3 Funny Money Lessons from TV's Greatest Minds

Carlo Allegri/Invision/APRon Swanson (the "Parks & Recreation" character played by Nick Offerman) follows an iffy investing strategy. Reality TV shows offer a handful of average Americans the chance to race around the world, outwit, outplay and outlast their rivals, or lose weight, all to win serious money. Luckily, the rest of us saps tuning in can hope to better our financial futures from the comfort of our couches -- without eating bugs or faking love for a millionaire. Because some of the best sitcom characters can offer us some excellent (and hilarious) money advice. Admittedly, sometimes, their advice is off base. But, even then, you can learn from their mistakes. Here are three of my favorite fiscally savvy (or at least fiscally enthusiastic) characters, and what they have to teach us. 1. Don't Make Your Nest Egg Out of Gold Alone

Ron Swanson: "You won't find any bank statements either. I've heavily invested in gold which I've buried in several different locations around Pawnee. Or have I?"

Ron Ulysses Swanson is the Scotch-swilling, meat-loving, woodworking, uber-private Libertarian who has redefined manliness for TV watchers on the NBC sitcom "Parks & Recreation." Due to Swanson's hatred and general mistrust of the government, he's invested most of his savings in gold. Swanson started working for a sheet metal factory at age 9, and he's held down regular jobs ever since. He resides in a secluded log cabin, hunts, is a DIYer, and generally lives well below his means, which makes hims something of the millionaire next door (though few people know where he lives). Unfortunately for Swanson and his heirs, this solid-gold strategy may not be the most financially sound. Not that gold is an inherently bad investment -- in many years, its gains have beaten the stock market -- but Swanson's lack of diversification is risky. Should gold suddenly become worthless, or nose-dive in value (as it has from time to time) Swanson could lose most of his fortune. Granted, Swanson could capably live off the land -- but could you? " " 2. Invest Early in Tax-Advantaged Retirement Accounts, and Watch Your Savings Grow

Jack Donaghy: So what are you gonna do with your money? Put it into a 401(k)? Liz Lemon: Yeah, I gotta get one of those. Jack Donaghy: What? Where do you invest your money, Lemon? Liz Lemon: I've got like twelve grand in checking. Jack Donaghy: Are you an immigrant?

Jack Donaghy -- the egomaniacal, politically incorrect, private-plane-riding, corporate-ladder-climbing, C-suite executive on NBC's "30 Rock" -- was the epitome of what the Occupy Wall Street movement wanted to scourge and remove from society. Stitched on a pillow in his office is the motto: "Ambition is the willingness to kill the things you love and eat them to survive." Donaghy's series-long goal is to become CEO of General Electric, but most of his time is spent trying to make the entertainment division of the company profitable while mentoring Liz Lemon, the head writer of a sketch comedy show. Donaghy may support (and perhaps help manipulate) the stock market and big banking, but his advice Lemon to begin investing is sound. Too often, people hesitate to invest their hard-earned dollars, for a range of reasons: fear; lack of knowledge; indebtedness; even simple inertia. This dangerous condition is rampant among millennials. That's unfortunate, because they have the most precious commodity an investor can posses: time. If you're just starting your career, even if you're in debt, listen to Donaghy's advice: Take advantage of employer-matched retirement plans or open an IRA in order to harness the power of compound growth. And if you aren't going to invest, at least move some money out of checking and into a savings account, where you can build up an emergency fund. " " " 3. Multiple Income Streams Are Powerful Path to Success

Dwight Schrute: Actually, I do own property. My grandfather left me a 60-acre working beet farm. I run it with my cousin Mose. We sell beets to local stores and restaurants.

Dwight Schrute is an insensitive, weapons-obsessed, power-hungry paper salesman on NBC's "The Office," who proves you can be successful at both your day job and a side hustle. Throughout the series, Dunder Mifflin employees fight for economic survival in a world going increasingly paperless. While Schrute's co-workers stress about losing their jobs, he creates a successful side business by turning his family's working beet farm into a bed and breakfast. When he reveals the existence of the Schrute Farms B&B, his situation is contrasted with that of his boss, regional manager Michael Scott, realizing that his live-in girlfriend has amassed massive amounts of debt, making his financial situation even more precarious. Several times in the series, Schrute suggests he'd be financially stable should he ever lose his Dunder Mifflin income, yet he still works tirelessly to be the company's top salesman. You too, can follow Dwight's road map: Create multiple income streams; it'll grant you some protection against a recession or being faced with downsizing in your industry. Do (or Do Not) Try This at Home All these characters embody extremes for the sake of good television, but their lifestyles reflect important lessons. Whether you identify with the capitalist kings of finance, or camped out with the Occupy Wall Street protesters, it's important to know how to handle, invest and grow your wealth. Or don't bother taking any advice. As Swanson would say: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Don't teach a man to fish, and you feed yourself. He's a grown man, and fishing's not that hard."

Good (though not great) News for Medical Marijuana Companies (ERBB, PHOT, MJNA)

Companies like Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA), Tranzbyte Corp. (OTCMKTS:ERBB), and Growlife Inc. (OTCBB:PHOT) were on the receiving end of another dose of good news on Thursday.... not that they necessarily needed it. That's when a study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas was published, illustrating how not only did the advent of medical marijuana not increase crime, but rather, coincided with a (relative) decline in crime.

Surprisingly, shares of PHOT, MJNA, and ERBB didn't respond exceedingly well to the report. In fact, Medical Marijuana shares fell following the news, while Growlife shares were flat. The only winner following the University of Texas publication was Tranzbyte Corp., with its stick soaring 30% on Friday, though it's possible other news from ERBB on Friday was the key catalyst for that day's bullish move.

So why wasn't the study more of a catalyst for the industry's stocks (stocks that have up until this point rallied on even the slightest puff of industry-supportive news)? There are two likely reasons. One of them is the distinct possibility that stocks like PHOT, MJNA, ERBB, and the all the rest that have benefited from marijuana mania are finally experiencing PR fatigue and - no pun intended - publicity burnout. The same premise or story can only be circulated so many times before investors grow immune to it and stop responding. With nearly three months of such chatter under our belts following the January 1st legalization of medical marijuana (or recreational marijuana) in a handful of states, it's now time for the industry to put up or shut up. First quarter's earnings will be the proof of the pudding.

The other possible reason the medical marijuana industry's stocks didn't respond all that well to the publication's findings is a question of their relevancy - the researchers only reviewed data from 1990 through 2006. Detractors pointed out that a large number of dispensaries weren't established until afte r2006, and it's conceivable that the situation and impact of legalized medial marijuana now has changed within the past eight years. Still, detractors have yet to explain how or why crimes would have fallen - if selling medical marijuana risks increasing crime - during that study's timeframe when there were at least some dispensaries in operation for at least a decent portion of those sixteen years.

That being said, while some of the most voracious supporters of medical marijuana and/or investors of companies like Tranzbyte, Growlife, or Medical Marijuana are pounding the table because of the findings, even the affected companies themselves don't seem overly keen on holding the research up as a trophy or a milestone in their quest for wider legalization. It looks like they're holding out for more and fresher data on the matter, and holding out for the impact of recreational marijuana in particular.

In other words, the University of Texas study isn't a game-changer for the industry. It's just a modest feather in medical marijuana's cap.

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Why GenVec (GNVC) Stock Is Up In Aftermarket Trading

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of GenVec Inc. (GNVC) were up 12.83% to $2.99 in aftermarket trading Thursday. The jump comes ahead of the company posting its fiscal 2013 fourth quarter earnings on Friday.

Consensus EPS forecast for the company is - 10 cents, a 58.33% increase from fourth quarter of 2012. GenVec is a bio pharmaceutical company that specializes in developing gene based therapeutic drugs and vaccines.

Must Read: Warren Buffett's 10 Favorite Stocks

STOCKS TO BUY: TheStreet Quant Ratings has identified a handful of stocks that can potentially TRIPLE in the next 12 months. Learn more.

TheStreet Ratings team rates GENVEC INC as a Sell with a ratings score of E+. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation: "We rate GENVEC INC (GNVC) a SELL. This is based on several weak investment measures, which should drive this stock to significantly underperform the majority of stocks that we rate. Among the areas we feel are negative, one of the most important has been an overall disappointing return on equity." Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows: Return on equity has greatly decreased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of major weakness within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Biotechnology industry and the overall market, GENVEC INC's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500. The revenue fell significantly faster than the industry average of 14.6%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues fell by 25.6%. The declining revenue has not hurt the company's bottom line, with increasing earnings per share. GENVEC INC has improved earnings per share by 25.8% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. But, we feel it is poised for EPS growth in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, GENVEC INC reported poor results of -$1.08 versus -$0.60 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings (-$0.87 versus -$1.08). Net operating cash flow has increased to -$2.23 million or 18.61% when compared to the same quarter last year. Despite an increase in cash flow, GENVEC INC's cash flow growth rate is still lower than the industry average growth rate of 63.23%. This stock has increased by 77.77% over the past year, outperforming the rise in the S&P 500 Index during the same period. Regarding the future course of this stock, we feel that the risks involved in investing in GNVC do not compensate for any future upside potential, despite the fact that it has seen nice gains over the past 12 months. You can view the full analysis from the report here: GNVC Ratings Report STOCKS TO BUY: TheStreet Quant Ratings has identified a handful of stocks that can potentially TRIPLE in the next 12 months. Learn more.

