Small Charities’ Investment Returns Trailed Broader Market in 2013

Investment performance for nonprofit groups with budgets of $25 million or less, though strong, lagged most investment benchmarks in 2013, according to a new study by Raffa Wealth Management.

Small and midsize charities that adhered to formal strategies and monitored how much they paid their financial advisors earned more on their investments last year, Raffa found.

The study was based on data from 77 charities, 19 private and community foundations, and 165 other tax-exempt groups, mostly associations, according to a summary of findings in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Nearly 60% of the charities and foundations studied had budgets of $5 million or less.

Overall investment returns for charities of all sizes increased by 10.8% last year. Private and community foundations earned 11.5% returns.

Broad indexes of U.S. stocks, in comparison, were up some 30% in 2013.

The Chronicle noted that smaller entities still did better that big ones last year. Its most recent survey of endowments at 209 mostly large foundations and nonprofits showed a median return of 8.4% for 2013.

Ignorance Is Not Bliss

The Raffa study found that more than half of the nonprofits surveyed did not know how much they paid in fees to investment managers. Groups with small amounts to invest typically were less aware of their fees than wealthier organizations.

Smaller nonprofits also tended to pay higher fees, imposing an additional drag on returns.

Raffa also found that groups with formal investment strategies for allocating their assets — nearly 60% of participants — increased investments by 12.7% last year from 2012.

Nonprofits without formal investment strategies grew by only 6.3%.

Such discipline paid off in another way. Groups that stuck with formal investment plans enjoyed bigger gains than those that made changes to their strategy.

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Check out IRA Investors Can Make Peer-to-Peer Loans Through Prosper, Millennium Trust on ThinkAdvisor.

Top 10 Insurance Companies To Watch In Right Now

Top 10 Insurance Companies To Watch In Right Now: Principal Financial Group Inc(PFG)

Principal Financial Group, Inc. provides retirement savings, investment, and insurance products and services worldwide. The company?s Retirement and Investor Services segment provides retirement savings and related investment products and services, including a portfolio of asset accumulation products and services primarily to small and medium-sized businesses and individuals in the United States. This segment offers products and services to businesses for defined contribution pension plans, including 401(k) and 403(b) plans, defined benefit pension plans, nonqualified executive benefit plans, and employee stock ownership plan consulting services; and annuities, mutual funds, and bank products and services to the employees of its business customers and other individuals. Principal Financial Group?s Principal Global Investors segment offers a range of equity, fixed income, and real estate investments, as well as specialized overlay and advisory services to institutional inve stors. The company?s Principal International segment offers retirement products and services, annuities, mutual funds, institutional asset management, and life insurance accumulation products in Brazil, Chile, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, and Thailand. Principal Financial Group?s U.S. Insurance Solutions segment offers individual life insurance, as well as specialty benefits in the United States. Its individual life insurance products include universal and variable universal life insurance and traditional life insurance; and specialty benefit products comprise group dental and vision insurance, individual and group disability insurance, and group life insurance, as well as fee-for-service claims administration and wellness services. The company was founded in 1879 and is based in Des Moines, Iowa.

! Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Calia]

  Principal Financial Group Inc.(PFG) said its fourth-quarter earnings rose 8.6%, touting its strong results for the period amid continued economic concern.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-insurance-companies-to-watch-in-right-now.html

Best and Worst Buys of April 2014

If you clear out your closets of all the things you're no longer using and sell them -- as I suggest in Five Ways to Make Money From Spring Cleaning -- you'll have extra cash to purchase what you need (or perhaps really want). Fortunately, April is a great time to find deals on several things. Here's what you can expect to find on sale during the month, and what you should wait a little longer to buy.

SEE ALSO: Best Buys of Spring What's on sale now ...

Athletic shoes. As the weather starts to warm up, retailers lower prices on athletic shoes as an incentive to get consumers to buy a new pair as they head outside to exercise. You can expect discounts of 15% to 45%, according to CreditDonkey.com.

Cookware. Look for great sales on cookware in April as retailers lower prices for wedding and graduation season, says Offers.com Vice President Howard Schaffer. Expect discounts of up to 50%, he says.

Gym memberships. Gyms tend to see a surge of new members at the beginning of the year when people typically resolve to lose weight. Now that the fitness buzz has calmed down and warm weather is in sight, gyms are looking to attract new customers, Schaffer says. So now is a good time to look for discounts if you didn't join a gym earlier in the year.

Spring apparel. April is when we start to see sales on spring apparel, says RetailMeNot merchandiser Eliza Bellock. She expects clothing discounts of up to 40% this month, plus an extra 15% to 25% off as we get closer to Easter (April 20). According to dealnews.com, you'll find even deeper discounts in May. But the selection might be smaller then.

Summer travel. April can be your last big chance to find a great deal on summer travel, Schaffer says. The best bargains on cruises and hotel rooms pop up before the summer months hit, so take advantage of lower prices by booking travel in April, he says.

Tires and car-care products. A nastier-than-usual winter has meant that many people have yet to take snow tires off their vehicles, says RetailMeNot car specialist Ryan Ambler. This has prompted manufacturers to offer discounts on all-season tires earlier, he says. Those discounts are generally in the form of rebates. For instance, at Tire Rack you can get an $80 mail-in rebate on Goodyear/Dunlop tires through May 31.

Vacuums. If you're desperate for a new vacuum for your spring cleaning, you can get one on sale in April and May before new models debut in June, according to CreditDonkey.com. Discounts typically range from 20% to 25%. However, to get an even better deal, wait until November. Dealnews.com has found by searching its monthly archive of sales data that there are almost twice as many good deals on these handy home appliances in November than in April, and discounts range from 25% to 40%.

Xbox One. Dealnews.com expects to see steeper discounts than the 10%-off deals that already have surfaced on this gaming system because it's been on the market for several months now and it's being outsold by Sony's PlayStation 4.

Wait a little longer to buy ...

Grills and patio furniture. Although grills and patio furniture have started appearing in furniture and home-improvement stores, don't rush to buy outdoor items now. You won't see prices drop until July, Schaffer says. To get a really good deal on a grill or patio furniture (50% off or more), wait until the end of summer.

Mattresses. If you can wait a month to buy a mattress, you'll see discounts of 50% or more during Memorial Day sales in May, according to dealnews.com.

BofA to Pay $6.3 Billion to Fannie, Freddie Over RMBS Failures

Bank of America has settled litigation with the Federal Housing Finance Agency alleging it misled the agency about residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), the bank announced Wednesday. The bank has also settled with the New York attorney general regarding a failure to disclose losses at Merrill Lynch prior to acquiring the firm.

The bank will pay $6.3 billion to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and $15 million to settle the attorney general's claims against it.

The settlement with the FHFA as conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac resolves all of FHFA’s residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) litigation with Bank of America, as well as other legacy contract claims.

The FHFA settlement resolves four lawsuits FHFA filed against Bank of America, Countrywide and Merrill Lynch beginning in September 2011, alleging they falsely represented that the underlying mortgage loans complied with certain standards. Approximately $57.5 billion (in purchase cost) of private-label RMBS purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are covered by the settlement.

According to the Bank of America press release, under terms of the settlement, Bank of America will make cash payments totaling approximately $6.3 billion to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In addition, Bank of America will purchase certain RMBS at fair market value (approximately $3.2 billion).

In return, FHFA’s pending lawsuits will be dismissed with prejudice, and Bank of America and its affiliates will be released from all securities law and fraud claims, as well as certain other claims related to the private-label RMBS in dispute.

BofA has also disclosed that it is subject to inquiries and investigations, and may be subject to penalties and fines by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), state attorneys general and other members of the RMBS Working Group of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (collectively, the governmental authorities), and is a party to civil litigation proceedings brought by the DOJ and certain other governmental authorities regarding the company’s RMBS and other mortgage-related matters.

BofA said in the statement that it “continues to cooperate with and has had preliminary discussions about a potential resolution of these matters with certain governmental authorities.”

The bank is scheduled to report first-quarter 2014 results on April 16.

The FHFA settlement is expected to reduce first-quarter 2014 income by approximately $3.7 billion (before taxes), or $0.21 per common share (after taxes). The company expects its Basel 3 common equity tier 1 capital ratio for the first quarter ending March 31, 2014, will be in line with the fourth quarter ended Dece. 31, 2013, based on the impact of the FHFA settlement and other factors, including interest rates, that are known as of Wednesday.

BofA also announced that it settled a 2010 lawsuit brought by the New York attorney general against Bank of America and certain former executives, alleging a failure to disclose losses at Merrill Lynch prior to buying it.

The company has agreed to pay $15 million to settle the NYAG’s claims against it, reflecting the NYAG’s cost of investigation and litigation, and to adopt certain corporate governance changes.

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Check out BofA Should Pay $2.1 Billion in Fraud Case, U.S. Says on ThinkAdvisor.

Citi and 4 Banks Rejected for Dividend and Buyback Hikes by Fed

Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE: C) is one of five banks which were not given approval for their proposed capital plans filed with the Federal Reserve. This means that the bank will still be limited on stock buybacks and on a dividend announcement.

Wednesday’s news was based upon the stress tests that were issued a week ago. The Federal Reserve is showing that Citi’s plan was rejected  due to deficiencies in its capital planning practices. This includes Citi’s ability to project its revenues and losses and to adequately measure its financial exposure under very adverse conditions.

Citi and four other banks – Zions Bancorp (NASDAQ: ZION), Banco Santander (NYSE: SAN), HSBC Holdings PLC (NYSE: HSBC) for its North American operations, Royal Bank of Scotland PLC (NYSE: RBS) – will have to resubmit their plans with the Fed, and then they must get approval in writing from the Fed to increase buybacks and dividends. The foreign banks that failed will be restricted from paying higher dividends back to their parent companies.

