Three simple ways to make volatility your ally

None of us like market turbulence. Our clients deplore it and our employees can be frustrated with calls about it. But just like everything else in this world, there may be a positive in the midst of the negativity. Truth is, most of our clients think we earn our money when we are making them money, but those of us who have been around through multiple volatile markets know that we really earn our money when times are tough.

Winston Churchill had a wonderful expression: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Here are three ways to help turn the next big decline in the markets into an opportunity.

1. Prepare for the inevitable. Believe it or not, we have been through a period of relative calm since 2009. In fact, volatility has been historically low, and we can all be lulled into complacency. Prepare your clients in advance for a possible decline in stocks. Doing so when things are good allows you to refer back to your warnings and highlight your preparations. Most of your clients want you to be their guide and point out the blind spots they m

AMZN – Amazon Stock Shouldn’t Be On Your Holiday Wish List

Amazon (AMZN) continues defying naysayers and rewriting the rules of how stocks are supposed to behave. Even so, Amazon stock is a tough one to recommend.

Shares of Seattle-based AMZN have surged nearly 800% over the past five years, which is improbable for many reasons. First, Amazon hasn’t generated consistent profits since around 2011. During the most recent quarter, it lost $41 million, or 9 cents per share of AMZN stock. While that was narrower than the year-earlier loss of $274 million, or 60 cents per share, it’s still a loss.

Plus, Amazon ended last year in the red and no one has any idea when AMZN will be consistently profitable.

Heck, the fourth quarter — which includes the critical holiday shopping season — is often put under a microscope for retailers. But guidance for Amazon was for anything from a loss of $500 million to an operating profit of $500 million.

If any other company on the planet offered such a wide-ranging guidance, it would be mocked far and wide.

But no one is laughing at AMZN, because Amazon stock investors are too starstruck by its sales growth. Amazon sales have grown from $34.2 billion in 2010 to $61 billion in 2012 — a gain of more than 78%. And Amazon stock analysts expect sales at what has been dubbed “the everything store” to reach $71.9 billion this year and $91.5 billion next year as AMZN dips its toe in everything from cloud computing services to grocery delivery to video entertainment.

But while the innovation at AMZN is nice, there’s a good chance all its new business experiments won’t make money. As Bloomberg Businesweek’s Brad Stone noted, Amazon CEO and Chief Visionary Jeff Bezos doesn’t sweat mundane details about quarterly Amazon earnings and balance sheets. He doesn’t even show up on earnings conference calls.

“Bezos manages Amazon for the long term and regularly mucks up the bottom line with expensive, risky bets on unprofitable new businesses such as grocery deliveries and tablets,” wrote Stone, author of the book “The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon. “There's red ink as far as the eye can see.”

One problem with this approach is that it’s expensive. Total operating expenses for AMZN surged 24% to $17.12 billion in the most recent quarter, thanks in part to surging spending on technology and content. Meanwhile, revenue grew 24% as well.

Normally, investors would be worried if expense growth was keeping pace with revenue growth. But Amazon certainly believes that you have to spend money to make money — and AMZN stock investors seem to have bought in to that theory. This strategy is evident from the company’s razor-thin profit margins.

Of course, as a consumer, I also have to admit that it works like a charm. Take the Amazon Kindle. AMZN doesn’t make a nickle from the e-reader, hoping to profit from the sale of e-books. Remember, Amazon dominates the digital book market.

A similar story can be said for Amazon Prime. By charging a flat $79 fee for guaranteed two-day shipping, AMZN is encouraging people to shop on the site who might not have otherwise — and to shop on it more. It worked in my case.

But that doesn’t mean AMZN stock is a buy.

Sure, Amazon stock analysts think AMZN is a buy. But I simply can’t wrap my head around the fact that Amazon stock trades at disgusting 140 times expected 2014 earnings. That’s a huge premium to Google (GOOG) stock, which has also been going strong, yet sports a multiple of just 20. And Apple (AAPL) stock goes for just 11 times forward earnings.

Oh, and unlike Amazon, Google and Apple make boatloads of money.

Meanwhile, the 52-week price targets on Amazon stock range from $310 to $460, indicating analysts are taking a dart-and-blindfold approach to picking the direction of the AMZN stock price.

The point is that Amazon stock is not a pick for the faint of heart, or people with “hang-ups” on stuff like valuation. Maybe if you don’t mind big-time risk and laugh in the face of danger, by all means add Amazon stock to your portfolio.

Otherwise, stick to being an AMZN customer.

As of this writing, Jonathan Berr did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

16 Reasonably Priced Dividend Shares with Low Long-Term Debt to Lift Share Buybacks

I love dividend growth stocks and dividend-paying companies in general but it's also important to see that the company buys its own shares back.

The process of share repurchases is a special way to give shareholders money back in a very tax-optimized way.

A low-yielding stock with a 2 percent yield can lift the total yield via stock repurchases to 4 percent or so. For sure, share buybacks are no cash yields on your trading account; it's an indirect way to reduce the current shares and lift the potential share price.

There is an index outside that covers some of the best stocks with share repurchases that bought at least 5 percent of its outstanding shares within the past 12 months.

Today I would like to screen the buyback achievers index by the best-yielding stocks with a low forward P/E as well as a very low debt-to-equity ratio. Low debt is a good indicator for potential growth or additional share buybacks.

These are my criteria in detail:

- Positive Dividend Yield
- Forward P/E under 15
- Long-Term Debt-To-Equity below 0.2
- Member of the Buyback Achievers Index

In total, sixteen Buyback Achievers Index stocks fulfilled the above mentioned restrictions of which ten have a current buy or better rating.

Here are some of the highest yielding stocks:

Corning (GLW) has a market capitalization of $21.38 billion. The company employs 28,700 people, generates revenue of $8.012 billion and has a net income of $1.728 billion. Corning's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $2.465 billion. The EBITDA margin is 30.77 percent (the operating margin is 16.16 percent and the net profit margin 21.57 percent).

Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 11.77 percent of Corning's assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 16.09 percent. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 8.12 percent was realized by Corning. Twelve trailing months earnings per share rea! ched a value of $1.30. Last fiscal year, Corning paid $0.32 in the form of dividends to shareholders. Share Buyback Rate 3-Years: 1.3 percent.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 11.22, the P/S ratio is 2.64 and the P/B ratio is finally 0.99. The dividend yield amounts to 2.76 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 1.37.

Guess? (GES) has a market capitalization of $2.54 billion. The company employs 15,200 people, generates revenue of $2.658 billion and has a net income of $181.49 million. Guess?'s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $364.22 million. The EBITDA margin is 13.70 percent (the operating margin is 10.33 percent and the net profit margin 6.83 percent).

Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 0.60 percent of Guess?'s assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 0.94 percent. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 15.68 percent was realized by Guess?. Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $1.89. Last fiscal year, Guess? paid $0.80 in the form of dividends to shareholders. Share Buyback Rate 3-Years: 1.9 percent.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 15.83, the P/S ratio is 0.95 and the P/B ratio is finally 2.33. The dividend yield amounts to 2.69 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 1.82.

GameStop (GME) has a market capitalization of $6.17 billion. The company employs 17,000 people, generates revenue of $8.886 billion and has a net income of $-269.80 million. GameStop's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $815.50 million. The EBITDA margin is 9.18 percent (the operating margin is -0.47 percent and the net profit margin -3.04 percent).

Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 0.00 percent of GameStop's assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 0.00 percent. Due to the financial situatio! n, a retu! rn on equity of -10.12 percent was realized by GameStop. Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $-2.29. Last fiscal year, GameStop paid $0.80 in the form of dividends to shareholders. Share Buyback Rate 3-Years: 9.0 percent.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is not calculable, the P/S ratio is 0.65 and the P/B ratio is finally 2.56. The dividend yield amounts to 2.22 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 0.75.

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) has a market capitalization of $2.84 billion. The company employs 10,000 people, generates revenue of $4.510 billion and has a net income of $237.01 million. Abercrombie & Fitch's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $604.16 million. The EBITDA margin is 13.39 percent (the operating margin is 8.30 percent and the net profit margin 5.25 percent).

Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 2.14 percent of Abercrombie & Fitch's assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 3.52 percent. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 12.64 percent was realized by Abercrombie & Fitch. Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $2.74. Last fiscal year, Abercrombie & Fitch paid $0.70 in the form of dividends to shareholders. Share Buyback Rate 3-Years: 2.1 percent.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 13.57, the P/S ratio is 0.63 and the P/B ratio is finally 1.61. The dividend yield amounts to 2.15 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 1.75.

Take a closer look at the full list of cheap dividend stocks from the Buyback Achievers index with low debt. The average P/E ratio amounts to 15.02 and forward P/E ratio is 12.47. The dividend yield has a value of 1.60 percent. Price to book ratio is 2.25 and price to sales ratio 2.06. The operating margin amounts to 27.94 percent and the beta ratio is 0.12. Stocks from the list have an average debt to equity! ratio of! 0.12.

Do you like this article? If yes, please support us and hit the button for a Facebook Like, make a tweet or post a comment in the Dividend Yield community! Thank you so much, we really appreciate it.

Related Stock Ticker Symbols:
GLW, GES, PROV, ANF, GME, EWBC, MRVL, QCOR, KAI, AGII, FFG, RNR, DV, CNO, PTP, WIRE

Selected Articles:
· 11 Amazing Dividend Growth Stocks With Little Debt
· 8 Predictable Dividend Stocks At Historical Book-Value Lows
· 18 Undervalued Stocks With Good Dividends And A Predictable Business
· Best Dividend Paying Stock List As Of September 2013

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FuelCell Energy (FCEL) or Plug Power (PLUG): The Best Small Cap Fuel Cell Stock?

Despite horrendous losses for investors over the long term, small cap fuel cell stocks FuelCell Energy Inc (NASDAQ: FCEL) and Plug Power Inc (NASDAQ: PLUG) have both made gains this year. However, which is the better small cap fuel cell stock for investors moving forward or should you just ignore both?

What Are FuelCell Energy Inc and Plug Power Inc?

Small cap FuelCell Energy Inc is an integrated fuel cell company that designs, manufactures, installs, operates and services stationary fuel cell power plants which provide ultra-clean, efficient and reliable baseload distributed generation for electric utilities, commercial and industrial companies, universities, municipalities, government entities and other customers in more than more than 50 locations worldwide. The company has more than 300 megawatts of power generation capacity installed or in backlog plus the company's power plants have generated more than 1.8 billion kilowatt hours of ultra-clean power using a variety of fuels including renewable biogas from wastewater treatment and food processing plus natural gas. 

Meanwhile, Plug Power Inc was formed in 1997 as a joint venture of Michigan utility owner DTE Energy Co (NYSE: DTE) and Mechanical Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: MKTY) to develop fuel-cell systems to power homes and small businesses. Plug Power Inc says it has revolutionized the material handling industry with cost-effective power solutions that increase productivity, lower operating costs and reduce carbon footprints as it manufactures a full suite of products designed to fit seamlessly into the existing battery compartment of all major OEM material handling equipment. The company also says that its GenDrive fuel cell is a superior alternative to lead-acid batteries for electric lift trucks in the $20 billion global material handling market.

What You Need to Know or Be Warned About FCEL and PLUG

Here is what you need to know about both small cap fuel cell stocks:

FuelCell Energy Inc. In a recent interview with a Forbes contributor, the CEO of FuelCell Energy Inc talked about how global trends are now helping the fuel cell industry: 

"We have a world with a lot of things going on. Denuclearization is creating electricity supply issues in some countries. There's a debate about solar.  Throughout all that discussion, I think our timing is good to come up with cost-competitive clean infrastructure plays, which is what FuelCell Energy does."

He added that while the fuel cell industry has developed slowly, this year has been different as "we did see a lot more recognition that the kind of things we are doing can really add value, not just economic but also offsetting infrastructure costs." Last September, FuelCell Energy Inc reported an 81% revenue increase to $53.7 million and a net loss attributable to common shareholders of $6.4 million verses $10.7 million while total cash on the balance sheet increased by $19.7 million thanks to the net proceeds of $35.5 million from the issuance of convertible notes at a conversion price of approximately $1.55 per share during the quarter (Note: Shares closed at $1.35 on Tuesday). However and besides the smaller net loss, what excited shareholders was the announcement of a co-marketing agreement with NRG Energy Inc (NYSE: NRG) for the marketing and sales of FuelCell Energy Inc power plants. Specifically, NRG will market the power plants to its customer base as well as offer a financing option utilizing a power purchase agreement.

Plug Power Inc. Tomorrow morning before the market opens, Plug Power Inc is scheduled to report earnings with the earnings call scheduled for 10 am. Last week, the CEO noted in an interview with Bloomberg that Plug Power Inc is in talks with auto suppliers and component makers about producing fuel cells that may be attached to battery systems and let vehicles continue on the road after draining their batteries – a development that would allay "range anxiety" and could help the company report a profit by the third quarter of next year (PLUG has not had a profitable quarter since its 1999 IPO). Nevertheless, investors should pay close attention to the upcoming earnings call as back in October, Plug Power Inc did receive a Staff Determination letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market regarding possible delisting as its share price was below $1. Otherwise, it should be mentioned that Plug Power Inc did do an offering of 18,600,000 shares priced at $0.54 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $10.0 million back in September. Share Performance: FuelCell Energy Inc vs. Plug Power Inc

On Tuesday, small cap FuelCell Energy Inc rose 0.75% to $1.35 (FCEL has a 52 week trading range of $0.83 to $1.64 a share) for a market cap of $258.32 million plus the stock is up 46.7% since the start of the year and down 68.8% over the past five years while small cap Plug Power Inc fell 0.83% to $0.525 (PLUG has a 52 week trading range of $0.12 to $0.80 a share) for a market cap of $53.55 million plus the stock is up 5.1% since the start of the year and down 94% over the past five years. Here are the rather ugly long term charts for both small cap fuel cell stocks:

Finally, here is a look at the technical charts for both FuelCell Energy Inc and Plug Power Inc:

The Bottom Line. As things start to look more positive, speculative investors might want to take a closer look at both FuelCell Energy Inc and Plug Power Inc while more conservative investors should just still with more traditional energy or power plays.

Junked Out: How the Big Three Rating Agencies Lost Their Mojo

NEW YORK (The Street) - The batch of F-rated securities "could have been structured by cows," one handler wrote.

Another admitted, "We sold our soul to the devil."

The job was a total "scam," a third wrote.

