10 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Buy For 2015

10 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Buy For 2015: Massive Dynamics Inc (MSSD)

Massive Dynamics, Inc., incorporated on March 15, 2011, is a development-stage company. The Company is providing services to communication tower operators. On August 20, 2012, Kylemore Corp. (Kylemore) approximately 90% of the Company. On April 16, 2013, the Company entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Real-View 3D (RV3D). With the Company's acquisition of the assets of RV3D, the Company is providing engineering and compliance to communications tower operators to three dimension (3D) imaging. RV3D is an image capture product company that has developed and is committed to design, patent, manufacture and market 3D imaging Z-axis capture products for the consumer computer peripherals market.

The Company has developed technology around an imaging technology known as structured light, which allows for the rapid capture and processing of the digital signal capture 3D images of objects or real time 3D video of a desired target. A structured light image is a calibrated grid of lines that is projected on the subject. These projected lines deviate as they fall over the subject. An image of these lines is captured. Real View 3D software can extract Z-axis data from these line deviations and a topographical map is created. To image a complete subject, the subject is rotated 360 degrees for the image and then another 360 degree rotation for capturing the structured light for the Z axis map information. The resulting Z axis map and the image are then fused into a 360 degree renderable image. This image can then be exported into many other formats for viewing. The Company's primary business will be to develop and market 3D scanning, capture, rendering, and printing products to four markets: consumer, commercial, industrial, and medical.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  The problem with that, of course, is that competition is beginning to emerge in machine selling, as small companies! with names such as ExOne (NASDAQ: XONE  ) and Massive Dynamics (NASDAQOTH: MSSD  ) begin to horn in on the printer biz. Competition will probably arise even faster in the selling of printing composites, as Hewlett-Packard discovered to its detriment, when printer ink cartridge "refillers" began stealing away its lucrative ink business.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/10-best-mid-cap-stocks-to-buy-for-2015-3.html

5 Best Oil Service Stocks For 2014

Offshore drillers like Transocean (RIG), Seadrill (SDRL) and Noble (NE) have gotten pounded this year. Is it time to buy? Well, if not that, at least its time to become less bearish, say the folks at BMO Capital Markets, who upgraded the shares of Transocean, Seadrill, Diamond Offshore (DO), Ensco (ESV), Noble, Rowan (RDC) and Atwood Oceanics (ATW).

Bloomberg

BMO Capital Markets’ Alan Laws and Peyton Mason explain why they see better times ahead of offshore-drilling stocks:

We are upgrading the offshore drillers to Market Perform from Underperform given what we view as a better risk/reward balance over next 6 to 12 months. We believe the stocks largely discount the weakness seen/expected in the industry in 2014/2015 with consensus estimates now reflecting the anticipated level of day rate reductions. Recent fixtures, while likely negotiated in 2013, suggest activity is resuming (albeit slowly), and we expect this to increase as ��learing house��rates are reached for producer cost containment. In other words, the potential for a surprise demand uptick now outweighs already price- in risks of further weakening, in our view. In our view, the largest risk to our upgrade today is being a bit early given what could be a longer drawn-out return to activity. That said we want to be positioned for the technical inflection like the land rigs in fall 2012. Stock downside appears limited with an already negative bias in expectations and ultimately investor fatigue with the thesis. Fundamental valuation metrics (PE and P/BV) also suggest trough levels. We think differentiation (vs. being viewed as one group) is likely to become more pronounced in a bounce, and we prefer ATW and ESV over peers. While other subsectors in Oil Services remain more attractive today, we believe value and contrarian investors should start kicking tires.

Hot Long Term Companies To Invest In Right Now: Delphi Financial Group Inc. (DFG)

Delphi Financial Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated employee benefit services. The company operates in two segments, Group Employee Benefit Products and Asset Accumulation Products. The Group Employee Benefit Products segment provides disability, group life, and excess workers? compensation insurance products to small and mid-sized employers. It also offers travel accident, voluntary accidental death and dismemberment, group dental, and limited benefit health insurance products, as well as assumed workers? compensation and casualty reinsurance. This segment markets its group products to employer-employee groups and associations in various industries primarily through independent brokers and agents. The Asset Accumulation Products segment primarily offers fixed annuities, such as single premium deferred annuities, flexible premium annuities, and multi-year interest guarantee products to individuals through networks of independent insurance agen ts. The company also provides integrated disability and absence management services, including event reporting, leave of absence management, claims and case management, and return to work management. Delphi Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1987 and is based in Wilmington, Delaware.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Some of Elliott Management�� top equity positions in the first quarter 2012 are Brocade Communications Systems (BRCD), Delphi Automotive (DFG), Iron Mountain (IRM) and News Corp. (NWS).

5 Best Oil Service Stocks For 2014: Oplink Communications Inc.(OPLK)

Oplink Communications, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and sells optical networking components and subsystems worldwide. The company?s products are used to expand optical bandwidth, amplify optical signals, monitor and protect wavelength performance, redirect light signals, ensure signal connectivity, and provide signal transmission and reception within an optical network. It offers bandwidth creation products, such as wavelength expansion products comprising dense wavelength division multiplexers (DWDM), coarse wavelength division multiplexers, band wavelength division multiplexers, and DWDM interleavers; and optical amplification products consisting of gain blocks, erbium doped fiber amplifiers, wavelength division multiplexers pump/signal combiners, integrated hybrid components, WDM pump combiners, polarization beam combiners, gain flattening filters isolators, isolators, and tap couplers. The company also offers bandwidth management produc ts, such as optical switching and routing products comprising optical add/drop multiplexers, wavelength selective switches, reconfigurable OADMs, switches, and circulators; wavelength conditioning products that include variable optical attenuators, variable multiplexers, and dynamic band equalization products; and wavelength performance monitoring and protection products consisting of supervisory channel WDM, integrated WDM and tap monitor arrays, optical channel monitors, and wavelength protection subsystems. In addition, it provides optical interconnect products, including connectors and adapters, fixed attenuators, patchcords, and termination and distribution enclosures; and transmission products, such as small form-factor pluggable transceivers, XFP transceivers, CWDM transceivers, bi-directional transceivers, DWDM transceivers, optical supervisory channel transceivers, GEPON products, and 40G/100G transceiver products. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartere d in Fremont, California.

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 Oplink Communications (Nasdaq: OPLK  ) , 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 Oplink Communications (Nasdaq: OPLK  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

5 Best Oil Service Stocks For 2014: Intercontinentalexchange Group Inc (ICE)

IntercontinentalExchange Group, Inc., incorporated on March 6, 2013, is a network of regulated exchanges and clearing houses for financial and commodity markets. The Company delivers transparent and accessible data, technology and risk management services to markets around the world through its portfolio of exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, ICE Futures, Liffe and Euronext. In February 2014, Intercontinentalexchange Group Inc completed the acquisition of Singapore Mercantile Exchange.

In November 2013, the Company announced the acquisition of NYSE Euronext. In November 2013, Financial Technologies (India) Ltd announced that Financial Technologies Singapore Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Technologies (India) Ltd., sold its ownership in SMX (together with its wholly owned subsidiary SMX CC) to ICE Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., an entity owned by the Intercontinentalexchange Group Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anna Prior]

  IntercontinentalExchange Inc.(ICE) and NYSE Euronext sa(NYX)id Friday they had received the necessary regulatory approvals to close their deal. ICE’s $9.4 billion acquisition of NYSE will close Wednesday, the companies said.

• [By Sital S. Patel]

  The CEO also courted several buyers for the exchange before finally landing with the IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) . NYSE Euronext was in talks to merge with Deutsche B枚rse AG, but that tie-up was eventually blocked by European regulators in 2012. ICE became the buyer with the acquisition of NYSE Euronext in 2013 for $8.2 billion.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  IntercontinentalExchange's (NYSE: ICE  ) impending acquisition of NYSE Euronext (NYSE: NYX  ) doesn't pose enough of a threat to competition to warrant concern, at least according to the European Commission. As a result, the European Union's executive branch has approved the proposed transaction, saying that it does not "raise competition concerns as NYX and ICE are not direct competitors in the markets concerned and would continue to face competition from a number of other competitors."

5 Best Oil Service Stocks For 2014: Analog Devices Inc (ADI)

Analog Devices, Inc. (Analog Devices), incorporated on January 18, 1965, is engaged in the design, manufacture and marketing of a range of analog, mixed-signal and digital signal processing integrated circuits (ICs). The Company produces a range of products, including data converters, amplifiers and linear products, radio frequency (RF) ICs, power management products, sensors based on micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology and other sensors, and processing products, including DSP and other processors, which are designed to meet the needs of a base of customers. The Company's products are embedded inside many different types of electronic equipment, including industrial process control systems; instrumentation and measurement systems; wireless infrastructure equipment, and aerospace and defense electronics. The Company designs , manufactures and markets a range of ICs, which incorporate analog, mixed-signal and digital signal processing technologies. The Company's product portfolio includes both general-purpose products used by a range of customers and applications, as well as application-specific products. On March 30, 2012, the Company acquired Multigig, Inc.

