Good, Flat and Mixed: Google (GOOG), Capital One (COF) and Chipotle (CMG) Report 3Q

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Google (GOOG), Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) and Capital One (COF) reported mixed third-quarter results after the bell.

Google recorded a 12% increase in revenue to $14.89 billion for the third quarter. The search engine behemoth said net revenue for its Internet business was up 23% year on year to $10.8 billion from $8.76 billion. Net profit was $2.97 billion, or $8.75 a share, compared to $2.18 billion, or $6.53 a share, in the year-ago quarter.

Its mobile phone business, Motorola, continued to bleed, reporting an operating loss of $248 million compared to a loss of $192 million for the same period a year earlier. Revenue fell 34% year on year to $1.18 billion.

During an earnings conference call, CEO Larry Page said mobile continues to benefit Google's YouTube business with 40% of the traffic from the site originating from mobile devices. In the third-quarter 2012, 25% of traffic came from mobile and a year earlier, merely 6%. Page also added that he would not regularly participate in quarterly earnings calls going forward, explaining "you're depending on me to ruthlessly prioritize". "About two years ago when I became CEO again, my goal was to make sure Google maintains the passion and soul of a startup," he said. "Great is just never good enough." Shares gained 8% to $960 in after-hours trading, an all-time high for the ubiquitous tech firm. TheStreet Ratings team rates Google Inc as a Buy with a ratings score of B+. The team has this to say about their recommendation: "We rate Google Inc (GOOG) a BUY. This is driven by a number of strengths, which we believe should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks we cover. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, reasonable valuation levels, good cash flow from operations and increase in stock price during the past year. Although no company is perfect, currently we do not see any significant weaknesses which are likely to detract from the generally positive outlook." You can view the full analysis from the report here: GOOG Ratings Report Capital One Financial Corp said third-quarter net income dropped 6.3% to $1.1 billion, or $1.86 a share, compared to $1.18 billion or $2.01 a share in the year-ago quarter. The Virginia-based bank reaped net revenue of $5.7 billion, a less than 1% increase on a year earlier. Though growth remained flat, the company beat Yahoo! Finance analysts' expectations of $1.80 a share on revenue of $5.58 billion. "Our businesses continue to deliver attractive, sustainable and resilient returns and generate capital on a strong trajectory," said CEO Richard D. Fairbank in a statement. "We remain focused on important levers that will sustain and improve our profitability and our ability to distribute capital." In after-hours trading, shares boosted 1.9% to $73.50. TheStreet Ratings team rates Capital One Financial Corp as a Buy with a ratings score of A. The team has this to say about their recommendation: "We rate Capital One Financial Corp (COF) a BUY. This is based on the convergence of positive investment measures, which should help this stock outperform the majority of stocks that we rate. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, solid stock price performance, attractive valuation levels and good cash flow from operations. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows low profit margins." You can view the full analysis from the report here: COF Ratings Report Fast-casual restaurant Chipotle beat expectations on revenue, while falling short on profit. The Mexican eatery reported an 18% increase in third-quarter revenue to $826.9 million and net income of $83.4 million, compared to $72.3 million in the year-ago quarter. Earnings per share came in at $2.66 a share, lower than analysts' expectations of $2.78 a share, according to Thomson Reuters. Profitability declined as operating margins slipped 60 basis points to 26.8% on higher food and marketing costs. Shares gained 8% to $474.10 in post-market trading, surpassing its 52-week high of $447.65 by a wide margin.  TheStreet Ratings team rates Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc as a Buy with a ratings score of A-. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation: "We rate Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG) a BUY. This is based on the convergence of positive investment measures, which should help this stock outperform the majority of stocks that we rate. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, growth in earnings per share, increase in net income and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company is trading at a premium valuation based on our review of its current price compared to such things as earnings and book value." You can view the full analysis from the report here: CMG Ratings Report Written by Keris Alison Lahiff.

Top 10 Blue Chip Companies For 2014

With no compelling reason to be pessimistic today, Wall Street started the week off strong Monday, bidding stocks higher as Europe took further steps to stop the bleeding in Greece. Data today also show an abrupt jump in consumer borrowing, with Americans taking nearly $20 billion worth of debt in May, up sharply from the $10.9 billion more citizens borrowed in April. When all was said and done, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) tacked on 89 points, or 0.6%, to end at 15,225.�

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH  ) led all blue chips higher Monday, adding 2.1%, as the health insurer enjoyed the benefits of a favorable article in Barron's, making the case for a 40% run-up in the stock over the next several years. The staggered rollout of Obamacare is cited as the major catalyst for the stock's potential in the bullish piece, which Wall Street clearly paid attention to. Shares even hit a 52-week high during trading today.

Big-box retailer Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT  ) also outperformed, jumping 2% Monday. It's easy to see how Wally World could benefit from today's intel on consumer credit; in a consumer-driven economy, a rapid increase in personal debt is one surefire way to increase spending, and the ubiquitous retailer is no stranger to that concept. The third-largest company in the Dow has recently gotten creative in terms of how to ramp up in-store purchases, and it now even offers its own credit card and banking solutions.�

Top 10 Blue Chip Companies For 2014: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and so cial networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividend Growth Investor]

  International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. I like this global technology juggernaut, the ability to consistently repurchase shares, raise dividends for 16 years and its vision to earn $20/share by 2015. The company has increased dividends for 18 years in a row, and has managed to boost them by 18.80%/year over the past decade. Currently, the stock trades at 14 times earnings and yields 1.90%. Check my analysis of IBM.

Top 10 Blue Chip Companies For 2014: Colgate-Palmolive Company(CL)

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. It offers oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouth rinses, as well as dental floss and pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals; personal care products, such as liquid hand soap, shower gels, bar soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, and conditioners; and home care products comprising laundry and dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, bleaches, dishwashing liquids, and oil soaps. The company offers its oral, personal, and home care products under the Colgate Total, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate 360 Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Burrows]

  Rival Colgate-Palmolive (CL) has different concerns, namely sluggishness in emerging markets where it enjoys commanding market share and derives more than half its revenue.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Colgate-Palmolive
  Toothpaste and toothbrushes may not be exciting business, but it's consistent and consumers tend to develop habits they rarely break. Once they find a toothpaste brand they like, it could be years before they try another one. That leads to another incredibly consistent business for Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL  ) , one that has paid back investors with a dividend since 1895. �

Best Insurance Stocks For 2014: Philip Morris International Inc(PM)

Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States. Its international product brand line comprises Marlboro, Merit, Parliament, Virginia Slims, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street, Lark, Muratti, Next, Philip Morris, and Red & White. The company also offers its products under the A Mild, Dji Sam Soe, and A Hijau in Indonesia; Diana in Italy; Optima and Apollo-Soyuz in the Russian Federation; Morven Gold in Pakistan; Boston in Colombia; Belmont, Canadian Classics, and Number 7 in Canada; Best and Classic in Serbia; f6 in Germany; Delicados in Mexico; Assos in Greece; and Petra in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It operates primarily in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GuruFocus]

  Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) Reached the 52-Week Low of $85.37

  The prices of Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) shares have declined to close to the 52-week low of $85.37, which is 15.1% off the 52-week high of $96.73. Philip Morris International Inc. is owned by 31 Gurus we are tracking. Among them, 14 have added to their positions during the past quarter. Ten reduced their positions.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Phillip Morris (PM) gained 2.8% to $86.56 after boosting its dividend by 10.6%.

  Restoration Hardware (RH) dropped 12% to $68.04 despite what many considered to be a solid earnings�report. Not Barron’s.

• [By Shauna O'Brien]

  On Wednesday, Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) announced that its board has approved a 10.6% increase to its quarterly dividend.

  PM has increased its dividend from 85 cents to 94 cents per share, or $3.76 annually.

  The dividend will be paid on October 11 to shareholders of record on September 26. The stock will go ex-dividend on September 24.

  Philip Morris shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Wednesday. The stock has been mostly flat YTD.

Top 10 Blue Chip Companies For 2014: Visa Inc.(V)

Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Reuters]

  Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThe Dow Jones news ticker in Times Square, New York City. NEW YORK -- Investment bank Goldman Sachs Group (GS), credit-card company Visa (V), and footwear Nike (NKE) will join the blue chip Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI) Dow Jones industrial average, the index managers said Tuesday, in the biggest shake-up for the 30-stock average in nearly a decade. The three companies will replace Bank of America (BAC), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and Alcoa (AA), all lower-priced stocks that exert a lesser pull on the price-weighted index. The changes will be effective on Sept. 23, S&P Dow Jones Indices said in a statement. The average, first established in 1896, includes 30 stocks, but very little money is indexed to its performance, unlike the broader Standard & Poor's 500 (^GSPC) or other indexes. In addition, because it is weighted by price, companies that are smaller in value with higher prices have more influence on the average. "Wow, those are big changes," said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer of Solaris Group in Bedford Hills, N.Y. "The Dow is really an antiquated index. It is price-weighted, which makes no sense. But there are still are some people that pay attention to it, and some technicians, so it has an influence on some people." Google (GOOG) and other names were considered for inclusion but passed over because of high stock prices, David Blitzer, managing director and chairman of the S&P Index Committee, told CNBC. The index manager said the changes were prompted by the low stock price of the three companies slated for removal and a desire to diversify the make-up of the index. Alcoa, in particular, has been seen as a candidate for elimination for some time, as the stock's market value of $8.5 billion is easily the lowest in the average. It is the first three-for-three change to the index since April 8, 2004, when American International Group (AIG), Pfizer (PFE) and Verizon (VZ) replaced AT&

Top 10 Blue Chip Companies For 2014: Chevron Corporation(CVX)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Regarded Solutions]

  The Team Alpha portfolio consists of Ford (F) Chevron (CVX) Apple (AAPL), McDonald's (MCD), Exxon Mobil (XOM), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), AT&T (T), General Electric (GE), BlackRock Kelso Capital (BKCC), KKR Financial (KFN), Procter & Gamble (PG), CSX Corp. (CSX), Realty Income (O), Coca-Cola (KO), Annaly Capital (NLY), Cisco (CSCO), Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), Newmont Mining (NEM), and Wells Fargo (WFC), and Intel (INTC).

