Top Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014

The Internet of Things will connect things like home appliances to the Internet and, increasing bandwidth needs. Source: Qualcomm.

The Internet of Things will soon connect formerly simple objects to the Internet -- like in-home appliances or even dog collars -- in order to glean information from them, or allow devices to automatically share important information with each other.

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO  ) estimates that there will be nearly 50 billion connected 'things' by 2020, and some have pushed estimates even higher. Even if a fraction of these connected things come online, it's clear there will be substantially more Internet-enabled devices in our near future.

So how does this effect existing wireless bandwidth? For one, it could put a strain on existing cellular networks, which is why Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM  ) is backing a new long-range and low power Wi-Fi standard. Others think a completely new cellular network devoted exclusively to connected things is needed. Or, depending on whom you ask, there's absolutely nothing to worry about at all.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Own In Right Now: J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc.(JBHT)

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a surface transportation, delivery, and logistics company in North America. It operates in four segments: Intermodal (JBI), Dedicated Contract Services (DCS), Full-Load Dry-Van (JBT), and Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS). The JBI segment provides intermodal freight solutions, including origin and destination pickup and delivery services in the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico. This segment operates 45,666 pieces of company-controlled trailing equipment; and manages a fleet of 2,592 company-owned tractors. The DCS segment involves in the design, development, and execution of supply chain solutions, which support various transportation networks. This segment offers final mile delivery, replenishment, and specialized services supporting private fleet conversion, fleet creation, and transportation system augmentation. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 4,259 company-owned trucks, 357 customer-owned trucks, and 23 independent contractor trucks. The JBT segment provides full-load, dry-van freight services by utilizing tractors operating over roads and highways. It operated 1,697 company-owned tractors. The ICS segment provides non-asset, asset-light, and transportation logistics solutions. It offers flatbed, refrigerated, expedited, and less-than-truckload, as well as various dry-van and intermodal solutions. The company transports a range of freight, including general merchandise, specialty consumer items, appliances, forest and paper products, building materials, soaps and cosmetics, automotive parts, electronics, and chemicals. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Lowell, Arkansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  JB Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ: JBHT) is estimated to post its Q3 earnings at $0.78 per share on revenue of $1.45 billion.

  KMG Chemicals (NYSE: KMG) is expected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.27 per share on revenue of $79.00 million.

Top Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Guggenheim Shipping ETF (SEA)

Guggenheim Shipping ETF (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the performance of Delta Global Shipping Index (the Index). The Index is designed to measure the performance of companies listed on global developed market exchanges and consists of companies within the maritime shipping industry. The index provider, Delta Global Indices, LLC, defines the shipping industry to include companies within the business segments of the maritime shipping industry, such as companies deriving revenue from the seaborne transport of dry bulk goods and the leasing and/or operating of tanker ships, container ships, specialty chemical ships and ships that transport liquid natural gas (LNG) or dry bulk goods. The Fund will invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stock, American depositary receipts (ADRs), global depositary receipts (GDRs) and master limited partnerships (MLPs). The Fund's investment adviser is Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Yates]

  Even though China is not posting double-digit economic growth like it did before, shipping (NYSE: SEA), natural gas (NYSE: UNG) and coal (NYSE: KOL) should all fear the way the leadership is positioning the country.

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  And to be sure, many ETFs have clever names, such as the Pimco ETF Trust (NYSE Arca: BOND), the Market Vectors Agribusiness ETF (NYSE Arca: MOO), the Guggenheim Shipping ETF (NYSE Arca: SEA), the ProShares Ultra Australian Dollar ETF (NYSE Arca: GDAY), and the Teucrium Corn Fund (NYSE Arca: CORN).

Top Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Pacific Ethanol Inc.(PEIX)

Pacific Ethanol, Inc. produces and markets low carbon renewable fuels in the United States. It sells ethanol to gasoline refining and distribution companies; provides ethanol transportation, storage, and delivery services in the Western United States, primarily in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, and Washington; and markets ethanol co-products, including wet distiller grains and syrup to dairy operators and animal feed distributors. The company also provides operations, maintenance, and accounting services to a cellulosic integrated bio-refinery in Boardman, Oregon. Pacific Ethanol, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Sacramento, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Energy shares dropped by 0.26 percent in the US market today. Among the sector stocks, Endeavour International (NYSE: END) was down more than 5.6 percent, while Pacific Ethanol (NASDAQ: PEIX) tumbled around 2.2 percent.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Ethanol producers and farmers are the losers and the RFA is steaming mad. The group claims that the ��PA is proposing to place the nation�� renewable energy policy in the hands of the oil companies.��Producers like Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE: ADM), Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX), and The Andersons Inc. (NASDAQ: ANDE) don�� have an oil refining business to offset the proposed cuts to ethanol volumes.

