Top 10 Media Companies For 2015

Top 10 Media Companies For 2015: Charter Communications Inc.(CHTR)

Charter Communications, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides entertainment, information, and communications solutions to residential and commercial customers in the United States. The company offers cable video programming services, such as basic and digital video, premium channels, OnDemand, pay-per-view, high definition television, digital video recorder, and online video services; Internet services; Charter.net, which provides multiple e-mail addresses, as well as various entertainment, games, news, and sports content; and telephone services. It also provides broadband communications solutions, such as Internet access, data networking, fiber connectivity to cellular towers and office buildings, video entertainment services, and business telephone services under the Charter Business brand name to business and carrier organizations. As of December 31, 2011, the company served approximately 4.1 million video customers; approximately 3.5 million Internet customers; appr oximately 1.7 million telephone customers; and approximately 476,200 commercial primary service units. Charter Communications, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  Charter Communications (CHTR) and Comcast (CMCSA) are each also contemplating bids. The WSJ reported latetoday that Charter is arranging $25 billionin debt to fund its bid.

• [By Dan Moskowitz]

  Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC  ) doesn't have the best reputation among its customers, but all that matters to investors is whether or not the company can make shareholders money through stock appreciation and dividend payments. Let's take a look at the Time Warner Cable situation and compare the company's potential to that of Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA  ) and Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR  ) .

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-10-media-companies-for-2015.html

Consumer Sentiment Falls in May, Wages Raise Concern

Nick Ut/AP NEW YORK -- A monthly gauge of U.S. consumer sentiment fell in May as a gloomy view on income growth clouded an otherwise positive economic outlook, a survey released Friday showed. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final May reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment came in at 81.9, down from 84.1 the month before. It was also below the expectation of 82.5 among economists polled by Reuters. However it did show a slight increase from the preliminary reading issued on May 16. "The slippage in consumer confidence came to a halt in late May," survey director Richard Curtin said in a statement. Curtin said the level may have declined by 2.2 points since April, but when averaging in the first four months of the year, the May figure was slightly above the average of 81.7. "At present, the economy was anticipated to be strong enough in the year ahead to produce the best change in job prospects since 2004," Curtin said, "The main concern expressed by consumers involved dismal prospects for wage growth, which for nearly half of all households meant anticipated declines in inflation-adjusted incomes and living standards during the year ahead," he added. Some 56 percent of consumers reported that the economy had improved, up from 49 percent in April. The survey's barometer of current economic conditions fell to 94.5 from 98.7 in April and below a forecast of 95.8. The gauge of consumer expectations slipped to 73.7 from 74.7 and fell short of an expected 74.0. The survey's one-year inflation expectation rose to 3.3 percent from last month at 3.2 percent, while the survey's five-to-10-year inflation outlook fell to 2.8 percent from 2.9 percent in April.

Hot Long Term Companies To Buy Right Now

Hot Long Term Companies To Buy Right Now: State Bank of In dia (SBIN)

State Bank of India (SBI) is an India-based commercial bank. Its primary banks include Treasury, Corporate / Wholesale Banking, Retail Banking and Other Banking business. The Treasury Segment includes the entire investment portfolio and trading in foreign exchange contracts and derivative contracts. The Corporate / Wholesale Banking segment comprises the lending activities of Corporate Accounts Group, Mid Corporate Accounts Group and Stressed Assets Management Group. These include providing loans and transaction services to corporate and institutional clients and further include non-treasury operations of foreign offices. The Retail Banking Segment consists of branches in National Banking Group, which primarily includes Personal Banking activities, including lending activities to corporate customers having banking relations with branches in the National Banking Group. This segment also includes agency business and automated teller machines (ATMs). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Calev Ben-David]

  Credit-default swaps for the State Bank of India (SBIN), a proxy for the sovereign, have risen by almost two thirds since May 22, while the rupee slid about 10 percent. In Turkey, swaps jumped by about half, and the currency dropped about 6 percent.

