Consumer Reports says to avoid these new cars

Consumer Reports' annual auto report doesn't just recommend the best new cars to buy, based on its data. It all tells you the new cars it thinks you avoid -- no matter the deal or the bit of styling that appeals to you.

And it's perhaps a more interesting list than the menu of good cars. At least it can be a good place to start an argument.

TOP PICKS: Consumer Reports' 10 best vehicle list

Here are the cars to avoid, by category, with some of CR's comments on why they reject it:

Subcompact cars

Smart ForTwo (tiny, two-passenger cabin, a herky-jerky transmission, an under-powered engine...a dumb choice_)Scion iQ (rear seat is awful, the cabin is loud, acceleration is molasses-like)Chevrolet Spark (ride is stiff, the dinky 1.2-liter engine is slow, and handling is lackluster)

Compact cars

Scion tC (lack of driving enjoyment, hard ride)Mitsubishi Lancer (under-powered engine, noisy interior)Dodge Dart (unrefined...more expensive than most competitors)

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Midsize sedans

Chrysler 200/Dodge Avenger (corporate cousins...plenty of them on dealers' lots at a discount. Don't be tempted)

Large sedans

Ford Taurus (ridiculously cramped for such a large car..controls for its MyFord Touch infotainment system are complicated and distracting...reliability has been sub-par)

Luxury sedans

Lexus IS (falls short -- very short)Lincoln MKS (doesn't cut it as a luxury sedan)BMW 7-series (a ponderous, technology-laden vehicle with...ungainly handling)

Wagons & minivans

Honda Crosstour (ungainly handling...unintuitive and complex touch-screen radio system)

Small SUVs

Jeep Compass (2.4-liter engine is rough and sluggish...cabin is cramped, cheaply trimmed)Jeep Patriot (compliant ride and mostly simple controls. But little else stands out) Jeep Cherokee with 2.4-liter engine (half-baked...under-powered and not very! fuel-efficient, and the nine-speed automatic transmission is unrefined and unresponsive)Mitsubishi Outlander (handles clumsily, the ride is fairly stiff, and the interior feels cheap)

Midsize & large SUVs

Ford Edge (unrefined powertrain...ride is jittery and road noise invades the cabin. And the MyFord Touch system is convoluted to use)Nissan Armada (Overall fuel economy of 13 mpg is abysmal, reliability is poor and ownership costs are the worst in the category)Dodge Journey (below-average reliability...lack of agility...transmission is reluctant to downshift)

Luxury SUVs

Volvo XC90 (an old design that wasn't that competitive when new)Licnoln MKX (handling is clumsy, the My Lincoln Touch control system is frustrating, and it has been unreliable)Land Rover Range Rover Evoque (choppy ride, a noisy cabin, and disconcerting emergency handling)

Did CFP Board Shorten Exams to Lure Certificants?

CFPs are debating whether the CFP Board’s recent news that it would be transitioning to computer-based exams and reducing their length and duration is the Board’s way of growing the number of CFP certificants.

Advisor, blogger, Twitterphile and ThinkAdvisor contributor Michael Kitces raised this question in a recent Nerd’s Eye View blog, asking bluntly why the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards would chop the length of the exam by 40%, from 285 exam questions to only 170, and reduce the exam from a 10-hour, day-and-a-half exam into a 6-hour, single-day exam “if the goal wasn't to at least create the perception that the exam will be easier and therefore more appealing to take.”

The CFP Board noted in announcing that it was going to computer-based exams that the shortened exams would be “equally rigorous” to the longer paper ones, and that they would “maintain the same content detailed in CFP Board’s exam blueprint, representing the requisite knowledge and abilities to deliver financial planning services to clients.”

Michele Warholic, managing director for examinations, education and talent at CFP Board, told ThinkAdvisor that the Board is “not lowering our standards” by changing the length and duration of the exam.

“If someone wouldn’t be able to pass a 10-hour exam then they won’t be able to pass a 6-hour exam," Warholic said. "The exam isn’t any easier or more difficult. It covers the same content and those who take the computer-based exam — and pass — will be just as qualified as someone who took the paper exam.”

Thanks to technology, Warholic continued, “the world of testing has changed dramatically over the last decade,” and “computers help create efficiencies in testing.”

She explained that the CFP Board’s process in determining the number of questions on an exam “is not arbitrary.” Scoring of the CFP certification exam, she said, “is based upon a variety of science-based approaches used across the professional testing industry — not just a focus on the number of questions or length of an exam.”

The Board is “confident that those who pass the CFP certification examination will be well-qualified, competent CFP professionals once they become certified, meeting the same high standards we have always had,” Warholic added.

But a number of CFPs were quick to post comments on Kitces’ blog with their thoughts about the shift. One CFP opined that “it just seems to me that asking fewer questions, by its very nature, makes for a less rigorous and comprehensive exam and serves to dilute the qualifications of CFP practitioners in the name of increasing the numbers.” As a fairly recent CFP certificant, the commenter was “not amused by this change — not because I care that others after me will have a shorter exam but I truly feel it undermines the exclusivity and accomplishment of those who did it the way it’s been since 1991.”

Kitces told ThinkAdvisor that while the transition to computer-based testing is “definitely a plus overall … and if just having more convenient computer-based testing (CBT) with more testing locations grows the CFP headcount, that’s great.” /* .premium-promo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px; float: left; } .premium-promo li, .premium-promo ul { list-style-type: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; } .premium-promo li { margin: 0 0 10px; padding: 0 0 10px; border-bottom: 1px dotted #ddd; } .premium-promo h3 { text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 11px; } .premium-promo h4 { font-size: 16px; } .premium-promo a { text-decoration: none !important; } .premium-promo .btn { background: #0069a1; border-radius: 4px; display: inline-block; padding: 5px 10px; clear: both; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; } .premium-promo .btn:hover { background: #034c92; } */ However, he said that “the issue of why it has to be a 6-hour CBT instead of a 10-hour CBT is less clear.” The CFP Board “maintains it wasn’t making the exam easier; the gut response of the community seems to disagree, and the initial reaction of test-takers who are excited about the shorter exam would certainly confirm at least the PERCEPTION that it’s going to be easier.”

Said Kitces: “The feedback seems to be skewing negative, though there are certainly some who are supportive of the change — notably, especially those who haven’t taken the exam yet but plan to do so and are looking forward to the shorter one-day 6-hour version!”

Yet another CFP posted this comment to Kitces’ blog: “The test is now 35% fewer questions than the Series 7 with the same amount of allotted time to complete it. It’s definitely going to be easier, but the public isn't going to care one way or the other. Most don't even know what a CFP is, much less the fact that the bar to become one has been lowered dramatically.”

One CFP believes that the wirehouses are behind the changes. “Obviously Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley are behind this. They know this is the direction things are going but their guys can’t pass the 10-hour version of the exam.”

Then there was this comment from a CFP who believes the change is indeed a watering down of the CFP credential. “More and more I ‘sell’ my degree in financial planning and neglect to mention the CFP,” the advisor said. “This move [to modify exams] certainly does not help the way I view the exam and designation, which in my opinion barely scratched the surface of what one needs to know as an entry level planner--watering the exam down waters down the marks. I guess the Board is looking to expand revenue.”

---

Check out Top 3 Issues Advisors Will Face in 2014, Part 1: Robo-Advisors by Michael Kitces on ThinkAdvisor.

The Buy List: 5 Stocks Getting Ready to Break Out This Week

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BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- The short week got off to a bullish start yesterday, as the S&P 500 put a little more distance in between its open and its close. That puts the big index just half a percentage point away from the all-time highs it made in January.

>>5 Rocket Stocks to Buy for Big Gains

Not too shabby for a rally that no one believed in just a few weeks ago.

If lingering near highs sounds "toppy," don't worry too much. Since 1982, around half of all market sessions have ended within 5% of all-time highs. That means this recent "frothiness" isn't unsustainable; it's a return to normalcy. The fact of the matter is that despite the day-to-day chop of trading, equities are unquestionably in bull mode as I write.

To make the most of it, we're turning to our "buy list" with five stocks that look ready to make a technical move higher.

For the unfamiliar, technical analysis is a way for investors to quantify qualitative factors, such as investor psychology, based on a stock's price action and trends. Once the domain of cloistered trading teams on Wall Street, technicals can help top traders make consistently profitable trades and can aid fundamental investors in better planning their stock execution.

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Without further ado, let's take a look at five technical setups worth trading now.

Hyster-Yale Materials Handling

Small-cap truck lift company Hyster-Yale Materials Handling (HY) isn't exactly a household name -- but the trading setup this stock is showing off should be. After rallying more than 76% in the last 12 months, this Cleveland-based industrial name looks ready to extend its gains in 2014. Here's how.

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Hyster-Yale is currently forming a textbook ascending triangle pattern, a price setup that's formed by horizontal resistance above shares at $95 and uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as HY bounces in between those key technical levels, it's getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakout above that $95 price ceiling. When that happens, we've got our buy signal in shares.

HY's pattern has been forming since last September that makes it a long-term pattern with equally long-term upside implications when it triggers. When the move through $95 does happen, I'd recommend keeping a protective stop protective stop just below the most recent swing low at $80.

Cott

We're seeing the exact same setup right now in shares of beverage stock Cott (COT), but with a twist. COT is forming a long-term ascending triangle bottom, a reversal pattern that forms at the bottom of a stock's recent price range. Even though the chart looks pretty different at first glance, horizontal resistance and uptrending support are the tip-offs that this is an ascending triangle trade.

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The buy signal comes on a move through $8.75.

That's because whenever you're looking at any technical price pattern, it's critical to think in terms of those buyers and sellers. Triangles and other pattern names are a good quick way to explain what's going on in a stock, but they're not the reason it's tradable. Instead, it all comes down to supply and demand for shares.

That $8.75 resistance level is a price where there has been an excess of supply of shares; in other words, it's a place where sellers have been more eager to step in and take gains than buyers have been to buy. That's what makes a breakout above it so significant -- the move means that buyers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess supply above that price level. Wait for $8.75 to get busted before taking the trade.

Mondelez International

You don't have to be an expert technical analyst to figure out what's going on in Mondelez International (MDLZ). This $60 billion snack stock is showing traders a setup that's about as simple as they get. And it means that even after a 30% rally in this blue chip name over the last year, more upside looks likely.

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Mondelez is currently bouncing higher in an uptrending channel. When it comes to channels, up is good and down is bad -- it's really just as simple as that. Mondelez's channel is bounded by resistance above shares and trend line support below them; those two parallel trend lines provide a high probability range for MDLZ to trade between. And so, as shares bounce off of support for a fifth time since last summer, it makes sense to buy the bounce.

Waiting to buy off a support bounce makes sense for two big reasons: It's the spot where shares have the furthest to move up before they hit resistance, and it's the spot where the risk is the least (because shares have the least room to move lower before you know you're wrong). Remember, all trend lines do eventually break, but by actually waiting for the bounce to happen first, you're ensuring MDLZ can actually still catch a bid along that line before you put your money on shares.

Iconix Brand Group

We're seeing the same kind of trade setup in shares of apparel name Iconix Brand Group (ICON). Like Mondelez, Iconix is bouncing higher in a trend channel that's been in play since the summer. But ICON could have some extra breakout potential thanks to a resistance level at $40 that's getting tested this week.

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Shares of ICON have attempted to break out above $40 three times now since November, and they've been batted down on each of those attempts. But as that trend line support level pushes buyers up against the selling pressure at $40, the chances of a breakout to the upside are looking good. After all, since support has been strong enough to catch the last three corrections in ICON, that resistance at $40 should be less of a challenge to overcome.

Even better, relative strength has been outstanding over the same time period, sporting an uptrend of its own. That means that despite the S&P's impressive returns over the past year, ICON keeps managing to do one better. If buyers can take out resistance at $40 this week, it makes sense to build a position in this name.

Campbell Soup

Last up, but certainly not least, is Campbell Soup (CPB). Campbell hasn't exactly been a blockbuster name to own in the last year. Since last February, it has gained a measly 9.8%, less than half of what the S&P 500 turned out over the same timeframe. But CPB shareholders could be about to make up for lost time.

Campbell is currently forming an inverse head and shoulders pattern, a bottoming setup that indicates exhaustion among sellers. The pattern is formed by two swing lows that bottom out around the same level (the shoulders), separated by a deeper low (the head). The buy signal comes on a move through the neckline, which is right at $43. That price level is getting tested in today's session. If it holds, consider it a very important buy signal for CPB.

