Best Solar Companies To Invest In 2014

Earlier this week, I covered a majority of my recent conversation with SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR  ) CEO Tom Werner, which can be found here. Today, I want to go over the company's growing leasing business and the difference between SunPower and its leasing rival SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY  ) . Both companies are among the hottest in solar but SolarCity is now worth $1.27 billion more than SunPower despite not making a profit and investors should consider who can generate more value in leasing.

To give a little background, below are the statistics behind the leasing business at SunPower and SolarCity. SunPower only reports residential for some stats and you can add a little more than 50% to these numbers to approximate the commercial lease business based on a recent presentation. All numbers below are for the end of Q1 2013. �

Best Solar Companies To Invest In 2014: Progress Software Corporation(PRGS)

Progress Software Corporation operates as an enterprise software company worldwide. Its products include Progress OpenEdge platform, which offers development tools, application servers, application management tools, and an embedded database; Progress Orbix to address enterprise integration problems with standards-based solutions; and Progress ObjectStore, an object data management system to store data faster than relational database management system or file-based storage system. The company?s products also comprise Progress Responsiveness Process Management suite for business users; Progress Control Tower, an interactive business control panel; Progress Sonic, which comprises an enterprise messaging system and the enterprise service buses; Progress Actional that provides operational and business visibility, root cause analysis, and policy-based security and control of services; Progress Apama, which offers tools for creating, testing, and deploying strategies for applicat ions, including algorithmic trading, market aggregation, smart order routing, market surveillance and monitoring, and risk management; Progress Savvion BusinessManager, a business process management software; and Fuse products that provide customers with access to professional open source integration and messaging software. In addition, it offers Progress DataDirect Connect products, which provide data connectivity components; Progress DataDirect Shadow to provide foundation architecture for standards-based mainframe integration; and Progress Data Services product set that offers data integration for distributed applications. Further, the company provides maintenance, consulting, training, and customer support services. Progress Software Corporation sells its products to independent software vendors, original equipment manufacturers, and system integrators through direct sales force and independent distributors. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in Bedford, Massac husetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Stuart]

  Progress Software(PRGS) recently cut its outlook for the fiscal second quarter ended in May, saying execution problems at its EDS (enterprise data solutions) segment would lead to a shortfall.

  Mark Schappel from Benchmark Securities (which rates Progress a "buy" with a $31 target) says the shortfall is a speed bump in the company's ongoing transformation, and not a sign of a slump in infrastructure spending.

  TheStreet Ratings has a $34 price target on Progress Software.

Best Solar Companies To Invest In 2014: OPNET Technologies Inc.(OPNT)

OPNET Technologies, Inc. provides application and network performance management solutions in the United States and internationally. It offers AppCapacity Xpert to provide capacity planning for servers; AppInternals Xpert to extract performance and forensic data; AppMapper Xpert to produce run-time application maps; AppResponse Xpert to monitor and analyze end-user experience for various users and transactions; AppSQL Xpert to track database usage; AppTelemetry Xpert to capture performance information; and AppTransaction Xpert to analyze individual transactions. The company also provides IT Guru Network Planner and SP Guru Network Planner for network capacity planning and design optimization, and validation of network configuration changes; IT Sentinel that offers network configuration integrity and security auditing, and proactive change validation; nCompass for enterprises and service providers for visibility of network topology, traffic, and status; and Virtual Network Environment Server to maintain real-time data model of the production IT network. In addition, it offers SP Guru Transport Planner for designing optical networks; SP Sentinel to offer network configuration integrity and security auditing, and proactive change validation; and AppResponse Xpert to ensure application performance; OPNET Modeler, a network modeling and simulation product; Modeler Wireless Suite for wireless network R&D organizations; and Modeler Wireless Suite for defense. Further, the company develops and sells various software modules; and offers consulting services, product updates, technical support and services, and training services. OPNET Technologies, Inc. sells its products through direct sales force, as well as through distributors and value-added resellers. Its customers include corporate enterprises, government and defense agencies, network service providers, and network equipment manufacturers. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Martin]  

  The brokerage expects the company to continue competing successfully against larger application monitoring vendors, helped by the breadth of product portfolio and deep experience in network design and lifecycle technologies.

  The analysts see OPNET is capable of a sustained organic revenue growth rate approaching the mid-teens, which should enable the company to achieve scale advantages and increase gross margin profitability.

Best Semiconductor Companies To Own For 2014: Pfizer Ltd (PFIZER)

Pfizer Limited operates in three segments: Pharmaceuticals, Animal Health and Services. The Pharmaceuticals business consists of manufacturing of drugs and formulations, trading of formulations, and also includes rendering of marketing services. The Animal Health business has a presence primarily in the animal health and poultry market segments and also includes rendering of marketing services. Services segment convicts of clinical development operations primarily include conducting clinical trials, product development and undertaking data management for drug development. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012, the Company had launched 26 branded value offerings (BVOs) mainly in the anti-infective, analgesic, central nervous system (CNS), cardiovascular system (CVS) and diabetes segment. The Company incorporated Pfizer Animal Pharma Private Limited (PAPPL), wholly owned subsidiary on February 10, 2012. On April 2, 2012, the Company transferred its Animal Health Business to PAPPL.

Here's What This $42 Billion Hedge Fund Company Has Been Buying

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

Today let's look at the D. E. Shaw & Co., founded by David E. Shaw and with a reportable stock portfolio totaled $41.8 billion in value as of March 31.

Shaw is known as a math wizard, and a quantitative investing pioneer. His firm is reportedly extremely selective, hiring less than 1% of applicants -- and Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos once made the cut.

Interesting developments
So what does D. E. Shaw's latest quarterly 13F filing tell us? Here are a few interesting details.

The biggest new holdings are Liberty Media and the iShares MSCI Mexico Capped Investable Market Index Fund ETF. Other new holdings of interest include Sarepta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SRPT  ) . Sarepta stock has soared about ninefold over the past year, and some still see it as undervalued. After Sarepta petitioned the FDA for accelerated approval for its Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, eteplirsen, the FDA requested more information. That sent shares lower, but management is optimistic about its recent interactions with the FDA.

Among holdings in which D.E. Shaw increased its stake was Keryx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KERX  ) , which is up more than 350% over the past year. Bulls are excited about its kidney-disease drug, Zerenex. Results for the drug have been promising, and the company is looking to expand its applications and approvals. Not as promising is that the company's experimental colorectal cancer drug perifosine recently posted disappointing results, sending the stock down some. A plus for the company is its ample cash, which should support its drive toward approvals and eventual profits.

D. E. Shaw reduced its stake in lots of companies, including Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD  ) and Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL  ) . Acadia has skyrocketed over the past year, rising more than 10-fold, on high hopes for its pimavanserin drug, which treats psychosis in patients with Parkinson's disease. If the drug gains FDA approval, it will enjoy little competition and could be a big winner for Acadia. The company thinks the drug might be effective against psychosis related to Alzheimer's disease as well and is conducting trials for that, too. Acadia is also raising about $100 million via a secondary stock offering to fund ongoing and future trials.

Biotech company Exelixis, meanwhile, recently reported non-blowout early sales of its thyroid cancer drug, Cometriq, with management suggesting that it's still too soon to draw conclusions. Some are waiting to see if the drug gets approved to treat prostate cancer, too, and the company is looking at treating as many as nine different conditions with it, such as bone tumors. On the other hand, Cometriq is expensive, and the company's debt has been growing, along with its share count.

Finally, D. E. Shaw's biggest closed positions included Nexen and Mylan. Other closed positions of interest include Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI  ) , which recently hit a five-year high, despite posting disappointing earnings in its last quarter. Still, revenue and earnings are growing at a double-digit rate, which remains attractive. A strong report from Ford is promising for Sirius, as its radios are embedded in many vehicles. Bulls like the company's new personalized radio service, MySXM, too. Meanwhile, Sirius faces competition from Pandora and even Google has a music-streaming business now.

We should never blindly copy any investor's moves, no matter how talented the investor. But it can be useful to keep an eye on what smart folks are doing, and 13F forms can be great places to find intriguing candidates for our portfolios.

Even though Sirius XM is one of the market's biggest winners since bottoming out three years ago, there's still some healthy upside to be had if things go right for it -- and plenty of room for it to fall if things don't. Read all about Sirius in The Motley Fool's premium report. To get started, just click here now.

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More Expert Advice from The Motley Fool

The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for the next year. Find out which stock in our brand-new free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." I invite you to take a copy, free for a limited time. Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.

Top China Companies To Watch For 2014

While the media continues to call SINA� (NASDAQ: SINA  ) Weibo China's main Twitter-like service, saying it doesn't make it so. Digging deeper into the numbers and looking at the broader social networking market, it seems like SINA stock will continue its two-year-and-counting decline.

In the video below, Fool contributor Kevin Chen details five reasons why SINA may be forever doomed:�

SINA Weibo's daily active users may be exaggerated. Its registered users lag that of competitor Tencent� (NASDAQOTH: TCEHY  ) Weibo. Its penetration rate trails Tencent Weibo. Its geographic make-up isn't poised for China's economic growth. Meanwhile, Tencent Weibo is. Renren� (NYSE: RENN  ) , the "Facebook of China," and gaming portal�NetEase� (NASDAQ: NTES  ) threaten SINA Weibo's viability as a social network.�

So before you try to profit from the growing microblogging market in China, watch the video below to learn more about the five things Wall Street overlooks when analyzing SINA.

Top China Companies To Watch For 2014: Grainger Tst(GRI.L)

Grainger plc, through its subsidiaries, owns, acquires, and trades regulated and market-let tenanted properties, as well as owns a portfolio of home reversion properties primarily in the United Kingdom and Germany. Its activities include assembling residential development and mixed use opportunities, obtaining or amending planning permissions, installing infrastructure, and selling or self-developing plots. The company also engages in the rental and trade of properties; and provision of integrated asset and property management services, as well as home reversion plans through independent financial advisers. In addition, it invests in joint ventures and funds. The company holds interest in G:res1, a market rented residential property fund; and G:RAMP, an asset management platform. Its residential portfolio includes 13,564 tenanted houses and flats in the United Kingdom; and 6,718 units in Germany. Grainger plc was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne, the United Kingdom.

