Top Stocks To Watch For 2014

Attila von Unruh was finished. Or so he thought. A few years after he had sold his small event technology company, it went bankrupt. Through a legal clause, he was liable, and had to file for insolvency. Attila went through a living hell of shame, financial deprivation, and family trouble.

Attila was not alone. There are over 30,000 small business bankruptcies every year in Germany, destroying ��0 billion in economic value. Most micro entrepreneurs enter an abyss of isolation until their six year period of suspended income is over. Almost all cut social ties, and many remain scarred for life. Not so for Attila. After a while, he bounced back, launching Insolvents Anonymous, a peer support scheme modelled loosely after Alcoholics Anonymous. From the first moment, the demand was everywhere, and soon he started an association with chapters in 12 major cities. Attila had turned from business entrepreneur to social entrepreneur, and he found a business model that worked: By training experts who had been through the years-long doom period after insolvency and referring them to companies threatened by bankruptcy, he could create a million Euro market and new opportunities for a stigmatised group at the same time.

Top 10 Restaurant Companies To Own For 2015: India Fund Inc (IFN)

The India Fund, Inc. (the Fund), incorporated on December 27, 1993, is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund�� investment objective is long-term capital appreciation. It invests in Indian equity securities. At least 80% of the Fund�� total assets are invested in equity securities of Indian companies. Its portfolio includes common stocks, warrants and short-term investments. The India Fund, Inc. operates through a branch in the Republic of Mauritius.

The India Fund, Inc. invests in a range of industries, including computer software and programming, computer services, finance, diversified industries, building and construction, cement, chemicals, electronics and electrical equipment, extractive industries, engineering, diversified financial services, petroleum-related industries, pharmaceuticals, steel and telecommunications. Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited is the Fund�� investment manager.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  The India Fund Inc. (NYSE: IFN) is down another 5% at $17.55 against a 52-week range of $17.53 to $24.10. CEFA.com shows that it trades at roughly a 9.4% discount to its net asset value.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  The India Fund Inc. (NYSE: IFN) is a closed-end fund that trades often at severe discounts or premiums to the net asset value. Its gain is only 0.9% to $18.03, and the 52-week trading range of $16.88 to $24.10 implies that it has recovered only 7% off of its recent lows. It currently trades at a discount of 11% to its NAV according to CEFA.com.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  WisdomTree�India Earnings Fund (NYSEMKT: EPI) is down yet another 2.7% at $13.05, and it hit a new low of $13.00 on Wednesday against a high of $20.50. The PowerShares India (NYSEMKT: PIN) is down another 2.5% at $13.54, and it hit a new low with its 52-week range now at $13.50 to $19.66. The India Fund Inc. (NYSE: IFN) is a closed-end fund rather than an exchange traded fund (ETF), and it is down almost 1.75% at $16.95, with its shares hitting a new multiyear low of 416.88, against a 52-week high of $24.10.

Top Stocks To Watch For 2014: Husky Energy Inc (HUSKF.PK)

Husky Energy Inc. (Husky), incorporated on June 21, 2000, is an international integrated energy company. The Company operates in two segments: Upstream and Downstream. Upstream includes exploration for, development and production of crude oil, bitumen, natural gas and natural gas liquids and other producers��crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, sulphur and petroleum coke, pipeline transportation and processing of heavy crude oil and natural gas, storage of crude oil, diluents and natural gas and cogeneration of electrical and thermal energy (infrastructure and marketing). Downstream includes upgrading of heavy crude oil feedstock into synthetic crude oil (upgrading), refining in Canada of crude oil and marketing of refined petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel, ethanol blended fuels, asphalt and ancillary products, and production of ethanol (Canadian refined products) and refining in the United States of crude oil to produce and market gasoline, jet fuel and diesel fuels that meet United States clean fuels standards (United States refining and marketing).

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company had 512 retail locations in its light refined products operations, which consisted of 361 owned or leased locations (husky controlled) and 151 independent retailer locations. The Company is continually monitoring the owned and leased locations for environmental protection or to address regulatory compliance requirements, such as reporting.

Upstream Operations

Husky�� portfolio of Upstream assets includes properties with reserves of light crude oil (30掳 API and lighter), medium crude oil (between 20掳 and 30掳 API), heavy crude oil (liquid between 20掳 API and 10掳 API), bitumen (solid or semi-solid with a viscosity greater than 10,000 centipoise at original temperature in the deposit and atmospheric pressure), NGL, natural gas and sulphur. The Wenchang field is located in the western Pearl River Mouth Basin, approximately 400 kilometers ! south of Hong Kong and 100 kilometers east of Hainan Island. The Wenchang 13-1 and 13-2 oil fields are producing from 32 wells in 100 meters of water into an FPSO vessel stationed between fixed platforms located in each of the two fields. In December 2012, Husky signed a joint venture contract with CPC Corporation, Taiwan for an exploration block in the South China Sea. The exploration block is located 100 kilometers southwest of the island of Taiwan and covers approximately 10,300 square kilometers.