Top Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Syngenta AG (SYNN)

Syngenta AG is a Switzerland-based company engaged in production of products for crop productivity. The Company's businesses include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides for crop protection, field crops, vegetables and flower seeds, seed care products and turf, garden, home care and public health products. The Company diversifies its operations into four geographical segments (Europe, Africa and Middle East; North America; Latin America and Asia Pacific), which represent the integrated Crop Protection and Seeds business areas, as well as a separate global segment Lawn and Garden. The Crop Protection business is active in herbicides, insecticides and fungicides manufacture. The Seeds business produces and sells seeds for growing corn, soybeans, sunflower, and sugar beet, among others. The Lawn and Garden business offers a range of products for use in the flower genetics, ornamentals, consumer lawn and garden, and Turf and landscape markets. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Volvo AB (VOLVB) advanced the most in 10 months after the world�� second-largest truckmaker reported second-quarter earnings that beat forecasts. EasyJet climbed 3.7 percent after saying quarterly sales rose 11 percent on higher capacity utilization and revenue per seat. Syngenta (SYNN) AG fell 4 percent after posting first-half profit and revenue that trailed forecasts.

Top Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: MVC Capital (MVC)

MVC Capital, Inc. (MVC) is a Business Development Company specializing in acquisition financing, management buyouts, leveraged buildups, corporate partnerships, PIPE transactions, going private transactions, private company recapitalizations, operational turnarounds, and growth and expansion capital transaction financing. It seeks to invest in mature, small, and middle-market companies. The firm seeks to invest in companies in the consumer products, industrial manufacturing and services, food and food service, financial services, value-added distribution, specialty chemicals, and security sectors. It prefers to invest in companies based in the United States. The firm typically invests between $3 million and $25 million for control and non-control stakes in companies with revenues between $10 million and $200 million and EBITDA between $3 million and $25 million. It prefers to be the lead investor in transactions and also co-invests in companies with other private equity sp onsors. The firm invests in the form of preferred and common equity, and warrants or rights to acquire equity interests; bridge loans; term loans; debt; cash flow loans; senior and subordinated loans; convertible securities; venture capital; mezzanine; and private equity investments. MVC Capital, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is based in Purchase, New York with an additional office at Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Sorting by market cap, the largest, MVC Capital Inc. (MVC), has exhibited relatively little stock price movement in the past three years. Its current price of $12.10 a share is only 2.7% off of its three-year high of $12.44. Three insiders bought this stock, according to the screener, in the past month.

Top Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Accuride Corporation New (ACW)

Accuride Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in designing, manufacturing, marketing, and supplying commercial vehicle components in North America. The company offers heavy- and medium-duty steel and aluminum wheels, light truck steel wheels, and military wheels; and wheel-end components and assemblies, such as brake drums, disc wheel hubs, spoke wheels, disc brake rotors, and automatic slack adjusters. It also provides truck body and chassis parts comprising bumpers, fuel tanks, battery boxes and toolboxes, front-end cross members, muffler assemblies, and crown assemblies and components, as well as fenders, exhaust components, sun visors, windshield masks, step assemblies, brackets, fuel tank supports, inner-hood panels, door assemblies, dash panel assemblies, and various other components. In addition, the company offers ductile and gray iron casting of transmission and engine-related components, which comprise flywheels, and transmission and engine-relate d housings and brackets; and ductile and gray iron casting of industrial components, such as flywheels, pump housings, small engine components, and other industrial components. Accuride Corporation markets its products under Accuride, Gunite, Imperial, and Brillion brand names. It serves heavy- and medium-duty truck, and commercial trailer original equipment manufacturers (OEM); and aftermarket suppliers, including OEM dealer networks, wholesale distributors, and aftermarket buying groups. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Evansville, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By George Putnam]

  Because of a very leveraged balance sheet, the company—Accuride Corp. (ACW)—could not survive the 2008-09 recession, and it filed for bankruptcy in October 2009.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Basic guidelines
  In this series, I examine inventory using a simple rule of thumb: Inventory increases ought to roughly parallel revenue increases. If inventory bloats more quickly than sales grow, this might be a sign that expected sales haven't materialized. Is the current inventory situation at Accuride (NYSE: ACW  ) out of line? To figure that out, start by comparing the company's inventory growth to sales growth. How is Accuride doing by this quick checkup? At first glance, pretty well. Trailing-12-month revenue decreased 14.3%, and inventory decreased 30.5%. Comparing the latest quarter to the prior-year quarter, the story looks decent. Revenue dropped 28.6%, and inventory dropped 30.5%. Over the sequential quarterly period, the trend looks healthy. Revenue grew 9.2%, and inventory dropped 6.1%.

