Top Defensive Companies To Invest In 2014

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- As the government shutdown continues without a resolution in sight, TheStreet's Jim Cramer told Debra Borchardt what investors should do in the current environment.

According to Cramer, some people just don't care what happens with the U.S. debt and wouldn't mind a default. Those people seem to think that's the price we need to pay and seem to have control of the House of Representatives, he added.

The political back-and-forth can wreak havoc on individual investors, but there's an alternative. Cramer, one of the few who has been against the government shutting down from the beginning, said investors could look to defensive sectors to weather the storm.

Top Gas Stocks To Watch Right Now: Tessera Technologies Inc.(TSRA)

Tessera Technologies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops, licenses, and delivers miniaturization technologies and products for electronic devices worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Intellectual Property and DigitalOptics. The Intellectual Property segment offers semiconductor packaging technologies, which create mechanical and electrical connection between semiconductor chips and systems, such as computers and communication equipments through connection to printed circuit boards. The DigitalOptics segment provides mobile camera module solutions in categories, including actuator technologies, image enhancement solutions, and wafer level optics that can be applied to mobile phones and other consumer electronic products. It also offers customized micro-optic lenses from diffractive and refractive optical elements to integrated micro-optical subassemblies. This segment serves customers in digital still cameras and mobile handsets markets, as well as semicon ductor lithography, high-end communication routers, military and defense, and barcode scanners markets. Tessera Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  As part of a reconfigured capital allocation strategy devised last month, Tessera Technologies (NASDAQ: TSRA  ) is going to pay a special distribution to its stockholders of $0.30 per share of its common stock. It will be paid May 31 to shareholders of record as of May 23.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One technology player that insiders are snapping up a large amount of stock in here is Tessera Technologies (TSRA), which, through its subsidiaries, develops, licenses and delivers miniaturization technologies and products for electronic devices worldwide. Insiders are buying this stock into decent strength, since shares are up 19% so far in 2013.

  Tessera Technologies has a market cap of $1.06 billion and an enterprise value of $641 million. This stock trades at a reasonable valuation, with a forward price-to-earnings of 12.15. Its estimated growth rate for the next quarter is 237.5%, and for next year it's pegged at 374.6%. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $380.51 million and its total debt is zero. This stock currently sports a dividend yield of 2.1%.

  A director just bought 400,000 shares, or about $7.57 million worth of stock, at $18.79 to $19.11 a share.

  From a technical perspective, TSRA is currently trending below its 50-day moving average and above its 200-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been downtrending for the last month and change, with shares dropping from its high of $22.59 to its recent low of $18.62 a share. During that downtrend, shares of TSRA have been making mostly lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of TSRA have started to rebound off that $18.62 low and it's starting to move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

  If you're bullish on TSRA, then I would look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above some near-term support levels at $18.62 to its 200-day at $18.14 and then once it takes out its 50-day at $20.77 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 341,611 shares. If we get that move soon, then TSRA will set up to re-test or possibly take

• [By Eric Volkman]

  In the latest development in a fight over the future of Tessera Technologies (NASDAQ: TSRA  ) , the company has replaced its chief executive. The new CEO, Thomas Lacey, will serve in an interim capacity until a replacement is found. His predecessor, Richard Hill, will continue to serve as the firm's board chairman. Tessera Tech is currently conducting a search for a more permanent CEO.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Troubled Tessera Technologies (NASDAQ: TSRA  ) announced today�that it has named a new interim chief financial officer, John Allen, who was previously the company controller. He will immediately assume the new role as his predecessor C. Richard Neely, Jr., who was only appointed to the position this past August, saw his tenure come to an abrupt end today. The press release announcing the change didn't even wish him luck in his endeavors.

Top Defensive Companies To Invest In 2014: Baoye Group Co Ltd (BKG)

Baoye Group Company Limited is engaged in the provision of construction service, manufacture and distribution of building materials and development and sale of properties. The Company three segments: construction, which includes provision of construction services; property development, which includes development and sale of properties, and building materials, which includes manufacture and distribution of building materials. Its subsidiaries include Zhejiang Baoye Construction Group Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Baoye Curtain Wall Decoration Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Baoye Infrastructure Construction Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Guangyi Construction and Decoration Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Baoye Real Estate Group Co., Ltd., Shaoxing Baoye Four Seasons Garden Real Estate Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Baoye Building Materials Industrialisation Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Baoye Steel Structure Co., Ltd. and others. During the year ended 31 December 2011, the Company acquired three parcels of new land in Wuhan, Shanghai, and Henan. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Berkeley Group Holdings Plc (BKG) surged 8.3 percent after saying first-half profit rose 22 percent. London Stock Exchange Group Plc (LSE) climbed 2.4 percent after Bank of America Corp.�� Merrill Lynch unit recommended buying the stock. Givaudan SA (GIVN) lost 1.3 percent after Nestle SA said it will sell $1.27 billion of shares in the world�� largest flavorings maker.