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Recent deals with oil and gas majors like Chevron (CVX) have made ARII’s backlog for new rail cars jump to a whopping 6,300. That�� almost as many cars it shipped altogether in 2012. Those backlog orders and tank car leases have also helped ARII beat earnings estimates in the last few quarters.

• [By Claudia Assis]

  Major oil and gas companies were mixed, however. Shares of Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) �rose 0.3%, while shares of ConocoPhillips (COP) �rose 1.2%. Shares of Chevron Corp. (CVX) , however, were flat.

• [By Sara Murphy]

  Flash-forward to today, and there's a growing movement to divest from hydrocarbons in order to deal with climate change. Part of this movement is 350.org, an organization that urges college and university endowments to divest their shares of fossil fuel companies. The group takes particular aim at Transcanada (NYSE: TRP  ) because of the heavy carbon impact of the Keystone XL pipeline, as well as those companies most exposed to the "carbon bubble," including BP (NYSE: BP  ) , Shell (NYSE: RDS-A  ) , and Chevron (NYSE: CVX  ) .

Top 10 Blue Chip Companies For 2014: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)

McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steve Symington]

  With beef prices on the rise, McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) has officially decided to remove its Angus Third Pounder burgers from the menu by the middle of next month.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  )
  The fast-food king has generated almost 30% in annual dividend increases on average since 2003, with a yield of 3%. International growth has been the factor that led to its big payouts, as the Golden Arches can now be seen around the world in growing numbers. Recently, concerns about a slowdown in its international expansion have weighed on McDonald's shares, but with a payout ratio of just 55%, McDonald's has more room to push its dividend higher in the future even if earnings growth flags temporarily.

• [By Dimitra DeFotis]

  Wednesday’s top DJIA laggard stocks were higher, up less than a point, headed into the early�1 p.m. close today.�McDonald’s�(MCD),�Disney�(DIS),�Chevron�(CVX)�Procter & Gamble�(PG) were up, though�ExxonMobil�(XOM) shares were flat headed into the close.�

Top 10 Blue Chip Companies For 2014: Apple Inc.(AAPL)

Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Beyers]

  Advertisers hate the idea. At least two industry trade groups -- the Interactive Advertising Bureau and the Association of National Advertisers -- strongly oppose the new setting, arguing that users of the browser will see more (and more irrelevant) ads as a result, Computerworld reports. Perhaps that's why�Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) ,�Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) �, and�Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) haven't taken similar steps with their own browsers?

5 Best Stocks To Watch Right Now

Small caps have the ability to produce huge returns for investors. These young companies with innovative ideas and personnel pose a huge threat to industry leaders with the ability to adjust quickly to dynamic markets.

Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) is a great example.

Back in the late 1990s, the company blazed a trail in e-commerce by creating a platform for consumers to buy goods online. Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers like Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) and Sears Holdings (Nasdaq: SHLD) were slow to respond to the new online paradigm, enabling Amazon to capture the market and catapult to a $120 billion valuation.

These are the kind of innovative companies Andy Obermueller profiles in his Game-Changing Stocks newsletter. Take a look at the big gain below.

5 Best Stocks To Watch Right Now: Sernova Corp. (SVA.V)

Sernova Corp., a health sciences company, focuses on the development and commercialization of medical technologies in the United States and Canada. Its proprietary platform technologies include Cell Pouch System, a device providing a natural organ-like environment for therapeutic cells, such as insulin producing islets for diabetics; and Sertolin, a cell-based technology providing an immune-privileged environment for donor cells, reducing or eliminating the need for anti-rejection drugs. The company also focuses to commercialize products for the treatment of Parkinson�s, spinal cord injury, and haemophilia diseases. Sernova Corp. is headquartered in London, Canada.

5 Best Stocks To Watch Right Now: Bellhaven Copper & Gold Inc (BHV.V)

Bellhaven Copper & Gold Inc., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. It primarily explores for gold and copper deposits. The company�s flagship project is the 100% controlled La Mina porphyry gold-copper project in the Middle Cauca belt of Colombia. It also holds 100% interests in the Pitaloza project and three high-sulphidation epithermal gold-copper and porphyry copper prospects located on the Azuero Peninsula in Panama. The company was formerly known as Bellhaven Ventures Inc. and changed its name to Bellhaven Copper & Gold Inc. in October 2006. Bellhaven Copper & Gold Inc. was incorporated in 1980 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 10 Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Solazyme Inc (SZYM)

Solazyme, Inc. (Solazyme), incorporated on March 31, 2003, makes oil. The Company�� technology transforms a range of plant-based sugars into oils. Its renewable products can replace or enhance oils derived from the world�� three existing sources-petroleum, plants and animal fats. The Company is focused on commercializing its products into three target markets: fuels and chemicals, nutrition, and skin and personal care. In 2010, the Company launched its products, the Golden Chlorella line of dietary supplements. In March 2011, the Company launched its Algenist brand for the luxury skin care market through marketing and distribution arrangements with Sephora S.A. (Sephora International), Sephora USA, Inc. (Sephora USA), and QVC, Inc. (QVC).

The Company is engaged in development activities with multiple partners, including Chevron U.S.A. Inc., through its division Chevron Technology Ventures (Chevron), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Ecopetrol S.A. (Ecopetrol), Qantas Airways Limited (Qantas) and Conopoco, Inc., doing business as Unilever (Unilever).

In 2010, the Company entered into a 50/50 joint venture with Roquette Freres, S.A. (Roquette). In November 2010, the Company entered into a joint venture and operating agreement for Solazyme Roquette Nutritionals with Roquette. In December 2010, the Company entered into an exclusive distribution relationship with Sephora International, and in January 2011, the Company entered into a distribution relationship with Sephora USA. Under the arrangements, each of Sephora International and Sephora USA will distribute the Algenist product line in their respective territories.

In Fuels and Chemicals market its renewable oils can be refined and sold as drop-in replacements for marine, motor vehicle and jet fuels, as well as replacements for chemicals that are traditionally derived from petroleum or other conventional oils. The Company work with its refining partner Honeywell UOP to produce Soladiesel (renewable diesel), So! ladiesel renewable diesel for United States Naval vessels, and Solajet renewable jet fuel for both military and commercial application testing. In nutrition market the Company has developed microalgae-based food ingredients, including oils and powders that enhance the nutritional profile and functionality of food products while reducing costs for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. In Skin and Personal Care market the Company hs developed a portfolio of branded microalgae-based products. Its ingredient is Alguronic Acid, which the Company has formulated into a range of skin care products with anti-aging benefits. The Company is also developing algal oils as replacements for the oils used in skin and personal care products.

The Company competes with BP p.l.c., Royal Dutch Shell plc, and Exxon Mobil Corporation, jatropha, camelina, SALOV North America Corporation, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill, Incorporated, DSM Food Specialties and Danisco A/S

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, renewable oil producer Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM  ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Synthetic biology and renewable oils manufacturer�Solazyme� (NASDAQ: SZYM  ) announced that it successfully conducted multiple initial fermentations in 500,000 liter fermentors in December 2012. While it was a big step forward in the right direction, I think the announcement was a bit premature. By "multiple," the company meant two and by "commercial scale production metrics," the company meant that only partial data had been collected. By reading SEC filings, investors can learn that the company has yet to prove microbial productivity at volumes greater than 128,000 liters. Not at all a nail in the coffin, but since the company believes it needs to reach 625,000 liter fermentors to be profitable, it is clear that engineers have plenty of work ahead of them.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Don't forget about...
  Gevo may be a promising renewable fuel partner for Uncle Sam, but it isn't the only one. Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM  ) began extensive testing on three of its fuels -- two renewable diesels and one renewable jet fuel -- with the U.S. Navy in 2009. The company supplied 600,000 gallons of fuels between 2011 and 2012 under various programs. Similarly, Amyris (NASDAQ: AMRS  ) is working with DARPA under The Living Foundries program to build a quickly scalable industrial biotechnology platform. While it could one day be used for fuels or chemicals, vaccines or nutritionals, such a breakthrough would certainly catch the eye of the petroleum-guzzling DoD. Outside of the project, the company is working toward supplying commercial quantities of renewable jet fuel with partner Total by 2014 and already supplies renewable diesel in Brazil.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM) dipped 12.46% to $9.06 on Q3 results.

  PhotoMedex (NASDAQ: PHMD) shares dropped 12.09% to $11.27 in pre-market trading after the company reported weaker-than-expected third-quarter results.

5 Best Stocks To Watch Right Now: IPC The Hospitalist Company Inc.(IPCM)

IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides hospitalist services in the United States. It engages in providing, managing, and coordinating the care of hospitalized patients and serves as the inpatient partner of primary care physicians and specialists. As of December 31, 2011, the company with its 1,201 affiliated hospitalists, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants that are organized into medical group practices, provided hospitalist solutions at approximately 365 hospitals, and 550 other inpatient and post-acute care facilities primarily in 25 states. It also offers administrative and professional services, including information management system, transition management, regional management, recruiting, training, financial reporting, billing and collection, risk management, and compliance services to affiliated hospitalists. The company serves patients, primary care physicians, specialists, acute care hospitals, alter native sites of inpatient care, and health plans. IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., formerly known as InPatient Consultants Management, Inc., was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in North Hollywood, California.