Analog Products

The Company's product portfolio includes several thousand analog ICs. The Company's analog IC customers include original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and customers who build electronic subsystems for integration into larger systems. The Company is a supplier of data converter products. Data converters translate real-world analog signals into digital data and also translate digital data into analog signals. The Company is also a supplier of amplifiers. Amplifiers are used to condition analog signals. The Company provides precision, instrumentation, intermediate frequency/radio frequency (RF), broadband, and other amplifiers. The Company also offers a range of precision voltage references, which are used in a range of applications. The Company's analog product line also includes a range port! folio of RF ICs covering the RF signal chain, from RF function blocks, such as phase locked loops, frequency synthesizers, mixers, modulators, demodulators, and power detectors, to broadband and short-range single chip transceiver solutions.

The Company's RF ICs support the requirements of cellular infrastructure and a range of applications in the Company's target markets. Also within the Company's analog technology portfolio are products, which are based on MEMS technology. This technology enables the Company to build small sensors, which incorporate an electromechanical structure and the supporting analog circuitry for conditioning signals obtained from the sensing element. The Company's MEMS product portfolio includes accelerometers used to sense acceleration, gyroscopes used to sense rotation, inertial measurement units used to sense multiple degrees of freedom combining multiple sensing types along multiple axis, and MEMS microphones used to sense audio. The Company's current revenue from MEMS products is derived from the automotive end market. In addition to the Company's MEMS products, its other analog product category includes isolators. The Company's isolators have been designed for applications, such as universal serial bus isolation in patient monitors, where it allows hospitals and physicians to adopt the advances in computer technology to supervise patient health and wirelessly transmit medical records. In smart metering applications, the Company's isolators provide electrostatic discharge performance. In satellites, where any malfunction can be catastrophic, the Company's isolators help protect the power system while enabling designers to achieve small form factors. Power management & reference products make up the balance of the Company's analog sales. Those products, which include functions such as power conversion, driver monitoring, sequencing and energy management, are developed to complement analog signal chain components across core market segments from micro power, en! ergy-sens! itive battery applications to power systems in infrastructure and industrial applications.

Digital Signal Processing Products

Digital Signal Processing products (DSPs) complete the Company's product portfolio. DSPs are optimized for numeric calculations, which are essential for instantaneous, or real-time, processing of digital data generated, from analog to digital signal conversion. The Company's DSPs are designed to be fully programmable and to execute specialized software programs, or algorithms, associated with processing digitized real-time, real-world data. Programmable DSPs are designed to provide the flexibility to modify the device's function using software. The Company's DSP IC customers write their own algorithms using software development tools provided by the Company and third-party suppliers. The Company's DSPs are designed in families of products, which share common architectures and therefore can execute the same software across a range of products. The Company's customers use the Company's products to solve a range of signal processing challenges across its core market and segment focus areas within the industrial, automotive, consumer and communications end markets. As an integrated part of the Company's customers' signal chain, there are other Analog Devices products connected to its processors, including converters, audio and video codecs and power management solutions.

The Company competes with Broadcom Corporation, Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., Cirrus Logic, Inc., Microchip Technology, Inc., Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Infineon Technologies, ST Microelectronics, Intersil Corporation, Silicon Laboratories, Inc., Knowles Electronics, Texas Instruments, Inc. and Linear Technology Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sally Jones]

  Today�� theme is the letter ��,��representing amazing gains on advanced technology stocks in companies beginning with the letter A. In the first half of 2013, billionaire investors were trading these ��-list��technology stocks from the S&P500, including Amphenol Corporation (APH), Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM) and Analog Devices Inc. (ADI). These companies were screened for their billionaire stakeholders, high gains, recent insider trading and yield.

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Tuesday

  Earnings Expected: Bob Evans Farms (NASDAQ: BOBE), Analog Devices (NASDAQ: ADI), TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO), Best Buy (NYSE: BBY), DSW (NYSE: DSW) Sanderson Farms (NASDAQ: SAFM) Economic Releases Expected: U.S. consumer confidence, U.S. house price index, U.S. Redbook, U.S. durable goods orders

  Wednesday

• [By Myra P. Saefong]

  Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of 62 cents per share on revenue of $678 million. Analysts were looking for earnings of 58 cents per share on revenue of $689 million. The company saw its stock fall 3.7% in after-hours trading after closing the regular session at $49.92, up 0.5%.

Top Cheapest Stocks To Watch Right Now

These are tough times for investors who look for cheap companies. The Dow and S&P 500 jump from high to high, but this boom is credit-driven; it's the result of the monetary easing policy of the world's major government banks.

The good thing is that we can buy stocks in every market situation, whether the market has a P/E level of 30 or 10. What we need to is to look at solid growth for the single stock and not overpay for the future prospects of an asset.

When I look at the market today, I see that the financial sector, conglomerates and basic material stocks are the cheapest valued ones in terms of forward P/E, but the highest growth is predicted for the Services and Technology sector, both of which have the highest P/E ratios.

Tech stocks have made many people rich, but if you recall the dot.com bubble in 2000, many investors and private dealers lost their money because they believed that their super high-flying stock could change the world.

Facebook, Twitter and Google dominate our world today, but will they do it in 10 or 20 years too? For sure, Microsoft has survived over 40 years. Oracle, IBM and even Apple also developed into dominant players and created a long track record, but technology is a fast changing business. You can make billions in a year, but also lose all your money in the next half-decade.

Best Dow Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Atlas Resource Partners LP (ARP)

Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. (Atlas Resource Partners), incorporated on October 13, 2011, is an independent developer and producer of natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL), with operations in basins across the United States. The Company is a sponsor and manager of investment partnerships, in which it co-invests, to finance a portion of its natural gas and oil production activities. During the year ended December 31, 2012, its average daily net production was approximately 77.2 million cubic feet equivalent. On December 20, 2012, it completed the acquisition of DTE Gas Resources, LLC from DTE Energy Company. On September 24, 2012, the Company acquired Equal Energy, Ltd.�� (Equal) remaining 50% interest in approximately 8,500 net undeveloped acres included in the joint venture. On July 26, 2012, it completed the acquisition of Titan Operating, L.L.C. On April 30, 2012, it acquired certain oil and natural gas assets from Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc. In April 2012, it acquired a 50% interest in approximately 14,500 net undeveloped acres in the oil and NGL area of the Mississippi Lime play in northwestern Oklahoma.

Through December 31, 2012, the Company owned production positions in the areas of the Barnett Shale and Marble Falls play in the Fort Worth Basin in northern Texas; the Appalachia basin, including the Marcellus Shale and the Utica Shale; the Mississippi Lime and Hunton plays in northwestern Oklahoma, and the Chattanooga Shale in northeastern Tennessee, the Niobrara Shale in northeastern Colorado, the New Albany Shale in southwestern Indiana and the Antrim Shale in Michigan. During 2012, the Company had ownership interests in over 525 wells in the Barnett Shale and Marble Falls play and 569.3 billion cubic feet equivalent of total proved reserves with average daily production of 31.9 million cubic feet equivalent. During 2012, the Company had ownership interests in over 10,200 wells in the Appalachian basin, including approximately 270 wells in the Marcellus Shale and 1! 12.6 billion cubic feet equivalent of total proved reserves with average daily production of 35.6 million cubic feet equivalent. During 2012, it owned 21 billion cubic feet equivalent of total proved reserves with average daily production of 1.9 million cubic feet equivalent in the Mississippi Lime and Hunton plays in northwestern Oklahoma. During 2012, the Company had average daily production of 7.8 million cubic feet equivalent in the Chattanooga Shale in northeastern Tennessee, the Niobrara Shale in northeastern Colorado, the New Albany Shale in southwestern Indiana, and the Antrim Shale in Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  The management team at oil and gas company�Atlas Energy (NYSE: ATLS  ) has really taken Warren Buffett's advice to heart. Buffett's old adage to "be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful" seems to be that team's approach. After selling its shale assets to Chevron at the top of the market, the company has been diligently acquiring natural gas assets at the market's low. That blueprint continues to be followed as evidenced by the recently announced acquisition of substantial natural gas assets via its master limited partnership, Atlas Resource Partners (NYSE: ARP  ) .

• [By Robert Rapier]

  The second, and riskier, option is to buy MLPs engaged in natural gas production. While these tend to have some portion of their output hedged against sharp price fluctuations, they retain much more exposure to the ups and downs of natural gas prices than the midstream partnerships, which function as toll collectors.�EV Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: EVEP),�Atlas Resource Partners�(NYSE: ARP),�BreitBurn Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: BBEP) and�Memorial Production Partners�(NASDAQ: MEMP) are some of the upstream (oil and gas production) partnerships in the US shale plays.

Top Cheapest Stocks To Watch Right Now: Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc (IMMY)

Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company developing non-invasive, topically delivered products. The Company�� Transdel cream formulation technology is designed to facilitate the effective penetration of a variety of products through the tough skin barrier. Ketotransdel, the Company�� lead pain product, utilizes the Transdel platform technology to deliver the active drug, ketoprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), through the skin directly into the underlying tissues where the drug exerts its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Ketotransdel consists of a transdermal formulation of ketoprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and its Transdel drug delivery system and is being developed for the treatment of acute pain. In July 2013, it acquired intellectual property for IPI-120 from Buderer Drug Company.

