10 Best Quality Stocks To Own For 2014

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of scientific tools manufacturer National Instruments (NASDAQ: NATI  ) sank 13% today after its quarterly results and guidance missed Wall Street expectations. �

So what: First-quarter profit managed to top estimates, but a wide miss on the top line -- revenue of just $265.41 million versus the consensus of $287.79 -- coupled with downbeat guidance, is triggering concerns over slowing growth. Analysts are particularly concerned that lower quality revenue and overspending will likely lead to shrinking gross margins, giving momentum investors little reason to stick around. �

10 Best Quality Stocks To Own For 2014: Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd (SPA.V)

Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties, primarily gold in Canada. It primarily holds interest in the Spanish Mountain gold project, which comprises 40 contiguous mineral claims and 13 placer claims covering an area of approximately 80 square kilometers located in south-central British Columbia. The company was formerly known as Skygold Ventures Ltd. and changed its name to Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd. in January 2010. Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd. is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

10 Best Quality Stocks To Own For 2014: Republic Bancorp Inc.(RBCAA)

Republic Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Republic Bank & Trust Company and Republic Bank, which provides banking, tax refund solutions, and mortgage banking services to individuals and businesses in the United States. The company offers a range of deposit products, including demand deposits, money market accounts, brokered and Internet money market accounts, savings deposits, individual retirement accounts, time deposits, and certificates of deposit. It also provides single family residential real estate loans; commercial loans; residential construction real estate loans; and consumer loans, which consists of home improvement and home equity loans, as well as secured and unsecured personal loans. In addition, the company offers private banking services; treasury management services, such as lockbox processing, remote deposit capture, business online banking, account reconciliation, and automated clearing house processing services; Internet banking service s and products through its Website, republicbank.com; and trust, title insurance, and other financial institution related products and services. Further, it provides tax refund solutions that include the payment of federal and state tax refunds through third party tax preparers. The company facilitates the payment of these tax refunds through refund anticipation loans, electronic refund checks, and electronic refund deposits. Its mortgage banking activities comprise origination and sale of loans in the secondary market, and the servicing of loans for others. As of December 31, 2009, the company had 44 banking centers, including 35 located in Kentucky; 5 located in metropolitan Tampa, Florida; 3 located in southern Indiana; and 1 located in metropolitan Cincinnati, Ohio. Republic Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.

Top Asian Companies To Own For 2014: Nordson Corporation(NDSN)

Nordson Corporation manufactures equipment used for precision dispensing, testing and inspection, and surface preparation and curing. Its Adhesive Dispensing Systems segment manufactures equipment for applying adhesives, lotions, and liquids to disposable products; automated adhesive dispensing systems for the food and beverage, and packaged goods industries; hot melt and cold glue adhesive dispensing systems for the paper and paperboard converting industries; adhesive and sealant dispensing systems for bonding or sealing plastic, metal, and wood products; and laminating and coating systems to manufacture continuous-roll goods in the nonwovens, textile, paper, and flexible-packaging industries. The company?s Advanced Technology Systems segment comprises automated gas plasma treatment systems used to clean and condition surfaces for the semiconductor, medical, and printed circuit board industries; controlled manual and automated systems for applying materials in customer pr ocesses requiring precision and material conservation; ultraviolet equipment used in curing and drying operations for specialty coatings, semiconductor materials, and paints; and bond testing and automated optical and x-ray inspection systems used in the semiconductor and printed circuit board industries. Its Industrial Coating Systems segment provides automated and manual dispensing systems used for applying coatings, paint, finishes, sealants, and other materials. Nordson Corporation markets its products in the United States and internationally through a direct sales force, as well as through qualified distributors and sales representatives. It serves various markets, including the appliance, automotive, bookbinding, container, converting, electronics, food and beverage, furniture, life sciences and medical, metal finishing, non woven, packaging, and semiconductor industries. The company was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in Westlake, Ohio.

10 Best Quality Stocks To Own For 2014: Blackrock Preferred (BTZ)

BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust IV is a closed ended balanced mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc. The fund is co managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., and BlackRock Investment Management, LLC. It invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. The fund invests in the stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. For the fixed income portion of the portfolio, it primarily invests in securities with an average credit quality of BBB by Standard & Poor�s Corporation. The fund was formerly known as BlackRock Preferred & Equity Advantage Trust. BlackRock Preferred & Equity Advantage Trust was formed on December 27, 2006 and is domiciled in the United States.