Momentum, measured by 14-day RSI, adds some evidence that the breakout is going to hold: it's been making higher lows since the pattern started forming. Since momentum is a leading indicator of price, that bodes well for buyers. If you decide to be one of them, I'd suggest keeping a tight stop in place.

To see this week's trades in action, check out the Technical Setups for the Week portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Jonas Elmerraji in Baltimore.

RELATED LINKS:

>>5 Stocks Ready to Explode Higher

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Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

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

Jonas Elmerraji, CMT, is a senior market analyst at Agora Financial in Baltimore and a contributor to

TheStreet. Before that, he managed a portfolio of stocks for an investment advisory returned 15% in 2008. He has been featured in Forbes , Investor's Business Daily, and on CNBC.com. Jonas holds a degree in financial economics from UMBC and the Chartered Market Technician designation.

Follow Jonas on Twitter @JonasElmerraji

Forest Laboratories surges on $25B Actavis deal

Dublin-headquartered Actavis said Tuesday it will acquire rival New York-based drug maker Forest Laboratories in a deal valued at approximately $25 billion.

News of the deal sent Forest stock skyrocketing 30% in early trading. Actavis's NYSE-listed shares climbed 7%.

Actavis will pay Forest shareholders $26.04 in cash and a portion of an Actavis share for each Forest share. The total, per-share price of $89.48 represents a premium of about 25% over Friday's closing price.

"With this strategic combination, we create an innovative new model in specialty pharmaceuticals leadership, with size and scale, a balanced offering of strong brands and generics, a focus on strategic, lower-risk drug development, and — most important — the ability to drive sustainable organic growth," Paul Bisaro, chairman and CEO of Actavis, said in a statement.

"This compelling combination gives us more optionality to drive future growth and sustainable shareholder value due to our expanded geographic and therapeutic presence, ability to drive new product flow through R&D, strong balance sheet and consistent cash flow," said Forest President Brent Saunders.

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Actavis, which has a large stock of generic drugs, gains a bigger foothold in the brand pharmaceuticals that comprise much of Forest's portfolio, says analyst Jim Molloy of Janney Montgomery Scott. Actavis also will expand into central nervous systems and gastrointestinal drugs through existing Forest offerings, he says.

By having a broader portfolio, the company can offer more products to doctors and hospitals, generating more sales and creating cost efficiencies, Molloy says.

The combined company will be led by Bisaro.

Paul Davidson contributed to this story.

Stock market to find out if the Fed made the right move

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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Investors this week will look at what the Federal Reserve used as a trigger to taper its asset purchases, and whether jobs data back that decision, while focusing more on company fundamentals as earnings season ramps up.

The week ahead will also see more traders return from holiday vacations, so volume is expected to get a sizable boost. Since Christmas, average daily volume for stocks has been 25% or more below the fourth-quarter average for 2013, according to Barclays.

/quotes/zigman/3870025/realtime SPX 1,831.37, -0.61, -0.03% S&P 500 over 10 days Stocks hit highs on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) , the S&P 500 Index (SPX) , and the Nasdaq Composite Index (COMP) all finished slightly lower last week, after all three hit their highs for 2013 on Dec. 31. The New Year's Eve surge capped the best year for the S&P 500 and Dow average since the 1990's. The last leg of that rally came after the Fed finally made the move that had obsessed financial markets for the past year: It said it would start reducing asset purchases in January. Whether investors felt the tapering was slight ($10 billion) or because the Fed stressed it was committed to keep rates low, stocks kept on their rally hats. The S&P 500 rose by about 4% before year end following the Dec. 18 Fed decision.

Investors will get a better sense of what drove outgoing Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues to make that move when they read minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee's December meeting on Wednesday afternoon. Stocks got a preview of the Fed's influence on Friday as they drew back on remarks from Philadelphia Fed President Charles Plosser that the central bank may have to get "aggressive" in raising rates only to regain some lost ground after Bernanke defended the policy of near-zero rates that kept the economy afloat.

"The Plosser comments were refreshing," said Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott. "Too many people think unwinding a $4 trillion balance sheet will be as smooth as silk."

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Investors want to know the details of what prompted the Fed to go from delaying an expected September tapering — leading to expectations that it would happen sometime in March — to pulling the trigger in December, Luschini said. Aside from the FOMC minutes, the biggest focus for the week will be jobs data, he added.

December jobs data and the unemployment rate on Friday will be crucial in supporting the Fed's decision to start lightening up on bond purchases, said Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG.

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"What jobs will do is reinforce the decision," Greenhaus said. "If they don't, that would certainly be annoying: You'd like to see a strong number reinforce the Fed decision."

A consensus of economists surveyed by MarketWatch expects the addition of 190,000 jobs in December with the unemployment rate holding steady at 7.0%.

Show me the revenue, not the earnings

A trickle of company earnings will set the stage for the fourth-quarter earnings dump that happens mid-January.

"While next week is not the biggest week, the conversation changes back to company fundamentals," said BTIG's Greenhaus.

The Ariad Pharmaceuticals Fuse is Lit (ARIA)

Considering I'm tired of saying it, there's a good chance you're tired of hearing it. Yet, if it needs to be said, then it needs to be said - Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARIA) is acting like it wants to go higher, and taking that hint in the recent past has paid off well, even if only temporarily.

Even if you don't know the company, it may ring a bell. Ariad Pharmaceuticals is the company that announced in October that its flagship cancer drug, Iclusig, may cause blood clots. The stock tanked when the drug was taken off shelves and its trials were suspended (in the United States anyway), even though it was a temporary measure to give regulators a chance to figure out exactly what was going on without risking anyone else's life. In fact, ARIA shares fell nearly 70% on the news.

As is all to often the case with a biotech stock, though, the market over-reacted. As it turns out, Iclusig can still be marketed in the United States - just with a longer warning label and more stringent oversight from administering doctors - and its trials can continue. It's also still being sold in Europe. In fact, there are whispers that Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is planning a new trial to begin later in this year that would pair Iclusig with an anti-clotting drug in order to negate the medicine's risk. Accordingly, ARIA has been slowly (and a little erratically) perking up as the sun has slowly risen again. In fact, it's the rising chart's history and current action that suggests it's worth yet-another swing now.

The chart below tells the tale. Over the course of more than three months of higher highs and higher lows, ARIA has wiggled and writhed its way back into an uptrend. And, it looks like we're gearing up for another pop. As I noted at the beginning of this week, this rally runs hot and cold, and the time to get in isn't when it's hot, but when it looks like there's a lull. See, the lulls don't last very long. If you can get in at the right time, you may just catch one of the big, high-volume surges Ariad Pharmaceuticals has been doling out. Indeed, if you look real closely at this week's action, although we've not seen explosive gains, this week's string of higher lows and higher highs says the bulls are testing the waters again. It's a sign they're gearing up for another round of buying, kind of like a burning fuse attached to a firecracker.

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Bottom line: There's more reward than risk here. Tide to wade in.

For more trading ideas and insights like these, be sure to sign up for the free SmallCap Network newsletter. You'll get stock picks, market calls, and more, every day. Here's what you've missed recently.

3 Reasons To Embrace The Double-Digit Drop In Exxon Mobil

Related XOM 3 Reasons To Trust Dividends More Than Analysts 3 Reasons Investors Should Applaud The Falling Price Of Oil

As detailed in another article on Benzinga, long-term investors should applaud the falling price of oil. The main exchange traded fund for oil, United States Oil (NYSE: USO), is down in recent market action. So are the stock prices for Big Oil Stocks such as Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDS-B), the two biggest in the world.

Here are three reasons why long-term investors should be pleased with Exxon Mobil declining in price.

It could allow for getting in at a cheaper price than Warren Buffett. The legendary investor bought 40.1 million shares last year for $3.45 billion. Needless to say, after that was announced, the stock price for Exxon Mobil rose. But now it is drifting back to that level. As Exxon Mobil is down for the last week, month, and quarter, there is certainly downward momentum. It is always nice to get in cheaper than "The Oracle of Omaha."

Exxon Mobil is the biggest oil company in the world.

Related: 3 Reasons Investors Should Applaud The Falling Price Of Oil

Like Jules in Pulp Fiction who was pretty much a vegetarian because his girlfriend was one, being the biggest pretty much makes Exxon Mobil the best oil company, too. There is a critical mass needed for oil firms to operate globally, especially in emerging market countries where most of the growth will be for the future. Exxon Mobil has that with a market capitalization of around $425 billion (second biggest in the market). The biggest and the best in an industry that is vital to the world's economy is now trading at a lower price: that is a very good thing for long-term investors!

The more the stock price decreases, the more the dividend yield for Exxon Mobil increases.

When the price of a stock falls, the dividend yield becomes that much higher. At present, the dividend yield for Exxon Mobil is more than 2.8 percent. The average dividend yield for a member of the S&P's 500 Index is around 2 percent. Exxon Mobil is also a "Dividend Aristocrat," which means it has increased its dividend annually for at least 25 consecutive years. Due to the decline in its stock price, long-term investors are now rewarded by a high yield from a dividend that should grow over time, based on its history.

As it is impossible to time the market, do not try to anticipate when Exxon Mobil will hit bottom. Buy for the long term. The dividend yield of Exxon Mobil pays for shareholders to wait for the stock price to rebound.

Posted-In: royal dutch shellLong Ideas Sector ETFs Emerging Markets Dividends Commodities Economics Markets Trading Ideas ETFs Best of Benzinga

(c) 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Most Popular Earnings Expectations For The Week Of February 10: AIG, Cisco, Deere, PepsiCo And More 5 Companies Google Should Acquire Next Steve Wozniak Wants Apple To Release An Android Phone Barron's Recap: Best Mutual Fund Families CVS vs. Altria - Which Would You Rather Invest In? Mid-Day Market Update: AutoNavi Surges On Alibaba Offer; Boardwalk Pipeline Shares Fall Related Articles (SPY + RDS-B) Five Ways To Deal With The Changing Market Environment 3 Reasons To Embrace The Double-Digit Drop In Exxon Mobil New Year, New Market, New Worries What Do The Cycles Say About February 2014? Sometimes Market-Related Reading Is Required Three ETFs To Buy On The Pullback (PJP, SKYY, SPY) Around the Web, We're Loving... Lightspeed Trading Presents: Thunder and Tubleweeds: Trading Techniques for the New Market Enviroment Pope Francis Rips 'Trickle-Down' Economics Come See How the Pro's Trade in this Exclusive Webinar Wynn, MGM, Other Casino Giants Vying For U.S. Turf What Should You Know About AMZN? View the discussion thread. Partner Network

Gilead Sciences: Sovaldi Exclusion No Big Deal

Last week, investors freaked out when biotech giant Gilead (GILD) announced its 2014 outlook and didn’t include Sovaldi in its calculations.

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Argus analyst David Toung explains why Sovaldi would make the Gilead’s numbers look even better:

In issuing guidance for 2014, Gilead notably excluded any sales from Sovaldi, even though it has been approved in the U.S., Canada and Europe. It expects 2014 sales from core products, excluding Sovaldi, of $11.3-$11.5 billion, an increase of 6%- 8% from 2013. It also projects a product gross margin of 75%-77%. It did not provide specific EPS guidance. Management expects to increase sales and marketing spending to support the launch of Idelalisib, its first oncology drug. It also expects to increase R&D spending to develop its product pipeline. As for Sovaldi, Gilead noted that every $1 billion of incremental Sovaldi sales would increase the gross margin by 75- 100 basis points and reduce the tax rate by 75-100 basis point

We are raising our 2014 EPS estimate to $3.35 from $3.25, and establishing a 2015 estimate of $5.10. Our revised earnings model includes contributions from Sovaldi and Idelalisib as well as ongoing growth from core pharmaceutical products. We also note the favorable impact from Sovaldi sales on Gilead's gross margin and tax rate.

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Shares of Gilead have gained 2.4% to $80.64 at 2:31 p.m., easily outpacing Amgen (AMGN), which has risen 0.6% to $119.64, Biogen Idec (BIIB), which has advance0.5% to $317.14 and Celgene, (CELG) is off 0.1% to $156.75. The SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) has fallen jumped 2.6% to $153.43.