Top China Stocks To Own For 2014

Wednesday’s news is not to say that banks cannot pay dividends, but it does mean that they cannot increase them without written Federal Reserve approval. To show just how big of a disaster this is, Citi’s common stock dividend is a mere 0.1% – and even then it is a rounded up yield to get to that payout.

Bank stock investors are not going to be buying this in anticipation that any snapback dividend announcement is coming. Investors were expecting that the dividend would be forthcoming.

Citi’s plan was to boost its dividend to $0.05 per quarter from $0.01 per quarter, and to increase its $1.2 billion stock buyback plan to $6.4 billion through the first quarter of 2015.

Citigroup shares were down 0.3% at $50.16 as of the close on Wednesday, and the initial reaction took its stock down almost another 4% to $47.92 in the after-hours session. Citi’s 52-week range is $41.60 to $55.28, and the consensus analyst price target prior to the news was $59.90.

Disney's Numerous Future Potential Growth Catalysts

Source: Disney.com.

Disney (NYSE: DIS  ) recently announced a lot of news at once. This news includes a third installment to the Cars franchise, a second installment to The Incredibles franchise, and new information about Star Wars: Episode VII. Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4 billion back in 2012, giving it the rights to the Star Wars franchise. 

Future installments
Cars 3 and The Incredibles 2 are both set to be released after 2015. In order to determine the potential for these two films, we must look at past results.

The original Cars had a production budget of $120 million. It grossed $244 million at the domestic box office and $462 million at the worldwide box office.

The sequel, Cars 2, didn't perform as well at the domestic box office, but it performed better than the original at the worldwide box office. This likely stemmed from the movie taking place overseas. This seemed to be a strategic move by Disney, but domestic moviegoers felt let down. Cars 2 had a production budget of $200 million. It grossed $191 million at the domestic box office and $560 million at the worldwide box office. Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see if Disney goes for the domestic or international moviegoer. 

The Incredibles had a production budget of just $92 million. It went on to gross $261 million at the domestic box office and $631 million at the worldwide box office.

Then there's Star Wars.

Star Wars news
Disney hasn't given much away, but there are some clues. These clues include that some very familiar faces will be in Star Wars: Episode VII and that there will be a trio of new young leads. The only character that we know is certainly returning is R2-D2.

We also know that JJ Abrams is the director, that John Williams is still the composer, and that Disney's open auditions called for a street smart orphan girl in her late teens as well as a smart and capable male in his late teens or early 20s. And according to The Hollywood Reporter, Adam Driver will play the villain.

Disney's approach of dropping small hints every once in a while is brilliant. In marketing, it has been proven that this is an effective approach, as it heightens consumer excitement. 

Other reasons to consider Disney
In addition to the above potential growth catalysts, which should further improve brand recognition, Disney owns ABC, ESPN, and all Disney channels; it's a retailer; and it's a theme park operator. This diversification is what makes Disney so attractive to many investors. If one segment falters, another sector often picks up the slack. Below is a breakdown of revenue per segment for fiscal-year 2013:

Fiscal Year 2013

Revenue

Media Networks	$20.36 Billion
Parks and Resorts	$14.09 Billion
Studio Entertainment	$5.98 Billion
Consumer Products	$3.56 Billion
Interactive	$1.06 Billion

Source: Statista.com

Disney's future potential with Cars, The Incredibles, and Star Wars franchises can lead to revenue gains in each segment. In addition to aforementioned growth potential areas, these brands can be leveraged to the television market, implemented in theme parks, and be made into video games. Therefore, these brands go well beyond the box office.  

Of course, Star Wars: Episode VII should be a massive success. The movie wouldn't even have to impress moviegoers to sell tickets. The brand is that strong. And in addition to future installments for the Cars and The Incredibles franchises, Frozen will have a sequel and a show on Broadway, and Shanghai Disney Resort is set to open on Dec. 31, 2015. Shanghai is a wealthy and highly populated city with more than 14 million people -- a very good combination for Disney.

Disney also stacks up well against entertainment giants Time Warner (NYSE: TWX  ) and Twenty-First Century Fox (NASDAQ: FOXA  ) . First, consider top-line performances over the past year:

DIS Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts. 

Twenty-First Century Fox has grown its top line the fastest, and that should be recognized. However, Twenty-First Century Fox doesn't have anything close to what Disney has in future growth catalysts.

Twenty-First Century Fox did deliver a 15% increase in revenue in the second quarter, primarily thanks to the inclusion of Sky Deutschland revenue and a 14% boost in affiliate revenue growth in its Cable Networking Program segment. 

In regards to filmed entertainment and future brand potential, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Walking with Dinosaurs don't compare to what Disney has to offer. 

Furthermore, while Twenty-First Century Fox is impressive, it doesn't compare to Disney in merchandising potential. With all the aforementioned movie brands, Disney will have extraordinary merchandising opportunities, especially with Star Wars. 

As far as Time Warner goes, it has been growing the slowest, but it does offer a 1.9% dividend yield, higher than Disney and Twenty-First Century Fox at 1.1% and 0.8%, respectively. This might entice dividend investors, but Disney is very capable of increasing capital returns to shareholders in the future.

Time Warner's fourth-quarter revenue improved 5% to $8.6 billion in the fourth quarter. TBS (cables #1 network in primetime among adults 18-49), TNT (#2 network in total day among adults 25-54), and HBO (most Primetime Emmy Awards of any network) all performed well. Warner Bros. delivered hits Gravity and Her.  

Looking ahead, The Lego Movie may inspire a sequel, and 300: Rise of an Empire continues a successful brand. However, while everything is well at Time Warner, its brands can't be leveraged to the same extent that Disney can leverage its brands. 

The Foolish takeaway
Disney has several potential future growth catalysts, partially in thanks to the ability to leverage some of these brands across all segments: added installments to Cars and The Incredibles, a sequel and Broadway show for Frozen, Star Wars: Episode VII, and Shanghai Disney Resort. While nothing is a guarantee, it would be difficult to find another company that is so fiscally sound and "mature" while also offering significant future growth potential. However, please do your own research prior to making any investment decisions. 

Disney is very impressive, but it's not Motley Fool's top pick for the year....
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Credit Suisse Picked a Bad Day to Up Its Prices Targets on Barrick Gold, Newmont Mining

Compared to other gold miners, Barrick Gold (ABX) and Newmont Mining (NEM) haven’t gotten much love from investors this year.

Associated Press

Shares of Newmont Mining have gained 3.2% so far this year, while Barrick Gold has risen 4.8%, even as the SPDR Gold ETF (GLD) has gone up 8.6% and the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX) has advanced 16%.

Credit Suisse analysts Anita Soni and Robert Reynolds still rate Newmont Mining and Barrick Gold shares Neutral, but turned more positive on the companies’ share prices today. They explain why they raised their price target on Barrick Gold…

Our ]target price] increases to US$21 as we raise our [net-asset value] multiple to 1.60x (from 1.20x) to reflect [Barrick Gold's] relatively conservative $1,100/oz gold price assumption for reserves, exploration upside potential within its asset base (demonstrated by its 15Moz Goldrush discovery) and strong base of low cost assets. Our [Operating Cash Flow] is reduced for FY15 to $1.17/sh (from $1.58/sh) as we model higher sustaining capex and corporate spending than previously.

…and on Newmont Mining:

Our [Newmont Mining] TP increases to US$26 (from US$21) on higher forecast OpCFa and a higher NAV target multiple. Our OpCFa for FY14/15 on average increased to $1.80 (from $1.40) onhigher production and lower costs in 2015 than our prior forecast, now reflecting guidance. Our NAV declined to $14.83/sh (from $18.92/sh), primarily on Nevada (less reserves and higher CS cost est.) and Ahafo (higher CS cost est.). Our target NAV multiple is raised to 1.50x, at a slight discount to peer [Barrick Gold] (1.60x).

Hot Financial Companies To Buy For 2014

A resolution of the ore export ban in Indonesia is necessary to become more constructive on [Newmont Mining], as the strong 2015/2016 FCF would provide [Newmont Mining] with additional balance sheet flexibility to pursue value accretive project development, or external M&A. [Newmont Mining] benefits from a long life asset base in Nevada and Ghana.

Gold and gold miners are plunging today, however, so shares of Newmont Mining have fallen 3.1% to $23.79 at 11: 37 a.m. today, while Barrick Gold has fallen 4.9% to $18.45. The Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF has declined 4.4% to $24.40 and the SPDR Gold ETF is off 1.8% to $126.21.

Why FutureFuel Corp. Shares Flew

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of chemical and biofuels manufacturer FutureFuel (NYSE: FF  ) soared 20% on Tuesday after its quarterly results impressed Wall Street.

So what: The stock has rallied in recent months optimism over accelerating growth, and today's strong Q4 results -- net income spiked 327% on revenue growth of 68% -- only reinforce those good vibes. In fact, adjusted operating margin for the quarter clocked in at 22.4% versus just 8% in the year-ago period, suggesting that FutureFuel's competitive position and cost structure are improving as well.

Now what: Don't expect the operating momentum to slow anytime soon. "We are committed to improve and position our company for future growth both organically as well coupled with strategic acquisitions when appropriate," said President Lee Mikles. "We strive to be very shareholder aware with our continued dividend policy paired with an exceptionally strong balance sheet." Of course, with the stock now off about 20% from its 52-week highs, that short-term uncertainty might be providing patient biotech-savvy Fools with a juicy entry point.

More reliable ways to build wealth
One of the dirty secrets that few finance professionals will openly admit is the fact that dividend stocks as a group handily outperform their non-dividend-paying brethren. The reasons for this are too numerous to list here, but you can rest assured that it's true. However, knowing this is only half the battle. The other half is identifying which dividend stocks in particular are the best. With this in mind, our top analysts put together a free list of nine high-yielding stocks that should be in every income investor's portfolio. To learn the identity of these stocks instantly and for free, all you have to do is click here now.