Stock quotes in this article: GNVC 

A Russian REIT and a Polish Play

International investing expert Vivian Lewis, editor of Global Investing, turns her eye toward the turmoil in Ukraine, its impact on investors, and some favorite investing ideas in Russia and Poland that offer contrarian value.

Steve Halpern: We're here today with Vivian Lewis, Editor of Global Investing. How are you doing today, Vivian?

Vivian Lewis: Great.

Steve Halpern: Welcome. I'd like to talk to you a little about the Global Investing Newsletter, one of the top performing newsletters in the industry. While you search worldwide for investments, you focus on stocks that are readily available for you as investors to buy. Can you explain that strategy?

Vivian Lewis: Yes, when we started, it was just the beginning of something called the American Depository Receipt, which is a thing that banks create from foreign stocks, which are then tradable in the US, so that is our main focus.

But we also include Canadian shares, which are usually offered by US brokers, and increasingly, in the last few years, we've added shares that only trade on foreign markets, but, to which, Americans using discount brokerages can gain access and where the brokerage commission is not excessive.

Steve Halpern: Now, would like Hong Kong and London be examples of that?

Vivian Lewis: Exactly.

Steve Halpern: Okay, now your portfolio is also widely diversified in terms of geography. How important is this type of global diversification in your mind?

Vivian Lewis: Well, it's not diversified for the sake of diversifying. It's diversified because I'm looking for things that we cannot own in the US, or that have particularly interesting growth, or yield characteristics, compared to the mainstream US market.

Steve Halpern: Now, given your global expertise, I'd like to touch on the current turmoil in the Ukraine. How much of an impact does this have on the global markets and does it raise concerns for investors in emerging markets?

Vivian Lewis: Well, first of all, you should never generalize about emerging markets. They're the BRICS that was invented by Goldman Sachs a few years ago. The BRICS were Brazil, Russia, India, China and sometimes South Africa. There is very little that applies across the board to these countries.

The major entity affected by the current crisis is, of course, Russia. There are no tradable Ukrainian ABIs out there and Russia is not really an emerging market. It's a re-emerging market. It's an industrial country with an educated population, and significant gross national product, and it's coming out from communism, or, at least, it was, and that's what made it different and fast-growing.

Steve Halpern: Now, you recently took a position in one Russian company called Raven Russia Limited (LSS:RUS). Could you tell us about that idea?

Vivian Lewis: Well, I got frustrated, because I wanted to get more access to lower risk investments in Russia, and the area, and the best known stocks were being dumped by panicked investors and also by mutual funds, so I was looking for something that had been spared.

And Raven Russia, which trades in dollars in London—it's kind of weird; its ticker symbol is RUS in Britain and it's in dollars—so there's no exchange risk or there isn't any obvious exchange risk.

It's a real estate investment trust and it invests in warehouses and logistics, in currently three Russian cities, mostly Moscow in six sites, St. Petersburg and also Rostov on Don, which is halfway down the road to Ukraine.

And it then builds high-grade commercial hubs—that's warehouses and shipping facilities for companies in the market, not for the military, of course. Most of the tenants are foreign companies, which are very much present in Russia, because Russians want to be like everyone else, even though they also want to go back to the Cold War.

And I assume that Vladimir Putin, for all his nastiness, doesn't want to return Russia to Soviet era markets and he will not try to get rid of companies that sell goods that Russians like, like Dannon, the yogurt firm, which is French; Oriflame Cosmetics, which is from Sweden, Leroy Merlin, which is do-it-yourself shops, also French; Suzuki cars; Amway goods from the USA; and another stock, we actually own, l'Occitane in Provence, which is maker of hand creams and other skin care.

Page 1 | Page 2 | Next Page The expert featured in this column, Vivian Lewis, may or may not own positions in any investment vehicle mentioned here. The views and opinions expressed are his or her own.

A Continued Look At Marijuana Stocks With Alan Brochstein

Related MCIG How Would a Hypothetical Marijuana ETF Do This Year? 5 Ways To Play The Hottest Trend In Cannabis

Last week, Benzinga sat down with Alan Brochstein of the 420 Investor newsletter. He has been one of the first analysts to cover the sector in-depth and offered his valuable outlook on the budding industry.

Brochstein will not be out there shorting Anheuser Busch Inbev (NYSE: BUD) and the beverage companies, or anticipating the country turning into a "bunch of stoners."

"The whole space has a market cap of between $12-14 billion, all these public companies added up," he said. "In the scheme of things, that's not a lot. Just one beverage company would be $30-40 billion -- and that company has a lot of profits."

Brochstein's thesis remains that current users will now be able to acquire cannabis through "legal" channels. When asked how the change in this dynamic will affect the fundamentals of cannabis, specifically, the economics of "supply and demand," he answered by giving his take on the dynamic of "public" versus "private" investment -- and whether or not a new sector for the U.S. economy is emerging.

"A lot of people see what's going on and think there's going to be more demand because its legal," he noted. "There's a demand for legal marijuana [compared to black market marijuana]. There's companies out there that can help people be more productive in growing, and so you're seeing the build-out that's going to happen. Legal recreational marijuana creates the need for high-quality marijuana at an affordable, competitive price. On the black market, they didn't care about being efficient...It's not just about more people getting high."

Related: Feds Approve First-Ever Medicinal Marijuana Study

Benzinga asked what investors should look for if they desire to invest in the sector. Brochstein says try to identify companies that are doing the "right thing." In his view, "Everybody knows these stocks are expensive, there's no way you can make the case. But nobody knows the future."

One such example is mCig (OTC: MCIG).

"MCIG started off with a $10 vape pen," he said. "They almost envision themselves as being the Apple of the industry. CEO and founder Paul Rosenberg [is] strictly a businessman, he owns about half the stock. He then brought on some talent and gave them his stock to help the company. Why? Because he knows the stock is overvalued, but if you can [evolve a company] without diluting your shareholders, that's what I mean by doing the right thing."

One final tip from Brochstein for potential investors is to read the filings.

He emphasizes the "Three Ps: people, pecuniary, the plan. Does company have right capital structure? Or money to execute their plan? These are venture capital people -- these are not mature companies. You need forward-looking people that can adapt to change and that are shareholder friendly."

This is the second of a two-part interview.

For those interested in further analysis on this new and controversial sector, visit the homepage for the 420 Investor Letter.

Posted-In: Alan Brochstein Budweiser cannabis cannabis industry marijuana medicinal marijuana pot Recreational Marijuana vapeEducation Commodities Economics Markets General Interview Best of Benzinga

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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5 Best Sectors to Watch This Week

Popular Posts: 7 Biotechnology Stocks to Buy Now9 Oil and Gas Stocks to Buy Now4 Aerospace and Defense Stocks to Buy Now Recent Posts: 5 Best Sectors to Watch This Week 5 Stocks With Great Sales Growth — HTH INSY CREG TTWO GV 6 Capital Markets Stocks to Buy Now View All Posts

The commercial banking, aerospace and defense, biotechnology, life science and auto parts sectors are having a strong week, according to Portfolio Grader.

The commercial banking sector’s track record is proving one of the best with 100% of its stocks (5 out of 5) rating a “buy”. Near the top of their sector, Pacific Capital Bancorp () and StellarOne Corporation () have A ratings. Citizens Republic Bancorp () also gets a B.

Aerospace and defense stands out with 74% of the sector’s stocks (31 out of 42) rating a “buy”. Alliant Techsystem (), Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. () and TASER International, Inc. () are paving the way for the sector with A grades. Over the last 12 months, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. is the best performer in this sector, with a 216.2% increase.

Biotechnology is excelling, with 71% of stocks in the sector (60 out of 84) rating a “buy”. Gentium S.p.A. Sponsored ADR (), Repligen Corporation () and Insys Therapeutics, Inc. () are lifting the sector overall, each earning a high grade of A. Insys Therapeutics, Inc. is the best performer in this sector, with a 630.8% increase in the last 12 months.

The life science sector is thriving on Portfolio Grader this week, with 70% of its stocks (16 out of 23) currently rating a “buy”. Wuxi PharmaTech (Cayman) Inc. Sponsored ADR (), Covance () and Illumina, Inc. () are all currently earning A’s. Wuxi PharmaTech (Cayman) Inc. Sponsored ADR beats the other stocks in its sector, with a 244.6% increase from a year ago.

Auto parts is thriving this week with 68% of stocks in the sector (17 out of 25) currently rating a “buy”. Out of the auto parts stocks, Magna International (), Dorman Products, Inc. () and Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. () are out front with A’s. Showing the most overall growth in its sector in the last 12 months, Magna International is the top stock, with a 201.6% increase.

Top Cheap Companies To Own For 2014

Louis Navellier’s proprietary Portfolio Grader stock ranking system assesses roughly 5,000 companies every week based on a number of fundamental and quantitative measures. Stocks are given a letter grade based on their results — with A being “strong buy,” and F being “strong sell.” Explore the tool here.

Xbox Price Slashed As PS4 Battle Grows

The battle between Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) to sell their new generation of game consoles has gotten heated.  Several large retailers dropped the price that they charge for the Xbox One, which initially was more expensive than Sony’s new PS4.  The action could cause a price war, which may draw more customers, but could also batter the margins of both companies.

