Best Electric Utility Companies For 2014

European stocks fell for a fifth day, erasing their gains for the year, as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. cut China�� growth forecast amid concern banks in the world�� second-largest economy face a cash crunch.

Erste Group Bank AG tumbled the most in 17 months as it planned a rights offer to repay state aid. Kazakhmys Plc plunged to a four-year low as it backed a bid to take Eurasian Natural Resources Corp. private. Kabel Deutschland Holding AG rose 1.7 percent after Vodafone Group Plc offered to buy the German cable company for 7.7 billion euros ($10.1 billion).

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index declined 1.7 percent to 275.66 at the close in London. The equity benchmark has entered a so-called correction, having slumped 11 percent since May 22, when Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke commented on the possibility of paring bond purchases.

��hat we��e seeing is a shift in the policy agenda of China which will take place in the next six to nine months,�� James Bevan, who oversees about 4.2 billion pounds ($6.5 billion) as chief investment officer at CCLA Investment Management Ltd. in London, told Francine Lacqua on Bloomberg Television. ��uring that period, we will have continued volatility and continued uncertainty. It will be painful as the adjustment goes through.��

5 Best Shipping Stocks To Own Right Now: Aberdeen Emerging Markets Smaller Company Opportunities Fund Inc (ETF)

Aberdeen Emerging Markets Smaller Company Opportunities Fund Inc (the Fund), formerly Aberdeen Emerging Markets Telecommunications and Infrastructure Fund, Inc., non-diversified management investment company. The Fund�� principal investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, at least 80% of the Fund�� net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, are invested in equity and debt securities of emerging markets telecommunications companies and of infrastructure companies. In addition, under normal market conditions, at least 20% (but not more than 24.9% at the time of purchase) of the Fund�� net assets will be invested in equity and debt securities of companies in the infrastructure industry. Aberdeen Asset Managers Limited (AAML) serves as the Fund�� investment adviser with respect to all investments. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mani]

  [Related -SPDR Gold Trust (ETF) (GLD): Is It Time To Buy Gold?]

  UBS strategist Edel Tully expects gold will remain bid so long as Ukraine/Russia tensions remain high, but that needs to come from fresh longs as gross shorts are now much reduced.

Best Electric Utility Companies For 2014: Ashland Inc. (ASH)

Ashland Inc. operates as a specialty chemicals company in the United States and internationally. Its Ashland Aqualon Functional Ingredients segment produces cellulose ethers; and specialty additives and functional ingredients. Its products offer functionality, such as thickening and rheology control; water retention; adhesive strength; binding power; film formation; protective colloid, suspending, and emulsifying action; foam control; and pH stability. The company?s Ashland Hercules Water Technologies segment manufactures papermaking chemicals and supplies specialty chemicals. It offers sizing agents, wet/dry strength additives, and crepe and release additives for tissue manufacturing; and deposit control agents, defoamers, biocides, and other process additives. This segment also provides specialized chemicals and consulting services for the utility water treatment; and performance-based feed and control systems; and monitoring devices and remote system surveillance. Its A shland Performance Materials segment manufactures and supplies specialty chemicals and customized services to the building and construction, transportation, metal casting, packaging and converting, and marine markets. It also offers unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins, and gelcoats; adhesives and specialty resins; and metal casting consumables and design services. The company?s Ashland Consumer Markets segment produces and markets packaged automotive lubricants, chemicals, appearance products, antifreeze, and filters to the private passenger car, light truck, and heavy duty markets. It also operates a quick-lube franchise under the name of Valvoline Instant Oil Change. The company was founded in 1918 and is headquartered in Covington, Kentucky.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Margins matter. The more Ashland (NYSE: ASH  ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Ashland's competitive position could be.

• [By Victor Selva] ow such a promising comeback, and the drop in revenue during 2012 was anticipated by investor Jean-Marie Eveillard (Trades, Portfolio), who sold out his 3.9 million share position by the third quarter of that year.

  Another industry giant, Huntsman Corporation (HUN) did show more promising results, and less volatile revenues during these last years. This, of course, has led to a high price to earnings ratio discouraging investors as we see later.

