Top 5 Sliver Stocks To Buy For 2014

When I write about micro-cap stocks (which typically have market values of less than $200 million), I always focus on several at once.

This approach highlights the necessity of ensuring that any one of these speculative stocks doesn't account for more than a sliver of a portfolio. Some micro-caps can fare quite well, while others sink like a stone.

I was thinking about this basket approach to micro-caps recently while reviewing a column I wrote early last year.

Since then, GSE Systems (NYSE: GVP) has been a dud, dropping 26% as the company's focus on nuclear power-plant training services has fallen out of favor. But the other two picks in that column are faring quite well and appear to still have ample upside. Looking at the reasons why that's the case can also point the way to the pillars of success in micro-cap investing.

Top 5 Sliver Stocks To Buy For 2014: Kensey Nash Corporation(KNSY)

Kensey Nash Corporation, a medical device company, engages in the field of regenerative medicine products and technologies to help repair damaged or diseased tissues. The company involves in designing, developing, manufacturing, and processing proprietary medical devices, including resorbable biomaterial products, such as synthetic polymers and collagen. It provides various orthopaedic market products comprising soft tissue and bone fixation products for the fixation and repair of musculoskeletal tissues; and bone void fillers and scaffolds. The company also offers cardiovascular market products that include original Angio-Seal device, a vascular closure device; general surgery market products, which consist of ECM product, a porcine dermis surgical mesh used for abdominal wall reconstruction, breast reconstruction, and select head and neck plastic surgery repair, as well as manufactures resorbable carriers for the breast biopsy markers. In addition, it provides dental bar rier membranes and resorbable materials that are used in ophthalmology applications. The company sells its products through strategic partners in various medical markets, including cardiology, orthopaedic, sports medicine, spinal cranio-maxillofacial, trauma, and general surgery. Kensey Nash Corporation was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania.

Top 5 Sliver Stocks To Buy For 2014: CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF)

CF Industries Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary, CF Industries, Inc., manufactures and distributes nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer products, serving agricultural and industrial customers worldwide. It operates in two segments, Nitrogen and Phosphate. The Nitrogen segment principally offers ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate solution, urea liquor, diesel exhaust fluid, and aqua ammonia. The Phosphate segment primarily offers diammonium phosphate and monoammonium phosphate. The company also owns 50% interests in the GrowHow UK Limited, a nitrogen products producer in the United Kingdom; Point Lisas Nitrogen Limited, an ammonia producer; and KEYTRADE AG, a global fertilizer trading company. CF Industries Holdings� customers include cooperatives and independent fertilizer distributors primarily in the midwestern United States. The company was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James K. Glassman]

   A standout in an unlikely business is CF Industries, a fertilizer producer based in Deerfield, Ill. In 2011, its free cash flow roughly doubled, to a hefty $1.8 billion, from the previous year, as it had from the preceding year as well. Lately, CF's capital expenditures have been well below its depreciation, but the company's revenues keep rising. CF's strong cash performance has, quite naturally spurred its board to boost the dividend -- from an annual rate of 40 cents per share in 2010 to a rate of $1.60 today.
  Read more at http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/investing/T052-S001-9-cash-rich-stocks-to-buy-now/index.html#LLDifCZJ5h4D3JBY.99 

Hot Shipping Companies To Buy Right Now: Sunoco Inc.(SUN)

Sunoco, Inc., through its subsidiaries, refines and markets petroleum products in the United States. Its Logistics segment operates refined product and crude oil pipelines and terminals; and acquires and markets crude oil and refined products. As of December 31, 2011, this segment owned and operated approximately 5,400 miles of crude oil pipelines and approximately 2,500 miles of refined product pipelines. It also operates 42 active terminals that receive refined products from pipelines and distribute them to third parties. The company?s Retail Marketing segment engages in the retail sale of gasoline and middle distillates; and operation of convenience stores. This segment operates outlets primarily in Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Its Refining and Supply segment offers petroleum products, including gasoline and residual fuel oil, as well as middle distillates, such as jet fuel, heating oil , and diesel fuel; and commodity petrochemicals comprising propylene-propane, benzene, and cumene. This segment offers its products to wholesale and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Top 5 Sliver Stocks To Buy For 2014: Merchants Bancshares Inc.(MBVT)

Merchants Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for The Merchants Bank that provides commercial banking products and services in Vermont. The company offers various deposit products, which comprise interest bearing and non-interest bearing checking accounts, money market accounts, club accounts, health savings accounts, and short-term and long-term certificates of deposit, including a flexible CD instrument. It also provides credit programs, such as secured and unsecured installment lending, home equity lines of credit, home mortgages, and credit cards; one-to-four-family residential mortgages, and residential construction and seasonal dwelling mortgages; and consumer loans, such as home improvement and home equity lines of credit, and various personal loans. In addition, Merchants Bancshares offers cash management services, which comprise investment sweep, line of credit sweep, multiple sweep, and funds concentration; and customary check collection service s, wire transfers, safe deposit box rentals, and automated teller machine services, and debit cards. Further, the company provides investment management, financial planning, and trustee services; commercial online banking services; bill payment services; and lock box services, night depository, coin and currency handling, and balance reporting services. As of December 31, 2009, it operated 34 full-service banking offices and 42 automated teller machines in Vermont. The company was founded in 1849 and is headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont.

Top 5 Sliver Stocks To Buy For 2014: Duff & Phelps Utility & Corporate Bond Trust Inc. (DUC)

Duff & Phelps Utility & Corporate Bond Trust, Inc. is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Duff and Phelps Investment Management Co. It invests in fixed income markets. The fund invests primarily in a utility income securities, corporate income securities, mortgage-backed securities, and asset-backed securities. Its investment portfolio includes investments in auto and truck, broadcasting and publishing, telephone, industrial, financial, and utilities sectors. Duff & Phelps Utility & Corporate Bond Trust, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.