According to The New York Times:

On Friday, Walmart and Best Buy began offering a bundle of Microsoft's Xbox One and Titanfall, a high-profile science fiction shooter game, for $450, a $50 cut from the combined price of the separate items. The new price becomes visible online only after you place the bundle in your online shopping cart and log in to the sites. The price cut also applies to the bundle in Walmart and Best Buy's physical stores.

Top Machinery Companies To Invest In Right Now

This sort of price competition is not new. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo Co. Ltd. have cut prices on older versions of their consoles in the past. But the new generation of machines has not been in the market for long. Xbox One was released in North America on November 22, 2013. The PS4 release date was on November 15 in North America and November 29 in Europe and Australia. Each of the consoles was in short supply during the holiday season as the demand among gamers for the new products soared.

Sony has more at stake than Microsoft as each competes for customers. The PlayStation franchise was launched in 1994, and the first two generation sold over 100 million units each. Parent company Sony has lost money for several years as competition among TV and camera manufacturers has tightened its margins and its cellphone and PC efforts have stalled. Sony sold its PC operation in February.

Microsoft’s goal with Xbox was part of former CEO Steve Ballmer’s plan to diversify into home entertainment and consumer electronics. It has been part of a strategy which includes the Surface tablet, Windows-based smartphones, and the ill-fated Zune portable media device which was built to compete with Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPod. The Xbox evolved into a device would could play high-def movies. It also lets users to communicate over the internet. However, Xbox was never a significant portion of Microsoft’s revenue or profit, the way that PlayStation has been for Sony.

The competition between the two consoles is not over. As new games are released for the new generations of the consoles, each company will bundle them with Xbox One and PS4 to drive new demand. But price cuts inevitably threaten profits, and the console business maybe become less and less attractive as the years wear on.

Fed changes guidance on raising rates

As Janet Yellen led her first press conference as Chair of the Federal Reserve, the Fed gave new guidance Wednesday about when it will raise short-term interest rates, sparking a modest selloff on Wall Street.

The Fed said it would no longer use a threshold of a 6.5% unemployment rate before it would start to raise short-term interest rates, instead using a combination of employment and inflation indicators.

The Fed also said it would wind down its economic stimulus as expected, saying it will trim its monthly bond purchases by another $10 billion to $55 billion despite recent weakness in the U.S. economy and global turmoil.

"The Fed and Yellen delivered exactly what was expected: Continued the taper, kept short-term rate hikes on hold, tweaked the language of the statement a bit," says Greg McBride, senior financial analyst for Bankrate.com.

The Fed's statement said that rates could remain low for "a considerable time" after its bond purchases end. When asked, Yellen said "a considerable time" was about six months, which sparked a brief market selloff.

Economists expressed surprise that Wall Street would react negatively to the Fed's new guidance. "That still puts us in mid-2015, which isn't much of a surprise," says John Lonski, team managing director at Moody's Analytics.

The central bank downgraded its economic outlook slightly following bad weather that has crimped first-quarter growth, but policymakers also expect a more rapid decline in the unemployment rate.

MARKETS: Stocks dive after Fed policy moves

FIRST TAKE: Fed will still keep rates low a long time

The Fed expects economic growth of 2.8% to 3% this year, down from its December projection of 2.8% to 3.2%. It also slightly lowered its growth forecast for 2015 to 3% to 3.2%.

The unemployment rate, now 6.7%, is projected to fall to 6.1% to 6.3% by year's end. The Fed's previous year-end forecast was 6.3% to 6.6%, but the rate has been dropping much faster than expected.

The Fed! said the change in its guidance on interest rates "does not indicate any change in policy." Fed policymakers still expects to keep interest rates to stay near zero until 2015 after driving them down to that level during the 2008 financial crisis.

FULL TEXT: Federal Reserve's statement

In its statement, the Fed said it "will assess progress—both realized and expected—toward its objectives of maximum employment and 2% inflation." Inflation has been running well below the Fed's 2% target.

"This assessment will take into account a wide range of information, including measures of labor market conditions, indicators of inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and readings on financial developments," the Fed added.

Minnesota Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota dissented from the statement, suggesting that the removal of the unemployment threshold "weakens the credibility" of the Fed's commitment to increase economic growth and inflation. Kocherlakota, one of the Fed's more pro-growth policymakers, has called for lowering the threshold to 5.5%.

With today's action on its purchases of treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities, the central bank has now cut the bond-buying by $10 billion a month at three consecutive meetings since December, lowering the purchases from $85 billion monthly. It is expected to end entirely by the end of the year, barring any setbacks for the economy.

The program is aimed at holding down long-term interest rates and spurring economic and job growth.

Since the Fed began the purchases in September 2012, the unemployment rate has fallen from 8.1%. Although job growth slowed markedly in December and January from a monthly pace of 200,000-plus last fall, payroll gains improved to 175,000 in February.

Despite the markets' brief tantrum over her definition of a "considerable period," experts gave Yellen generally good marks on her first press conference. "Yellen has a lot of experience handling herself with the press, and she's ! doing a g! ood job explaining what the issues are," says Krishna Memani, chief investment officer of OppenheimerFunds.

Top 5 Value Stocks To Own Right Now

< a href="http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-value-stocks-to-own-right-now.html">Top 5 Value Stocks To Own Right Now: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

Dollar Tree, Inc. operates discount variety stores in the United States and Canada. Its stores offer merchandise primarily at the fixed price of $1.00. The company operates its stores under the names of Dollar Tree, Deal$, Dollar Tree Deal$, Dollar Giant, and Dollar Bills. Its stores offer consumable merchandise, including candy and food, and health and beauty care, as well as household consumables, such as paper, plastics, household chemicals, in select stores, and frozen and refrigerated food; variety merchandise, which includes toys, durable housewares, gifts, party goods, greeting cards, softlines, and other items; and seasonal goods, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas merchandise. As of April 30, 2011, it operated 4,089 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 88 stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  This isn't some growing new industry set to take the world further into the 21st century. It's an old concept that hasn't innovated, won't innovate, and will slowly but surely die out over this century. When I walk into a Walgreens, I see a miniature Target (TGT), a more expensive Dollar Tree (DLTR), and a provider of prescriptions in a world where everything is becoming mail order.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  The other stock the firm likes is Dollar Tree Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR). The company's shares have lost about 4.6% since reporting an earnings per share (EPS) miss for the third quarter and the Sterne Agee analysts see the lower price as a "great entry point" for buying the stock. Dollar Tree raised fiscal year 2013 EPS guidance from a range of $2.66 to $2.77 to a new range of $2.72 to $2.78, effectively raising the mid-point by $0.04. Sterne Agee reiterated its Buy ratin! g on the stock with a price target of $63. Dollar Tree's shares are trading down nearly 0.4% at $55.99 in a 52-week range of $37.47 to $60.19.

• [By Ben Eisen]

  Perpetually struggling department store J.C. Penney Co. (JCP)  said it expects a sales boost this holiday season as it returns to a promotional strategy. But for the most part, retailers including Dollar Tree Inc. (DLTR)  , GameStop Corp. (GME)   and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF)   gave dour outlooks in their earnings reports.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-value-stocks-to-own-right-now.html

10 Best Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2014

10 Best Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2014: Illinois Tool Works Inc.(ITW)

Illinois Tool Works Inc. manufactures a range of industrial products and equipment worldwide. The company?s Transportation segment offers metal and plastic components, fasteners, and assemblies; fluids and polymers; fillers and putties; polyester coatings, and patch and repair products; and truck remanufacturing and related parts and service. Its Industrial Packaging segment offers steel and plastic strapping and related tools and equipment; plastic stretch film and related equipment; paper and plastic products that protect goods in transit; and metal jacketing products. The company?s Food Equipment segment provides warewashing, cooking, refrigeration, and food processing equipment; and kitchen exhaust, ventilation, and pollution control systems. Its Power Systems & Electronics segment provides arc welding equipment; metal arc welding consumables; metal solder materials for PC board fabrication; equipment and services for microelectronics assembly; electronic components an d component packaging; and airport ground support equipment. The company?s Construction Products segment offers anchors, fasteners, and related fastening tools for wood, metal, and concrete applications; metal plate truss components, and related equipment and software; and packaged hardware and other products for retail. Its Polymers & Fluids segment provides adhesives, chemical fluids, epoxy and resin-based coating products, hand wipes and cleaners, and pressure-sensitive adhesives and components. The company?s Decorative Surfaces segment offers laminate for furniture, office and retail space, and countertops; and laminate flooring and worktops. In addition, the company offers plastic reclosable packages and bags, and consumables; plastic and metal fasteners, and components; foil and film products; product coding and marking, paint spray, and static and contami! nation control equipment; and swabs and mats. The company was founded in 1912 and is based in Glenview, Illinois. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bob Ciura]

  In the investing world, boring businesses don't get much attention. The financial media obsesses over the next hot stock, preferring to ignore the seemingly sleepy companies that generate reliable profits year after year. Some of the high-quality companies that fly under the radar are pure industrials, such as Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR  ) , Dover  (NYSE: DOV  ) , and Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW  ) .