Top China Companies To Watch For 2014: Montpelier RE Holdings Ltd (MRH)

Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides insurance and reinsurance solutions worldwide. It provides reinsurance products, including property catastrophe reinsurance, which provides coverage for losses from earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tornados, fires, and storms; and property specialty reinsurance products. The company also offers other specialty reinsurance products, such as aviation liability, aviation war, engineering, space, marine, personal accident, workers� compensation, political violence, casualty, credit, surety, crop, and other specialty reinsurance products, as well as physicians� treaty and professional liability reinsurance products. In addition, it provides direct insurance and facultative reinsurance coverage on industrial, commercial, and residential property; liability; marine; and space risks, as well as political violence, pandemic and event contingency, and terrorism coverages. The company offers its products through indepe ndent brokers, general agents, and intermediaries. Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: Safety Insurance Group Inc.(SAFT)

Safety Insurance Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides private passenger automobile insurance products primarily in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The company?s private passenger automobile policies offer coverage for bodily injury and property damage to others, no-fault personal injury coverage for the insured/insured?s car occupants, and physical damage coverage for an insured?s own vehicle for collision or other perils. It also provides commercial automobile policies that offer insurance for commercial vehicles used for business purposes, including private passenger-type vehicles, trucks, tractors and trailers, insure individual vehicles, and commercial fleets; and homeowners policies, which provide coverage for losses to a dwelling and its contents from various perils, and coverage for liability to others arising from ownership or occupancy. It writes policies on homes, condominiums, and apartments. In addition, the company offers business owners policie s that cover apartments and residential condominiums, limited cooking restaurants, office condominiums, processing and services businesses, special trade contractors, and wholesaling businesses. Further, it provides commercial package policies, which offer property, general liability, crime, and inland marine insurance for business enterprises; personal umbrella policies that provide personal excess liability coverage over and above the limits of individual automobile, watercraft, and homeowner?s insurance policies; and commercial umbrella policies to clients for whom the company underwrites commercial automobile and business owner policies. Additionally, the company underwrites dwelling fire insurance, inland marine coverage, and watercraft coverage. Safety Insurance Group, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

Best Rising Companies To Watch In Right Now

Today's gains set the mood for the rest of the week, and Wall Street would certainly welcome a different mood from the one we saw last week, which registered as the worst of the young year. Although the Dow Jones Industrial Average's (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) gain of 19 points, or 0.1%, may seem meager, 60% of the index's components were up. The Dow closed at 14,567.�

Investors decided to keep buying Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) stock, even after it jumped 3.4% on Friday. The recent bullish sentiment -- shares surged 3.6% today -- comes after an earnings report that far exceeded expectations. Last week's results showed shareholders that the new Windows 8 operating system isn't a complete failure, though it did have some trouble catching on. Microsoft's stock has risen 7.1% in just the past two days on the heels of its surprising quarter.

Best Rising Companies To Watch In Right Now: Mesa Laboratories Inc.(MLAB)

Mesa Laboratories, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets instruments and disposable products utilized primarily in healthcare, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, medical device, and petrochemical industries. The company offers DATATRACE data loggers that are used in critical manufacturing, quality control, and validation applications to measure temperature, humidity, and pressure inside a process or inside a product during manufacturing; and biological indicators and chemical indicators used to assess the effectiveness of sterilization processes, including steam, gas, hydrogen peroxide, and radiation under the Mesa, Apex, SGM Biotech, and Raven brands. It also provides Torqo torque testing systems, which are used to measure bottle cap tightness in the beverage and pharmaceutical industries; Medical meters, which are used for quality control in dialysis clinics and dialysis machine manufacturing operations; and Nusonics concentration analyzers, pipeline interface detector s, and flow meter products used in the chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and plastics industries. It sells its products through direct sales, marketing staff, and distributors in the United States, Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, South America, Canada, and Mexico. Mesa Laboratories, Inc. was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado.

Best Rising Companies To Watch In Right Now: Mitel Networks Corporation(MITL)

Mitel Networks Corporation provides integrated communications solutions to the small-to-medium sized enterprise market in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Canada, Caribbean, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. It offers Internet protocol (IP) telephony platforms, including IP telephony software that performs various functions comprising multi-media call control and communications, which allow business users to reach each other, share information, and collaborate; appliances; and desktop devices, such as IP and digital phones, specialty desktop devices, and peripherals. The company also provides a suite of UCC applications, which consist unified communicator advanced, mobility, customer interaction solution, unified messaging, speech auto attendant, telecollaboration solution, teleworker solution, and business dashboard, as well as audio, video, and Web conferencing for integrating voice, video, and data communications with business applications. In addi tion, it offers network services that include local access services; long distance services; mobile voice and data services; data services, such as Internet access and private networking services; hosted offerings, which comprise network monitoring and management, audio conferencing, Web conferencing, hosted secure Internet access, and Web hosting; and hosted IP telephony services. Further, the company provides managed services, including project management, installation, training, maintenance, professional, consulting, business requirements review, and disaster recovery planning services; support services; and financing of its solutions. It serves education, government, healthcare, hospitality, and retail markets through wholesale distributors, solution providers, system integrators, authorized channel partners, and other technology providers. The company is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada.

Top Cheap Companies To Watch In Right Now: Eaton Vance Limited Duration Income Fund (EVV)

Eaton Vance Limited Duration Income Fund is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Eaton Vance Management. The fund invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. It seeks to invest in the securities of companies operating across the diversified sectors. The fund invests in senior, secured floating-rate loans, mortgage-backed securities, and corporate bonds that are rated below investment grade quality, known as junk bonds with an average duration of 3.47 years and average quality BBB/BBB-. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan Index, the Merrill Lynch U.S. High Yield Index, and the Barclays Capital U.S. Intermediate Government Bond Index. Eaton Vance Limited Duration Income Fund was formed on May 30, 2003 and is domiciled in the United States.

Best Rising Companies To Watch In Right Now: Strattec Security Corporation(STRT)

Strattec Security Corporation engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of automotive access control products. The company?s products include mechanical locks and keys, electronically enhanced locks and keys, steering column and instrument panel ignition lock housings, latches, power sliding door systems, power lift gate systems, power deck lid systems, door handles, and related products. It also provides full service and aftermarket support for its products. The company offers its products primarily for automotive manufacturers. It markets its products in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Korea, and China. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Best Rising Companies To Watch In Right Now: Exterran Holdings Inc. (EXH)

Exterran Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides operations, maintenance, service, and equipment for oil and natural gas production, processing, and transportation applications. The company�s Contract Operations segment offers natural gas compression and production, and processing services, as well as engages in the engineering, procurement, and on site construction of natural gas compression stations and/or crude oil or natural gas production and processing facilities. As of December 31, 2011, this segment provided contract operations services primarily using a fleet of 8,485 natural gas compression units with an aggregate capacity of approximately 3,632,000 horsepower in North America; and a fleet of 1,063 units with an aggregate capacity of approximately 1,260,000 horsepower internationally. Its Aftermarket Services segment sells parts and components; and provides operation, maintenance, overhaul, and reconfiguration services for compression, productio n, treating, and oilfield power generation equipment. The company�s Fabrication segment engages in the design, engineering, installation, fabrication, and sale of natural gas compression units, and accessories and equipment used in the production, treatment, and processing of crude oil and natural gas; provision of engineering, procurement, and fabrication services primarily related to the manufacturing of critical process equipment for refinery and petrochemical facilities; and fabrication of tank farms, and evaporators and brine heaters for desalination plants. Its products include line heaters, oil and natural gas separators, glycol dehydration units, condensate stabilizers, dewpoint control plants, water treatment, mechanical refrigeration and cryogenic plants, and skid-mounted production packages designed for onshore and offshore production facilities. The company was founded in 1990 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Soaring Home Prices Fuel Bank of America Stock

Bank stocks are climbing today after investors learned that home prices surged in March to a multi-year high. Roughly halfway through the trading session, shares of Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) are up by 1.3%, slightly lagging the broader KBW Bank Index (DJINDICES: ^BKX  ) which is higher by 1.7%.

Bank of America stock has struggled over the last few years after the floor fell out from under the housing market and the nation's second largest lender, along with many of its peers, was forced to realize billions of dollars' worth of losses related to subprime lending. To be fair, most of the losses came about as a result of Bank of America's now-lamentable decision to acquire Countrywide Financial in 2008, but at the end of the day, losses are losses.

The good news, as you can see in the chart below, is that the housing market appears to have bottomed out at the beginning of last year and has since mounted an impressive reascent. Investors got a taste of this last Wednesday when the National Association of Relators reported that existing-home sales hit the highest rate last month since November 2009. This was followed up on Friday by the Commerce Department's announcement (link opens PDF) that new home sales in April had followed suit, increasing by 29% on a year-over-year basis.

With this in mind, today's news that housing prices are similarly headed in the right direction provided much appreciated confirmation of these trends. According to the Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller Index (link opens PDF), all 20 cities tracked by the measure posted year-over-year home-price increases in March for the third consecutive month, and compared to the same month last year, they were up by a cumulative 10.9%.

At the same time, however, the index committee was quick to note that "the larger than usual share of multi-family housing, a large number of homes still in some stage of foreclosure and buying-to-rent by investors suggest that the housing recovery is not complete."

