For "Hemlock Grove," the Path to Success Is Easier Than You Might Think

Netflix's (NASDAQ: NFLX  ) new horror show Hemlock Grove, which makes its debut this weekend, has already come under fire from some reviewers. The negative press appears to be emboldening the bears ahead of the company's April 22 earnings report. They might be acting prematurely.

Look at history. HBO's comparable horror series, True Blood, captured just 1.4 million viewers in its September 2008 premiere before going on to five seasons of award-winning performances and excellent ratings for the Time Warner (NYSE: TWX  ) subsidiary. Season six begins on June 16.

Sources: HBO, Facebook.

All Hemlock Grove has to do is get close to these numbers with hardcore horror fans. Presuming the buzz that follows is enthusiastic enough to keep viewers engaged, Netflix could have a niche hit on its hands in the same way that True Blood has grown into a win for HBO. At the very least, you can bet Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) is paying close attention as it prepares to launch its own slate of self-produced programs.

Viewer ratings of Hemlock Grove look good so far. As of this writing, the 1,442 members rating the show at Netflix give it 3.9 out of five stars. The top-rated review speaks for how show-runner Eli Roth hopes to give viewers something different:

"To me, it's most important for this series to make the statement: 'If you want high school, lovey-lovey, blade martial arts, Oprah-channel-drama, than Hemlock Grove may not be for you.' ... I think it has succeeded in doing so."

Shareholders can only hope.

What's your take on Hemlock Grove? Will you watch? Please vote in the following poll and then leave a comment to let us know whether you'd buy, sell, or short Netflix stock now, and why.

For further analysis of how Netflix is changing entertainment, tune into our newest premium research report, in which we take you inside Netflix's entertainment empire and tell you what the streaming sensation is really worth, and whether the stock deserves a place in your portfolio. Access your report now by clicking here.

Europe Stocks Rise as M&A Activity Offsets Stimulus Fear

European stocks advanced, snapping a two-day decline, as merger and acquisition activity outweighed concern that central banks will taper stimulus measures. U.S. futures climbed while Asian shares were little changed.

Kabel Deutschland Holding AG jumped 7.7 percent after Vodafone Group Plc confirmed that it approached the German company about a takeover. British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc rose 1.7 percent as analysts said News Corp. may make another offer for the company. Severn Trent Plc tumbled after a consortium of investors dropped their bid for the water utility.

The benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Index gained 0.3 percent to 292.69 at 10:08 a.m. in London. The gauge has lost 5.8 percent since May 22 amid speculation the Federal Reserve will taper its bond-buying program that helped drive the measure to its highest level since June 2008.

"I've been waiting for M&A for so long; companies have strong balance sheets so that they have the wherewithal to do it, but it's whether they have the confidence," Kevin Lilley, a fund manager at Old Mutual Asset Managers U.K. in London, which oversees about $6.1 billion, said in a telephone interview. "I would expect to see more activity in the coming months."

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index retreated 0.1 percent today, after a rout that wiped out about $400 billion from the value of global equities yesterday. Contracts on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index futures advanced 0.4 percent after the equity gauge fell for a second day.

German Hearing

Germany's top court continues its two-day hearing to address the European Central Bank's Outright Monetary Transactions program and the European Stability Mechanism. The ECB's top two German officials yesterday gave opposing evidence at the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe as judges consider the legality of the OMT bond-buying program.

"There is the realization in the market that some of the stimulatory measure out there are going to be coming t! o an end," said Lilley. "Fears of a worst-case scenario have abated for now, but for the market to really move ahead we need profit growth."

Greece became the first developed country to be cut to emerging-market status by MSCI Inc. after the local equity gauge plunged 83 percent since 2007.

The Mediterranean nation failed to meet criteria regarding securities borrowing and lending facilities, short selling and transferability, according to a statement yesterday from MSCI, whose equity indexes are tracked by investors with about $7 trillion in assets.

Kabel Approach

Kabel Deutschland rallied 7.7 percent to 80.51 euros, for the biggest advance on the Stoxx 600, after Vodafone, the world's second-largest wireless carrier, confirmed it discussed acquiring the German cable operator to expand in the broadband and TV market.

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Vodafone contacted Kabel Deutschland, which has a market value of about 7 billion euros ($9.3 billion), to discuss an offer within the past week, Bloomberg News reported yesterday, citing people with knowledge of the matter. Vodafone slipped 1.2 percent to 182.9 pence.

BSkyB rose 1.7 percent to 791 pence. Banco Espirito Santo SA wrote in a report that News Corp. may make a new bid for the U.K.'s largest pay-TV broadcaster after its shareholders approve a plan to split off publishing operations. Espirito said it sees a possible takeover valuation for BSkyB of 990 pence a share.

Severn Trent tumbled 7.8 percent to 1,786 pence after Borealis Infrastructure Management Inc. and its Kuwaiti-British partners late yesterday abandoned their 5.3 billion-pound ($8.3 billion) bid for the U.K. water utility as the offer deadline expired.

11 Great Books I've Read Lately

Mark Twain says, "The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them." In that spirit, here are 11 great books I've read lately that you should read, too.

This Will Make You Smarter: 150 New Scientific Concepts to Improve Your Thinking, Various

Edge.org asked 150 of the world's smartest scientists to write a short (one or two page) article on a concept that will help average people think better. The authors are physicists, astronomers, and mathematicians, but each article is digestible to someone with no experience in these subjects. Every one is good. I could hardly put it down.

Bull!, Maggie Mahar

Warren Buffett recommended this book in Berkshire Hathaway's 2003 letter to shareholders. I now realize why he gave it a plug: It is one of the best investing books I've ever come across. Mahar is a journalist, so there's no opinion or advice in this book -- and that's what makes it great. It's a detailed history of the modern American stock market, chronicling how retail investors consistently fall for bubble highs and get crushed by bear market lows.

30 Lessons For Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans, Karl Pillemer

Gerontologist Karl Pillemer spent years interviewing more than 1,000 elderly Americans with a simple goal: Ask those with the most life experience for advice on how to live a good life. Here's one key takeaway:

No one -- not a single person out of a thousand -- said that to be happy you should try to work as hard as you can to make money to buy the things you want.

No one -- not a single person -- said it's important to be at least as wealthy as the people around you, and if you have more than they do it's real success.

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No one -- not a single person -- said you should choose your work based on your desired future earning power.

Conversations With Wall Street, Peter Ressler, Monika Mitchel

Peter Ressler and Monika Mitchell interviewed Wall Street traders, often anonymously, to figure out what was going through their heads leading up to, during, and after the financial crisis of 2008. My big takeaway is that most of Wall Street's "dirtiest" players are actually good people who believe in morality -- but good people do crazy things when you dangle a $10 million carrot in front of them.

The Information Diet, Clay Johnson

Someone in the middle of nowhere with a $50 cell phone has access to more information than Ivy League scholars did just a few decades ago. But we are any smarter because of it? Are we making better decisions? Probably not. And it's our fault.

Clay Johnson starts his book with a great quote by Steve Jobs:

When you're young, you look at television and think, There's a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get a little older, you realize that's not true. The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want. That's a far more depressing thought. Conspiracy is optimistic! You can shoot the bastards! We can have a revolution! But the networks are really in business to give people what they want. It's the truth.

Pretty well sums it up.

Mistakes Were Made (But not By Me), Carol Tavris, Elliot Aronson  

Everyone makes bad decisions and terrible forecasts. Few, however, live up to their faults. Tavris and Aronson show that this behavior goes beyond saving face. We systematically delude ourselves into believing our decisions were smart even when they obviously weren't. The authors write:

Most people, when directly confronted by evidence that they are wrong, do not change their point of view or course of action but justify it even more tenaciously. Even irrefutable evidence is rarely enough to pierce the mental armor of self-justification.

Highly relevant to investors who attempt to justify their bad returns. Which is to say, most investors.

Ignorance: How It drives Science, Stuart Firestein

"Knowledge is a big subject," Firestein writes. "Ignorance is bigger. And it is more interesting."

No analyst or financial advisor wants to be caught saying, "I don't know." But in science, ignorance is the heart of success. Questions are more important than answers. "As a scientist, you don't do something with what you know to defend someone, treat someone, or make someone a pile of money. You use those facts to frame a new question," Firestein writes. Highly relevant to investing.

What to Expect When No One's Expecting, Jonathan Last

Two things lead to economic growth: Population growth and productivity growth. Jonathan Last shows how we're slowly losing the first half of that equation: "In 1979, the world's fertility rate was 6.0; today it's 2.52." This leads to everything from entitlement shortfalls to labor shortages to changes in medicine. If the forecasts are right the drop in birth rates will be one of the most important stories of the next half-century. An incredibly well-researched and thought-provoking book. 