• [By Dividends4Life]

  According to a Gabelli Funds report, managed distribution policies offer several advantages, including:1. Lower difference between the fund's market price and its NAV per share.2. Provides support during periods when the stock market is in a decline.3. Provides a measurable performance target for the investment adviser.Below are several high-yield funds from CEFA that have a managed distribution policy (yields as of December 16):Aberdeen Australia Eqty (IAF)- Distribution Yield: 10.4%- Income Yield: 346%Bexil Advisers LLC  (DNI)- Distribution Yield: 11.1%- Income Yield: 3.56%BlackRock En Capital&Inc (CII)- Distribution Yield: 8.78%- Income Yield: 2.34%Cornerstone Strat Value (CLM)- Distribution Yield: 18.77%- Income Yield: 1.83%Cornerstone Total Return (CRF)- Distribution Yield: 19.10%- Income Yield: 0.85%Delaware Inv Div & Inc (DDF)- Distribution Yield: 6.70%- Income Yield: 5.26%Gabelli Equity Trust (GAB)- Distribution Yield: 7.58%- Income Yield: 1.54%Gabelli Utility Trust (GUT)- Distribution Yield: 9.45%- Income Yield: 2.84%MFS Special Value Trust (MFV)- Distribution Yield: 9.60%- Income Yield: 5.73%Nuveen Tx-Adv TR Strat (JTA)- Distribution Yield: 6.70%- Income Yield: 3.12%TCW Strategic Income (TSI)- Distribution Yield: 10.54%- Income Yield: 7.88%Zweig Total Return (ZTR)- Distribution Yield: 7.27%- Income Yield: 1.95%As noted in the G! abelli re! port, a managed distribution policy may create confusion regarding the true current yield since the reported yield includes the return of capital portion. You can see the disparity above between the income yield and the distribution (reported) yield.If you are looking for a sustainable and growing dividend, you may want to consider some blue-chip dividend stocks such as these with a Free Cash Flow Payout less than 50%, 50+ years of consecutive dividend increases and a 2%+ yield:3M Co. (MMM) is a diversified global company provides enhanced product functionality in electronics, health care, industrial, consumer

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/10-best-dividend-stocks-to-watch-for-2014.html

Bargain Hunters Boost Brent Prices

Top 5 Biotech Companies To Own For 2015

Related BNO Brent Moves Following Crimean Vote Brent Below $108 Heading Into The Weekend Related DBE Brent Steady On Unfolding Ukrainian Crisis China's Weak Data Outweighs Concern Over Ukraine, Brent Slides

Bargain hunters took Brent crude oil prices higher over night after the commodity lost almost $2 on Monday. Brent traded at $106.65 at 7:25 GMT on Tuesday as investors turned their attention from the problems in Ukraine to the global demand outlook.

After Crimean citizens voted to succeed from Ukraine and join Russia over the weekend, markets were roiled as many worried about what kind of reaction the vote would draw. However, on Monday, fears of immediate military action in the region subsided and gave investors a chance to evaluate some other factors weighing on oil prices.

Many are concerned about an over supplied market paired with weakening demand growth. CNBC reported that most analysts are expecting to see a build of more than 2 million barrels in US commercial crude inventories. Two weekly data reports, due out on Tuesday and Thursday, will likely show around a 2.8 million barrel rise in the US.

See also: FDIC Sues Big Banks For Rigging Interest Rates

Geopolitical problems kept a floor under prices as the situation in Libya continued to suppress the OPEC supplier's exports. New protests have taken Libyan oil exports down to less than 250,000 barrels per day, and some say things could get worse.

The nation is facing an increasingly unstable clash between the government and opposition groups who demand more rights and a part of the nation's income from oil production. If the tension continues to escalate, Libya could fall into a civil war. In many ways, the problem in Libya, although priced in, poses a larger threat to oil supply than the situation in Ukraine.

Posted-In: CrimeaNews Commodities Forex Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets Best of Benzinga

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Most Popular A Joint Venture: Two Marijuana Industry Leaders Plan to Produce Pharmaceutical Extractions Earnings Expectations For The Week Of March 17: FedEx, Nike, Oracle And More General Electric Take Steps To Appease Investors Following Exectives Meeting With Activist Nelson Peltz FDIC Sues Big Banks For Rigging Interest Rates Barron's Recap: Detroit Will Rise Again Keurig, Office Depot And Others Insiders Have Been Buying Related Articles (BNO + BROAD) Bargain Hunters Boost Brent Prices Euro Holds On Ahead Of Fed Meeting Brent Moves Following Crimean Vote Euro Resilient Despite Deepening Crisis In Ukraine Brent Below $108 Heading Into The Weekend Mario Draghi Changes His Tone Around the Web, We're Loving...

Three Favorites from a Biotech Expert

Biotechnology analyst Jay Silverman shares his outlook for the sector and the growing trend for large drug firms to acquire successful biotech firms. The editor of The Medical Technology Stock Letter also highlights a trio of current favorites in the sector.

Steve Halpern: Joining us today is Jay Silverman, biotechnology sector expert and co-editor of The Medical Technology Stock Letter. How are you doing today, Jay?

Jay Silverman: Very well, Steve, thank you.

Steve Halpern: We've had a strong year-to-date performance for the biotech sector, but many investors got scared-out by a sharp pullback at the end of February and going into early March. Should this volatility be expected and what do you see looking ahead?

Jay Silverman: Excellent, we've had a very healthy two step forward and one step back pattern in the Biotech stocks, so, while the end of February pullback was somewhat disappointing and somewhat sharp, in the scheme of things, it actually is following the same healthy pattern as we've seen in the last several months, so again, the fundamentals remain very strong. We've had, again, a ton of good news and we are just in the midst of a typical volatile biotech market.

Steve Halpern: Now, there were some important investor conferences occurring and, as you've noted in the past, these events can have a big impact on the sector, could you expand on that?

Jay Silverman: Well, there are a couple of major investor conferences during the course of the year. Of course, you are familiar with the JP Morgan conference in San Francisco in early January.

The next bigger investor conference is Cowen Conference up in Boston, which is finishing up as we speak, and Cowen also attracts every major big drug, and pharmaceutical, and biotech company, but also brings a lot of experts to the table, that's their differentiating factor versus JP Morgan. So, again, it's well attended up in Boston.

All the companies get to present and there's a wonderful turnout, again, this one more east coast-based, and JP Morgan is based in San Francisco.

Steve Halpern: Now is it typical that companies will wait until these conferences to make announcements?

Jay Silverman: If they have announcements that they can control, yes, they would like to do that. Again, the time difference between JP Morgan and Cowen is not very long. It's only about—it's less than two months—so sometimes, a lot of people like to open the year at JP Morgan with a major announcement.

This one, again, is, sort of, how the year has started off for the companies who are selling drugs, and registering sales and earnings, and then updates on the clinical developments and, as I mentioned, Cowen has a number of scientific experts so there's a lot of focus on new classes and what are the key clinical trials that are going on right now.

Steve Halpern: Now one thing that people have been talking about in this sector are acquisitions, as the global drug companies look to expand their pipelines, could you share your thoughts on this.

Jay Silverman: Sure, well, many of the big pharmaceutical companies, even today, are a combination of multiple smaller companies, as in the past. There are too many names to talk about, but even Pfizer (PFE) has made an untold number of acquisitions to get to the size they are.

Top Insurance Stocks For 2014

But, more importantly, is that the innovation has really come from the small companies, so when you get the next big blockbuster drug, it's usually coming from the small company that is either innovative, has some of the smartest people out there who are willing to take risks in developing new compounds.

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Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now: Itau Unibanco Holding SA (ITUB)

Itau Unibanco Holding S.A., incorporated on September 9, 1943, is a bank in Brazil. The Company has four operational segments: Commercial Banking, Itau BBA, Consumer Credit and Corporate and Treasury. Commercial banking, including insurance, pension plan and capitalization products, credit cards, asset management and a variety of credit products and services for individuals, small and middle-market companies). Itau BBA includes corporate and investment banking. Consumer credit includes financial products and services to its non-accountholders. Corporate and treasury includes the results related to the trading activities in its portfolio, trading related to managing currency, interest rate and other market risk factors, gap management and arbitrage opportunities in domestic and foreign markets. It also includes the results associated with financial income from the investment of its excess capital.

On October 24, 2010, Itau Unibanco completed the integration of customer service locations throughout Brazil. In total, 998 branches and 245 customer site branches (CSB) of Unibanco were redesigned and integrated as Itau Unibanco customer service locations, thus creating a network of approximately 4,700 units in the country under the Itau brand. The Company is a financial holding company controlled by Itau Unibanco Participacoes S.A. (IUPAR). As of December 31, 2010, it had a network of 3,747 service branches throughout Brazil. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 913 CSBs throughout Brazil. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 28,844 automated teller machines (ATMs) throughout Brazil.

Commercial banking

The commercial banking segment offers a range of banking services to a diversified base of individuals and companies. Services offered by the commercial banking segment include insurance, pens! ion plan and capitalization products, credit cards, asset management, credit products and customized products and solutio ns. The commercial banking segment comprises the specialized! areas and products, such as retail banking (individuals); public sector banking; personnalite (banking for high-income individuals); private banking (banking and financial consulting for wealthy individuals); very small business banking; small business banking; middle-market banking; credit cards; real estate financing; asset management; corporate social responsibility fund; securities services for third parties; brokerage, and insurance, private retirement and capitalization products.