These emails did not come from artists pushing pump and dump penny stocks, but respected analysts at the Big Three ratings houses -- Moody's (MCO), Fitch (a unit of Fimalac, FIM: EM Paris) and Standard & Poor's (a unit of McGraw-Hill, (MHFI). The communications, part of a trove of emails, were entered in a 141-page complaint filed Monday by liquidators of two Bear Stearns hedge funds, the collapse of which resulted in investor losses of more than a billion dollars. "It is time," said James McCarroll, a lawyer representing the liquidators," for these organizations to be accountable for their misdeeds." Not that the ratings houses hadn't been tagged before by prosecutors. Last year the Justice Department filed a fraud action against S&P, the first time a ratings agency had been targeted by the feds. After which a welter of states in which employee pension funds suffered by inflated ratings filed against S&P. To be sure, managers of the Bear Stearns funds misrepresented the quality of the bonds they sold. But the high ratings of the junk, some labeled as triple-A, allowed the managers to perpetrate a massive fraud, one that became emblematic of deep economic crisis of 2008-2009. "The three credit rating agencies were key enablers of the financial meltdown," wrote congressional investigators. "The mortgage-related securities at the heart of crisis could not have been market3e and sold without their seal of approval. Investor relied on them, often blindly. In some cases, they were obligated to use them, or regulatory capital standards were hinged on them. This crisis could not have happened without the ratings agencies." Not to defend the ratings services, but they were hamstrung by a confusion of cross-pressures and conflicts, the largest being that they received their fees from the very firms whose products they were judging. Low ratings meant lower fees, or worse, the loss of business altogether. The giant Wall Street clients of the agencies were not shy in putting on the squeeze. Consider this email from a furious client to a beaten-down S&P analyst: "Heard your ratings could be 5 notches back of [Moody's] equivalent. [We're] gonna kill your [residential mortgage-backed securities] biz. May force us to do [Moody, Fitch] only." Such threats would have been unthinkable had the agencies kept to their original model in which the buyer, not the seller, paid the bills. The underpinnings of John Moody's 1909 railroad bond ratings - as well as those at Poor's Publishing, Standard's Statistics, and Fitch--were that they would sell their assessments to bond investors in thick, expensive manuals. It would have seemed absurd to these founding houses to have the sellers of stocks and bonds-some notoriously shady-determine their fees. But that's precisely what happened in 1936 when banks were prohibited from investing in "speculative investment securities" as determined by "recognized rating manuals," namely the Big Three. "Speculative" securities were those determined by the agencies to be below "investment grade." The tables had turned. Regulators had blessed the ratings houses with the power to make safety judgments on securities sold by the banks. The banks had every incentive to pressure the agencies and the agencies every reason to keep the banks happy. It didn't help that the Securities and Exchange Commission 40 years later wiped out much of the competition-there once were hundreds of ratings services in the United States--leaving the field open to Fitch, S&P and Moody's as exclusive "Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations" or NRSROs for the vast majority of American financial institutions. Business boomed for the three, but there were tradeoffs. Analysts worked long hours and were paid a fraction of what their client counterparts made. The best and brightest jumped ship, trading on their inside knowledge of ratings to land big jobs. The ratings houses were viewed as secondary destinations. "Guys who can't get a job on Wall Street," a Goldman Sachs (GS) fund manager told author Michael Lewis, "get a job at Moody's." And there the hours were brutal. "The analysts in structured finance were working 12 to 15 hours a day," wrote journalists Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera in the book All The Devils Are Here. "They made a fraction of the pay of even a junior investment banker." "There were far more deals in the pipeline than they could possibly handle," they wrote. "They were overwhelmed. Moody's top brass...wouldn't add staff because they didn't want to be stuck with the cost of employees if the revenues slowed down." So what's the fix? Simple. Undo the changes of the past few decades and allow the free market to perform its magic: Open up the field to competition; bring in more regional and boutique players; encourage innovation; Return the ratings model to its origins: make the investors pay, not the seller; Spend money on hiring quality people and keeping them; Adhere to fiduciary standards and best practices; Reduce margins: Moody's operating margins at the time of the financial crisis were 50% higher than those at Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Microsoft (MSFT); Protect the analysts from undue outside influence so they can make judgments without fear of job loss. The cost of these measures is far less painful than a sharp downgrade in reputation.

Written by William Inman

Famous Products Invented for the Military

While most people think private enterprise is responsible for innovation, a great deal of the technology Americans rely on comes from another well-known source: the U.S. military.

Over the years, the military, and the private enterprises developing products for the military, have created some of the most important products we use today. Some of the inventions have been less groundbreaking than others, such as Silly Putty and Aviator sunglasses. But some military research also directly led to significant innovations such as the microwave oven and the GPS.

Click here to see the eight famous products

The military contracted out most of these inventions to private companies. One exception is the modern GPS network. It was designed in the 1970s by researchers in both the Navy and Air Force and was built in the late ’70s and ’80s. The technology, initially designed as a guidance and tracking system for planes, boats and missiles, is today used in everything from commercial aircraft to personal navigation systems.

Private companies developed most of the products on this list, often answering the military’s call during wartime. During World War II, a Johnson & Johnson division created what would eventually become duct tape, originally to seal containers and quickly repair equipment in the field. The Jeep was an all-terrain scout vehicle built by a company called Willy's-Overland. The Jeep was widely used by the military in World War II and the Korean War and eventually also became a very popular domestic auto brand.

In many cases, the final use of the product completely differs from its intended military function. What eventually became feminine hygiene products under the Kotex brand was originally medical gauze developed for the military during World War I. Silly Putty was invented as a possible substitute for rubber. While it failed in this regard, it became a popular toy.

The military also played a part in developing even greater technologies. ARPANET, considered by many to be a precursor to the modern Internet, was a military program designed to share documents securely between facilities. In the 1940s and ’50s, the military even played a role in the development of the modern computer.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed products that were either developed for military use by the military or contractors, or those which were created as the result of military research. We excluded products where the military or contractors only played a part in the development of the product, as was the case with the computer.

These are the famous products invented for the military.

Stocks to Watch: Sarepta, Dish , NRG

Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Tuesday’s session are Sarepta Therapeutics Inc.(SRPT), Dish Network Corp.(DISH) and NRG Energy Inc.(NRG)

Sarepta reported the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said its planned new drug application for Eteplirsen was premature, following recent data that raised some questions about the treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Shares were down 54% at $16.65 premarket.

Dish swung to a third-quarter profit, helped by an increase in revenue and subscriber rolls, while former unit EchoStar Corp.(SATS) posted a weaker profit. Dish results beat expectations, sending shares up 3.2% to $49 premarket.

NRG Energy swung to a third-quarter profit as the merchant power generator received a boost from its GenOn Energy Inc. acquisition. The company lowered the high end of its previous adjusted earnings guidance for the year and also reduced its forecast for next year. Shares dropped 2.8% to $27.25 premarket.

D.R. Horton Inc.'s(DHI) fiscal fourth-quarter profit rose 39% as the home-builder’s higher closings boosted revenue and home sales beat estimates. Shares edged up 2.4% to $18.50 premarket.

Assured Guaranty Ltd.'s(AGO) third-quarter profit more than doubled as the bond insurer recorded a gain tied to credit derivatives that masked a decline in net premiums earned. Shares rose 4.7% to $22.75 premarket.

Heartland Express Inc.(HTLD), a trucking firm steered by the Gerdin family, agreed to acquire another family controlled peer, Gordon Trucking Inc., in a transaction valued at about $300 million. Shares climbed 12% to $16.05 in light premarket trading.

Rackspace Hosting Inc.'s(RAX) third-quarter profit fell 40%, with growth in costs and expenses masking a rise in revenue. Shares were down 7.3% to $45.69 premarket as the company’s earnings came in below Wall Street expectations.

Hologic Inc.(HOLX) reported a $1.11 billion write-down, resulting in a wider fiscal fourth-quarter loss at the women’s health-care-products company. Shares of Hologic were down 12% at $20.05 premarket, as the company’s guidance for the current quarter and its new fiscal year came in below Wall Street expectations.

News Corp(NWSA) swung to a profit for the fiscal quarter, as cost-cutting helped offset lower revenue. Revenue missed expectations, sending the publishing company’s shares down 2.4% to $17 premarket.

Solta Medical Inc.(SLTM) unveiled restructuring plans to improve its financial performance and has hired an adviser to help evaluate strategic alternatives, including a possible sale or merger of the medical aesthetics device maker. Investors cheered the news, sending shares up 7.7% to $1.97 premarket.

Aecom Technology Corp.(ACM) swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter profit despite continued weakness in the technical and management-support services provider’s Americas and Australia markets. The company forecast per-share earnings for the recently started new fiscal year that were below Street estimates.

Baker Hughes Inc.(BHI) said Monday it suspended operations in Iraq following a protest incident last week at a facility belonging to one of the oilfield services company’s subsidiaries.

Corporate support service provider Innotrac Corp.(INOC) on Monday confirmed the company has been in recent talks regarding a potential takeover bid worth nearly $109 million. The company, which didn’t name the potential buyer, said it had been engaged in discussions for “a few weeks” under an agreement that would result in investors receiving $8.20 a share.

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. forecast better-than-expected fiscal third-quarter earnings, due to higher total sales. “Our projected performance in the third quarter, which was somewhat affected by the government shutdown, marks a continuation of the positive trends we had seen at the end of the second quarter,” Chief Executive R. Neal Black said.

Sotheby’s third-quarter loss narrowed as the auction house logged an increase in private sale commissions and auction commission revenue.

Xerox Corp.’s board approved a $500 million increase to its repurchase program, bringing its current authorization to about $1.5 billion. The company also projected adjusted earnings for next year that were in line with Street expectations.