Ketotransdel penetrates the skin barrier to reach the targeted underlying tissues where it exerts its localized anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. Transdel is the Company�� transdermal cream drug delivery platform. It consists of a cream that enables transdermal penetration of drugs avoiding first pass metabolism by the liver and minimizing systemic exposure. The Transdel drug delivery system facilitates the effective dissolution and delivery of a drug across the skin barrier to reach targeted underlying tissues.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  The start of 2014 shows that biotech is still a hot area with the sector along with small cap biotech stocks like AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: AMAG), Mast Therapeutics Inc (NYSEMKT: MSTX), Cell Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: CTIC), Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: IMMY) and TNI BioTech (OTCMKTS: TNIB) producing news or returns�plus Auspex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ASPX), Cara Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CARA), Egalet (NASDAQ: EGLT), Flexion Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FLXN) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: RARE) are among the (many�� planned biotech IPOs that have recently been announced publicly:

Top Cheapest Stocks To Watch Right Now: Open Joint Stock Company "Vimpel-Communications"(VIP)

VimpelCom Ltd. operates as an integrated telecommunications services provider, offering voice and data services through a range of wireless, fixed, and broadband technologies. It provides its services under the Beeline, Kyivstar, djuice, Wind, Infostrada Mobilink, Leo, Banglalink, Telecel, Mobinil, koryolink, Allo, and Djezzy brands. The company also offers roaming services that allows its subscribers and the customers of other mobile operators to receive and make international, local, and long distance calls while outside of their home network. In addition, it provides mobile telecommunications, as well as fixed-line, data, and long distance licenses. As of December 31, 2010, the company had 92.7 million mobile subscribers. It offers its services in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Algeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Central African Republic, Italy, and Canada. VimpelCom Ltd. is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Burrows]

  Here are five dividend stocks with dangerously high yields that you would do well to avoid:

  VimpelCom (VIP)

  Market Cap: $15.4 billion
  Dividend Yield: 10%
  YTD Price Performance: -32%

Top Cheapest Stocks To Watch Right Now: Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation(PGC)

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation operates as the holding company for Peapack-Gladstone Bank that provides financial, trust, and investment services to individuals and small businesses in New Jersey. The company?s deposit products include checking and savings accounts, money market and interest-bearing checking accounts, certificates of deposit, and individual retirement accounts. Its loan portfolio comprises residential and construction mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and other second mortgage loans, as well as commercial loans, including working capital lines of credit, term loans for fixed asset acquisitions, commercial mortgages, and other forms of asset-based financing. The company also provides foreign and domestic travelers? checks, cashier?s checks, wire transfers, Internet banking, and automated teller machine services. In addition, it offers personal investment management, personal trust administration, estate settlement, income tax, custodial, a nd other financial planning services. Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation provides its services through 23 full-service banking offices, including 10 branches in Somerset County, 6 in Morris County, 4 in Hunterdon County, 1 in Middlesex County, and 2 in Union County. The company was founded in 1921 and is based in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  Since that prediction, Honeywell's begun to branch out in unexpected ways, as it's now working with utilities such as PG&E (NASDAQ: PGC  ) to provide residential energy-management platforms. The "smart grid" is growing in fits and starts, but it's one of the more optimistic corners of tomorrow's economy, so it's good for Honeywell investors to see the company dipping a toe in these waters.

Hot Rising Stocks To Own Right Now

Hot Rising Stocks To Own Right Now: Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA)

Deutsche Lufthansa AG is a Germany-based aviation company with global operations and a total of more than 400 subsidiaries and associated companies. The Company is engaged in passenger transport, airfreight and airline services. The Lufthansa Group operates in five major business segments: scheduled passenger air traffic (Passenger Airline Group) consists of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Lufthansa CityLine GmbH, Swiss International Air Lines AG, Austrian Airlines AG, Air Dolomiti S.p.A., Eurowings Luftverkehrs AG and Germanwings GmbH; scheduled airfreight services (Logistics) consists of the Lufthansa Cargo group; maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) consists of the Lufthansa Technik group; information technology (IT Services) consists of the Lufthansa Systems group, and catering (Catering) consists of the LSG Lufthansa Sky Chefs group. On April 20, 2012, the Company announced the divestiture of British Midland Ltd. (bmi) to International Consolidated Airlines Group SA. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  German stocks were little changed, as declines in utilities and banks offset gains in Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA) and Deutsche Boerse AG.

  RWE AG (RWE), Germanys second-largest utility, slipped 2.4 percent after RBC Capital Markets cut its recommendation on the stock. Lufthansa followed its European peers higher, recovering some of its Aug. 2 selloff. Xing AG (O1BC), the business social network, jumped the most since October as Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) upgraded its rating on the shares.

• [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.

! source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/hot-rising-stocks-to-own-right-now-2.html

Top Chemical Companies To Buy For 2015

Top Chemical Companies To Buy For 2015: Albemarle Corp (ALB)

Albemarle Corporation (Albemarle), incorporated in 1993, is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of specialty chemicals, which meet customer needs across a range of end markets, including the petroleum refining, consumer electronics, plastics/packaging, construction, automotive, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services markets. As of December 31, 2011, the Company and its joint ventures operated 50 facilities, encompassing production, research and development facilities, and administrative and sales offices in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Australia. It serves approximately 3,000 customers in over 100 countries. It operates in three segments: Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemistry. On May 11, 2011, the Company acquired Catilin Inc. In October 2013, Albemarle Corp acquired Cambridge Chemical Co Ltd.

Polymer Solutions

The Company's Polymer Solutions seg ment consists of two product market categories: flame retardants and stabilizers and curatives. Its products include plastic enclosures for consumer electronics, printed circuit boards, wire and cable, electrical connectors, textiles, foam insulation, and foam seating in furniture and automobiles. Its brominated flame retardants include products such as Saytex; its mineral-based flame retardants include products, such as Martinal and Magnifin, and its phosphorus-based flame retardants include products, such as Antiblaze and Ncendx.

The Company produces plastic additives, as well as other additives, such as curatives, antioxidants and stabilizers. Its additives products include curatives for polyurethane, polyurea, and epoxy system polymerization. This business also produces antioxidants and stabilizers. Its Ethacure curatives are used in cast elastomers, coatings! , reaction injection molding (RIM) and specialty adhesives, which are incorporated into products, su ch as wheels, tires and rollers. Its line of Ethanox antioxi! dants is used by manufacturers of polyolefins to maintain physical properties during the manufacturing process, including the color of the final product. These antioxidants are found in applications, such as slit film, wire and cable, food packaging and pipes.

The Company produces antioxidants used in fuels and lubricants. Its line of Ethanox fuel and lubricant antioxidants is used by refiners and fuel marketers to extend fuel storage life and protect fuel systems, and by oil marketers and lubricant manufacturers to extend the useful life of lubricating oils, fluids and greases used in engines and various types of machinery. Its polymer solutions segment offers more than 80 products to a range of end-markets. It sells its products to chemical manufacturers and processors, such as polymer resin suppliers, lubricant manufacturers, refiners and other specialty chemical companies.

The Company competes with Chemtura Corporation, Israel Chemicals Ltd, Jia ngsu Yoke Technology Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Wansheng Chemical Co., Ltd., J.M. Huber Corporation, Kyowa Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Nabaltec GmbH, BASF Corporation, Chemtura Corporation and Songwon Industrial Co., Ltd.,

Catalysts

The Company's Catalysts segment includes its refinery catalysts and catalyst solutions businesses. Its main refinery catalysts product lines are hydroprocessing catalysts (HPC), and fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC), catalysts and additives. HPC catalysts are used to reduce the quantity of sulfur and other impurities in petroleum products, as well as to convert feedstock into lighter products. FCC catalysts assist in the cracking of petroleum streams into derivative, higher-value products, such as fuels and petrochemical feedstock. Its FCC additives are used to remove sulfur in gasoline and to reduce emissions of sulf! ur dioxid! e and nitrogen oxide in FCC units. It offers approximately 130 different HPC catalysts products an d approximately 40 different FCC catalysts and additives pro! ducts to ! its customers.

The Company has three business units in its performance catalyst solutions (PCS) division: polymer catalysts, chemical catalysts and electronic materials. It manufactures organometallic co-catalysts, as well as metallocene components and co-catalysts. It also offers finished Single-Site catalysts with or without its ActivCat technology and a range of Ziegler-Natta catalysts under the Advantage brand. Its co-catalysts and finished catalysts are used in its customers' production of polyolefin polymers. Such polymers are commodity (Ziegler Natta polymerization technology) and specialty (Single Site polymerization technology) plastics serving a range of end markets, including packaging, non-packaging, films and injection molding. Some of its organometallic products are also used in the manufacture of alpha-olefins (hexene, octane and decene). In electronic materials, it manufacture and sells metal organic products into electronic applications, such as the production of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for displays and general lighting, as well as other products used in the production of solar cells. Its chemical catalysts include a range of catalysts used in the chemical industry.