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USDJPY and US 10Yr yield, the differential of both have always had strong positive correlation in past. However, recently we have witnessed a decoupling in the correlation between the Japanese yen and US 10 Yr yields, where differential have started widening.

The yields on 10Yr bonds have fallen on account of Fed policies keeping its interest rate nearly zero, whereas Yen has depreciated against the dollar largely due to the extended Asset Purchase program by BOJ supported by week macro economic data in Japan. If Fed maintains its policy rates unchanged and on other side Bank of Japan continues to expand its monetary policy to boost economy which should be enough to lift the USDJPY towards north. Hence, the differential between USDJPY and US 10Yr yield will uphold in near term. Now, the question remains for how long this will sustain as in past both have positive correlation for prolong period.

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: Eagle Bancorp Montana Inc.(EBMT)

Eagle Bancorp Montana, Inc. operates as the holding company for American Federal Savings Bank, which provides retail banking products and services primarily in the south central Montana. The company?s deposit products include checking accounts, NOW accounts, statement savings accounts, money market accounts, individual retirement accounts, and certificates of deposit accounts. Its loan portfolio consists of one-to-four-family residential mortgage loans; home equity loans and home equity lines of credit; and commercial real estate mortgage loans consisting of developed and undeveloped land loans, and loans on multi-family dwellings. The company also offers real estate construction loans; consumer loans comprising auto loans, RV loans, boat loans, personal loans and credit lines, and deposit account loans; and commercial business loans. It operates six full service retail banking offices located in Helena, Bozeman, Butte, and Townsend, as well as six automated teller machin es. The company was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Helena, Montana.

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc.(JBHT)

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a surface transportation, delivery, and logistics company in North America. It operates in four segments: Intermodal (JBI), Dedicated Contract Services (DCS), Full-Load Dry-Van (JBT), and Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS). The JBI segment provides intermodal freight solutions, including origin and destination pickup and delivery services in the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico. This segment operates 45,666 pieces of company-controlled trailing equipment; and manages a fleet of 2,592 company-owned tractors. The DCS segment involves in the design, development, and execution of supply chain solutions, which support various transportation networks. This segment offers final mile delivery, replenishment, and specialized services supporting private fleet conversion, fleet creation, and transportation system augmentation. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 4,259 company-owned trucks, 357 customer-owned trucks, and 23 independent contractor trucks. The JBT segment provides full-load, dry-van freight services by utilizing tractors operating over roads and highways. It operated 1,697 company-owned tractors. The ICS segment provides non-asset, asset-light, and transportation logistics solutions. It offers flatbed, refrigerated, expedited, and less-than-truckload, as well as various dry-van and intermodal solutions. The company transports a range of freight, including general merchandise, specialty consumer items, appliances, forest and paper products, building materials, soaps and cosmetics, automotive parts, electronics, and chemicals. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Lowell, Arkansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Hill]

  In this installment of Investor Beat, our analysts explain why they're watching J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ: JBHT  ) and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) .

• [By Monica Gerson]

  JB Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ: JBHT) is estimated to post its Q3 earnings at $0.78 per share on revenue of $1.45 billion.

  KMG Chemicals (NYSE: KMG) is expected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.27 per share on revenue of $79.00 million.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Like everyone else, Deutsche Bank’s Justin Yagerman starts with his reservations: FedEx has gained 28% during the past three months, trumping the United Parcel Service�� (UPS) 14% advance, the 1.1%rise in�J.B. Hunt Transport Services�(JBHT) and the 3.9% loss in�Expeditors International of Washington�(EXPD).

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Piedmont Natural Gas Company Inc.(PNY)

Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc., an energy services company, engages in the distribution of natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and power generation customers in portions of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. It also operates energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, regulated interstate natural gas storage, and intrastate natural gas transportation. The company serves approximately 1 million customers, including 51,800 customers served by municipalities. Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Tuesday
  Piedmont Natural Gas (NYSE: PNY  ) hopes to energize investors with its quarterly report on Tuesday. The utility company distributes natural gas to more than a million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The stock's 3.7% yield may not seem high, but slow and steady growth should give Piedmont the ability to increase that payout over time.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Piedmont Natural Gas (NYSE: PNY  ) reported earnings on June 7. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended April 30 (Q2), Piedmont Natural Gas crushed expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: First Quantum Minerals Ltd (FQVLF)

First Quantum Minerals Ltd. (First Quantum) is a mineral exploration, development and mining company. First Quantum is engaged in the production of copper, gold, nickel and acid and related activities, including exploration, development and processing. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� operating mines and projects are located in Zambia, Mauritania, Australia, Finland and Peru. It is developing the Kevitsa nickel-copper-platinum project in Finland and the Sentinel copper project in Zambia, and exploring the Haquira copper deposit in Peru. As of December 31, 2011, it produced London Metal Exchange grade equivalent copper cathode, copper in concentrate, nickel, gold and sulphuric acid. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it produced 265,576 tons of copper, 175,225 ounces of gold. In March 2012, Eurasian Natural Resources Corp PLC acquired its residual claims and assets in respect of the Kolwezi Tailings project, the Frontier and Lonshi mines and related exploration interests.

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: Norwood Financial Corp.(NWFL)

Norwood Financial Corp. operates as the holding company for the Wayne Bank, which provides various commercial banking products and services to individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and municipalities in Pennsylvania. The company?s various deposit products include interest-bearing and noninterest bearing transaction accounts, statement savings and money market accounts, and certificate of deposits. Its loan products comprise mortgage loans to finance principal residences, as well as second home dwellings; commercial loans, including lines of credit, revolving credit, term loans, mortgages, secured lending, and letter of credit facilities; construction loans for commercial construction and single-family residences; and indirect dealer financing of new and used automobiles, boats, and recreational vehicles. The company also offers various other services, such as cash management, direct deposit, remote deposit capture, automated clearing house activity, credit ser vices, trust, investment products, real estate settlement services, and Internet banking. It operates five offices in Wayne County, three offices in Pike County, and three offices in Monroe County, and also serves Lackawanna and Susquehanna counties. The company operates eleven automated teller machines in its branch locations. Norwood Financial Corp. was founded in 1870 and is headquartered in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Bank holding company Norwood Financial (NWFL) raised its quarterly dividend 7.1% to 30 cents per share, payable on Feb. 3 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 15.
  NWFL Dividend Yield: 4.39%

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: Digital Realty Trust Inc.(DLR)

Digital Realty Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), through its controlling interest in Digital Realty Trust, L.P., engages in the ownership, acquisition, development, redevelopment, and management of technology-related real estate. It focuses on strategically located properties containing applications and operations critical to the day-to-day operations of technology industry tenants and corporate enterprise datacenter users, including the information technology departments of Fortune 1000 companies, and financial services companies. The company?s property portfolio consists of Internet gateway properties, corporate datacenter properties, technology manufacturing properties, and regional or national offices of technology companies. As of December 31, 2008, Digital Realty?s portfolio consisted of 75 properties, including 62 located in North America and 13 located in Europe. Digital Realty Trust has elected to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purpo ses and would not be subject to income tax, if it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its stockholders. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California with additional offices in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Northern Virginia, and Phoenix, as well as in Dublin, London, and Paris.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Friday
  Things are usually quiet on Fridays, but that won't stop Digital Realty Trust (NYSE: DLR  ) from reporting.

  The REIT specializing in data center properties came under attack two months ago, when Highfields Capital Management argued that Digital Realty's model and its dividends aren't sustainable. The REIT fought back, but the shares continue to trade for less than they did at the time of the bearish comments from the hedge fund.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Stocks on the Move: NQ Mobile Inc. (NYSE: NQ) is up 11.6% at $12.29 as the company continues to claw its way back from an awful short-seller report. Criteo SA (NASDAQ: CRTO) is up 13.9% at $35.30 following its IPO today. Digital Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE: DLR) is down 15.3% at $49.16 on lowered guidance.

• [By Ong Kang Wei]

  For example, Digital Realty (DLR) is the undoubted leader in the data storage industry, with a market cap of $8.3B. Its other three competitors, DuPont Fabros (DFT), CoreSite Realty (COR) and CyrusOne (CONE), have market caps of $1.5B, $930M and $430M respectively. In addition, with the level of complexity involving Digital's business making it immensely difficult for companies to operate data centre facilities, the company is in a good position for future growth. The company also has a wide network of 595 tenants (significantly more than other competitors), including CenturyLink (CTL), AT&T and Morgan Stanley (MS). This further secures its long term business prospects and also its dominance over its competitors.

• [By Adam Aloisi]

  Trading 30% lower than it did around a year ago and with a short float of around 20%, data services provider Digital Realty (DLR) has developed into the REIT industry's most controversial stock. Short interest has more than doubled over the past six months, aided largely by a highly publicized bearish position taken by Highfield Capital's Jonathan Jacobsen. Though the stock trades at a fairly low multiple based on current operating expectations, investors appear about as motivated to buy a piece of DLR as they would a beach house with a hurricane approaching.

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: Marvell Technology Group Ltd.(MRVL)

Marvell Technology Group Ltd. designs, develops, and markets analog, mixed-signal, digital signal processing, and embedded and standalone ARM-based microprocessor integrated circuits. It offers mobile and wireless products, including communications processors, applications processors, and standalone wireless products, as well as combination devices, which incorporate wireless, Bluetooth, and FM radio capability. The company also provides storage products comprising tape drive controllers, read channel, hard disk controllers, solid-state drive controllers, hybrid drive controllers, and storage-system products for hard disk drives, tape drive electronics, optical disk drives, solid-state flash drives, hybrid drives, and storage subsystems technology. In addition, it offers networking, such as switching products that enable voice, video, and data traffic to be carried through the network for the enterprise networking, carrier access, and small office/home office/residential n etworking markets; communications controller and embedded processor products; and enterprise transceiver and Ethernet connectivity products. Further, the company provides printing ASIC products; digital video processing products; and power management and green technology products, such as DSP switcher integrated regulators, analog switching regulators, and mixed-signal light-emitting diode drivers. It operates in the United States, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  LSI is cheaper than it looks
  When you stack up LSI stock against a couple of its larger competitors -- Marvell Technology (NASDAQ: MRVL  ) and Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN  ) , it's not immediately clear that LSI is a bargain. Right off the bat, you can see that the stock sells for 30 times earnings -- while TI costs only 23.3 times earnings, and Marvell costs an even 22.0.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Marvell Technology (NASDAQ: MRVL  ) also landed on top. Analysts weren't holding out for much here, either. They saw revenue and earnings per share sliding 9% and 39%, respectively, for the maker of mobile communications equipment. After posting eight straight quarterly declines in year-over-year profitability, there was little reason to see that streak ending on Thursday.

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: Sussex Bancorp(SBBX)

Sussex Bancorp operates as the holding company for Sussex Bank that provides commercial banking and related financial services to individual, business, and government customers primarily in the United States. The company?s deposit products include personal and business checking accounts, time deposits, money market accounts, and regular savings accounts. Its loan products portfolio comprises commercial, consumer, mortgage, home equity, and personal loans. The company also operates a general insurance agency, which offers commercial and personal lines of insurance. As of April 27, 2011, Sussex Bancorp operates through 10 offices, including 8 offices located in Sussex County, New Jersey; and 2 in Orange County, New York, as well as serves Pike County, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1975 and is based in Franklin, New Jersey.

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: CAPITAL DRILLING LTD ORD USD0.0001(CAPD.L)

Capital Drilling Limited provides exploration, development, grade control, and blast hole drilling services to mineral exploration and mining companies. The company operates a fleet of 77 drilling rigs. It offers various drilling services, including surface diamond core; high air capacity reverse circulation, such as deep-hole RC for mineral exploration and mining; grade control; heli-portable diamond; deep directional core orientation; air core drilling using medium to light weight rigs; geotechnical; and coal and coal bed methane, as well as water bores and mine dewatering services. It also provides various products and services, such as assorted supplies, conventional hammers and bits, diamond coring products, down hole survey, drilling fluids, geological and survey equipment, mobile accommodation units, reverse circulation drilling equipment, ridgid tools and petol tongs, safety equipment, top hammer drilling, and tricone rockbits. In addition, the company offers suppo rt services, such as safety, environmental, human resource, systems, and training management services. Further, it provides data and voice solutions to corporate and non-governmental organizations. The company has operations in Tanzania, Zambia, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Armenia, Serbia, Papua New Guinea, Mozambique, Hungary, Eritrea, and Chile. Capital Drilling Limited was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Singapore.