Top Defensive Companies To Invest In 2014: Hanesbrands Inc. (HBI)

Hanesbrands Inc., a consumer goods company, engages in the design, manufacture, sourcing, and sale of apparel essentials in the United States and internationally. Its product portfolio includes T-shirts, bras, panties, men?s underwear, kids? underwear, casualwear, activewear, socks, and hosiery. The company offers its products under the brand names of Hanes, Champion, Playtex, Bali, L?eggs, Just My Size, barely there, Wonderbra, Stedman, Outer Banks, Zorba, Rinbros, and Duofold. Hanesbrands also licenses its Champion name for collegiate apparel and footwear. The company sells its products through various distribution channels, which include mass merchants, national chains and department stores, direct to Consumer, and other retail channels, such as embellishers, specialty retailers, and sporting goods stores. As of January 2, 2010, it operated 228 outlet stores. The company is headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Hanesbrands Inc. operates independently of Sara L ee Corp. as of September 5, 2006.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Wednesday proved to be another example of the resiliency of the bull market in stocks, as major market benchmarks bounced back from yesterday's losses to regain a substantial chunk of their lost ground. Even though U.S. GDP figures for the first quarter got revised downward to an ugly drop of 2.9%, few investors believe that the decline is anything but a one-time seasonal aberration. Helping to lead the market higher today were stocks from a number of different industries, including Penn Virginia (NYSE: PVA  ) , Hanesbrands (NYSE: HBI  ) , and zulily (NASDAQ: ZU  ) .

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Ralph Lauren have gained 5.2% to $180.07 at 3:33 p.m. today, and they’ve even boosted other apparel companies. PVH (PVH) has gained 0.7% to $125.75, Hanesbrands (HBI) has advanced 1.3% to $68.25 and VF Corp. (VFC) is up 0.9% to $2221.78.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  HanesBrands (NYSE: HBI  ) is to return money directly to shareholders for the first time in its history as an independent entity. The company will distribute $0.20 per share of its common stock on June 3 to shareholders of record as of May 20.

• [By ovenerio]

  The company has a current ROE of 19.24% which is higher than the one exhibited by PVH Corp. (PVH) and the industry median. In general, analysts consider ROE ratios in the 15-20% range as representing attractive levels for investment. So for investors looking at higher levels of ROE, VF Corp. (VFC) and Hanesbrand Inc. (HBI) could be the options. Coach Inc. (COH) and Michael Kors have very good ratios. It is very important to understand this metric before investing and it is important to look at the trend in ROE over time.

Top Defensive Companies To Invest In 2014: CSB Bancorp Inc (CSBB)

CSB Bancorp, Inc. (CSB), incorporated in 1991, is a financial holding company. The Commercial and Savings Bank of Millersburg, Ohio (the Bank) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. CSB operates primarily through the Bank and its other subsidiaries, providing a range of banking, trust, financial and brokerage services to corporate, institutional and individual customers throughout northeast Ohio. The Bank provides retail and commercial banking services to its customers, including checking and savings accounts, time deposits, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), safe deposit facilities, personal loans, commercial loans, real estate mortgage loans, installment loans, night depository facilities, brokerage and trust services.

Lending Activities

The Bank provides residential real estate, commercial real estate, commercial and consumer loans to customers located primarily in Holmes, Tuscarawas, Wayne, Stark and portions of surrounding counties in Ohio. Commercial loan rates are variable as well as fixed, and include operating lines of credit and term loans made to small businesses, primarily based on their ability to repay the loan from the cash flow of the business. Business assets, such as equipment, accounts receivable and inventory typically secure such loans. Commercial real estate loans are primarily secured by borrower-occupied business real estate. Commercial real estate loans are generally originated with a loan-to-value ratio of 80% or less. Commercial construction loans are secured by commercial real estate and in most cases the Bank also provides the permanent financing. Residential real estate loans carry both fixed and variable rates and are secured by the borrower�� residence. Home equity lines of credit are made to individuals and are secured by second or first mortgages on the borrower�� residence. Installment loans to individuals include loans secured by automobiles and other consumer assets, including second mortgages on personal residences.