Why does this matter to banks in general and Bank of America more particularly? The obvious answer is that banks are in the mortgage business. In the first quarter of this year, Bank of America originated $24 billion in home loans. While this was a pittance compared to, say, Wells Fargo's $109 billion in mortgage originations, it's nevertheless an important contributor to Bank of America's bottom line. And beyond this, Bank of America carries tens of billions of dollars' worth of home loans on its balance sheet and services hundreds of billions of dollars more for third-party investors.

Does a recovering housing market make Bank of America stock a buy?
Bank of America's stock doubled in 2012. Is there more yet to come? With significant challenges still ahead, it's critical to have a solid understanding of this megabank before adding it to your portfolio. In The Motley Fool's premium research report on B of A, analysts Anand Chokkavelu, CFA, and Matt Koppenheffer, Financials bureau chief, lift the veil on the bank's operations, including detailing three reasons to buy and three reasons to sell. Click here now to claim your copy.

Here's What Some Big-Time Quants Are Buying

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

Today, let's look at the Renaissance Technologies hedge fund company founded by James Simons and known for its quantitative approach to investing. Indeed, Simons explained in 2007 that, "We hire physicists, mathematicians, astronomers and computer scientists and they typically know nothing about finance... We haven't hired out of Wall Street at all." The company's most well-known fund is the Medallion Fund. Interestingly, most of its assets belong to employees of the firm, and outside investors are generally turned away.

Why should you look at Renaissance Technologies' moves? Well, it's hard to find performance data for it, but in his 2009 book Blunder: Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions, Zachary Shore noted that Renaissance's flagship Medallion fund "has yielded an average 38% annual return since its inception in 1988. The fund has lost money only in a single year, 1989, when it dropped 4.1%." That's so remarkable that some have mused that it's either a Madoff-like Ponzi scheme or a simply amazing hedge fund.

The company's reportable stock portfolio totaled $41.2 billion  in value as of March 31, 2013, with several thousand holdings. (Concentration, thy name is not Renaissance Technologies!)

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

The biggest new holdings are EMC and Virgin Media. Other new holdings of interest include Nokia (NYSE: NOK  ) and Corning (NYSE: GLW  ) . Nokia has struggled in recent years, but has been regaining its footing, providing less developed economies with less expensive mobile phones and also partnering on Windows phones. It's coming out with new offerings, too. Sales in China have been shrinking recently, though, and some worry about developing nations embracing more pricey smartphones.

Corning has suffered lately due to low prices and demand for LCD substrates, but it's enjoying solid demand for its Gorilla Glass, which generated more than $1 billion in 2012 revenue. The company's flexible new Willow Glass is also promising. Despite some issues such as falling profit margins, there's a solid case to be made that the stock is attractively priced at recent levels and a good long-term investment. It has upped its dividend as well.

Among holdings in which Renaissance Technologies increased its stake was New York Community Bancorp (NYSE: NYCB  ) , which is offering a hefty 7.3% dividend yield. The company has recently been growing via acquisitions and its management is known for prudent management of credit risk. Bulls like that its CEO has been with the company for decades and is heavily invested in it, and a recent decline in its non-performing assets is a plus, too.

Renaissance Technologies reduced its stake in lots of companies, including Houston-based oil and natural gas company Linn Energy (NASDAQ: LINE  ) . Linn offers a whopping 8.8% dividend yield, and has been making some income-generating acquisitions. The company specializes in buying mature, productive energy assets -- and is poised to eventually profit from the rich Bakken fields. It's also admired for its successful long-term hedging and organic growth, and is seen by some as a solid investment.

Finally, Renaissance's biggest closed positions included Apple and Cisco Systems. Other closed positions of interest include Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU  ) , which is trading near its 52-week high and has a forward P/E ratio near 20. The struggling PC market has hurt the company, but bulls are hopeful about growth in tablets and smartphones driving demand for memory chips. Its second-quarter earnings report featured lower costs and rising margins that hinted at a return to profitability soon. Micron's purchase of Japanese manufacturer Elpida also seems promising, boosting its capacity and its relationship with Apple. Micron has been losing market share, though, and some worry about the commoditization of memory, recent net losses, and Micron's debt levels.

We should never blindly copy any investor's moves, no matter how talented the investor. But it can be useful to keep an eye on what smart folks are doing. 13-F forms can be great places to find intriguing candidates for our portfolios.

A conservative portfolio, quality long-term management, and a huge dividend -- it would seem that there's a lot to like about New York Community Bancorp. But is it really that simple? To help you figure out whether New York Community Bancorp is a buy today, check out The Motley Fool's premium research report on the bank. Click here now for instant access!

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now

For years, central banks have been the key to success in the stock market, and today's 127-point rise in the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) owes much to the European Central Bank's actions today. By reducing a key interest rate by a quarter-percentage point to 0.5%, the ECB joined the Fed, the Bank of Japan, and other central banks around the world in pushing the pedal to the metal to try to stimulate the global economy. Moreover, the U.S. saw good news on the employment front, as jobless claims fell to their lowest levels in five years, and the trade deficit narrowed.

Despite the positive news, a couple of Dow stocks posted declines. Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO  ) lost 0.6%, pulling back from its highest levels in more than a decade. Ongoing worries about where the beverage giant will find new growth have lingered for a while, but if strength in emerging markets returns, then Coke stands to be among the biggest beneficiaries. Still, if a stimulus-led bull market resumes in earnest, then stocks that investors traditionally look to as defensive plays, such as Coca-Cola, could lag behind more economically sensitive companies.

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now: Finisar Corporation(FNSR)

Finisar Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets optical subsystems and components that are used to interconnect equipment in short-distance local area networks (LANs), storage area networks (SANs), longer distance metropolitan area networks (MANs), fiber-to-the-home networks, cable television networks, and wide area networks. Its optical subsystems primarily include transmitters, receivers, transceivers, and transponders. The company?s optical subsystems provides the fundamental optical-electrical interface for connecting the equipment used in building networks comprising switches, routers, and file servers in wireline networks, as well as antennas and base stations for wireless networks. It also offers products for switching network traffic from one optical wavelength to another across multiple wavelengths, known as reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers. The company?s line of optical components principally comprises packaged lasers and photodetec tors used in transceivers for LAN and SAN applications; and passive optical components used in building MANs. It sells its optical products to manufacturers of storage system, networking equipment, and telecommunication equipment or their contract manufacturers through direct sales force and distribution channels in the United States, Malaysia, the People?s Republic of China, and internationally. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now: Tuesday Morning Corp.(TUES)

Tuesday Morning Corporation engages in the retail sale of decorative home accessories, housewares, and gifts in the United States. The company?s merchandise primarily consists of lamps, rugs, furniture, kitchen accessories, small electronics, gourmet housewares, linens, luggage, bedroom and bathroom accessories, toys, stationary, and silk plants, as well as crystal, collectibles, and silver serving pieces. It also offers apparel and accessories. In addition, the company provides brand name merchandise, including cookware, appliances, linens, bath towels, luggage, flatware, tabletop, crystal, collectibles, dolls, china and giftware, and rugs. As of September 21, 2011, it operated 861 discount retail stores in 43 states. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Hot Electric Utility Companies To Buy For 2014: Cathay Intl(CTI.L)

Cathay International Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, operates primarily in the healthcare sector. It engages in the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of specialty western pharmaceuticals, modern Chinese medicine extracts, and generic pharmaceuticals in the People?s Republic of China; manufacturing, marketing, and sale of plant extracts for use as active ingredients in food, beverages, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and healthcare products; and the development of pharmaceutical products. The company also operates Crowne Plaza Landmark Hotel & Suites Shenzhen, a five star business traveler hotel in the Lowu district of Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China. Cathay International Holdings Limited is based in Central, Hong Kong.

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now: Mengold Resources Inc. (MNI.V)

MGold Resources Inc. engages in mineral exploration for precious and base metals in Canada. It primarily explores for gold, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, and molybdenum deposits. It holds interests in the Burchell Lake and Goldcreek properties located in the Shebandowan area of northwestern Ontario. The company was formerly known as Mengold Resources Inc. and changed its name to MGold Resources Inc. in September 2010. MGold Resources Inc. was incorporated in 1946 and is based in Montreal, Canada.

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now: St.modwen Props(SMP.L)

St. Modwen Properties PLC, through its subsidiaries, engages in the investment and development of real estate properties in the United Kingdom. It develops communities, mixed use and town centre schemes, district centres, business and employment developments, office accommodation, warehousing, and industrial projects. The company?s property portfolio comprises approximately 5,700 developable acres and 18 town centre schemes. St. Modwen Properties PLC is headquartered in Birmingham, the United Kingdom.

Cable & Wireless Communications Reports a Milestone Year

LONDON -- Cable & Wireless Communications  (LSE: CWC  ) -- the full-service international telecommunications company that arose from the demerger of Cable & Wireless in 2010 -- published its results for the year ending March 31, 2013 this morning, and revealed what it described as a "good performance in transformational year." Unfortunately, the results have so far transformed the share price downwards, by around 2%.

Group EBITDA was 1% up on 2012, at $905 million, on revenue that had increased by 2% to $2,887 million. But continuing operations saw revenue decline 3% to $1,942 million, owing to the exclusion of a number of disposals across the group, aimed at focusing the business and enabling $100 million of cost reductions.

Adjusted earnings per share were up 2%, at $0.066, and the board is recommending a final dividend of $0.0267, bring the full-year dividend to $0.04, which the company believes represents a sustainable level of payout, that is capable of progressive growth.

Commenting on the results, Cable & Wireless Communications' chief executive Tony Rice said:

2012/13 has been a milestone year for Cable & Wireless Communications. The agreements to sell our Monaco & Islands and Macau businesses have reshaped the Group and we have achieved the goal of structural coherence that we set ourselves at the demerger of Cable & Wireless in 2010. 

The Group is now focused on a single region with low penetration for data services and strong growth potential where we have scale and market leadership. This focus will create a more unified, effective and cost-efficient Group. It will enable us to transform how we operate our businesses as we create an organisation structure and operating model that addresses the demands of a data driven market and can be scaled for growth.