Top 10 Heal Care Companies To Own For 2014

How You Can Profit When iPhone Shipments Surge

Speculators betting against the growth of Apple  (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) may soon find themselves in troubled waters. According to a recent report by Digitimes, Apple's recent deals with China Mobile and NTT DoCoMo -- with a collective base of 821 million subscribers -- will propel the global demand for iPhones. The research firm expects iPhone shipments to double in 2014. 

This, of course, presents a bullish outlook for Apple. But, iPhone's hardware and software suppliers, namely Micron (NASDAQ: MU  ) , Jabil Circuit (NYSE: JBL  ) , and Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA  ) , also stand to benefit here. Do these stocks deserve a place in your portfolio?

Memory guy
Every computing device requires DRAM memory, and Apple devices are no different. The iPhone 5c and 5s are equipped with LPDDR2 and LPDDR3, or Low-Power-DDR3 memory modules, respectively, which are manufactured and supplied mainly by Elpida Memory -- owned by Micron Technology.

Preparing for the next iteration of iPhones, Micron has developed its latest LPDDR4 memory. Compared to LPDDR3 modules, these next-gen modules are reportedly about 60% faster and consume 40% less power. 

The pure-play memory manufacturer has sent its LPDDR4 modules for sampling and testing purposes, after which these modules can be deployed in upcoming high-performance mobile devices like iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2. 

Trefis estimates that Apple uses about 80% of Elpida's mobile DRAM manufacturing capacity, and according to Wilson Wang, sales to Apple represent about 13% of Micron's net sales. In light of this product roadmap and close corporate proximity, Micron seems well-positioned to benefit from surging iPhone sales.  

Electrical guy
Jabil Circuit is another prominent supplier. In addition to providing manufacturing services and product management solutions to a wide range of industries, the company manufactures electronic components and casings for iPhone units.  

Investors should note that Apple single-handedly commands the growth of Jabil Circuit. Apple is Jabil's largest client, with sales to the former representing 19% of the latter's overall sales. This reliance was corroborated last year; dismal sales outlook of iPhone 5c caused a sell-off in shares of Jabil Circuit. 

But, now that iPhone shipments are expected to grow at a blazing pace, Jabil Circuit should, in theory, benefit greatly.

Software guy
Electronic Arts, on the other hand, takes care of the user engagement. The software and game publisher creates and distributes content for a wide range of platforms including gaming consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Last year, however, management reported that its revenue from Apple's App store exceeded any of its other retail distribution channels'. The game publisher currently derives about 51% of its revenue from digital sales. But, in spite of these numbers, investors shouldn't get too carried away. 

This figure includes software purchases made on OS X and iOS devices. Excluding OS X sales, EA's digital revenue from smartphones and tablets stood at $110 million -- about 21.2% of the company's overall revenue. This figure, in turn, is comprised of sales on Android, iOS, Windows 8, and BB10 platforms. 

While this diversified revenue stream adds stability to EA's top line, it also reduces EA's exposure to iOS devices. This, in turn, suggests that the game publisher's gains from surging iPhone sales will be fairly limited.

Foolish final thoughts
With the impending iPhone boom, the most obvious choice would be to invest in Apple. Investing in its manufacturers, however, would be a great way to hedge the risks and spread the rewards.

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Building a successful 2nd career near retirement

When Barry Duckworth, 59, of Sherrills Ford, N.C., was looking for a second career that could last him into his 60s and beyond, he realized he had to be adaptable. "You have to not only accept change but embrace it."

For 30 years, he worked as a licensed general building contractor, overseeing the construction of homes and commercial real estate properties. "It was an unbelievably difficult job to manage multiple projects at multiple sites in multiple areas," he says.

He worked 10 to 12 hours a day and many weekends, but when the economy went south in 2008, he decided to look for a career "where I could be a kinder person. As much as I love the physics of building, it's a tough business. You have to be cast iron."

So Duckworth traded in his hard hat to wear multiple hats as the owner of his own tutor-placement business, matching kids with tutors who come to their homes.

He's like millions of Americans looking for a successful second act or encore career. About 65% of workers say they plan to work for pay after they retire, but only 27% of retirees report working for pay, according to a national survey released Tuesday from the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Some people are taking steps so they can have a second career during their golden years.

STORY: Retirees: How to combat loneliness, live longer

STORY: Active second careers: Becoming a personal trainer

When it comes to finding a successful second act, most people simply don't know what they're passionate about, even when they know they want to move in another direction, says Kerry Hannon, author of What's Next? Finding Your Passion and Your Dream Job in Your Forties, Fifties, and Beyond. She has interviewed hundreds of people about their career changes.

For many, their passion is something they did when they were younger, often in childhood, she says. One of her favorite career-change stories is a retired Navy officer who loved going to the circus as a kid, so he became the company manager for a! non-profit circus. His wife, who was a nurse, became the circus wardrobe designer.

Hannon advises career switchers to give themselves three to five years to make the transition. "Go slowly. No one dives into a second career on a whim."

You have to do your homework, volunteer and moonlight to figure out what to do; then you may need to add new skills, she says.

The biggest stumbling block is money, she says. If you're starting off in a new field, chances are you're going to make less money. And if you're starting a business, you may not be able to pay your own salary for a year.

It's important to examine your current skill set and experience to see if they're transferable to different challenges and fields. Search inside, and answer some important questions: What am I best at? Ask friends and colleagues, too, Hannon says.

STORY: Wealthy Americans expect ideal retirement

STORY: The truth about retirement careers

She says to "think of it not as reinventing yourself, but rather as redirecting or redeploying many of the skills you already have in place."

If you like the company you're currently working for, you could see about doing a different job for them, says Debbie Banda, AARP's interim vice president of financial security. Or you can consider becoming an entrepreneur in your encore career. "The fastest-growing age group starting their own businesses are the 50- to 59-year-olds," she says.

Given the fact that people are living longer, you could start a new career at 55 or 60 and "have another 10, 15 or 20 years for your encore career," Banda says.

Maralee DeMark, left, prepares an order for a customer at her restaurant, Two Sisters Market Cafe.(Photo: Chris Keane for USA TODAY)

Some! people, like Maralee DeMark, 56, and her sister, Diane DeMark Smith, 66, turned a lifelong passion into new careers.

After Maralee retired last year from her job as an information technology manager, it took about six months before "I was ready for something new. I was crawling out of my own skin staying at home."

She and Diane, who had retired 10 years earlier, grew up cooking together for holidays and parties, and they both loved to entertain. Last fall, they opened Two Sisters Market Cafe in Terrell, N.C., which features locally grown organic cuisine.

It's hard work, but one of the most rewarding things they've ever done, Maralee says. "I lost 22 pounds in the first three months after we were opened. I have never been more fit — lifting big pots, cleaning."

Diane, who has lost 15 pounds, says they're holding their own financially and "have seen a definite uptick month over month."

Adds Maralee. "I couldn't have afforded this if I hadn't had my first career. This is more of a love and passion for us. We love to see people enjoy our food."

After Duckworth left the construction business, he and his wife, Carolee, who is a career-change specialist and has a doctorate in education, brainstormed about what he would do next. They came up with Mastery Tutors In-Home Tutoring (MasteryTutors.com), a service he offers in several cities in North Carolina and along the East Coast.

Parents describe their child's tutoring needs, then he uses his databases and search engines to winnow down the selections. "The art of it is picking the exact right tutor and making a perfect match," says Duckworth, a high school graduate who is self-taught in everything from computer software to business management.

The beauty of the new career is, "I get to hear about children who blossom as they grasp concepts that were alien to them before.

"Success for us means losing a customer."

Diane DeMark Smith laughs while talking with customers at her restaurant Two Sisters Market Cafe in Terrell, N.C.(Photo: Chris Keane for USA TODAY)

SECOND-CAREER TIPS

Tips for finding a successful second career from Kerry Hannon, author of What's Next?

• Research. Check out websites such as Encore.org, RetiredBrains.com, Workforce50.com and aarp.org/workresources to get an idea of what others are doing and what jobs are out there now. Investigate fields that have a growing demand for workers.

• Have a mental picture of where you want to go. Tape a photograph on your office wall of what it might look like. Journal about your goals.

• Get things moving by taking small steps. That might mean making a phone call to ask for advice or reaching out with an e-mail a day to make a lunch date to discuss possibilities.

• Be practical. You may need to upgrade your skills and education, but take one class at a time. You can add more classes as your direction and motivation become clear.

• Don't lock yourself into a must-have salary. Chances are you'll need to take a pay cut, at least initially.

• Get your life in order. Get physically and financially fit. Change is stressful. When you're physically fit, you have more energy. Lowering debt will allow you to have more choices. Debt is a dream killer. When you have your finances in order, it gives you options. You can be more nimble.

How to tame your workers' wandering eye

Kevin Menzie keeps his employees happy by taking them on "creative experiences," this one at the top of Colorado's Quandry.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) The job market is finally looking brighter: Recruiters are circling, pay is climbing and companies are scrambling to keep their best employees from leaving.

Tempted by the prospect of landing a better gig, 85% of the workforce is looking for a job or interested in talking with recruiters, according to a survey released Tuesday by LinkedIn. That even includes people who are "satisfied" with their jobs.

If you don't want to lose talented employees, here's how to keep them happy and engaged.

Give them a voice

As CEO of design firm Slice of Lime, Kevin Menzie knows competition for his employees is fierce. So Menzie ensures his 15 employees feel like they are the company, instituting monthly "retrospectives" to discuss what's working and what's not.

That can be tough at times, like when Menzie had to deny their request for gym memberships. But he left the topic open for future consideration. "I think it's riskier not to listen," he says.

Kathryn Minshew takes a similar approach as CEO of The Muse, a career website in New York. She promises transparency and answers her 15 employees' questions on fundraising, finances and hiring plans. This puts any frustration out in the open and boosts loyalty.

Top Food Companies To Own In Right Now

"Not every decision is made by consensus or democracy, but it leads to creativity and people being extremely invested in what they do," she says. Her firm has lost just one employee since 2012.