The Company's credit products include personal loans, overdraft protection, payroll loans, vehicles, credit cards, mortgage and agricultural loans, working capital, trade note discount and export. Its investments products include pension plans, mutual funds, time deposits, demand deposit accounts, savings accounts and capitalization plans. Its services include insurance (life, home, credit/cash cards, vehicles, loan protection, among others), exchange, brokerage and others. Its core business is retail banking, which serves individuals with a monthly income below R$7,000. In October 2010, it completed the conversion of branches under the Unibanco brand to the Itau brand and as of December 31, 2010, it had over 15.2 million customers and 4,660 branches and CSBs. Its public sector business operates in all areas of the public sector, including the federal, state and municipal governments (in the executive, legislative and judicial branches). As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 2,300 public sector customers. Itau Personnalite's focus is delivering financial advisory services by its managers, who understand the specific needs of its higher-income customers; a portfolio of exclusive products and services; special benefits based on the type and length of relationship with the customer, including discounts on various p! roducts a! nd services. Itau Personnalite's customer base reached more than 600,000 individuals as of December 31, 2010. Itau Pe rsonnalite customers also have access to Itau Unibanco netwo! rk of bra! nches and ATMs throughout the country, as well as Internet banking and phone.

Itau Private Bank is a Brazilian bank in the global private banking industry, providing wealth management services to approximately 17,951 Latin American clients as of December 31, 2010. The Company serves its customers' needs for offshore wealth management solutions in major jurisdictions through independent institutions in the United States through Banco Itau Europa International and Itau Europa Securities , in Luxembourg through Banco Itau Europa Luxembourg S.A. , in Switzerland through Banco Itau Suisse , in the Bahamas through BIE Bank & Trust Bahamas and in Cayman through Unicorp Bank & Trust Cayman. As of December 31, 2010, it had over 565 very small business banking offices located throughout Brazil and approximately 2,500 managers working for over 1,235,000 small business customers. Loans to very small businesses totaled R$5,981 million as of December 31, 2010. As of Decembe r 31, 2010, it had 374 small business banking offices located nationwide in Brazil and nearly 2,500 managers who worked for over 525,000 companies. Loans to small businesses totaled R$28,744 million as of December 31, 2010.

As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 115,000 middle-market corporate customers that represented a range of Brazilian companies located in over 83 cities in Brazil. The Company offers a range of financial products and services to middle-market customers, including deposit accounts, investment options, insurance, private retirement plans and credit products. Credit products include investment capital loans, working capital loans, inventory financing, trade financing, foreign currency services, equipment leasing services, letters of credit and guarantees. The Company also carries out financial transac! tions on ! behalf of middle-market customers, including interbank transactions, open market transactions and futures, swaps, hedging and arb itrage transactions. It also offers its middle-market custom! ers colle! ction services and electronic payment services. The Company is able to provide these services for virtually any kind of payment, including Internet office banking. It charges collection fees and fees for making payments, such as payroll, on behalf of its customers.

The Company is engaged in the Brazilian credit card market. Its subsidiaries, Banco Itaucard S.A. (Banco Itaucard) and Hipercard Banco Multiplo S.A. (Hipercard), offers a range of products to 26 million customers as of December 31, 2010, including both accountholders and non-accountholders. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately R$16,271 million in outstanding real estate loans. As of December 31, 2010, it had total net assets under management of R$291,748 million on behalf of approximately 2.1 million customers. The Company also provides portfolio management services for pension funds, corporations, private bank customers and foreign investors. As of December 31, 2010, it had R$184,496 million of assets under management for pension funds, corporations and private bank customers. As of December 31, 2010, the Company offered and managed about 1,791 mutual funds, which are mostly fixed-income and money market funds. For individual customers, it offered 154 funds to its retail customers and approximately 287 funds to its Itau Personnalite customers. Private banking customers may invest in over 600 funds, including those offered by other institutions. Itau BBA's capital markets group also provides tailor-made mutual funds to institutional, corporate and private banking customers.

The Company provides securities services in the Brazilian capital markets. Its services also include acting as transfer agent, providing services relating to debentures and promissory notes, custody and control services for mutual f! unds, pen! sion funds and portfolios, providing trustee services and non-resident investor services, and acting as custodian for depositary receipt pr ograms. The Company also provides brokerage services to inte! rnational! customers through its broker-dealer operations in New York, through its London branch, and through its broker-dealers in Hong Kong and Dubai. Its main lines of insurance are life and casualty (excluding Vida Gerador de Benefucio Livre), extended warranties and property. Its policies are sold through its banking operations, independent local brokers, multinational brokers and other channels. As of December 31, 2010, it had 9.9 million in capitalization products outstanding, representing R$2,620 million in liabilities with assets that function as guarantees of R$2,646 million. The Company distributes these products through its retail network, Itau Personnalite and Itau Uniclass branches, electronic channels and ATMs. These products are sold by its subsidiary, Cia. Itau de Capitalizacao S.A.

Itau BBA

Itau BBA is responsible for its corporate and investment banking activities. As of December 31, 2010, Itau BBA offered a portfolio of products and servic es to approximately 2,400 companies and conglomerates in Brazil. Itau BBA's activities range from typical operations of a commercial bank to capital markets operations and advisory services for mergers and acquisitions. As of December 31, 2010, its corporate loan portfolio was R$ 76,584 million. In investment banking, the fixed income department was responsible for the issuance of debentures and promissory notes that totaled R$18,888 million and securitization transactions that amounted to R$4,677 million in Brazil in 2010. In addition, Itau BBA advised 35 merger and acquisition transactions with an aggregate deal volume of R$16,973 million in 2010.

Itau BBA is also active in Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social (BNDES) on-lending to finance large-scale projects, aiming at strengthening do! mestic in! frastructure. In consolidated terms, total loans granted by Itau BBA under BNDES on-lending represented more than R$9,010 million in 2010. Itau BBA f ocuses on the products and initiatives in the international ! business ! unit, such as structuring long-term, bilateral and syndicated financing, and spot foreign exchange. In addition, in 2010 Itau BBA continued to offer a large number of lines of credit for foreign trade.

Consumer Credit

As of December 31, 2010, its portfolio of vehicle financing, leasing and consortium lending consisted of approximately 3.8 million contracts, of which approximately 71.1% were non-accountholder customers. The personal loan portfolio relating to vehicle financing and leasing reached R$60,254 million in 2010. The Company leased and financed vehicles through 13,706 dealers as of December 31, 2010. Sales are made through computer terminals installed in the dealerships that are connected to its computer network. Redecard S.A. (Redecard) is a multibrand credit card provider in Brazil, also responsible for the capturing, transmission, processing and settlement of credit, debit and benefit card transactions. As of December 31, 2010, the Compan y held approximately 50% interest in Redecard's capital stock.

The Company competes with Bradesco, Banco do Brasil S.A. (Banco do Brasil), Banco Santander, Caixa Economica Federal (CEF), BNDES, HSBC, Banco Citibank S.A, Banco de Investimentos Credit Suisse (Brasil) S.A., Banco JP Morgan S.A., Banco Morgan Stanley S.A., Banco Merrill Lynch de Investimentos S.A., Banco BTG Pactual S.A., Banco Panamericano S.A, Citibank S.A., Banco GE Capital S.A. and Banco Ibi S.A.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Will Ashworth]

  Cencosud is one of the largest retailers in Latin America. It operates grocery stores, home improvement stores and department stores in five countries including Chile, its home base. Its stock is down 51% over the past year for several reasons, including a deal falling! through ! that would have seen it sell 51% of its credit card operations in Chile and Argentina to Itau Unibanco (ITUB) and using the proceeds to reduce its heavy debt load. Add to that a major devaluation of the peso in Argentina, where it generates a quarter of its overall revenue, and you have investors in a full-on panic.

• [By Charles Sizemore]

  And speaking of top dividend stocks with high capital gains potential, next on the list of are Brazilian banking groups Banco Bradesco (BBD) and Banco Itau (ITUB) — two monthly dividend stocks you must consider.