Husky has a 40% interest in approximately 621,700 acres (2,516 square kilometers) of the Madura Strait block, located offshore East Java, south of Madura Island, Indonesia. Husky�� two partners are CNOOC which is the operator and has a 40% working interest, and Samudra Energy Ltd., which holds the remaining 20% interest through its affiliate, SMS Development Ltd. Husky�� offshore East Coast Canada exploration and development program is focused on the Jeanne d��rc Basin on the Grand Banks, which contains the Hibernia and Terra Nova fields, as well as the White Rose field and satellite extensions including the North Amethyst, West White Rose and the South White Rose extensions. The White Rose oil field is located 354 kilometers off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador and approximately 48 kilometers east of the Hibernia oil field on the eastern section of the Jeanne d��rc Basin. Husky is the operator of the White Rose field and satellite tiebacks, including the North Amethyst, West White Rose and South White Rose extensions. The Terra Nova oil field is located approximately 350 kilometers southeast of St. John��, Newfoundland and Labrador. The Terra Nova oil field is divided into three distinct areas, known as the Graben, the East Flank and the Far East. As of January 16, 2013, Husky held a working interest in 17 Exploration Licences (ELs) offshore Newfoundland, Labrador and Greenland. Husky is the operator of 13 of these ELs and has working interests ranging from 35% to 100%.

Hus! ky is the operator of two ELs offshore the west coast of Disko Island, Greenland. Tucker is an in-situ SAGD oil sands project located 30 kilometers northwest of Cold Lake, Alberta. Husky holds in excess of 550,000 acres in undeveloped oil sands leases and has a 100% working interest in all leases except in Athabasca South in which it has a 50% working interest. Husky�� heavy oil assets are primarily concentrated in a large producing region in the Lloydminster, Alberta/Saskatchewan area. The Company maintains a land position of approximately two million gross acres within this area. Over 90% of Husky�� proved reserves in the region are contained in the heavy crude oil producing areas of Pikes Peak, Edam, Tangleflags, Celtic, Bolney, Paradise Hill, Westhazel, Big Gully, Mervin, Marwayne, Lashburn, Gully Lake, Vermilion, Swimming, Morgan, Lindbergh, Aberfeldy, Marsden, Epping, Furness and Rush Lake, and in the medium gravity crude oil producing fields of Wildmere and Wainwright. As of December 31, 2012, the Company produces from oil and gas wells ranging in depth from 450 meters to 650 meters and holds a 100% working interest in the majority of these wells. In the Lloydminster area, the Company owns and operates 21 oil treating facilities which are tied into the Husky heavy oil pipeline systems. Husky operates 67 facilities in the area. Husky is the operator of a number of properties in southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan. The Foothills Northwest Plains area is located in western and northern Alberta and British Columbia. The area is made up of five distinct districts: Rainbow Lake, Northern Alberta, Northern Alberta & British Columbia Plains, Ansell-Galloway and Foothills.

Husky provides heavy crude oil feedstock to its Upgrader and its asphalt refinery, which are located at Lloydminster, Alberta/Saskatchewan. The combined dry crude feedstock requirements of the Upgrader and asphalt refinery are approximately equal to Husky�� heavy crude oil production from the Lloydminster area.! Husky al! so purchases third party volumes. Husky markets heavy crude oil production directly to refiners located in the mid-west and eastern United States and Canada. Husky markets its light and synthetic crude oil production to third-party refiners in Canada, the United States and Asia in addition to Husky�� Lima Refinery. NGL are sold to local petrochemical end users, retail and wholesale distributors and refiners in North America.