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: Nexus Energy Ltd (NXS.AX)

Nexus Energy Limited engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas in Australia. It primarily holds interests in the Longtom gas project located in production license VIC/L29 within the Gippsland Basin, Victoria; and the Crux AC/L9 asset and WA-377-P exploration permit located in the Browse Basin, Western Australia. The company is based in Melbourne, Australia.

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: Eni(ENI.MI)

Eni SpA, an integrated energy company, engages in the exploration, production, transportation, transformation, and marketing of oil and natural gas. The company is also involved in the production and sale of electricity; refining and marketing of petroleum products; and production and sale of petrochemical products and hydrocarbons. In addition, it engages in the offshore and onshore hydrocarbon field construction. Further, the company offers offshore and onshore drilling, and offshore design and engineering services for oil and gas companies. It has a strategic partnership with Gazprom for the joint development of projects in the upstream oil and gas markets. Eni SpA has operations primarily in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Rome, Italy.

Best Japanese Companies To Own In Right Now: Deckers Outdoor Corporation(DECK)

Deckers Outdoor Corporation engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of footwear and accessories for outdoor activities and casual lifestyle use to men, women, and children. The company offers luxury footwear and accessories under the UGG brand name; high performance multi-sport shoes, rugged outdoor footwear, and sport sandals under the Teva brand name; casual and sustainable-lifestyle sneakers and accessories under the Simple brand name; casual footwear under the TSUBO brand name; and outdoor performance and lifestyle footwear under the Ahnu brand name. Its accessories include handbags and cold weather outerwear. The company sells its products primarily to specialty retailers, department stores, outdoor retailers, sporting goods retailers, shoe stores, and online retailers. Deckers Outdoor Corporation also sells its products directly to end-user consumers through its Web sites, call centers, retail concept stores, and retail outlet stores, as well as through ret ailers in the United States. In addition, the company distributes its products through independent distributors and retailers in Europe, Canada, Australia, Asia, and Latin America. It has a joint venture with Stella International Holdings Limited for the opening of retail stores and wholesale distribution for the UGG brand in China. Deckers Outdoor Corporation was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Goleta, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  Colorful clog maker Crocs disappointed on both top and bottom lines in its latest quarter, because of sluggish back-to-school sales, weaker employment growth, and macroeconomic uncertainty both domestically and abroad. Crocs' same-store sales in the Americas and Japan fell by 8.3% and 16.3%, respectively, but it's still enjoying notable growth in European and Asia-Pacific markets, where customers have taken great interest in the comfortable brand. This recent weakness has led Crocs to underperform the indexes as compared to Deckers Outdoor (NASDAQ: DECK  ) , Skechers (NYSE: SKX  ) and other shoe-makers -- its growth during our three-year tracking period is now the weakest of any major shoe brand (including shoe outlet Foot Locker (NYSE: FL  ) :

• [By Luke Jacobi]

  Deckers Outdoor (NASDAQ: DECK) lost 7.04 percent to close at $63.15 after word of a negative report on the company from OTR global hit the street early today.

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  I'm going to attempt something a little odd today, Fools. Even though�Deckers Outdoor (NASDAQ: DECK  ) stock makes up just less than 1% of my real-life holdings, I'm going to be giving you two reasons to consider selling the stock today.

New GM CEO Faces Huge Challenges in U.S.

New General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) CEO Mary Barra inherits a company that has done remarkably well in China and horribly in Europe. However, her greatest challenge is in GM’s home market, where it is barely holding its own in terms of market share. Barra may not be able to reverse that. The competition is just too intense.

GM’s sales in the world’s biggest car market — China — generally put it in first place, vying for the spot most months with Volkswagen. GM’s European operations have lost money for years, and those losses have piled into the billions. The popularity of its Opel brand has mostly eroded, and outsiders, in most cases, believe that GM losses in Europe could continue to the end of the decade.

GM remains the top car and light truck manufacturer in America. It sold 202,060 cars there in November, which was higher by 13.7%. Its market share has been stuck below 18% for most of the year and sits at 17.9%.

GM has had the same two major challengers in the United States for years. First, Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), the only one of the Big Three to escape Chapter 11, had a market share of 15.9% during the first 11 months, which is unchanged for 2012. It sold 189,705 vehicles last month. Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM), which at one time threatened GM for the top spot in the U.S., had a market share of 14.4% for the same period.

Yet, it would be a mistake to say that GM only has to worry about Ford and Toyota. GM has been anxious to resurrect its Cadillac brand, which as the highest-priced line of cars GM makes and should be unusually profitable. Despite the introduction of new models, Cadillac has barely made a dent the primacy of BMW, Mercedes and Toyota’s Lexus. The newest powerhouse in the luxury brand market is Audi, with sales up 13.3% during the first 11 months. It would be easy to reject these four luxury brands. However, together they hold a market share of nearly 7% — almost the size of Nissan’s. And their end of the market is in a period of unusual growth, fed by the improving fortunes of the most well-to-do Americans.

GM is squeezed between direct competitors, which have balance sheets that are at least as strong as its is, marketing budgets that can match its, new products barreling into dealerships and the import luxury cars. As sales in the U.S. market cool from the rapid growth of the past three years, a share of the market will become more precious. GM cannot afford for that to slip below its current level.

Can CBS Make You Watch Thursday Night Football?

A news break is out from multiple sources, showing that CBS Corp. (NYSE: CBS) will produce a full slate of 16 NFL games. The problem is that this is the Thursday Night Football package.

Football is big business in America. The problem is that Thursday Night Football has been considered dead by comparison to Sunday for quite some time – even with higher ratings last year. TVbytheNumbers showed that ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS and Turner were all bidding for Thursday Night Football. The report says,

“CBS will air eight early season games that also will be simulcast on NFL Network. NFL Network will also televise eight late-season games in the run-up to the playoffs. The mix of games will include 14 on Thursday nights and two late-season games on Saturday.”

The good news is that Thursday Night Football ratings were up in 2013. The bad news is that is still not even half of the Sunday lineup games. Yahoo! Sports showed the figures around the initial bidding as follows:

NFL Network’s Thursday night games were viewed by an average of 8 million viewers for a 13-game schedule in 2013, a 10 percent boost from 2012 but still far below NBC’s average 21.5 million viewers for its Sunday night contests.

CBS shares have already backed off marginally from their highs after the news. The stock is up 0.3% at $58.05, versus a daily range of $56.75 to $58.57 and a 52-week range of $41.33 to $64.06.

What CBS investors need to consider is that the company’s stock market value is already worth almost $35 billion. It simply may not be enough to move the needle here, particularly if ratings and/or advertising dip again. Now CBS just needs to figure out how to keep the guys from going out to that happy hour on Thursday after work looking for other things besides a football game on television.

Top 10 Biotech Companies For 2015

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

Attunity (NASDAQ: )  provides information availability software solutions for real-time data integration, application release automation, and managed file transfer. .

Top 10 Biotech Companies For 2015: Incyte Corporation(INCY)

Incyte Corporation focuses on the discovery and development of proprietary small molecule drugs for hematologic and oncology indications, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Its product pipe line includes INCB18424, which is in Phase III clinical trial for myelofibrosis; Phase III trial for polycythemia vera; Phase III trial for essential thrombocythemia; Phase I/II trial to treat solid tumors/other hematologic malignancies; and Phase IIb trail for the treatment of psoriasis. The company?s portfolio also includes INCB28050, a Phase IIb clinical trial product for rheumatoid arthritis; INCB28060, a Phase I/II product for solid tumors; INCB7839, a Phase II product for breast cancer; and INCB24360, a Phase I/II product for solid tumors. It has a collaborative research and license agreements with Novartis International Pharmaceutical Ltd.; Eli Lilly and Company; and Pfizer Inc. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Somaiya and team named Gilead and�Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX) their top picks, hile putting Buy ratings on Celgene, Biogen Idec, Alexion (ALXN), Incyte (INCY), Pharmacyclics (PCYC) and Synageva (GEVA). BioMarin (BMRN), Infinity Pharmaceuticals (INFI) and Amgen (AMGN) earned Neutral ratings.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Vertex has dropped 6.1% to $66.97 today at 2:24 p.m. but it’s fall doesn’t seem to be having an impact on other biotech companies. Incyte (INCY) gained 2% to $39.77, Acorda Therapeutics (ACOR) has gained 0.7% to $30.83 and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) has dropped 0.6% to $285.96.

• [By Jay Silverman]

  Steve Halpern: One of your long-standing recommendations is Incyte (INCY), which recently reported some positive news and saw a huge jump in the price-up close to 30% in one day. What happened there and what's your outlook for the stock?

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Incite growth into your portfolio
  Investors looking for the next high-growth biotech company should certainly spend time researching Incyte (NASDAQ: INCY  ) . The company sports a handful of the most promising JAK inhibitors, which are garnering high level interest throughout the pharmaceutical industry. The molecules have big potential in treating various cancers and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

Top 10 Biotech Companies For 2015: Merck & Company Inc.(MRK)

Merck & Co., Inc. provides various health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products. The company?s Pharmaceutical segment provides human health pharmaceutical products, such as therapeutic and preventive agents for the treatment of human disorders in the areas of bone, respiratory, immunology, dermatology, cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity, infectious diseases, neurosciences and ophthalmology, oncology, vaccines, and women's health and endocrine. This segment also offers human health vaccines, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. Its Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets animal health products. This segment offers antibiotics, anti-inflammatory products, vaccines, products for the treatment of fertility disorders, and parasiticides for cattle, swine, horses, poultry, dogs, cats, salmons, and fish. The Consumer Care segment develops, manufac tures, and markets over-the-counter, foot care, and sun care products. Its over-the-counter product line includes non-drowsy antihistamines; treatment for occasional constipation; decongestant-free cold/flu medicine for people with high blood pressure; nasal decongestant spray; and treatment for frequent heartburn. This segment?s foot care products comprise topical antifungal, and foot and sneaker odor/wetness products; and sun care products include sun care lotions, sprays and dry oils; and sunburn relief products. The company serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies, physicians, physician distributors, veterinarians, animal producers, and managed health care providers, as well as food chain and mass merchandiser outlets in the United States and Canada. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Newly approved diabetes drug Invokana is another drug that investors need to keep an eye on. The drug has already been favorably compared to Merck's (NYSE: MRK  ) diabetes behemoth Januvia -- a drug that, along with similar diabetes treatment Janumet, posted a whopping $5.7 billion in sales in 2012. If Invokana landed even half of that, it'd provide a major boost to J&J's future pharmaceutical sales.

• [By Dan Carroll]

  On a bright note for the Dow, shares of Merck (NYSE: MRK  ) have traded higher today, advancing 0.9% so far. The company has offered up its HPV vaccine Gardasil at a 95% discount�to impoverished nations, part of a deal with the GAVI Alliance partnership to boost immunization rates in developing populations. Merck's done well with Gardasil commercially as well, however; the vaccine�has been one of the company's best-sellers even as the firm struggles with patent expirations of other blockbuster drugs. Last year, Gardasil posted more than $1.6 billion in sales, a year-over-year gain of more than 34%.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Skin cancer treatments remain elusive. While some drugs are on the market for advanced-stage treatment, the most common and longest method of initial treatment still involves the doctor taking the scalpel and cutting it off an inch or centimeter at a time. The problem is when skin cancer goes metastatic and reaches other organs. Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK) has some promising melanoma trial data on Monday.

Top 10 International Stocks To Invest In 2014: Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc (NAVB.A)

Navidea Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Navidea), formerly Neoprobe Corporation, incorporated in 1983, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of precision diagnostic agents. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� radiopharmaceutical development programs included Lymphoseek (Lymphoseek, Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m for Injection), a radiopharmaceutical agent for lymph node mapping; AZD4694, an imaging agent, and RIGScan, a tumor antigen-specific targeting agent. In January 2012, the Company executed an option agreement with Alseres Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Alseres) to license [123I]-E-IACFT Injection, also called Altropane, an Iodine-123 radiolabeled imaging agent, being developed as an aid in the diagnosis of Parkinson�� disease, movement disorders and dementia. In August 2011, the Company sold its gamma detection device line of business (the GDS Business) to Devicor Medical Products, Inc.