Three reasons why America is using less oil

The United States is the largest consumer of oil in the world by a wide margin. In 2012, we used around 18.5 million barrels of oil per day (that's nearly 800 million gallons !). That represents around 20% of global oil consumption, and is still nearly twice as much oil as China uses. Until the mid-2000s, U.S. oil consumption was rising steadily.

However, a sharp uptick in oil prices caused demand growth to stagnate after 2004. The Great Recession then led to a steep drop in demand as people found ways to make do with less oil. In 2010, oil consumption looked like it might rebound, but since then, it has started to decline again. This is likely the beginning of a long-term trend. Here are three big reasons why U.S. oil consumption will continue shrinking.

Natural gas hits the road

The biggest factor undermining oil consumption in the U.S. is the growing abundance of natural gas. Natural gas production has been growing at a steady clip since 2005, but the growth in proven reserves is even more stunning. U.S. proven reserves of natural gas have doubled since 1999! This suggests that the recent supply glut is no flash in the pan.

The result is a growing gap between the price of oil and the price of natural gas. The promise of cheap natural gas is starting to make natural gas-powered vehicles economically viable. Compressed natural gas recently cost around $1.50 less per gallon equivalent than diesel. Fuel-guzzling heavy trucks look set to be the first to make the switch.

This year, Cummins Westport -- a joint venture of Cummins (ticker: CMI ) and Westport Innovations (NASDAQ: WPRT ) that focuses on building natural-gas powered engines for trucks -- introduced the first 12-liter natural gas engine. This engine is capable of powering heavy trucks weighing up to 40 tons, opening up a new market segment for natural gas engines. Cummins Westport already makes natural gas engines for smaller trucks.

Numerous major companies are embracing natural gas for their truck fleets. Ho! me improvement retailer Lowes (NYSE: LOW ) plans to switch its entire truck fleet to natural gas by 2017 . Meanwhile, garbage titan Waste Management (NYSE: WM ) began moving toward natural gas last year, and 80% of the trucks it buys between now and 2017 will run on natural gas .

The opportunity to reduce oil consumption by converting heavy trucks to natural gas is huge. Heavy trucks only make up 1% of the U.S. vehicle fleet, but they get lots of usage and have low gas mileage, so they represent 20% of fuel consumption. Adoption of natural gas engines is still held back by an inadequate fueling infrastructure, but this problem is already receding, and will become an even smaller barrier over time.

Ditching oil heat

Cheap natural gas is also cannibalizing oil in another domain: home heating. Oil heat has been waning in popularity for many years, but the recent surge in oil prices and the simultaneous drop in natural gas prices have been the final nail in the coffin. Oil heat is making its "last stand" in the Northeast, but natural gas suppliers are extending their reach due to a combination of political pressure and economic interest.

In recent years, the cost of heating a home with natural gas has often been less than half the cost of using oil heat. While it costs thousands of dollars to convert from oil to gas, for homeowners who expect to be around for 5-10 years it's almost a no-brainer to switch. Moreover, many gas companies provide long-term financing for customers who switch from oil to gas, allowing them to pay off the conversion cost with the energy bill savings over time.

As a result, it should be no surprise that oil heat is rapidly disappearing. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the number of U.S. households using oil heat has dropped from 8.4 million to 6.9 million just since 2008, and this total is expected to drop by another 3% this year. This trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

More fuel-efficient vehicles

The ! third trend that is weighing on U.S. oil consumption is obvious to anyone who has looked at a new car recently. Due to tightening fuel economy standards -- as well as a shift in consumer preferences due to persistently high gas prices -- the U.S. vehicle fleet's fuel efficiency is steadily improving.

According to the EPA, the average fuel efficiency of new vehicles sold in the U.S. improved by 16%. Fuel economy has improved again this year, by roughly 5%. Moreover, with vehicle sales having rebounded strongly since the Great Recession, older gas-guzzling vehicles are being taken off the road at a faster rate. This improved fuel efficiency will more than offset the typical increase in gasoline usage that we would normally see due to population growth and economic growth.

Foolish bottom line

The U.S. still consumes plenty of oil: more than 18 million barrels per day. However, a number of developments are creating a long-term downtrend in U.S. oil consumption. Cheap natural gas is convincing everyone from trucking companies to homeowners to switch from oil to natural gas as their primary energy source. Meanwhile, high gasoline prices and stricter fuel economy standards are boosting the fuel efficiency of the U.S. vehicle fleet.

There are no signs on the horizon that these trends will reverse anytime soon. Combine this with rapidly rising U.S. oil production, and you have a recipe for better energy security and (hopefully) lower prices at the pump a few years down the road.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014

For every stock you buy, does it have a catalyst?

Yes? No?

Most stock articles you read always include some sort of upcoming catalyst that is going to propel the stock higher. Heck, even ValueInvestorsClub requires every stock pitch to have a catalyst. But to invest only in stocks with clear catalysts defeats the purpose of value investing.

Catalysts are not important, nor are they required for an investment.

Take it from the man who defined value investing, Ben Graham. He just wanted one thing and spent his days with Walter Schloss searching for it.

Cheap stocks.

Warren Buffett also wants to buy one thing.

Awesome companies.

Neither mentioned anything in any of their writings about seeking a catalyst to make a successful investment. In fact, they told you the opposite.

Sit and wait, they said.

The problem is that sitting and waiting is torture today. There has to be action. There have to be fast moves up and if something does not play out within a few months, it�� a dud and not worth keeping any longer. ��ext!��/p>

Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Devon Energy Corporation(DVN)

Devon Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of natural gas and oil in the United States and Canada. It also involves in transporting oil, gas, and natural gas liquids (NGL); and processing natural gas. The company owns oil and gas properties in the mid-continent area of the central and southern United States; the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico; the Rocky Mountains area of the United States; and the onshore areas of the Gulf Coast, principally in south Texas and south Louisiana. It also owns oil and gas properties in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, Canada. In addition, the company offers marketing and midstream services, including marketing of gas, crude oil, and NGL, as well as constructing and operating pipelines, storage and treating facilities, and natural gas processing plants. As of December 31, 2010, it had 2,042 million barrel of oil equivalent of proved developed reserves. The company sells its gas production to various customers, such as pipelines, utilities, gas marketing firms, industrial users, and local distribution companies; crude oil production to refiners, remarketers, and other companies; and NGL production to customers in petrochemical, refining, and heavy oil blending activities. Devon Energy Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sara Murphy]

  It's worth noting that cost savings may not be imminent in every location. Jay Ewing, Devon Energy's (NYSE: DVN  ) water-use expert in the Barnett, recently told a Texas House committee hearing that while the company's cost of recycling varies by location, it's still "50 to 75% more expensive than the alternatives." But that's likely to change as recyclers improve their processes and increase efficiency.

Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Vodafone Group PLC (VOD.O)

Vodafone Group Plc (Vodafone), incorporated in 1984, is a mobile communications company operating across the globe providing a range of communications services. The Company offers a range of products and services, including voice, messaging, data and fixed-line solutions and devices to assist customers in meeting their total communications needs. Vodafone has a global presence, with equity interests in over 30 countries and over 40 partner markets worldwide. It operates in three geographic regions: Europe, Africa and Central Europe; Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, and has an investment in Verizon Wireless in the United States. In October 2010, Vodafone Global Enterprise, the business within Vodafone, announced the acquisition of two telecom expense management (TEM) companies, Quickcomm and TnT Expense Management. In November 2011, the Company sold 24.4% interest in Polkomtel in Poland. In March 2012, Verizon Wireless, which is a joint venture of Verizon Communication s Inc. and Vodafone, purchased the operating assets of Cellular One of Northeast Pennsylvania from the Company. In April 2012, its Netherlands-based division, Vodafone Libertel BV, acquired Telespectrum-DJ. On October 31, 2012, the Company acquired TelstraClear Limited. In May 2013, Vodafone Group Plc announced launch of its carrier services business unit.