The Company holds a 50% interest in a 90 megawatts natural gas fired cogeneration facility adjacent to Husky�� Rainbow Lake processing plant. The cogeneration facility produces electricity for the Power Pool of Alberta and thermal energy (steam) for the Rainbow Lake processing plant. It provides power directly to the Power Pool of Alberta under an agreement with the Alberta Electric System Operator to provide additional electricity generating capacity and system stability for northwestern Alberta. The Company also operates and has a 50% interest in a natural gas storage facility at East Cantuar near Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

Downstream Operations

The Lima Refinery, located in Ohio between Toledo and Dayton, has an atmospheric crude throughput capacity of 160 thousand of barrels/day. The refinery produces gasoline, gasoline blend stocks, diesel, jet fuel, petrochemical feedstock and other by-products. The feedstock is received via the Mid-Valley and Marathon Pipelines and the refined products are transported via the Buckeye and Inland pipeline systems and by rail car to primary markets in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and southern Michigan. During 2012, crude oil feedstock throughput at the Lima Refinery averaged 150 thousand of barrels/day. Production of gasoline averaged 77 thousand of barrels/day, total distillates averaged 56 thousand of barrels/day and total butanes averaged 17 thousand of barrels/day. The BP-Husky Toledo Refinery, in which Husky holds a 50% interest, has an atmospheric crude throughput capacity of 160 thousand of barrels/day. Pr! oducts in! clude low sulphur gasoline, ultra low sulphur diesel, aviation fuels, propane, kerosene and asphalt. The refinery is located in one of the highest energy consumption regions in the United States. Husky owns and operates the Husky Lloydminster Upgrader, a heavy oil upgrading facility located in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. The Upgrader is designed to process blended heavy crude oil feedstock into high quality, low sulphur synthetic crude oil. Production at the Upgrader averaged 61 thousand of barrels/day of synthetic crude oil, 13 thousand of barrels/day of diluent and 4 thousand of barrels/day of low sulphur diesel in 2012.

Husky�� Canadian Refined Products operations include refining of light crude oil, manufacturing of fuel and fuel grade ethanol, manufacturing of asphalt products from heavy crude oil and acquisition by purchase and exchange of refined petroleum products. Husky�� retail distribution network includes the wholesale, commercial and retail marketing of refined petroleum products and provides a platform for non-fuel related convenience product businesses. Husky�� Pounder Emulsions division has a market share in Western Canada for road application emulsion products. Additional non-asphalt based road maintenance products are also marketed and distributed through Pounder Emulsions. Husky�� asphalt distribution network consists of emulsion plants and asphalt terminals located at Kamloops, British Columbia, Edmonton and Lethbridge, Alberta, Yorkton, Saskatchewan and Winnipeg, Manitoba and three emulsion plants located at Watson Lake, Yukon and Lloydminster and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Husky�� ethanol production supports its ethanol-blended gasoline marketing program. When added to gasoline, ethanol promotes more complete fuel combustion, prevents fuel line freezing and reduces carbon monoxide emissions, ozone precursors and net emissions of greenhouse gases.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Caiman Valores]

  But as highlighted earlier Whitecap's Canadian light sweet crude is not as heavily discounted as Canadian heavy oil or bitumen. This does not leave it exposed to the same price risks and volatility as those companies that have a significant portion of their production made up by Canadian heavy oil and Bitumen, such as Husky Energy (HUSKF.PK), Suncor (SU), Imperial Oil (IMO) and Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ).

Top Stocks To Watch For 2014: Tractebel Energia SA (TBLE3)

Tractebel Energia SA (Tractebel Energia) is a Brazil-based company involved in the energy sector. The Company is engaged in the generation and sale of electric power generated by its assets or acquired through near and long-term agreements. In addition, it provides online customer services to its customers. Tractebel Energia operates power plants in the Brazilian states of Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Parana, Sao Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Goias, Ceara, Piaui, Minas Gerais, Tocantins and Maranhao. The Company generates energy through hydroelectric power plants, thermoelectric plants, small hydroelectric power plants, wind farms and biomass fired power plants. The Company is controlled by GDF SUEZ Energy Latin America Participacoes Ltda. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Patricia Lara]

  The state-run water company�� market value rose to a record $11.1 billion at the end of last month, narrowing the gap to generator Tractebel Energia SA (TBLE3) to about $360.7 million, data compiled by Bloomberg show. That�� down from $1 billion at the end of last year and $3.89 billion at the start of 2012.

Top Stocks To Watch For 2014: Capstead Mortgage Corporation (CMO)

Capstead Mortgage Corporation operates as a self-managed real estate investment trust. It invests in leveraged portfolio of residential mortgage pass-through securities consisting of adjustable-rate mortgage securities issued and guaranteed by government-sponsored enterprises or by an agency of the federal government. The company qualifies as a real estate investment trust for federal income tax purposes. It generally would not be subject to federal corporate income taxes if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its stockholders. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Perry]

  Yes and no. I don’t like the risk/reward for fixed-rate mREITs. I’m concerned we could see a spike in the 10-year Treasury note to 3.5% if the economy picks up speed, which will put fixed-rate mREITs under pressure. That said, I think there are select adjustable-rate mREITs that are worthy of a spot in your portfolio. One I do recommend in my Cash Machine Aggressive High-Yield portfolio is Capstead Mortgage (CMO).