  Geographically Diversified

  On 2012, almost 50% of Eastman sales were generated in North America, while more than 25% were in Asia and 20% in Europe, Middle East and Africa. This diversification is to be taken into account since it guarantees long-term revenue, even if cigarette consumption decreases in some specific region (for instance, American sales declined �in recent years), which would stabilize acetate tow demands worldwide.

  Industrial Background and Gurus��Preference

  Eastman�� earnings per share growth was significantly higher than industry median (46.9% vs. 5.2%) but so was Huntsman��, at 46.5%. The critical difference between these two industry giants stands out by looking at their price to earnings: Eastman�� is below median (16.4 vs. 19.1) while Huntsman rose up to 130.1, thus entailing a significant price premium relative to industry peers��average.

  Although Ashland does have an inferior price to earnings ratio than Eastman�� (11.5), there�� a significant difference in their earnings per share growth: 27%, probably caused by a decline in revenue.

  This might have been one of the reasons that motivated investors David Dreman (Trades, Portfolio) and Joel Greenblatt (Trades, Portfolio) to significantly reduce their stake in Huntsman (both of them by more than 80% margin). In contrast, Leon Cooperman (Trades, Portfolio) and Scott Black (Trades, Portfolio), reinforced their positions in Eastman. Most notably, Ray Dalio (Trades, Portfolio)

• [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 Ashland (NYSE: ASH  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By GuruFocus]

  George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) just reported his first quarter portfolio. He buys Citrix Systems Inc, Baker Hughes Inc, Comcast Corp, Spansion Inc, etc during the 3-months ended 03/31/2014, according to the most recent filings of his investment company, Soros Fund Management LLC. As of 03/31/2014, Soros Fund Management LLC owns 305 stocks with a total value of $10.1 billion. These are the details of the buys and sells.New Purchases: BHI, CODE, CTRP, CLI, AVB, COMM, CNQ, AGO, AUY, ATML, ASH, BXMT, CSTM, AEM, CMA, ARE, CHKP, AUQ, BEAV, CX, ADSK, AALCP, BLK, AIG, BIIB, ADEP, AMRI, ARWR, ATHX, BALT, BCRX, BEAT, CFX, CLFD, CUR, CODE,Added Positions: CTXS, CMCSA, CNP, ALTR, BRCD, CBS, CRM, CHTR, CCJ, CIEN, BIDU, ALLE, ABT, CDNS, ACT,Reduced Positions: AAPL, CCI, AMT, ABBV, AAL, BITA, AL, ANGI, ARIA, CBST, BA, BIRT, EXAR,Sold Out: C, BAC, CRI, AMZN, AGN, CF, BRCM, COTY, BMY, AMCX, CAR, A, ADBE, AFL,For the details of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)'s stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=George+SorosThis is the sector weightings of his portfolio:Technology18.9%Energy14%Healthcare8.3%Consumer Defensive8.2%Communication Services8.1%Consumer Cyclical5.4%Industrials5.1%Basic Materials4.9%Financial Services2.5%Real Estate1.9%Utilities0.5%These are the top 5 holdings of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)1. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA) - 10,310,041 shares, 5.4% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 10.67%2. Herbalife Ltd (HLF) - 4,901,337 shares, 2.8% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 52.9%3. EQT Corp (EQT) - 2,573,814 shares, 2.5% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 3.27%4. Adecoagro SA (AGRO) - 25,915,076 shares, 2.1% of the total portfolio.5. Halliburton Co (HAL) - 3,596,353 shares, 2.1% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 20.73%New Purchase: Baker Hughes Inc (BHI)George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) initiated holdings in Baker Hughes Inc. His purchase prices were between $51.82 and $65.27, with an estimated

Best Electric Utility Companies For 2014: NTELOS Holdings Corp.(NTLS)

NTELOS Holdings Corp., through its subsidiaries, provides wireless communications services to consumers and businesses primarily in Virginia and West Virginia, as well as parts of Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky. It primarily offers wireless digital personal communications services, such as wireless voice and data products and services, and roaming/travel services under the NTELOS Wireless brand name. The company also provides wholesale network services to Sprint Nextel in the western Virginia and West Virginia area for various Sprint CDMA wireless customers. As of March 6, 2012, its wireless retail business had approximately 415,000 postpay and prepaid subscribers. The company was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Waynesboro, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Ntelos Holdings Corp.(NTLS) said it had settled disputes with Sprint Corp.(S) related to the companies’ strategic network alliance. The settlement resolves a dispute over the reset of data rates that began in the fourth quarter of 2011, as well as unrelated billing disputes raised in the third quarter of 2012. Shares of Ntelos were up 9.7% at $17.50 in after-hours trading.

