5 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now

"Prophesy is a good line of business, but it is full of risks." - Mark Twain

Hope over a deal in Washington, combined with expectations of a dovish Fed led by Janet Yellen, have put a bid back into stocks which had been hovering around some key technical levels in the US. Emerging markets continue to power higher, and the meme remains that "every dip is bought." This is of course true until it isn't and mentality breaks. Reflation remains the underlying hope for all bulls, even though it simply has not existed in 2013 based on how intermarket trends have behaved. That does not mean that inflation expectations can't rise from here, but rather that there is still much skepticism given that this is the first time QE has failed to juice fear over rising prices in the economy and a true pickup of economic growth.

Despite big swings up and down, money may finally be starting to pay attention. There has been notable improvement in defensive sectors which seem to be on the verge of reversing their divestment relative behavior. Take a look below at the price ratio of the SPDR S&P Dividend Index ETF (SDY) relative to the S&P 500 (SPY). As a reminder, a rising price ratio means the numerator/SDY is outperforming (up more/down less) the denominator/SPY.

Top 5 Medical Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Federal-Mogul Corporation(FDML)

Federal-Mogul Corporation supplies powertrain and safety technologies worldwide. The company?s Powertrain Energy segment offers powertrain components, such as engine pistons, piston rings, piston pins, cylinder liners, camshafts, valve seats and guides, and ignition products under the Federal-Mogul, AE, Champion, Goetze, Nural, and Daros brand names. Its Powertrain Sealing and Bearings segment provides dynamic seals, bonded piston seals, combustion and exhaust gaskets, static gaskets and seals, rigid heat shields, engine bearings, industrial bearings, bushings and washers, sintered engine and transmission components, and metallic filters, as well as polymer bearings primarily under the Federal-Mogul, Deva, Fel-Pro, FP Diesel, Glyco, Metafram, Metagliss, National, Payen, and Poral brand names. The company?s Vehicle Safety and Protection segment offers brake disc pads, brake linings, brake blocks, element resistant systems protection sleeving products, flexible heat shield s, brake system components, chassis products, windshield wipers, fuel pumps, and lighting products under the Federal-Mogul, Abex, Anco, Bentley-Harris, Beral, Champion, Ferodo, Moog, ThermoQuiet, and Wagner brands. Its Global Aftermarket segment provides aftermarket products to distributors, retail parts stores, and mass merchants who distribute these products to professional service providers and do-it-yourself consumers under the Abex, AE, ANCO, Beral, Carter, Champion, Fel-Pro, Ferodo, FP Diesel, Glyco, Goetze, MOOG, National, Necto, Nural, Payen, Sealed Power, ThermoQuiet, and Wagner brand names. The company serves original equipment manufacturers of automotive, as well as light, medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles; and agricultural, marine, rail, aerospace, off-road, and industrial applications, as well as the aftermarket sector. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. Federal-Mogul Corporation is a subsidiary of Icahn Enterpr ises L.P.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Federal-Mogul (NASDAQ: FDML  ) , an auto parts and vehicles components supplier, soared 26% after the company handily topped Wall Street's EPS expectations in the second quarter.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Southfield, Mich.-based Federal-Mogul (NASDAQ: FDML  ) already has one chief executive officer, but as the Russians like to say, "Too much is better than not enough" -- so today, the company hired another.

5 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: TriQuint Semiconductor Inc.(TQNT)

TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. provides radio frequency (RF) solutions and technology for communications, defense, and aerospace companies worldwide. The company designs, develops, and manufactures RF solutions with gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride, bipolar high electron mobility transistor, surface acoustic wave (SAW), temperature compensated surface acoustic wave, bulk acoustic wave (BAW), copper flip, and wafer level packaging technologies. The company offers an array of filtering, switching, and amplification products for RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave applications. It sells electronic components for mobile phones, including transmit modules, RF filters, power amplifiers and power amplifier modules, duplexers, switches, other RF devices, and integrated products to mobile device manufacturers. The company also offers signal amplification and filtering products, including a portfolio of GaAs microwave monolithic integrated circuits and transistors, and SAW and BAW filter components that support the transfer of voice, data, and video across wireless or wired infrastructure. Its network products comprise millimeter wave power amplifiers, frequency converters, and voltage controlled oscillators. In addition, the company provides defense and aerospace devices, including packaged products, die-level integrated circuits (ICs), microwave monolithic ICs, and multi-chip modules to military contractors serving the U.S. government for use in various communications and phased array radar programs, such as ship-based, airborne, and battlefield systems, as well as sat-com, electronic warfare, and guidance applications. Further, TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. offers foundry services. The company sells its products through independent manufacturers? representatives, independent distributors, and direct sales staff. TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  According to Credit Suisse, LTE handset volumes will double to 537 million units this year, and will grow by another 33% per year for the next several years, which is clearly a monster opportunity for Skyworks -- and for its rivals TriQuint (NASDAQ: TQNT  ) and RF Micro Devices (NASDAQ: RFMD  ) . These competitors recently agreed on a merger to secure more business from mobile top dogs Apple and Samsung. Apple and Samsung together accounted for nearly half of Skyworks' revenue in fiscal 2013, so this is clearly a threat that could diminish its otherwise-sterling growth prospects.