It's Getting Better All the Time, Stephen Moore, Julian Simon

Moore and Simon write: 

Most Americans do not fully appreciate how truly fortunate they are to live in the midst of this most amazing time ... life expectancy has increased so rapidly that San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jon Carrol recently quipped that 'Americans have come to view death as optional' ... Today, the average U.S. household spends about 10 times as much on recreation as it did in 1900 and 3 times more on leisure time over the course of their lifetimes than their great-grandparents did.

This book was published in 2000, at the end of the longest economic boom in modern history. Bad timing? Yes. But the authors' main points -- people like progress, and things generally get better over time -- is still relevant. As author Matt Ridley once wrote:

Today, of Americans officially designated as 'poor,' 99 per cent have electricity, running water, flush toilets, and a refrigerator; 95 per cent have a television, 88 per cent a telephone, 71 per cent a car and 70 percent air conditioning. Cornelius Vanderbilt had none of these.

Life Without Lawyers, Philip Howard

The label on my jar of peanuts warns, "PRODUCT MAY CONTAIN NUTS." Doctors order unnecessary tests to protect against lawsuits. Elementary school kids have been suspended for bringing scissors to school. A 14-year-old girl had a stroke in her classroom, but no one called an ambulance for 90 minutes because the school has a rule preventing teachers from calling 911 without the principal's permission.

Howard persuasively argues that Americans' obsession with suing everyone in sight has suffocated people's ability to do what is right. The lawyers now make the decisions. He then offers a set of solutions, with laws that both protect society yet are flexible enough to let people make reasonable decisions.

The Success Equation, Michael Mauboussin

Only a small handful of money managers will outperform an index fund over time. And some of those who do will win thanks to luck alone. Which ones? We really don't know. 

Most of life is like this. Intuitively, we know luck can play a big role in outcomes, but it's difficult to separate luck from skill when assessing success -- particularly our own.

Well written and analytical, this book completely changed how I think about success. This line I found particularly meaningful: "There's a quick and easy way to test whether an activity involves skill: ask whether you can lose on purpose."

Have any recommendations of your own? Share them below!

Is Taiwan Semiconductor Destined for Greatness?

Investors love stocks that consistently beat the Street without getting ahead of their fundamentals and risking a meltdown. The best stocks offer sustainable market-beating gains, with robust and improving financial metrics that support strong price growth. Does Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM  ) fit the bill? Let's look at what its recent results tell us about its potential for future gains.

What we're looking for
The graphs you're about to see tell Taiwan Semi's story, and we'll be grading the quality of that story in several ways:

Growth: Are profits, margins, and free cash flow all increasing? Valuation: Is share price growing in line with earnings per share? Opportunities: Is return on equity increasing while debt to equity declines? Dividends: Are dividends consistently growing in a sustainable way?

What the numbers tell you
Now, let's take a look at Taiwan Semi's key statistics:

TSM Total Return Price data by YCharts.

Criteria

3-Year* Change

Grade

Revenue growth > 30%	68.4%	Pass
Improving profit margin	(7.3%)	Fail
Free cash flow growth > Net income growth	(37.9%) vs. 56%	Fail
Improving EPS	56.1%	Pass
Stock growth (+ 15%) < EPS growth	82.4% vs. 56.1%	Fail

Source: YCharts.
*Period begins at end of Q1 2010.

TSM Return on Equity data by YCharts.

Criteria

3-Year* Change

Grade

Improving return on equity	(12.6%)	Fail
Declining debt to equity	236.2%	Fail
Dividend growth > 25%	7.7%	Fail
Free cash flow payout ratio < 50%	276.3%	Fail

Source: YCharts.
*Period begins at end of Q1 2010.

How we got here and where we're going
Taiwan Semi doesn't back up its strong price appreciation by earning a measly two out of nine passing grades today. The company's big weakness of late is falling free cash flow, which now rests far below its net income (although it remains in solidly positive territory for the time being). Can Taiwan Semi's shareholders continue to earn market-beating returns, or is chip-making not the moneymaker it was once thought to be? Let's dig a little deeper.

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) signed a three-year deal with Taiwan Semi in the past month to build the upcoming A8, A9, and A9X chips -- a deal that seemed to show Apple moving away from Samsung as its supplier-slash-frenemy of choice. But Apple is apparently still utilizing Samsung fabs to build A9 chips for future iterations of the iPhone, starting in 2015. Apple also made a deal with Samsung for future 14-nanometer chips, which means that Samsung has beaten out Taiwan Semi to the 14-nanometer transistor size. The Taiwanese company, despite being one of the very major few chip fabs left, couldn't get get a 14-nanometer production line up and running in time for Apple's anticipated launch.

However, Apple's new partnership with Taiwan Semi has resulted in a dedicated chip fabrication facility that should allow the iPhone maker a chance to reduce its reliance on Samsung for one of the most important components in its devices. Apple had previously offered Taiwan Semi sizable investments to guarantee dedicated capacity, only to be rebuffed as Taiwan Semi sought to maintain its flexibility. To ensure such flexibility in light of the new deal, Taiwan Semi has also been branching out into LED lighting and solar energy. Moving beyond its core business isn't without risks, but these two industries continue to grow by leaps and bounds. If management pulls it off, Taiwan Semi's flagging free cash flow -- no doubt a consequence of equipment investments -- could turn up in a big way. At the very least, the revenue from these two areas could even out the cyclicality of its chip business.

As the largest chip foundry, Taiwan Semi has the size to maintain reliable profitability, where fabless chip makers tend to vacillate between red and black ink. If Apple continues to shift production to Taiwan Semi and away from Samsung, Taiwan Semi will have a massive new customer that can singlehandedly boost its bottom line -- provided that the world doesn't fall out of love with iStuff, that is.

Putting the pieces together
Today, Taiwan Semiconductor has some of the qualities that make up a great stock, but no stock is truly perfect. Digging deeper can help you uncover the answers you need to make a great buy -- or to stay away from a stock that's going nowhere.

Apple has a history of cranking out revolutionary products -- and then creatively destroying them with something better. Read about the future of Apple in the free report "Apple Will Destroy Its Greatest Product." Can Apple really disrupt its own iPhones and iPads? Find out by clicking here.

This Week in Biotech

With the SPDR S&P Biotech Index up 29% over the trailing-12-month period, it's evident that investment dollars are willingly flowing into the biotech sector. Keeping that in mind, let's have a look at some of the rulings, studies, and companies that made waves in the sector last week.

As promised, while last week was relatively tame when it came to biotech news, we were somewhat overwhelmed this week with earnings news. But earnings stories aside, we had plenty in the way of clinical studies, an approval by the Food and Drug Administration, and a federal appellate court ruling to keep us entertained.

On the bright side, three biotech companies had a very good week.

Shareholders "nudged" Array BioPharma (NASDAQ: ARRY  ) higher by nearly 18% on the week after it announced positive mid-stage data on ARRY-502, a treatment for mild to moderate persistent allergic asthma. In its mid-stage trial, ARRY-502 met its primary endpoint of improving lung function as measured by forced expiratory volume in one second, or FEV1. In the overall trial, FEV1 increased by 3.9% compared to the placebo, while a specified subset of patients in the Th2 Biomarker group saw their FEV1 jump by 6.8% relative to the placebo. ARRY-502 also met a number of secondary endpoints. Since the asthma market is a crowded field, Array also put the feelers out there that it's looking for a licensing partner to help take this experimental drug into the next stage.

Perhaps no shareholders jumped for more joy over the past week than those of BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: BCRX  ) , whose shares shot up 88% this week on word of a positive early-stage clinical trial for BCX4161. In a different context, shares have now jumped 155% in just the past two weeks. The oral experimental drug, BCX4161, which is designed to treat a rare condition known as hereditary angioedema (HAE), was considered safe and well tolerated among patients, and the company anticipates moving on to mid-stage testing soon. However, as the Fools Brian Orelli was quick to point out, this data came from a subset of healthy volunteers, and there's little guarantee it will translate into success in future trials on patients that do suffer from HAE.

Believe it or not, Forest Laboratories (NYSE: FRX  ) continued its string of good news following word from the Food and Drug Administration on Friday that Fetzima, a drug co-developed with Pierre Fabre Laboratories, had been approved to treat major depressive disorder. This is a big step for Forest Labs, which lost MDD drug Lexapro to patent expiration last year and now could be set to capitalize on a disease that can affect as many as 15 million people in the U.S. -- all with Eli Lilly's Cymbalta, a $5 billion-a-year drug, set to lose patent protection itself in the fourth quarter.