Investment Activities

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� securities available-for-sale totaled $123,026,000. Its portfolio of securities available-for-sale includes the United States treasury securities, the United States Government corporations and agencies, mortgage-backed securities, obligations of states and political subdivisions, equity securities, and corporate bonds.

Sources of Funds

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� portfolio of deposits included noninterest-bearing demand, interest-bearing demand deposits, savings deposits and time deposits. Short-term borrowings consist of securities sold under agreements to repurchase, short-term advances through Federal Home Loan Bank and federal funds purchased.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, CSBB remains (0.00%) +0.000 at $18.75 thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 3:53PM EDT July 30, 2013).

  CSB Bancorp, Inc. previously reported second quarter 2013 net income of $1.25 million or $.45 per basic and diluted share, as compared to $1.14 million or $.41 per basic and diluted share for the same period in 2012.

  Annualized returns on average common equity (��OE�� and average assets (��OA�� for the quarter were 9.32% and 0.88%, respectively, compared with 8.98% and 0.82% for the second quarter of 2012.

  Eddie Steiner, President and CEO commented, ��e continue to focus on growing relationships with current and new customers. The bank�� average loan balances have increased 10% in the past year, and although margins remain tight, this growth has provided increases of approximately 4% in net interest income.��/p>

Top Defensive Companies To Invest In 2014: AVG Technologies NV (AVG)

AVG Technologies N.V. (AVG), incorporated on March 3, 2011, provides software and online services. The Company is primarily engaged in the development and sale of Internet security software and online service solutions branded under the AVG name. The Company�� solutions include software and online services, include security, personal computer (PC) management, online backup and other products. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had approximately 15 million subscription users. AVG�� portfolio consists of Anti-Virus suite, Internet Security suite, Premium Security suite, AVG Mobilation, AVG Threatlabs, Family Safety, TuneUp Utilities and PC Tuneup, LiveKive and MultiMi. On January 4, 2011, the Company acquired DroidSecurity Ltd. On March 3, 2011, the Company established AVG Holding Cooperatief U.A. On May 18, 2011, the Company acquired iMedix Web Technologies Ltd. In August 2011, it acquired TuneUp Software GmbH. On August 19, 2011, AVG Technologies GER GmbH acquired TuneUp Software GmbH. On October 31, 2011, AVG Technologies Holdings B.V. acquired AVG Distribution Switzerland AG. In November 2011, the Company acquired Bsecure Solutions, Inc. On January 13, 2012, AVG Technologies USA, Inc. acquired OpenInstall, Inc. In May 2013, AVG Technologies NV acquired online privacy organisation PrivacyChoice.

The Company�� products include AVG Internet Security, AVG Anti-Virus, AVG Email Server Edition, AVG File Server Edition, AVG Linux Server Edition, AVG Rescue CD and AVG Remote Administration. The Company�� subsidiaries include AVG Technologies USA Inc., AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o., AVG Technologies UK Ltd, AVG Exploit Prevention Labs, Inc., AVG Technologies GER, GmbH, AVG Technologies FRA SAS, AVG Technologies HK, Limited, AVG (Beijing) Internet Security Technologies Company Limited, AVG Mobile Technologies Ltd, AVG Netherlands B.V., AVG Ecommerce CY Ltd, AVG Technologies Holding B.V., TuneUp Software GmbH, TuneUp Distribution GmbH, TuneUp Corporation and AVG Distribution Switzerland AG! .

The Company competes with Microsoft, Google, Apple, Qihoo, Tencent, Facebook, UniBlue, Symantec, Trend Micro, Avast!, Avira, Symantec, Carbonite, Dropbox, Intel Corporation, Trend Micro, Eset, Kaspersky Labs, Panda Software, Sophos, Rising, Kingsoft, Check Point and F-Secure.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  For instance, in the March 15 Private Briefing report, "Double Your Money With this Cyber-Hacking of America Stock," we recommended AVG Technologies NV (NYSE: AVG), an Amsterdam-based cybersecurity whose shares we believed were good for a 100% gain in a year.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  AVG Technologies (NYSE: AVG  ) reported earnings on April 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), AVG Technologies beat expectations on revenues and crushed expectations on earnings per share.