Check in often and say thanks

The traditional yearly review won't cut it in 2014, says Allyson Willoughby, a vice president at Glassdoor.com.

To ensure regular feedback, New York-based Quirky.com uses automated software called 15Five for weekly check-ins. All 189 workers get questions about what's going well, where they're stuck or how to improve their jobs. As a result, managers have time to think through challenges before one-on-one meetings, which can be spent brainstorming solutions, says Rochelle DiRe, a Quirky vice president.

"Plus, our CEO knows exactly what is going on with everyone and can shout out to people who are doing a good job," she says.

That kind of recognition goes a long way. Jeremy Bloom, CEO of cloud software firm Integrate, sends thank you notes and bottle! s of Dom Perignon for a job well done. "Thoughtfulness," says Bloom, "is a key ingredient to building loyalty."

Offer professional -- and personal -- development

Lack of career growth is a big reason people leave their jobs, says Beth N. Carvin, CEO of exit interview firm Nobscot Corp. She's seeing more companies start mentoring programs to prevent that.

That includes Luggagefree, a New York-based luggage delivery service. President Jeff Boyd wanted a cost-effective way to boost personal development for his 15 employees. He settled on Everwise, which acts as a Match.com for mentors and protégés. For $1,500 per person, Boyd provide outside mentors who offer fresh ideas for career growth.

"My hope is that they'll be self-empowered and feel better about their colleagues, about our clients and about Luggagefree," he says.

Meanwhile, IdeaPaint, which makes dry erase paint for walls, wants to stimulate its 30 employees by turning its new downtown Boston office into a community center. Just this month, it started hosting speakers and roundtable discussions before and after work. Open to anyone, they've already boosted company morale.

Give them a break

Perks like gym memberships and free bagels are great, but sometimes just a break from the office can build morale and boost loyalty.

One of the most popular perks at Quirky is the week-long "company-wide black out" every quarter (which is on top of unlimited vacation time).

"Knowing you get this break gives you a sense that you're working towards something together," DeRe says.

Slice of Lime owner Menzie treats his employees to ski vacations and "creative experiences," like a recent trip to Universal Studios. People can propose their own "outties" on an online list.

Menzie also lets employees spend 20% of work hours on personal interests, and he keeps an open Amazon account for employees.

The perks, he says, cost far less than replacing an emplo! yee.

!

"You get that money back because they're staying, they're happy and they're doing great work," he says.

Top 5 Performing Companies For 2014

Top 5 Performing Companies For 2014: EnerNOC Inc (ENOC)

EnerNOC, Inc. (EnerNOC), incorporated on June 5, 2003, is a provider of energy management applications, services and products for the smart grid, which include demand response, data-driven energy efficiency, and energy price and risk management applications, services and products. The Company's energy management applications, services and products enable energy management strategies for commercial, institutional and industrial end-users of energy, which it refers to as its C&I customers, and its electric power grid operator and utility customers by reducing real-time demand for electricity, increasing energy efficiency and improving energy supply transparency. The Company's energy management applications, services and products include its EnerNOC EfficiencySMART and SupplySMART applications and services, and certain wireless energy management products.

DemandSMART

The Company's demand response capacity provides an alternative to building co nventional supply-side resources, such as natural gas-fired peaking power plants, to meet periods of peak electricity demand. The Company is in the development, implementation and broader adoption of technology-enabled demand response services for the smart grid. The Company's DemandSMART application enables us to send control signals to, and receive bi-directional communications from, an Internet-enabled network of dispersed C&I customer sites in order to initiate, monitor and complete demand response activity. The Company's technology and operational processes have the ability to automate demand response and simplify C&I customer participation by remotely reducing electricity usage in a matter of minutes, or send curtailment instructions to its C&I customers to be manually implemented on site. The devices that it installs at its C&I customer sites transmit to us through the cell! ular network and Internet near real-time electrical consumption data on a 1-minute, 5-minute , 15-minute or hourly basis. The Company's DemandSMART app! lication analyzes the data from individual sites and aggregates data for specific regions. When a demand response event occurs, its network operations center (NOC) automatically processes the notification coming from the electric power grid operator or utility. The Company's NOC operators then begin activating procedures to curtail demand from the grid at its C&I customer sites.

The Company provides its demand response services to electric power grid operators and utilities under long-term contracts and pursuant to open market bidding programs. The Company's long-term contracts generally have terms of 3-10 years and predetermined capacity commitment and payment levels. Within these contracts and open market programs, it offers the services to address the needs of electric power grid operators and utilities: reliability-based demand response, price-based demand response, and short-term reserve resources referred to in the electric power industry as ancillary services.

EfficiencySMART

EfficiencySMART is the Company's data-driven energy efficiency suite that includes energy efficiency planning, audits, assessments, commissioning and retro-commissioning authority services, and a cloud-based energy analytics application used for managing energy across a C&I customer's portfolio of sites. The cloud-based energy analytics application also includes the ability to integrate with a C&I customer's existing energy management system, provide utility bill management and tools for measurement, tracking, analysis, reporting and management of greenhouse gas emissions. The Company offers the EfficiencySMART applications and services, which include EfficiencySMART Plan, EfficiencySMART Audit, EfficiencySMART Assessment, EfficiencySMART Commissioning and EfficiencySMART Insight.

EfficiencySMART Plan provi! des its C! &I customers with a multi-year profile of projected energy demand, consumption and costs, including a lifecycle financial analysis of potential energy! strategi! es and a roadmap for implementation. EfficiencySMART Audit provides its C&I customers with energy efficiency recommendations in compliance with the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning (ASHRAE) standards for conditioned space, and tactical energy surveys for industrial facilities. EfficiencySMART Assessment provides detailed recommendations for energy savings, demand reductions, reductions in energy intensity through operation and maintenance activities, equipment retrofits, behavioral changes, or the use of new technologies. EfficiencySMART Commissioning includes traditional and/or new building commissioning services, such as investigation, testing and verification of energy efficiency strategies, and data analytics over a specified period of time. EfficiencySMART Insight provides its large, multi-site C&I customers with a Software-as-a-Service enterprise energy management solution that provides persistent commissioning with the ability to visuali ze near real-time energy usage, identify savings opportunities, and prioritize energy-related investments across a portfolio of meters and buildings across a C&I customer's organization.

SupplySMART

SupplySMART is the Company's energy price and risk management application that provides its C&I customers located in restructured or deregulated markets throughout the United States with the ability to more effectively manage the energy supplier selection process, including energy supply product procurement and implementation. SupplySMART provides a framework for developing and implementing risk management strategies and executing purchasing strategies that provides maximum price transparency and structural savings on an ongoing basis for its C&I customers.

Technology and Operations

The Company's technology has been! develope! d provides a platform on which to design, customize, and implement its energy management application s, services and products. The Company's technology infrast! ructure i! s built on Linux, Java and Oracle, and supports open Web services architecture. The Company's enterprise energy management application platform enables the Company to efficiently scale its DemandSMART, EfficiencySMART, and SupplySMART applications and services, as well as certain wireless energy management products, in new geographic regions and rapidly grow the number of C&I customers in its network. The Company's energy management application platform leverages Web services and wireless technologies that connect applications directly with other applications through a form of loose coupling, which allows connections to be established across applications without customization.

Network Operations Center

The Company's technology enables its NOC to automatically respond to signals sent by electric power grid operators and utilities to deliver demand reductions within targeted geographic regions. The Company can customize its technology to receiv e and interpret many types of dispatch signals sent directly from an electric power grid operator or utility customer to its NOC. Following the receipt of such a signal, its NOC automatically notifies specified C&I customer personnel of the demand response event. After relaying this notification to its C&I customers, it initiate processes that reduce their electricity consumption from the electric power grid. These processes may include dimming lights, shifting equipment to power save mode, adjusting heating and cooling set points and activating a back-up generator. Demand reduction is monitored remotely with near real-time data feeds, the results of which are displayed in its NOC through various data presentment screens.

Energy Management Platform

The Company's energy management platform is consists of its cloud-based enterprise ! software ! platform used for DemandSMART, EfficiencySMART and SupplySMART, as well as wireless energy management products and technology, and is the underlying system that runs its ! NOC. It u! tilizes a modular Web services architecture that is designed to allow application modules to be easily integrated into the platform. The Company use its energy management platform to measure, manage, benchmark and optimize C&I customers' energy consumption and facility operations. The Company use this data to help C&I customers analyze consumption patterns, forecast demand, measure real-time performance during demand response events, continuously monitor building management equipment to optimize system operation, model rates and tariffs and create energy scorecards to benchmark similar facilities. In addition, its energy management application platform has the ability to track its C&I customers' greenhouse gas emissions by mapping their energy consumption with the fuel mix used for generation in their location, such as the proportion of coal, nuclear, natural gas, fuel oil and other sources used.

The EnerNOC Site Server

The Company designs and installs a small device, called an EnerNOC Site Server, or ESS, at each C&I customer site to collect and communicate to its platform near real-time electricity consumption data and, in certain cases, enable remote control of a C&I customer's electricity consumption. The ESS communicates to its NOC through the C&I customer's LAN or secure Internet connection. The ESS is an open, integrated system consisting of a central hardware device residing inside a standard electrical box. The ESS allows its C&I customers to, among other things, respond quickly and completely to instructions from us to reduce electricity consumption. The Company also supports OpenADR protocol on its most recent ESS devices, an emerging standard for automated demand response communications.

The Company competes with Comverge, Inc., Exelon Corporation, Energy Cur! tailment ! Specialists and Hess, Inc., as well as energy technology providers Lucid Design Group, Inc., Building IQ, SCIEnergy, Inc . and McKinstry Co., LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Damian Illia]

  Finally, I always like to see one of the most important financial ratios applying to stockholders, the best measure of performance for a firm's management: the return on equity. The ratio has decreased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of major weakness. Moreover, it is worse than those shown in the table like Aegion Corporation (AEGN), EnerNOC Inc. (ENOC), MYR GroupInc. (MYRG) and Pike Corporation (PIKE).