In Europe, the Company�� mobile subsidiaries and joint venture operate under the brand name Vodafone. Its associate in France operates as SFR and Neuf Cegetel, and its fixed-line communication businesses operate as Vodafone, Arcor, Tele2 and TeleTu. Vodafone�� subsidiaries in Africa and Central Europe operate under the Vodafone brand, or in the case of Vodacom and its mobile subsidiaries, the Vodacom and Gateway brands. Its joint venture in Poland operates as Polkomtel and its associate in Kenya operates as Safaricom. The Company�� subsidiaries and joint venture in Fiji operate under the Vodafone brand, and its joint venture in Australia operates under the bran! d! s Vodafone and 3. The Company�� associate in the United States operates under the brand Verizon Wireless.

Vodafone has an international customer base with 370 million mobile customers across the world as of March 31, 2011. Vodafone also caters to all business segments ranging from small-office-home-office (SoHo) and small-medium enterprises (SMEs) to corporates and multinational corporations. Through its subsidiaries, Vodafone directly owns and manages approximately 2,200 stores around the world. The Company also has around 10,300 Vodafone-branded stores run through franchise and exclusive dealer arrangements.

The Company�� range of handsets covers all its customer segments and price points, and is available in a variety of designs. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 (fiscal 2011), 14 new handsets were released under its own brand and it shipped 5.8 million. In addition to handsets, it supplies a range of connected smart devices. It su pplies the iPhone in 19 markets. During fiscal 2011, the Company launched its USB stick based on 4G/LTE technology in Germany and Verizon Wireless launched in the United States.; Vodafone WebBox; a smartphone roaming data plan that allows the European customers to use their home data plan abroad for only 2 a day to access the Internet, emails and applications; the Android-powered Vodafone 845 and 945 devices; Vodafone TV services; Vodafone 252, which comes pre-loaded with Vodafone M-Pesa for mobile payment services and a prepaid balance indicator that helps customers to keep track of their phone credit to avoid overspending; Vodafone M-Pesa in South Africa, Qatar and Fiji; 3G services in India, and LTE services by acquiring LTE spectrum in Germany.

The Company is a carrier of mobile voice traffic in the world providing domestic, international and roaming voice services to more than 370 million customers. Its networks sent and received over 292 billion text, pic ture, music and video messages during fiscal 2011. The ! Compa! ny! serves! more than 75 million customers with data services, which allow access to the Internet, email and applications on their phones, tablets, laptops and netbooks. The Company provides a range of data products, including Machine-to-machine (��2M�� connections, which allow devices to communicate with one another via built-in mobile SIM cards; Third party billing; Financial services; Near field communication (��FC��, and Mobile advertising. The Company, as of March 31, 2011, served 5.3 million M2M connections around the world. NFC allows communication between devices when they are touched together or brought within a few centimetres of each other. The Company has mobile advertising business in 18 countries with a range of capabilities. Over six million customers use its fixed broadband services in 13 markets to meet their total communications needs. In addition, through Gateway, it provides wholesale carrier services to more than 40 African countries. Other service revenue includes business managed services, such as secure remote network access, and revenue from mobile virtual network operators generated from selling access to its network at the wholesale level. The Company�� enterprise customers range from small-office-home-office (��oHo�� businesses and small to medium-sized enterprises (��MEs��, through to domestic and multinational companies. The Company has 34 million enterprise customers accounting for around 9% of all customers and around 23% of service revenue. The Company focuses on SoHos and SMEs to provide customers with integrated fixed and mobile communications solutions. Vodafone Global Enterprise manages the communication needs of over 560 of the multinational corporate customers. It provides a range of managed services, such as Central Ordering, Device Manager, Spend Manager Solutions, Invoice Manager, Vodafone Neverfail and Telecoms management. The Company offers a range of total communications applications, as well as services for enterprise and consumer customers. V! odafone !! Always Be! st Connected software enables customers to stay connected to the Internet on the available connection wherever they are by automatically managing the switching between connection types including mobile broadband, Wi-Fi and LAN. Vodafone PC Backup is an online back-up and restores service that enables users to remotely store data securely and automatically via their Internet connection.

Hot Blue Chip Stocks To Invest In 2014: Saks Incorporated(SKS)

Saks Incorporated operates retail stores in the United States. Its stores offer an assortment of fashion apparel, shoes, accessories, jewelry, cosmetics, and gifts. The company operates stores under the brand name of Saks Fifth Avenue (SFA) that are principally free-standing stores in shopping destinations or anchor stores in upscale regional malls. It also operates Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH (OFF 5TH) stores, which are primarily located in upscale mixed-use and off-price centers. As of January 28, 2012, the company operated 46 SFA stores; and 60 OFF 5TH stores. Saks Incorporated also sells its products online at saks.com, as well as through catalogs. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Andrew Marder]

  Earlier this week, the New York Post reported that high-end retailer Saks (NYSE: SKS  ) had brought in Goldman Sachs to explore a possible sale. The company also reported its first-quarter results, and is looking fairly strong. Comparable sales grew, and earnings per share�hit analyst expectations. The combination of quarterly results and sale rumors conspired to push the stock up 11% yesterday, and overnight it rose another 18%. Is this the right time for Saks to sell, and if so, what should investors be on the lookout for?

• [By Andrew Marder]

  The 1% has seen phenomenal income growth recently, and that's spurred growth at companies like Saks (NYSE: SKS  ) and Nordstom (NYSE: JWN  ) , both of which managed 5% increases in revenue in the last quarter.

Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Marco Polo Marine Ltd.(5LY.SI)

Marco Polo Marine Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides ship chartering and shipyard services primarily in Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia. Its ship chartering services include the provision of chartering and re-chartering of tugboats and barges to its customers in the mining, commodities, construction, infrastructure, property development, and land reclamation industries, as well as transhipment services to electric power plants. The company?s shipyard services comprise ship building, ship repair, and ship conversion services of tugs, barges, and anchor handling tug supply, as well as offers offshore, and oil and gas fabrication works. It also offers ship leasing and management services; and management consultancy, marketing, and contract services, as well as is involved in the trading activities. The company is based in Singapore. Marco Polo Marine Ltd. is a subsidiary of Nautical International Holdings Ltd.

Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Cotton #2(CT)

Capital Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust, operates as a real estate finance and investment management company that provides credit sensitive financial products in the United States. The company?s investment programs focus on loans and securities backed by commercial real estate assets, including mortgage loans, property and corporate mezzanine loans, commercial mortgage backed securities, and subordinate mortgage interests. Its balance sheet investments include various types of commercial mortgage backed securities and collateralized debt obligations or securities, and commercial real estate loans and related instruments. The company qualifies as a real estate investment trust for federal income tax purposes. It generally would not be subject to federal corporate income taxes if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its stockholders. Capital Trust, Inc. was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Altra Holdings Inc.(AIMC)

Altra Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary, Altra Industrial Motion, Inc., designs, produces, and markets a range of mechanical power transmission and motion control products worldwide. The company provides industrial clutches and brakes for elevators, forklifts, lawn mowers, oil well draw works, punch presses, and conveyors; open and enclosed gearing products for conveyors, ethanol mixers, packaging machinery, and metal processing equipment; and engineered couplings for extruders, turbines, steel strip mills, and pumps. It also offers engineered bearing assemblies for cargo rollers, seat storage systems, and conveyors; power transmission components for conveyors, lawn mowers, and machine tools; and engineered belted drives for pumps, sand and gravel conveyors, and industrial fans. The company sells its products under the Warner Electric, Boston Gear, TB Wood?s, Kilian, Nuttall Gear, Ameridrives, Wichita Clutch, Formsprag Clutch, Bibby Transmissions, Stieber, Matrix, In ertia Dynamics, Twiflex, Industrial Clutch, Huco Dynatork, Marland Clutch, Delroyd, Warner Linear, and Bauer Gear Motor brands through its sales force, industrial distributors, and independent sales representatives. It serves aerospace, energy, food processing, general industrial, material handling, mining, petrochemical, transportation, and turf and garden markets. The company is headquartered in Braintree, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  When judging a company's prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it's booking in the accounting fantasy world we call "earnings." This is one of the first metrics I check when I'm hunting for the market's best stocks. Today, we'll see how it applies to Altra Holdings (Nasdaq: AIMC  ) .