Top Stocks To Watch For 2014: Dynegy Inc (DYN)

Dynegy Inc. (Dynegy), incorporated in 2007, is a holding company and conducts the business operations through its subsidiaries. Dynegy�� primary business is the production and sale of electric energy, capacity and ancillary services from the fleet of 16 operating power plants in six states totaling approximately 11,600 megawatts of generating capacity. The Company sells electric energy, capacity and ancillary services on a wholesale basis from its power generation facilities. Its customers include Regional Transmission Organization (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs), integrated utilities, municipalities, electric cooperatives, transmission and distribution utilities, industrial customers, power marketers, financial participants, such as banks and hedge funds, and other power generators. Dynegy operates in three segments: the Coal segment (Coal), the Gas Segment (Gas) and the Dynegy Northeast Segment (DNE). In September 2011, it acquired direct ownership of Dynegy Coal Holdco, LLC. In July 2012, the Company announced that it has filed a voluntary petition to reorganize under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, Poughkeepsie Division. It emerged from bankruptcy, on October 1, 2012. In May 2013, the Company sold its Roseton power generation facility (Roseton) to a subsidiary of Castleton Commodities International LLC (CCI).

Coal segment

Dynegy�� Coal segment consists of four operating coal-fired power generation facilities and two operating natural gas-fired peaker facilities in Illinois with a total generating capacity of 3,132 megawatts. On November 17, 2011, it permanently retired the 176 megawatts Vermilion power generation facility. As of December 31, 2011, the facilities operated entirely within MISO. Its Coal segment is primarily a fleet of baseload coal facilities, located in Illinois. The MISO market includes all of Wisconsin and portions of Michigan, Kentucky, Indian! a, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana and Manitoba, Canada. MISO is as an independent RTO.

Gas Segment

Dynegy�� Gas segment consists of seven operating natural gas-fired power generation facilities located in California (two), Nevada (one), Illinois (one), Pennsylvania (one), New York (one), and Maine (one), and one fuel-oil fired power generation facility located in California, totaling 6,771 megawatts of electric generating capacity. On November 7, 2011, it deconsolidated DH, which indirectly owns all of its assets in the Gas segment. The PJM market includes all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. The Company�� Kendall and Ontelaunee facilities located in Illinois and Pennsylvania operate in PJM with an aggregate net generating capacity of 1,780 megawatts.

DNE Segment

Dynegy�� DNE segment consists of the Roseton and Danskammer facilities located in Newburgh, New York, with a total capacity of 1,693 megawatts. Its total of 1,570 megawatts of generation capacity relates to leased units at the two facilities. The Company�� Roseton and Danskammer facility sites are adjacent and share common resources, such as fuel handling, a docking terminal, personnel and certain associated systems.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Regulatory resilience
  Ameren (NYSE: AEE  ) and Dynegy (NYSE: DYN  ) aren't letting regulatory snafus get in the way of their plans. The two companies published a statement this week assuring investors that despite the Illinois Pollution Control Board's denial of a variance relief transfer, Dynegy still plans to acquire Ameren Energy Resources.

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Dynegy (NYSE: DYN) announced that it has acquired power generation assets from Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and Energy Capital partners. In total, Dynegy acquired 12.5 megawatts of coal and gas generation, almost doubling its existing assets to nearly 26,000 megawatts. Dynegy expects the acquisitions will create synergy targets of more than $40 million per year, $200 million in collateral efficiencies translating to nearly $500 million in present value cash savings. The company expects its adjusted EBITDA accretion to be 125 percent, while its free cash flow accretion will be 220 percent in 2015. Shares gained 8.75 percent, closing at $32.32.

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  With a successful $900 million asset sale to Dynegy (NYSE: DYN  ) in March, Ameren has three leftover gas-fired energy centers it still needs to offload.

• [By Ali Berri]

  Dynegy (NYSE: DYN) shares shot up 7.62 percent to $31.99 after the company announced its plans to acquire assets from Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and Energy Capital Partners for a total consideration of $6.25 billion.