But they can't all be winners, and two biotech companies found that out the hard way.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX  ) suffered through an unpleasant week, with shares down 9% after it announced a partial clinical hold on Friday for its all-oral hepatitis-C drug, VX-135. The drug, which is currently in midstage trials, was placed on clinical hold by the FDA after it noted elevated, but reversible, liver enzyme levels in patients receiving the 400mg dose with ribavirin. To me this looks like a precautionary hold, but it will be perceived as painful, since it puts Vertex's oral hepatitis-C medication that much further behind its competition. Kalydeco is becoming the future of Vertex with regard to its potential to treat various mutations of cystic fibrosis, so I wouldn't worry too much about this minor setback with VX-135.

The big loser this week, even if the share price doesn't reflect it, is hybrid branded and generic-drug maker Teva Pharmaceutical (NYSE: TEVA  ) , which saw several of its patents on blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone overturned in a federal appellate court. This ruling could potentially open the door for generic-drug makers to begin marketing generic versions of Copaxone, a $4 billion-per-year drug, by May instead of two years from now as Teva had initially expected. The move comes as good news for generic-drug developers suchas Momenta Pharmaceuticals, which, with Novartis, will make one of the two competing generic versions of the drug. For Teva, it gives the hybrid drugmaker all the more reason to continue to fight for its patents in court, and to search for potentially accretive acquisitions before it loses its Copaxone patent exclusivity.

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Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Buy For 2014

The United States is overflowing with oil. In fact, the Energy Information Administration thinks the country could realistically produce 6 million to 8 million barrels of oil per day over the next three decades. The institution's high estimate exceeds 10 million barrels per day. Canadian production isn't doing too bad, either, although supporting infrastructure is less developed for our northerly neighbors. That bodes well for the companies pumping it out of the ground, but it also represents a big opportunity for the companies transporting and refining crude oil.

Here are four of the best investments supporting oil drillers.

Canadian National Railway (NYSE: CNI  )
Canadian National Railway is one company trying to bail-out Canada's ailing pipelines. In 2010 the company didn't move one carload of crude oil. This year it is expected to "choo-choo" its way to 60,000 carloads of oil from the country. This business in particular has boosted sales and income each year since 2010. Investors have to like that growth and where things are headed in the long term. Canadian National is cutting checks totaling $1.9 billion this year to repair its railways, accommodate growth needs, and purchase new freight cars, including new natural-gas powered models. �

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Buy For 2014: Agrium Inc.(AGU)

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  Hard commodities aren't getting all of institutional investors' hate in 2013; agricultural commodity stocks are too. Enter Agrium (AGU), the Canadian agricultural retailer. Agrium is the largest ag retailer in the U.S., selling fertilizers, chemicals and seed directly to farmers through more than 1,250 locations. One of the most attractive attributes of Agrium is the fact that the firm isn't merely a seller -- it's also the third-largest producer of potash in North America, a factor that should bode well for Agrium's margins as fertilizer prices rise.

  Agrium is well-positioned to grab onto bullish trends in the agricultural commodities. Because its customers, the farmers, have that same exposure, they're less price-sensitive to changes in costs than they would otherwise be; fertilizer and seed prices tend to move in lock-step with the prices that farmers are able to charge for their crops.

  From a macro standpoint there's reason to be bullish on the agriculture business: Growing populations and declining farmland continue to be major themes worldwide, and demand for efficiency-improving products (like fertilizers) should continue to strengthen. At the same time, Agrium's push to other regions should help to spawn growth in the next few years.

  While a proxy battle at AGU has added some extra headline risks for the firm (big holders want to split the firm's retail and wholesale fertilizer businesses), it's my view that ultimately either outcome will likely add value for investors. The combined firm has more cost savings, while the split up firm will likely see value unlocked from a public offering.

  Institutions unloaded more than $25 million shares of AGU in the last quarter.

• [By Lowell]

  Agrium Inc. (NYSE:AGU): Down 1.01% to $71.84. Agrium Inc. supplies nitrogen, potash and phosphate for agricultural, industrial, and specialty use. The Company operates throughout the America’s while it markets its products globally.

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Buy For 2014: Goldman Sachs Group Inc.(The)

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

5 Best Stocks To Own For 2014: Assisted Living Concepts Inc. New (ALC)

Assisted Living Concepts, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates senior living residences in the United States. It offers general services, such as meals, activities, laundry, and housekeeping; support services, including assistance with medication, monitoring health status, co-ordination of transportation, and co-ordination with physician offices; and personal care services, such as dressing, grooming, and bathing. The company also arranges access to additional services from third-party providers, including physical, occupational, and respiratory therapy; home health; hospice; and pharmacy services. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 211 senior living residences comprising 9,325 units in 20 states. Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Buy For 2014: Yamana Gold Inc.(AUY)

Yamana Gold Inc. engages in gold and other precious metals mining, and related activities, including exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation. It also explores for copper, molybdenum, zinc, and silver metals. The company's portfolio includes 7 operating gold mines namely Chapada; El Pen Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Luke Burgess]

  Yamana Gold is a significant gold mining, exploration and development company with projects in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Colombia.

  Revenue exceeded $2.2 billion in 2011, as the company reached record production of 1.10 million gold equivalent ounces – a 5.3% increased over the previous year.

  This year Yamana expects output to be in the range of 1.2 to 1.3 million gold-equivalent ounces – a 13% increase over 2011.

  Going forward, the company says production is expected to increase to 1.5 to 1.7 million gold equivalent ounces by 2013, and 1.75 million ounces gold-equivalent ounces by 2014.

  Yamana’s co-product cash costs increased 5% last year to $463 per gold equivalent ounce. The company has not yet announced a guidance of operational costs across all its projects for 2012.

  Yamana increased its dividend by 10% on February 22, 2012, making the company’s dividend yield one of highest in the industry. The firm recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.055 per share, payable April 13, 2012 to shareholders on record at the close of business on March 30, 2012.

• [By Barker]

  I believe I have touted Yamana Gold's clear prowess as a deep-value favorite from every possible angle. With arguably the lowest downside risk of any stock in the sector, I join fellow value hounds in waiting patiently for the market to recognize the full value of these shares.

• [By Vatalyst]

  A gold producer focused in Canada with land positions in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, Yamana plans to target gold consolidation opportunities with a primary focus in the Americas. AUY gained 29% during the last year with a 343.5% quarterly earnings growth rate. It has a market capitalization of $9.2 billion and a trailing P/E ratio of 20.4x. AUY is expected to earn $0.75 earn per share in 2012.

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Buy For 2014: PerkinElmer Inc.(PKI)

PerkinElmer, Inc. provides technology, services, and solutions to the diagnostics, research, environmental, industrial, and laboratory services markets worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Human Health and Environmental Health. The Human Health segment develops diagnostics, tools, and applications to help detect diseases earlier, as well as accelerate the discovery and development of critical new therapies. This segment provides early detection for genetic disorders from pre-conception to early childhood, as well as digital x-ray flat panel detectors and infectious disease testing for the diagnostics market. It also provides a suite of solutions, including instrumentation for automation and detection solutions, in vitro and in vivo imaging and analysis hardware and software, and a portfolio of consumable products, such as drug discovery and research reagents that enable researchers to enhance the drug discovery process. The Environmental Health segment offers t echnologies and applications to facilitate the creation of safer food and consumer products, secure surroundings, and efficient energy resources. This segment provides analytical technologies that address the quality of environment, sustainable energy development, and ensure safer food and consumer products; analytical instrumentation for the industrial market, which includes the semiconductor, chemical, petrochemical, lubricant, construction, office equipment, and quality assurance industries; and laboratory services. The company markets its products and services directly through its own sales forces and distributors for customers, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, laboratories, academic and research institutions, public health authorities, private healthcare organizations, doctors, and government agencies. PerkinElmer, Inc. was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Apple Stock Remains One of the Best Buys in Tech

It hasn't been a pretty rough ride for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) investors over the past several months. Despite a recent uptick, shares still sit some 20% lower than where they were six months ago. Investors naturally don't like losing money on their investments, but the Apple growth story is far from over. In fact, as we've seen management signal repeatedly over the past several months, the next chapter of Apple's great innovation story could be here sooner than many think.

In this video, Fool contributor Andrew Tonner discusses the Apple investment thesis and why those who are willing to tolerate the current pessimism should be handsomely rewarded in the coming months and years.

It's incredible to think just how much of our digital and technological lives are almost entirely shaped and molded by just a handful of companies. Find out "Who Will Win the War Between the 5 Biggest Tech Stocks" in The Motley Fool's latest free report, which details the knock-down, drag-out battle being waged among the five kings of tech. Click here to keep reading.

Today's 3 Best Stocks

With the broad-based S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) getting a short break from big economic news, investors looked to earnings reports to fuel today's trading action. Not surprisingly, it was mixed.