• [By Rich Smith]

  Boston, Mass.-based EnerNOC (NASDAQ: ENOC  ) has a new chief financial officer.

  On Tuesday, the energy "smartgrid" software maker announced that it has hired Neil Moses, until March the chief global strategy officer for Dunkin' Brands (NASDAQ: DNKN  )  and onetime CFO, as its new CFO.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-performing-companies-for-2014.html

Why FutureFuel Corp. Shares Flew

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of chemical and biofuels manufacturer FutureFuel (NYSE: FF  ) soared 20% on Tuesday after its quarterly results impressed Wall Street.

So what: The stock has rallied in recent months optimism over accelerating growth, and today's strong Q4 results -- net income spiked 327% on revenue growth of 68% -- only reinforce those good vibes. In fact, adjusted operating margin for the quarter clocked in at 22.4% versus just 8% in the year-ago period, suggesting that FutureFuel's competitive position and cost structure are improving as well.

Now what: Don't expect the operating momentum to slow anytime soon. "We are committed to improve and position our company for future growth both organically as well coupled with strategic acquisitions when appropriate," said President Lee Mikles. "We strive to be very shareholder aware with our continued dividend policy paired with an exceptionally strong balance sheet." Of course, with the stock now off about 20% from its 52-week highs, that short-term uncertainty might be providing patient biotech-savvy Fools with a juicy entry point.

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One of the dirty secrets that few finance professionals will openly admit is the fact that dividend stocks as a group handily outperform their non-dividend-paying brethren. The reasons for this are too numerous to list here, but you can rest assured that it's true. However, knowing this is only half the battle. The other half is identifying which dividend stocks in particular are the best. With this in mind, our top analysts put together a free list of nine high-yielding stocks that should be in every income investor's portfolio. To learn the identity of these stocks instantly and for free, all you have to do is click here now.

Top Clean Energy Stocks To Buy Right Now

Top Clean Energy Stocks To Buy Right Now: BCE Inc. (BCE)

BCE Inc. provides communications solutions to residential, business, and wholesale customers primarily in Canada. The company offers local and long distance telephone services under the Bell Home Phone brand; direct-to-home satellite television (TV) services under the Bell TV name; Internet protocol TV services under the Bell Fibe TV brand; and personal video recorders and online access services. It also provides data services, including Internet access services under the Bell Internet name; Internet protocol based services; and information and communications technology solutions. In addition, the company engages in the rental, sale, and maintenance of business terminal equipment; sale of TV set-top boxes; and provision of network installation and maintenance services for third parties. Further, it offers wireless voice and data communications products and services, such as call display and voicemail, e-mail, Web browsing, social networking, text, picture and video messagi ng, music downloads, ring tunes, ringtones, games and applications, video streaming, live TV, mobile Internet, roaming, and global positioning system navigation services under the Bell and Virgin Mobile brands. Additionally, the company provides media services comprising TV programming services to broadcast distributors. It operates approximately 28 conventional over-the-air stations and 30 English and French-language specialty TV channels; 33 FM and AM radio stations and their related Websites; and Theloop.ca Website. As of December 31, 2012, the company served approximately 2.1 million high-speed Internet access customers through fiber-optic, digital subscriber line, or wireless broadband technology; and 7.7 million wireless customers. BCE Inc. offers its services through call centre representatives, independent dealer stores, and value-added resellers, as well as through its ! Websites. The company was founded in 1880 and is headquartered in Verdun, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Gerrit De Vynck]

  Nadir Mohamed has been overshadowed for much of his tenure as head of Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI/B) by the dealmaking of his main rival, George Cope at BCE Inc. (BCE)

• [By Jonathan Yates]

  The economy is also expected to recover quickly from the storm's devastation, making Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (NYSE: PHI) more attractive to long-term investors than other communications firms such as BCE (NYSE: BCE), AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ).

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-clean-energy-stocks-to-buy-right-now-2.html

Best Dow Dividend Companies To Buy For 2014

Best Dow Dividend Companies To Buy For 2014: Investors Real Estate Trust(IRET)

Investors Real Estate Trust, a real estate investment trust (REIT), engages in the ownership and operation of income-producing real estate properties in the United States. It owns multi-family residential properties and commercial office, medical, industrial, and retail properties located primarily in the upper midwest states of Minnesota and North Dakota. As of April 30, 2008, the company operated a real estate portfolio of 72 multi-family residential; 65 office; 48 medical; 17 industrial; and 33 retail properties. Investors Real Estate Trust has elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. As a REIT, the trust is not subject to federal corporate income taxes, if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. The company was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Minot, North Dakota with additional offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Omaha, Nebraska; and Kansas City, Kansas, and St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Here are five of the best.

  Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET)

  Real estate investment trusts (REITs) have garnered much attention from investors seeking income in our low interest rate environment. Energy investors may want to hone in on them as well. Specifically, Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET).

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-dow-dividend-companies-to-buy-for-2014.html

10 Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2015

This story first published on Dec. 19. It�� been updated to reflect year-end performance data.

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) ��In the shell-shocked years that followed the financial crisis, financial gurus warned investors they could no longer rely on equities to churn out 10% returns, the annual average delivered by stocks for about two decades.

Remember this? ��hether it�� equities or fixed (income), basically what an investor has to realize is it�� not an 8% to 9% or 10% world. It�� a 4% to 5% world, and so you must adjust accordingly,��said Bill Gross, the Pimco co-founder and co-CIO, at a November 2011 event in Los Angeles.

10 Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2015: Kemper Corp (KMPR)

Kemper Corporation (Kemper), formerly Unitrin, Inc., incorporated in 1990, is a diversified insurance holding company, with subsidiaries that provide life, health, automobile, homeowners and other insurance products to individuals and small businesses. The Company is engaged, through its subsidiaries, in the property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance and automobile finance businesses. The Company conducts its operations through four operating segments: Kemper Preferred (Preferred), Unitrin Specialty (Specialty), Unitrin Direct (Direct) and Life and Health Insurance. On September 14, 2011, its subsidiary, Fireside Bank sold its loan portfolio to a subsidiary of Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.

Property and Casualty Insurance Business

The Company's property and casualty insurance business operations are primarily conducted through the Preferred, Specialty and Direct segments. In addition, the Life and Health Insurance segment�� career agents also sell property insurance to its customers. Its insurance subsidiaries operating in the Preferred, Specialty and Direct segments provide automobile, homeowners, fire, and other types of property and casualty insurance to individuals and commercial automobile insurance to businesses. During the year ended December 31, 2011, automobile insurance in these segments accounted for 54% of its consolidated insurance premiums earned from continuing operations, and 47% of its consolidated revenues from continuing operations. During 2011, homeowners insurance in these segments accounted for 14% of its consolidated insurance premiums earned from continuing operations, and 11% of its consolidated revenues from continuing operations.

Preferred and Specialty segments distribute their products through independent agents who are paid commissions for their services. Direct segment distributes its products directly to consumers and through employer-sponsored voluntary benefit programs and other affinity relationships.! Preferred, based in Jacksonville, Florida, conducts business in 38 states and the District of Columbia. During 2011, the states, which provided over half of the premium revenues in Preferred segment included New York (19%), California (12%), North Carolina (13%) and Texas (10%). Preferred segment primarily sells preferred and standard risk automobile and homeowners insurance. During 2011, Preferred�� insurance products accounted for 53% of the aggregate insurance premium revenues of the Company�� property and casualty insurance business. Its products are marketed by approximately 2,700 independent insurance agents. Specialty, based in Dallas, Texas, conducts business in 21 states, principally in the southwest and western United States. During 2011, the states, which provided more than three-fourths of the premium revenues in Specialty segment included California (42%), Texas (18%), Washington (8%), Louisiana (4%) and Oregon (3%). Specialty provides personal and commercial automobile insurance. During 2011, Specialty�� insurance products accounted for 28% of the aggregate insurance premium revenues of the Company�� property and casualty insurance business. Specialty�� products are marketed through approximately 8,000 independent agents and brokers.

Direct, based in Chicago, Illinois, markets personal automobile, homeowners and renters insurance through a range of direct-to-consumer Websites, including its own Websites, marketing partners, employer and other affinity-sponsored relationships. The Direct segment�� automobile insurance products are available in 48 states and the District of Columbia. During 2011, the states, which provided approximately two-thirds of the premium revenues in Unitrin Direct segment included Florida (12%), New York (15%), California (10%), Texas (5%), Connecticut (5%), Michigan (8%), Pennsylvania (5%) and Georgia (5%). During 2011, Direct�� insurance products accounted for 14% of the aggregate insurance premium revenues of its property and casualty i! nsurance ! business.. Direct also offers homeowners and renters insurance across 47states and the District of Columbia, complementing its direct automobile insurance business. The Company manages its exposure to catastrophes and other natural disasters through a combination of geographical diversification, restrictions on the amount and location of new business production in certain regions, and reinsurance. To limit its exposures to catastrophic events, the Company maintains various primary catastrophe reinsurance programs for its property and casualty insurance businesses.

Life and Health Insurance Business

The Company�� Life and Health Insurance segment consists of Kemper�� wholly owned subsidiaries, United Insurance Company of America (United Insurance), The Reliable Life Insurance Company (Reliable), Union National Life Insurance Company (Union National Life), Mutual Savings Life Insurance Company (Mutual Savings Life), United Casualty Insurance Company of America (United Casualty), Union National Fire Insurance Company (Union National Fire), Mutual Savings Fire Insurance Company (Mutual Savings Fire) and Reserve National Insurance Company (Reserve National). As discussed below, United Insurance, Reliable, Union National Life, Mutual Savings Life, United Casualty, Union National Fire and Mutual Savings Fire (the Kemper Home Service Companies) distribute their products through a network of employee, or career, agents. Reserve National distributes its products through a network of exclusive independent agents. Both these career agents and independent agents are paid commissions for their services. During 2011, the states, which provided approximately two-thirds of the Life and Health Insurance segment�� premium revenues included Texas (21%), Louisiana (11%), Alabama (7%), Mississippi (6%), Illinois (4%), Florida (4%), Georgia (4%), Missouri (4%), and North Carolina (4%). During 2011, life insurance accounted for 18% of the Company�� consolidated insurance premiums earned from ! continuing! operations, and 16% of its consolidated revenues from continuing operations.