5 Best Stocks To Watch Right Now: Transgaming Inc (TNG.V)

TransGaming Inc. engages in the development, sale, and licensing of software portability products that facilitate the deployment of games across various platforms primarily in Canada, the United States, and Europe. The company�s products include Cider, which enables PC games for Apple�s Mac platform; SwiftShader, a 3D software renderer that supports multi-core rendering for developers and systems providers; GameTree Mac, a digital distribution platform for Mac games; and GameTree TV, an interactive entertainment solution for the distribution of digital content to Smart TV. It also provides post-contract customer support services; and online subscription and professional services for the development of video games, as well as sells online video games. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

PayPal Streamlines Online Shopping

With the help of PayPal, eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) is making the world of online shopping a whole lot simpler.

Log In With PayPal takes a single user login ID and proliferates it across the world of online commerce so a buyer can make secure purchases without entering much more than a login ID and password. On the backend, PayPal sends all of the pertinent credentials to the merchant so that the buyer doesn't have to. In the context of mobile, Log In With PayPal revolutionizes the mobile online shopping experience since it eliminates as many required fields as possible.

Top 10 China Companies To Buy Right Now

It's a win-win
Before you start busting out those PayPal jokes about this being a nightmare for sellers, bear in mind that both parties stand to benefit.

Buyers no longer have to remember a swath of login credentials associated with shopping at multiple sites, which could be viewed as a huge convenience factor. Sellers stand to benefit from a more streamlined online checkout experience, which is likely to improve shopping cart abandonment rates. This is especially true for mobile devices, where filling in required fields isn't exactly ideal.

Two fronts, one face
The opportunity is for PayPal and eBay as a whole is quite tremendous, considering the company is attacking commerce from both online and offline fronts. As a result, eBay estimates its addressable market has expanded to $10 trillion, of which it expects to enable $300 billion of global commerce by 2015.

When you boil it down, PayPal and eBay are addressing the challenges associated with increased online commerce growth across the world (not to mention shopping on a mobile device). If PayPal has its way, the days of remembering all multiple login credentials to shop will become a thing of the past.

I suppose you could consider this another reason to buy eBay today.

It's incredible to think just how much of our digital and technological lives are almost entirely shaped and molded by just a handful of companies. Find out "Who Will Win the War Between the 5 Biggest Tech Stocks?" in The Motley Fool's latest free report, which details the knock-down, drag-out battle being waged by the five kings of tech. Click here to keep reading.

5 Surprising Stocks That Are Falling - and Don't Deserve to Be

Alamy The market may have rallied remarkably this year, but there are plenty of stocks that never got the memo. Dozens of stocks are hitting fresh 52-week lows these days, and some of them aren't as bad as their low stock prices would seem to suggest. Last week, I took a look at five stocks that didn't deserve to be hitting new 52-week highs. Now it's time to flip things around and look at five stocks that hit new 52-week lows last week that are prime candidates to bounce back. Dice Holdings (DHX) 52-Week Range: $6.83-$10.43 Dice operates several industry-specific career and employment websites, including the namesake Dice.com for tech jobs, ClearanceJobs.com for jobs that require security clearance, and Rigzone.com for jobs in the oil industry. It's a novel approach to helping folks in specific sectors network, and naturally this is magnetic to potential employers. The success of LinkedIn (LNKD) may have taken some of the shine off Dice, but the company's still finding ways to grow. Analysts see revenue climbing at a slightly better than 6 percent clip this year and again in 2014. Kinder Morgan (KMI) 52-Week Range: $32.30-$41.49 Kinder Morgan watches over the country's largest network of natural gas pipelines. Thanks to its reputation as a cleaner energy source than coal or petroleum (and the massive upsurge in U.S. production thanks to the fracking boom), natural gas is a growing source of domestic energy. Even commercial vehicles are starting to be powered by liquefied natural gas. Kinder Morgan is growing, but it has missed Wall Street's profit targets in each of the three past quarters. That's been enough to scare off some investors. However, the falling share price has also made Kinder Morgan's healthy dividend that much more compelling. The stock's yield of 4.6 percent is too rich to ignore here. Liquidity Services (LQDT) 52-Week Range: $20.37-$44.40 Liquidity Services prides itself as a problem solver. It runs a marketplace for items that need to be cleared out, and that's a blessing for government and commercial enterprises with overstocks that are seeking a way out of their surplus of goods. Business has been softening. Analysts see revenue slipping 10 percent this quarter, clocking in flat for the entire year. But the dip should be short-lived, as the market's holding out for growth next quarter, accelerating throughout the year. LightInTheBox (LITB) 52-Week Range: $6.18-$23.38 Saying that LightInTheBox is at a 52-week low may be stretching things. The China-based online retailer has only been trading since going public at $9.50 in June. However, the stock quickly soared into the low $20s before crashing on back-to-back quarters of posting disappointing results. LightInTheBox sells fancy dresses and housewares. It offers free shipping worldwide, and that has helped it become a hit outside of China. More than 80 percent of its sales are going to Europe and North America. Its first two quarters as a public company were indeed bad, but LightInTheBox is still growing, targeting sales growth in the high teens during the holiday quarter. That's not too bad. The market was just spoiled at the time of the IPO, but now that expectations have been adjusted, it will be that much easier for LightInTheBox to live up to the hype. Rackspace Hosting (RAX) 52-Week Range: $32.62-$81.36 When it comes to Web hosting, Rackspace has emerged as a popular provider for companies and webmasters looking to sustain an online presence. Rackspace provides conventional hosting services on its growing fleet of servers, and it also offers a platform for the growing number of cloud-based hosted solutions. Rackspace now has more than 100,000 servers. Rackspace is growing at a healthy pace. Revenue climbed 16 percent in its latest quarter, and that's essentially what the analysts see through at least next year. Earnings have been going the other way. That's the competitive nature of this growing industry, but at least Rackspace is still posting strong growth. Don't let the low share prices fool you. All five of these stocks are in better shape than their share prices suggest. (F) Ford has been making cars through a fair number of cicada emergence cycles, and that's not going to change. Cars will naturally look materially different in 17 years; by then, it wouldn't be a shock to see self-driving cars in widespread use. Ford should continue to have a major role in the industry. Naturally, there may be trends moving away from automobiles in general. The urbanization trend -- which features people flocking back to metropolitan areas where mass transit makes car ownership less important -- will likely continue. U.S. automakers may also continue to lose market share to overseas rivals. However, it's hard to bet against Ford. Remember, Ford was the only major U.S. automaker to avoid the government's bailout in 2009, proving its mettle during tough times. Ford (AAPL) This pick will be controversial given the way that Apple's stock has been beaten down since peaking late last year. But the consumer tech giant is a survivor. Since the last Brood II invasion we saw the iPod in 2001, the iPhone in 2007, and the iPad in 2010. Yes, Steve Jobs is gone, but denying Apple its historical bent to raise the bar in consumer electronics would be a costly mistake. Apple will find a way to innovate its way to growth and margin expansion. Apple (WMT) The world's largest retailer has plenty of detractors. Critics argue that Walmart destroys mom-and-pop businesses and treats its employees unfairly. However, 60 percent of the people in this country will visit a Walmart this month. Think about that. Walmart rang up more than $469 billion in sales last year. Think about that, too.

5 Best Performing Stocks To Invest In Right Now

A day after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it wouldn’t investigate October’s Tesla Model S fire, Tesla’s (TSLA) shares are falling after Elon Musk was quoted saying that its market cap is higher than it should be.

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

The Financial Times reports (behind a paywall):

�� think that we have quite a high valuation, and a higher valuation than we have any right to deserve,��chief executive Elon Musk said at an event to mark the opening of a new Tesla showroom in London.

That appears to be overshadowing the announcement by the NHTSA, which said that the Model S fire was not a safety issue. Bloomberg reports:

Elon Musk���Tesla Motors Inc., the best-performing U.S. auto stock this year, got a double dose of good news as U.S. officials chose not to probe a Model S battery fire and California deferred changes to a state program that would pare Tesla�� revenue from green-car credits.

5 Best Performing Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Simon Property Group Inc.(SPG)

Simon Property Group, Inc. is a real estate investment trust. The firm engages in investment, ownership, and management of properties. It invests in the real estate markets across the globe. The firm?s portfolio includes regional malls, premium outlet centers, the mills, community / lifestyle centers, and international properties. Simon Property Group was founded in 1960 and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  BMO Capital Markets made a REIT switch in its coverage: It raised Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) to Outperform from Market Perform based on an attractive entry point now that shares are down 20% or so from the highs, and it downgraded General Growth Properties (NYSE: GGP) to Market Perform from Outperform based on its relative valuation gap having dwindled.

• [By Michael Lewis]

  Another tax-law provision gives favorable tax status to real-estate investment trusts. REITs make investments in real estate-related assets, and they're required to pay out almost all their income to their shareholders annually. Simon Property Group (SPG) is one of the biggest REITs, focusing on shopping malls and paying a 3 percent yield. But other specialty areas of the REIT universe pay much higher dividends, with REITs like Annaly Capital (NLY) that invest in mortgage-backed securities topping the list with double-digit percentage yields.