The Company competes with Criterion Catalysts and Technologies, W.R. Grace & Co./Advanced Refining Technologies, Haldor Topsoe, W.R. Grace & Co., BASF Corporation, AkzoNobel and Chemtura Corporation.

Fine Chemistry

The Company's Fine Chemistry segment consists of two categories: performance chemicals, and fine chemistry services and intermediates. Performance chemicals include products, such as elemental bromine, alkyl bromides, inorganic bromides, brominated powdered activated carbon and a range of bromine fine chemicals. Its products are used in chemical synthesis, oil and gas well drillin! g and com! pletion fluids, mercury control, paper manufacturing, water purification, beef and poultry processing and ot her industrial applications. Other performance chemicals, wh! ich it pr! oduces include tertiary amines for surfactants, biocides, disinfectants and sanitizers; potassium-based products used in industrial applications; alkenyl succinic anhydride used in paper-sizing formulations, and aluminum oxides used in a range of refractory, ceramic and polishing applications. It sells these products to customers globally for use in personal care products, automotive insulation, foundry bricks and other industrial products.

The Company's fine chemistry services business offers custom manufacturing, research and chemical scale-up services for companies. Its pharmaceutical bulk active is ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is used to provide pain relief and fever reduction. Bulk ibuprofen is formulated by pharmaceutical companies, which sells in both the prescription and over-the-counter markets. The Company also produces a range of intermediates used in the manufacture of a range of over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

The Company's agrich emicals are sold to agrichemical manufacturers and distributors, which produce and distribute finished agricultural herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and soil fumigants. Its products include orthoalkylated anilines used in the acetanilide family of pre-emergent herbicides used with corn, soybeans and other crops and methyl bromide, which is used as a soil fumigant. It also manufactures and supplies a range of custom chemical intermediates for the agricultural industry.

The Company competes with Chemtura Corporation, Israel Chemicals, BASF Corporation, Lonza, Clariant Ltd. and Cilag AG.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anna Prior]

  Albemarle Corp.(ALB) will buy Rockwood Holdings Inc.(ROC) for a deal valued at about $6.2 billion in cash and stock, the specialty chemical companies said. The merger agreement values R! ockwood a! t $85.53 a share, a 13% premium over its Monday closing price. Albemarle shares rose 4% to $75.50 premarket, while Rockwood shares climbed 13% to $85.43.

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) has agreed to acquire Rockwood Holdings (NYSE: ROC) for $6.2 billion, or $85.53 per share. The acquisition represents a roughly 13 percent premium to Rockwood Holdings' closing price. The newly formed company will combine two of the world's largest specialty chemical companies. According to Albemarle's CEO Luther Kissam the acquisition will result in a “broader customer reach, increased diversity across end markets, technologies and geographies, and more consistent and predictable earnings growth.” Shares of Albemarle hit new 52-week highs of $76.28 before turning negative and closing the day at $70.03, down 3.57 percent. However, shares of Rockwood Holdings hit new 52-week highs of $86.18 before closing the day at $83.14, up 9.83 percent.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Specialty chemicals developer, manufacturer and distributor Albemarle (ALB) raised its quarterly dividend 15% to 27.5 cents per share, payable April 1 to shareholders of record as of March 14.
  ALB Dividend Yield: 1.66%

• [By James E. Brumley]

  If you're looking for some trading action, then Organovo Holdings Inc. (NYSEMKT:ONVO) and Albemarle Corporation (NYSE:ALB) are the two top names to put on your radar today. Granted, they're trading candidates for completely opposing reasons. In fact, the best "play" may be to swap one for the other. However you want to play it though, here's what you need to know about ALB and ONVO.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-chemical-companies-to-buy-for-2015-2.html

5 Best Cars for Short Drivers

BOSTON (TheStreet) -- Short drivers can sometimes feel like they're in an episode of Little People, Big World when out car shopping, so here are five great models for those of us who look more like Danny DeVito than LeBron James.

"Short drivers obviously have different needs than taller ones," says Warren Clarke of Edmunds, which recently named the Best Cars for Short Drivers for 2013. "The main thing they need is visibility. If you're short and you buy the wrong vehicle, you can end up looking at the car's door instead of out the window."

Clarke says the best models for smaller drivers have low "beltlines" -- the border between a car's metal body and its windows -- and big "greenhouses," the glass area above the frame and below the roof.

He says short drivers should also look for cars with narrower seat cushions, as wide upholstery makes it harder for smaller people to reach a vehicle's pedals comfortably. "People tend to assume that smaller cars are the best choices for smaller drivers, but that's not always true," Clarke says. "Visibility and seat comfort have to do with how a vehicle's cabin has been designed, not necessarily with the car's size." Unfortunately, wider seat cushions often make cars more comfortable for bigger drivers, while higher beltlines and smaller greenhouses tend to look cool -- so more and more automakers seem to favor all three. "There are still models that offer lower beltlines and bigger greenhouses, but you have to specifically look for them," Clarke says. Click below to check out the five lowest-priced such models that Edmunds recommends for shorter drivers (or here for cars the site suggests tall drivers consider). All vehicles listed below appear in order of their manufacturer's suggested retail price for 2013 base models.

Kia Soul

Base price: $14,400

If those cartoon hamsters in Kia's TV commercials for the Soul like this small wagon, shorter human drivers should enjoy it, too.

"It's immediately obvious when you look at that Soul that it's got fairly big greenhouse, with a tall windshield and tall, upright side windows," Clarke says. "Visibility is excellent, and it should be very easy for shorter drivers to see out of the Soul's cabin." Also see: XXXX>> Clarke says the Soul also offers both short and taller drivers a roomy cabin, a modest price and "very good, distinctive styling. It's got that boxy shape that you don't see very often." Under the hood, the 2013 Soul comes standard with a 138-horsepower four-cylinder engine and manual transmission -- a combination that delivers an estimated 25 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Another bonus: Kia's industry-leading 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. You should also look for a completely redesigned 2014 Soul to begin hitting dealer showrooms this fall, starting at $14,700.

Mazda Mazda3

Base price: $16,945

The Mazda3 offers shorter drivers not just great visibility, but great affordability as well.

"This is a really good car to buy if you're on a tight budget, because it's affordable but has great handling," Clarke says. "It's the kind of car that you typically have to pay a lot more money for." And while Edmunds editors like the 2013 Mazda3, a redesigned 2014 version already in Mazda showrooms features a slightly larger and even fancier interior despite an unchanged base price. The 2014 edition also comes standard with a 155-horsepower four-cylinder engine and a manual transmission that team up to produce an impressive 29 mpg/city and 40 mph/highway. Or you can add a six-speed automatic transmission and boost city mileage to 30 mpg.

Volkswagen Passat

Base price: $20,845

This family sedan from Volkswagen features an upscale interior that Clarke says is roomy, but not too big for shorter drivers to safely and comfortably use.

Top 10 Paper Companies To Invest In 2015

"One of the things I like about the Passat is it has lots and lots of legroom," he says. "It also really feels like you're in a European sedan -- you get a high level of refinement at a really affordable price." Volkswagen is also phasing an improved turbocharged engine into the line, boosting fuel efficiency to 24/mpg city and 35 mpg/highway with a manual transmission. (Automatics get 1 mpg lower highway mileage.) Also see: XXXX>> If that's not "green" enough for you, there's a $26,295 diesel Passat that gets 31 mpg/city and 43 mpg/highway with a manual transmission or 30 mpg/city and 40 mpg/highway with an automatic (technically an "automated manual transmission").

Subaru Forester

Base price: $21,995

"You can just tell by looking at a Forester that its visibility will be excellent for shorter drivers because its greenhouse is huge," Clarke says. "It's got big windows all around."

The Forester also comes standard with all-wheel drive and 8.7-inch ground clearance -- both great for driving either off-road or in bad weather. A redesigned 2014 model already in dealer showrooms also boasts a larger cabin, higher-quality finishes and better transmissions than the 2013 offers despite the same starting price. The changes have added a few miles per gallon to the crossover SUV's fuel efficiency, with a base 2014 Forester now rated at 22 mpg/city and 29 mpg/highway with manual transmission. (The model gets 24 mpg/city and 32 mpg/highway as an automatic.)

Honda Accord

Base price: $21,995

The Accord might not offer the auto industry's most exciting look, but Clarke says the model's big windows make the Honda (HMC) a great choice for shorter drivers.

"The whole greenhouse thing doesn't necessarily lend itself to a sexy-looking car, but it does create a highly functional one because you can see clearly out the windows," he says. "That's certainly true with the Accord." The expert adds that the Accord also boasts a "super-roomy" cabin, good-quality finishes, quick acceleration and sharp handling. The base Accord comes standard with a 185-horsepower four-cylinder engine and a manual transmission that produce a good 24 mpg/city and 34 mpg/highway or 27 mpg/city. (Automatics get 27 mpg/city and 36 mpg/highway.) Environmentalists should also check out the plug-in hybrid Accord that Honda has already rolled out for 2014, or a traditional hybrid that's expected to reach showrooms shortly.