• [By Hilary Kramer]

  Itau Unibanco (ITUB): A lot of investors have never heard of Itau because it’s headquartered in Brazil, but it’s one of the world’s largest financial institutions. With 5,000 branches, 100,000 employees and nearly $500 billion in assets (yes, half a trillion!), ITUB is not just the largest Latin American bank, it is one of the biggest in the world. With proven dominance in Brazil (and Latin America), Itau Unibanco is a go-to financial pick, and it currently yields an attractive 3.5%. I recently recommended that my Inner Circle readers sell ITUB on a nice bounce due to the risk of near-term weakness on economic data out of China, but I'm already looking for an opportunity to get back in.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-warren-buffett-stocks-to-buy-right-now-2.html

Zuckerberg Gives Obama an Earful Over NSA Spying

Top India Stocks To Invest In Right Now

David Ramos/Getty Images SAN FRANCISCO -- Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg blasted the U.S. government's electronic surveillance practices Thursday, saying he'd personally called President Barack Obama to voice his displeasure. "When our engineers work tirelessly to improve security, we imagine we're protecting you against criminals, not our own government," Zuckerberg said in a post on his personal Facebook page. "I've called President Obama to express my frustration over the damage the government is creating for all of our future. Unfortunately, it seems like it will take a very long time for true full reform," the 29-year-old Zuckerberg said. The phone call and Zuckerberg's 300-word missive Thursday come amid a series of revelations about controversial government surveillance practices that were leaked by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. "The president spoke last night with Mark Zuckerberg about recent reports in the press about alleged activities by the U.S. intelligence community," a White House official said. The official declined further comment and referred to the National Security Agency's statement released earlier Thursday saying recent media reports that allege the NSA has infected million of computers around the world malware and that the NSA is impersonating U.S. social media or other websites are inaccurate. Facebook (FB), which operates the world's No. 1 Internet social network with 1.2 billion users, declined to comment beyond Zuckerberg's post. Secret documents published on news website The Intercept showed Wednesday that the NSA impersonated Facebook web pages in order to gather information from targets. When those people thought they were logging into Facebook, they were actually communicating with the NSA. The agency then used malicious code on the fake page to break into the targets' computers and remove data from them. Last year, Facebook moved to encrypt all its pages, making such impersonation more difficult. Previous media reports based on leaked Snowden documents detail how the government may have tapped into communications cables that link data centers owned by Google (GOOG) and Yahoo (YHOO), intercepting user data without the companies' knowledge or cooperation. "The U.S. government should be the champion for the Internet, not a threat. They need to be much more transparent about what they're doing, or otherwise people will believe the worst," Zuckerberg said in his post.

Finra arbitration panel tags Signator Investors for $1.6 million in selling-away case

Signator Investors Inc. is on the hook for nearly $1.6 million from a Finra arbitration panel award stemming from a former broker's clients investing in failed land deals in Texas.

The three-person Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. panel Tuesday issued the award to three clients of the former broker, James Robert Glover.

The three claimants, Edward Blank, Doreen Baker Blank, and Della A.B. Baker, who died in 2012 and was represented by her estate, first invested with Mr. Glover in 1998, according to their attorney.

They met Mr. Glover in a church near Baltimore, said Lance McCardle, the claimants' attorney and a partner with Fishman Haygood Phelps Walmsley Willis & Swanson.

“The Finra arbitration panel awarded our clients almost $1.6 million for the losses they suffered in this selling-away case,” Mr. McCardle said. “Our clients lost all of their retirement savings as a result of Glover's breach of fiduciary duty and fraud and Signator's failure to supervise Mr. Glover during the 14 years he worked at Signator in the Towson, Md., office.”

John Hancock Financial Network Inc. owns Signator Investors, which has about 1,600 registered representatives and investment advisers.

John Hancock Financial Network spokeswoman Melissa Berczuk didn't respond to phone calls by 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday to comment.

Best European Stocks To Buy For 2015

Mr. Glover couldn't be reached for comment.

He was permitted to resign from Signator in 2012, according to his BrokerCheck report.

In it, Signator alleged that his resignation was due to a “failure to disclose outside business activities, conversion of client funds and other potential representative misconduct.”

“Our clients met Mr. Glover through the local Mormon church in Maryland,” Mr. McCardle said. “We believe this award will be of interest to others that invested with Mr. Glover as customers have already filed upwards of 40 complaints against Mr. Glover stemming from these investments.”

The claimants alleged fraud, negligence and other causes relating to their investments in three private Texas real estate deals: Colonial Funding; Colonial Tidewater Realty Income Partners and Texas Real Estate Properties, according to the award.

The award is in three parts: $954,000 in compensatory damages; $181,000 in interest; and $454,000 in legal fees. Although Signator is jointly liable with Mr. Glover for the comp! ensatory damages and interest, it is solely liable for the legal fees.

Signator has maintained that it didn't know that Mr. Glover was selling the Texas real estate deals, Mr. McCardle said.

That “exposed that [Signator] was not following their own supervisory procedures at the time,” he said.

Mr. Glover “held himself out as trustworthy and pious,” Mr. McCardle said. “He went to Europe with my clients and visited them annually in California, where they lived.”

“Colonial Tidewater Realty at one time was a real thing and investing in apartment complexes and retirement communities. There is no telling if or when it became a Ponzi scheme,” Mr. McCardle said.

“It paid investors monthly interest, but in March 2012 those payments were cut to half,” he said. “In October 2012, the private placements stopped paying altogether.”

Finra and the Securities and Exchange Commission contacted Mr. Glover about Colonial Tidewater, Mr. McCardle said.

According to the award, Signator filed a claim against Mr. Glover, and the three arbitrators found him liable for breach of contract, fraud and negligence and ordered him to pay Signator $1.35 million.

The easiest way to juice your portfolio

Take best advantage of the tax code to increase your portfolio's real rate of return.

NEW YORK (Money Magazine) There's one absolutely foolproof way to become a better investor: Don't leave free money on the table. Designing your portfolio so that it takes best advantage of the tax code is a risk-free way to boost your true, after-tax return.

The basics: Use tax-advantaged accounts first

Before you make any other investments, max out your 401(k) and Individual Retirement Account options first. Deductible traditional IRAs and 401(k)s allow you to invest pre-tax dollars now and have the money accumulate tax-free until you make withdrawals in retirement. The withdrawals are then taxed as ordinary income.

With a Roth IRA, you pay the taxes up front -- that is, unlike with a traditional IRA, your contributions aren't deductible. But withdrawals in retirement are tax free.

Quiz: Road to wealth: Are you on track?

There are limits to how much you can contribute to either kind of IRA, and some high earners might not be able to contribute to a deductible IRA or directly to a Roth. There is, however, a "back door" into a Roth for those above the income limits. You can contribute to a non-deductible IRA and then immediately convert to a Roth. (Caution: If you hold other money in traditional IRAs, there are potential tax consequences to this move. So read "The other way to invest in a Roth IRA" before making this move.)

Roth or traditional IRA?

In general, a traditional IRA makes sense if you think you will face a lower tax rate in retirement than you do today. But of course you can't be 100% certain what tax rates will be when you retire, so some advisers say it makes sense to hedge your bets by holding some money in both kinds of tax-advantaged accounts.

Investments that hold down t! he tax bill

Once you've exhausted your tax-advantaged options, look for investments that minimize what you'll owe. If you are investing in stocks, an index fund is usually a good option. Because these funds tend to hang onto the stocks they buy, they are less likely than most actively managed funds to incur lots of taxable capital gains that must be distributed to shareholders.

Income-seeking investors can consider tax-exempt municipal bonds, either directly or via a fund. These bonds are generally issued by state or local governments, and the income they pay is free from federal taxes. They may also be free from state income taxes, depending on where you live and where the bond was issued.

Road to Wealth: The college savings cheat sheet

Because the tax break is valuable, these bonds don't have to offer yields as high as comparable fixed-income investments. That means they make the most sense for high-income investors who face relatively high income-tax rates.

Currently, however, a number of factors have combined to make municipals look attractive to a broader range of investors. In particular, the rates on other types of bonds remain low, and municipal bonds appear to have been unfairly stigmatized by a few high-profile recent crises like those in Detroit and Puerto Rico; as a result, tax-exempt munis are worth a look even if you're not in a high tax bracket.

Location, location, location

Investors with significant assets spread across both tax-advantaged and taxable accounts should think carefully about which investments go where. Investments that pay out ordinary income, such as bond funds, may be best suited to tax-advantaged accounts, since that income faces higher rates than long-term capital gains or qualified stock dividends.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015

Every quarter, many money managers have to disclose what they've bought and sold, via "13F" filings. Their latest moves can shine a bright light on smart stock picks.

Today, let's look at Atalanta Sosnoff, which was founded�in 1981 and is based in New York City. Its investment style�is oriented toward growth stocks, as its managers seek earnings growth and multiple expansion. The firm's large-cap equity strategy has outperformed�the S&P 500 handily since its inception, growing 10.2-fold, vs. 7.3-fold for the S&P 500. In 2010, U.S. investment bank Evercore Partners�bought a 49% stake in Atalanta Sosnoff.

The company's reportable stock portfolio totaled $4.1 billion�in value as of June 30, 2013.