The Kemper Home Service Companies, based in St. Louis, Missouri, focus on providing individual life and health insurance products to customers of modest incomes who desire basic protection for themselves and their families. Their product is ordinary life insurance, including permanent and term insurance. Face amounts of these policies are lower than those of policies sold to higher income customers by other companies in the life insurance industry. Approximately 79% of the Life and Health Insurance segment�� premium revenues are generated by the Kemper Home Service Companies. The Life and Health Insurance segment�� career agents also distribute certain property insurance products. Reserve National, based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is licensed in 35 states throughout the south, southwest and midwest, and specializes in the sale of Medicare Supplement insurance and limited health insurance coverages, such as fixed indemnity, dental and vision, and accident-only plans, primarily to individuals in rural areas where access to a multitude of health plan options is less prevalent.

The Company's life and health insurance companies utilize reinsurance arrangements. Included among the segment�� reinsurance arrangements is excess of loss reinsurance coverage specifically designed to protect against losses arising from catastrophic events under the property insurance policies distributed by the Kemper Home Service Companies��agents and written by Kemper�� subsidiaries, United Casualty, Union National Fire and Mutual Savings Fire, and reinsured by Kemper�� subsidiary, Trinity Universal Insurance Company (Trinity), or written by Capitol County Mutual Fire Insurance Company (Capitol), a mutual insurance company owned by its policyholders, and its subsidiary, Old Reliable Casualty Company (ORCC), and reinsured by Trinity.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  The property and casualty business of insurance company Kemper� (NYSE: KMPR  ) has a new bean counter.

  On Monday, the Chicago-based insurance company�announced�that Elizabeth "Libbie" Bock�will take on the role of CFO for the P&C division, where she would be�responsible for all aspects of operations, reporting, control, planning and analysis, financial management, and competitive analysis.

10 Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2015: PetMed Express Inc.(PETS)

PetMed Express, Inc., doing business as 1-800-PetMeds, operates a pet pharmacy in the United States. It markets non-prescription and prescription pet medications; and other health products for dogs and cats, as well as direct to consumers. The company?s non-prescription medications include flea and tick control products, bone and joint care products, vitamins and nutritional supplements, and hygiene products. Its prescription medications comprise heartworm preventatives; arthritis, thyroid, diabetes, and pain medications; antibiotics and other specialty medications; and generic substitutes. In addition, the company, through its Web site, 1800petmeds.com, sells beds, crates, stairs, strollers, and other pet supplies. PetMed Express offers its products under the Frontline Plus, K9 Advantix, Advantage, Heartgard Plus, Sentinel, Interceptor, Program, Revolution, Deramaxx, and Rimadyl brands. The company markets its products through national television, online, and direct mail /print advertising campaigns, as well as through telephone, catalogs, brochures, and postcards. It primarily serves retail customers. PetMed Express was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  PetMed Express (Nasdaq: PETS  ) reported earnings on July 22. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 30 (Q1), PetMed Express beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  PetMed Express (Nasdaq: PETS  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings around July 15. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict PetMed Express's revenues will grow 1.3% and EPS will increase 10.0%.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  The two-year soft patch for Petmed Express Inc. (NASDAQ:PETS) may well be over; we'll know for sure on Monday. The two-year dry spell for faithful PETS shareholders may also be over. In fact, the chart says the stock's already in a new uptrend, and the company has a chance to cement that budding move into place when earnings are unveiled early next week.

• [By Rupert Hargreaves]

  Defensive yield
  PetMed Express (NASDAQ: PETS  ) is a pet pharmacy that markets prescription and non-prescription pet medications, health products, and supplies for dogs and cats. PetMed does offer a dividend, which currently works out to yield 4.3%, which is easily covered by free cash flow (apart from during Q1 2013 and Q4 2012 when the company paid out special dividends from its cash balance). The payout of $0.17 per quarter is costing the company roughly $3.5 million in total per quarter, free cash flow for the first two quarters of this year was $27.3 million compared to a total payout of $7 million.

Top 10 Cheap Stocks To Buy For 2014: ACCO Brands Corp (ACCO)

ACCO Brands Corporation, incorporated on October 26, 1970, is one of the suppliers of branded school and office products. The Company sells its products through many channels that include the office products resale industry as well as through mass retail distribution and e-tailers. It designs, develops, manufactures and markets a variety of traditional and computer-related office products, school supplies and paper-based time management products. Through a focus on research, marketing and innovation, it seeks to develop new products that meet the needs of its consumers and commercial end-users, and support its brands. ACCO Brands is organized into three business segments: ACCO Brands North America, ACCO Brands International and Computer Products Group. It sells its products primarily to markets located in the United States, Northern Europe, Canada, Brazil, Australia and Mexico. On May 1, 2012, it completed the merger (Merger) of the Mead Consumer and Office Products Business (Mead C&OP) with a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.

Its office, school and calendar product lines use name brands such as AT-A-GLANCE, Day-Timer, Five Star, GBC, Hilroy, Marbig, Mead, NOBO, Quartet, Rexel, Swingline, Tilibra, Wilson Jones and many others. Its products and brands are not confined to one channel or product category and are designed based on preference. It manufactures approximately half of its products, and specify and source approximately the other half of its products, mainly from Asia. Its office products, such as stapling, binding and laminating equipment and related consumable supplies, shredders and whiteboards, are used by businesses. These business end-users purchase their products from its customers, which include commercial contract stationers, retail superstores, mass merchandisers, wholesalers, resellers, mail order and Internet catalogs, club stores and dealers. It also supplies some of its products directly to commercial and industrial end-users. Its school products include n! otebooks, folders, decorative calendars, and stationery products. It distributes its school products primarily through traditional and online retail mass market, grocery, drug and office superstore channels. It also supplies private label products within the school products sector. Its calendar products are sold throughout all channels where it sells office or school products, and it also sell direct to consumers.

ACCO Brands North America and ACCO Brands International

ACCO Brands North America and ACCO Brands International manufacture, source and sell traditional office products, school supplies, calendar products and document finishing solutions. ACCO Brands North America comprises the U.S. and Canada, and ACCO Brands International comprises the rest of the world, principally Europe, Latin America, Australia, and Asia-Pacific.

Its office, school and calendar product lines use name brands such as AT-A-GLANCE, Day-Timer, Five Star, GBC, Hilroy, Marbig, Mead, NOBO, Quartet, Rexel, Swingline, Tilibra, Wilson Jones and many others. Its office products, such as stapling, binding and laminating equipment and related consumable supplies, shredders and whiteboards, are used by businesses. These business end-users purchase their products from its customers, which include commercial contract stationers, mass merchandisers, retail superstores, wholesalers, resellers, mail order and Internet catalogs, club stores and dealers. It also supplies some of its products directly to commercial and industrial end-users.

Its school products include notebooks, folders, decorative calendars, and stationery products. It distributes its school products primarily through traditional and online retail mass market, grocery, drug and office superstore channels. It also supplies private label products within the school products sector. Its calendar products are sold throughout all channels where it sells office or school products, and it also sells direct to consumers.

! Computer Products Group

The Computer Products Group designs, distributes, markets and sells accessories for laptop and desktop computers and tablets and smartphones. These accessories primarily include security products, iPad covers and keypads, smartphone accessories, power adapters, input devices such as mice, laptop computer carrying cases, hubs, docking stations and ergonomic devices. The Computer Products Group sells mostly under the Kensington, Microsaver and ClickSafe brand names, with the majority of its revenue coming from the U.S. and Western Europe.

All of its computer products are manufactured to its specifications by third-party suppliers, principally in Asia, and are stored and distributed from its regional facilities. Its computer products are sold primarily to consumer electronics retailers, information technology value-added resellers, original equipment manufacturers and office products retailers.

The Company competes with, 3M, Avery Dennison, Blue Sky, Carolina Pad, Dominion BlueLine, Esselte, Fellowes, Franklin Covey, Hamelin, House of Doolittle, Newell Rubbermaid, Smead, Spiral Binding, Belkin, Fellowes, Logitech and Targus.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell]

  Acco Brands Corp.(ACCO) expects its 2013 results to come in ahead of analysts’ estimates as the office-products supplier projected fourth-quarter revenue that beat expectations. Shares of the company, whose brands include Day-Timer, At-a Glance and Mead, rose 5.1% to $6.59 in light premarket trading.

• [By Will Ashworth]

  While some might consider private equity firms to be at the high-end of the cycle, I see Fortress just now coming into its own. Fortress recently announced it took a paper loss on Bitcoin. Not to worry, FIG’s 2013 distributable earnings per share increased by almost 70% to $0.88, its highest level since its IPO. I see it moving higher than $10 in 2014.

  Cheap Stocks to Buy: ACCO Brands (ACCO)

  I don�� know about you but I definitely use several of its products on a regular basis. In fact, right here on my desk beside my computer is a small, Five Star notebook for jotting down ideas. I grew up on Hilroy notebooks, a brand brought to the table in its 2012 merger with MeadWestvaco�� (MWV) Consumer and Office Products division. MWV shareholders received one-third of an ACCO share for every MWV share. Since the deal was completed, ACCO stock has lost 42% of its value.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of office supply maker ACCO Brands (NYSE: ACCO  ) fell as much as 13% in early trading today before settling in at a 5% drop.