We begin the 2013/14 year with a strong foundation and a clear direction.

Cable & Wireless Communications' share price is now up almost 26% so far in 2013, and nearly 60% on this time last year. If further transformation of the company goes according to plan, that upward trend could well continue. And it's also paying shareholders a generous dividend of close to 6%, one of the highest yields in the FTSE.

If you're looking for some more quality companies for the long-term, you should definitely check out the latest free Motley Fool report, "5 Shares To Retire On." This report contains five top-quality share selections from our team of expert analysts here at The Motley Fool.

Hot India Stocks To Watch Right Now

In the video below, Motley Fool CEO Tom Gardner sits down with Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX  ) CFO Troy Alstead during a recent visit to Starbucks headquarters in Seattle. In this portion of the video, they discuss the massive international opportunities for Starbucks, particularly in China and India. Alstead says that China will be Starbucks' second biggest market within the next couple of years, and that stores in India have seen huge demand after opening two months ago.�

A full transcript follows the video.

Starbucks is one of Tom Gardner's favorite stocks, but you can never have too many great companies in your portfolio. If you're looking for more ideas, our chief investment officer has selected a different stock as his favorite for this year. Find out which stock it is in the free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." Just�click here�to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.�

Hot India Stocks To Watch Right Now: Charming Shoppes Inc.(CHRS)

Charming Shoppes, Inc. operates as a specialty apparel retailer primarily for women in the United States. The company operates retail stores and related e-commerce Web sites under the LANE BRYANT, CACIQUE, LANE BRYANT OUTLET, FASHION BUG, FASHION BUG PLUS, and CATHERINES PLUS SIZES brand names. Its retail stores offer plus-size, junior, and misses sportswear, dresses, coats, and intimate apparel, as well as accessories and casual footwear. The company also sells food and specialty gifts through its Figi's Gifts in Good Taste catalog and related e-commerce Website, as well as through third-party retailers' stores. In addition, it operates FIGI'S Gallery that offers home decor, bedding, housewares, jewelry, garden accents, apparel, collectibles, gifts, and other items through its catalog and e-commerce Website. As of March 27, 2012, the company operated 1,857 retail stores in 48 states. Charming Shoppes, Inc. was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Bensalem, Pennsylvania .

Hot India Stocks To Watch Right Now: LJ International Inc.(JADE)

LJ International Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, marketing, and sale of precious and color gemstones, and diamond jewelry. The company offers colored jewelry; and pieces set in yellow gold, white gold, or sterling silver, as well as adorned with colored stones, diamonds, pearls, and precious stones. Its product line includes earrings, necklaces, pendants, rings, and bracelets. The company distributes its products to fine jewelers, national jewelry chains, department stores, TV shopping channels, discount chain stores, and electronic and specialty retailers in North America and Western Europe. It also involves in the retail of jewelry products under the ENZO brand. As of December 31, 2010, the company operated 133 ENZO stores in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Macau. In addition, it owns commercial and residential properties in Hong Kong, which are held primarily for lease. The company was founded in 1987 and is based in Hung Hom, Hong Kong.

Hot Undervalued Stocks To Own Right Now: Baidu Inc.(BIDU)

Baidu, Inc. provides Chinese and Japanese language Internet search services. Its search services enable users to find relevant information online, including Web pages, news, images, multimedia files, and blogs through the links provided on its Websites. The company also offers online community-based products and entertainment platforms; an instant messaging service; and a consumer-oriented e-commerce platform. In addition, it designs and delivers online marketing services and auction-based P4P services that enable its customers to reach users who search for information related to their products or services. The company serves online marketing customers consisting of small and medium sized enterprises, large domestic corporations, and Chinese divisions or subsidiaries of multinational corporations primarily operating in the medical, machinery, education, franchising, electronic products, e-commerce, ticketing, tourism, information technology, consumer products, real estate, entertainment, and financial services industries. It sells its online marketing services directly, as well as through its distribution network. The company was formerly known as Baidu.com, Inc. and changed its name to Baidu, Inc. in December 2008. Baidu, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Lowell]

  Baidu Inc. (BIDU) Baidu has a market cap of $51.28 billion with a price-to-earnings ratio of 66.8. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $85.86 to $165.96. The stock is currently trading near the top of its 52-week range at around $145. On July 25th, the company reported second quarter revenue of $528 million, compared with revenue of $282 million in the second quarter of 2010. Second quarter net income was $253 million compared with net income of $123 million in the second quarter of 2010.

  One of Baidu’s competitors is SINA Corporation (SINA). SINA is currently trading at around $111 with a market cap of $7.24 billion and a negative price-to-earnings ratio.

  Baidu is an established company and is the only Chinese stock that Jim Cramer will recommend. The company has been profitable in every year since 2003. In 2010, the company grew net income by 145% to $535 million from $218 million in 2009. Investors have faith in this company and bid the stock up by 63.51% over the last 52 weeks and by 407% over the last 3 years. After the company increased its year-over- year second quarter net income by 105%, it is apparent that Baidu is still enjoying rapid earnings growth. I rate Baidu Inc. a buy.

• [By Robert Hsu]

  Baidu.com (NASDAQ: BIDU) is unveiling a new feature that will likely keep users on its site longer. The company will launch third-party offerings in Baidu’s application library directly on Baidu.com rather than on another website, providing a potential revenue boost for the company. For example, if a user searches for a specific online game, the new function will produce a pop-up window containing the game which can be played immediately without the user leaving the Baidu site.

  Earlier this month, Baidu tried to clear its consolidation period and break out of its current range, but couldn’t fight the overall undertow of the broad market and fell back to around its 10-week moving average. However, in the past few days the stock is again finding support and bouncing higher along with the market.

  Baidu stock has jumped 119% since January and 125% over the past 12 months. This could offer a buying opportunity, especially as the broader market heads higher. My buy limit for BIDU is $80.

Chevron's Promising South American Trifecta

General Electric vs. ExxonMobil: Which Dow Stock's Dividend Dominates?

Dividend stocks outperform non-dividend-paying stocks over the long run. It happens in good markets and bad, and the benefit of dividends can be quite striking: Dividend payments have made up about 40% of the market's average annual return from 1936 to the present day. But few of us can invest in every single dividend-paying stock on the market, and even if we could, we might find better gains by being selective. That's why we'll be pitting two of the Dow Jones Industrial Average's (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) dividend payers against each other today to find out which is the true dividend champion. Let's take a closer look at our two contenders now.

Tale of the tape
General Electric (NYSE: GE  ) is the only member of the Dow's century club, as it has been a continuous component since 1907. The Schenectady, N.Y.-based industrial conglomerate has successfully navigated more than a century of change without losing its foundational identity, as you'll still find GE turbines and engines in power plants and high-performance transportation around the world. In keeping with its focus on electricity, GE has also made significant inroads toward an alternative-energy future, which makes it a real threat to the future of its opponent today.

ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM  ) is another of the Dow's longest-tenured components, with a continuous streak of membership dating back nearly 85 years. Based in the Dallas suburb of Irving, Texas, ExxonMobil is the largest and most direct descendant of Standard Oil, and it also happens to be the largest component on the Dow. ExxonMobil produces more oil and gas than many countries, which gives it a dominant market position that's unlikely to erode unless the world engages in a wholesale transition from petroleum products to alternative energy.

Statistic

General Electric

ExxonMobil

Market cap	$245.1 billion	$411.4
P/E ratio	16.4	9.3
TTM profit margin	9.6%	9.6%
TTM free-cash-flow margin*	9.5%	3.5%
Five-year total return	(7.6%)	10.7%

Source: Morningstar and YCharts. TTM = trailing-12-month.
*Free-cash-flow margin is free cash flow divided by revenue for the trailing 12 months.

ExxonMobil has size and valuation on its side, but GE has the better free-cash-flow margin -- an important consideration for dividend investors. Which of these two stalwarts will come out ahead?

Round one: endurance
GE has been paying dividends for more than a century. ExxonMobil can claim the same thing by looking back at its corporate ancestry: Standard Oil began paying dividends in the 1880s. Neither company has much of an edge on going the distance, and because no one alive today would have been a shareholder in these companies more than 100 years ago, we'll call this a...

TIE, 0-0

Round two: stability
Paying dividends is all well and good, but how long have our two companies been increasing their dividends? The same dividend payout year after year can quickly fall behind a rising market, and there's no better sign of a company's financial stability than a rising payout in a weak market (so long as it's sustainable, of course). This one is an easy victory for ExxonMobil, as GE was forced to drastically cut its dividend in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, while the oil giant hasn't reduced its payout in decades.

Winner: ExxonMobil, 1-0

Round three: power
It's not that hard to commit to paying back shareholders, but are these payments enticing or merely token? Let's take a look at how both companies have maintained their dividend yields over time as their businesses and share prices grow:

GE Dividend Yield data by YCharts.

GE squeaks ahead in this one, as it has remained in the lead for nearly the entire five-year period, regardless of that big spike during its share-price meltdown.

Winner: GE, 1-1

Round four: strength
A stock's yield can stay high without much effort if its share price doesn't budge, so let's take a look at the growth in payouts over the past five years. If you bought in several years ago and the company has grown its payout substantially, your real yield is likely look much better than what's shown above.

GE Dividend data by YCharts.

Winner: ExxonMobil, 2-1

Round five: flexibility
A company -- even one as well-positioned as GE or ExxonMobil -- needs to manage its cash wisely to ensure that there's enough available for tough times. Paying out too much of free cash flow in dividends could be a warning sign that the dividend is at risk, particularly if business weakens. This next metric analyzes just how much of their free cash flows our two companies have paid out in dividends over the past several quarters:

GE Cash Div. Payout Ratio TTM data by YCharts.