Interesting developments
So what does Atalanta Sosnoff's latest quarterly 13F filing tell us? Here are a few interesting details:

The biggest new holdings are Canadian Pacific Railway�and Allstate. Other new holdings of interest include Pinnacle Foods (NYSE: PF  ) and Eaton (NYSE: ETN  ) . Pinnacle Foods debuted via an IPO earlier this year, and soon after, initiated�a dividend, which yields about 2.8%. Its brands�include Birds Eye, Aunt Jemima, Hungry-Man, Van de Kamp's, Armour, Lender's, Mrs. Paul's, Vlasic, Log Cabin, Mrs. Butterworth, and Duncan Hines, among others. With the company carrying significant debt, it's reasonable that some worry about its interest in acquiring Unilever's�Wish-Bone salad dressing brand and Del Monte Foods' canned foods.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: Higher One Holdings Inc.(ONE)

Higher One Holdings, Inc. provides technology and payment services in the United States. It offers a suite of disbursement and payment solutions for higher education institutions and their students. The company provides OneDisburse Refund Management product that offers higher education institutional clients with a technology service for streamlining the student refund disbursement process. It also offers CASHNet Payment suite that includes software-as-a-service products and services, such as ePayment to securely accept online payments for tuition, charges, and fees from students through credit card, pinless debit, and ACH; eBill to automate payer billing and processing functions; MyPaymentPlan to personalize students? payment plans; eMarket that allows academic, athletic, and other departments to take alumni donations, sell event tickets and other merchandise, and accept payments of event and conference registration fees; and Cashiering to operate and manage cashiering fu nctions, back office payments, and campus-wide departmental deposits. In addition, the company provides OneDisburse ID, which offers an option to combine the company?s debit card with the institution?s ID cards; OneDisburse Payroll to distribute payroll and other employee-related payments; OneDisburse PLUS product to distribute Parent PLUS loan refunds to parents on behalf of the school; and Financial Intelligence to students with an online class. Further, it provides student-oriented banking services to campus communities. Additionally, the company offers OneAccount product for students, as well as faculty, staff, and alumni, with an FDIC-insured online checking account and a debit MasterCard ATM card. Higher One Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One under-$10 business services player that looks poised for a run higher is Higher One (ONE), which provides technology-based refund disbursement, payment processing and data analytics services to higher education institutions and students. It also provides banking services to campus communities. This stock has been hit hard by the bears so far in 2013, with shares down by 26%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Higher One, you'll notice that this stock has been downtrending badly for the last three months, with shares plunging from its high of $11.93 to its recent low of $6.97 a share. During that downtrend, shares of ONE were consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of ONE have recently formed a double bottom chart pattern at $7.05 to $6.97 a share. This stock has now started to rebound sharply off that double bottom and move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ONE if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $7.85 a share and then once it clears its 50-day moving average at $8.11 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 196,360 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ONE will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $9 to its 200-day moving average of $9.77 a share. This stock could even tag $11 a share if that 200-day gets taken out with volume.

  Traders can look to buy ONE off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support at $7.39 a share, or below $7 a share. One can also buy ONE off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Higher One Holdings (NYSE: ONE  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Higher One Holdings (NYSE: ONE  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund(CFP)

Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund is a closed-ended equity fund of fund launched and managed by Cornerstone Advisors, Inc. The fund invests funds investing in the public equity markets of the United States. It invests in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund was formed on April 26, 2007 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  But you can see in several places the consequences of the stampede toward high yield. Here are just a few:

  Closed-end funds Cornerstone Progressive (NYSEMKT: CFP  ) and Pimco High Income (NYSE: PHK  ) both make fixed payments back to fund shareholders on a monthly basis, and their distribution yields are truly extraordinary, at about 17% and 12%, respectively. Those dividends have enticed shareholders to pay $1.30 to $1.40 or more for each $1 of assets in the funds. Yet during most months, a substantial portion of those distribution payments has simply been a return of investor capital rather than true income from the funds' investments. A recent study discussed in The Wall Street Journal found that returns on a portfolio with a combined value and dividend-income strategy outperformed a strategy focused more exclusively on maximizing dividends by an average of 1.7 percentage points per year, a huge edge in long-run returns. In the dividend ETF arena, most funds tend to focus on maximizing yield. Although the popular Vanguard Dividend Appreciation (NYSEMKT: VIG  ) ETF bucks the trend by screening first for consistent dividend growth and only then looking at yield as a factor, many rival ETFs start with high-yielding stocks as their baseline and only then consider other desirable traits. Others focus solely on high-dividend niches of the market, such as iShares FTSE NAREIT Mortgage-Plus (NYSEMKT: REM  ) and its concentration on high-yield mortgage REITs.

  When dividend stocks get too popular, their prices get out of line with both their dividend income and the fundamentals of the businesses that underlie those stocks. In simpler terms, when dividend stocks become bad values, it's time to consider looking elsewhere for a margin of safety.

Best Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Mechel Steel Group OAO (MTL)

Mechel OAO, together with its subsidiaries, engages in mining and steel businesses in the Russian Federation, other CIS countries, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Mining, Steel, Ferroalloys, and Power. The Mining segment engages in the production and sale of metallurgical and steam coal, coke, iron ore, and limestone, as well as chemical products, such as coal tar, naphthalene, and other compounds. The Steel segment produces and sells semi-finished steel products, carbon and special long products, and carbon and stainless flat products, as well as metal products, including wire products, forgings, and stampings. The Ferroalloys segment is involved in the production and sale of nickel ore, low-ferrous ferronickel, ferrochrome, and ferrosilicon. The Power segment engages in the generation and sale of electricity and heat energy from steam coal; and power distribution activities. The company, f ormerly known as Mechel Steel Group OAO, was founded in 2003 and is based in Moscow, the Russian Federation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL) shares reached a new 52-week low of $1.57. Mechel's trailing-twelve-month revenue is $120.84 million.

  Posted-In: 52-Week LowsNews Movers & Shakers Intraday Update Markets

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of Russian coal miner Mechel (NYSE: MTL  ) fell as much as 10% today after the company announced fiscal-fourth-quarter earnings.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL) was down, falling 2.33 percent to $2.52 after the company appointed Senior Vice-President for Economics and Management Oleg Korzhov as its Chief Executive Officer.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: Iamgold Corporation(IAG)

IAMGOLD Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral resource properties worldwide. It primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, copper, niobium, diamonds, and other metals. The company holds interests in eight operating gold mines, a niobium producer, a diamond royalty, and exploration and development projects located in Africa and the Americas. Its advanced exploration and development projects include the Westwood project in Canada; and the Quimsacocha project, which consists of 3 mining concessions covering an aggregate area of approximately 8,030 hectares in Ecuador. The company was formerly known as IAMGOLD International African Mining Gold Corporation and changed its name to IAMGOLD Corporation in June 1997. IAMGOLD Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  IAMGOLD (NYSE: IAG  )
  Canadian gold miner IAMGOLD pays a semiannual dividend of $0.125 per share, which equates to a current yield of about 4.45%. As the company's name would imply, its revenues are generated by its gold-mining operations. Currently, the company has six gold mines across three continents as well as several potential projects in the works. The company's current priorities given the slumping gold market include cash preservation, cost reduction, and disciplined capital allocation. While the dividend looks safe for now, given the company's stated policy of not jeopardizing is strong balance sheet, it could be reduced if gold prices fall further. �

• [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

  International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) and Air France-KLM (AF) Group rose with as a gauge of travel stocks as oil prices fell after Iran�� accord. PSA Peugeot Citroen gained 3.7 percent after people familiar with the matter said its chief executive officer plans to step down next year. Fresenius Medical Care AG surged the most in five years after U.S. regulators scrapped a plan to cut Medicare payments next year.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: 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 Louis Navellier]

  Waste and environmental services company Waste Management (WM) announced fourth-quarter results and a hefty new stock buyback program. With a 3.3% dividend yield and a firm handhold on the nation’s garbage collection market, could one man’s trash be a treasure in your portfolio?

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: (AUQ)

AuRico Gold Inc. engages in the exploration, development, and production of gold and silver projects and properties in Canada, Mexico, and Australia. Its principal property includes the Ocampo mine covering approximately 15,000 hectares located in Chihuahua State. The company was formerly known as Gammon Gold Inc. and changed its name to AuRico Gold Inc. in June 2011. AuRico Gold Inc. was founded in 1986 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  AuRico Gold (NYSE: AUQ  ) plunged 44%, having posted some disappointing results lately, and is also suffering from a competitive disadvantage, with its costs above those of some peers. On the plus side, though, the company recently initiated a dividend, which now yields about 2.8%.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Gold miner�AuRico Gold (NYSE: AUQ  ) announced today�its second-quarter dividend of $0.04 per share, the second dividend payment it's made since initiating the program earlier this year.�The board of directors said the quarterly dividend is payable on July 29 to the holders of record at the close of business on July 15.�

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Wishing to provide investors with a means of�acquiring additional shares of the gold miner's common stock, AuRico Gold (NYSE: AUQ  ) said its board of directors declared it would be initiating -- effective immediately -- a dividend reinvestment plan that enables shareholders to�reinvest the cash dividends paid on their stock.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: Mistras Group Inc (MG)

Mistras Group, Inc. provides technology-enabled asset protection solutions to evaluate the structural integrity and reliability of critical energy, industrial, and public infrastructure worldwide. It provides traditional non-destructive testing (NDT) services; advanced NDT services; and mechanical integrity services. The company also offers software solutions, including Plant Condition Monitoring Software and Systems, an enterprise software that allows its customers for the warehousing and analysis of data. In addition, it provides Advanced Data Analysis Pattern Recognition and Neural Networks software, which enables acoustic emission (AE) experts to develop automated remote monitoring systems; AE Software Platform, a windows based real time application software; Loose Parts Monitoring Software program for monitoring, detecting, and evaluating metallic loose parts in nuclear reactor coolant systems; and Automated UT and Imaging Analysis Software for analyzing ultrasonic in spection data, and visualizing and identifying the location and size of flaws. Further, the company�s technology packages include TANKPAC for tank inspections; POWERPAC for monitoring discharges in critical power grid transformers; and Acoustic Combustion Turbine Monitoring System, an on-line system to detect stator blade cracks in gas turbines. Additionally, it offers digital radiographic systems to solve specific industrial problems; AE sensors, instruments, and turn-key systems, as well as leak monitoring and detection systems; ultrasonic equipment; vibration sensing products; and on-line monitoring services. Mistras Group, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Princeton Junction, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Stock in Mistras Group Inc. (MG) �rose 6.9% to $23.99 on light volume after the company raised its revenue outlook for the year to a range of $590 million to $615 million. Analysts expected $592.1 million.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Mistras Group (NYSE: MG) is expected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.12 per share on revenue of $130.10 million.

  Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: 3M Company(MMM)

3M Company, together with subsidiaries, operates as a diversified technology company worldwide. The company?s Industrial and Transportation segment offers tapes, coated and non-woven abrasives, adhesives, specialty materials, filtration products, energy control products, closure systems for personal hygiene products, acoustic systems products, and components and products that are used in the manufacture, repair, and maintenance of automotive, marine, aircraft, and specialty vehicles. Its Health Care segment provides medical and surgical supplies, skin health and infection prevention products, inhalation and transdermal drug delivery systems, dental and orthodontic products, health information systems, and food safety products. The company?s Display and Graphics offers optical film solutions for LCD electronic displays; computer screen filters; reflective sheeting for transportation safety; commercial graphics sheeting and systems; and mobile interactive solutions, includin g mobile display technology, visual systems products, and computer privacy filters. The company?s Consumer and Office segment provides office supply products, stationery products, construction and home improvement products, home care products, protective material products, certain consumer retail personal safety products, and consumer health care products. Its Safety, Security and Protection Services segment offers personal protection products, safety and security products, cleaning and protection products for commercial establishments, track and trace solutions, and roofing granules for asphalt shingles. The company?s Electro and Communications segment provides packaging and interconnection devices; fluids that are used in the manufacture of computer chips, and for cooling electronics and lubricating computer hard disk drives; high-temperature and display tapes; insulating materials, including tapes and resins; and related items. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  All you need to draw a trend line is two points, but in this case, we've not only got the two big points; Boeing (BA) and 3M (MMM), we've got a lot of others, such as Honeywell (HON), so the trend that we're looking at is, in the announcement from Boeing and from 3M, is huge increases in dividend payouts, so Boeing raised its dividend by 50%, 3M raised its by 35%, and then, on top of that, huge increases in stock buyback.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  A couple of negative reports from Dow stocks may have held back the benchmark compared to the overall market's performance. 3M (NYSE: MMM  ) led the Dow's decliners with a drop of more than 3%, after missing revenue and earnings estimates for the first quarter and providing negative guidance for the remainder of the year. Citing its purchase of Ceradyne last year as hurting its margins, 3M cut its expected range for full-year 2013 earnings per share by $0.10. Although the foreign-currency fluctuations that held earnings back tend to go back and forth in their impact over successive quarters, the sluggish demand that 3M saw is more troubling as a potential threat to the company's attempt to restore its past leadership in innovation.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What many investors don't realize is that dividends are often the largest portion of a stock's return, even more than stock price appreciation. In the chart below you can see that 3M's (NYSE: MMM  ) stock has gone up by 995% since the early 1970s, but the total return, including dividends, is more than double that because of a steady dividend that grows year after year.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.(CMG)

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. develops and operates fast-casual, fresh Mexican food restaurants in the United States, Canada, and England. Its restaurants primarily offer burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 1,230 restaurants, which includes 1 ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Denver, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG  ) has an appetite for Asian growth. The company announced this week that it has inked lease deals for four more ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen restaurants.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: Everest Re Group Ltd.(RE)

Everest Re Group, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, underwrites reinsurance and insurance in the United States (the U.S.), Bermuda, and international markets. The company operates in five segments: U.S. Reinsurance, U.S. Insurance, Specialty Underwriting, International, and Bermuda. The U.S. Reinsurance segment writes property and casualty reinsurance, on both a treaty and facultative basis, through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies within the United States. The U.S. Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance primarily through general agents, brokers, and surplus lines brokers in the U.S. The Specialty Underwriting segment writes accident and health, marine, aviation, and surety business within the U.S. and worldwide through brokers and directly with ceding companies. The International segment offers non-U.S. property and casualty reinsurance. The Bermuda segment provides reinsurance and insurance to worldwide property and cas ualty markets and reinsurance to life insurers through brokers and directly with ceding companies, as well as offers reinsurance to the United Kingdom and European markets. The company was founded in 1973 and is based in Liberty Corner, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Emerson]

  Last August, I purchased Everest Re (RE) when it fell within the value parameters outlined in today's article. I wrote an article about the stock titled: Everest Re: Low Risk High Reward http://www.gurufocus.com/news/143388/everest-re-low-risk-high-reward

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Reinsurance and insurance underwriters Everest Re Group (RE) raised its dividend 56% to 75 cents per share, payable on Dec. 18 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 4.
  RE Dividend Yield: 1.92%

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: Gildan Activewear Inc.(GIL)

Gildan Activewear Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of apparel products primarily in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It sells T-shirts, fleece, and sport shirts to wholesale distributors under the Gildan brand name. The company also provides its activewear products for work and school uniforms and athletic team wear, and other purposes to convey individual, group, and team identity. In addition, it offers undecorated products to branded apparel companies and retailers; and underwear products. Further, the company markets its sock products under the various brands, including Gold Toe, PowerSox, SilverToe, Auro, All Pro, GT, and the Gildan brand. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Gildan Activewear (NYSE: GIL  ) just bought itself a new wardrobe. The company announced it has acquired "substantially all of the assets" of privately held screen printing and apparel decoration specialist New Buffalo Shirt Factory for around $7 million.

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA) and Allianz SE (ALV) led airlines and insurers lower, retreating at least 1.5 percent. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) slid 1.6 percent. Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) rose after JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its recommendation on the shares. Gildemeister AG (GIL) added 3.4 percent after Deutsche Bank upgraded the maker of cutting tools.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: Eldorado Gold Corp(EGO)

Eldorado Gold Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the discovery, exploration, development, production, and reclamation of gold properties in Brazil, the People?s Republic of China, Greece, and Turkey. It operates the Kisladag gold mine in Turkey; the Jinfeng, Tanjianshan, and White Mountain gold mines in the People?s Republic of China; and the Vila Nova iron ore mine in Brazil. The company?s development projects include the Efemcukuru gold mine in Turkey, the Eastern Dragon gold mine in the People?s Republic of China, the Perama Hill gold project in Greece, and the Tocantinzinho gold project in Brazil. As of December 31, 2010, Eldorado Gold Corporation had 18.7 million ounces of proven and probable gold reserves. The company was formerly known as Eldorado Corporation Ltd. and changed its name to Eldorado Gold Corporation in April 1996. Eldorado Gold Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Newmont has dropped 2.2% to $25.73 at 3:02 p.m. While that’s in-line with the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF’s (GDX) 2.2% fall to 23.03, it’s better than the most heavily traded gold-mining stocks. Shares of Barrick Gold (ABX), for instance, have dropped 3.6% to $17.20, Gold Corp (GG) is down 3.1% at $23.54 and Eldorado Gold (EGO) has declined 3.9% to $5.82.

• [By alicet236]

  Eldorado Gold Corp. (EGO) Reached the Five-Year Low of $5.66

  The prices of Eldorado Gold Corp. (EGO) shares have declined to close to the five-year low of $5.66, which is 75.4% off the five-year high of $22.12. Eldorado Gold Corp. is owned by six Gurus we are tracking. Among them, five have added to their positions during the past quarter. Two reduced their positions. Eldorado Gold Corp. is a gold exploration, development, mining and production company. Eldorado Gold Corp. has a market cap of $4.04 billion; its shares were traded at around $5.66 with a P/E ratio of 42.60 and P/S ratio of 6.65. The dividend yield of Eldorado Gold Corp. stocks is 2.09%. Eldorado Gold Corp. had an annual average earnings growth of 15.50% over the past five years.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: NEW GOLD INC.(NGD)

New Gold Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation of mineral properties. The company primarily explore for gold, silver, and copper deposits. Its operating properties include the Mesquite gold mine in the United States; the Cerro San Pedro gold-silver mine in Mexico; and the Peak gold-copper mine in Australia. The company also has development projects, including the New Afton gold, silver, and copper project in Canada; and a 30% interest in the El Morro copper-gold project in Chile. The company was formerly known as DRC Resources Corporation and changed its name to New Gold Inc. in June 2005. New Gold Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  New Gold Inc. (NSYEMKT: NGD) completed its takeover of Rainy River Resources back in October. New Gold got 4 million ounces in a good jurisdiction (Ontario) and paid less than book value.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Bridges favorite stocks include Goldcorp, Newmont, Eldorado Gold (EGO) and New Gold (NGD).

  Note, however, that these recommendations are all qualified in one way or another. Investors should keep that in mind before going all in on the gold miners.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Hamed singles out Goldcorp (GG) and Yamana Gold (AUY) as two companies that have strong production growth, falling costs, declining capital obligations and less debt than competitors. New Gold (NGD), meanwhile, should have the lowest all-on costs in the group at $731 an ounce, but its capital spending is likely to notes, Hamed says. Hamed rates Goldcorp and Yamana Overweight, while New Gold is rated Equal Weight.