Since earnings season began, the financial sector has been the real standout, with credit quality improving, loan amounts growing, and cost-cutting helping to drastically improve the bottom line for many of the nation's largest banks. However, all eyes today turned to technology juggernaut Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) which is set to report its third-quarter results after the bell. Known for its notoriously conservative guidance, Apple has missed EPS estimates in two of the past four quarters, and shareholders have watched as most Wall Street analysts have cut growth targets on the tech giant one-by-one. Having such a large bearing on the S&P 500 in terms of weighting, it's not surprising to see both Apple and the index hovering around the flat-line.

By the end of a very earnings-mixed day, the S&P 500 had dipped by 3.14 points to close at 1,692.39. But what you'll notice is that the majority of today's biggest movers to the upside were commodity-based companies such as coal, iron ore, steel, and copper, which are benefiting from a bounce in underlying commodity prices and the hope that China's economy will stabilize and quickly return to its 30-year average of 10% GDP growth.

Topping the charts today with a gain of 5% is coal producer Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU  ) , which reported a 13% decline in revenue to $1.73 billion and a profit of $0.33 per share, which was helped by heavy cost-cutting efforts and a lower-than-expected effective tax rate. By comparison, Wall Street was looking for $1.82 billion in revenue, but an EPS loss of $0.05. Peabody further said it plans to reduce its capital expenditures budget this year by another $100 million to a range of $350 million to $450 million. Although I'd rather see expansion than cost-cutting driving gains, this was a decent quarter for Peabody, all things considered.

Not far behind Peabody was steelmaker U.S. Steel (NYSE: X  ) , which added 4.4% on the day despite no company-specific news. Given that Peabody produces metallurgical coal used in the steelmaking process, strength in Peabody's results could ease worries about U.S. Steel's upcoming quarter. In addition, U.S. Steel is among the most short-sold companies within the S&P 500, meaning any rally could potentially start a chain reaction of short-covering that could send shares higher. Keep in mind, though, that with more net debt than many of its peers, U.S. Steel also offers some of the highest risks among steel stocks.

Finally -- and to keep this trend a perfect three-for-three -- iron ore producer Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE: CLF  ) advanced 4.1% just days before it reports its own quarterly results. The majority of Cliffs' business is based on iron ore, but it also has metallurgical coal mining operations -- thus the likely boost today from Peabody's strong results. With iron ore prices having fallen about $40 per metric ton since February, I'm certainly not looking for any miracles in Cliffs' report, but I would keep a close eye on its capital expenditures budget and its ability to stay profitable moving forward.

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Are Eli Lilly Earnings Headed Down?

Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY  ) will release its quarterly report tomorrow, and recent share-price declines show that investors are somewhat nervous about the company's prospects. Although Lilly earnings are expected to have grown substantially in the past quarter, longer-term prospects for the drugmaker have raised doubt among shareholders about whether it can stay on the earnings-growth path.

The key to any drug company is its pipeline of future drug prospects, and with major drugs like Zyprexa, Cymbalta, and Humalog all presenting major patent-cliff issues, Lilly badly needs some success with its best candidates. But with some recent failures in its pipeline, can Lilly overcome increasingly negative sentiment and sustain its business? Let's take an early look at what's been happening with Eli Lilly over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its quarterly report.

Stats on Eli Lilly

Analyst EPS Estimate	$1.00
Change From Year-Ago EPS	20%
Revenue Estimate	$5.82 billion
Change From Year-Ago Revenue	4%
Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters	3

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

Where will Lilly earnings get their growth?
In recent months, analysts have kept their near-term views on Eli Lilly earnings stable, but looking forward, they've posed bigger concerns about future results, cutting their estimates for 2014 by $0.10 per share. The stock has responded to those concerns, falling almost 10% since mid-April.

The biggest threat to Lilly's long-term prospects comes from substantial pipeline problems. Some of the setbacks were fairly minor, such as the failure of its large b-cell lymphoma drug enzastaurin in a phase 3 trial. But Lilly was hoping for big things from Alzheimer's drug candidate solanezumab, which failed to meet endpoints in two different phase 3 trials, as well as rheumatoid arthritis treatment tabalumab, which failed to meet efficacy goals. Lilly is planning one more solanezumab study for those who have mild symptoms of Alzheimer's, but it's far from certain whether it will pay off. Those problems put more pressure on Lilly's mid-stage drugs to advance and succeed through the clinical trial process.

One area that has been more promising lately has been Lilly's Elanco animal health division, which has had its revenue climb almost 50% and its pre-tax profits more than double between 2010 and 2012. Elanco faces huge competition from the recently spun-off Zoetis (NYSE: ZTS  ) , as well as the Merck (NYSE: MRK  ) animal-health division, both of which managed to post stronger revenue growth in the first quarter than Elanco did. One big question that Lilly will face is whether it makes sense to follow Pfizer's (NYSE: PFE  ) lead and spin off Elanco, but given Lilly's overall challenges elsewhere, it might want to hold onto Elanco if only to maintain a brighter spot in the gloom of patent expirations.

In the meantime, Lilly is preparing for generic competition by trying to cut costs. Last week, it froze base pay for most of its workers in 2014, including its executives. As more of its big drugs start going off patent, the possibility also exists for staffing cutbacks unless Lilly can get some pipeline success.

In the Lilly earnings report, look for CEO John Lechleiter, who recently returned from a medical leave, to provide guidance on how the drugmaker will overcome all its challenges and keep moving forward. At this point, though, Lilly doesn't seem to have the answers that will avoid a crushing earnings blow next year.

One of the most appealing parts of owning big pharma stocks like Lilly is their attractive dividends, but smart investors know the importance of diversifying -- seeking high-yielding stocks from multiple industries. The Motley Fool's special free report "Secure Your Future With 9 Rock-Solid Dividend Stocks" outlines the Fool's favorite dependable dividend-paying stocks across all sectors. Grab your free copy by clicking here.

Click here to add Eli Lilly to My Watchlist, which can find all of our Foolish analysis on it and all your other stocks.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014

I admit I have been early on calling the end of the "Fed bubble" as price action has continued to rise further than my greatest expectations. However, as the market has risen, the quality of economic data has deteriorated. Like every other central bank created asset bubble, this time is not different and stocks will correct back to at least pre-QE 3/4 levels.

Those who are bullish on equities often argue that this current rally is sustainable without the Fed due to record high corporate profits. Their logic continues with the idea that the Fed cannot use QE to drive up profits directly. The reality is they can and do. By providing cheap credit for the federal government, the Fed effectively subsidizes earnings.

Quantitative easing boosts earnings by making massive government deficits and social spending affordable. The state effectively replaces large corporations as the supplier of income to consume the products that drive revenues. Earnings have maintained high levels due to companies being to cut jobs without losing much revenue from customers. Since those who live on government benefits likely earn less than during their time working, revenues have stagnated. Population growth and the fact that the government through food stamps, extended unemployment insurance, Obamacare, disability claims, and other welfare has replaced corporations as the supplier of income has prevented revenues from declining.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014: Nordstrom Inc.(JWN)

Nordstrom, Inc., a fashion specialty retailer, offers apparel, shoes, cosmetics, and accessories for women, men, and children in the United States. It offers a selection of brand name and private label merchandise. The company sells its products through various channels, including Nordstrom full-line stores, off-price Nordstrom Rack stores, Jeffrey? boutiques, treasure & bond, and Last Chance clearance stores; and its online store, nordstrom.com, as well as through catalog. Nordstrom also provides a private label card, two Nordstrom VISA credit cards, and a debit card for Nordstrom purchases. The company?s credit and debit cards feature a shopping-based loyalty program. As of September 30, 2011, it operated 222 stores, including 117 full-line stores, 101 Nordstrom Racks, 2 Jeffrey boutiques, 1 treasure & bond store, and 1 clearance store in 30 states. The company was founded in 1901 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Kevin1977]

  Director of Nordstrom Inc., Felicia D Thornton, bought 1,140 shares on 9/09/2011 at an average price of $47.89. Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's fashion specialty retailers, with stores located in a number of states, including full-line stores, Nordstrom Racks, Faconnable boutiques, and free-standing shoe stores. Nordstrom Inc. has a market cap of $10.44 billion; its shares were traded at around $47.89 with a P/E ratio of 15.7 and P/S ratio of 1.1. The dividend yield of Nordstrom Inc. stocks is 2% Nordstrom Inc. had an annual average earnings growth of 27.3% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Nordstrom Inc. the business predictability rank of 3.5-star.
  
  On August 11, Nordstrom Inc. reported net earnings of $175 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, for the second quarter ended July 30, 2011. This represented an increase of 20 percent compared with net earnings of $146 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, for the same quarter last year.Second quarter same-store sales increased 7.3 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2010. Net sales in the second quarter were $2.72 billion, an increase of 12.4 percent compared with net sales of $2.42 billion during the same period in fiscal 2010.
  
  Last week, Director Felicia D Thornton bought 1,140 shares of JWN stock.
  