Winner: GE, 2-2

It's a tie! There aren't many other direct comparisons we can use as a tiebreaker, but we can examine financial stability through each company's debt-to-equity ratio. A lower ratio implies a stronger balance sheet, which will grant a company more freedom to sustain its dividend during difficult times. On this measure, there's no contest:

GE Debt to Equity Ratio data by YCharts.

Winner: ExxonMobil, 3-2

Do you agree with this analysis, or does GE have a brighter future regardless of its recent stumble? No matter which company you choose, you're likely to get a stable payout for many years to come. However, if you have limited resources, it can be smart to allocate what you have to a stronger stock -- which, in this case, is ExxonMobil by a hair.

The recent financial crisis dealt GE a major blow, but management took advantage of the market's dip to make strategic bets in energy. If you're a GE investor, you need to understand how these bets could drive this company to become the world's infrastructure leader. At the same time, you need to be aware of the threats to GE's portfolio. To help, we're offering comprehensive coverage for investors in a premium report on General Electric, in which our industrials analyst breaks down GE's multiple businesses. You'll find reasons to buy or sell GE today. To get started, click here now.

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The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for the next year. Find out which stock in our brand-new free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." I invite you to take a copy, free for a limited time. Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.

Best Airline Companies To Buy Right Now

The Motley Fool's readers have spoken, and I have heeded your cries. After months of pointing out�CEO gaffes�and faux pas, I've decided to make it a weekly tradition to also point out corporate leaders who are putting the interests of shareholders and the public first and are generally deserving of praise from investors. For reference, here's�my previous selection.

This week, we'll head into unchartered territory and I'll show you why Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV  ) CEO Gary Kelly is truly an incredible and innovative force in the airline industry.

Kudos to you, Mr. Kelly
When comparing the pros and cons of the airline industry, there are two primary reasons airline companies are worth buying: They have a safer track record than automobiles and are the only time-feasible way to get across the country. On the flipside, there are about 1 million reasons airlines should have permanent caution tape surrounding them from an investors' perspective.

Best Airline Companies To Buy Right Now: Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL)

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Delta) provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo throughout the United States and around the world. The Company�� route network gives it a presence in every domestic and international market. Delta�� route network is centered around the hub system it operate at airports in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. Each of these hub operations includes flights that gather and distribute traffic from markets in the geographic region surrounding the hub to domestic and international cities and to other hubs. The Company�� network is supported by a fleet of aircraft that is varied in terms of size and capabilities.

Delta has bilateral and multilateral marketing alliances with foreign airlines to improve its access to international markets. These arrangements can include code-sharing, reciprocal frequent flyer program benefits, shared or reciprocal access to passenger lounges, joint promotions, common use of airport gates and ticket counters, ticket office co-location, and other marketing agreements. Its international code-sharing agreements enable it to market and sell seats to an expanded number of international destinations. The Company has international codeshare arrangements with Aeromexico, Air France, Air Nigeria, Alitalia, Aeroflot, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, CSA Czech Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Olympic Air, Royal Air Maroc, VRG Linhas Aereas (operating as GOL), Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Australia and WestJet Airlines.

In addition to the Company�� marketing alliance agreements with individual foreign airlines, it is a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance. Delta also has frequent flyer and reciprocal lounge agreements with Hawaiian Airlines, and codesharing agreements with American Eagle Airlines (American Eagle) and Hawaiian Airlines. It has air service agreements with multiple do! mestic regional air carriers that feed traffic to its route system by serving passengers primarily in small-and medium-sized cities.

Through the Company�� regional carrier program, it has contractual arrangements with 10 regional carriers to operate regional jet and, in certain cases, turbo-prop aircraft using its DL designator code. In addition to Delta�� wholly owned subsidiary, Comair, it has contractual arrangements with ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. and SkyWest Airlines, Inc., both subsidiaries of SkyWest, Inc.; Chautauqua Airlines, Inc. and Shuttle America Corporation, both subsidiaries of Republic Airways Holdings, Inc.; Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. and Mesaba Aviation, Inc. (Mesaba), both subsidiaries of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (Pinnacle); Compass Airlines, Inc. (Compass) and GoJet Airlines, LLC, both subsidiaries of Trans States Holdings, Inc. (Trans States), and American Eagle.

The Company�� SkyMiles program allows program members to earn mileage for travel awards by flying on Delta, Delta�� regional carriers and other participating airlines. Mileage credit may also be earned by using certain services offered by program participants, such as credit card companies, hotels and car rental agencies. In addition, individuals and companies may purchase mileage credits. The Company reserves the right to terminate the program with six months advance notice, and to change the program�� terms and conditions at any time without notice.

SkyMiles program mileage credits can be redeemed for air travel on Delta and participating airlines, for membership in the Company�� Delta Sky Clubs and for other program participant awards. Mileage credits are subject to certain transfer restrictions and travel awards are subject to capacity controlled seating. During the year ended December 31, 2011, program members redeemed more than 275 billion miles in the SkyMiles program for more than 12 million award redemptions. During 2011, 8.2% of revenue miles flown on Delta were from a! ward trav! el.

The Company generates cargo revenues in domestic and international markets through the use of cargo space on regularly scheduled passenger aircraft. Delta is a member of SkyTeam Cargo, an airline cargo alliance. SkyTeam Cargo offers a network spanning six continents and provides customers an international product line.

The Company has several other businesses arising from its airline operations, including aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO); staffing services for third parties; vacation wholesale operations, and its private jet operations. Delta�� MRO operation, known as Delta TechOps, is an airline MRO in North America. In addition to providing maintenance and engineering support for its fleet of approximately 775 aircraft, Delta TechOps serves more than 150 aviation and airline customers. Its staffing services business, Delta Global Services, provides staffing services, professional security, training services and aviation solutions to approximately 150 customers. The Company�� vacation wholesale business, MLT Vacations, is the provider of vacation packages in the United States. Its private jet operations, Delta Private Jets, provides aircraft charters, aircraft management and programs allowing members to purchase flight time by the hour.

The Company competes with SkyTeam, United Air Lines, Continental Airlines, Lufthansa German Airlines, Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways and Qantas.

Best Airline Companies To Buy Right Now: JetBlue Airways Corporation(JBLU)

JetBlue Airways Corporation provides passenger air transportation services in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, it operated approximately 700 daily flights to 70 destinations in 22 states, Puerto Rico, and Mexico; and 12 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America through a fleet of 120 Airbus A320 aircraft and 49 EMBRAER 190 aircraft. The company, through its subsidiary, LiveTV, LLC, provides in-flight entertainment, voice communication, and data connectivity systems and services for commercial and general aviation aircraft, including live in-seat satellite television, digital satellite radio, wireless aircraft data link service, and cabin surveillance systems. JetBlue Airways Corporation was founded in 1998 and is based in Forest Hills, New York.

Best International Stocks To Own For 2014: United Continental Holdings Inc.(UAL)

United Continental Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of passenger and cargo air transportation services. As of February 24, 2011, it operated a total of approximately 5,675 flights a day to 372 airports on 6 continents from their hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Guam, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo, as well as in Washington, D.C. The company was formerly known as UAL Corporation and changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc. on October 1, 2010. United Continental Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Admin]  

  United Continental Holdings provides passenger and cargo air transportation services. UAL recently traded at $17.3 and lost 15.8% during the past 12 months. The stock has a market cap of $5.7 billion, P/E ratio of 12.5 and forward P/E ratio of 3.5. The stock has total debt/equity ratio of 7 and Beta of 1.04.

Best Airline Companies To Buy Right Now: Latam Airlines Group SA (LFL)

LAN Airlines S.A. (LAN), incorporated in 1983, is the international and domestic passenger airline in Latin America and the cargo operator in the region. As of February 9, 2012, LAN and its affiliates provided domestic and international passenger services in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia and cargo operations through the use of belly space on its passenger flights and cargo freighter aircraft through its cargo airlines in Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. LAN and its affiliates offered passenger flights to 15 destinations in Chile, 59 destinations in other South American countries, 15 destinations in other Latin American countries and the Caribbean, five destinations in the United States, two destinations in Europe and four destinations in the South Pacific and, through various codeshare agreements, service to 25 additional destinations in North America, 16 additional destinations in Europe, 27 additional destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean (including Mexico), and two destinations in Asia, as of February 9, 2012. LAN and its affiliates provide cargo service to all of their passenger destinations and to 20 additional destinations served only by freighter aircraft. LAN also offers other services, such as ground handling, courier, logistics and maintenance. LAN and its affiliates operated a fleet, with 135 passenger aircraft and 14 cargo aircraft as of December 31, 2011. On February 15, 2011, Lan Pax Group S.A., subsidiary of Lan Airlines S.A. acquired 100% of Colombian society AEROASIS S.A.

LAN is primarily involved in the transportation of passengers and cargo. Its operations are carried out principally by Lan Airlines and also by a number of different subsidiaries. As of February 28, 2011, in the passenger business the Company operated through six main airlines: Lan Airlines, Transporte Aereo S.A. (which does business under the name Lan Express), Lan Peru S.A. (Lan Peru), Aerolane Lineas Aereas Nacionales del Ecuador S.A. (Lan Ecuador), Lan Argentina S.A. (Lan ! Argentina, previously Aero 2000 S.A.) and the Aerovias de Integracion Regional, Aires S.A. (Aires). As of February 28, 2011, the Company held a 99.9% interest in Lan Express through direct and indirect interests, a 70.0% interest in Lan Peru through direct and indirect interests, a 71.9% indirect interest in Lan Ecuador, a 99.0% indirect interest in Lan Argentina and a 94.99% indirect interest in Aires (a Colombian entity which was acquired on November 26, 2010). Its cargo operations are carried out by a number of companies, including Lan Airlines and Lan Cargo. As of February 28, 2011, the Company held a 69.2% interest in Aero Transportes Mas de Carga S.A. de C.V. (MasAir), through direct and indirect participations, a 73.3% interest in ABSA through direct and indirect participations, and a 90.0% interest in LANCO through direct and indirect participations. In the cargo business, the Company markets itself primarily under the Lan Cargo brand. In addition to its air transportation activities, the Company provides a series of ancillary services. It offers handling services, courier services and logistics, small package and express door-to-door services through Lan Airlines and various subsidiaries.