Top Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Sirona Dental Systems Inc (SIRO)

Sirona Dental Systems, Inc. (Sirona), incorporated on April 25, 1997, and its subsidiaries is a manufacturer of dental equipment, and is focused on developing, manufacturing and marketing solutions for dentists around the world. The Company operates in four segments: Dental CAD/CAM Systems, Imaging Systems, Treatment Centers and Instruments. The Company markets its products globally to dental practices, clinics and laboratories through an international network of distributors. The dental distributors supply both dental equipment and consumables, and have regular contact with the ultimate end-users. In addition, the Company also distributes its products through its own sales and services infrastructure.

Dental CAD / CAM Systems

Dental CAD/CAM Systems address the dental restorations, which includes several types of restorations, such as inlays, onlays, veneers, crowns, bridges, copings and bridge frameworks made from ceramic, metal or composite blocks. Sirona's CEramic REConstruction (CEREC) system is an in-office application that enables dentists to produce high quality restorations from ceramic material and insert them into the patient's mouth during a single appointment. The CEREC system consists of an imaging unit and a milling unit. The imaging unit scans the damaged area, captures the image of the tooth or teeth requiring restoration and proposes the specifications for the restoration. The milling unit then mills the ceramic restoration to the required specifications based upon the captured image and the dentist's design specifications.

Sirona offers a service contract on its CEREC product, which includes software updates and upgrades and maintenance on software-related hardware. In addition to CEREC, Sirona also offers CAD/CAM products for dental laboratories, including the inLab restoration fabrication system and the extra-oral inEos scanner. These products are designed to improve efficiency and reduce costs for the dental lab. The inLab system scans the ! models received from the dentists and then mills ceramic or composite block restorations, such as crown copings and bridge frameworks to the specifications of the captured image.

Imaging Systems

Imaging Systems comprise a broad range of systems for diagnostic imaging in the dental practice. Sirona has developed a comprehensive range of imaging systems for two dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D), panoramic and intra-oral applications. Intra-oral x-ray systems use image-capture sensor devices, which are inserted into the mouth behind the diagnostic area, and take images of one or two teeth. Panoramic x-ray systems produce images of the entire jaw structure by means of an x-ray tube and an image capture device, which rotates around the head.

Treatment Centers

Treatment Centers consists of a range of products from basic dentist chairs to chair-based units with integrated diagnostic, hygiene and ergonomic functionalities, as well as specialist centers used in preventative treatment and for training purposes. Sirona offers specifically configured products to meet the preferences of dentists within each region in which it operates. Sirona's treatment center configurations and system integration are designed to enhance productivity by creating a seamless workflow within the dental practice.

Instruments

Sirona offers a range of instruments, including handheld and power-operated handpieces for cavity preparation, endodontics, periodontology and prophylaxis, which are regularly updated and improved. The instruments are supplemented by multi-function tips, supply and suction hoses, as well as care and hygiene systems for instrument preparation. Sirona's instruments are often sold as packages in combination with treatment centers.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Todd Campbell]

  Dentists may find that patients are more willing to spend on restorative procedures now that the job market is recovering and consumer sentiment is heading higher. That offers new opportunities for providers of dentistry equipment, such as Sirona Dental Systems (NASDAQ: SIRO  ) , a company that was spun out of Siemens in 1997 and brought public in 2006.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Align have surged 24% to $57 at 12:37 p.m. Sirona Dental Systems (SIRO) has risen 0.8% to $69.61, Dentsply International (XRAY) is up 0.1% at $45.44, Integra Lifesciences (IART) has� gained 0.4% to $44.23 and Danaher (DHR) has fallen 0.3% to $72.13.

• [By John Udovich]

  Yesterday, small cap dental stock BIOLASE Inc (NASDAQ: BIOL) surged 17.69% after announcing it had received a license from the Health Canada-Medical Device Bureau to sell its EPIC dental soft-tissue diode laser systems throughout Canada, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of mid cap dental stocks like Sirona Dental Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: SIRO), DENTSPLY International Inc (NASDAQ: XRAY) and Align Technology, Inc (NASDAQ: ALGN).