Top Defensive Companies To Invest In 2014: Ciber Inc (CBR)

CIBER, Inc. (CIBER) is a provider of information technology (IT), business consulting and outsourcing services. The Company is engaged in solving complex IT and business issues across industries, such as energy and utilities, telecommunications, retail, healthcare, financial services, entertainment and manufacturing. The Company operates in three segments: International, North America and IT Outsourcing. Its offerings are focused around a set of core competencies which include Application Development and Management (ADM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management, Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing, Managed Services, Testing and Quality Assurance, Mobility Services and Digital Marketing. On March 9, 2012, the Company sold its Federal division to CRGT, Inc.

International

The Company�� CIBER International division delivers a mix of ERP and custom ADM solutions. CIBER International offers a range of services covering the IT solution lifecycle to both commercial enterprises and public sector organizations. Key geographies for its International division include the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Scandinavian region consisting of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The International division's enterprise solutions focus primarily on providing services related to ERP and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software products, as well as managed services. It also provides SAP Industry Solutions, such as retail, automotive and chemicals, and it is a value-added reseller of SAP software in some international geographies. Th Company works with Microsoft to deliver ERP and CRM solutions in selected international geographies.

North America

The Company�� North America division was formed during the year ended December, 31, 2011, through the combination of its former Custom Solutions division and substantially all of its former U.S. ERP division. Its North America division is organized by and operates in a matrix! of geographies and practices. Its North America division provides ADM services, IT Strategy and Architecture, Business Intelligence/Data Warehousing, Collaborative Solutions, CRM and Supply Chain. The division also offers consulting services to support multi-package ERP solutions from vendors, including Oracle (including E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft and JD Edwards), SAP and Lawson, as well as several education management products. It is focused on industry solutions for vertical markets, such as telecommunications, healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, technology, state and local governments, higher education and entertainment.

The Company designs and develops custom-tailored offerings to suit its client's business needs. Its custom solutions provide a range of application portfolio management support, including analysis, design, development, testing, implementation, outsourcing and maintenance of business applications. Its service-oriented architectures, including J2EE and .NET, as well as traditional client/server and mainframe development. The Company also offers portal development, wireless and mobility applications and content delivery. The North America division is an Oracle Platinum Partner, which is a partnership in the Oracle Partner Network Specialized Program and a strategic partner to Oracle in several key industries, such as the public sector, higher education and food and beverage. Its Oracle, PeopleSoft and JD Edwards solutions involve building, integrating and supporting mission critical systems for real-time enterprises.

The Company�� North America division also is an SAP-certified global provider of application management services. The division's SAP solutions support their customers throughout the life cycle and include implementations and upgrades, extensions, integrations and customizations. The North America division has organized its SAP Practice to serve multiple vertical markets. In its SAP Commercial Practice, the North America division foc! uses on c! ustomers in retail, apparel and footwear, mining, metals, manufacturing, financial services and aerospace and defense industries. In its SAP Public Sector Practice, the North America division focuses on delivering solutions to state and local governments.

The North America division is a Certified Lawson Consulting Partner, providing business transformation projects in Lawson's target vertical markets through business process, change management and functional and technical services around Lawson technology. These target markets are healthcare, public sector, food and beverage and general manufacturing, for which it offers budgeting, financial processing and analysis, human capital management, sales order processing and manufacturing systems solutions.

IT Outsourcing

The Company�� IT Outsourcing division is a global business with domestic headquarters in Edison, New Jersey, and international presence throughout Europe. The division offers outsourced enterprise infrastructure management solutions, including managed hosted infrastructure, end user service desk and desktop services, remote infrastructure management (RIM) and application operations support. The IT Outsourcing division's data centers, service desk centers and global operations are located in the United States, United Kingdom, Poland, India and Spain. The division's Technology Solutions Group Practice focuses on providing customers with the infrastructure products and architecture. Offerings include enterprise servers, storage, middleware, integration services, assessments and related products required to support critical business applications.

The Company competes with Accenture plc, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp, Infosys Technologies Limited, Perficient, Inc., Sapient Corp and The Hackett Group, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Ciber (NYSE: CBR  ) is expected to report Q2 earnings on July 30. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Ciber's revenues will drop -4.8% and EPS will grow from $0.00 per share the prior year.