5 Best Performing Stocks To Invest In Right Now: CalAmp Corp (CAMP.O)

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

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Wireless DataCom

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

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

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

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

Satellite

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

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

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

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Buy For 2014: I.D. Systems Inc.(IDSY)

I.D. Systems, Inc. develops, markets, and sells wireless solutions for managing and securing enterprise assets, including industrial vehicles, such as forklifts, airport ground support equipment, rental vehicles, and transportation assets primarily in North America. The company offers integrated wireless solutions that enable customers to control, monitor, track, and analyze their enterprise assets. Its campus-based fleet management products include On-Asset Hardware, which provides an autonomous means of asset control and monitoring; Wireless Asset Managers that link mobile assets being monitored with customer?s computer network or to a remotely hosted server; Server Software, which manages data communications between the system?s database and either the Wireless Asset Managers or On-Asset Hardware; and Client Software, which restricts access and limits corruption of system information, as well as minimizes network bandwidth usage. The company?s remote asset management products comprise On-Asset Hardware, which addresses various remote asset types, such as dry van trailers, refrigerated trailers, domestic containers, and railcars, as well as customer-specific requirements; and VeriWise Intelligence Portal, a hosted Website that provides Internet access to client asset information. The company also offers direct feed of the data to customer through XML or Web services. In addition, it provides maintenance, customer support, and consulting services. I.D. Systems markets and sells its wireless solutions to a range of customers in the commercial and government sectors operating in various markets, such as automotive manufacturing, retailers, shippers, freight transportation companies, heavy industry, retail and wholesale distribution, aerospace and defense, homeland security, and vehicle rental directly, as well as through indirect sales channels, such as industrial equipment dealers. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Wo odcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Yesterday, small cap identity protection stock Lifelock Inc (NYSE: LOCK) surged 15.64% after reporting better-than-expected third quarter earnings thanks in part to playing on the security fears of consumers, meaning its probably time to take a look at it along with two other security stocks, I.D. Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: IDSY) and View Systems Inc (OTCBB: VSYM), which can also play up the fear factor:�

5 Best Performing Stocks To Invest In Right Now: LeMaitre Vascular Inc (LMAT)

LeMaitre Vascular, Inc. (LeMaitre Vascular), incorporated on November 28, 1983, is a global provider of medical devices and implants for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. The Company develops, manufacture, and market vascular devices to addresses the needs of vascular surgeons. The Company's diversified portfolio of peripheral vascular devices consists of brand name products that are used in arteries and veins outside of the heart and are well known to vascular surgeons, including the Expandable LeMaitre Valvulotome, the Pruitt F3 Carotid Shunt, and VascuTape Radiopaque Tape. The Company sells 12 product lines, most of which are used in open vascular surgery and some of which are used in endovascular procedures. The Company sells its products primarily through a direct sales force. The Company�� products are used by vascular surgeons who treat peripheral vascular disease through both open surgical methods and endovascular techniques. In July 2013, Lemaitre Vascular Inc acquired the assets of Clinical Instruments International, Inc. In August 2013, Lemaitre Vascular Inc acquired the assets of InaVein, LLC.

In June 2011, the Company divested its TAArget and UniFit stent grafts to Duke Vascular, Inc. In August 2011, the Company terminated its distribution of Endologix�� aortic stent graft products in Europe. In November 2011, it launched the second-generation of The UnBalloon Non-Occlusive Modeling Catheter. In December 2011, the Company launched the Over-The-Wire LeMaitre Valvulotome.

Open Vascular Products

The Company�� open vascular products are used primarily in conventional open vascular surgery for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. LeMaitre line of embolectomy catheters are used to remove blood clots from arteries or veins. The Company manufactures single-lumen latex and latex-free embolectomy catheters, as well as dual-lumen latex embolectomy catheters. The dual-lumen embolectomy catheter allows clot removal and simultaneous irri! gation or guide-wire trackability. Its Pruitt line of occlusion and perfusion catheters reduces vessel trauma by using internal balloon fixation rather than traditional external clamp fixation.

Pruitt F3, Pruitt-Inahara, Inahara-Pruitt, and Flexcel Carotid Shunts are used to temporarily divert, or shunt, blood to the brain while the surgeon removes plaque from the carotid artery in a carotid endarterectomy surgery. Its Pruitt F3, Pruitt-Inahara, and Inahara-Pruitt shunts feature internal balloon fixation that eliminates the need for clamps, thereby reducing vessel trauma. Its Flexcel shunt is a non-balloon shunt offered for surgeons who prefer to secure their shunt using externally placed clamps.

EndoRE line of remote endarterectomy devices are used to remove severe atherosclerotic blockages from the major arteries of the leg in a minimally invasive procedure requiring a single incision in the groin. Its EndoRE devices are used to separate the sclerotic blockage from the vessel, cut the far end of the blockage to free it for removal, and then withdraw the blockage from the vessel.

Expandable LeMaitre Valvulotome and its Over-The-Wire LeMaitre Valvulotome cut valves in the saphenous vein, a vein that runs from the foot to the groin, so that the vein can function as a bypass vessel to carry blood past diseased arteries to the lower leg or the foot. The Expandable LeMaitre Valvulotome is the only self-sizing and self-centering valvulotome available, and the Over-The-Wire LeMaitre Valvulotome is the only over-the-wire self-sizing valvulotome available.

AlboGraft Woven and Knitted Vascular Grafts are collagen-impregnated polyester grafts used to bypass or replace diseased arteries. They are available in both straight tube and bifurcated versions. LifeSpan ePTFE Vascular Graft is an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft used to bypass or replace diseased arteries, and to create dialysis access sites. They are available in both regular and thin wall ! options a! nd with an optional full or partial external spiral support to increase resistance to compression or kinking. Its LifeSpan models are designed to reduce the risk of steal syndrome and high cardiac output, which are complications that may arise in dialysis access grafts.

AlboSure Vascular Patch is a polyester patch used in conjunction with endarterectomy and vascular reconstructions. Vascular surgeons use patches in conjunction with carotid endarterectomy, remote endarterectomy, and other vascular reconstructions. The Company also distributes the XenoSure Biologic Vascular Patch, a patch made from bovine pericardium.

AnastoClip VCS and AnastoClip GC Vessel Closure Systems allow surgeons to attach vessels, native and prosthetic, to one another by deploying titanium clips in place of suturing. These vessel closure systems create an interrupted anastomosis, or a vessel attachment that expands and contracts as the vessel pulses.

Endovascular and Other Products

The Company�� endovascular products are used primarily by vascular surgeons in minimally invasive endovascular procedures, such as stent-grafting, angioplasty, stenting, and atherectomy, and it also sells non-vascular medical devices used in general surgery procedures, primarily laparoscopic cholecystectomy. UnBalloon Non-Occlusive Modeling Catheter is used to apply radial pressure to the inside of an aortic stent graft in order to seal the outer lining of the stent graft against either the aorta or an adjacent stent graft.

VascuTape Radiopaque Tape is a flexible, medical-grade tape with centimeter or millimeter markings printed with its radiopaque ink that is visible both to the eye and to an X-ray machine or fluoroscope. VascuTape Radiopaque Tape is applied to the skin and provides interventionalists with a simple way to cross-reference between the inside and the outside of a patient�� body, allowing them to locate tributaries or lesions beneath the skin.

In some hosp! itals, va! scular surgery procedures are performed by general surgeons. The Company sells on-vascular medical devices used in general surgery procedures, primarily laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The Company�� general surgery product, the Reddick Cholangiogram Catheter is used to inject dye into the cystic duct during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The Company also offers two laparoscopic accessories used in laparoscopic gall bladder removal.

The Company competes with Applied Medical Resources Corporation, Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Cook Group Incorporated, C.R. Bard, Inc., Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, Getinge AB, Jotec GmbH, Medtronic, Inc., Terumo Medical Corporation, Uresil, LLC and W. L. Gore & Associates.

5 Best Performing Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Ctrip.com International Ltd.(CTRP)

Ctrip.com International, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides travel services for hotel accommodations, airline tickets, and packaged tours in the People?s Republic of China. It also sells independent leisure travelers bundled package-tour products, which include transportation and accommodation, as well as guided tours covering various domestic and international destinations. In addition, the company offers Internet-related advertising, aviation casualty insurance, and air-ticket delivery services. Further, it sells Property Management System, a hotel information software; travel guidebooks, which provide information for independent travelers; and VIP membership cards that allow cardholders to receive discounts from various restaurants, clubs, and bars. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shareholders Unite]

  The Chinese travel agency Ctrip (CTRP) has been one of our best performers in the past 12 months. The shares more than tripled since we first suggested a buy at $13.69 almost exactly a year ago.

• [By Yiannis Mostrous]

  Ctrip.com International (CTRP)

  With a 48% market share, Ctrip.com holds the crown as China's leading online travel agency, offering a one-stop shop for booking hotels, flights, and packaged tours.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of Chinese travel website Ctrip.com International (NASDAQ: CTRP  ) surged 19% today after its quarterly results and outlook topped Wall Street expectations. �

Annuities and Social Security: What Retirees Need to Know

For retirement planners, two of the most common concerns among clients involve annuities and Social Security. Our partner site LifeHealthPro recently spoke with three top producers about how they handle both topics. Here's their advice.

Q. Consumers continue to hear and read strong criticism of annuities, often criticism centered on their complexity. How do you combat that criticism in your own retirement planning discussions?

Curtis V. Cloke, CLTC, LUTCF, financial advisor and retirement income expert, trainer and speaker: I often espouse a strategy that follows what I call a “divide and conquer” approach. This involves separating the retirement income a client requires into two sub-categories: (1) an inflation-adjusted income floor and (2) everything else. The inflation-adjusted income floor is the money a client needs to cover expenses in retirement to live the lifestyle he or she wants. The “everything else” category covers assets that are left over to achieve legacy, growth and liquidity goals.