  Executive Vice President Ken Worzel and Director Philip G Satre bought shares in August.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014: Sara Lee Corporation(SLE)

Sara Lee Corporation engages in the manufacture and marketing of a range of branded packaged meat, bakery, and beverage products worldwide. Its packaged meat products include hot dogs and corn dogs, breakfast sausages, sandwiches and bowls, smoked and dinner sausages, premium deli and luncheon meats, bacon, beef, turkey, and cooked ham. It also offers frozen baked products, which comprise frozen pies, cakes, cheesecakes, pastries, and other desserts. In addition, Sara Lee provides roast, ground, and liquid coffee; cappuccinos; lattes; and hot and iced teas, as well as refrigerated dough products. The company sells its products under Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Jimmy Dean, Sara Lee, State Fair, Douwe Egberts, Senseo, Maison du Caf Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Carlson]

  Director of Sara Lee Corp., James S Crown, bought 37,500 shares on 9/12/2011 at an average price of $17.5. Sara Lee Corporation is a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality, brand-name products for consumers throughout the world. Sara Lee Corp. has a market cap of $10.24 billion; its shares were traded at around $17.5 with a P/E ratio of 19.9 and P/S ratio of 1.2. The dividend yield of Sara Lee Corp. stocks is 2.7%.
  
  On August 11, Sara Lee Corp. reported earnings for the fourth quarter 2011. The fourth quarter included an 8% increase in adjusted net sales from continuing operations to $2.3 billion; 9% reported net sales increase, 40% increase in adjusted operating income to $189 million; and reported operating income increase of 19%.
  
  Last week, Director James S Crown bought 37,500 shares of SLE stock. Executive Chairman Jan Bennink bought 58,400 shares in August.

5 Best Stocks For 2014: Checkpoint Systms Inc.(CKP)

Checkpoint Systems, Inc. manufactures and markets identification, tracking, security, and merchandising solutions for the retail and apparel industry worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Shrink Management Solutions, Apparel Labeling Solutions, and Retail Merchandising Solutions. The Shrink Management Solutions segment provides shrink management and merchandise visibility solutions. It offers electronic article surveillance systems, such as EVOLVE, a suite of RF and RFID-enabled products that act as a deterrent to prevent merchandise theft in retail stores; and electronic article surveillance consumables, including EAS-RF and EAS-EM labels that work in combination with EAS systems to reduce merchandise theft in retail stores. This segment also provides keepers, spider wraps, bottle security, and hard tags, as well as Showsafe, a line alarm system for protecting display merchandise. In addition, it offers physical and electronic store monitoring solutions, incl uding fire alarms, intrusion alarms, and digital video recording systems for retail environments; and RFID tags and labels. The Apparel Labeling Solutions segment provides apparel labeling solutions to apparel retailers, brand owners, and manufacturers. It has Web-enabled apparel labeling solutions platform and network of 28 service bureaus located in 22 countries that supplies customers with customized apparel tags and labels. The Retail Merchandising Solutions segment offers hand-held label applicators and tags, promotional displays, and queuing systems. The company serves retailers in the supermarket, drug store, hypermarket, and mass merchandiser markets through direct distribution and reseller channels. Checkpoint Systems was founded in 1969 and is based in Thorofare, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael]

  OK, so Checkpoint (CKP: 13.80 0.00%) probably isn’t going to see its stock price double in 2011. However, the stock gained 35% in 2010 with earnings expected to climb 13%. Next year, Wall Street sees earnings growth accelerating to 25%. Despite the impressive growth rate, the stock trades at only 16x next year’s earnings estimates and analysts have a $25 price target for CKP.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014: MEDIFAST INC(MED)

Medifast, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of weight management and disease management products, and other consumable health and diet products in the United States. The company?s product lines include weight and disease management, meal replacement, and vitamins. It also operates weight control centers that offer Medifast programs for weight loss and maintenance, customized patient counseling, and inbody composition analysis. The company markets its products under the Medifast and Essential brand names, including shakes, appetite suppression shakes, women?s health shakes, diabetics shakes, joint health shakes, coronary health shakes, calorie burn drinks, calorie burn flavor infusers, antioxidant shakes, antioxidant flavor infusers, bars, crunch bars, soups, chili, oatmeal, pudding, scrambled eggs, hot cocoa, cappuccino, chai latte, iced teas, fruit drinks, pretzels, puffs, brownie, pancakes, soy crisps, crackers, and omega 3 and digestive health products. Medifast Inc. sells its products through various channels of distribution comprising Web, call center, independent health advisors, medical professionals, weight loss clinics, and direct consumer marketing supported via the phone and the Web; Take Shape for Life, a physician led network of independent health coaches; and weight control centers. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mark]

  Revenues are expected to grow 27% next year and yet MEDIFAST (MED: 15.68 0.00%) trades at only 16x consensus 2011 earnings. The company continues to gain market share in the competitive weight management sector and provides investors with the double benefit of both a growth stock and a potential acquisition target.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014: Waste Management Inc.(WM)

Waste Management, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides waste management services to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in North America. It offers collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal services. The company also owns, develops, and operates waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Its collection services involves in picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, material recovery facility, or disposal site; and recycling operations include collection and materials processing, plastics materials recycling, and commodities recycling. In addition, it provides recycling brokerage, which includes managing the marketing of recyclable materials for third parties; and electronic recycling services, such as collection, sorting, and disassembling of discarded computers, communications equipment, and other electronic equipment. Further, the company e ngages in renting and servicing portable restroom facilities to municipalities and commercial customers under the Port-o-Let name; and involves in landfill gas-to-energy operations comprising recovering and processing the methane gas produced naturally by landfills into a renewable energy source, as well as provides street and parking lot sweeping services. Additionally, it offers portable self-storage, fluorescent lamp recycling, and medical waste services for healthcare facilities, pharmacies, and individuals, as well as provides services on behalf of third parties to construct waste facilities. The company was formerly known as USA Waste Services, Inc. and changed its name to Waste Management, Inc. in 1998. Waste Management, Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Konrad]

  The only household name in this year's list, Waste Management is coming back for an encore performance in 2013.  WM is the North American leader in recycling and renewable biogas among waste and environmental services companies.  The industry has been in a cyclical downturn, and WM's well-covered 4.2% dividend makes it a solid anchor for this portfolio of small and micro-cap clean energy stocks.

• [By Sam Collins]

  Houston-based Waste Management Inc. (NYSE: WM) is the largest trash hauling/disposal company in the United States. This company is a model for steady growth with earnings increasing steadily over many years.?

  S&P has a “four-star buy” on WM with a 12-month target of $42. WM pays an annual dividend of $1.36 for a yield of 3.7%.?

  Technically, the stock is in a powerful bull channel with support at $36 and resistance at $39. Buy WM as a long-term growth opportunity.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014: TrueBlue Inc.(TBI)

TrueBlue, Inc. provides temporary blue-collar staffing services in the United States. It supplies on demand general labor to various industries under the Labor Ready brand; skilled labor to manufacturing and logistics industries under the Spartan Staffing brand; and trades people for commercial, industrial, and residential construction, and building and plant maintenance industries under the CLP Resources brand. The company also provides mechanics and technicians to the aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul, aerospace manufacturing, and assembly industries, as well as to other transportation industries under the Plane Techs brand; and temporary drivers to the transportation and distribution industries under the Centerline brand. It primarily serves small and medium-size businesses. The company was formerly known as Labor Ready, Inc. and changed its name to TrueBlue, Inc. in December 2007. TrueBlue, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Tacoma, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By McWillams]

  TrueBlue, Inc. is a provider of temporary blue-collar staffing. Its EPS forecast for the current year is 0.69 and next year is 1.1. According to consensus estimates, its topline is expected to grow 8.96% current year and 10.03% next year. It is trading at a forward P/E of 15.76. Out of 10 analysts covering the company, six are positive and have buy recommendations and four have hold ratings.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014: Intuitive Surgical Inc.(ISRG)

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets da Vinci surgical systems for various surgical procedures, including urologic, gynecologic, cardiothoracic, general, and head and neck surgeries. Its da Vinci surgical system consists of a surgeon?s console or consoles, a patient-side cart, a 3-D vision system, and proprietary ?wristed? instruments. The company?s da Vinci surgical system translates the surgeon?s natural hand movements on instrument controls at the console into corresponding micro-movements of instruments positioned inside the patient through small puncture incisions, or ports. It also manufactures a range of EndoWrist instruments, which incorporate wrist joints for natural dexterity for various surgical procedures. Its EndoWrist instruments consist of forceps, scissors, electrocautery, scalpels, and other surgical tools. In addition, it sells various vision and accessory products for use in conjunction with the da Vinci Surgical System as surgical procedures are performed. The company?s accessory products include sterile drapes used to ensure a sterile field during surgery; vision products, such as replacement 3-D stereo endoscopes, camera heads, light guides, and other items. It markets its products through sales representatives in the United States, and through sales representatives and distributors in international markets. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Lowell]