5 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Microvision Inc.(MVIS)

MicroVision, Inc. engages in the development of miniature laser display and imaging engines based upon its proprietary PicoP display engine technology. Its technology uses two dimensional micro-electrical mechanical systems, lasers, optics, and electronics to create a video or still image from a small form factor device. The company offers Pico projector displays intended to be used for users of mobile consumer devices, such as smartphones, media players, tablet PCs, and other consumer electronics products. Its products also comprise automotive head-up displays that project high-resolution images onto the windshield of an automobile providing the driver with information consisting of GPS mapping images, audio controls, and other automobile instrumentation information related to the car's operation. In addition, the company offers near-eye wearable display platform to provide personal viewing of information from a mobile device through a wired or wireless connection. Furthe r, it offers ROV hand held bar code scanners, and bar code scanner enabled enterprise solutions through distributors and original equipment manufacturers, as well as directly to end users through its online store. The company serves customers operating in the consumer, defense, industrial, and medical markets. MicroVision, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Redmond, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Charley Blaine]

  Shares of MicroVision Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS) were jumping for a second day in a row Friday on the heels of Sony Inc.’s (NYSE: SNE) introduction of a new handheld projector that uses Microvision’s technology.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Did you miss the first big runup from Microvision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS) a couple of weeks ago? If you were regretting it then, it may have all worked out for the best. Though MVIS jumped from a close of $1.35 on the 19th to a peak of $3.38 on the 21st, it was also on the 21st that the weight of that big gain started to bear down. By the 25th, Microvision shares hit a low of $2.01, basically cutting in half the 150% gain that has been made in just a couple of days.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  If the cash you have available is money you absolutely need to invest safely and wisely because you need it (and its appreciation) to love on in retirement, then let me stop you right now - the rest of what you're about to read probably isn't for you. On the other hand, if you and your qualified financial adviser agree you've got some money you can gamble with [i.e. if you lose it all, it won't matter], then may I direct your attention to Microvision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS)? Long story made short, MVIS has dropped hints of a brewing rebound.

5 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: International Speedway Corporation(ISCA)

International Speedway Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, promotes motorsports themed entertainment activities in the United States. The company?s motorsports themed event operations consist of racing events at its motorsports entertainment facilities. Its motorsports entertainment facilities promoted approximately 100 stock car, open wheel, sports car, truck, motorcycle, go-kart racing, and other racing events. The company is also involved in souvenir merchandising operations; food and beverage concession operations; the provision of catering services in suites and chalets; creation of motorsports-related programming content, including national satellite radio service; the usage of its track facilities for testing for teams, driving schools, riding experiences, car shows, auto fairs, concerts and settings for television commercials, print advertisements, and motion pictures; and rents show cars for promotional events. As of November 30, 2011, it owned and/or op erated 13 motorsports entertainment facilities. The company was formerly known as Daytona International Speedway Corporation and changed its name to International Speedway Corporation in 1968. International Speedway Corporation was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  International Speedway (NASDAQ: ISCA) is estimated to post a Q3 loss at $0.01 per share on revenue of $118.60 million.

  IDT (NYSE: IDT) is projected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.28 per share on revenue of $397.40 million.

• [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 International Speedway (Nasdaq: ISCA  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Michael Flannelly]

  Before the opening bell on Thursday, motorsports and entertainment company International Speedway Corporation (ISCA) reported that its third quarter loss widened compared to the previous year despite an increase in revenues. The higher losses were mostly due to a number of one-time costs.

  The Daytona Beach, Florida-based company posted a third quarter net loss of $7.9 million, or 17 cents per share, versus last year’s third quarter loss of $1.04 million, or 2 cents per share.

  Excluding various one-time items, International Speedway Corp. said its adjusted net income came in at $2.3 million, or 5 cents per share, in the third quarter. According to analysts polled by Thomson Reuters, the company was expected to see an adjusted loss of 1 cent per share for the quarter.

  International Speedway’s third quarter revenues were $117.05 million, up slightly from the $115.93 million in revenues posted last year. On average, analysts were expecting the company to post revenues of $118.6 million in the quarter.

  “We remain encouraged with our quarter and year-to-date financial results; generating increased total revenue for the periods,” stated ISC Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy. “Adjusting for comparable events, our attendance revenue, which has been our principal risk, was down less than one percent for the quarter delivering results within our range of expectations and showing further signs of stabilization in our business.”

  Looking forward, the company maintained its fiscal 2013 guidance. It expects full year revenues to come in between $610.0 million and $625.0 million, with adjusted earnings coming in between $1.35 and $1.55 per share. However, the company said it feels more comfortable expecting full year results to be at the low-to-mid range of this guidance.

  International Speedway Corp shares were inactive during pre-market trading on Thursday. The stock is up 20.76% year-to-date