Top 10 Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now

After a break for the Fourth of July, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) got back to its winning ways, gaining 147 points, or 1% today. In a refreshing turn of events, stocks actually jumped on good news, gaining on a strong jobs report, after the market seemed hesitant in midday trading. In recent weeks, we've seen a pattern of equities moving higher on bad economic data, which Wall Street has interpreted as a sign that the promised end to the Fed's bond-buying program will be delayed. It's good to see investors back to cheering the recovery, as increased employment is the best long-term medicine for investors, not the Fed's stimulus program.

This morning, the Labor Department reported that nonfarm payrolls added 195,000 jobs in June, better than expectations off 166,000, and it also revised May's and April's total up by a combined 70,000. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate held steady at 7.6%; many of the new jobs came in the restaurant and retail segments. Interest rates jumped along with stock prices as the 10-year treasury yield increased 8.6%, to close out at 2.7%, as the likelihood of the Fed easing its treasury purchases pushes down their value, and, consequently, their rates up. Oil prices also climbed 2.4%, to $103, on continuing concerns in Egypt and the strong U.S. jobs report. Investors may want to keep an eye on both oil and treasuries, as either could cool off the recovery -- treasuries by pushing up mortgage rates, and oil prices by raising consumer and business costs.

Top 5 Communications Equipment Companies To Own In Right Now: Burger King Worldwide Inc (BKW)

Burger King Worldwide, Inc., incorporated on April 2, 2012, is a fast food hamburger restaurant, under the Burger King brand. The Company generates revenues from three sources: franchise revenues, consisting primarily of royalties based on a percentage of sales reported by franchise restaurants and fees paid by franchisees; property income from properties that it leases or subleases to franchisees, and retail sales at Company restaurants. In September 2012, it sold 41 Company-owned BURGER KING restaurants in Singapore to Rancak Selera Sdn Bhd. As of December 31, 2012, it owned or franchised a total of 12,997 restaurants in 86 countries and United States territories. In April 2013, it announced the sale of Burger King Restaurants of Canada (BKRC), including 94 Company owned BURGER KING restaurants in the Canada market to Redberry Investments Corp.

The Company operates in the FFHR category of the quick service restaurant (QSR), segment of the restaurant industry. In the United States, the QSR segment is the segment of the restaurant industry and has demonstrated steady growth over a long period of time. The Company launched four new menu platforms (salads, wraps, smoothies and desserts) and expanded its chicken, coffee and ancillary menu platforms. It has established a data driven marketing process, which is focused on driving restaurant sales and traffic, while targeting a broader consumer base with more inclusive messaging to reach women, parties with children and seniors.

United States and Canada (U.S. and Canada)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 7,293 franchise restaurants and 183 Company restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company refranchised 752 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, bringing the region to 98% franchised. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it also continued to implement its Four Pillars strategy to improve comparable sales growth and franchise profitability by enhancing its Menu, Marke! ting Communications, Image, and Operations.

Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 2,989 franchise restaurants and 132 Company restaurants in EMEA. While in Germany continues with 684 restaurants as of December 31, 2012, Turkey and Russia are two of its growing markets with net openings of 78 restaurants and 47 restaurants, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2012.

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 1,290 franchise and 100 Company restaurants in LAC. In 2011, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with Vinci Partners for Brazil and granted franchise and development rights to the joint venture. The Company received a minority stake and board seats in the joint venture without deploying its own capital.

Asia Pacific (APAC)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 1,007 franchise and 3 Company restaurants in APAC. As of December 31, 2012,the Company had 357 restaurants in Australia. It contributed 44 Company restaurants in China. In September 2012, the Company sold 38restaurants to Rancak Selera, the Burger King franchisee in Malaysia.

The Company competes with McDonald�� Corporation, Wendy�� Company, Carl�� Jr., Jack in the Box and Sonic.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Fede Zaldua]

  Once again its possible to witness the huge skill-set owned by managers hired by 3G, the private equity firm backed by the Brazilian trio who controls AB-InBev (BUD): Lemann, Sicupira and Telles. This time, the trio is outperforming the market with their investment in Burger King Worldwide (BKW), which has returned 40% to its owners since its IPO in June 2012. This more than triples McDonald's (MCD) performance during the same period.

Top 10 Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Habit Restaurants Inc (HABT)

The Habit Restaurants, Inc. is a fast-casual restaurant company. The Company is engaged in preparing char-grilled burgers and sandwiches. The Company offers tri-tip steak, grilled chicken and sushi-grade albacore tuna cooked over an open flame. In addition, it offers prepared salads and a selection of sides, shakes and malts. The Company prepares its burgers with char-grilled preparation, topped with caramelized onions and fresh produce. The Company offers burgers, paired with fries, and offers a range of non-burger items, such as grilled albacore sandwich made with sushi-grade tuna, grilled chicken sandwich topped with crisp bacon and ripe avocado, Cobb salad, offered with a variety of dressings, and tempura green beans. As of October 20, 2014, the Company operates 99 restaurants in 10 markets in four states. The Company has operations in California, including Bay area, Central California, Greater La, Inland Empire, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego; Arizona; Utah and New Jersey. The Company�� wholly-owned subsidiaries include The Habit Restaurants, LLC and the Continuing LLC.

The Company�� Char burgers menu includes Double Char burger, Mushroom Swiss Char, Teriyaki Char burger, Barbecue (BBQ) Bacon Char burger and Santa Barbara Style. Its Sandwich menu includes Chicken, Tri-tip, Albacore Tuna, Veggie burger, Chicken club and Pastrami. It offers a range of salads, including Garden salad, Grilled chicken salad, Grille Chicken Caesar and BBQ chicken salad. In addition, it offers a range of shakes and malts, which consists of Shakes, including chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, mocha, coffee flavors; Malts, including chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, mocha, coffee flavors; Cones and Sundaes, including Vanilla ice cream, Hershey's chocolate, whipped cream and nuts. Additionally, it offers French fries, Onion rings, Sweet potato fries, Side salad, Side Caesar salad, Tempura green beans, Chicken nuggets and Grilled cheese.

The Company�� restaurants are furnished with natural l! ight, hardwood accents, polished stone countertops and a dining area featuring vinyl booths, high-top tables and community table seating. The Company offers destination for a range of occasions, including lunch options, after-school hangouts, a social venue and restaurant for families. The Company also provides Habit Trucks to provide Char burgers at events. Each truck is equipped with a kitchen, digital menu board, and sound system. The Habit Truck can book with a food minimum of approximately $1250 regardless of the guest count.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  christianz1969/Flickr Americans lately have been transferring their love of fast-casual restaurant food to stocks of companies in the segment. Late last month, "better burger" specialist The Habit Restaurants (HABT) launched an initial public offering that doubled in price within hours of hitting the market. Like a meal from one of The Habit's more traditional fast-food rivals, though, the feeling of satisfaction didn't last: The shares started to drop after the initial euphoria. But that isn't stopping other fast-casual operators from listing on the exchange. They're finding, though, what works in the kitchen isn't necessarily successful on the market. IPOh Yes IPOs of fast-casual chain operators are coming to the market faster than you can get a refill at a soda machine. This year alone has seen the market debut not only of The Habit, but also the Mediterranean-flavored Zoe's Kitchen (ZOES) and West Coast chicken griller El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO), among others. Like The Habit, the stocks of the latter two saw impressive first-day rises (although they didn't pop quite as high as those of the burger purveyor). Why the excitement? Some of it can certainly be ascribed to the IPO market itself, which has had a frothy year. As of this writing, 262 companies have gone public, a 25 percent rise over the same period of 2013. In terms of total proceeds from IPOs, 2014 is set to be the best year for at least the past decade. Building a Better Burrito But likely a bigger factor is that the fast-casual segment has one great model that investors are hoping the newcomers can at least partially replicate -- Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG). Since going public in 2006, the stock of the now-ubiquitous chain has gone through the roof. Its IPO was priced at $22 a share and doubled in its first day of trading. Since then, its shares have ballooned -- at the moment, they trade at nearly $660, for a hard-to-believe 2,900-plus-percent rise from the issue price. It's not t

Top 10 Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Country Style Cooking Restaurant Chain Co Ltd (CCSC)

Country Style Cooking Restaurant Chain Co., Ltd. (CSC Cayman), incorporated on August 14, 2007, is a quick service restaurant chain in China. The Company offers delicious, everyday Chinese food. The Company conducts all of its restaurant operations through CSC China and its subsidiaries. As of June 30, 2012, it had 256 restaurants, including 124 restaurants in Chongqing municipality and 85 restaurants in Sichuan province.

Chongqing municipality and Sichuan province cover a region of 110 million people in Southwest China. CSC Cayman directly operates all of its restaurants. Its standard menu features its main dishes prepared in the Sichuan style, as well as a selection of other dishes, appetizers, desserts and beverages. The Company periodically offers new dishes and seasonal menu selections.

The Company competes with McDonald��, KFC and Yoshinoya.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Country Style Cooking Restaurant Chain Co., Ltd (NYSE:CCSC), a fast-growing quick service restaurant chain in China, plans to release its unaudited second quarter 2012 financial results on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, after the market closes.

