breast fillets, tenderloins and strips, delicatessen products, salads, formed nuggets and patties, and bone-in chicken parts. In addition, it exports whole chickens and chicken parts to approximately 95 countries, including Mexico, Russia, Puerto Rico, and China. The company was formerly known as Pilgrim's Pride Corporation. Pilgrim's Corp. was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Greeley, Colorado. Pilgrim's Corp. operates as a subsidiary of JBS USA Holdings, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Finally, beyond the Dow, Pilgrim's Pride (NASDAQ: PPC  ) soared 22% on apparent speculation that the poultry giant might be next on the chopping block as a target for a big acquisition. The proposed buyout of pork producer Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD  ) by a Chinese company was controversial in large part because of the geopolitical implications of international buyers purchasing U.S. food-industry assets, but business analysts have rightly looked instead at the implications for further consolidation in the industry. With no formal announcement from Pilgrim's Pride, today's move could invite scrutiny from the SEC and other regulators should any sort of definitive buyout bid materialize in the days to come.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  It is not that frequent that an analyst downgrade sparks a 7% drop in a stock. That is why we are focusing on this big analyst downgrade in Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN). BofA/Merrill Lynch downgraded Tyson to Neutral from Buy with a $32 price target. The prior target was $33 on the stock. The ramifications are strong enough that shares of rival Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. (NYSE: PPC) traded lower just as though they are the same company.

• [By Arturo Cuevas]

  It looks like you and I will be eating more chicken this 2014. Retail beef prices remain at record highs, and we consumers will likely be driven more toward comparatively cheaper chicken meat in 2014. Given this trend, loading up on shares of Sanderson Farms (NASDAQ: SAFM  ) , Pilgrim's Pride (NASDAQ: PPC  ) , and�Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN  ) �should be worth considering.

• [By David Trainer]

  Pilgrim's Pride Corp (PPC) is another one of my least favorite holdings in FVL. PPC is not a bad company. Its return on invested capital (ROIC) of 9% puts it near the median of all the companies we cover. The issue for PPC is its valuation. To justify its price of ~$17/share, PPC would need to grow after-tax profit (NOPAT) by 12% compounded annually. There is not a lot of value in this stock or this "value" index.

Top 10 Food Stocks To Watch For 2015: Kraft Foods Group Inc (KRFT)

Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (Kraft Foods Group), incorporated on March 16, 2012, operates food and beverage businesses in North America. The Company manufactures and markets food and beverage products, including convenient meals, refreshment beverages and coffee, cheese and other grocery products, in the United States and Canada, under a stable of iconic brands. Its product categories span breakfast, lunch and dinner meal occasions, both at home and in foodservice locations. The Company sells its products to supermarket chains, wholesalers, supercenters, club stores, mass merchandisers, distributors, convenience stores, drug stores, gasoline stations, value stores and other retail food outlets in the United States and Canada. On September 14, 2012, the Company�� parent company, Kraft Foods Inc. (Kraft ParentCo), issued a press release relating to the anticipated trading markets for Kraft Foods Inc. and Kraft Foods Group, Inc. common stock through the completion of its spin-off from Kraft Foods Inc. In October 2012, Mondelez International, Inc. completed the spin-off of North American grocery business, Kraft Foods Group. In June 2013, Kraft Foods Group Inc announced plans to create two new, standalone business units: Meals and Desserts, and Enhancers and Snack Nuts.

The Company�� brand portfolio consists of food brands in North America, including three brands: Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; Oscar Mayer meats, and Maxwell House coffees- plus over 20 brands. It manufactures and sells food and beverage products in 50 categories. The Company operates in five segments: U.S. Beverages, which manufactures packaged juice drinks, powdered beverages and coffee; U.S. Cheese, which manufactures processed, natural and cream cheeses; U.S. Convenient Meals, which manufactures processed meats and lunch combinations; U.S. Grocery, which manufactures spoonable and pourable dressings, condiments, desserts, packaged dinners and snack nuts, and Canada & N.A. Foodservice, which sells products that span ! all of its segments and includes the Canadian and Puerto Rico grocery business, the North American foodservice operations and the North American Grocery Export Business.