• [By Lyubov Pronina]

  India's S&P BSE Sensex Index dropped 4 percent in Mumbai as State Bank of India (SBIN) tumbled to the lowest level in four years. ICICI Bank Ltd. slumped 5.2 percent. The rupee touched an unprecedented 62.0050 per dollar today before closing 0.3 percent weaker from Aug. 14 at 61.6550 in Mumbai, according to prices from local banks compiled by Bloomberg.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-long-term-companies-to-buy-right-now.html

Top 10 Specialty Retail Companies To Watch For 2015

Top 10 Specialty Retail Companies To Watch For 2015: WH Smith PLC (SMWH)

WH Smith PLC is a United Kingdom-based retail company. The Company has two businesses divisions: Travel and High Street. The Company's Travel division sells a range of newspapers, magazines, books and impulse products for people on the move and a broader convenience range in hospitals and workplaces. The Company's High Street sells a wide range of stationery, books, newspapers, magazines and impulse products, as well as a small range of entertainment products.The Companys subsidiaries include WH Smith PLC, WH Smith Retail Holdings Limited, WH Smith High Street Holdings Limited, WH Smith Travel Holdings Limited, WH Smith High Street Limited, WH Smith Travel Limited and WH Smith Hospitals Holdings Limited. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Hays Plc (HAS) climbed 2.2 percent after the recruitment company said quarterly fees increased in its European markets. WH Smith Plc (SMWH) jumped the most in six months after raising its final dividend and saying it plans to repurchase an additional 50 million pounds ($80 million) of shares. Melrose Industries Plc (MRO) added 1.8 percent after KKR & Co. said it will pay about $1 billion for two of its U.S. industrial-products companies.

source from USA Best Stocks:http://www.usabeststocks.com/top-10-specialty-retail-companies-to-watch-for-2015.html

Top 5 Solar Companies To Invest In 2015

Top 5 Solar Companies To Invest In 2015: JinkoSolar Holding Company Limited(JKS)

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of solar power products in China and internationally. The company provides solar modules, silicon wafers and ingots, and solar cells, as well as processing services, including silicon wafer tolling services. It sells its products under the JinkoSolar brand name. The company?s customers include distributors, project developers, and system integrators. It trades its products under short-term contracts and by spot market sales. The company also produces accessory materials for solar power products, such as solar aluminum frame, solar junction box, aluminum materials windows, and other metal component parts. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. was founded in 2006 and is based in Shangrao, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anna Prior]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Monday’s session are JinkoSolar Holding Co.(JKS), Tyson Foods Inc.(TSN) andAbbVie Inc.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Friday
  The market is typically quiet on Friday, but don't tell that to JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS  ) . The vertically integrated solar-power products maker closes out the trading week with its latest quarterly results.

• [By Wall Street Strategies]

  Naturally the news is a big positive for the industry, with Chinese solar names like Yingli (YGE), Trina (TSL), Canadian Solar (CSIQ) -- which is actually Chinese despite its name -- JinkoSolar (JKS), JA Solar (JASO), and LDK Solar (LDK) each up more than 10% at midday. The Guggenheim Solar ETF (TAN), which tracks several global solar companies, was up 8%, breaking to a new 52-week high.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Like FSLR, CSIQ and JinkoSolar (JKS), ReneSola has moved beyond its original focus of creating just wafers. That means SOL stock investors are ! now betting on one of the more integrated solar stocks … and one that has grown to become a strong module shipper over the last few years. That includes outsourcing modules to nations like India, South Africa and Poland. SOL has done well in this regard and has been catching up to sizzling solar stocks like Yingli Green Energy (YGE).

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-5-solar-companies-to-invest-in-2015.html

Stock Market News Today

A few major mergers and acquisition deals are claiming headlines in stock market news today.

Last month, stocks suffered their biggest monthly decline in a year. But today stocks are kicking off September on a positive note after a three-day weekend. Stocks are rebounding from last week's selloff, stemming from fears of a U.S. strike against Syria.

Aside from major acquisitions - like Microsoft's deal with Nokia - investors have several economic indicators to monitor.

The U.S. manufacturing sectors showed moderate improvement in overall manufacturing business conditions as the Purchasing Managers Index fell to 53.1 in August from 53.7 in July.

Another manufacturing survey by the Institute for Supply Management revealed that U.S. manufacturers expanded by the fastest pace in more than two years. That ISM index rose to 55.7% from 55.4% in July, which is the highest level since June 2011. Economists had expected a decline to 54.1%.

Tech Stock News Today

Top 5 Railroad Companies To Invest In Right Now

Two major merger and acquisition deals in tech stock news today are pushing technology stocks, as well as the broader stock market, higher in morning trade.

First, Nokia Corp. (NYSE ADR: NOK) is holding substantial gains of about 35% on Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq: MSFT) plan to acquire its cell phone business for more than $7 billion. The purchase includes most of Nokia's devices, including smartphones, as well as its services unit with mapping services and licenses for patents. MSFT is down about 6% on the news.

One of Microsoft's biggest weaknesses is its devices sales - as this chart explains...

In a second major deal in tech, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) announced plans to buy Vodafone Group's (Nasdaq ADR: VOD) principal asset of 45% of Verizon Wireless for $130 billion in a cash and stock deal. VZ shares are down about 3% in morning trade.