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of power transmission products maker Altra Holdings (NASDAQ: AIMC  ) plummeted 17% today after its quarterly results and outlook disappointed Wall Street.�

Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Newtek Business Services Inc.(NEWT)

Newtek Business Services, Inc., doing business as The Small Business Authority, distributes a range of business services and financial products to the small- and medium-sized business market in the United States. The company provides electronic payment processing services, which include marketing of credit and debit card processing, check approval, and ancillary processing equipment and software services to merchants who accept credit cards, debit cards, checks, and other non-cash forms of payment. The company also offers managed technology and e-commerce solutions comprising shared and dedicated Web hosting, including domain registration and online shopping cart tools, cloud computing plans, and customized Web design and development services. In addition, it engages in originating, servicing, and selling small business administration loans for the purpose of acquiring commercial real estate, machinery, equipment, and inventory, as well as to refinance debt and fund franch ises, and working capital and business acquisitions; and provides off-site data backup, storage, and retrieval services. Further, the company offers personal, commercial, and health/benefits lines insurance products in 50 states; accounts receivable financing, billing, and accounts receivable maintenance services; and payroll management processing and employee tax filing services. It has a strategic alliance with Chartis, Inc. to provide agent services to small business clients. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Analytica Ltd(ALT.AX)

Analytica Limited focuses on the development and commercialization of a range of medical devices and pharmaceutical implants. It is developing Autostart burette, a solution to regular monitoring and refilling of burettes in intravenous fluid infusion; perineometer device to assist women and their clinicians in treatment of stress urinary incontinence; and Naltrexone implant for the treatment of drug and alcohol addictions. Analytica Limited is based in Eight Mile Plains, Australia.

Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Discovery Communications Inc(DISCA)

Discovery Communications, Inc. operates as a non fiction media and entertainment company worldwide. The company provides original and purchased programming across various distribution platforms. Its content covers science, exploration, survival, natural history, sustainability of the environment, technology, docu-series, anthropology, paleontology, history, space, archaeology, health and wellness, engineering, adventure, lifestyles, forensics, civilization, and current events. The company owns and operates nine national television networks in the United States, including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Military Channel, Planet Green, Discovery Fit & Health, and Velocity. Discovery Communications also has interests in Oprah Winfrey Network, a pay-television network and Web site; The Hub that features original programming, game shows, and live-action series and specials; and 3net, a three-dimensional network. In addition, it o ffers network branded Web sites, and mobile and video-on-demand services; and distributes various national and pan-regional television networks. Further, the company develops and sells curriculum-based products and services to public and private K-12 schools, such as access to an online VOD service that includes curriculum-based tools, professional development services, and student assessment and publication of hardcopy curriculum-based content; and postproduction audio services to motion picture studios, independent producers, broadcast networks, cable channels, advertising agencies, and interactive producers. As of December 31, 2011, it operated approximately 150 distribution feeds in 40 languages. The company is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]

  Discover Communications operates as a non-fiction media company worldwide.�The company recently released earning that left investors happy.�The stock has been trending higher over the last couple of years and is currently trading at highs for the year.Earnings and revenue figures have been steadily growing so investors have been very satisfied. Relative to its peers and sector, Discover Communications has been an under-performer leader, year-to-date. Look for Discover Communications to continue to OUTPERFORM.

Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Cazador Acquisition Corporation Ltd.(CAZA)

Cazador Acquisition Corporation Ltd., a development stage company, intends to effect a merger, share capital exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more operating businesses or assets. It would focus on a business combination in developing countries in central and eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The company was founded in April 2010 and is based in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Cazador Acquisition Corporation Ltd. is a subsidiary of Cazador Sub Holdings Ltd.

European Stocks Rise as ECB Holds Benchmark Rate at Low

Simon Dawson/Bloomberg Dixons Retail Plc, the largest U.K. electronics retailer, jumped the most in nearly five years after receiving an offer from Mutares AG to buy its Pixmania stores.

European stocks climbed as European Central Bank President Mario Draghi reiterated that interest rates will stay low for an extended period, while the Federal Reserve said it saw a modest to moderate U.S. economic recovery.

PSA Peugeot (UG) Citroen added 5.4 percent as its chief executive officer predicted a market-share increase in an interview with Le Parisien. Telecom Italia SpA rose 8.4 percent after a report that Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris may buy a stake in Italy's biggest phone company. TeliaSonera AB slid 1.9 percent as Finland cut its holding in the network operator.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 0.7 percent to 304.55 at the close of trading. The benchmark gauge lost 2.4 percent last week on concern the U.S. and its allies would take military action against Syria after chemical-weapon attacks that President Barack Obama's administration said killed more than 1,400 people.

"Draghi's comments reinforce the view that the central bankers are in no mood to rush any rate rise and in no mood to spook the markets," said Justin Urquhart Stewart, who helps oversee about $6.8 billion at Seven Investment Management in London. "He wants to put recent good economic news into context -- from a flat dull position we at last can see the first shafts of light."

The ECB today kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a record low after the 17-nation euro area returned to growth in the second quarter.

Euro Growth

The euro-area economy expanded 0.3 percent in the three months through June. Recent economic indicators point to a further recovery in the second half as an index of services and factory output climbed to the highest level since June 2011 and economic confidence soared to a two-year high.

Still, "the risks surrounding the outlook for the euro area continue to be on the downside," Draghi said at a press conference in Frankfurt. "The Governing Council confirms it expects the key rate to remain at the current l! evel or below for an extended period."

Bank of England officials left their bond-buying program unchanged today at 375 billion pounds ($586 billion), as forecast by all 38 economists in a Bloomberg News survey. They also kept the key interest rate at a record low 0.5 percent.

In the U.S., increased spending on cars and housing helped the economy maintain a "modest to moderate" pace of expansion from early July through late August, even as borrowing costs increased, the Fed said yesterday in its Beige Book business survey of economic conditions.

Syria Vote

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to authorize Obama to conduct a limited U.S. military operation in Syria, the first step toward congressional endorsement of the effort. The full Senate will begin discussing military action from Sept. 9.

The volume of shares changing hands in Stoxx 600 companies was 35 percent higher than the 30-day average, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

National benchmark indexes advanced in 16 of the 18 western European markets today. France's CAC 40 gained 0.7 percent, while Germany's DAX added 0.5 percent. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 climbed 0.9 percent.

Peugeot, Europe's second-biggest automaker, rose 5.4 percent to 11.24 euros. CEO Philippe Varin forecast an increase in market share in the third quarter, according to an interview with Le Parisien.

Carmakers Advance

A gauge of auto-related companies posted the largest gain of the 19 industry groups on the Stoxx 600. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, the biggest maker of luxury cars, added 6 percent to 76.97 euros, its highest price since at least 1992. Volkswagen AG, Europe's largest automaker, climbed 1.2 percent to 172 euros. Renault SA advanced 5.8 percent to 56.50 euros.

Telecom Italia (TIT) jumped 8.4 percent to 60.7 euro cents. La Repubblica reported that Sawiris may buy a stake in the phone company. The newspaper didn't cite anyone.

Dixons Retail Plc jumped 5.9 percent to 4! 6.88 penc! e, its highest price in nearly five years. The U.K.'s largest electronics retailer said it's close to exiting its online unit Pixmania after getting an irrevocable offer from Germany's Mutares AG. It has also agreed to sell its Turkish operations in transactions that will rid it of unprofitable businesses and enable it to focus on U.K. growth.

ICAP Plc advanced 6.7 percent to 400 pence. Morgan Stanley raised the world's largest broker of transactions between banks to overweight, similar to a buy rating, from underweight. The brokerage also increased its target price on the stock to 418 pence, citing greater clarity over U.S. rules governing swap-execution facilities and an increasingly attractive risk-reward profile as regulatory risks diminish.

TeliaSonera Stake

TeliaSonera (TLSN) slid 1.9 percent to 47.56 Swedish kronor. Solidium Oy, Finland's equity-asset manager, sold 1.6 percent of shares in the Stockholm-based company in an accelerated book building to institutional investors, it said in a statement.

Aker Solutions ASA slipped 1.6 percent to 91.50 Norwegian kroner. Nomura Holdings Inc. downgraded the oil services group controlled by billionaire Kjell Inge Roekke to reduce, similar to a sell rating, from buy.