Top 10 Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Ignite Restaurant Group Inc (IRG)

Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc., incorporated on February 4, 2002, operates two restaurant brands, Joe's Crab Shack (Joe's) and Brick House Tavern + Tap (Brick House). The Company�� Joe's Crab Shack and Brick House Tavern + Tap operate in a diverse set of markets across the United States. Joe's Crab Shack is a national chain of casual seafood restaurants serving a variety of seafood items, with an emphasis on crab. Brick House Tavern + Tap is a casual restaurant brand that provides guests a gastro pub experience by offering a blend of menu items. As of December 31, 2012, the Company owned and operated 144 restaurants in 33 states. In September 2013, Ignite Restaurant Group Inc announced the opening of its newest Joe's Crab Shack restaurant, located in Newark, New Jersey.

Joe's Crab Shack

The Company�� Joe's Crab Shack offers an outdoor patio for guests to enjoy eating and drinking and a children's playground. Joe's also has many locations that are located on waterfront property. Interior design elements include a nautical, vacation theme to invoke memories of beach vacations and a genuine crab shack experience. Joe's Crab Shack restaurants have over 200 seats. Many of the Company�� restaurants also include a small gift shop where guests can purchase souvenirs to commemorate their dining experience. Joe's Crab Shack also leverages its crab-forward menu with other crab items, including Made-From-Scratch Crab Cakes, Crab Nachos and Crazy-Good Crab Dip. In addition to its core crab-focused menu, Joe's also offers a range of entrees featuring a variety of seafood, including the Get Stuffed Snapper, Surf 'N Turf Burger and The Big Hook Up, as well as a range of traditional seafood entrees like the Fisherman's Platter. Joe's also offers several out of water options, such as Pan Fried Cheesy Chicken and Whiskey Smoked Ribs. In addition, alcoholic beverages include the Shark Bite, Category 5 Hurricane and Mason Jar cocktails emerging as guests' top choices. Joe's menu inc! ludes more than 29 items made with either Queen, Snow, Dungeness or King Crabs sourced from government regulated and sustainable fisheries. Its menu offers 14 appetizers, including Made-From-Scratch Crab Cakes, Crab Nachos and Crazy-Good Crab Dip, and over 50 entrees, including Steampots, Crab in a Bucket, Skillet Paella, Stuffed Snapper and out of water options like Whiskey Smoked Ribs.

Brick House Tavern + Tap

The Company�� Brick House's interior decor includes custom lighting, dark mahogany woods, open sight lines, high definition television (HD TVs), and an inviting fireplace. In addition to a traditional dining room and bar area, Brick House also offers large communal tables and a section of leather recliners positioned in front of large HD TVs, where guests receive their own TV tray for dining. Outdoor seating is also available on the patio or around an open fire pit at nearly all locations. Both food and beverages are served by personable and engaging service staff. The typical Brick House restaurant is approximately 8,500 square feet and averages approximately 250 seats, which includes both traditional tables and seating options. Brick House offers its guests a selection of contemporary tavern food. Brick House's menu includes 17 appetizers and over 53 entrees. Handcrafted appetizers include Deviled Eggs, Meatloaf Sliders, Brick Pizza, Meat and Cheese Board and Fried Stuffed Olives. Brick House offers an array of burgers, including The Kobe, which is hand formed from American Wagyu beef. Guests can also choose from a selection of homemade entrees, such as Drunken Chops, BBQ Baby Backs, Chicken & Waffles, and its Prime Rib Sandwich. In addition, Brick House's Brick Burgers, include the Gun Show Burger and the Black & Bleu Burger. Brick House's beverage selection includes imported and domestic beers along with hand-pulled cask beer. All Brick House restaurants have a bar that supports a variety of liquor drinks, wine and beer cocktails like the Shandy and Bee Sting, a! s well as! specialty cocktails like the Dark & Stormy, Moscow Mule and The Zombie.

The Company competes with Red Lobster, Bonefish Grill, Landry's Seafood, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, BJ's Restaurants, Yard House, Cheesecake Factory, Bravo Brio and Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee's, Chili's, T.G.I. Friday's, Texas Roadhouse and Outback Steakhouse.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Margins matter. The more Ignite Restaurant Group (Nasdaq: IRG  ) 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 Ignite Restaurant Group's competitive position could be.

• [By Victor Selva]

  The firm is currently Zacks Rank # 3 - Hold, and it also has a longer-term recommendation of ��nderperfom.��For investors looking for a Zacks Rank # 1 ��Strong Buy, Ignite Restaurant Group Inc. (IRG) and The Wendy's Company (WEN) could be the options.

Top 10 Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Brinker International Inc (EAT)

Brinker International, Inc. (Brinker), incorporated on September 30, 1983, owns, develops, operates and franchises the Chili�� Grill & Bar (Chili��) and Maggiano�� Little Italy (Maggiano��) restaurant brands. As of June 27, 2013 (fiscal 2013), the Company's system of Company-owned and franchised restaurants included 1,591 restaurants located in 50 states, and Washington, D.C. It also has restaurants in the Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Syria, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.

Chili�� Grill & Bar

Chili�� operates in the Bar and Grill category of casual dining. The Company has operations worldwide, with locations in 32 foreign countries and two United States territories. Chili�� menu features items, such as Baby Back Ribs smoked in-house, Big Mouth Burgers, Sizzling Fajitas, hand-battered Chicken Crispers and house-made Chips and Salsa. The all-day menu offers a range of appetizers, entrees and desserts. A special lunch section is available on weekdays. In addition to its flavorful food, Chili�� offers a line of alcoholic beverages available from the bar, including Margaritas and draft beer. During fiscal 2013, food and non-alcoholic beverage sales constituted approximately 86.1% of Chili�� total restaurant revenues, with alcoholic beverage sales accounted for the remaining 13.9%.

Maggiano�� Little Italy

Maggiano�� is a full-service, casual dining Italian restaurant brand. Its Maggiano�� restaurants feature individual and family-style menus, and its restaurants also have banquet facilities designed to host party business or social events. It has lunch and dinner menu offering chef-prepared, classic Italian-American fare in the form of appetizers, entrees with portions of pasta, ch! icken, seafood, veal and prime steaks, and desserts. The Company�� Maggiano�� restaurants also offer a range of alcoholic beverages, including wines. In addition, Maggiano�� offers a full carryout menu, as well as local delivery services. During fiscal 2013, food and non-alcoholic beverage sales constituted approximately 83.0% of Maggiano�� total restaurant revenues, with alcoholic beverage sales accounted for the remaining 17.0%.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Damian Illia]

  The restaurant industry has not been easy these days, as many setbacks seem to have interfered with companies��performance. Holiday seasons, bad weather and other challenges lead to under top-line results for many. Firms such as Chili�� of Brinker International (EAT) or McDonald's (MCD) have complained about the hostile weather conditions striking their business.

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  AP/Jae C. Hong For all the talk about drones replacing parcel carriers or self-driving cars disrupting the taxi industry, there's a bigger tech revolution happening in the restaurant industry right now that may displace workers far sooner than anything futurists foresee in those other industries. The arrival of tablets and smartphone apps that detail menu items, take orders, and let you settle up your tab at the en of the meal will be a big theme among casual dining chains and even a few independent foodie haunts this year. Brinker International's (EAT) Chili's, DineEquity's (DIN) Applebee's, and a handful of San Francisco fine dining establishments are leading the push to add the technology, which will make waiters and waitresses less necessary. None of the chains have said that these tech initiatives will lead them to reduce waitstaff headcount -- but it doesn't take a lot of foresight to connect the dots. If folks are using table-side tablets to place orders and ask for drink refills, or firing up a smartphone app to pay at the end of a meal, that naturally translates into fewer front-of-house employees needed to keep an eatery going. Order Up In fact, some industry leaders outright deny that mobile tech will displace staff. "This really isn't a labor play," DineEquity CEO Julia Stewart said on CNBC late last year, explaining Applebee's move to deploy 100,000 tablets this year -- one at every table. "It's not about saving labor. This is really about creating an opportunity to talk to our guest, have an interactive conversation with our guest, and give our guest a lot more opportunities." At first, a waitstaff will be instrumental in assisting customers as they use the tablets to place orders or pay their bills. There will also be patrons who are apprehensive about embracing the technology, and Applebee's will still have waiters taking orders the old-fashioned way for people who prefer talking to a person. Chili's is going with a less-comprehensive table

• [By Ali Berri]

  Brinker International (NYSE: EAT) reported a drop in its fourth-quarter profit. However, the company's revenue topped analysts' estimates.