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What I find is clients are more willing to allow a higher level of risk for assets that are intended to achieve goals that fall under the “everything else” category more than for those that will fund the income floor. Once they have come to that inevitable conclusion, I begin educating them about annuities.

I talk to them about how an annuity, being an insurance product, is a guaranteed source of income that is not subject to the caprice of the markets, an especially important benefit for those people who do not have pension plans. I explain how mortality credits add an extra source of investment return — Retirement Alpha — over what can be realized from traditional investments of comparable risk. I also explain that certain single premium immediate annuity — SPIA — and deferred income annuity — DIA — contracts come with optional riders that can provide valuable benefits, such as inflation protection. It all has to do with framing the problem and its solution correctly and clearly.

Randy L. Scritchfield, CFP, LUTCF, president of Montgomery Financial Group in Damascus, Md.: Something that will always provide job security for us advisors is the inherent complexity of products. The ability to translate complex products into simple — but still complete and accurate — terms will ensure that such an advisor will flourish. The sayings that we learned early in the business still apply: “People want to know what time it is; they do not want to know how the watch works.”

Of course, our new disclosure requirements and forms facilitate our explaining the products fully to clients, but we must still convey what it does for them, and that is provide a lifetime income.

I also tell clients, “When you were young, you needed life insurance in case you died too soon. Now, as part of retirement planning, an annuity — with living benefits — is what you need to insure against your living too long.” Paul S. Carpenter, CPA, CFP. Carpenter Financial Services: Knowledge is always the foremost way of overcoming ignorance. I educate my clients to better understand the differences between sequence of returns and a simple average rate of return. Nobody can accurately predict the sequence of returns of any given portfolio, other than a fixed account. Negative returns in the early years of the spending phase of a portfolio will sink an income plan beyond the point of recovery. An example goes a long way in helping clients understand this concept. Longevity is also an unknowable variable. An annuity solves this by promising lifetime cash flow of a certain amount, regardless of the sequence of returns experienced. This is a rather simple concept to understand, because it is similar to a defined benefit pension.

Usually, it is not complexity but cost that is a pressure point for an annuity. To me, this is a value proposition; all economics involve costs. When the cost is worth the value, I believe you have a fair trade. Annuities are never the entire solution. In a world where the defined benefit plan has gone the way of the leisure suit, I do not think you can ignore the fact that there is a need for a steady dependable core of predictable cash flow.

The underlying mechanics of an annuity can be complex, but you don’t have to know the physics of an internal combustion engine to safely drive a car, just the rules of the road and how to operate the vehicle. I think the average person can understand the rules of the road on what to expect from a particular annuity. I absolutely believe in full disclosure of costs, surrender tables, and limits to how cash will ultimately be disbursed. A client needs to know how to read the dashboard of their annuity — the quarterly and annual statements. I explain each of the gauges and what reading it shows — cash value, surrender value, benefit base, anniversary date, etc. We provide drivers ed and some refresher courses — periodic account reviews — along the way, so clients can safely navigate their annuity through retirement without crashing.

Q. Some advisors these days have begun to integrate Social Security planning into their retirement planning discussions. How do you handle the whole issue of Social Security benefits in your retirement planning discussions, and do you use specific tools to assist in that regard?

Scritchfield: I never tell clients that Social Security will not be there, per se, but rather, I tell them to minimize it for planning purposes. It has been interesting that, in recent years, the Social Security payment has been a pleasant surprise to many of my clients, as they were not counting on it and were otherwise adequately prepared.

Carpenter: We absolutely consider Social Security in our retirement plans. At my practice, we point out to clients that there is now a trust fund disclosure made by the Social Security Administration stating 100 percent funding only extends through 2034 or so. We believe some changes will occur before then, but we cannot ignore Social Security entirely, so we attempt to give it the proper weight and place in our plans.

Most boomers are convinced they need to begin Social Security income at age 62. We attempt to educate clients on the pros and cons of such an arbitrary decision, using Social Security calculators available from various sources as well as information available from SSA directly. We ask clients to bring any recent Social Security statements showing estimated benefits at full retirement age and early retirement age. We also have clients inquire about possible benefits available from former spouses to integrate those figures into our plans. There can be a lot of dynamics at play when trying to optimize Social Security benefits.

Cloke: I consider Social Security optimization to be of pivotal importance in my retirement planning solutions. The extra dollars you can squeeze out of those monthly checks by delaying benefits can mean a big difference in the lifestyle you can afford in your retirement years. For example, at age 62, a client can receive a maximum monthly benefit of $1,855. If he or she were to delay receiving those benefits until age 70, that maximum monthly benefit would be $3,266!

There are other valuable strategies to look into as well, such as filing and suspending, cashing in on spousal benefits, or taking advantage of certain divorce-related rules in statutes.

A full retirement income plan, however, needs to address shortfalls that can result from a Social Security optimization strategy. Clients will need to know how to bridge the income gap in between years they are eligible for Social Security and wish to receive benefits, or in between the years they receive reduced spousal benefits until they begin full benefits. A good advisor is going to address these questions with a holistic retirement plan.

I use a combination of online Social Security optimization software and specialized in-house analysis to arrive at my final conclusions. Sometimes I recommend annuities, and, other times, it is best to recommend they work an extra couple of years.

---

 

Greece Holds Out Hope for 2013 Budget Target

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Greece's finance minister pledged Tuesday to stick with unpopular austerity measures and correct years of profligate state spending, in the hope of securing a budget surplus this year that could pave the way for a new debt reduction deal.

"We still face a hard road ahead, until Greece can access markets again," Yannis Stournaras told a press conference. "But we have covered at least two thirds of the way, as far as fiscal adjustment goes, and three quarters of the way on competitiveness."

Stournaras was speaking a day after Greece struck a deal with creditors expected to secure it 8.8 billion euros in further loan payments from its international creditors. The deal followed weeks of tough negotiations and will include a taboo-breaking 15,000 layoffs in the public sector.

The minister told the press conference Tuesday that the country's next main target is to achieve a primary surplus -- which excludes the cost of servicing the huge public debt -- on its budget in 2013, a year ahead of target. Athens hopes that by reaching this milestone, it will get further debt relief from its creditors.

The country has been locked out of international bond markets after its economy imploded in 2010, and been kept afloat by rescue loans from its European partners and the International Monetary Fund. In exchange, it has implemented harsh and deeply resented austerity measures, slashing incomes, hiking taxes, and overhauling an inflated, largely inefficient public sector.

The cutbacks fueled a deep recession, now in its sixth year, while pushing unemployment to a record 27 percent. Almost 1,000 jobs have been lost every day over the past three years in the private sector.

The main left wing opposition leader, Alexis Tsipras, said the measures have left "social wreckage" in their wake, and urged action to revive the economy.

"How can they say our sacrifices are paying off when the country is slumped in recession and the public finances are being destroyed?" the Syriza party head said at a business conference. "Every year, recovery is delayed until the following year."

Tsipras said Greece needs an immediate change of course, "the same way a heart attack patient needs an electric shock."

Labor unions have reacted with a series of general strikes and demonstrations that often ended in street riots but failed to put the brakes on austerity.

On Tuesday, Greek islands were left without ferry links with the mainland due to a 24-hour strike by seamen, while state railway workers were also to hold brief work stoppages.

Monday's deal with the creditors included 15,000 layoffs in the public sector, which was for decades considered a secure and undemanding work environment where nepotism ran rife. However, the government will be allowed to break a hiring freeze and replace all sacked employees.

Stournaras said legislation on the agreed measures would be passed "the soonest possible" to ensure payment of the loan installments.

He said a further priority was to complete by the end of this month the recapitalization of Greece's banking sector, which took bad losses from last year's public debt writedown. Ministry and banking officials say some 20 billion euros in deposits have returned to domestic lenders after a strong outflow during political instability last summer.

Small Cap CytRx Corporation (CYTR) Surges: Now What? IBB & XBI

On Wednesday, small cap biopharmaceutical stock CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ: CYTR) soared 68.2% after reporting positive results from a Phase 2B cancer drug trial, meaning its probably time to figure out what investors should do next plus take a look at the performance of biotech ETF benchmarks like the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index ETF (NASDAQ: IBB) and SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (NYSEARCA: XBI).

What is CytRx Corporation?

Small cap CytRx Corporation is a biopharmaceutical research and development company specializing in oncology whose pipeline is focused on the clinical development of aldoxorubicin (formerly known as INNO-206), its improved version of the widely used chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin. The company is expanding its pipeline of oncology candidates:

In addition, CytRx Corporation also has rights to two additional drug candidates, tamibarotene and bafetinib with the company having completed its evaluation of bafetinib in the ENABLE Phase 2 clinical trial in high-risk B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). There are plans to seek a partner for further development of bafetinib plus the company is evaluating further development of tamibarotene. 

10 Best Safest Stocks To Buy Right Now

As for possible benchmark peers, the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index ETF tracks the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index through 119 stocks and has a 77.18% weight in "biotechnology" and a 22.78% weight in Pharma while the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF tracks the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index with a 100% allocation in 57 biotechnology stocks.

What You Need to Know or Be Warned About CytRx Corporation?