Lymphoseek

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Navidea�� pipeline includes clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical agents used to identify the presence and status of disease. Lymphoseek (Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m for Injection) is a lymph node targeting agent intended for use in intraoperative lymphatic mapping (ILM) procedures and lymphoscintigraphy employed in the overall diagnostic assessment of certain solid tumor cancers. The lymph system is a component of the body�� immune system. The key components of the lymph system are lymph nodes-small anatomic structures that contain disease-fighting lymphocytes, filter lymph of bacteria and cancer cells, and signal infection in response to heightened levels of pathogens. In Navidea�� Phase III clinical studies of Lymphoseek, it detected over 99% of positive nodes identified by vital blue dye (VBD). As of December 31, 2011, Navidea, in co-operation with UC, San Diego affiliate (UCSD), completed or initiated five Phase I clinical trials, one multi-c enter Phase II trial and three multi-center Phase II trial! s ! involving Lymphoseek. Two Phase III studies were completed in subjects with breast cancer and melanoma. During the year ended December 31, 2011, data from NEO3-09 were released, which indicated that all primary and secondary endpoints for the study were met. As of December 31, 2011, third Phase III clinical trial for Lymphoseek in subjects with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (NEO3-06) was in progress.

AZD4694

AZD4694 is a Fluorine-18 labeled precision radiopharmaceutical candidate for use in the imaging and evaluation of patients with signs or symptoms of cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). It binds to beta-amyloid deposits in the brain that can then be imaged in positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Amyloid plaque pathology is a required feature of AD and the presence of amyloid pathology is a supportive feature for diagnosis of probable AD. Patients who are negative for amyloid pathology do not have AD. AZD4694 has b een studied in several clinical trials. Clinical studies through Phase IIa have included more than 80 patients to date, both suspected AD patients and healthy volunteers. No significant adverse events have been observed. Results suggest that AZD4694 has the ability to image patients quickly and safely with high sensitivity.

RadioImmunoGuided Surgery

As of December 31, 2011, RIGScan had been studied in a number of clinical trials, including Phase III studies. Navidea has conducted two Phase III studies, NEO2-13 and NEO2-14, of RIGScan in patients with primary and metastatic colorectal cancer, respectively. Both studies were multi-institutional involving cancer treatment institutions in the United States, Israel, and the European Union.

The Company competes with Pharmalucence, Eli Lilly, Bayer Schering, General Electric and GE Healthcare.

Top 10 Biotech Companies For 2015: Amarantus Bioscience Holdings Inc (AMBS)

Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc., formerly Amarantus BioSciences, Inc., incorporated on March 22, 2013, is focuses on developing intellectual property and proprietary technology in order to develop drug candidates and diagnostic blood tests to diagnose and treat human diseases. The Company owns the intellectual property rights to a therapeutic protein known as Mesencephalic-Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor (MANF), owns the intellectual property rights to biomarkers related to oncology and neurodegeneration named BC-SeraPro and NuroPro respectively, has a license to an Alzheimer�� disease blood test named LymPro, and owns a number of proprietary cell lines called PhenoGuard. MANF was the first therapeutic protein discovered from a PhenoGuard Cell Line. In December 2012, the Company acquired neurodegenerative diagnostic portfolio from Power3 Medical Products. On March 22, 2013, the Company was merged with into Amarantus Bioscience Inc.

The Company also owns an inventory of 88 cell lines that Amarantus refers to as PhenoGuard Cell Lines. MANF is a protein that corrects protein misfolding. The Company�� MANF product development effort is centered on a therapy for Parkinson�� disease.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Two weeks ago I penned some bullish thoughts on Amarantus BioScience, Inc. (OTC:AMBS). In simplest terms, I liked the way the stock had spent some time in consolidation mode, and looked like was testing the upper boundary of that zone - I figured a breakout from AMBS was imminent. So I waited... and waited.... and waited. Nothing. A week and a half later, I let the stock fall off my mental radar. As it turns out, I should have been a little more patient. Amarantus BioScience finally did the deed yesterday, and is following through today.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  At first glance, Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB:AMBS) doesn't look like anything more than a volatile mess. It's up 17% today, but had been up twice that amount this morning. Even more exhausting is the fact AMBS, currently at $0.0529, had been as high as $0.089 and as low as $0.039 within the past three months. Point being, Amarantus Bioscience Holdings has been, and continues to be, all over the map.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Judging from the company it's keeping Green Automotive Co. (OTCMKTS:GACR) may have just made its way into the upper echelon of small cap stock opportunities. The electric car company joins Elite Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCBB:ELTP), Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB:AMBS), and only three other companies as Wall-Street.com's "Best 6 Stocks" for January of 2014. As one of the top information resources for investors - particularly in terms of information regarding small and micro cap stocks - being named among the site's top pick is an accolade for AMBS, ELTP, and GACR. Even more impressive is that Green Automotive Co. was the only consumer-goods name among those six. Amarantus Bioscience Holdings and Elite Pharmaceuticals are biotechnology names... an industry that can and often does attract a lot of attention just by the nature of the business. The other three names making the "Best 6" list were an energy explorer, a power-management technology manufacturer, and prescription/medical food producer. For an electric car manufacturer to make the list speaks quite highly of GACR.

Top 10 Biotech Companies For 2015: Johnson & Johnson(JNJ)

Johnson & Johnson engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of various products in the health care field worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices and Diagnostics. The Consumer segment provides products used in baby care, skin care, oral care, wound care, and women?s health care fields, as well as nutritional, over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, and wellness and prevention platforms under the brands of JOHNSON?S, AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, JOHNSON?S Adult, NEUTROGENA, RoC, LUBRIDERM, DABAO, LISTERINE, REACH, BAND-AID, CAREFREE, STAYFREE, SPLENDA, TYLENOL, SUDAFED, ZYRTEC, MOTRIN IB, and PEPCID AC. The Pharmaceutical segment offers products in various therapeutic areas, such as anti-infective, antipsychotic, contraceptive, dermatology, gastrointestinal, hematology, immunology, neurology, oncology, pain management, and virology. Its principal products include REMICADE for the treatment of immune me diated inflammatory diseases; STELARA for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis; SIMPONI, a treatment for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis; VELCADE for the treatment of multiple myeloma; PREZISTA and INTELENCE for treating HIV/AIDS patients; NUCYNTA for moderate to severe acute pain; INVEGA SUSTENNAtm for the acute and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in adults; RISPERDAL CONSTA for the management of bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia; and PROCRIT to stimulate red blood cell production. The Medical Devices and Diagnostics segment primarily offers circulatory disease management products; orthopaedic joint reconstruction, spinal care, and sports medicine products; surgical care, aesthetics, and women?s health products; blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery products; professional diagnostic products; and disposable contact lenses. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in Ne w Brunswick, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Orelli]

  An oldie but a goodie
  Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) has increased its dividend for 51 consecutive years. Just last week, the company bumped its dividend 8.2% from $0.61 per share each quarter to $0.66 per share. Nothing is guaranteed, but it would take a major disruption in Johnson & Johnson's business before the health-care giant would cut its dividend. They don't make dividend stocks much more solid than that.

Top 10 Biotech Companies For 2015: Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Inc (RNN)

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Rexahn) is a development-stage biopharmaceutical company. The Company focuses on the development of cures for cancer to patients worldwide. The Company�� pipeline features one drug candidate in Phase II clinical trials. The Company also has several other drug candidates in pre-clinical development. In addition, the Company has two renal cell carcinoma (CNS) candidates, Serdaxin, CNS Disorders drug for depression and neurodegenerative diseases and Zoraxel, which is a erectile dysfunction (ED) and sexual dysfunction drug that are in clinical stages and the Company is are exploring options for further development . The Company�� drug candidate, Archexin is an anticancer Akt inhibitor.

Archexin

Archexin is potent inhibitor of the Akt protein kinase (Akt) in cancer cells. Archexin has FDA orphan drug designations for five cancers (RCC, glioblastoma, and cancers of the ovary, stomach and pancreas). Multiple indications for other solid tumors can also be pursued. Archexin inhibit both activated and inactivated forms of Akt, and to reverse the drug resistance observed with the protein kinase inhibitors. Archexin is an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) compound that is complementary to Akt mRNA, and selective for inhibiting mRNA expression and production of Akt protein. As of December 31, 2011, Archexin was in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of pancreatic cancer with enrollment completed in September, 2011.

Serdaxin

Serdaxin is an extended release formulation of clavulanic acid, which is an ingredient present in antibiotics approved by the FDA. The Company had been developing Serdaxin for the treatment of depression and neurodegenerative disorders. From January to September, 2011, the Company conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study compared two doses of Serdaxin, 0.5 milligram and 5 milligram, to placebo over an eight-week treatment period for major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. As of Dec! ember 31, 2011, the Company had not made a determination of Serdaxin�� future paths or resource allocations to further develop Serdaxin to treat MDD.

Zoraxel

Zoraxel is an orally administered, on-demand tablet to treat sexual dysfunction. Zoraxel is a dual enhancer of neurotransmitters in the brain that play a key role in sexual activity phases of motivation and arousal, erection and release, and may be the ED drug to affect all three of these phases of sexual activity. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was evaluating how to proceed with the Phase IIb study of Zoraxel.

The Company�� Pre-clinical Pipeline Drug Candidates includes RX-1792, which is a small molecule anticancer EGFR inhibitor; RX-5902, which is a small molecule anticancer ribonucleic acid (RNA) helicase regulator; RX-3117, which is a Small molecule anticancer deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis Inhibitor; RX-8243, which is a small molecule anticancer aurora kinase inhibitor; RX-0201-Nano, which is a nanoliposomal anticancer Akt inhibitor; RX-0047-Nano, which is an nanoliposomal anticancer HIF-1 alpha inhibitor and RX-21101, which is a nano-polymer Anticancer.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  With just a quick glance at a chart of Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSEMKT:RNN), it would be easy to conclude it's nothing but a volatile mess. When you take a step back and look at a long-term weekly chart of RNN, however, it starts to become clear that this small cap biopharma name is on the verge of a monster-sized breakout. First things first, however.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  If you were lucky enough to step into Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSEMKT:RNN) when your truly suggested it was a budding buy back on December 23rd, then congratulations - you're now up a little more than 60% (assuming you bought into RNN after the break above a key resistance line on the 27th). Now get out. Instead, use your profits from the Rexahn to take on a stake in GTx, Inc. (NASDAQ:GTXI). No, GTXI may not look like much at first, but when you take a step back and look at a chart of GTx, Inc. through a longer-term lens, the upside potential becomes clear.

Top 10 Biotech Companies For 2015: Scancell Holdings PLC (SCLP.L)

Scancell Holdings PLC is a United Kingdom-based company. The Company�� principal activity of the consists of the discovery and development of monoclonal antibodies and vaccines for the treatment of cancer. In April 2012, the Company completed recruitment to the Phase 1 clinical trial of SCIBI. In May 2012, the Company commenced recruitment and treatment of the first patient in the second part of it Phase 1/2 clinical trial of SCIBI. The Phase 2 part of the trial is conducted in five United Kingdom centers in Nottingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, and Southampton. On August 15, 2012, the Company announced the development of a platform technology, Moditope.

Top 10 Biotech Companies For 2015: StemCells Inc (STEM.W)

StemCells, Inc. (StemCells), incorporated in August 1988, is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of stem cell therapeutics and related tools and technologies for academia and industry. The Company is focused on developing and commercializing stem and progenitor cells as the basis for therapeutics and therapies, and cells and related tools and technologies to enable stem cell-based research and drug discovery and development. The Company�� primary research and development efforts are focused on identifying and developing stem and progenitor cells as potential therapeutic agents. The Company has two therapeutic product development programs, including its CNS Program, which is developing applications for HuCNS-SC cells, its human neural stem cell product candidate, and its Liver Program, which is characterizing the Company�� human liver cells as a therapeutic product.

CNS Program

The Company in its CNS Program, is in clinical development with its HuCNS-SC cells for a range of disorders of the central nervous system. The CNS includes the brain, spinal cord and eye. In February 2012, the Company had completed a Phase I clinical trial in Pelizeaus-Merzbacher Disease (PMD), a fatal myelination disorder in the brain.