• [By CNBC]

  Tony Tribble, Invision/AP Forget about Bloomin' Onions or boneless wings, for many consumers, the choice of where to dine often comes down to a different factor: which restaurant has the best booze. "Alcoholic beverages can be a key driver of traffic, differentiation, and loyalty," said David Decker, president of Consumer Edge Insight. According to the firm, two factors that keep customers coming back are "selection" and "pricing." Consumer Edge Insight recently surveyed restaurant customers to find out which casual-dining spots generated the most loyalty with their alcoholic beverages. Taking the top spot for "selection" was Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD), with 29 percent of those surveyed saying they were "most likely to visit it most often due to its good selection of alcoholic beverages." Applebee's (DIN) took the second spot, with 24 percent, and Outback Steakhouse (BLMN) and T.G.I. Friday's tied for third place with 22 percent each. Prices also keep customers coming back to Buffalo Wild Wings. When asked which casual-dining brand they were "most likely to visit most often due to its good prices of alcoholic beverages," Buffalo Wild Wings came out on top with 30 percent. Chili's (EAT) was No. 2 at 23 percent, and Ruby Tuesday (RT) was third with 22 percent. Buffalo Wild Wings has always made alcohol a part of its experience, even making it part of its tagline: "Wings.Beer.Sports." The chain is the No. 1 account for more than 50 different beer brands and recently launched Game Changer, a new beer in a partnership with Redhook Brewery. Priced between cheaper domestic lagers and pricier craft beers, Game Changer became the fourth-most-popular draft beer at company-owned locations within two weeks of its release. "Among casual-dining restaurants, Buffalo Wild Wings is seeing the greatest positive effect in terms of building customer loyalty with its alcohol offerings," Decker said. "There are many steps other restaurants can take to improve their alcoho

Top 10 Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc (FRGI)

Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc. (Fiesta Restaurant Group), incorporated on April 27, 2011, owns, operates and franchises two fast-casual restaurant brands, Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana. The Company's Pollo Tropical restaurants offer a range of tropical and Caribbean inspired food, while the Company's Taco Cabana restaurants offers a range of fresh, authentic Mexican food. As of December 30, 2012 , the Company owned and operated a total of 251 restaurants across four states, which included 91 Pollo Tropical and 160 Taco Cabana restaurants. The Company franchises its Pollo Tropical restaurants internationally. As of December 30, 2012 , the Company had 35 franchised Pollo Tropical restaurants located in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Honduras, Trinidad, the Bahamas, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panama and on several college campuses in Florida. As of December 30, 2012 , the Company had eight Taco Cabana franchised restaurants located in Georgia, New Mexico and Texas.

Pollo Tropical

The Company's Pollo Tropical restaurants offer tropical and Caribbean inspired menu items, featuring grilled chicken marinated in the Company's blend of tropical fruit juices and spices. The Company's diverse menu also includes a line of TropiChops (a casserole bowl of grilled chicken, roast pork or grilled vegetables served over white, brown or yellow rice and red or black beans and topped with a range of condiments and sauces), a range of chicken sandwiches, wraps, salads, roast pork, grilled ribs and wings offered with a range of salsas, sauces and Caribbean style made from scratch side dishes, including black beans and rice, Yucatan fries and sweet plantains, as well as menu items, such as french fries, corn and salads. The Company also offers Hispanic desserts, such as flan and tres leches, and at certain locations, the Company offers a range of sangria, wine and beer.

The Company's Pollo Tropical restaurants feature signature dining areas. In additiona, the Company's Pollo Tropical restaurants ! provide its guests the option of take-out, as well as the convenience of drive-thru windows. The Company's Pollo Tropical restaurants are open for lunch, dinner and late night orders seven days per week. As of December 30, 2012, its company-owned Pollo Tropical restaurants were freestanding buildings. The Company's typical free-standing Pollo Tropical restaurant ranges from 2,800 to 3,500 square feet and provide interior seating for approximately 70 guests. As of December 30, 2012 , the Company owned and operated a total of 91 Pollo Tropical restaurants, of which 89 were located in Florida and two were located in Georgia. The Company is franchising its Pollo Tropical restaurants internationally. As of December 30, 2012, the Company had 35 franchised Pollo Tropical restaurants located in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Honduras, Trinidad, the Bahamas, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panama and on college campuses in Florida. The Company also has agreements for the future development of franchised Pollo Tropical restaurants in Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Guatemala and India.

Taco Cabana

The Company's Taco Cabana restaurants serve Mexican food, including flame-grilled beef and chicken fajitas served on sizzling iron skillets, quesadillas, hand-rolled flautas, enchiladas, burritos, tacos, fresh-made flour tortillas, a selection of made from scratch salsas and sauces, customizable salads served in a Cabana bowl, traditional Mexican and American breakfasts and other Mexican dishes. The Company's Taco Cabana restaurants also offer a range of beverage choices, including soft drinks, frozen margaritas and beer.

The Company's Taco Cabana restaurants feature interior dining areas, as well as semi-enclosed and outdoor patio areas. In addition, the Company's Taco Cabana restaurants provide its guests the option of take-out. The Company's freestanding Taco Cabana restaurants average approximately 3,500 square feet (exclusive of the exterior dining area) and provide seating for approximatel! y 80 gues! ts, with additional outside patio seating for approximately 50 guests. As of December 30, 2012, its company-owned Taco Cabana restaurants were freestanding buildings. As of December 30, 2012, the Company owned and operated 160 Taco Cabana restaurants, of which 156 are located in Texas and four in Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  Fiesta Restaurant Group (FRGI) was the Fund's best performing position in the fourth quarter and for all of 2013. Over the past year the stock g ained over 240 percent and added 212 basis points of return. The fast-food chain has con tinued to restructure after spinning off Burger King restaurants and is now successfully ach ieving organic growth. We continue to believe the stock is undervalued and expect further growth ahead.

Top 10 Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc (PLKI)

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc, formerly AFC Enterprises, Inc. incorporated on July 27, 1992, develops, operates, and franchises quick-service restaurants (QSRs or restaurants) under the trade names Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (collectively Popeyes). Within Popeyes, it manages two business segments: franchise operations and ompany-operated restaurants. Within the QSR industry, Popeyes distinguishes itself with a Louisiana style menu, which features spicy chicken, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, fried shrimp and other seafood, red beans and rice and other regional items. As of December 25, 2012, the Company operated and franchised 2,104 Popeyes restaurants in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Cayman Islands and 26 foreign countries. As of December 25, 2012, of its 1,634 domestic franchised restaurants, approximately 70% were concentrated in Texas, California, Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Georgia, Virginia and Mississippi. Of its 425 international franchised restaurants, approximately 60% were located in Korea, Canada, and Turkey. Of its 45 Company-operated restaurants, approximately 80% were concentrated in Louisiana and Tennessee. In November 2012, the Company acquired 27 restaurants in Minnesota and California.

As of December 25, 2012, the Company had 340 franchisees operating restaurants within the Popeyes system. During the fiscal year ended December 25, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Popeyes system opened 141 restaurants, which included 75 domestic and 65 international restaurants. During fiscal 2011, the Popeyes system permanently closed 75 restaurants, resulting in 66 net restaurant openings, compared to 65 net openings. As of December 25, 2012, it leased 12 restaurants and subleased 44 restaurants to franchisees. In addition, it leased three properties to unrelated third parties. Of the restaurants leased or subleased to franchisees, 29 were located in Texas and 16 were located in Georgia. On November 7, 2012,! the Company entered into a new agreement with the King Features Syndicate Division of Hearst Holdings, Inc., licensor of the Popeye the Sailorman and associated cartoon characters.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sue Chang]

  Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc. (PLKI) �is expected to report first-quarter earnings of 45 cents a share.

• [By Mark Yagalla]

  As the fast-food wars heat up, restaurants are getting more creative with their menu items. One item that is getting a lot of attention is the waffle. Two restaurant chains that have introduced their own variations of the waffle are Taco Bell, owned by Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM  ) �and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (NASDAQ: PLKI  ) . Taco Bell has made the Waffle Taco a centerpiece of its new breakfast menu. Meanwhile, Popeyes is bringing back its popular Chicken Waffle Tenders. Could the waffle be the answer and boost same-store sales for these restaurants? If it is the answer, expect to see more variations of the waffle on many more menu boards.

• [By Steve Symington]

  With the taste of last quarter's�solid performance�still fresh on investors' palates, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (NASDAQ: PLKI  ) just served up another plate of mixed quarterly results. But this time, the quick-service restaurant chain added a little extra kick with its guidance.

Top China Stocks To Watch Right Now

Another report claiming we're hitting the automotive saturation point.

This one, a global warning from IHS Automotive: "Trends in urban motorization could reduce the number of motor vehicles in use globally in 2035 by 250 million and trim new sales by 30 million units annually."

That is, too many cars in too little space is spurring regulations limiting auto ownership and use. And that comes as worldwide factory production capacity already exceeds the demand for the foreseeable future.

The biggest squeeze is forecast in the very countries the auto industry is counting on for continued growth, the so-called BRIC nations -- Brazil, Russia, India and China.

According to IHS, "Asian and other developing-market cities will not achieve the levels of car motorization enjoyed in the West, nor meet sales and production growth levels currently forecast by the auto industry."

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp.(RPTP)

Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. operates as a biotechnology company in the United States. The company is dedicated to speeding the delivery of new treatment options to patients by working to improve existing therapeutics through the application of highly specialized drug targeting platforms and formulation expertise. Its clinical stage development products include DR Cysteamine, which is in phase IIb for the treatment of cystinosis; phase IIa for the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; and phase II for the treatment of Huntington?s disease. Raptor?s clinical-stage products also include Convivia that is in Phase IIa stage for the potential management of acetaldehyde toxicity due to alcohol consumption; and Tezampanel and NGX 426, which completed phase I stage for the treatment of migraine and pain. Its preclinical product candidates comprise HepTide for the treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis; WntTide for the treatment of breast cancer; NeuroTrans for the treatmen t of neurodegenerative diseases; and Tezampanel and NGX 426 for the treatment of Thrombosis and Spasticity Disorder. Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. is headquartered in Novato, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  This week saw two new drugs approved by the FDA: Raptor Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ: RPTP  ) Procysbi and Merck's (NYSE: MRK  ) Liptruzet.