  Intuitive Surgical (ISRG: 329.49 0.00%) is an expensive stock and their stock price is currently well below the $400 level that it flirted with in April. However, the stock is a compelling growth story with revenues and earnings expected to climb 19% in 2011. The company faces little competitive pressure and 2011 is likely the year that consumers opt for procedures that they delayed in 2009-10. That could produce some blowout earnings results for ISRG in 2011.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014: Thoratec Corporation(THOR)

Thoratec Corporation engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of proprietary medical devices used for circulatory support. The company?s primary product lines include ventricular assist devices, such as HeartMate II, an implantable left ventricular assist device consisting of a rotary blood pump to provide intermediate and long-term mechanical circulatory support (MCS); and HeartMate XVE, an implantable and pulsatile left ventricular assist device for intermediate and longer-term MCS. Its ventricular assist devices also comprise Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist Device, an external pulsatile ventricular assist device, which provides left, right, and biventricular MCS approved for bridge-to-transplantation (BTT), including home discharge, and post-cardiotomy myocardial recovery; and Implantable Ventricular Assist Device, an implantable and pulsatile ventricular assist device designed to provide left, right, and biventricular MCS approved for BTT comprising hom e discharge, and post-cardiotomy myocardial recovery. The company also provides CentriMag, an extracorporeal full-flow acute surgical support platform that offers support up to 30 days for cardiac and respiratory failure. In addition, it offers PediMag and PediVAS extracorporeal full-flow acute surgical support platforms designed to provide acute surgical support to pediatric patients. The company sells its products through direct sales force in the United States, as well as through a network of distributors internationally. Thoratec Corporation was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Pleasanton, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By McWillams]

  Wall Street is expecting Thoratec’s (THOR: 30.70 0.00%) growth rate to accelerate to 15% next year with earnings growth of over 20%. That type of growth has Wall Street analysts bullish on the medical device stock. The stock has a consensus price target of $38 and some analysts think THOR could go to $50.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014: Eastern Insurance Holdings Inc.(EIHI)

Eastern Insurance Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides workers compensation insurance and reinsurance products in the United States. The company?s Workers Compensation Insurance segment provides traditional workers compensation insurance coverage products, including guaranteed cost policies, policyholder dividend policies, retrospectively-rated policies, deductible policies, and alternative market products to employers. This segment distributes its workers? compensation products and services through its independent insurance agents primarily in Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, Maryland, Indiana, and Virginia. Its Segregated Portfolio Cell Reinsurance segment offers alternative market workers compensation solutions comprising program design, fronting, claims administration, risk management, segregated portfolio cell rental, asset management, and segregated portfolio management services to individual companies, groups, and associations. Eastern Insurance Holdings, Inc. is headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014: CNO Financial Group Inc. (CNO)

CNO Financial Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the development, marketing, and administration of health insurance, annuity, individual life insurance, and other insurance products for senior and middle-income markets in the United States. The company markets and distributes Medicare supplement insurance, interest-sensitive and traditional life insurance, fixed annuities, and long-term care insurance products; Medicare advantage plans through a distribution arrangement with Humana Inc.; and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans through a distribution and reinsurance arrangement with Coventry Health Care. It also markets and distributes supplemental health, including specified disease, accident, and hospital indemnity insurance products; and life insurance to middle-income consumers at home and the worksite through independent marketing organizations and insurance agencies. In addition, the company markets primarily graded benefit and simplified issue life insurance products directly to customers through television advertising, direct mail, Internet, and telemarketing. It sells its products through career agents, independent producers, direct marketing, and sales managers. CNO Financial Group, Inc. has strategic alliances with Coventry and Humana. The company was formerly known as Conseco, Inc. and changed its name to CNO Financial Group, Inc. in May 2010. CNO Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.

Hot Financial Companies To Own For 2014

Despite performing well on an operational level and growing sales by more than 10%, several companies in the mining and natural gas sectors failed to impress on the earnings line of their individual income statements. Investors that fail to dive a bit deeper into the results might be scared off during times like this. However, a closer look eases many concerns on a company-specific level.�

Because asset prices fluctuate, the values that they carry on a company's financial statements must be adjusted accordingly. Impairment charges frequently stem from this practice and can affect earnings and the appearance of the balance sheet. During periods of falling commodity prices, like the one metals and natural gas endured in 2012, the effects are expectedly negative. The following video details several companies in the mining and natural gas sectors that felt the ill affects of these account rules.

Hot Financial Companies To Own For 2014: STANDARD LIFE PLC ORD GBP0.10(SL.L)

Standard Life plc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a long term savings, investments, and pensions company in the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Austria, India, the United States, Hong Kong, and mainland China. It offers various investment and pension solutions, including investment funds and active money self invested personal pension products to individual and corporate clients. The company also offers investment linked and unit linked life insurance products; group savings and retirement, group insurance, individual life insurance, savings and retirement, mutual funds, and portfolio management solutions; and asset management services, investment and wealth management services, and open architecture funds. Standard Life distributes its products through brokers, independent financial intermediaries, banks, and financial advisers. The company was founded in 1825 and is headquartered in Edinburgh, the United Kingdom.

Hot Financial Companies To Own For 2014: China Real Estate Information Corporation(CRIC)

China Real Estate Information Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides real estate information, consulting, advertising, promotional event, and online services in China. The company provides CRIC system, a real estate information database and analysis system, which include data on specific real estate development projects and parcels of land, real estate-related news, macroeconomic, demographic and real estate industry-specific statistics, and research reports about the real estate industry It also offers real estate information services, which include data subscription services and data integration services; real estate consulting services comprising land acquisition consulting, real estate development consulting, marketing consulting, and comprehensive solution consulting services; and real estate advertising design and sales services primarily to real estate developers. In addition, the company provides promotional event services that include securing venu es, hiring caterers and other service providers, formulation of event themes, and inviting speakers and guests for real estate promotional events; and real estate online services, including region-specific real estate news and information, property data, and access to online communities through local Websites covering 138 cities across China. It serves real estate developers, banks, institutional investors, and other financial institutions and appraisers, as well as academic and research institutes, national and local governmental agencies, and home design or the media industries. The company was formerly known as CRIC Holdings Limited and changed its name to China Real Estate Information Corporation in September 2009. China Real Estate Information Corporation is headquartered in Shanghai, China. China Real Estate Information Corporation is a subsidiary of E-House (China) Holdings Limited.

10 Best Stocks To Own For 2014: Meadowbrook Insurance Group Inc. (MIG)

Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty commercial insurance underwriter and insurance administration services company in the United States. The company markets and underwrites specialty property and casualty insurance programs and products, including workers� compensation, general liability, commercial property, environmental, garage, commercial multi-peril, commercial auto, surety, and marine insurance on an admitted and non-admitted basis through a network of independent retail agents, wholesalers, program administrators, and general agents. It also offers program and product design, underwriting risk selection and policy issuance, claims administration and handling, loss prevention and control, risk-bearing entities administration, and retail property and casualty insurance agency services, as well as produces commercial, personal lines, life, and accident and health insurance with unaffiliated insurance carriers for its fe e-for-service and agency clients. The company was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan.

Hot Financial Companies To Own For 2014: Jp Morgan Co Inc(JPM.L)

JPMorgan Chase & Co., a financial holding company, provides various financial services worldwide. Its Investment Bank segment offers various investment banking products and services, including advising on corporate strategy and structure, capital-raising in equity and debt markets, risk management, market-making in cash securities and derivative instruments, prime brokerage, and research services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and institutional investors. The company?s Commercial Banking segment provides lending, treasury, investment banking, and asset management services to corporations, municipalities, financial institutions, and not-for-profit entities. Its Treasury and Securities Services segment offers cash management, trade, wholesale card, and liquidity products and services to small and mid-sized companies, multinational corporations, financial institutions, and government entities. This segment also holds, values, clears, and services secu rities, cash, and alternative investments for investors and broker-dealers; and manages depositary receipt programs. The company?s Asset Management segment provides investment and wealth management services to institutions, retail investors, and high-net-worth individuals. This segment offers investment management in equities, fixed income, real estate, hedge funds, private equity, and liquidity products, as well as trust and estate, banking, and brokerage services to high-net-worth clients; and retirement services for corporations and individuals. Its Retail Financial Services segment offers consumer and business, and mortgage banking products and services that include checking and savings accounts, mortgages, home equity and business loans, and investments. The company?s Card Services and Auto segment provides payment processing and merchant acquiring services. JPMorgan Chase & Co. was founded in 1823 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Hot Financial Companies To Own For 2014: Alto Palermo S.A.(APSA)

Alto Palermo S.A. engages in the ownership, acquisition, development, leasing, management, and operation of shopping centers, as well as residential and commercial complexes in Argentina. As of June 30, 2007, it owned and operated ten shopping centers covering a total of 264,995 square meters in Argentina, including six in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area and four in the provinces of Cordoba, Mendoza, Salta, and Santa Fe; and a condominium called Torres de Abasto located in front of the Abasto Shopping Center in Buenos Aires. The company offers leases to retail tenants in its ten shopping centers; administration and maintenance of common areas; administration of contributions made by tenants to finance promotional efforts for the shopping centers; and parking lot services for visitors. The company also offers credit card consumer finance service, through the issuance of its Tarjeta Shopping and Tarjeta Shopping Metroshop credit cards, for consumers at shopping centers, h ypermarkets, and street stores. It also engages in the development and sale of residential properties, and acquisition and sale of undeveloped parcels of land for future development. In addition, it engages in the development of condominiums associated with its shopping centers. The company was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Best Medical Companies To Own In Right Now

According to a report completed by Calvert Investments just a few months ago, most companies in the S&P 100 are improving their diversity initiatives and reporting, while a handful are falling far behind the pack. Workplace diversity may not be one of the first things you think of when considering investing in a company, but for a company to be truly great it needs the perspective of many individuals.