The Company�� CNS Program is focused on developing clinical applications, in which transplanting HuCNS-SC cells protect or restore organ function of the patient before such function is irreversibly damaged or lost due to disease progression. The Company�� initial target indications are PMD, and more generally, diseases in which deficient myelination plays a central role, such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis; spinal cord injury, disorders in which retinal degeneration plays a central role, such as age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa. The Company�� product candidate, HuCNS-SC cells, is a purified and expanded composition of normal hum an neural stem cells. Its HuCNS-SC cells can be directly tr! a! nsplanted.

Liver Program

Liver stem or progenitor cells offer an alternative treatment for liver diseases. A liver cellular therapy or cell-based therapeutic provide or support liver function in patients with liver disease. The Company held a portfolio of issued and allowed patents in the liver field, which cover the isolation and use of both hLEC cells and the isolated subset, as well as the composition of the cells themselves.

The Company�� range of cell culture products, which are sold under the SC Proven brand, includes iSTEM, GS1-R, GS2-M, RHB-A, RHB-Basal, NDiff N2, and NDiff N2B27. Its iSTEM is a serum-free, feeder-free medium that maintains mouse embryonic stem cells in their pluripotent ground state by using selective small molecule inhibitors to block the pathways, which induce differentiation. RHB-A is a defined, serum-free culture medium for the selective culture of human and mouse neural stem cells and their maintenanc e and expansion as adherent cell populations. RHB-Basal is a defined, serum-free basal medium. When supplemented with specific growth factors, this media is formulated for the propagation and differentiation of adherent neural stem cells. RHB-Basal can also be tailored to specific-cell type requirements by the addition of customer preferred supplements.

The Company�� NDiff N2 is a defined serum-free scell culture supplement for the derivation, maintenance, expansion and/or differentiation of human and mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells and tissue-derived neural stem cells supplement. Its NDiff N2-AF is a serum-free and animal component-free version of NDiff N2. Its NDiff N2B27 is a defined, serum-free medium for the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells to neural cell types. NDiff N27-AF is a serum-free and animal component-free version of NDiff N27. Its GS1-R is a serum-free media formulation shown to enable the derivation and long-term maintenance of tr ue, germline competent rat embryonic stem cells without! the ! ad! dition ! of cytokines or growth factors. Its GS2-M is a defined, serum- and feeder-free medium for the derivation and long-term maintenance of true, germline competent mouse iPS cells.

The Company also markets a number of antibody reagents for use in cell detection, isolation and characterization. These reagents are also under the SC Proven brand and it includes STEM24, STEM101, STEM121 and STEM123. Its STEM24 is a human antibody that recognizes human CD24, also known as heat stable antigen (HSA), a glycoprotein expressed on the surface of many human cell types, including immature human hematopoietic cells, peripheral blood lymphocytes, erythrocytes and many human carcinomas. Its CD24 is also a marker of human neural differentiation. Its STEM101 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes the Ku80 protein found in human nuclei. Its STEM121 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes a cytoplasmic protein of human cells. Its STEM123 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes human glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).

The Company�� Other products marketed under SC Proven include total cell genomic DNA (gDNA), RNA and protein lysate reagents purified from homogenous stem cell populations for intra-comparative studies, such as Epigenetic fingerprinting, Southern, Western and Northern blots, PCR, RT-PCR and microarrays. This range of purified stem cell line lysates includes mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells propagated in SC Proven 2i inhibitor-based GS2-M media and mouse ES cell-derived and fetal tissue-derived neural stem (NS) cells propagated in SC Proven RHB-A media.

Top 10 Biotech Companies For 2015: ViroPharma Incorporated(VPHM)

ViroPharma Incorporated, a biotechnology company, develops and commercializes therapeutic products that address serious diseases in the United States and internationally. It focuses on developing products used by physician specialists or in hospital settings. The company markets and sells Cinryze, a C1 esterase inhibitor therapy for the routine prophylaxis against angioedema attacks in adolescent and adult patients with hereditary angioedema, a life-threatening genetic disorder; and Vancocin HCl capsule, an oral capsule formulation for the treatment of C. difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) and to treat enterocolitis caused by staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains. It also offers Plenadren, an orphan drug for treatment of adrenal insufficiency in adults; Buccolam, a oromucosal solution for treatment of prolonged, acute, and convulsive seizures in infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents; and maribavir, an antiviral compound for the treatment o f CMV disease through a license agreement with GlaxoSmithKline. The company?s primary development programs include Cinryze, a C1 esterase inhibitor for management of hereditary angioedema; and VP 20621, a non-toxigenic strain of C. difficile. Its clinical stage drug candidate comprises VP-20629 for the treatment of Friedreich?s Ataxia. The company sells its products directly to wholesale drug distributors and specialty pharmacies/distributors. ViroPharma Incorporated was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of ViroPharma (NASDAQ: VPHM  ) , a biotechnology company specializing in treating rare diseases, rose as much as 14% after a report from Reuters noted preliminary buyout interest in the company.

• [By Max Macaluso and David Williamson]

  At the end of last week, a Bloomberg article revealed that Shire (NASDAQ: SHPG  ) and pharmaceutical giant Sanofi� (NYSE: SNY  ) may be circling ViroPharma� (NASDAQ: VPHM  ) . The the following video, from The Motley Fool's health care show Market Checkup, analysts David Williamson and Max Macaluso take a close look at ViroPharma and discuss the recent interest in this small biotech company.

• [By George Budwell]

  Shire plc (NASDAQ: SHPG  ) is in the process of buying orphan drug-specialist ViroPharma (NASDAQ: VPHM  ) for $4.2 billion, strengthening Shire's already robust commercial drug portfolio for rare diseases. The deal is expected to be finalized no later than Jan. 9, after Shire extended its tender offer to acquire all outstanding ViroPharma shares last week.

• [By Anna Prior]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Monday’s session are ViroPharma Inc.(VPHM), Transocean Ltd.(RIGN.VX) and Gogo Inc.(GOGO)

Top 10 Biotech Companies For 2015: Scancell Holdings PLC (SCLP)

Scancell Holdings PLC is a United Kingdom-based company. The Company�� principal activity of the consists of the discovery and development of monoclonal antibodies and vaccines for the treatment of cancer. In April 2012, the Company completed recruitment to the Phase 1 clinical trial of SCIBI. In May 2012, the Company commenced recruitment and treatment of the first patient in the second part of it Phase 1/2 clinical trial of SCIBI. The Phase 2 part of the trial is conducted in five United Kingdom centers in Nottingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, and Southampton. On August 15, 2012, the Company announced the development of a platform technology, Moditope.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The U.S. dollar modestly extended gains versus major rivals Wednesday after minutes of the Federal Reserve's September policy meeting showed most members of the Federal Open Market Committee still thought it would be appropriate to begin scaling back the central bank's bond purchases later this year. The September meeting had shocked market participants when the Fed refrained from scaling back the pace of its monthly bond purchases. The ICE dollar index (DXY) , which tracks the currency against six rivals, traded at 80.402, a gain of 0.4% on the day but little changed from the level seen ahead of the release of the minutes. The euro (EURUSD) traded at $1.3497, down from around $1.3515 ahead of the minutes, while the dollar bought 97.54 Japanese yen (USDJPY) , up from around 97.31 yen.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector Index Fund (SOXX.W)

iShares S&P North American Technology-Semiconductors Index Fund (the Fund), formerly iShares S&P GSTI Semiconductor Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, as represented by the S&P North American Technology-Semiconductors Index. The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index.

The Index has been developed as an equity benchmark for United States-traded semiconductor stocks. The Index includes companies that are producers of capital equipment or manufacturers of wafers and chips.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Weight Watchers International Inc(WTW)

Weight Watchers International, Inc. provides weight management services worldwide. It offers various services and products that are built upon its weight management plans comprising nutritional, exercise, and behavioral tools and approaches. The company, through its WeightWatchers.com offerings, provides two Internet subscription products, Weight Watchers Online and Weight Watchers eTools. Weight Watchers Online provides online content, functionality, resources, and interactive Web based weight management plans. Weight Watchers eTools is an Internet weight management tool for the Weight Watchers meetings members that helps to manage the day-to-day aspects of weight management plan online, discover various food options, stay informed, and keep track of their weight management efforts. Weight Watchers International also sells various products that complement its weight management plans, such as bars, snacks, cookbooks, food and restaurant guides with PointsPlus values, Weigh t Watchers magazines, and PointsPlus calculators primarily to its members and franchisees. In addition, it offers iPhone application, which provides subscribers with access to a suite of weight-loss tools, as well as helpful content; and iPad application, which provides subscribers with access to a set of recipe tools. The company was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michele Lerner]

  Getty Images Stress can drive people to do self-destructive things ... such as using "retail therapy" as a distraction or grabbing some Ben & Jerry's to lift the mood. Whether your emotions drive you to overeat or overspend, there are strategies to eliminate the connection between your feelings and behavior you know is bad for your wallet or your waistline. It's all about learning self-discipline, say Ellie Kay and Danna Demetre, co-authors of "Lean Body Fat Wallet."Doing so transforms your mind-set to the point where your internal motivation to do the right thing becomes natural. Getting to that point -- the point where you "realize that you don't need to eat or spend money to feel good about yourself" -- begins with thinking about why you overeat or overspend, Kay says. "For example, I've worked with military families that have a high level of debt. Some of them spend too much money just to comfort themselves when a family member is deployed." Breaking that habit -- snipping the connection between your emotions and your bad habits -- is the goal of the strategy that Kay and Demetre developed. The 3D Strategy The 3 D's are: determine, distract and delay. Kay describes the 3 Ds in action: "If you go to the mall and just buy the shoes your son needs, you start out determined not to buy anything you don't need," she says "Then you see some amazing Jimmy Choo shoes in the window that are on sale, but you know they're not in your budget. So you distract yourself by going to the other store and buying your son's shoes. Then you delay by promising yourself that you'll come back in a week or two if you can find money in your budget to buy those shoes. Chances are you won't be back." Demetre suggests starting with a 10-minute delay before eating anything or buying anything, just to exercise your discipline. During that 10 minutes, ask yourself, "Why do I want this?" "If it's immediate gratification, you may have buyer's remorse," Demetre says. "Whatever you

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Weight-loss specialist Weight Watchers International� (NYSE: WTW  ) announced today its second-quarter dividend of $0.175 per share, the same rate it's paid since it began making a payout in 2006.

• [By Robert Hanley]

  Consumer-goods marketer Blyth (NYSE: BTH  ) , owner of weight-loss upstart ViSalus, has been in the doghouse lately, sitting near a 52-week low due to poor results in its weight-loss unit.� Despite a large potential customer base of overweight people worldwide, the industry has had difficulty generating growth lately, with data provider Marketdata Enterprises estimating that industry sales rose only 1.7% in 2012.� However, Blyth caught a bid in late October from a proposed combination with marketing-services provider CVSL, indicating that some people see incremental value in Blyth's businesses.�So, should small investors bet on this small cap or should they focus their attention on Weight watchers International (NYSE: WTW  ) and Medifast (NYSE: MED  ) instead?

5 Best Biotech Stocks For 2015: Solar Senior Capital Ltd.(SUNS)

Solar Senior Capital Ltd., a business development company, provides investment management services in the United States. The company primarily invests in senior secured loans, including first lien, unitranche, and second lien debt instruments. It serves middle-market companies. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: FAB Universal Corp (FU)

FAB Universal Corp.(FAB), formerly Wizzard Software Corporation, incorporated on July 1, 1998, operates in two segments: Software and Media Services. The Software segment engages primarily in the development, sale, and service of custom and packaged computer software products. The Media Services provides podcast hosting, content management tools and advertising services. The Company�� software segment attributes revenues from the development, sale, and service of custom and packaged computer software products at the time the product is shipped and collections are likely and from digital media publishing services at the time the service is provided. Its media segment attributes revenue from digital media publishing service at the time the service is provided and collection is likely. As of September 30, 2012, the Company does not have any inter-segment revenues. On October 12, 2012, it opened a 20,000 square foot Flagship superstore in the Beijing shopping district of SoShow. On September 26, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of Digital Entertainment International Ltd. (DEI). As of September 30,2012, the Company discontinued its Future Healthcare of America (FHA).