Passenger Operations

As of February 28, 2011, the Company operated passenger airlines in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia. As of February 28, 2011, our passenger operations were performed through airlines in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia where we operate both domestic and international services. As of February 28, 2011, the Company�� network consisted of 15 destinations in Chile, 14 destinations in Peru, four destinations in Ecuador, 14 destinations in Argentina, 24 destinations in Colombia, 14 destinations in other Latin American countries and the Caribbean, five destinations in the United States, one destination in Canada, three destinations in Europe and four destinations in the South Pacific. Within Latin America, it has routes to and from Argentina, B! olivia, B! razil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The Company also flies to a variety of international destinations outside Latin America, including Auckland, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Madrid, Miami, Mount Pleasant (Falkland Islands), New York, Toronto, Papeete (Tahiti), Paris, San Francisco, and Sydney. In addition, as of February 28, 2011, through its various code-share agreements, the Company offered service to 25 additional destinations in North America, 16 additional destinations in Europe, 25 additional destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean (including Mexico), and two destinations in Asia. As of February 28, 2011, the Company operated scheduled international services from Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina through Lan Airlines; Lan Express in Chile; Lan Peru in Peru; Lan Ecuador in Ecuador; Lan Argentina in Argentina and Aires in Colombia. Its international network combines the Company�� Chilean, Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Argentinean and Colombian affiliates. It provides long-haul services out of its four main hubs in Santiago, Lima, Guayaquil and Buenos Aires. It also provides regional services from Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina.

Cargo Operations

The Company�� cargo business operates on the same network used by the passenger airlines business, which is supplemented by freighter-only operations. The Company carries cargo for a variety of customers, including other international air carriers, freight-forwarding companies, export oriented companies and individual consumers. As of February 28, 2011, the Company operated a fleet of 140 aircraft, comprised of 126 passenger aircraft and 14 cargo aircraft.

The Company competes with UPS, FedEx, Centurion, Transportes Aereos Mercantiles Panamericanos S.A., Polar Air, Cargolux, Lufthansa Cargo, Martinair and Air France-KLM.

Best Airline Companies To Buy Right Now: Copa Holdings SA (CPA)

Copa Holdings, S.A. (Copa Holdings), incorporated on May 06, 1998, is a Latin American provider of airline passenger and cargo service through its two principal operating subsidiaries, Copa Airlines and Copa Colombia. Copa Airlines operates from its position in the Republic of Panama, and Copa Colombia provides service within Colombia and international flights from various cities in Colombia to Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala and Costa Rica, complemented with service within Colombia. As of December 31, 2012, the Company operated a fleet of 83 aircraft with an average age of 5.13 years; consisting of 57 modern Boeing 737-Next Generation aircraft and 26 Embraer 190 aircraft. . As of December 31, 2012, the Company offers approximately 334 daily scheduled flights among 64 destinations in 29 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, mainly from its Panama City Hub.

Copa provides passengers with access to flights to more than 150 other destinations through codeshare arrangements with UAL pursuant to which each airline places its name and flight designation code on the other�� flights. As of December 31, 2012, Copa had firm orders, including purchase and lease commitments, for 35 additional Boeing 737-Next Generation aircraft. Copa also has options for an additional 14 Boeing 737-Next Generation aircraft.

The Company competes with Avianca-Taca, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and LAN Group.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Kathy Kristof]

  Headquarters: Panama City, Panama
  
  52-Week High: $85.25
  
  52-Week Low: $57.03
  
  Annual Sales: $1.8 bill.
  
  Projected Earnings Growth: 18% annually over the next five years 
  
  
  U.S. airlines have to scratch and claw for every penny of profit they earn. Not so for Panama City-based Copa Holdings, says Bob McAdoo, airline analyst with Imperial Capital, a Los Angeles investment firm. With a hub in the Southern Hemisphere’s cross-roads, Copa has few direct rivals. That has allowed Copa to charge premium prices for its flights and register operating profit margins of 15% to 20% year after year. As economies in Brazil and the rest of Latin America continue to expand, Copa is likely to benefit because it gives travelers the most convenient way to hop around the hemisphere. 
  
  Copa’s big advantage lies in the setup of Panama City’s airport, explains McAdoo. Panama knows that it’s a crossroads, so it treats connecting passengers as though they’re hopping on a domestic flight – no trip through customs unless you leave the airport. That saves time, and potentially the need to get a visa for a country you’re just passing through, making the airport the ideal hub for business travelers in a hurry.

The Acquisition Frenzy Is Over - Can PNC Deliver?

In the following video, Motley Fool financial analysts David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer discuss the second-largest regional bank in the U.S., PNC Financial (NYSE: PNC  ) . As a shareholder, Matt discusses what he sees as enticing about PNC today, and talks about whether or not the spate of acquisitions the bank has made recently concerns him as an investor. Matt also highlights one area of PNC's business that investors should be watching today.

The big banks may be rushing to renew their focus on traditional banking, but well-run regional banks like PNC Financial are already there. PNC saw its share of hardships during the financial meltdown, but its management team thinks the bank is now back on track and ready to deliver for investors. Does this mean it's time to buy PNC? To help you figure that out, one of The Motley Fool's top banking analysts has authored a brand-new premium research report, delving into everything investors need to know about PNC today. To claim your copy, simply click here now for instant access.

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More Expert Advice from The Motley Fool

The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for the next year. Find out which stock in our brand-new free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." I invite you to take a copy, free for a limited time. Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Watch Right Now

Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) caught everyone off guard when it announced that Verizon Wireless, the venture it shares with U.K.-based telecom Vodafone (NASDAQ: VOD  ) , would be paying out $7 billion to its two partners.

Based on Verizon's 55% share and Vodafone's 45% share, the companies would receive $3.85 billion and $3.15 billion, respectively. The dividend will be disbursed on June 25, 2013.

The surprising thing about this payout is not that Verizon Wireless wasn't expected to be making a profit -- it's that previous remarks made by Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam to analysts at J.P. Morgan suggested that because of the desire to pay down Verizon Wireless' $5 billion in debt, the partners should not expect much return form their investments this year.

It was considered then that with the threat of leaner payouts perhaps McAdam wanted to put a bit more pressure on Vodafone to sell its share of Verizon Wireless to Verizon. There had been reports last month from both Reuters and Bloomberg that Verizon was preparing an offer of $100 billion for Vodafone's share but that Vodafone valued it at $130 billion.

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Watch Right Now: Verizon Communications Inc.(VZ)

Verizon Communications Inc. provides communication services. The company operates through two segments, Domestic Wireless and Wireline. The Domestic Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data services; and sells equipment in the United States. The Wireline segment provides voice, Internet access, broadband video and data, Internet protocol network, network access, long distance, and other services in the United States and internationally. The company serves consumer, business, and government customers, as well as carriers. As of December 31, 2010, its network covered a population of approximately 292 million and provided service to a customer base of approximately 94.1 million. The company was formerly known as Bell Atlantic Corporation and changed its name to Verizon Communications Inc. in June 2000. Verizon Communications Inc. was founded in 1983 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Cramer,TheStreet]

  This is the year for Verizon Communications (VZ). The iPhone is coming in the first quarter, which will lead to a growth spurt.

  The FIOS buildout is largely paid for, and now the company can reap the benefits. The company's half-owned portion of Verizon Wireless will be paying hefty dividends in 2011, and I think we will get a nice dividend boost.

  We're talking about $40 being reasonable, if conservative, giving this stock one of the best risk-reward profiles we've got in the Dow, or the S&P 500, for that matter.

  CEO Ivan Seidenberg has done a remarkable job turning this staid company into a growth vehicle with a nice dividend. It will be a core holding for many mutual funds.

• [By Richard Young]

  While AT&T (NYSE:T) has been fighting, and losing, the battle to get T-Mobile’s spectrum, Verizon has been piecing together spectrum from far-flung sources, allowing it to expand its 4G LTE operations. Verizon recently purchased more spectrum from a business consortium, and this month VZ bought more spectrum, this time from Cox — a cable provider. Verizon is inking the deals it needs to keep expanding. The company’s stock yields 5.1% today and has broken out of recent resistance on my price chart.

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Watch Right Now: Axia NetMedia Corp (AXX.BE)

Axia NetMedia Corporation (Axia) is engaged in delivering Critical Fibre Optic Enabled Services. The Company sells services and solutions over fibre optic communications infrastructure or Next Generation Networks (NGNs). The Company has networks in the Province of Alberta in Canada, the state of Massachusetts in the United States of America, the state of Catalonia in Spain, France, and Singapore. In North America, Axia sells fibre-enabled services to the public and private sectors. In the public sector Axia sells services directly to customers in the education, healthcare, library and government services segments across the province. MB123 is Axia�� NGN in Western Massachusetts in the United States. MB123 include about 2,200 kilometers of fibre backhaul infrastructure and electronics connecting more than 120 communities. The European segment is driven by Covage in France and includes its Spanish network, Xarxa Oberta.

Top 5 Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: China Unicom (CHU)

China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited (Unicom), incorporated on February 8, 2000, is an integrated telecommunications operator in China providing mobile voice and value-added, fixed-line voice and fixed-line broadband, data communications and other telecommunications services to its customers. The Company operates in two business segments consisting of mobile services and fixed-line services. The Company is engaged in global system for mobile communications (GSM) and wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) cellular business in 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China, the provision of fixedline voice, broadband and other Internet-related services, information and communications technology services, business and data communications services, and other related telecommunication value-added businesses. As of 30 June 2011, Unicom Group held 57.81% of the shares in the Company through China United Network Communications Limited (A Share Company), China Unicom (BVI) Limited and China Netcom Group Corporation (BVI) Limited, and Telefonica Internacional S.A.U. held 9.01% of the shares in the Company.