10 Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2015: Vodafone Group PLC (VOD)

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

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

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

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

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alan Oscroft]

  Vodafone (LSE: VOD  ) (NASDAQ: VOD  )
  Vodafone has a good track record of paying dividends, and it didn't disappoint on Tuesday with a 7% hike in its full-year payment to 10.19 pence per share -- and that was about 1.5 times covered. On the current share price of 194 pence, that provides a yield of 5.3%. The rest of the news was a little mixed, though, with group revenue down 4.2% to 拢44.4 billion. But adjusted earnings per share gained 5% to 15.65 pence, putting the shares on a P/E of 12.4.

• [By John Udovich]

  Yesterday, Silver Spring Networks apparently plunged after the�UK government announced that Capita, CGI, Arqiva and Telefonica S.A. (NYSE: TEF) are the "preferred bidders" for contracts to support the UK's smart meter roll-out���no small project as the entire scheme is expected to worth or cost around�拢11.5 billion.�Silver Spring Networks had partnered with Vodafone Group Plc (NASDAQ: VOD) on a bid to both create and run the telecom infrastructure behind the smart meters, but they will now go away empty handed. ��

10 Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2015: NiSource Inc (NI)

NiSource Inc. (NiSource), incorporated on March 29, 2000, is an energy holding company whose subsidiaries provide natural gas, electricity and other products and services to approximately 3.8 million customers located within a corridor that runs from the Gulf Coast through the Midwest to New England. NiSource operates in three business segments: Gas Distribution Operations; Gas Transmission and Storage Operations, and Electric Operations. NiSource�� principal subsidiaries include Columbia Energy Group (Columbia), a vertically-integrated natural gas distribution, transmission and storage holding company whose subsidiaries provide service to customers in the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast; Northern Indiana Public Service Company (Northern Indiana), a vertically-integrated gas and electric company providing service to customers in northern Indiana, and Bay State Gas Company (Columbia of Massachusetts), a natural gas distribution company serving customers in Massachusetts.

NiSource Finance Corporation (NiSource Finance) is a 100% owned, consolidated finance subsidiary of NiSource. NiSource Finance engages in financing activities to raise funds for the business operations of NiSource and its subsidiaries.

Gas Distribution Operations

NiSource�� natural gas distribution operations serve more than 3.3 million customers in seven states and operate approximately 58 thousand miles of pipeline. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Columbia, NiSource owns five distribution subsidiaries that provide natural gas to approximately 2.2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, and Maryland. NiSource also distributes natural gas to approximately 795 thousand customers in northern Indiana. Additionally, NiSource�� subsidiary, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, distributes natural gas to approximately 298 thousand customers in Massachusetts.

Gas Transmission and Storage Operations

NiSou! rce�� Gas Transmission and Storage Operations subsidiaries own and operate approximately 15,000 miles of pipeline and operate a natural gas storage system capable of storing approximately 639 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Through its subsidiaries, Columbia Gas Transmission L.L.C. (Columbia Transmission), Columbia Gulf Transmission Company (Columbia Gulf) and Crossroads Pipeline Company (Crossroads Pipeline), NiSource owns and operates an interstate pipeline network extending from the Gulf of Mexico to New York and the eastern seaboard. Together, these companies serve customers in 16 northeastern, mid-Atlantic, midwestern and southern states and the District of Columbia. NiSource Midstream Services is an unregulated business that is a provider of midstream services, including gathering, treating, conditioning, processing, compression and liquids handling, as well as managing mineral rights positions in the Marcellus and Utica shale areas.

The Gas Transmission and Storage Operations subsidiaries are also engaged in two joint ventures, Millennium Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Millennium) and Hardy Storage Company, L.L.C. (Hardy Storage). Millennium Pipeline, which includes 252 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipe across New York�� Southern Tier and lower Hudson Valley, has the capability to transport up to 525,400 dekatherm per day of natural gas to markets along its route, as well as to the New York City markets through its pipeline interconnections. Millennium is jointly owned by affiliates of NiSource, DTE Energy and National Grid. Hardy Storage, which consists of underground natural gas storage facilities in West Virginia, has a working storage capacity of 12 billion cubic feet and the ability to deliver 176,000 dekatherm of natural gas per day. Hardy Storage is a joint venture of subsidiaries of Columbia Transmission and Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. (Piedmont).

Electric Operations

NiSource generates, transmits and distributes electricity through its subsidia! ry Northe! rn Indiana Public Service Company (Northern Indiana) to approximately 458 thousand customers in 20 counties in the northern part of Indiana and engages in electric wholesale and transmission transactions. Northern Indiana operates three coal-fired electric generating stations. The three operating facilities have a net capability of 2,574 megawatts. Northern Indiana also owns and operates Sugar Creek, a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant with a 535 megawatts capacity rating, four gas-fired generating units located at Northern Indiana�� coal-fired electric generating stations with a net capability of 203 megawatts and two hydroelectric generating plants with a net capability of 10 megawatts. These facilities provide for a total system operating net capability of 3,322 megawatts. Northern Indiana�� transmission system, with voltages from 69,000 to 345,000 volts, consists of 2,797 circuit miles. Northern Indiana is interconnected with five neighboring electric utilities.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By guruek]

  According to GuruFocus Insider Data, these are the largest insider buys during the past week: Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB), Ecolab Inc. (ECL), Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL), Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR), and NiSource Inc. (NI).

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on NiSource (NYSE: NI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

10 Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2015: iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI)

iShares Lehman 3-7 Year Treasury Bond Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the intermediate-term sector of the United States Treasury market as defined by the Lehman Brothers 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Index (the Index). The Index includes all publicly issued the United States Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to three years and less than seven years, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. In addition, the securities must be denominated in United States dollars, and must be fixed-rate and non-convertible securities. Excluded from the Index are certain special issues, such as flower bonds, targeted investor notes, and state and local government series bonds, and coupon issues that have been stripped from assets that are already included in the Index.

The Index is a market capitalization-weighted index. The Fund invests in a representative sample of the securities in the Index, which has a similar investment profile as the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisor.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Donald van Deventer]

  Shorter-duration Treasury Exchange-Traded Funds: (SHY), (SHV), (IEI), (BIL), (TUZ), (FIVZ), (DTUL), (VGSH), (DTUS), (DFVS), (DFVL), (SST), (ISTB), (TBZ).

10 Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2015: Ferrellgas Partners L.P. (FGP)

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. engages in the distribution and sale of propane, and related equipment and supplies primarily in the United States. It transports propane to propane distribution locations, tanks on customers� premises, or to portable propane tanks delivered to retailers. The company conducts its portable tank exchange operations under the Blue Rhino brand name through a network of independent and partnership-owned distribution outlets. The company�s propane is primarily used for space heating, water heating, cooking, outdoor cooking using gas grills, crop drying, irrigation, weed control, and other propane fueled appliances; as an engine fuel for power vehicles and forklifts; and as a heating or energy source in manufacturing and drying processes. It serves approximately 1 million residential, industrial/commercial, portable tank exchange, agricultural, wholesale, and other customers in 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. As of July 31, 2012, it had 924 propane distribution locations. The company also engages in the wholesale marketing of propane appliances; sale of refined fuels; and provision of common carrier services. Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Ferrellgas Partners LP (NYSE: FGP) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.85 per share on revenue of $722.07 million.

  American Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: AMID) is estimated to post a Q4 loss at $0.30 per share on revenue of $89.74 million.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  But because SPH is more involved in the retail end of propane instead of the production/logistical side, it has been significantly outperformed by NGL Energy Partners (NYSE: NGL) and Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP). In short, the latter two are the ways to play higher propane prices, whereas SPH will see much less benefit from higher-priced propane.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Propane gas provider�Ferrellgas Partners� (NYSE: FGP  ) �announced yesterday�its third-quarter dividend of $0.50 per share, the same rate it's paid every quarter for the last 75 quarters.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP  ) will release its quarterly report on Friday, and shares of the propane distributor have jumped to two-year highs recently. Yet with a somewhat different exposure to the industry than rivals AmeriGas (NYSE: APU  ) and Suburban Propane (NYSE: SPH  ) , will Ferrellgas earnings be able to grow enough to make optimistic investors satisfied?

10 Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2015: Timios National Corp (HOMS)

Timios National Corporation, formerly Homeland Security Capital Corporation, incorporated on August 12, 1997, provides radiological, nuclear, environmental, disaster relief and electronic security solutions to government and commercial customers. The Company is engaged in the strategic acquisition, operation, development and consolidation of companies operating in the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive, (CBRNE), incident response and security marketplaces within the homeland security industry. It is building consolidated enterprises (platform companies) through the acquisition and integration of businesses in the homeland security industry, particularly businesses focused on CBRNE incident response. In August 2011, the Company sold its Nexus Technologies Group. In October 2011, the Company sold its Safety and Ecology Holding Corporation subsidiary to Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. In May 2012, the Company announced the acquisition by its subsidiary Timios, Inc. of Glenn County Title Company. In June 2013, Timios National Corp announced that it has completed the purchase of Glenn County Title Company (GCTC). In September 2013, Timios National Corp announced that it had executed a purchase agreement for the assets of Adobe Title, LLC.

The Company offers a range of management and operational services to each of its subsidiaries through a team of dedicated professionals. Its subsidiaries compensate its holding company for such services. Its core services include environmental remediation and restoration, regulatory compliance, facilities management, facility deactivation, decommissioning and demolition, emergency response, design and construction services and security integration to the United States government agencies, such as the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Defense (DoD), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the United states Army Corps of Engineers and the National Aeronautics and Space ! Administration (NASA). It conducts its operations through Safety & Ecology Holdings Corporation (Safety), its wholly owned subsidiary; Nexus Technologies Group, Inc. (Nexus), its 93% owned subsidiary, and Polimatrix, Inc. (PMX), its joint venture. Safety is an international provider of environmental, nuclear and radiological infrastructure remediation, disaster relief solutions and advanced construction services. Nexus designs, develops and installs integrated security systems for government and commercial clients. PMX markets, sells and distributes radiological detection equipment.