The companies in the study were ranked on 10 different diversity criteria, which included internal and external diversity initiatives, board diversity, diversity of their highest-paid executives, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies, and director selection criteria, as well as the company's overall commitment to diversity.

In its study, Calvert defined diversity as: "Nondiscrimination and equal opportunity concerning recruitment, hiring, pay, promotion, training, and tenure without regard to race, gender, age, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, HIV/AIDS status, medical status, and mental and physical ability."

Best Medical Companies To Own In Right Now: Zotefoams(ZTF.L)

Zotefoams plc engages in the manufacture and sale of cross-linked block foams. The company offers its AZOTE, a polyolefin foam product under the PLASTAZOTE, EVAZOTE, and SUPAZOTE brand names; ZOTEK F, a range of lightweight, closed-cell, and polyvinylidene fluoride foams based on Kynar fluoropolymer; ZOTEK N, a lightweight, closed cell, and cross linked foams based on polyamide 6; and ZOTEK S, an ultra-low density silicone foam. It also provides MicroZOTE, a range of closed-cell, non-crosslinked, microcellular, and polyolefin roll foams; and T-Tubes, an insulation system specifically developed for use in clean process in industries, such as biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor. The company?s products are used in a range of markets, including sports and leisure, packaging, transport, healthcare, toys, building, marine, military, aerospace, automotive, medical, and construction, as well as general industrial and consumer products. It has operations in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, North America, and rest of the world. Zotefoams plc is based in Croydon, the United Kingdom.

Best Medical Companies To Own In Right Now: Patriot Coal Corporation(PCX)

Patriot Coal Corporation engages in the mining, production, and sale of thermal coal primarily to electricity generators in the eastern United States. It has operations and coal reserves in the Appalachia and the Illinois Basin coal regions. The company is also involved in the production of metallurgical quality coal and sells it to steel mills and independent coke producers. As of December 31, 2011, Patriot Coal Corporation operated 11 active mining complexes in West Virginia; and 3 mining complexes in western Kentucky. In addition, it controlled approximately 1.9 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves that comprise metallurgical coal and medium and high-Btu thermal coal, with low, medium, and high sulfur content. The company, through its subsidiary, Magnum Coal Company, operates eight mining complexes with production from surface and underground mines in Appalachia, as well as controls approximately 600 million tons of proven and probable coal reserves. Patrio t Coal Corporation is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

5 Best Stocks To Buy Right Now: Metal Storm Ltd(MST.AX)

Metal Storm Limited, a defense technology company, engages in the development, production, and sale of projectile launching systems through its electronically initiated stacked projectile technology in Australia and the United States. Its products include 3 shot semi automatic modular grenade launchers; FireStorm, a lightweight multi barrel 40mm electronic weapon system; multi-shot accessory underbarrel launcher, a lightweight semi automatic shotgun for military and law enforcement users; Redback, a lightweight multi barrel remotely operated weapons system; low velocity munitions; and component weapon systems. The company also provides research and development services to develop solutions for government agencies, universities, military and aerospace companies, and commercial companies; and consulting services for the application of its technology to various platforms. Metal Storm Limited was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia.

Top Performing Companies To Own In Right Now

The following video is from Wednesday's MarketFoolery podcast, in which host Chris Hill and analysts Jason Moser and Tim Hanson discuss the top business and investing stories of the day.

Michael Kors' (NYSE: KORS  ) �fourth-quarter profits doubled. Shares of the fashion retailer were up�Wednesday on the higher-than-expected earnings. Should investors take stock in the luxury brand? In this installment of MarketFoolery, our analysts discuss what the latest news means for investors.

Michael Kors is one of today's hottest high-end fashion brands, and that's translated into one of the best-performing stocks in retail -- since its debut on the market in late 2011, the share price has more than doubled. But with all that growth, has the stock finally become too expensive or is there still room left to run? The Motley Fool's premium report on Michael Kors gives investors all the information they need to make the right decision. We cover the key must-watch areas, opportunities, and threats to the company that investors need to know. To claim your copy, simply click here now for instant access.

Top Performing Companies To Own In Right Now: ChinaCache International Holdings Ltd.(CCIH)

ChinaCache International Holdings Ltd. provides Internet content and application delivery services to businesses, government agencies, and enterprises in China. It offers Web Page Content Services to website operators; file transfer services; rich media streaming services that enable live streaming of media files; guaranteed application services for websites that incorporate applications with features, such as on-line booking and ordering, real-time stock quotes, and on-line surveys; managed internet data services; ChinaCache cloud services; and content bridging services. The company also provides various value-added services, such as geo-content acceleration services, performance evaluation module, scalable services routing services, link anti-hijack services, NetStorage services, user behavior analysis services, and Website performance evaluation services. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Top Performing Companies To Own In Right Now: Epicore Bionetworks Inc. (EBN.V)

Epicore BioNetworks Inc. designs, develops, and manufactures biotechnology products and specialty animal feeds worldwide. The company offers a family of EPICIN branded biological aquaculture systems that create a cleaner and healthier growing environment in aquaculture hatcheries and grow-out ponds, as well as eliminates toxic ammonia and nitrates and improves animal health and disease resistance for the aquaculture industry. It also provides agriculture products, including EPIZYM-AW and EPIZYM-PIGS, which are animal manure bacterial inoculants to liquefy and deodorize animal waste; PHYTOZYM 2-2-2 liquid foliar spray and seed treatment, a stabilized biochemical concentrate; EPITHATCH biological thatch digester, a dry biological formulation that decomposes dead grass; and EPITHERM microbial ecosystem for composting organic waste. In addition, the company offers municipal products comprising LINEBAC, a microbial ecosystem to biodegrade contaminants in industrial and municipa l wastewater collection systems; LIPOSOLVE municipal emulsifier; DEOBAC Biological deodorizer and odor neutralizer, a liquid microbial ecosystem to biodegrade organic matter; and GREASE-X aqueous cleaner and degreaser that penetrates and softens various forms of grease, fats, and oil. Further, it provides wastewater treatment products, including EPIZYM-100 microbial ecosystem for the biodegradation of industrial and municipal wastewater; and EPIZYM-200 microbial inoculant for the biodegradation of crude oil and petroleum products. Additionally, Epicore BioNetworks Inc. offers biological cleaning products, such as drain and grease trap cleaners, hard surface cleaner, carpet and upholstery shampoo, and aqueous cleaner and degreaser; and bio remediation products. The company was formerly known as Epicore Networks Inc. and changed its name to Epicore BioNetworks Inc. in 2000. Epicore BioNetworks Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Eastampton, New Jersey.

Top Stocks For 2014: Rackspace Hosting Inc(RAX)

Rackspace Hosting, Inc. operates in the hosting and cloud computing industry. It provides information technology (IT) as a service, managing Web-based IT systems for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as large enterprises worldwide. The company?s service suite includes dedicated hosting comprising customer management portal and other management tools that manage data center, network, hardware devices, and operating system software; and cloud computing that enables customers to provide and manage a pool of computing resources, as well as delivery of computing resources to business when they need them. It offers cloud servers, cloud files, and cloud sites, as well as cloud applications, such as email, collaboration, and file back-ups; and hybrid hosting that provides a combination of dedicated hosting and cloud computing services. The company also offers customer support services. It sells its service suite through direct sales teams, third-party channel partners, an d online ordering. The company was formerly known as Rackspace.com, Inc. and changed its name to Rackspace Hosting, Inc. in June 2008. Rackspace Hosting, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sherry Jim]  

  This computing specialist that provides web-based IT systems has soared 60%+ in the past year.  With a P/S above 3 and Price to Cash of 10 this stock is poised to continue to soar and outperform it’s peers. $25 in a year is a realistic bet.