Mobile Business

Unicom�� mobile business consists of GSM and third generation (3G) mobile business. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had a total of 167.43 million mobile subscribers. As of December 31, 2010, its total number of mobile subscribers included 167.43 million. Unicom operates the 3G business based on the WCDMA technology nationwide in China. As of December 31, 2010, the total number of its 3G subscribers included 14.06 million, and had 1.35 million wireless data card subscribers, 2.41 million mobile television (TV) subscribers and over seven million mobile reading subscribers. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the total 3G voice usage was 55.47 billion minutes and the average data usage per subscriber per month was 178M. GSM mobile business primarily consists of GSM voice business and value-added business.

The Company�� mobile ! voice business enables its subscribers to make and receive phone calls with a mobile handset at any point within the coverage area of its mobile telecommunications networks. Its mobile voice business includes local calls, domestic long distance calls, international long distance calls, intra-provincial roaming, inter-provincial roaming and international roaming. As of December 31, 2010, the Company�� total number of GSM mobile subscribers was 153.37 million. Unicom offers a range of GSM value-added services nationwide, including short message service (SMS), Cool Ringtone (a personalized ring-back tone service), mobile Internet and other wireless information services. During 2010, a total of 78.31 billion SMSs were transmitted by its GSM mobile subscribers. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had a total number of 67.26 million subscribers to its Cool Ringtone service. In addition, as of December 31, 2010, it had a total number of 55.81 million mobile Internet subscribers.

Fixed-Line Business

Unicom is a fixed-line broadband and communications operator in northern China. The Company offers a range of fixed-line services nationwide in China, including fixed-line broadband services and data communications services; fixed-line voice services, include local and long distance fixed-line voice services and value-added services, and other services. The Company is a provider of fixed-line broadband services in its fixed-line northern service region. Unicom is a provider of data communications services in its fixed-line northern service region. It offers managed data products, such as those based on digital data networks (DDN), frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and Internet protocol-virtual private network (IP-VPN). The Company also offers leased line products, including domestic and international leased circuits. Its customers for these services include government entities, large financial institutions and other domestic and multinational businesses, Internet service prov! iders and! other telecommunications operators.

As of December 31, 2010, the Company had established business cooperation relationships with more than 160 overseas operators to provide various international data communications products and services, such as international voice and data services. During 2010, it continued to offer full-scale data communications services to international operators and domestic and international corporate customers. The Company�� fixed-line voice services consist of local voice, domestic long distance, international long distance, value-added, interconnection and personal handyphone system (PHS) services. In addition to fixed-line telephone voice services, it offers a range of value-added services on its fixed-line networks. The Company�� fixed-line, value-added services include Personalized Ring and caller identification services. Personalized Ring services enable its fixed-line subscribers to personalize the ring-back tone for incoming calls. As of December 31, 2010, the number of its Personalized Ring subscribers reached 23.79 million.

Interconnection and Roaming Arrangements

The Company earns interconnection fees for terminating or transiting calls that originate from other domestic telecommunications operators��networks and pay interconnection fees to other operators for calls originating from its networks that are terminated on their networks. It earns and pays such fees in respect of mobile calls, local and domestic and international long distance calls and Internet services, except for the interconnection by fixed-line subscribers calling its mobile subscribers in the same region where no interconnection fee will be charged.

The Company provides roaming services, which allow its subscribers to access its mobile services while they are physically outside of their registered service area or in the coverage areas of other mobile networks in other countries and regions with which it has roaming arrangements. As of April 30! , 2011, U! nicom had roaming arrangements for GSM international voice and SMS services with 242 operators in 521 countries and regions; GPRS international inbound data services with 179 operators in 400 countries and regions and for international GPRS outbound data services with 164 operators in 357 countries and regions, and 3G services with 104 WCDMA operators in 245 countries and regions.

Mobile Networks

The Company�� mobile network consists of cell sites, which are physical locations, each equipped with a base station that houses transmitters, receivers and other equipment used to communicate through radio channels with subscribers��mobile handsets within the range of a cell; base station controllers, which connect to, and control, the base stations, and mobile switching centers, which control the base station controllers and the routing of telephone calls. Its mobile network also consists of a transmission network, which links the mobile switching centers, base station controllers, base stations and the public switched telephone network. It has deployed GSM and WCDMA mobile networks. The Company�� GSM mobile network mainly operates at 900 megahertz. It has also deployed GSM technology that operates at 1,800 megahertz in metropolitan areas to supplement the capacity of its existing mobile network. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had approximately 329,000 GSM base stations.

The Company competes with China Mobile and China Telecom.

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Watch Right Now: CalAmp Corp (CAMP.O)

CalAmp Corp. (CalAmp) develops and markets wireless technology solutions that deliver data, voice and video for critical networked communications and other applications. The Company has two business segments: Wireless DataCom, which serves commercial, industrial and government customers, and Satellite, which focuses on the North American Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) market. In May 2012, CalAmp Corp announced that it has entered into a five-year supply agreement to provide fleet tracking products to Navman Wireless. As part of the transaction, CalAmp has acquired certain products and technologies from Navman Wireless and established a research and development center in Auckland, New Zealand. The assets acquired by CalAmp include technology for Mobile Display Terminals (MDT) and an MDT product line marketed to telematics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) globally. In March 2013, it completed the acquisition of the operations of Wireless Matrix Corporation.

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Wireless DataCom

The Wireless DataCom segment provides wireless technology, products and services for industrial Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and Mobile Resource Management (MRM) market segments for a range of applications, including optimizing and automating electricity distribution and ancillary utility functions; facilitating communication and coordination among emergency first-responders; increasing productivity and optimizing activities of mobile workforces; improving management control over valuable remote and mobile assets, and enabling emerging applications in a wirelessly connected world.

The Company's Wireless DataCom segment is comprised of a Wireless Networks business and an MRM business. CalAmp's Wireless Networks business provides products, systems and services to industrial, utility, energy and transportation enterprises and state and local governmental entities for deployment where the ability to communicate with mobile personne l or to command and control remote assets is crucial. Util! it! ies, oil and gas, mining, railroad and security companies rely on CalAmp products for wireless data communications to and from outlying locations, permitting real-time monitoring, activation and control of remote equipment. Applications include remotely measuring freshwater and wastewater flows, pipeline flow monitoring for oil and gas transport, automated utility meter reading, remote Internet access and perimeter monitoring. CalAmp is among the leaders in the application of wireless communications technology to Smart Grid power distribution automation for electric utilities.

MRM wireless solutions include global positioning system (GPS) location, cellular data modems and programmable events-based notification firmware as key components, allowing customers to know where and how their assets are performing, no matter where those mobile assets are located. Commercial organizations, vehicle finance providers, city and county governments, and a range of other enter prises rely on CalAmp products and systems to optimize delivery of services and protect valuable assets. Applications include fleet management, asset tracking, student and school bus tracking and route optimization, stolen vehicle recovery, remote asset security, remote vehicle start, and machine-to-machine communications. In addition to functioning as an OEM supplier of location and communications hardware for MRM applications, CalAmp is a total solutions provider of turn-key systems incorporating location and communications hardware, cellular airtime and Web-based remote asset management tools and interfaces.

The Company competes with Motorola Solutions, GE-MDS, Freewave, Sierra Wireless, GenX, Spireon, Novatel Wireless-Enfora and Xirgo.

Satellite

The Satellite segment develops, manufactures and sells DBS outdoor customer premise equipment and whole home video networking devices for digital and high definition satellite television (TV ) reception. CalAmp's satellite products are sold prim! arily ! t! o EchoSt! ar, an affiliate of Dish Network.

The Company's DBS reception products are installed at subscriber premises to receive television programming signals transmitted from orbiting satellites. These DBS reception products consist principally of outdoor electronics that receive, process, amplify and switch satellite television signals for distribution over coaxial cable to multiple set-top boxes inside the home that can acquire, recognize and process the signal to create a picture.

The Company competes with Sharp, Wistron NeWeb Corporation, Microelectronics Technology, Pro Brand and Global Invacom.

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Watch Right Now: CalAmp Corp (CAMP)

CalAmp Corp. (CalAmp) develops and markets wireless technology solutions that deliver data, voice and video for critical networked communications and other applications. The Company has two business segments: Wireless DataCom, which serves commercial, industrial and government customers, and Satellite, which focuses on the North American Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) market. In May 2012, CalAmp Corp announced that it has entered into a five-year supply agreement to provide fleet tracking products to Navman Wireless. As part of the transaction, CalAmp has acquired certain products and technologies from Navman Wireless and established a research and development center in Auckland, New Zealand. The assets acquired by CalAmp include technology for Mobile Display Terminals (MDT) and an MDT product line marketed to telematics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) globally. In March 2013, it completed the acquisition of the operations of Wireless Matrix Corporation.

Wireless DataCom

The Wireless DataCom segment provides wireless technology, products and services for industrial Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and Mobile Resource Management (MRM) market segments for a range of applications, including optimizing and automating electricity distribution and ancillary utility functions; facilitating communication and coordination among emergency first-responders; increasing productivity and optimizing activities of mobile workforces; improving management control over valuable remote and mobile assets, and enabling emerging applications in a wirelessly connected world.