The Company specializes in the distribution of entertainment and audio visual products through its two flagship stores in Beijing as well as its online stores. DEI, through its wholly owned subsidiary and its VIE, is engaged in marketing and distributing various officially licensed digital entertainment products under the FAB brand, including products such as digital music files, Compact Discs(CD), Video Compact Discs (VCD) and Digital Video Disks (DVD) as well as books, magazines, mobile phone accessories and cameras. DEI�� products and services are primarily distributed through its flagship stores, wholesale services, FAB kiosks, and online virtual stores. FAB kiosks, located in high-traffic areas of office buildings, shopping malls, retail stores and airports, are self-service terminals that provide a range of en! tertainment and consumer applications. Its Media is primarily engaged in operating and providing multimedia kiosks for music downloads information exchange and advertising.

MEDIA

The Company distributes over 150,000 media based products including copyrighted DVD��, Blu-ray Discs, music CD��, video games and downloadable digital content through three distribution channels: wholesale and retail, licensing and kiosks. It conducts their retail business through their flagship stores. Each store has over 20,000 square feet in size and carries the selection of copyrighted audio and video products in China, including CDs, VCDs, DVDs, blu-rays, books, magazines and portable electronic devices. It markets their products to individual consumers and audio-video retailers. The flagship stores are recognized by many Chinese consumers as the right place to buy copyright protected products. Celebrity signing events are the driver to FAB�� retail stores which have been used as a venue for Chinese music and movie stars to meet their fans. Its SoShow flagship provides Beijing shoppers with its audio-video hypermarket. As a preferred venue for product announcements, publishing parties, studio releases, author readings, movie showings, live promotional performances and concerts, its SoShow outlet is one of China�� ultra-modern entertainment destination for music lovers, film buffs, game enthusiasts, and early electronic adopters.

The Company's wholesale distribution provides audio-video products such as compact discs, video compact discs and digital video discs as well as books and magazines to audio-video products retailers. It distributes these media products to over 80 customers including Sohu (NASDAQ: SOHU), Dangdang (NYSE: Dang) and Century Outstanding Information Technology Company, a subsidiary of Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN). Its wholesale business caters to three types of customers: retail stores, FAB license stores and small wholesale/resellers. Customers place orders by! telephon! e, through the Internet or in-person and fulfillment is handled by its vehicle fleet or through direct warehouse access. As of September 30, 2012, the Company has over 100 suppliers and 80 wholesale customers, including the Government.

Its Intelligent Media Kiosks are based on 61 national intellectual property rights, are automated teller machine (ATM) style terminals where consumers can download copyrighted music, video games, ringtones, digital books and movies directly to their cell phones, memory sticks or other mobile storage devices. Its Media Kiosks can also run video ads on the high-tech liquid crystal display (LCD) screens and accept payments for utility bills, metro cards, and credit card bills. It is a self-service vending kiosk designed and launched by the Company. The kiosks target the millions of mobile and portable device users combing interactive touch screen and LED display with a selection of copyrighted content such as music, movies and games. There are thousands of licensed digital entertainment content items in each kiosk, such as music, movie and TV episodes, which allows the customer to play or download to their portable device or memory card with payment by cash, its membership card or ATM card. It has deployed over 11,000 kiosks through their licensing program. The kiosks are located in high-traffic areas, such as office buildings, shopping malls, and retail stores. It generates revenues from its Intelligent Media Kiosk business through the sale of licenses and then through ongoing media content download, media membership card sales and kiosk-based advertising.

SPEECH TECHNOLOGY & SERVICES GROUP

Its legacy Speech Technology & Services Group sells and licenses speech programming tools, related speech products and services, and distributable speech engines in over 13 languages worldwide. It receives the majority of its sales leads through arrangements with AT&T, as well as through its own Internet marketing efforts through Google, Yahoo and! other In! ternet search engines. The Speech Technology and Services Group's immediate focus is to increase revenue and be a preferred supplier for speech technologies to businesses worldwide, emphasize great technologies, competitive prices, and support to the speech development community and offer non-technical hosted speech conversion services to companies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Shares of FAB Universal (NYSE: FU) have been halted premarket, and remained as such throughout the duration of the trading day. There is no indication when shares would resume trading.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: OriginOil Inc (OOIL.PK)

OriginOil, Inc., incorporated on June 1, 2007, is a technology company. The Company is primarily involved in research and development activities, and sales of pilot and demonstration equipment. The Company has developed an energy production process for harvesting algae and cleaning up oil and gas water. To develop the energy and ancillary markets, the Company sells smaller-scale equipment, such as the Algae Appliance. The Company�� process, CLEAN-FRAC, represents a generation of water treatment that is chemical free. The Company's water cleanup technology, Electro Water Separation (EWS), is a chemical-free process that extracts organic contaminants from large quantities of water. Its products include EWS Algae, EWS Algae A4, EWS Algae A60, EWS Algae A200, EWS Petro P160, and EWS Aqua Q60.

The Company intends to embed its technology into larger systems through licensing and joint ventures. The Company is in the process of pursuing secondary licensing oppo rtunities outside of energy, including aquaculture. EWS Algae A4 is an entry-level algae harvester designed to make it easier and faster for producers and researchers to try and buy the Company's harvesting technology. EWS Algae A60 is a pilot scale algae harvester providing a low energy, chemical-free, continuous flow wet harvest system to dewater and concentrate the microalgae. EWS Petro Model 160 is designed to remove organics, such as crude oil, and suspended solids and bacteria from process water, such as produced or frac flowback water at a continuous flow rate of one barrel per minute or 160 liters per minute in continuous, chemical free operation. EWS Aqua Q60 is a commercial fish farming pond water treatment system, designed to clean pond water of ammonia, bacteria and aquatic animal pathogens in a continuous loop.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: SK TELECOM ADR EACH REP 1/9 KRW500(CIT)

SK Telecom Co., Ltd. provides wireless telecommunications services using code division multiple access (CDMA) and wide-band CDMA technologies. It offers cellular voice services, such as wireless voice transmission services; and wireless global roaming services. The company also provides wireless data transmission services, such as wireless Internet access services, which allow subscribers to access online digital contents and services, as well as to send and receive text and multimedia messages. In addition, it offers broadband Internet and fixed-line telephone services, such as video-on-demand and IP TV services; and local, domestic, and international long-distance fixed-line telephone services to residential and commercial subscribers. Further, the company provides wireless entertainment-related contents and services, wireless finance-related contents and m-commerce services, and wireless news and search services; and international calling services, such as direct-dial, pre and post paid card calling services, bundled services for corporate customers, voice services using Internet protocol, Web-to-phone services, and data services. Additionally, it offers satellite digital media broadcasting services; telematics services; and fixed-line and online community portal services. The company also operates 11th Street, an online shopping mall; and T Store, an online open marketplace for mobile applications. As of March 31, 2011, SK Telecom Co. had 26 million wireless subscribers. It has strategic alliances with Bridge Alliance; Orange SA; Telecom Italia Mobile S.p.A.; T-Mobile International AG & Co; and Teliasonera Mobile Networks AB. The company was formerly known as Korea Mobile Telecommunications Co., Ltd. and changed its name to SK Telecom Co., Ltd. in March 1997. SK Telecom Co., Ltd. was founded in 1984 and is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) has been consistently striving to expand its market share. In 2012, the company launched Maritime Finance, which offers secured loans to operators of oceangoing and inland cargo vessels, as well as offshore vessels and drilling rigs. In 2011, the company announced establishment of CIT Real Estate Finance business and an online bank. All these initiatives are expected to drive revenue growth going forward. Investors receive a tiny 0.4% dividend. Oppenheimer raises their 2014 price target to $59 from $55. The consensus target is at $55. CIT closed Monday at $51.64.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) operates as the holding company for CIT bank, which provides commercial financing and leasing products, as well as deposit products and savings accounts. The company operates through five segments: Corporate Finance, Transportation Finance, Trade Finance, Vendor Finance, and Consumer. The Oppenheimer target for the stock was not listed in the report. The consensus target for the stock is $54.25.

• [By Lisa Abramowicz]

  ��here was this maturity wall that people were terrified of,��said Neil Wessan, the group head of New York-based CIT Group Inc. (CIT)�� capital markets unit. ��hat�� been spread out over a much broader period of time.��

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (ARE)

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), engages in the ownership, operation, management, development, acquisition, and redevelopment of properties for the life sciences industry. Its properties consist of buildings containing scientific research and development laboratories, and other improvements. The company offers its properties for lease primarily to universities and independent not-for-profit institutions; and pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, life science product, service, biodefense, and translational research entities, as well as governmental agencies. As of December 31, 2006, it had 159 properties, including 156 properties located in 9 states in the United States and 3 properties located in Canada. As a REIT, the company is not subject to federal income tax to the extent that it distributes 100% of its taxable income to its stockholders. The company was founded in 1993 and is based in Pasadena, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shauna O'Brien]

  Real estate investment trust Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc (ARE) announced on Tuesday that its board has approved a 4.6% increase to its quarterly dividend.

  The firm has raised its dividend from 65 cents to 68 cents per share, or $2.72 annually. The dividend will be paid on October 15 to shareholders of record on September 30. The stock will go ex-dividend on September 26.

  Alexandria Real Estate Equities shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Tuesday. The stock is down 9% YTD.

• [By Markus Aarnio]

  Owens Realty Mortgage's competitors include American Assets Trust (AAT), Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE) and Boston Properties (BXP). American Assets Trust has seen five insider buy transactions and four insider sell transactions this year. American Assets Trust has a dividend yield of 2.78%. Alexandria Real Estate Equities has seen 14 insider sell transactions this year. Alexandria Real Estate Equities has a dividend yield of 4.10%. Boston Properties has seen one insider buy transaction and four insider sell transactions this year. Boston Properties has a dividend yield of 2.43%.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Colibri Resource Corporation (CBI.V)

Colibri Resource Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral and natural resource properties in Mexico. It primarily explores for gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, and other metal deposits. The company has interests in the Colibri property, the Leon property, the Ramaje Ardiente (Ramard) property, and the Evelyn III property located in the state of Sonora, Mexico. Colibri Resource Corporation was incorporated in 2004 and is based in Nanaimo, Canada.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Vittoria(VITI.MI)

Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides various life and non-life insurance products to individuals, families, and businesses in Italy. Its life insurance products comprise savings insurance products; protection policies covering risks of death, disability, and non-self-sufficiency; supplementary pension plans, including individual pension schemes and open-ended pension fund; and unit-linked financial policies. The company?s non-life insurance products include accident, health, and fire and natural events insurance; other asset damage insurance, which covers the risks of theft and burglary, hail, damage to electronic equipment, and technological damage; general third party liability, pecuniary loss, and legal protection insurance; credit and bond insurance; aircraft and watercraft hulls insurance; railway rolling stock insurance; and goods in transit insurance. It also offers motor insurance products, such as third-party liability for motor vehicles and watercraft, land motor vehicle hulls, and assistance; and outward and inward reinsurance products. In addition, the company engages in the real estate trading; and real estate management, brokerage, and promotional activities. As of December 31, 2010, it offered its products through 318 general agencies and 551 professional sub-agencies. The company was formerly known as The Victory Insurance and changed its name to Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A. in 1968. Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A. was founded in 1921 and is based in Milan, Italy.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Internet Gold Golden Lines Ltd.(IGLD)

Internet Gold ? Golden Lines Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides communications services in Israel. The company offers a range of telecommunication operations and services, including domestic fixed-line, cellular and international communication services, multi-channel television, satellite broadcasts, Internet services, customer call centers, maintenance and development of communications infrastructures, provision of communications services to other communications providers, television and radio broadcasts, and supply and maintenance of equipment on customer premises. It also provides data services, server and Web site hosting services, technical maintenance and support services, networking and system services, outsourcing and out-tasking services, security and risk management solutions, and IP based services; media services, which include the sale of advertising on its Web sites; and sale of products and services on the Internet. The company was formerly known as Euronet Golden Lines (1992) Ltd. and changed its name to Internet Gold ? Golden Lines Ltd. in June 1999. The company was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Ramat Gan, Israel. Internet Gold ? Golden Lines Ltd. is a subsidiary of Eurocom Communications Ltd.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Oi SA (OIBR.N)

Oi S.A., formerly Brasil Telecom S.A., incorporated on November 27, 1963, is a telecommunication service provider in Region II in Brazil. The Company offers a range of integrated telecommunication services that includes fixed-line and mobile telecommunication services, data transmission services (including broadband access services), Internet service provider (ISP) services and other services, for residential customers, small, medium and large companies, and governmental agencies. The Company provides services, which include Fixed-Line Telecommunications Services and Data Transmission Services, Mobile Telecommunications Services and other services.