Top Performing Companies To Own In Right Now: Alliance Financial Corporation (ALNC)

Alliance Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Alliance Bank, N.A., which provides various financial products and services to commercial, retail, government, and investment management customers in New York. Its deposit products include interest and non-interest bearing checking accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, time deposit accounts, and individual retirement accounts. The company?s loan portfolio comprises residential and commercial mortgage loans, business lines of credit, working capital facilities, and business term loans, as well as installment loans, home equity loans, and personal lines of credit to individuals. It also provides personal trust, employee benefit trust, investment management, custodial, and financial planning services; financial counseling and brokerage services; and equipment lease financing services, as well as involves in residential real estate activities. In addition, Alliance Financial offers safe deposi t boxes, wire transfers, collection services, drive-up banking facilities, night depositories, automated teller machines, telephone banking, and Internet banking services. As of April 14, 2010, it operated 29 offices in Cortland, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego counties, as well as a trust administration center in Buffalo, New York. The company was founded in 1984 and is based in Syracuse, New York.

Top Performing Companies To Own In Right Now: S&T Bancorp Inc.(STBA)

S&T Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for the S&T Bank, which provides community banking services in Pennsylvania. The company accepts time and demand deposit accounts, including interest and noninterest-bearing demand, money market, and savings accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. It also originates commercial and consumer loans; and offers letters of credit and credit card services. In addition, the company operates as a reinsurer of credit life, accident, and health insurance policies; distributes life insurance and long-term disability income insurance products; and provides insurance agency services. Further, it offers discount brokerage, personal financial planning, cash management, estate planning and administration, employee benefit investment management and administration, and corporate and other fiduciary services; provides wealth management services that comprise executor and trustee under wills and deeds, employee benefits guardian and cust odian, and other trust and brokerage services; and operates as a registered investment advisor, which manages private investment accounts for individuals and institutions, as well as advises the Stewart Capital Mid Cap Fund. The company operates a network of 51 offices located in Allegheny, Armstrong, Blair, Butler, Clarion, Clearfield, Indiana, Jefferson, and Westmoreland counties of Pennsylvania. S&T Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Top Performing Companies To Own In Right Now: Linktone Ltd.(LTON)

Linktone Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides entertainment-oriented telecom value-added services and content to mobile phone users over mobile telecommunications networks in China and Indonesia, as well as the 3G mobile telecommunications network in Indonesia. The company specializes in the development, aggregation, marketing, and distribution of user wireless content and applications for access by mobile phone users through three mobile network operators in China and nine mobile network operators in Indonesia. Its 2G short messaging service (SMS)-based services include ringtones, icons and screen savers, interactive SMS messaging in certain television programs, adventure, action, trivia and fortune-telling games, lunar and Western horoscopes, jokes, fan clubs, and event-driven or entertainment news updates. The company?s 2.5G services comprise multimedia messaging services, such as animated cartoons and screensavers, comic strips, magazine-style ?mobile articles? on various topics, and event-driven news updates; and WAP services, which consist of WAP-based ringtones, screensavers, games and dating services, and advanced Java games. It also offers audio-related services, including color ring-back tones; and interactive voice response services that allow users to listen to songs, jokes, stories, and coverage of various events. In addition, Linktone is launching 3G services in Indonesia, including e-paper/e-reading; video-on-demand on tablet devices and smart TVs; and radio streaming on mobile applications. Further, it distributes and sells home entertainment products, such as VCDs/DVDs/Blu-ray discs and video-on-demand in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia; and engages in the theatrical distribution of movies, karaoke video licensing, karaoke system rental, and providing a karaoke-on-demand channel on Pay TV platforms. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Shanghai, China. Linktone Ltd. is a subsidiary of MNC International Li mited.

Best Canadian Companies To Own In Right Now

Last week, the Canadian government announced�that it will enforce more stringent standards for pipelines under its jurisdiction.

The Honorable Joe Oliver, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, said that pipelines will need to have the financial capability to "respond to any incident and remedy damage."

Major crude oil pipelines, for instance, must have "a minimum financial capability of $1 billion," he said. He also announced additional measures, including new safety rules for pipeline operators and new financial penalties for violators, which are set to come into effect shortly.

According to Canada's Department of Natural Resources, some of these additional measures include:

1) New fines that will soon come into force that will preventatively address contraventions quickly so that larger issues do not arise in the future. The penalties to companies and individuals for a range of infractions can range from $25,000 to a maximum of $100,000;
2) Requiring companies to appoint an accountable senior officer whose duty is to ensure their management system and programs are in compliance;
3) Ensuring companies' emergency and environmental plans are transparent and easily available to the public; and
4) Enshrining in law the 'polluter pays' principle explicitly in law. Currently it is only implicit; Some pipelines are regulated by the federal government and others by the province.

Why pipeline safety is crucial
The announcement came at the end of a month in which a seemingly unusual number of Canadian pipeline spills were reported. In early June, Apache (NYSE: APA  ) reported�a pipeline spill in northern Alberta that released 2.5 million gallons of contaminated water, impacting an area of about 100 acres.

Best Canadian Companies To Own In Right Now: Omeros Corporation(OMER)

Omeros Corporation, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in discovering, developing, and commercializing products targeting inflammation, coagulopathies, and disorders of the central nervous system. Its product candidates are derived from its proprietary PharmacoSurgery platform that is designed to improve clinical outcomes of patients undergoing arthroscopic, ophthalmological, urological, and other surgical and medical procedures. The company?s lead PharmacoSurgery product candidates include OMS103HP, a Phase 3 clinical program evaluated for OMS103HP?s safety and ability to improve postoperative joint function and reduce pain following arthroscopic partial meniscectomy surgery, and arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament; OMS302, a Phase 2b clinical trial completed product candidate for use during ophthalmological procedures, including cataract and other lens replacement surgery; and OMS201, a Phase 1/Phase 2 clinical trial completed program for use durin g urological surgery. It also engages in developing proprietary compositions that comprise peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonists for the treatment and prevention of addiction to substances of abuse. The company?s pipeline of preclinical product development programs includes Plasmin for Surgical and traumatic bleeding; PDE7 for addictions and compulsive disorders, and movement disorders; MASP-2 for macular degeneration, ischemia-reperfusion injury, transplant surgery, and radiation injury; and PDE10 for Schizophrenia. Omeros Corporation was founded in 1994 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Best Canadian Companies To Own In Right Now: Tranzyme Inc.(TZYM)

Tranzyme, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of acute and chronic gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders in the United States and internationally. The company?s clinical product candidates include ulimorelin, an intraveneous ghrelin agonist, which is in the Phase III clinical development stage for the treatment of acute upper GI motility disorders; and TZP-102, an orally-administered ghrelin agonist that has commenced Phase IIb clinical development stage for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. Its preclinical product candidates comprise TZP-201, a motilin antagonist for the treatment of various forms of moderate-to-severe diarrhea; and TZP-301, an oral ghrelin antagonist for the treatment of metabolic diseases. The company has strategic collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company to discover, develop, and commercialize additional novel co mpounds; and a license agreement with Norgine B.V to develop and commercialize ulimorelin in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and north and South Africa. Tranzyme, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Tranzyme (TZYM), a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development and commercialization of mechanism-based therapeutics primarily in the U.S. This stock closed up 6% at 55 cents on Thursday.

  Thursday's Range: $0.49-$0.58
  
  52-Week Range: $0.40-$5.16
  
  Volume: 667,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 490,321

  From a technical perspective, TZYM bounced higher here right off its 50-day moving average at 50 cents with above-average volume. This stock has been trending sideways in a consolidation chart pattern for the last three months, with shares moving between 68 cents on the upside and 40 cents on the downside. This spike today is quickly pushing shares of TZYM within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if TZYM manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at 57 to 60 cents with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in TZYM as long as it's trending above its 50-day at 50 cents and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 490,321 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then TZYM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at 65 to 68 cents. Any high-volume move above 68 cents will then put its next major overhead resistance levels at 74 to 82 cents into range for shares of TZYM.

Top Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Aspial Corporation Limited (A30.SI)

Aspial Corporation Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the manufacture, wholesale, retail, and export of jewelry. It offers fine contemporary jewelry principally under the Lee Hwa, Goldheart, and CitiGems brand names. The company also engages in property investment, development, and management; investment holding; building construction and contracting; and pawn broking activities. It specializes in the development, marketing, and management of small to medium sized apartments. Aspial Corporation operates 22 pawnshops. The company was formerly known as Lee Hwa Holdings Pte Ltd. and changed its name to Aspial Corporation Limited in 2001. The company was incorporated in 1970 and is based in Singapore. Aspial Corporation Limited is a subsidiary of MLHS Holdings Pte Ltd.