10 Best Quality Stocks To Own For 2014: Transglobe Energy Corp(TGA)

TransGlobe Energy Corporation operates as an exploration and production company with oil interests in the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Republic of Yemen. It has interests in 9 international blocks comprising 5.5 million acres. The company was formerly known as Dusty Mac Mines, Ltd. and changed its name to TransGlobe Energy Corporation in April 1996 as a result of its business focus shift from mineral exploration and extraction to oil and gas business. TransGlobe Energy Corporation was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

10 Best Quality Stocks To Own For 2014: Integrated Electrical Services Inc.(IESC)

Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. provides electrical infrastructure services in the United States. The company?s Communications segment offers various services, including the design, installation, and maintenance of network infrastructure for the financial, medical, hospitality, government, manufacturing, educational, and information technology industries; design and installation of audio/visual, telephone, fire, wireless, and intrusion alarm systems, as well as design/build, servicing, and maintenance of data network systems. Its Residential segment offers electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes, and CATV cabling installations for residential and commercial applications. This segment also installs residential solar power, smart meters, electric car charging stations, and stand-by generators. The company?s Commercial and Industrial segment provides electrical contracting services, which include the design of ele ctrical systems in a building or complex; procurement and installation of wiring and connection to power sources; end-use equipment and fixtures; and contract maintenance services. It also provides service, maintenance, and renovation and upgrade work services; and services for various projects, including high-rise residential and office buildings, power plants, manufacturing facilities, data centers, chemical plants, refineries, wind farms, solar facilities, municipal infrastructure, and health care facilities, as well as residential developments. In addition, this segment offers utility services consisting of overhead and underground installation and maintenance of electrical and other utilities transmission and distribution networks; installation and splicing of high-voltage transmission and distribution lines; substation construction; and substation and right-of-way maintenance. Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in Houston, Texas.

10 Best Quality Stocks To Own For 2014: Shore Gold Inc Com Npv (SGF.TO)

Shore Gold Inc., an explorations stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. It principally explores for diamond. The company primarily focuses on the exploration of the Star � Orion South diamond project located in the Fort � la Corne Provincial Forest, Saskatchewan, Canada. It also holds a 33% interest in the Buffalo Hills property located in northern Alberta, Canada. The company was formerly known as Shore Gold Fund Inc. and changed its name to Shore Gold Inc. in August 1994. Shore Gold Inc. was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in Saskatoon, Canada.

10 Best Quality Stocks To Own For 2014: Diatreme Resources Ltd(DRX.AX)

Diatreme Resources Limited engages in the exploration for heavy mineral sands, copper, gold, and base metals in Australia. It principally focuses on the Eucla Basin and Arckaringa mineral sand projects for the advancement of the Cyclone Heavy Mineral Deposit located in Western Australia. Diatreme Resources Limited is based in Spring Hill, Australia.

10 Best Quality Stocks To Own For 2014: Micronetics Inc.(NOIZ)

Micronetics, Inc. engages in the design and manufacture of radio frequency (RF) and microwave components and sub-assemblies for defense and commercial customers. The company offers RF microwave components, including receiver components, noise components, voltage controlled oscillators, linearized and non-linearized power amplifiers, and broadband mixers and ferrites; and microwave integrated multifunction subassemblies comprising low noise receivers, up and down conversion modules, RF microwave distribution networks, transmit drivers, broadband frequency synthesizers, and phase/amplitude control networks. It also provides test solutions, such as carrier-to-noise, automated noise generators, bench-top noise generators, and hand-held power meter instruments platforms that perform various tests used in performance verification, and emulation of impairments in cellular/PCN/PCS, satellite, television, and cable modem communication systems. The company?s microwave and RF compon ents, and integrated multifunction subassemblies are used in various commercial wireless, defense, and aerospace products, including satellite communications, electronic warfare, and electronic counter-measures; test equipment, subassemblies, and components used to test the strength, durability, and integrity of signals in communication equipment. Its products are embedded in various radars, electronic warfare systems, guidance systems, wireless telecommunications, and satellite equipment; and microwave devices used on subassemblies and integrated systems. The company sells its products in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Central and South America. Micronetics, Inc. was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Hudson, New Hampshire.

10 Best Quality Stocks To Own For 2014: Amalphi AG (AMLP.DE)

Amalphi AG is a Germany-based company that offers multivendor services for the maintenance of hardware and software of all kinds of Information Technology (IT) equipment. Its main activity is the sale of services including quality assurance, whereas the physical services are provided via international service providers. The Company's products include amalphi ip and ip-pack. amalphi ip is a maintenance service concept for IT-, office- and other technical equipment based on electronic components, which include hardware and software maintenance, help desk service, patch management and asset management. ip-pack offers service packs for the OEM with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for Hewlett-Packard and IBM products. The Company has a sales network throughout Germany. ES Investment GmbH holds approximately a 49%-stake in the Company.