"We lower our margins for 2014 and 2015 as the company faces underutilisation at its yards outside Norway owing to competition from Korean companies," the brokerage's note said. Nomura set a target price of 85 kroner on the shares.

Hot Clean Energy Companies To Buy For 2014

There are many countries across the globe that utilize natural gas as transportation fuel. Argentina and Iran are among the world leaders. It is a trend that hasn't really picked up in the U.S. -- until now.

Natural gas is too cheap and too useful to ignore, and it is making inroads in the world of long-distance trucking. In this video, Fool.com contributor Aimee Duffy talks about the efforts of UPS (NYSE: UPS  ) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT  ) �to take advantage of this growing movement.

The movement toward alternative energy is gaining momentum. One potential opportunity in this field is Clean Energy Fuels, which focuses its natural gas efforts primarily on trucking and fleets. It's poised to make a big impact on an essential industry. Learn everything you need to know about Clean Energy Fuels in The Motley Fool's premium research report on the company. Just click here now to claim your copy today.

Hot Clean Energy Companies To Buy For 2014: S&P GSCI(GD)

General Dynamics Corporation, an aerospace and defense company, provides business aviation; combat vehicles, weapons systems, and munitions; military and commercial shipbuilding; and communications and information technology products and services worldwide. Its Aerospace group designs, manufactures, and outfits various large and mid-cabin business-jet aircraft; provides maintenance, repair work, fixed-based operations, and aircraft management services; and performs aircraft completions for aircraft. The company?s Combat Systems group offers tracked and wheeled military vehicles, weapons systems, and munitions. Its product lines include wheeled combat and tactical vehicles; battle tanks and infantry vehicles; munitions and propellant; rockets and gun systems; and axle and drivetrain components and aftermarket parts. This group also manufactures and supplies engineered axles, suspensions, and brakes for heavy-load vehicles for military and commercial customers. The company Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Found money
  Next to $1 billion in IT contracts, General Dynamics' (NYSE: GD  ) $208 million in funding to buy submarine "long-lead-time" parts doesn't look like a lot. But General D's contract win Friday was nonetheless noteworthy.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Armaments destined for the Iraqi military include Textron (NYSE: TXT  ) Bell 412 EP transport helicopters -- a dozen of them. Also, 50 M1135 Stryker wheeled armored personnel carriers from General Dynamics (NYSE: GD  ) , outfitted for survivability in a chemical warfare environment. And finally, a shipment of spare parts to be used in maintaining everything from Humvees to howitzers to heavy equipment for salvaging damaged tanks from the battlefield.

• [By Rich Smith]

  On Friday, the U.S. Department of Defense announced it has awarded General Dynamics' (NYSE: GD  ) Electric Boat Corp. subsidiary a $208.6 million "undefinitized" contract modification to a previously awarded contract. The funds are to be used to purchase long-lead-time materials needed for construction of three Virginia-class nuclear fast attack submarines:

Hot Clean Energy Companies To Buy For 2014: Koon Holdings Limited (5DL.SI)

Koon Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, operates as contractors for civil and engineering works to the infrastructure, construction, and offshore industries in Singapore. It provides contracting services for civil and drainage engineering, building, shore protection, and marine and foundation works, as well as projects related to land reclamation, roads, and bridges; tugboats and barges services; real-estate agency, consultancy, and investment services; property valuation services; home interior solutions; and IT solutions and services. The company also engages in the rental of construction machinery, including crawler cranes, excavators, lorry cranes, tipper trucks, vibratory soil compactors, wheel loaders, and grab dredgers; and construction equipment, such as pabool pumps, electrical submersible pumps, diesel water pumps, and chemical treatment plants. In addition, it designs, manufactures, and sells reinforced concrete piles and precast components to publ ic and private housing developers; and supplies high tensile deformed bars/wire rods, as well as is involved in the wholesale of furniture, home furnishings, and other household equipment. The company was founded in 1975 and is based in Singapore.

Hot Safest Companies For 2014: Himax Technologies Inc.(HIMX)

Himax Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, and markets semiconductors for flat panel displays. Its products include display drivers and timing controllers for various thin film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD) panels, which are used in desktop monitors, notebook computers, televisions, and mobile handsets, as well as consumer electronics products comprising netbook computers, digital cameras, mobile gaming devices, portable DVD players, digital photo frame, and car navigation displays; and TFT-LCD television and monitor semiconductor solutions. The company also provides liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) products for palm-size mobile projectors; power management integrated circuits, which include drivers, amplifiers, DC to DC converters and other semiconductors; complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensors for camera-equipped mobile devices, such as mobile phones and notebook computers with a focus on lowlight image and video quality; and wafer level optics products. It serves TFT-LCD panel manufacturers, mobile device module manufacturers, and television makers. Himax Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Tainan, Taiwan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Himax Technologies (NASDAQ: HIMX  ) is rewarding its shareholders with a dividend increase.

  The company on Monday declared an annual payout from its 2012 results of $0.25 per American depositary share to be paid July 31 to shareholders of record as of July 19. That $0.25 is nearly four times Himax's previous distribution of $0.063 per share, which was paid last June.

Hot Clean Energy Companies To Buy For 2014: Penn Virginia Corporation(PVA)

Penn Virginia Corporation, an independent oil and gas company, primarily engages in the exploration and development of natural gas and oil properties in various onshore regions of the United States. The company is involved in the production and sale of natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquid products. It primarily focuses on developing the Eagle Ford Shale play in south Texas; and the horizontal Granite Wash play in the Mid-Continent region. The company also drills exploratory wells in the Marcellus Shale play in Pennsylvania; and has interests in the natural gas properties in the Haynesville Shale and Cotton Valley Sands in east Texas, and Selma Chalk in Mississippi. As of December 31, 2011, it had proved natural gas and oil reserves of approximately 883 billion cubic feet of natural gas equivalent; and owned approximately 1.1 million net acres of leasehold and royalty interests. The company sells its products using short-term floating price physical and spot marke t contracts. Penn Virginia Corporation was founded in 1882 and is headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By The Energy Report]

  Onshore, my favorite play is the Utica Shale, in which my top plays are Gulfport Energy Corp. (GPOR) and Rex Energy Corp. (REXX). Both companies have highly economic acreage, solid balance sheets and industry-leading production growth. I also like Rex Energy for its likely production upside. Another one of my favorite plays is the Eagle Ford Shale, in which my top plays are Penn Virginia Corp. (PVA) and Sanchez Energy Corp. (SN). Both have core acreage in the region, improving operating results and experienced management. Another favorite name of mine is Midstates Petroleum Co. Inc. (MPO). The company has assets in three solid plays and a management team with a long successful track record. Those are my favorite names at this time.

• [By Sally Jones] ng>Yield: 16.40%

  Up 99% over 12 months, Penn Virginia Corporation, an independent oil and gas E&P company, has a market cap of $600.69 million; its shares were traded at around $9.20. Shares trade with a P/B of 0.67.

  Guru Action: As of the second quarter of 2013, George Soros holds 1,878,242 shares valued at around $8.82 million.

  PVA is a new buy for Soros who last sold out in the first quarter of 2010, selling 9,700 shares at an average price of $24.89, for a loss of 63%.

  In the second quarter of 2013, Soros made a gain of 108.6% on his new buy of 1,878,242 shares at an average price of $4.41.

  Over his trading history, he has averaged a gain of 109% on 1,878,242 shares bought at an average price of $4.41

  Track historical pricing, revenue and net income:

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  Macquarie Infrastructure Company LLC (MIC)

  Yield: 5.33%

  Up 26% over 12 months, Macquarie Infrastructure Company LLC, an industrial distribution company, has a market cap of $2.95 billion; its shares were traded at around $55.13. Shares trade with a P/E of 641.00.

  Guru Action: As of the second quarter of 2013, George Soros holds 25,000 shares valued at around $1.33 million.

  In the second quarter, he reduced his position by 13.76%, selling 3,989 shares at an average price of $54.9, for a gain of 0.4%.

  In six quarters he has bought 28,989 shares at an average price of $49.71, for a gain of 11%. He gained 0% selling 3,989 shares at an average price of $54.9.