On Wednesday, CytRx Corporation announced that its potential treatment aldoxorubicin had fared much better than an established chemotherapy in mid-stage testing on patients with soft-tissue sarcoma (a cancer that occurs in muscle, fat, blood vessels, tendons and other tissue) with the median progression-free survival being 8.4 months verses 4.7 months for patients who just took the chemotherapy doxorubicin (which has been on the market for decades). Investigators also found that the disease had not progressed after six months for 67% of aldoxorubicin patients verses 36% for patients in the other group.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 11,410 new soft tissue sarcomas would have been diagnosed (6,290 cases in males and 5,120 cases in females) in the USA this year and 4,390 Americans (2,500 males and 1,890 females) are expected to have died from the disease at the end of this year. Those are not particularly big numbers, but that may not matter if the company can charge a premium for aldoxorubicin – should it gain FDA approval.

With that in mind, a look at CytRx Corporation's financials reveals revenues of $100k (2012), $250k (2011), $100k (2010) and $9.5M (2009) for the past four year plus net losses of $17.96M (2012) and $14.42M (2011), net income of $41k (2010) and a net loss of $4.80M (2009). For this year, CytRx Corporation has reported revenues of zero (3 months ending 2013-09-30), $200k (3 months ending 2013-06-30) and zero (3 months ending 2013-03-31) plus net losses of $9.98M (3 months ending 2013-09-30), $3.42M (3 months ending 2013-06-30) and $6.86M (3 months ending 2013-03-31). At the end of September, CytRx Corporation had $23.04 million in Cash and Short Term Investments covering $13.33M in current liabilities. So the company has enough cash for at least a few more quarters.    

Share Performance: CytRx Corporation vs. IBB & XBI

On Wednesday, small cap CytRx Corporation surged 68.2% to $4.02 (CYTR has a 52 week trading range of $1.80 to $4.38 a share) for a market cap of $168.74 million plus the stock is up 115% since the start of the year and up 55.2% over the past five years. Here is a look at the long term performance of CytRx Corporation verses potential benchmarks like the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index ETF and the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF:

As you can see from the above chart, CytRx Corporation has been a very inconsistent performer verses the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index ETF and the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF. It should also be mentioned that according to Market Watch, shares of CytRx Corporation hit a closing high of nearly $260 at one point in early 1992 – meaning the stock has been around a long time but it has also been all over the place:

Finally, here is a look at the latest technical charts for all three investments:

The Bottom Line. If you made some money on yesterday's surge by small cap biopharmaceutical stock CytRx Corporation, then congratulations. However and if you are not already an investor, I would not exactly be rushing out to get in right now.

Smartphone Commoditization: Losers and Winners

In the ever-evolving smartphone wars, Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) and subsidiary Motorola have fired a shot across the bow of equipment makers, lowering the unsubsidized price of its flagship Moto X to $350, and its Moto G phone to $199.

So, how much can Google really make off the sale of these products? According to The Wall Street Journal, "Research firm TechInsights estimates that the components inside a Moto G with 16 gigabytes of memory cost $123," and along with other costs, the Moto G will generate a profit margin around 5%.

Contrast of margins
The flagship models of leading competitors sell for hundreds of dollars more than the Moto G and Moto X. As the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5s only have an estimated $91 and $107, respectively, in extra hardware costs, they would need far superior functionality to justify these prices.

In fact, Samsung  (NASDAQOTH: SSNLF  )  carries 28% margins on its flagship S4, and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) can boast an estimated 30%-35% profit margin on its iPhone 5s and 5c models.

Rationale for low margins
Motorola is currently losing Google nearly $1 billion per year, yet for some reason, the company has decided to slash prices and sell its smartphones at extremely low margins. Why?

Google purchased Motorola for its patent portfolio, both to defend itself against patent litigation and use it as a "nuclear deterrent," as the mere threat of a counter-suit might actually prevent a lawsuit from being filed. 

Here are reasons Google doesn't need to make an immediate profit off Motorola: 

The patent portfolio was a major reason for its acquisition.  It helps Google control the fragmentation of its open-source Android system.  Google derives an incredibly rich amount of data from Android users supported by multiple OEMs. 

Google uses this data to support Google Maps and its search engine moat, which remains the biggest profit driver, and to help serve more relevant ads. This is why Google benefits from the commoditization of cell phones and getting Android into as many hands as possible, regardless of immediate profits. 

Who does this affect?
Attempting to turn the smartphone into a commodity has a more profound impact on Samsung than it does Apple or Microsoft. While Microsoft runs its own competing Windows Phone OS, Apple seems to have no intention of earning market share at the expense of margins and profits, and completely controls its closed operating system.

The vast majority of Samsung's devices run the Android operating system, and thus face immediate comparisons to the Motorola phone. On Google's side, Samsung is an important partner in promoting the Android experience to the world, and therefore doesn't want to see Google fail.

For Samsung, Android was a gift representing a huge piece of the smartphone puzzle. Of course, if users start to perceive the Android experience as a cheap commodity, demand to buy phones from Samsung could diminish. 

Samsung's move
To counter potential commoditization, Samsung is developing Taizen, its own operating system. However, it would be a risky move by the company to actually employ it. On one hand, there are clear benefits in being able to differentiate itself in the marketplace, but on the other hand, the new OS might fall flat on its face. A common complaint from users is that the software Samsung added to the Galaxy line is "crapware," so it makes sense for investors to have doubts. 

Takeaway
A price war seems to be on the horizon. While all high-end smartphone makers will feel its affects, investors should take note that Samsung has the most to lose in the short run if Google continues to commoditize the business. The more people who use Android-powered devices, the more searches are directed to Google, and the more apps and media sold on Google Play, making the data Google collects that much more valuable. As long as Google is willing to subsidize low prices (and Motorola as a whole), the greater negative impact it will have on other Android makers, especially Samsung, which currently sells its products at higher margins.

Profiting from the smartphone revolution
Want to get in on the smartphone phenomenon? Truth be told, one company sits at the crossroads of smartphone technology as we know it. It's not your typical household name, either. In fact, you've probably never even heard of it! But it stands to reap massive profits NO MATTER WHO ultimately wins the smartphone war. To find out what it is, click here to access the "One Stock You Must Buy Before the iPhone-Android War Escalates Any Further..."

 

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2014

Nate Pile, editor of Nate's Notes, highlights two favorite stocks—a tech leader that is a solid growth play for long-term investors, and a high-risk gamble on a drug developer.

Steve Halpern: We're here today with growth stock expert Nate Pile, editor of Nate's Notes. How are you doing today, Nate?

Nate Pile: Fine, thanks.

Steve Halpern: You've argued that over the long-term, the markets are efficient, but that over the short-term, markets tend to reflect fear and greed. Could you explain this a little for our listeners, and highlight both your short-term and long-term opinion of the current market?

Nate Pile: Sure. I'm certainly not the first person that's made the observation, but when I started my career in the stock market, a little over 25 years ago, for better or worse, I was lucky enough to work for a newsletter that followed only biotech stocks.

And, as you know, during the five to ten-year period it often takes for those companies to get a new drug to market, there really isn't much to base stock price on other than a hope that the drug will work, or fear that it's going to fail somewhere along the way.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2014: StemCells Inc (STEM)

StemCells, Inc. (StemCells), incorporated in August 1988, is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of stem cell therapeutics and related tools and technologies for academia and industry. The Company is focused on developing and commercializing stem and progenitor cells as the basis for therapeutics and therapies, and cells and related tools and technologies to enable stem cell-based research and drug discovery and development. The Company�� primary research and development efforts are focused on identifying and developing stem and progenitor cells as potential therapeutic agents. The Company has two therapeutic product development programs, including its CNS Program, which is developing applications for HuCNS-SC cells, its human neural stem cell product candidate, and its Liver Program, which is characterizing the Company�� human liver cells as a therapeutic product.

CNS Program

The Company in its CNS Program, is in clinical development with its HuCNS-SC cells for a range of disorders of the central nervous system. The CNS includes the brain, spinal cord and eye. In February 2012, the Company had completed a Phase I clinical trial in Pelizeaus-Merzbacher Disease (PMD), a fatal myelination disorder in the brain.

The Company�� CNS Program is focused on developing clinical applications, in which transplanting HuCNS-SC cells protect or restore organ function of the patient before such function is irreversibly damaged or lost due to disease progression. The Company�� initial target indications are PMD, and more generally, diseases in which deficient myelination plays a central role, such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis; spinal cord injury, disorders in which retinal degeneration plays a central role, such as age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa. The Company�� product candidate, HuCNS-SC cells, is a purified and expanded composition of normal human neural stem cells. Its HuCNS-SC cells can be directly transp! lanted.

Liver Program

Liver stem or progenitor cells offer an alternative treatment for liver diseases. A liver cellular therapy or cell-based therapeutic provide or support liver function in patients with liver disease. The Company held a portfolio of issued and allowed patents in the liver field, which cover the isolation and use of both hLEC cells and the isolated subset, as well as the composition of the cells themselves.

The Company�� range of cell culture products, which are sold under the SC Proven brand, includes iSTEM, GS1-R, GS2-M, RHB-A, RHB-Basal, NDiff N2, and NDiff N2B27. Its iSTEM is a serum-free, feeder-free medium that maintains mouse embryonic stem cells in their pluripotent ground state by using selective small molecule inhibitors to block the pathways, which induce differentiation. RHB-A is a defined, serum-free culture medium for the selective culture of human and mouse neural stem cells and their maintenance and expansion as adherent cell populations. RHB-Basal is a defined, serum-free basal medium. When supplemented with specific growth factors, this media is formulated for the propagation and differentiation of adherent neural stem cells. RHB-Basal can also be tailored to specific-cell type requirements by the addition of customer preferred supplements.