Top China Stocks To Watch Right Now: TAL Education Group(XRS)

TAL Education Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides K-12 after-school tutoring services in the People?s Republic of China. It offers tutoring services to K-12 students covering various academic subjects, including mathematics, English, Chinese, physics, chemistry, and biology. The company provides tutoring services through small classes; personalized premium services, such as one-on-one tutoring; and online course offerings. As of May 31, 2011, it operated a network of 199 physical learning centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wuhan, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Xi?an; and eduu.com, an online education platform for online courses. The company also offers education and management consulting services, as well as sells software. It operates under the Xueersi brand. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Beijing, China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  TAL Education Group (NYSE: XRS) shares rose 4.30% to $20.86. The volume of TAL Education Group shares traded was 318% higher than normal. TAL Education's PEG ratio is 1.14.

Top China Stocks To Watch Right Now: 51job Inc.(JOBS)

51job, Inc. provides integrated human resource services primarily in the People?s Republic of China. . The company provides recruitment related advertising services, including print advertising services through 51job Weekly, which is a city-specific recruitment advertising publication that is published once a week and is distributed as an insert in local newspapers and/or on a stand-alone basis; and online recruitment services through its Website, www.51job.com. It also offers other human resource related services, such as business process outsourcing, which consist of social insurance and welfare payment processing, regulatory compliance, and payroll processing; and executive search services, as well as conducts training seminars in the areas of business management, leadership, sales and marketing, human resource, negotiation skills, financial planning and analysis, public administration, manufacturing, secretarial, and other skills for the general public and corporate cl ients. In addition, the company provides campus recruitment services; conducts salary, employee retention, and other human resource related surveys; organize and host annual human resource conferences and events, which include lectures, seminars, workshops, and networking opportunities for human resource professionals; and provides assessment tools to assist human resource departments in evaluating capabilities and dispositions of job candidates and existing employees, aiding employee placement, and allocating employee resources, as well as hiring and support services to employers on select recruitment projects. It provides recruitment and other human resource related services to employers through its sales offices, as well as through its sales and customer service call center. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  As US and global economies recover, hiring should increase with overlooked recruitment related stocks like Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc (NASDAQ: CSOD), 51job, Inc (NASDAQ: JOBS) and Staffing 360 Solutions Inc (OTCBB: STAF) being among the first to benefit aside from those who have found employment:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Andy Wong/AP Alibaba (BABA) is the new belle of the dot-com ball in China. The e-commerce juggernaut pulled off a record initial public offering in September when it raised $25 billion on the way to becoming a public company. Analysts love Alibaba. They were able to initiate coverage on Wednesday, following the 40-day quiet period that follows an IPO's debut. Only one of its underwriters -- Goldman Sachs -- failed to tap it as a buy recommendation. It's easy to see the appeal. Alibaba helped 231 million active buyers place 11.3 billion orders totaling $248 billion in transactions last year, and it's just getting started. However, the stock, with its nearly $250 billion market cap, isn't cheap. Let's look at some Chinese dot-coms that have been trading longer and could be more compelling bargains. Baidu (BIDU) China's leading search engine posted another blowout quarter on Wednesday, just as analysts were gushing all over Alibaba. The company behind China's largest search engine saw revenue soar 52 percent over the prior year's third quarter. Earnings climbed just 27 percent, but that was twice as fast as analysts were expecting. Baidu is investing in low-margin online specialties including travel, video and mobile app storefronts, and that weighs on bottom-line growth. Baidu remains one of China's biggest winners. It went public nine years ago at a split-adjusted price of $2.70, and now it trades north of $200. Baidu fulfills roughly two-thirds of all queries, and it is rocking at a time when its profitability is still suppressed. 51job (JOBS) Matching employees to potential hires started out with old-school tech for 51job. It got its start by inserting weekly job listings in more than two dozen leading Chinese newspapers. Then the Internet came along, allowing 51job to convert its thick Rolodex and respected brand into a leading online recruiter. It's working: 51job is growing its revenue in the low double digits. It's trading at a reasonable 22 time

• [By Ben Rooney]

  51job (JOBS), an online job search website similar to Monster.com (MWW), has surged more 60% this year.

  But there is one notable Chinese dot-com stock that's sitting out the big rally. Shares of Renren (RENN), the social network known as China's Facebook (FB, Fortune 500), are down 3% for the year.

Top China Stocks To Watch Right Now: Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc.(HMIN)

Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. develops, leases, operates, franchises, and manages a chain of economy hotels in the People?s Republic of China. The company operates its hotels under the Home Inn brand name. As of April 28, 2011, it had approximately 800 Home Inns in operation and 1,000 Home Inns sealed in franchise agreements. The company was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  The New York traded ADRs of China's Home Inns and Hotels Management (HMIN) have climbed 15.5% from September 24 to the close on October 11.

  Part of the reason is a October 10 recommendation from Goldman Sachs that added the ADRs to its top pick list. And part of the reason is a huge surge in domestic travel during China's recently concluded National Day holiday week. (Home Inns and Hotels Management is a member of my Jubak's Picks portfolio.)

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Home Inns & Hotels Management (Nasdaq: HMIN  ) reported earnings on May 13. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Home Inns & Hotels Management missed estimates on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

Top China Stocks To Watch Right Now: CNinsure Inc.(CISG)

CNinsure Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance brokerage and agency services, and insurance claims adjusting services in the People?s Republic of China. The company offers property, casualty, and life insurance products underwritten by domestic and foreign insurance companies operating in China. Its property and casualty insurance products include automobile, individual accident, commercial property, homeowner, cargo, hull, liability, and construction insurance; and life insurance products comprise individual whole life insurance, term life insurance, education annuity, and health insurance, as well as universal insurance and group life insurance. The company also offers insurance claims adjusting services, which include pre-underwriting survey, claims adjusting, disposal of residual value, loading and unloading supervision, and consulting services, as well as damage assessment, survey, authentication, and loss estimation to insurance companies and the i nsured; and value-added services to its customers in conjunction with distributing automobile insurance products. As of April 15, 2010, its distribution and service network consisted of 49 insurance agencies, 3 insurance brokerages, and 4 claims adjusting firms, with 571 sales and service outlets. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Guangzhou, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  CNinsure (NASDAQ: CISG) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.10 per share.

  Ferrellgas Partners LP (NYSE: FGP) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.85 per share on revenue of $722.07 million.

Top China Stocks To Watch Right Now: Suntech Power Holdings Co. LTD.(STP)

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd., a solar energy company, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of photovoltaic (PV) products. The company also provides engineering, procurement, and construction services to building solar power systems for certain related party and third party customers. Its products include monocrystalline and multicrystalline silicon PV cells; PV modules; and building-integrated photovoltaics products. In addition, the company provides PV system integration services, including designing, installing, and testing PV systems used in lighting for outdoor urban public facilities, as well as in farms, villages, and commercial buildings; and project development services. Its products are used to provide electric power for residential, commercial, industrial, and public utility applications. The company sells its products through value-added resellers, such as distributors and system integrators; and to end users, such as project develo pers primarily in Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Benelux, Greece, the United States, Canada, China, the Middle East, Australia, and Japan. Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Wuxi, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Lewis]

  Formerly the biggest maker of solar panels in the world, with more than 10,000 employees, China-based Suntech Power Holdings (NYSE: STP  ) has witnessed a long fall from grace. The nail in the coffin came in March, when the company failed to pay a $513 million debt obligation. Shortly following its default, the company sailed into Chinese bankruptcy protection. Fast-forward to this week and the company is trading more than 30% higher on a largely speculative rumor that Warren Buffett is looking to buy it.

• [By Wall Street Sector Selector]

  Previous to last week's solar flare, the sector has suffered through some awful growing pains. The financial crisis resulted in reduced subsidies for development in the rapidly-advancing photovoltaic power industry. Meanwhile, China increased government financing of its solar industry, having already established a strong presence in the sector with such companies as Suntech Power (STP) and LDK Solar (LDK).

• [By Dan Carroll]

  China's companies now have even less wiggle room to operate, considering lending's either expensive or hard to come by. As investment flows out of the country, unstable companies won't survive, even with government support. Solar-power company Suntech Power's (NYSE: STP  ) recent bankruptcy is an early sign of things to come. Suntech was the first Chinese solar-power company to go public when it hit the market in 2005, and generous public subsidies helped propel its growth. With money tightening across the country, Suntech's questionable business practices sank it -- the first of what could be more troubles to come for weaker Chinese company.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Provided that the Chinese government either encourages or permits consolidation, any of these three could be an acquirer. The likeliest target, of course, is SunTech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NYSE: STP), which is reorganizing and which the government has already seemed to give up on. Other possible targets include ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL) and JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (NYSE: JKS).