  Track historical pricing, revenue and net income:

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  STMicroelectronics NV (STM)

  Yield: 4.67%

  Up 28% over 12 months, STMicroelectronics NV, a semiconductor company, has a market cap of $6.77 billion; its shares were traded at around $7.60. Shares trade with a P/B of 1.20.

  Guru Action: As of the second quarter of 2013, George Soros holds 1,766,666 shares valued at around $15.88 million.

  STM is a new hold

Hot Clean Energy Companies To Buy For 2014: (TATASTEEL.NS)

Tata Steel Limited manufactures and sells steel products in India and internationally. The company provides steel products to vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers, and aerospace sector; structural frames, infrastructure, building envelope, and internal fit out application products used for heating and ventilation, and partition walls; hot rolled coil products and high-gloss pre-finished steel perforated blanks primarily for use in domestic appliances, lighting, furniture and office equipment, racking and shelving, battery cases, bake-ware, enamel-coated applications, and decorative pre-finished metals; hot rolled and cold rolled sheets, wire rod and wire, sections, plate, bearings, and tubes for engineering companies; agricultural implements; wire products for use in farming and fencing; and engineering services, including testing, erection, and commissioning, and business consulting services. It also offers tinplate, ECCS, and Protact polymer-coated steel product s for canmaking industry; formable steels for large and intermediary steel drums, and small pails for industrial packaging sector; strip and coil, quenched and tempered plate, and special profiles for track shoe and forklift masts, as well as engineered steel bars and tubes for lifting and excavating sector; welded pipeline packages and prefabricated structural products for wind, and oil and gas structures; light fabricated systems for solar farm foundations; semi finished steel components for drilling and power generation; plates, bulb flats, angles, tubes, sections, and bars for shipbuilding; rail sections sizes, steel sleeper, noise reduction systems, other specialised track, and rail products for rail sector; steel plate and sections, armoured steel, blast protective structures, perimeter security, and anti-attack vehicle barriers, as well as engineering consultancy and solutions to defense and security sector. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Mumb ai, India.

Hot Clean Energy Companies To Buy For 2014: Alon USA Energy Inc. (ALJ)

Alon USA Energy, Inc. engages in refining and marketing petroleum products primarily in the South Central, Southwestern, and Western regions of the United States. The company operates in three segments: Refining and Marketing, Asphalt, and Retail. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil into petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, petrochemicals, feed stocks, asphalts, and other petroleum products. It markets finished products and blend stocks through sales and exchanges with other oil companies, state and federal governmental entities, unbranded wholesale distributors, and various other third parties. This segment also markets motor fuels to distributors under the Alon brand; and licenses Alon brand name and provides payment card processing services, advertising programs, and loyalty and other marketing programs to licensed locations. The Asphalt segment is involved in the marketing of patented tire rubber modified asphalt products; and production of paving and roofing grades of asphalt comprising performance-graded asphalts, emulsions, and cutbacks. This segment sells paving asphalt to road and materials manufacturers and highway construction/maintenance contractors; polymer modified or emulsion asphalt to highway maintenance contractors; and roofing asphalt to roofing shingle manufacturers or other industrial users. The Retail segment operates retail convenience stores that offer various grades of gasoline, diesel fuel, food products, tobacco products, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, and general merchandise primarily under the 7-Eleven and Alon brands. As of December 31, 2012, it had 298 retail convenience stores located in Central and West Texas, and New Mexico. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Alon USA Energy, Inc. is a subsidiary of Alon Israel Oil Company, Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Dzombak]

  Among companies with over a $1 billion market cap, today's oil and gas stocks leader was Alon USA Energy (NYSE: ALJ  ) , up 4.95% to $17.16. During the refiners' drop on Tuesday and Wednesday, Alon dropped 12.89%. Despite the comeback today, the stock is still down 8.6% from where it was before the plunge. Alon USA owns refineries in Louisiana and California, 11 asphalt terminals, as well as 300 7-11 retail locations. The company has been profiting heavily from the massive price difference between WTI and Brent crude. In November of 2012, the company IPO'd its Big Springs refinery as a master limited partnership, Alon USA Partners LP,�the proceeds of which Alon used to pay down debt.

• [By Tom Dorsey]

  Over a several day period, I submitted questions and Mr. Eisman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Alon USA Energy Inc. (ALJ) and the parent company of Alon USA Partners LP Inc. (ALDW) responded. He provided some key insights to some challenges the company faces, where the company is going, and the opportunities available in the future. This insight should provide investors with additional information to understand the value of the company and the opportunity as an investor in the company.

• [By Rich Smith]

  The Department of Defense issued $1.3 billion worth of new contract awards Friday. However, a single, $950 million award for engineering services accounted for the bulk of the spending -- and that one went to a series of privately held companies. Publicly traded names fared less well. Among the few winners:

Hot Clean Energy Companies To Buy For 2014: Pearson Plc(PSO)

Pearson plc engages in education, business information, and consumer publishing businesses worldwide. The company?s North American Education segment provides higher education services, such as higher education publishing; MyLab digital learning, homework, and assessment programs; and LearningStudio, a suite of learning management technologies, including eCollege and Fronter. This segment also offers assessment and information services; school curriculum services consisting of school publishing; enVisionMATH, a digital math curriculum; America's Choice school reform services; online learning platform for teachers and students; Poptropica video game; digital programs, such as digits, a digital middle school math?s program; Writing Coach, a blended print and online program; and Online Learning Exchange, a personalized digital learning program. Its International Education segment provides educational content, assessment, technologies, and related services to educational inst itutions. This segment offers spoken English training for adults, as well as provides eCollege and Fronter learning management systems. It also offers MyLab digital learning, homework, and assessment programs. The company?s Professional segment focuses on publishing, training, testing, and certification for professionals. Its Financial Times group segment provides business and financial news, data, comment, and analysis in print and online formats to the international business community. Its products include Financial Times newspaper; FT.com Website; financial magazines and online services; and Mergermarket, which provides forward-looking insights and intelligence to businesses and financial institutions. The company?s Penguin Group segment engages in book publishing business, under the Hamish Hamilton, Putnam, Berkley, Viking, Dorling Kindersley, Puffin, and Ladybird imprints. It also offers ebooks. The company was founded in 1844 and is headquartered in London, the Unite d Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mike Arnold]

  Collectively, Glacier generated $21.2 million EBITDA in the first-half of 2013, of which 56% represents $11.9 million, or $23.8 million annualized. Comparables such as Daily Journal Corp. and to a lesser extent, Pearson plc (PSO) trade at EV/EBITDA multiples of 12x and 11.5x, respectively. If we assume 10x for the Glacier's business information services is a better proxy of value, we arrive at $238 million valuation for the segment.

• [By Mark Rogers]

  LONDON -- The shares of�Pearson� (LSE: PSON  ) (NYSE: PSO  ) were flat at 1,146p early this afternoon after the�Financial Times�publisher reported first-quarter sales rising 3%, to 拢1.2bn.

• [By Andrew Marder]

  What's in it for Barnes & Noble investors?
  The reason the shares jumped is that the Nook is like a treasure chest, hidden deep in the world of Barnes & Noble. Microsoft purchased a $300 million stake in the Nook business last year, and then late in the year, Pearson (NYSE: PSO  ) spent $90 million on a 5% stake. That purchase valued the Nook business at $1.79 billion, up from a $1.7 billion valuation based on Microsoft's investment.

Hot Clean Energy Companies To Buy For 2014: Trans World Entertainment Corp.(TWMC)

Trans World Entertainment Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty retailer of entertainment software products, including music, video, video games, and other related products through its retail stores and e-commerce sites in the United States. The company?s other related products include electronics, accessories, and trend items. As of January 29, 2011, it operated 376 mall-based stores under the For Your Entertainment (f.y.e.), Suncoast Motion Pictures, and Saturday Matinee brand names in regional shopping malls; 84 freestanding stores under the f.y.e. brand name; and 3 retail Websites, including fye.com, wherehouse.com, and secondspin.com. The company operates retail stores in the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Trans World Entertainment Corporation was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Albany, New York.