The Company�� NDiff N2 is a defined serum-free scell culture supplement for the derivation, maintenance, expansion and/or differentiation of human and mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells and tissue-derived neural stem cells supplement. Its NDiff N2-AF is a serum-free and animal component-free version of NDiff N2. Its NDiff N2B27 is a defined, serum-free medium for the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells to neural cell types. NDiff N27-AF is a serum-free and animal component-free version of NDiff N27. Its GS1-R is a serum-free media formulation shown to enable the derivation and long-term maintenance of true, germline competent rat embryonic stem cells without the add! ition of ! cytokines or growth factors. Its GS2-M is a defined, serum- and feeder-free medium for the derivation and long-term maintenance of true, germline competent mouse iPS cells.

The Company also markets a number of antibody reagents for use in cell detection, isolation and characterization. These reagents are also under the SC Proven brand and it includes STEM24, STEM101, STEM121 and STEM123. Its STEM24 is a human antibody that recognizes human CD24, also known as heat stable antigen (HSA), a glycoprotein expressed on the surface of many human cell types, including immature human hematopoietic cells, peripheral blood lymphocytes, erythrocytes and many human carcinomas. Its CD24 is also a marker of human neural differentiation. Its STEM101 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes the Ku80 protein found in human nuclei. Its STEM121 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes a cytoplasmic protein of human cells. Its STEM123 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes human glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).

The Company�� Other products marketed under SC Proven include total cell genomic DNA (gDNA), RNA and protein lysate reagents purified from homogenous stem cell populations for intra-comparative studies, such as Epigenetic fingerprinting, Southern, Western and Northern blots, PCR, RT-PCR and microarrays. This range of purified stem cell line lysates includes mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells propagated in SC Proven 2i inhibitor-based GS2-M media and mouse ES cell-derived and fetal tissue-derived neural stem (NS) cells propagated in SC Proven RHB-A media.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  When an investor thinks of spinal-related stem cell stocks, usually a name like Neuralstem, Inc (NYSEMKT: CUR) or StemCells Inc (NASDAQ: STEM) comes to mind. And well they should. STEM has logged some amazing breakthroughs in the field of spinal cord repair, while CUR has done the same. Not all back problems are spinal cord related though. In fact, most back problems - and therefore the most opportunity - are bone and disc related problems. That's where a young gun like BioRestorative Therapies (OTCBB: BRTX) can step in and make stem cell waves. BRTX has developed an approach to rejuvenate and revive failing spinal discs, potentially ending pain for millions of back-pain sufferers, and circumventing expensive spinal surgeries that are in increasing burden on insurance companies.

• [By John Udovich]

  The results of a recent Pew Center Poll regarding attitudes towards abortion and various forms of stem cell research could be a good sign for the stem cell industry along with small cap stem cell stocks like StemCells Inc (NASDAQ: STEM), NeoStem Inc (NASDAQ: NBS), Neuralstem, Inc (NYSEMKT: CUR),�International Stem Cell Corp (OTCMKTS: ISCO) and BioRestorative Therapies (OTCBB: BRTX). Basically, Americans think that having an abortion is a moral issue with 49% of American adults believing abortion is morally wrong, 23%�view it not as a moral issue and and 15% view it as morally acceptable. However and when Americans were asked about issues surrounding�human embryos, such as stem cell research or in vitro fertilization, as a matter of morality, their views were different.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Organovo Holdings Inc (ONVO)

Organovo Holdings, Inc. (Organovo), formerly Real Estate Restoration & Rental, Inc., incorporated in 2007, is a development-stage company. The Company has developed and is commercializing a platform technology for the generation of three-dimensional (3D) human tissues that can be employed in drug discovery and development, biological research, and as therapeutic implants for the treatment of damaged or degenerating tissues and organs. On December 28, 2011, Real Estate Restoration and Rental, Inc.�� (RERR) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, pursuant to which RERR merged with its, wholly owned subsidiary, Organovo (Merger Sub). On February 8, 2012, the Company merged with and into Organovo Acquisition Corp. (Acquisition Corp.), a wholly owned subsidiary of Organovo, with the Company surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Organovo Holdings (the Merger). As a result of the Merger, Organovo acquired the business of Organovo, Inc.

The Company has collaborative research agreements with Pfizer, Inc. (Pfizer) and United Therapeutic Corporation (Unither). As of March 31, 2012, it has five federal grants, including Small Business Innovation Research grants and developed the NovoGen MMX Bioprinter (its first-generation 3D bioprinter). The Company is engaged in the development of specific 3D human tissues to aid Pfizer in discovery of therapies in two areas of interest. In addition, in October 2011, it entered into a research agreement with Unither to establish and conduct a research program to discover treatments for pulmonary hypertension using its NovoGen MMX Bioprinter technology. Additionally, under the research agreement with Unither, the Company granted Unither an option to acquire from the Company a worldwide, royalty-bearing license in certain intellectual property created under the research agreement solely for use in the treatment or prevention of pulmonary hypertension and all other lung diseases.

The Company�� NovoGen MMX Bioprinter is an automate! d device that enables the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) living tissues comprised of mammalian cells. A custom graphic user interface (GUI) facilitates the 3D design and execution of scripts that direct precision movement of the dispensing heads to deposit cellular building blocks (bio-ink) or supporting hydrogel. The Company is using a third party manufacturer, Invetech Pty., of Melbourne, Australia, to manufacture its NovoGen MMX Bioprinter. Its bioprinting technology and surrounding intellectual property and commercial rights serve as a platform for product generation across multiple markets that employ cell- and tissue-based products and services.

The Company competes with Organogenesis, Advanced BioHealing, Tengion, Genzyme, HumaCyte and Cytograft Tissue Engineering.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

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

Best Low Price Companies For 2014: Amarantus Bioscience Holdings Inc (AMBS)

Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc., formerly Amarantus BioSciences, Inc., incorporated on March 22, 2013, is focuses on developing intellectual property and proprietary technology in order to develop drug candidates and diagnostic blood tests to diagnose and treat human diseases. The Company owns the intellectual property rights to a therapeutic protein known as Mesencephalic-Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor (MANF), owns the intellectual property rights to biomarkers related to oncology and neurodegeneration named BC-SeraPro and NuroPro respectively, has a license to an Alzheimer�� disease blood test named LymPro, and owns a number of proprietary cell lines called PhenoGuard. MANF was the first therapeutic protein discovered from a PhenoGuard Cell Line. In December 2012, the Company acquired neurodegenerative diagnostic portfolio from Power3 Medical Products. On March 22, 2013, the Company was merged with into Amarantus Bioscience Inc.

The Company also owns an inventory of 88 cell lines that Amarantus refers to as PhenoGuard Cell Lines. MANF is a protein that corrects protein misfolding. The Company�� MANF product development effort is centered on a therapy for Parkinson�� disease.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  I've taken bullish swings on - and been wrong to do so - Amarantus BioScience, Inc. (OTC:AMBS) before. My most recent bullish call on the budding biotech name was in April... a rally that fizzled shortly after I said it was just getting started. Somehow though, I find myself coming back to AMBS as a breakout candidate. This time, however, it's for a slightly different reason.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Two weeks ago I penned some bullish thoughts on Amarantus BioScience, Inc. (OTC:AMBS). In simplest terms, I liked the way the stock had spent some time in consolidation mode, and looked like was testing the upper boundary of that zone - I figured a breakout from AMBS was imminent. So I waited... and waited.... and waited. Nothing. A week and a half later, I let the stock fall off my mental radar. As it turns out, I should have been a little more patient. Amarantus BioScience finally did the deed yesterday, and is following through today.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Prima BioMed Ltd (PRR)

Prima BioMed Ltd is a biotechnology company is engaged in the development and commercialization of medical therapies with a focus on oncology. Its product candidates in development include Cvac, an autologous dendritic cell vaccine for ovarian cancer, monoclonal antibodies for multiple tumour types, and an oral formulation for the human papilloma virus (HPV), vaccine. Its product candidate Cvac is a dendritic cell therapy, for which it is conducting a Phase IIb trial for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Cvac is designed to target the tumour antigen mucin-1, which is expressed at high levels on different tumour types. It also has two preclinical product development programs. In May 2011, Prima BioMed GmbH, a 100 % owned subsidiary of Prima BioMed Ltd, was incorporated in Germany. In May 2011, Prima BioMed Middle East FZLLC, a 100 % owned subsidiary of Prima BioMed Ltd, was incorporated in the United Arab Emirates.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Merck & Company Inc.(MRK)

Merck & Co., Inc. provides various health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products. The company?s Pharmaceutical segment provides human health pharmaceutical products, such as therapeutic and preventive agents for the treatment of human disorders in the areas of bone, respiratory, immunology, dermatology, cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity, infectious diseases, neurosciences and ophthalmology, oncology, vaccines, and women's health and endocrine. This segment also offers human health vaccines, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. Its Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets animal health products. This segment offers antibiotics, anti-inflammatory products, vaccines, products for the treatment of fertility disorders, and parasiticides for cattle, swine, horses, poultry, dogs, cats, salmons, and fish. The Consumer Care segment develops, manufac tures, and markets over-the-counter, foot care, and sun care products. Its over-the-counter product line includes non-drowsy antihistamines; treatment for occasional constipation; decongestant-free cold/flu medicine for people with high blood pressure; nasal decongestant spray; and treatment for frequent heartburn. This segment?s foot care products comprise topical antifungal, and foot and sneaker odor/wetness products; and sun care products include sun care lotions, sprays and dry oils; and sunburn relief products. The company serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies, physicians, physician distributors, veterinarians, animal producers, and managed health care providers, as well as food chain and mass merchandiser outlets in the United States and Canada. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Hill]

  Shares of Intel (NASDAQ: INTC  ) rise after the tech giant announces that Samsung will use Intel chips in the next-generation Galaxy tablet. Merck (NYSE: MRK  ) hits a five-year high after releasing encouraging results from a phase 1 study on the treatment of advanced melanoma. �Pandora (NYSE: P  ) hits a sour note on news that Apple has reached a music licensing deal with Warner Music Group. And General Motors (NYSE: GM  ) rises on strong sales numbers. In this installment of Investor Beat, our analysts talk about four stocks making moves.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Cannabis Science Inc (CBIS)

Cannabis Science, Inc., incorporated on May 4, 2007, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in the creation of cannabis-based medicines, both with and without psychoactive properties, to treats disease and the symptoms of disease, as well as for general health maintenance. On February 9, 2012, the Company acquired GGECO University, Inc. (GGECO). On March 21, 2012, the Company acquired Cannabis Consulting Inc. (CCI Group).