Best Electric Utility Companies For 2014: Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA (AEDU3)

Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA, formerly Mehir Holdings SA, is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the education sector. The Company provides higher graduate and postgraduate education through full time and distance learning programs. It is also engaged in the provision of preparatory courses for public competition and other specialization courses. The Company offers the academic programs, such as full time graduate, distance graduate and post-graduate courses. Additionally, the Company provides selected courses through the methodology of distance learning, including graduate, post-graduate and continuous education courses. Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA offers its services for working adults and operates in approximately 71 campuses and around 500 learning centers located throughout each of around the 26 Brazilian states. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ney Hayashi]

  Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA (AEDU3) tumbled after Brazil�� antitrust regulator signaled it may limit the education company�� merger with competitor Kroton Educacional SA. (KROT3) Lojas Renner SA (LREN3) led retailers higher after a report showed Brazil�� industrial production expanded faster than expected in October, easing concern that growth is faltering.

Best Electric Utility Companies For 2014: priceline.com Incorporated(PCLN)

priceline.com Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an online travel company. The company provides price-disclosed hotel reservation services on a worldwide basis primarily under the Booking.com, priceline.com, and Agoda brand names; and price-disclosed rental car reservation services in approximately 80 countries through TravelJigsaw brand name. It also offers its customers the ability to purchase other travel services, including retail airline tickets; rental car days; vacations packages consisting of airfare, hotel, and rental car components; cruise trips; and destination services, including parking, event tickets, ground transfers, and tours through its ?Name Your Own Price? demand-collection system in the United States. In addition, the company offers an optional travel insurance package that provides coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, medical expenses, and emergency evacuation, as well as for loss of baggage, property, and travel d ocuments for air, hotel, and vacation package customers; and collision damage waiver insurance for rental car customers in the United States. The company?s other brands include Lowestfare.com, rentalcars.com, Breezenet.com, MyTravelGuide.com, Travelweb, hotelroom.com, and Car Hire 3000. priceline.com Incorporated was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alexander MacLennan]

  This method appears to follow in the same footsteps as the long employed bidding method at Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN  ) . Frugal travelers could submit offers to Priceline.com, and the travel website would shop them around. Since then, Priceline.com has expanded beyond the "Name Your Own Price" method, but still offers it for customers seeking "deeper discounts."

Best Electric Utility Companies For 2014: Cavco Industries Inc. (CVCO)

Cavco Industries, Inc. engages in the design, production, wholesale, and retail sale of manufactured homes. It also produces modular homes, which include single and multi-section/modular ranch-style dwellings; split-level homes; Cape Cod style homes; two and three story homes; and multi-family units, such as apartments and duplexes. In addition, the company manufactures park model homes and vacation cabins, as well as commercial structures, including apartment buildings, condominiums, hotels, schools, and housing for U.S. military troops. Further, it provides conforming mortgages to purchasers of factory-built and site-built homes; and property and casualty insurance to owners of manufactured homes. The company sells its products under the Cavco Homes, Fleetwood Homes, Palm Harbor Homes, and Nationwide Homes brands. As of March 31, 2012, it distributed its homes through 53 company-owned retail outlets, and a network of approximately 1,029 independent retail outlets n the U nited States, Canada, Mexico, and Japan. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [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 Cavco Industries (Nasdaq: CVCO  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Manufactured Housing: This industry moved up 1.33% by 10:30 am. The top performer in this industry was Cavco Industries (NASDAQ: CVCO), which gained 1.4%. Cavco Industries' PEG ratio is 1.16.