Safety & Ecology Holdings Corporation

Safety is a provider of global environmental, hazardous and radiological infrastructure remediation, upgrades and nuclear services in the United States and the United Kingdom. Safety�� main business areas and service offerings include decommissioning and remediation environmental and remedial consultancy services; environmental and consultancy services; nuclear energy design, build, refurbishment and operational support services, and instrumentation and measurement technologies. Safety offers a range of services that include characterization, decontamination, decommissioning of facilities, soil and groundwater remediation, infrastructure reduction and demolition, site preparation, excavation, and remedial system construction; underground and overhead utility installation; electrical and mechanical installation; security fencing and device installation and upgrades; building renovation; piping; roadways, parking lots, and drainage system construction/repair, and landfill remediation and capping.

Safety engages in facility deactivation, demolition and closure solutions, including project investigation; radiological pre-engineering; demolition planning; removing above ground structures and structural components; storing, testing, certifying, processing and shipping nuclear waste, and abatement of hazardous materials. Safety focuses its service offe! ring on t! he application and integration of health physics, industrial hygiene, hazardous material consultancy and safety and health. In addition, Safety couples its technology with its instrumentation offering, on-site radiological laboratory capabilities and mobile radiological materials license to provide radiological services and consultation. Safety provides integrated services to the nuclear energy industry. Safety provides specialized services to a customer base, including government agencies, commercial customers and major engineering and construction companies around the world that are focused in the nuclear new plant deployment initiative, facility operation, decommissioning and refurbishment. The elements of Safety�� technology offering are instrumentation services and instrumentation technology, both of which are targeted to field investigations, characterizations of contaminants and clean-up and material management and disposal solutions.

The Company competes with Stoller, Cabrera, Portage, LATA Northwind, Demco, Eagle, Pro2Serv, PMTech, Navarro, Energy Solutions, the Washington Group, Tetra Tech, Shaw Environmental and C2HM Hill.

Nexus Technologies Group, Inc.

Nexus is a mid-Atlantic security integrator for the corporate and governmental security markets that specializes in the engineering and installation of custom designed integrated electronic security solutions, including access control, alarm, closed circuit television (CCTV), video, communication, perimeter protection and bomb and metal detection security systems. Nexus provides solutions to protect people, property and assets. As a systems integrator, Nexus designs, customizes, installs, integrates and maintains closed CCTV, access control, video and communication systems for its customers. Nexus has undertaken projects in a range of markets, including financial services, corporate and commercial, healthcare, government, nuclear utility services, public transportation, airports, industrial complexes,! museums,! prisons, higher education and data centers. As a provider of custom engineered integrated security solutions, including access control, alarm/intrusion, CCTV, communication, perimeter protection and bomb and metal detection security systems, Nexus is aligned with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Nexus has focused on five sectors in which it intends to expand, both vertically and horizontally. These sectors are Financial Institutions, Infrastructure Security, Government Facilities, Education Facilities and Corporate Markets.

Financial Institutions include banks, brokerage facilities, trading facilities and foreign currency exchange centers. Infrastructure Security include nuclear power generating facilities, water processing facilities, electricity generating facilities, power transfer stations and transportation centers, which include highway, bridge, tunnel, airport, rail and port security. Government Facilities include federal, state and local government buildings and offices, domestic and foreign embassies, military installations and police and fire department operations centers. Education Facilities include grammar, high school and college buildings, dorms and campuses, satellite learning centers and daycare centers. Corporate Markets include office buildings and grounds, parking lots, garages, retail locations, warehouses and apartment and condominium complexes.

The Company competes with Henry Brothers Electronics, Inc., Diebold, Inc. and ADT.

POLIMATRIX, INC.

PMX is a total solutions provider delivering radiation and nuclear protection and detection services through several engineered portable and stationary devices. PMX�� business plan is the development and marketing of radiological detection products and services. PMX has developed a range of domestic and international marketing initiative in Washington, DC, Virginia and Illinois. These states have used the PMX detection devices for a range of detection, prevention and first respon! der activ! ities. PMX�� product line of portable detection devices are designed to detect potential threats and can be positioned along transportation routes or carried by nuclear power generating facility security personnel. It operates PMX with the assistance of Safety�� personal.

The Company competes with Thermo Scientific and Canberra.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  However, there have been no further updates since then. A quick look on both Google Finance and Yahoo! Finance reveals the latest financials date from the end of September 2012 ��meaning its investor beware.

  Timios National Corp (OTCMKTS: HOMS) Has No News Beyond Filings

  Small cap Timios National Corp is involved in the strategic acquisition, development and consolidation of real estate service businesses. Former Maryland Congressman C. Thomas McMillen, who served three consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 4th Congressional District of Maryland, heads the company. On Friday, Timios National Corp sank 32.28% to $1.28 for a market cap of $3.01 million plus HOMS is up 54.2% over the past year and up 1,013% over the past five years according to Google Finance.

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Timios National Corp (OTCMKTS: HOMS) and Lattice Inc (OTCMKTS: LTTC) surged 54.29% and 20.83%, respectively, while Unique Pizza & Subs Corp (OTCMKTS: UPZS) sank 27.27% last Friday. But today is a new trading week with the last two trading days for the year. So what will these three small caps do today, tomorrow and after New Years�� Here is a closer look:

10 Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2015: Bri-Chem Corp (BRY)

Bri-Chem Corp. is a North American distributor, blender, and manufacturer of drilling fluids and steel pipe for the oil and gas industry in North America. The Company operates in three segments: Fluids, Steel Distribution and Steel Manufacturing. Its Fluids segment includes the sale of fluids and chemical additives to the resource and industrial markets. The Steel Distribution segment includes the sale of tubular steel products to the resource, industrial and construction industries. The Steel Manufacturing segment produces seamless steel pipe through a thermal expansion process for sale to steel pipe distributors in North America. On May 31, 2011, it acquired all membership interest in Bri-Chem Supply Corp, LLC (BSU) and Stryker Transportation Ltd. (Stryker). In September 2013, Bri-Chem Corp acquired the cement blending business assets of Sun Coast Materials Co. and certain additional transportation assets from its affiliate Acme Trucking, Inc. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Transformational acquisition is closing soon
  Earlier this year, LinnCo, in conjunction with LINN Energy (NASDAQ: LINE  ) announced the game-changing deal for Berry Petroleum (NYSE: BRY  ) . The $4.3 billion deal, which is being delayed slightly, is still expected to close in the third quarter. Once it does, the fundamentals of LINN and by extension LinnCo will improve dramatically. Not only that but both companies will be boosting their respective investor payouts as well as shifting those payouts to a monthly schedule.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Don't forget the business model
  Short sellers see this decline rate as being an insurmountable burden that will eventually lead to LINN's demise. Given the perfect storm, that's entirely possible, just as it is for any other company. Yet, LINN's business model is designed to combat the decline ���t is constantly purchasing additional assets to not only replace the decline but to grow its production and reserves. Earlier this year the company made its largest transaction ever as it announced a deal to buy Berry Petroleum (NYSE: BRY  ) .

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  LINN Energy (NASDAQ: LINE  ) had a "wait and see until we finish our Berry Petroleum (NYSE: BRY  ) acquisition" kind of quarter. While overall production jumped a very healthy 69% over last year, it just didn't quite meet what the company expected. Weather was part of the problem, but much of the company's woes came in one place: Texas. Does LINN have a problem with Texas' tea? Let's take a look at these pieces of bad news and see if the problems lie with LINN or the Lone Star State.�

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Lately the pair have been under a lot of pressure after a series of negative attacks on LINN's business model. The attacks have brought the respective yields to around 9% for LINN and 8.5% for LinnCo when you take into consideration the soon to be rising payout after the Berry Petroleum (NYSE: BRY  ) acquisition closes. Berry adds significant oil assets to the combined company and the deal significantly improves the reserves, credit metrics, distributable cash flow ratio, and production. The bottom line here is that investors can lock in significant monthly income by investing in either company.

10 Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Invest In 2015: WPP plc (WPPGY)

WPP plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Advertising and Media Investment Management segment plans and creates marketing and branding campaigns; and designs and produces advertisements for television, cable, the Internet, radio, magazines, and newspapers, as well as outdoor locations, including billboards. This segment also has media investment management capabilities in the areas of business science, consumer insight, communications and media planning implementation, interactions, content development, and sports and entertainment marketing. The company�s Consumer Insight segment offers custom research services in various sectors, including strategic market studies; brand positioning; equity research; customer satisfaction surveys; product development; international research; advanced modeling; advertising research; pre-testing, tracking, and sales modeling; and trends and futures research and consultancy. Its Public Relations & Public Affairs segment provi des advice to clients that seek to communicate with consumers, governments, and/or the business and financial communities. This segment�s activities include corporate, financial, and marketing communications; crisis management; reputation management; public affairs; and government lobbying. The company�s Branding & Identity, Healthcare, and Specialist Communications segment engages in branding and identity; healthcare communications; and direct, digital, promotional, and relationship marketing activities. This segment also offers specialist communications services, such as custom media and multicultural marketing; event, sports, youth, and entertainment marketing; corporate and business-to-business; and media, technology, and production services, as well as digital and measurable interactive marketing, digital marketing strategy, mobile solutions, and platforms services. The company has a strategic partnership with Twitter, Inc. WPP plc was founded in 1971 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Kevin Godbold]

  So this series aims to identify appealing FTSE 100 investment opportunities and today I'm looking at�WPP� (LSE: WPP  ) (NASDAQ: WPPGY  ) , which provides marketing communications services such as advertising and public relations.

• [By Alan Oscroft]

  WPP (LSE: WPP  ) (NASDAQ: WPPGY  )
  WPP shares have gained a modest 0.5% after the advertising giant revealed an acquisition. The firm's wholly owned operating network VML will take a 49% stake in Polish digital agency Heureka Group, with an option to acquire a majority stake at a later date.