The Company is engaged in medical marijuana research and development. The Company works with world authorities on phytocannabinoid science targeting critical illnesses, and adheres to scientific methodologies to develop, produce, and commercialize phytocannabinoid-based pharmaceutical products.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  The difference between Growlife's leadership and, say that of competitors like Cannabis Science Inc. (OTCMKTS: CBIS) or Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS: MJNA), has been relatively well documented here at the SmallCap Network site. I think the way I - well, someone else - put it back on June 25th says it best...."Growlife is sort of the demure girl in the corner who doesn't do shots off her navel in the bar." It may not have sizzle, but it does have substance.

• [By John Udovich]

  Although its summer, there has been a steady stream of good news about medical marijuana even though important small cap marijuana stocks�Medical Marijuana Inc (OTCMKTS: MJNA) and Cannabis Science Inc (OTCMKTS: CBIS) have been fairly quietly lately while Growlife Inc (OTCBB: PHOT), a more indirect play on the spread of legalized marijuana, has produced�some news for investors:

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Incyte Corporation(INCY)

Incyte Corporation focuses on the discovery and development of proprietary small molecule drugs for hematologic and oncology indications, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Its product pipe line includes INCB18424, which is in Phase III clinical trial for myelofibrosis; Phase III trial for polycythemia vera; Phase III trial for essential thrombocythemia; Phase I/II trial to treat solid tumors/other hematologic malignancies; and Phase IIb trail for the treatment of psoriasis. The company?s portfolio also includes INCB28050, a Phase IIb clinical trial product for rheumatoid arthritis; INCB28060, a Phase I/II product for solid tumors; INCB7839, a Phase II product for breast cancer; and INCB24360, a Phase I/II product for solid tumors. It has a collaborative research and license agreements with Novartis International Pharmaceutical Ltd.; Eli Lilly and Company; and Pfizer Inc. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  The best part about being a buy-and-hold investor is that when volatility strikes and analysts and pundits are panicking, you can calmly go about your business and steal great companies at bargain prices. One of the stocks on my top watchlist is Incyte (NASDAQ: INCY  ) , which is a growing biotech company focused on developing oncology and anti-inflammatory drugs. The company's shares have recently fallen below $20 for the first time since early February, which I think warrants a deeper look. In the following video, I'll break down the pros and cons of adding Incyte to your portfolio, although I think the company has a lot of potential in its pipeline.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Incite growth into your portfolio
  Investors looking for the next high-growth biotech company should certainly spend time researching Incyte (NASDAQ: INCY  ) . The company sports a handful of the most promising JAK inhibitors, which are garnering high level interest throughout the pharmaceutical industry. The molecules have big potential in treating various cancers and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

• [By John McCamant]

  Incyte's (INCY) crackerjack medicinal chemistry team continues to show that they can create better and differentiated drug candidates from the competition.

  The key near-term driver for INCY is Jakafi growth, and with the increased sales guidance, the company is delivering. The drug's overall profile continues to improve and the recent survival data proves that Jakafi does much more for myelofibrosis patients than just control symptoms.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Big earnings winners: Incyte Corp. (NASDAQ: INCY) up 34.4% to $36.02 on a successful drug trial, Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) down 3.5% to $65.54 on weak earnings and lowered outlook, and Lowe�� Companies Inc. (NYSE: LOW ) up 4.4% at $46.01 on strong earnings and an improved outlook.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Celsion Corporation(CLSN)

Celsion Corporation, an oncology drug development company, develops and commercializes targeted chemotherapeutic oncology drugs based on its proprietary heat-activated liposomal technology. The company is developing its lead product, ThermoDox that is in Phase III clinical trial for primary liver cancer; and in phase II clinical trial for treatment of recurrent chest wall breast cancer. It has a license agreement with Yakult Honsha to commercialize and market ThermoDox for the Japanese market. The company also has a license agreement with Duke University under which it received exclusive rights to commercialize and use Duke's thermo-liposome technology. In addition, Celsion Corporation has a joint research agreement with Royal Phillips Electronics to evaluate the combination of Phillips' high intensity focused ultrasound with its ThermoDox to determine the potential of this combination to treat a range of cancers. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Columbia, M aryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By EquityOptionsGuru]

  The Prolieve Thermodilatation System was actually developed by the current management of Medifocus while employed at Celsion Corporation (NASDAQ:CLSN). The system was also jointly developed with Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) before being acquired by Medifocus in July 2012. Prolieve has already received FDA approval, is currently generating revenue, and is the only in office alternative to drug therapy. The system essentially uses microwave energy to treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), which is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that typically affects men over the age of 50. The Prolieve device works by compressing and heating prostatic tissue that may be blocking the flow of urine. This particular treatment option offers patients several benefits including the following:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Stocks on the Move: NQ Mobile Inc. (NYSE: NQ) is up 26% at $11.09 as the company fights back against a short-seller report. Celsion Corp. (NASDAQ: CLSN) is up 339.3% at $5.14 following a reverse 1:4.5 stock split. Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) is up 4.7% at $17.50.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc (NAVB)

Navidea Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Navidea), formerly Neoprobe Corporation, incorporated in 1983, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of precision diagnostic agents. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� radiopharmaceutical development programs included Lymphoseek (Lymphoseek, Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m for Injection), a radiopharmaceutical agent for lymph node mapping; AZD4694, an imaging agent, and RIGScan, a tumor antigen-specific targeting agent. In January 2012, the Company executed an option agreement with Alseres Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Alseres) to license [123I]-E-IACFT Injection, also called Altropane, an Iodine-123 radiolabeled imaging agent, being developed as an aid in the diagnosis of Parkinson�� disease, movement disorders and dementia. In August 2011, the Company sold its gamma detection device line of business (the GDS Business) to Devicor Medical Products, Inc.

Lymphoseek

Navidea�� pipeline includes clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical agents used to identify the presence and status of disease. Lymphoseek (Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m for Injection) is a lymph node targeting agent intended for use in intraoperative lymphatic mapping (ILM) procedures and lymphoscintigraphy employed in the overall diagnostic assessment of certain solid tumor cancers. The lymph system is a component of the body�� immune system. The key components of the lymph system are lymph nodes-small anatomic structures that contain disease-fighting lymphocytes, filter lymph of bacteria and cancer cells, and signal infection in response to heightened levels of pathogens. In Navidea�� Phase III clinical studies of Lymphoseek, it detected over 99% of positive nodes identified by vital blue dye (VBD). As of December 31, 2011, Navidea, in co-operation with UC, San Diego affiliate (UCSD), completed or initiated five Phase I clinical trials, one multi-center Phase II trial and three multi-center Phase II trials inv! olving Lymphoseek. Two Phase III studies were completed in subjects with breast cancer and melanoma. During the year ended December 31, 2011, data from NEO3-09 were released, which indicated that all primary and secondary endpoints for the study were met. As of December 31, 2011, third Phase III clinical trial for Lymphoseek in subjects with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (NEO3-06) was in progress.

AZD4694

AZD4694 is a Fluorine-18 labeled precision radiopharmaceutical candidate for use in the imaging and evaluation of patients with signs or symptoms of cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). It binds to beta-amyloid deposits in the brain that can then be imaged in positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Amyloid plaque pathology is a required feature of AD and the presence of amyloid pathology is a supportive feature for diagnosis of probable AD. Patients who are negative for amyloid pathology do not have AD. AZD4694 has been studied in several clinical trials. Clinical studies through Phase IIa have included more than 80 patients to date, both suspected AD patients and healthy volunteers. No significant adverse events have been observed. Results suggest that AZD4694 has the ability to image patients quickly and safely with high sensitivity.

RadioImmunoGuided Surgery

As of December 31, 2011, RIGScan had been studied in a number of clinical trials, including Phase III studies. Navidea has conducted two Phase III studies, NEO2-13 and NEO2-14, of RIGScan in patients with primary and metastatic colorectal cancer, respectively. Both studies were multi-institutional involving cancer treatment institutions in the United States, Israel, and the European Union.

The Company competes with Pharmalucence, Eli Lilly, Bayer Schering, General Electric and GE Healthcare.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Tuesday’s session are Toll Brothers Inc.(TOL) and Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc.(NAVB)

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2014: OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc.(OGXI)

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development and commercialization of new cancer therapies that address treatment resistance in cancer patients. The company?s clinical stage products include Custirsen, a phase III clinical stage product for treatment in men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer; OGX-427, which is in phase II clinical development stage is designed to inhibit heat shock protein 27; and SN2310 that completed phase I stage of clinical development is designed to evaluate safety in patients with advanced cancer. Its pre clinical stage products include GX-225 that is focused on reducing the production of IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-5; and CSP-9222, lead compound from a family of caspase activators. OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is based in Bothell, Washington.