Local Fixed-Line Services

As of December 31, 2010, the Company had approximately 7.2 million local fixed-line customers in Region II. Local fixed-line services include installation, monthly subscription, metered services, collect calls and supplemental local services. Metered services include local c alls that originate and terminate within a single local area. ANATEL has divided Region II into 1,772 local areas. Local fixed-line services also include in-dialing services (direct transmission of external calls to extensions) for corporate clients. For corporate clients in need of lines, the Company offers digital trunk services, which optimize and increase the speed of the customer�� telephone system.

Long-Distance Services

The long distance services include fixed line-to-fixed line and mobile long distance services. It provides domestic long-distance services for calls originating from Region II through interconnection agreements, mainly with Telemar in Region I and Telecomunicavoes de Sao Paulo S.A. (Telesp), in Region III permit the Company to interconnect directly with their local fixed-line networks, and through its network facilities in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. It provides international long-distance services origina ting from Region II through agreements to interconnect its! n! etwork with those of the main telecommunication service providers worldwide. It provides mobile long-distance services originating from Region II through interconnection agreements, with Telemar in Region I, Telesp in Region III, and each of the principal mobile services providers operating in Brazil that permit it to interconnect directly with their local fixed-line and mobile networks. It provides international long-distance services originating or terminating on its customer�� mobile handsets through agreements to interconnect its network with those of the main telecommunication service providers worldwide.

Mobile Telecommunication Services

As of December 31, 2010, the Company had approximately 7.8 million subscribers located in 1,281 municipalities in Region II. As of December 31, 2010, 87.5% of the Company�� customers subscribed to pre-paid plans and 12.5% subscribed to post-paid plans. The Company markets Oi Ligador subscriptions to its pr e-paid customers, which allow these customers to receive bonus minutes with each purchase of additional credits. It charges a nominal subscription fee to enroll a customer in the Oi Ligador program and provide bonus minutes to these customers that may be used for local calls to its fixed-line or mobile subscribers, long-distance calls to its fixed-line subscribers, and sending Short Message Service (SMS, messages to mobile subscribers of any Brazilian mobile service provider.

The Company has roaming agreements with TNL PCS S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Telemar which provides mobile services and which it refers to as Oi, Companhia de Telecomunicacoes do Brasil Central (CTBC), and Sercomtel S.A. Telecomunicacoes (Sercomtel), providing its customers with automatic access to roaming services when traveling outside of Region II in areas of Brazil where mobile telecommunication services are available on the GSM standard. As of December 31, 2010, it had launched t hird generation (3G) services in a total of 84 municip! alitie! s! , includ! ing the nine state capitals in Region II and the Federal District. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 175,200 3G mobile broadband customers.

Data Transmission Services

The Company provides Internet access services using ADSL technology, which it refers as broadband services, to residential customers and businesses in the primary cities in Region II under the brand name Oi Velox. As of December 31, 2010, the Company offered broadband services in 1,810 municipalities in Region II and it had 1.9 million ADSL customers. Its network supports ADSL2+, VDSL2 and FTTx technologies. ADSL2+ is a data communications technology that allows data transmission at speeds of up to 24 megabits per second downstream and 1 megabits per second upstream. ADSL2+ permits offer a range of services than ADSL, including Internet protocol television (IPTV). As of December 31, 2010, approximately 50% of its fixed-line network had been updated to support ADSL2+. Very-h igh-bitrate digital subscriber line (VDSL2), is a DSL technology providing faster data transmission, up to 100 megabits per second upstream (downstream and upstream). Fiber to the x (FTTx), is a broadband network architecture that uses optical fiber to replace all or part of the usual metal local loop used for last mile telecommunications.

The Company provides a range of data transmission services through various technologies and means of access. Its commercial data transmission services include Industrial Exploitation of Dedicated Lines (Exploracao Industrial de Linha Dedicada (EILD)), under which it leases trunk lines to other telecommunication services providers, primarily mobile services providers, which use these trunk lines to link their radio base stations to their switching centers; Dedicated Line Services (Servicos de Linhas Dedicadas (SLD)), under which it leases dedicated lines to other telecommunication services providers, Internet service providers (ISPs) and corporate customers for use in private! networks! t! hat link ! different corporate Websites; Internet Protocol (IP) services, which consist of dedicated private lines and dial-up Internet access, which it provides to the ISPs in Brazil, as well as Virtual Private Network (VPN), services that enable its customers to operate private Intranet and extranet networks, and frame relay services, which the Company provides to its corporate customers to allow them to transmit data using protocols based on direct use of its transmission lines, enabling the creation of VPNs.

The Company provides these data transmission services using its service network platform in Region II and its nationwide fiber optic cable network and microwave links. In addition, it provides services at the six cyber data centers located in Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Porto Alegre and Fortaleza. It provides hosting, collocation and information technology (IT) outsourcing at these centers, permitting its customers to outsource their IT structures to it or to u se these centers to provide backup for their IT systems. It also owns and operates a submarine fiber optic network, which connects Brazil with the United States, Bermuda, Venezuela and Colombia. Through this network, it offers international data transportation services, primarily leased lines to other telecommunication services providers.

Network Usage Services (Interconnection Service)

The Company is authorized to charge for the use of its local fixed-line network on a per-minute basis for all calls terminated on its local fixed-line network in Region II that originate on the networks of other local fixed-line, mobile and long-distance service providers, and all long-distance calls originated on its local fixed-line network in Region II that are carried by other long-distance service providers. In addition, the Company charges network usage fees to long-distance service providers and operators of trunking services that connect switching stations to its local fixed-line networks.

Traffic ! Transpo! rtation S! ervices

The Company offers a long-distance usage service, called national transportation, under which it provides discounts to its long-distance network usage fees based on the volume of traffic and geographic distribution of calls generated by a long-distance or mobile services provider. The Company also offers international telecommunication service providers the option to terminate their Brazilian inbound traffic through its network, as an alternative to Embratel and Intelig Telecomunicacoes Ltda. (Intelig). The Company charges international telecommunication service providers a per-minute rate, based on whether a call terminates on a fixed-line or mobile telephone and the location of the local area in which the call terminates.

Public Telephone Services

The Company owns and operates public telephones throughout Region II. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had approximately 266,100 public telephones in service, which are operated by pre-paid cards.

Value-Added Services

Value-added services include voice, text and data applications, including voicemail, caller identification (ID), and other services, such as personalization (video downloads, games, ring tones and wallpaper), short message service (SMS)subscription services (horoscope, soccer teams and love match), chat, mobile television, location-based services and applications (mobile banking, mobile search, email and instant messaging). The Company also provides advanced voice services to its corporate customers, mainly 0800 (toll free) services, as well as voice portals where customers can participate in real-time chats and other interactive voice services. The Company also operates an Internet portal under the brand name iG.

The Company competes with Empresa Brasileira de Telecomunicacoes, GVT S.A., Vivo Participacoes S.A., Telecom Americas Group, TIM Participacoes S.A., Telesp and Intelig.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Exterran Holdings Inc. (EXH)

Exterran Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides operations, maintenance, service, and equipment for oil and natural gas production, processing, and transportation applications. The company�s Contract Operations segment offers natural gas compression and production, and processing services, as well as engages in the engineering, procurement, and on site construction of natural gas compression stations and/or crude oil or natural gas production and processing facilities. As of December 31, 2011, this segment provided contract operations services primarily using a fleet of 8,485 natural gas compression units with an aggregate capacity of approximately 3,632,000 horsepower in North America; and a fleet of 1,063 units with an aggregate capacity of approximately 1,260,000 horsepower internationally. Its Aftermarket Services segment sells parts and components; and provides operation, maintenance, overhaul, and reconfiguration services for compression, productio n, treating, and oilfield power generation equipment. The company�s Fabrication segment engages in the design, engineering, installation, fabrication, and sale of natural gas compression units, and accessories and equipment used in the production, treatment, and processing of crude oil and natural gas; provision of engineering, procurement, and fabrication services primarily related to the manufacturing of critical process equipment for refinery and petrochemical facilities; and fabrication of tank farms, and evaporators and brine heaters for desalination plants. Its products include line heaters, oil and natural gas separators, glycol dehydration units, condensate stabilizers, dewpoint control plants, water treatment, mechanical refrigeration and cryogenic plants, and skid-mounted production packages designed for onshore and offshore production facilities. The company was founded in 1990 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Exterran Holdings (NYSE: EXH  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on May 2. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Exterran Holdings's revenues will grow 21.6% and EPS will turn positive

• [By Ryan Lowery]

  All natural
  An obvious place to start is coal's biggest competitor, natural gas. For a while now, I've been a fan of the natural gas compression company, Exterran Holdings (NYSE: EXH  ) , which provides operations, maintenance, service, and equipment for both oil and natural gas production. Exterran's stock has had a steady climb the last couple of years -- it's up over 40% this year alone. The majority of analysts are calling Exterran a hold, but several rate it a buy or even a strong buy. Currently, Exterran is trading in the upper $20 range, and with a price target of $33, it still seems to have some upside. And for those interested in investing in master limited partnerships, Exterran operates an MLP as well, Exterran Partners (NASDAQ: EXLP  ) , which has seen a 33% gain in its price this year.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Inuvo Inc (INUV)

Inuvo, Inc. provides software and analytics technology solutions through the Internet for use by online advertisers and Website publishers. The company operates in two segments, Performance Marketing, and Web Properties. The Performance Marketing segment designs, builds, implements, manages, and sells various technology platforms. Its solutions include ValidClick service at validclick.com, which is a fraud filtering pay-per-click marketplace where publishers integrate advertisements within their Websites based on the demographics and natural search behaviors of the consumer; MyAP affiliate platform at myap.com, an affiliate tracking and management software solution that provide advertisers the ability to sign up, manage, and track the activities of their publishers; and LocalXML service at localxml.com, which allows publishers to make real-time calls to the LocalXML database. The Web Properties segment designs, builds, and implements offers and/or Websites that enable sale of products, services, data, and advertising. It operates Yellowise.com directory search Website, a local search and review Website powered by the LocalXML service for users to search by category and location, and receive requested search results; and BargainMatch consumer product comparison-shopping and CashBack website at BargainMatch.com, which allows publishers to offer their visitors an online shopping experience with rewards to consumers; and Kowabunga consumer daily deals website at kowabunga.com for households and retail advertisers of rural America. The company was formerly known as Kowabunga! Inc. and changed its name to Inuvo, Inc. in July 2009. Inuvo, Inc. is headquartered in New York, New York.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Penson Worldwide Inc.(PNSN)

Penson Worldwide, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various critical securities and futures processing infrastructure products and services to the financial services industry. Its products and services include securities and futures clearing and execution, clearing and custody services, trade settlement, technology services, risk management services, and customer account processing and customized data processing services, as well as financing and cash management technology and other related products. The company also participates in margin lending, securities borrowing, and lending transactions, primarily to facilitate clearing and financing activities, as well as provides tools and services to support trading in multiple markets, asset classes, and currencies. In addition, it offers Internet account portfolio information, holding and safeguarding securities and cash deposits, securities lending and borrowing, proprietary trading, futures products, and institutional and active retail front-end trading software products and services, as well as technology and data product offerings, including customizable front-end trading platforms, options and futures trade data, and order-management services. It serves online, direct access, and traditional retail brokers, as well as banks, institutional brokers, financial technology companies, and securities exchanges in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. The company?s securities and futures processing infrastructure products and services are marketed principally under the Penson name. Penson Worldwide, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Uranium Participat Com Npv (U.TO)

Uranium Participation Corporation operates as an investment holding company. The company invests its assets substantially in uranium oxide in concentrates (U3O8). U3O8 is primarily used as a fuel for nuclear power plants. Denison Mines, Inc. operates as the manager of the company. Uranium Participation was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Best Japanese Stocks To Own For 2015: Apex Minerals NL(AXM.AX)

Apex Minerals NL engages in the mining and production of gold, as well as exploration of mineral resources in Australia. It holds interests in the Wiluna gold project, which covers an area of approximately 50 square kilometers located to northeast of Perth; and in the Youanmi project that covers an area of 40 kilometers located to northeast of Perth. The company is based in West Perth, Australia.