Top Stocks To Watch For 2014: Simmons First National Corp (SFNC)

Simmons First National Corporation is a multi-bank financial holding company. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had total loans of $1.7 billion, deposits of $2.7 billion and equity capital of $408 million. As of December 31, 2011, it owned eight community banks, which are located throughout Arkansas and conduct its operations through 88 offices, of which 84 are branches, or financial centers, located in 47 communities in Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas. Its community banks are supported by its subsidiary bank, Simmons First National Bank (SFNB or lead bank), which allows its community banks to provide products and services, such as a bank-issued credit card. As of December 31, 2011, SFNB had total loans of $0.9 billion and total deposits of $1.5 billion. Simmons First Trust Company N.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of SFNB, performs the trust and fiduciary business operations for SFNB and for the Company. Simmons First Investment Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SFNB, is a broker-dealer and performs the broker-dealer operations for SFNB. Its subsidiary banks provide complete banking services to individuals and businesses throughout the market areas they serve. These banks offer consumer (credit card and other consumer), real estate (construction, single family residential and other commercial) and commercial (commercial, agriculture and financial institutions) loans, checking, savings and time deposits, trust and investment management services and securities and investment services. In September 2012, through its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Simmons First National Bank (SFNB), it acquired assets of Truman Bank of St. Louis from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the FDIC). In October 2012, SFNB acquired Excel Bank of Sedalia from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. In November 2013, the Company acquired Metropolitan National Bank. Efffective November 25, 2013, the Company acquired Rogers Bancshares Inc.

Lending Activities

During the year ended December! 31, 2011, the Company�� loan portfolio, excluding loans covered by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) loss share arrangements, averaged $1.621 billion. As of December 31, 2011, total loans, excluding loans covered by FDIC loss share arrangements, were $1.580 billion. The components of the loan portfolio were loans to businesses (commercial loans, commercial real estate loans and agricultural loans) and individuals (consumer loans, credit card loans and single-family residential real estate loans).

Consumer loans consist of credit card loans, student loans and other consumer loans. As of December 31, 2011, consumer loans were $346.6 million or 21.9% of total loans. As of December 31, 2011, the student loan portfolio balance was $47.4 million. As of December 31, 2011, student loans were 3% of total loans. Real estate loans consist of construction loans, single family residential loans and commercial loans. As of December 31, 2011, real estate loans were $1.001 billion or 63.4% of total loans. As of December 31, 2011, its construction and development (C&D) loans represent 7% of its loan portfolio and commercial real estate (CRE) loans (excluding C&D) represent 34% of its loan portfolio. Commercial loans consist of commercial loans and agricultural loans. As of December 31, 2011, commercial loans were $227.2 million or 14.4% of total loans.

Investment Activities

Securities within the portfolio are classified as either held-to-maturity, available-for-sale or trading. Held-to-maturity securities include any security for which management has the positive intent and ability to hold until maturity, are carried at historical cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts. As of December 31, 2011, held-to-maturity and available-for-sale investment securities were $525.4 million and $172.2 million. As of December 31, 2011, $312.8 million, or 59.5%, of the held-to-maturity securities were invested in United States Treasury securities and o! bligation! s of the United States government agencies, 60.0% of which will mature in less than five years. In the available-for-sale securities, $153.6 million, or 89.2%, were in the United States Treasury and the United States government agency securities.

Sources of Fund

Deposits are the Company�� source of funding for earning assets and are developed through its network of 84 financial centers. It offers a range of products designed to attract and retain customers with a continuing focus on developing core deposits. Its core deposits consist of all deposits excluding time deposits of $100,000 or more and brokered deposits. As of December 31, 2011, core deposits comprised 86.5% of its total deposits. As of December 31, 2011, its total deposits were $2.65 billion. As of December 31, 2011, non-interest bearing transaction accounts were $532.3 million. As of December 31, 2011, interest bearing transaction and savings accounts were $1.240 billion. As of December 31, 2011, it had $20.6 million of brokered deposits.

As of December 31, 2011, Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase were $114.8 million. As of December 31, 2011, its other short-term borrowings, consisting of the United States Treasury Tax and Loan (TT&L) Notes and short-term Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) borrowings were $272,000. As of December 31, 2011, its long-term debt was $120.8 million. As of December 31, 2011, the outstanding long-term debt balance includes $89.9 million in FHLB long-term advances and $30.9 million of trust preferred securities.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  Finally, Simonds First National Corp. (Nasdaq: SFNC) is a Midwestern bank with 96 branches in Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas. The stock has been strong this year, but CEO George Makris thinks there is additional upside ahead for the shares.

• [By CRWE]

  Simmons First National Corporation (Nasdaq:SFNC) reported, through its wholly-owned bank subsidiary, Simmons First National Bank (“SFNB”), that it has expanded into the St. Louis, Missouri market by acquiring approximately $282 million in assets of Truman Bank of St. Louis from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”).