The Company's Wireless DataCom segment is comprised of a Wireless Networks business and an MRM business. CalAmp's Wireless Networks business provides products, systems and services to industrial, utility, energy and transportation enterprises and state and local governmental entities for deployment where the ability to communicate with mobile personnel or to command and control remote assets is crucial. Utilities! , oil and gas, mining, railroad and security companies rely on CalAmp products for wireless data communications to and from outlying locations, permitting real-time monitoring, activation and control of remote equipment. Applications include remotely measuring freshwater and wastewater flows, pipeline flow monitoring for oil and gas transport, automated utility meter reading, remote Internet access and perimeter monitoring. CalAmp is among the leaders in the application of wireless communications technology to Smart Grid power distribution automation for electric utilities.

MRM wireless solutions include global positioning system (GPS) location, cellular data modems and programmable events-based notification firmware as key components, allowing customers to know where and how their assets are performing, no matter where those mobile assets are located. Commercial organizations, vehicle finance providers, city and county governments, and a range of other enterprises rely on CalAmp products and systems to optimize delivery of services and protect valuable assets. Applications include fleet management, asset tracking, student and school bus tracking and route optimization, stolen vehicle recovery, remote asset security, remote vehicle start, and machine-to-machine communications. In addition to functioning as an OEM supplier of location and communications hardware for MRM applications, CalAmp is a total solutions provider of turn-key systems incorporating location and communications hardware, cellular airtime and Web-based remote asset management tools and interfaces.

The Company competes with Motorola Solutions, GE-MDS, Freewave, Sierra Wireless, GenX, Spireon, Novatel Wireless-Enfora and Xirgo.

Satellite

The Satellite segment develops, manufactures and sells DBS outdoor customer premise equipment and whole home video networking devices for digital and high definition satellite television (TV) reception. CalAmp's satellite products are sold primarily to ! EchoStar,! an affiliate of Dish Network.

The Company's DBS reception products are installed at subscriber premises to receive television programming signals transmitted from orbiting satellites. These DBS reception products consist principally of outdoor electronics that receive, process, amplify and switch satellite television signals for distribution over coaxial cable to multiple set-top boxes inside the home that can acquire, recognize and process the signal to create a picture.

The Company competes with Sharp, Wistron NeWeb Corporation, Microelectronics Technology, Pro Brand and Global Invacom.

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Watch Right Now: Mobile TeleSystems (MBT)

Mobile TeleSystems OJSC, together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services primarily in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Belarus. The company provides a range of mobile and fixed line voice and data telecommunications services, including transmission, broadband, pay-TV, and various value-added services; and sells equipment and accessories. It also offers network access services, including mobile cellular voice and data communication services; automatic roaming services; GPRS and Internet access services; and 3G technology. In addition, the company�s services include the design, construction, and installation of local voice and data networks capable of interconnecting with fixed line operators; installation and maintenance of cellular payphones; lease of digital communication channels; and provision of access to open computer databases and data networks, including the Internet, as well as video conferencing, and fixed, local, and long-distance telecommunications services. Its value-added services comprise call divert/forwarding, caller ID and anti-caller ID display, conference calling, WiFi, GPRS, intelligent call assistant, APN remote access point, fixed mobile convergence, enhanced data rates for GSM Evolution, call barring, SMS, mobile office, voicemail, mobile banking, wireless application protocol, MTS-Connect, SIM-browser, point-to-point transfer, unstructured supplementary services data, downlink packet access, mobile TV, call waiting, MMS, ring tones, missed call alert, itemization of monthly bills, information and directory, international access, WEB and WAP portal, customer care system, ring back tone, collect call, and location-based services. As of December 31, 2011, the company had a mobile subscriber base of approximately 101.14 million. It has a strategic partnership with Vodafone. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Moscow, the Russian Federation.

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Watch Right Now: Telephone and Data Systems Inc.(TDS)

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., a diversified telecommunications service company, provides wireless and wireline telecommunications services in the United States. The company?s wireless services comprise postpaid and prepaid service plans, which consist of voice minutes, messaging, and data services; national consumer plans; business rate plans; smartphone messaging, data, and Internet services to access the Web, e-mail, social network sites, text, picture and video messages, and turn-by-turn GPS navigation, as well as to browse and download various applications; and data services, including news, weather, sports information, games, ring tones, and other services. It provides wireless devices, such as handsets, modems, and tablets; and a range of accessories comprising carrying cases, hands-free devices, batteries, battery chargers, and memory cards, as well as wireless device repair services. The company also offers voice services, including local and long-distance tel ephone service, voice over Internet protocol, voice mail, caller ID, and call forwarding services; broadband services comprising digital subscriber lines and other high-speed Internet data services; network access services; hosted and managed services consisting of co-location, hosting, hosted application management, and cloud computing services; and satellite and terrestrial video services to commercial and residential customers and carriers. In addition, it provides printing and distribution services. As of December 31, 2011, the company served approximately 5.9 million wireless customers and 1.1 million wireline equivalent access lines. It sells its products through retail sales and service centers, direct sales, and independent agents, as well as through Website and telesales. Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Watch Right Now: NII Holdings Inc.(NIHD)

NII Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides wireless communication services under the Nextel brand name to businesses and individuals in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Chile. Its services include mobile telephone service; Nextel Direct Connect service, which allows subscribers to talk to each other on a push-to-talk basis for private one-to-one calls or on group calls. The company also provides value-added services, including text messaging services; mobile Internet services; e-mail services; location-based services, such as the use of global positioning system technologies; digital media services; and a set of applications available via its content management system and the Android open application market. In addition, it offers business solutions, such as security, work force management, logistics support, and other applications to improve productivity; and international roaming services. NII Holdings, Inc. sells its products and services through direct sales representatives, indirect sales agents, retail stores, kiosks, and Website. The company was formerly known as Nextel International, Inc. and changed its name to NII Holdings, Inc. in December 2001. NII Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is based in Reston, Virginia.

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Watch Right Now: Cellcom Israel Ltd.(CEL)

Cellcom Israel Ltd. provides cellular communications services in Israel. It offers basic and advanced cellular telephone services, text and multimedia messaging services, and advanced cellular content and data services. The company?s basic cellular telephony services include voice mail, cellular fax, call waiting, call forwarding, caller identification, collect call, conference calling, ?Talk 2?, additional number services, and collect call services; and outbound and inbound roaming services. It also provides value-added services comprising Cellcom volume that includes downloadable content, such as music, games, on-net-reality programs, drama series, and video games; SMS and MMS services to send and receive text, photos, multimedia, and animation messages; access to third party application providers for notification of roadway speed detectors, mange vehicle fleets, and enable subscribers to manage and operate time clocks and various controllers for industrial, agricultural , and commercial purposes; video calls to communicate with each other through video applications; zone services for calls initiated from a specific location; location-based services; voice-based information services; text-based information services and interactive information services, including news headlines, sports results, and traffic and weather reports; and data services to access handsets, cellular modems, laptops, tablets, and cellular routers, as well as Internet based payment services. In addition, the company sells handsets, modems, routers, tablets, and laptops, as well as provides repair and replacement services; and offers landline telephony, transmission, and data services through its approximately 1,500 kilometers of inland fiber-optic infrastructure and complementary microwave links to selected business customers. As of March 31, 2011, it provided its services to approximately 3.395 million subscribers. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Netanya, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Richard Band]

  Cellcom Israel (NYSE: CEL), Israel’s largest wireless carrier with 34% of the market, just declared its first quarterly dividend for 2011 — the equivalent of 85.7 cents (U.S.) per share. Annualized, that works out to a super-sweet yield of almost 11%!

  CEL hands over virtually all its profits to shareholders as dividends, so there’s a chance the company may have to trim the payout in future quarters if business hits a speed bump. On the other hand, this “pay it all out” policy (similar to the approach taken by most U.S. master-limited partnerships) imposes rigorous capital allocation discipline on management. In short, Cellcom execs don’t waste money.

  Buy dividend stock CEL on a pullback below $33.

• [By Stephen]

  Cellcom Israel Ltd. provides wireless communications services in Israel to over 3.29 million subscribers & international roaming services in 177 countries. It has diversified its sources of revenue by adding value added services such as text and multimedia messaging, data plans, extended warranty and repair and replacement services, etc. The company is currently trading at only 9 times earnings & has a dividend yield of 11.66%, making it one of the highest paying telecom dividend stocks. The company has a market cap of $3 billion and trades on the New York stock exchange. Cellcom Israel is not a growth stock because analysts predict its 2011 revenues will dip by 3% & the company already has 34% market share in Israel. The company has a track record of beating analyst earnings estimates and constantly growing its dividend. How so? According to the company's annual report, they quote, "In the third quarter of 2010 we also continued to present a strong free c ash flow totaling NIS 513 million, an increase of 13% from the third quarter of 2009. Accordingly, we will distribute a dividend of approximately NIS 400 million, representing approximately 120% of net income for the third quarter, to our shareholders."

Top 10 Telecom Stocks To Watch Right Now: United States Cellular Corporation(USM)

United States Cellular Corporation operates as a wireless telecommunications service provider in the United States. The company offers wireless voice and data services to retail consumer and business customers. It provides wireless services in postpaid service plans with voice, messaging, and data services; and prepaid service plans with minutes, messaging, and data services for a monthly fee. The company also offers various additional features, including caller ID blocking, call forwarding, voicemail, call waiting, and three-way calling; and data usage features consisting of Web browsing, email services, instant messaging, text messaging, and picture and video messaging. As of December 31, 2010, it provided wireless voice and data services to 6.1 million customers in 26 states. In addition, the company operates retail stores that sell a range of wireless devices, including handsets, modems, and tablets, as well as accessories, such as carrying cases, hands-free devices, b atteries, battery chargers, memory cards, and other items to consumers and small businesses. Further, it sells wireless devices to agents and other third-party distributors for resale; operates service facilities that provide servicing and repair for wireless devices; and enables customers to activate service and purchase wireless devices online. The company?s business customers include small-to-mid-size businesses in various industries, including construction, retail, professional services, and real estate. It offers its products and services through retail sales and service centers, direct sales, and independent agents. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. United States Cellular Corporation is a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.