U.S. Beverages

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company�� U.S. Beverages segment contributed 16% of its combined net revenues. This segment manufactures refreshment beverages, including Capri Sun (under license) and Kool-Aid packaged juice drinks, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light and Country Timepowdered beverages and MiO liquid concentrate, and coffee products, including Maxwell House, Gevalia and Yuban coffees, Maxwell House Internationalbeverage mixers and Tassimo (under license) hot beverage system.

U.S. Cheese

During 2011, U.S. Cheese segment had contributed 20% of the Company�� combined net revenues. This segment manufactures processed cheese, including Velveeta and Cheez Whiz processed cheeses, Kraft and Deli Deluxe processed cheese slices, Kraft grated cheeses and Polly-O and Athenos hummus and cheeses; natural cheese, including Kraft and Cracker Barrel natural cheeses, and cream cheese, including Philadelphia cream cheese and cooking creme.

U.S. Convenient Meals

During 2011, the Company�� U.S. Convenient Meals segment contributed 18% of its combined net revenues. This segment�� principal brands and products include Oscar Mayer lunch meats, hot dogs and bacon, Lunchables lunch combinations, Boca soy-based meat alternatives, and Claussen pickles.

U.S. Grocery

During 2011, the Company�� U.S. Grocery segment contributed 25% of its combined net revenues. This segment�� principal brands and products include Kraft and Kraft Deluxe macaroni & cheese dinners, Planters nuts, trail mixes and peanut butter, Corn Nuts corn snacks, Jell-O dry packaged desserts and refrigerated gelatin and pudding snacks, Cool Whip whipped topping, Jet-Puffed marshmallows, Baker�� chocolate and baking ingredients, Kraft and Miracle Whip sp! oonable d! ressings, Kraft and Good Seasons salad dressings, A.1. steak sauce, Kraft and Bull��-Eye barbecue sauces, Grey Poupon mustards, Shake N��Bake coatings, Stove Top stuffing mix, Taco Bell Home Originals (under license) meal kits, Velveeta shells and cheese dinners, and Velveeta Skillets meal kits.

Canada & N.A. Foodservice

During 2011, the Company�� Canada & N.A. Foodservice segment contributed 21% of its combined net revenues. The principal products and brands in this segment span all of its segments. Canadian grocery offerings include Nabob coffee and Kraft peanut butter, as well as a range of products in the Grocery Business Lines. The North American foodservice business sells branded products, including Maxwell House coffee, A.1. steak sauce and a range of Kraft sauces, dressings and cheeses, and serves the needs of restaurants and other foodservice operations. Puerto Rico grocery offerings include all grocery business lines, except for powdered and liquid concentrate beverages, such as Crystal Light, Tang and MiO. The North American Grocery Export Business products and brands span all grocery business lines, except for powdered and liquid concentrate beverages and certain products sold under brands, such as Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraftmayonnaise, which marketed and sold locally by Kraft ParentCo in countries outside the United States and Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anders Bylund]

  Like Kraft (NASDAQ: KRFT  ) before it, a broken-up HP would almost certainly have to be replaced on the Dow. Neither Kraft nor its snack-food spinoff Mondelez (NASDAQ: MDLZ  ) has the monolithic heft that kept the old Kraft on the Dow, nor the sustained growth that might have qualified one section to qualify on its own. Both stocks are doing fine after the split -- Kraft is up a market-beating 14.7%, while Mondelez has risen a modest 3.5% -- but neither one makes a serious case for individual Dow membership.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  We also have to consider the doors that SodaStream partners are opening. Getting big beverage brands to release SodaStream syrup has its benefits. Kraft (NASDAQ: KRFT  ) was an early partner when it teamed up with SodaStream to put out Crystal Light and Country Time flavors of SodaStream syrup. Last year it also rolled out Kool-Aid flavors.

• [By Nicole Seghetti]

  That's a huge issue for Kraft Foods Group (NASDAQ: KRFT  ) and Mondelez International (NASDAQ: MDLZ  ) . After its October 2012 split from Mondelez, Kraft retained the vast smorgasbord of salad dressing brands. But even aside from dressings, many categories in which Kraft competes already face commoditization and serious private-label threats. Another drawback for Kraft is that it's confined to mature North American markets, a factor limiting its long-term growth potential.