Top Income Companies To Watch For 2014

Although business headlines still tout earnings numbers, many investors have moved past net earnings as a measure of a company's economic output. That's because earnings are very often less trustworthy than cash flow, since earnings are more open to manipulation based on dubious judgment calls.

Earnings' unreliability is one of the reasons Foolish investors often flip straight past the income statement to check the cash flow statement. In general, by taking a close look at the cash moving in and out of the business, you can better understand whether the last batch of earnings brought money into the company, or merely disguised a cash gusher with a pretty headline.

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 Fair Isaac (NYSE: FICO  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top Income Companies To Watch For 2014: Gaming Partners International Corporation(GPIC)

Gaming Partners International Corporation engages in the manufacture and supply of casino table game equipment worldwide. The company offers gaming chips, such as american-style casino chips comprising injection molded chips, thermo-compression molded chips, and sublimation chips; and European-style casino chips, including jetons and plaques. It also provides playing cards; table layouts; gaming furniture consisting of tables, bases, and pit podiums; and table game accessories, such as roulette reader boards, foot rails, chip trays, drop boxes, shoes, cut cards, dice sticks, lammers, markers, buttons, and air rail system ventilation devices, as well as dice. In addition, the company offers low and high frequency RFID readers and antennas, and other products used with casino table games, such as blackjack, poker, baccarat, craps, and roulette. Further, it provides themed products for customers to promote special events, including sporting events, conventions, holidays, casi no anniversaries, and premier entertainment events. The company sells its products directly to end-users, as well as through distributors under the Paulson, Bourgogne et Grasset, and Bud Jones brand names. Gaming Partners International Corporation was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Top Income Companies To Watch For 2014: PAR Technology Corporation(PAR)

PAR Technology Corporation provides technology solutions to organizations and businesses in the hospitality industry worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Hospitality and Government. The Hospitality segment provides integrated solutions, including hardware and software applications for restaurants, hotels, resorts, and spas to the hospitality industry. It also offers customer support, including field service, installation, 24 hour telephone support, and depot repair. The Government segment performs complex technical studies, analysis, and experiments; develops solutions, and provides on-site engineering in support of advanced defense, security, and aerospace systems. The company, through its subsidiary, PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc, provides guest-centric property management solutions to hotels, resorts, spas, casinos, and other hospitality properties. PAR Technology Corporation was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in New Hartford, New York.

Top 10 Valued Stocks To Own For 2014: VOC Energy Trust(VOC)

VOC Energy Trust owns a term net profits interest of the net proceeds from production of the interests in oil and natural gas properties in the states of Kansas and Texas. It owns an 80% term net profits interest of the net proceeds on the underlying properties. As of December 31, 2009, the underlying properties produced oil from approximately 892 gross (550.2 net) wells located in 193 fields; and had total proved reserves of 13.0 million barrels of oil equivalent. The company was founded in 2010 and is based in Austin, Texas.

Top Income Companies To Watch For 2014: Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc.(CRTX)

Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, engages in the acquisition, development, and commercialization of prescription pharmaceutical drugs for the hospital, niche respiratory, and related specialty markets. The company offers CUROSURF, a natural lung surfactant used for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants; and ZYFLO CR and ZYFLO, which are leukotriene synthesis inhibitor drugs used for the prevention and chronic treatment of asthma in adults and children. It also provides anti-infective products, such as FACTIVE, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used for the treatment of acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (ABECB) and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) of mild to moderate severity; and SPECTRACEF, a antibiotic used for the treatment of respiratory tract infections, pharyngitis and tonsillitis, uncomplicated skin and skin-structure infections, ABECB, and CAP. In addition, the company?s pipeline products include CRTX 080, a vasopressin receptor 2 antagonist lixivaptan used for the treatment of hyponatremia; CRTX 073, an anti-asthma product candidate used for the treatment of asthma; and CRTX 067, a cough/cold product candidate for the treatment of cough and cold. It serves drug wholesalers, retail drug stores, mass merchandisers, and grocery store pharmacies in the United States. The company was formerly known as Critical Therapeutics, Inc. and changed its name to Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. as a result of its merger with Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. in October 2008. Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina.

Top Income Companies To Watch For 2014: Aruma Resources Limited(AAJ.AX)

Aruma Resources Limited engages in the exploration of mineral properties in Australia. It primarily explores for gold. The company has eight prospective project areas that include tenements under application covering an area of approximately 1000km2 in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia. Its principal project includes the Glandore project covering 41km2 of contiguous ground located to the east of Kalgoorlie Boulder in Western Australia. The company was incorporated in 2010 and is based in Nedlands, Australia. Aruma Resources Limited is a subsidiary of Hemisphere Resources Limited.

Top Income Companies To Watch For 2014: Paragon Group(PAG.L)

The Paragon Group of Companies PLC, through its subsidiaries, engages in first mortgage and consumer finance businesses in the United Kingdom. The company?s services include buy-to-let and owner-occupied mortgage assets; asset investment and administration; vehicle fleet management; unsecured lending; property services; mortgage brokering; loan and vehicle finance; and surveyors and property consulting. It also offers a range of services to its landlord customers, including tenant assessments, insurance products, and energy performance certificates. In addition, the company provides consumer finance and specialist loan servicing for non-performing assets, litigation, and surveying services for third party clients comprising the management of portfolios and the provision of arrears management. Its clients include building societies, investment banks, specialist lenders, hedge funds, private equity houses, commercial banks, and other financial services companies. The Parago n Group of Companies PLC was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Solihull, the United Kingdom.