Verizon expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to the company's earnings per share (EPS) by approximately 10%, without any one-time adjustments. The deal will close in the first quarter next year. VOD is down about 3%.

Note: Are the best investments for 2013's second half in your portfolio? We have our experts' picks here - check them out now.

In other tech stock news today, Blackberry Ltd. (Nasdaq: BBRY) is rallying more than 2% as investors anticipate that the Microsoft deal means Blackberry, too, may be acquired as it evaluates strategic alternatives.

Stock Market New Today: Healthcare

The following healthcare stocks are also moving on developing news today.

Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ISIS) this weekend announced interim data from an ongoing phase 2 study of ISIS-APOCIIIRx as a monotherapy in patients with very high to severely high triglycerides, or blood fat. Patients treated with ISIS-APOCIIIRx achieved statistically significant mean reductions of up to 79% in apolipoprotein C-III.

And, VIVUS Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) is up about 2% after the company quickly filled a leadership void. Anthony P. Zook has resigned as chief executive officer and from the VIVUS Board of Directors, effective Sept. 3, 2013, due to a medical condition. Seth H.Z. Fischer, a former senior executive at Johnson & Johnson, is to serve as chief executive officer, effective today. He will also join the VIVUS Board of Directors.

Finally, Avanir Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: AVNR) is up about 7% today after it settled with Actavis South Atlantic and Actavis Inc. (NYSE: ACT) to resolve pending patent litigation regarding ACT's seeking approval to market generic versions of AVNR's NUEDEXTA capsules. ACT is up about 1%.

The settlement deal gives ACT the right to begin selling a generic version of NUEDEXTA on July 30, 2026, or earlier under certain circumstances. The settlement does not end AVNR's ongoing litigation against the other three Abbreviated New Drug Application filers.

Note: We're facing one of the most uncertain market stretches in memory - do you know the best investments to make now? Here are five.

Stock Market News Today: Earnings

In earnings news today, a few companies are reporting after the closing bell, including H & R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB), which is up about 1%. Pike Electric Corp. (NYES: PIKE), Guidewire Software Inc. (NYSE: GWRE), and Sigma Designs Inc. (Nasdaq: SIGM) are also reporting quarterly earnings late this afternoon.

Today's Can't-Miss Article: Make These Moves Before the U.S. Hits Syria

The Roth IRA Mistake

Do you know how much you can pull out of your Roth Individual Retirement Account tax-free and penalty-free before retirement? Hint: it's not the full balance.

Roth IRAs come with a special rule: you can withdraw the amount you've contributed at any time penalty-free and tax-free. The catch is that you have to have proof of how much you've contributed over the years.

If you're sure you're not going to tap your account until retirement—specifically after age 59 and a half—you don't have to bother to keep track of your contributions. All withdrawals after you've reached age 59 and a half and had the account at least five years are tax-free and penalty-free. But if there's a chance you'll need some of the money earlier, you need to pay attention because any amount you take out over and above what you've contributed is subject to income tax plus a 10% penalty.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now

"If you don't know what your contributions were, you don't know what's taxable and what isn't," says Stephen W. DeFilippis, an enrolled agent in Wheaton, Ill. who says he finds clients often confused by the Roth IRA withdrawal rules.

If you can't prove how much money you put in your Roth IRA, you might owe income tax and penalties on any money you take out. (Photo credit: Philip Taylor PT)

With existing clients, the question of what's taxable and what isn't is easy because he keeps a spreadsheet recording their Roth contributions. So when a client called saying he wanted to pay off high-interest debt and asking if he could use his Roth kitty to do so, DeFilippis turned to the spreadsheet. The Roth IRA balance was $27,000, and $15,000 was attributable to contributions, so yes, he could get $15,000 out tax-free and penalty-free.

By contrast, a new client came in having already pulled out $10,000 from a Roth IRA to cover expenses when he lost a job. DeFilippis had to go back and reconstruct contributions (the "basis") from day one, getting records from multiple financial advisors. People change investment advisors, switch IRA custodians, and things get lost. "So many times it's difficult to go back and get basis information," he says. "This is something you need to pay attention to and keep track of."

The lesson: Don't purge your tax files without retrieving your old 5498 forms. Those are the forms that your IRA custodian sends to the Internal Revenue Service each year you make an IRA contribution (you get a copy). If you've converted traditional IRA money and moved it into a Roth account, that also counts as "basis" and you need to add it to your contribution base.

You might think, oh, I'm never going to take money out. But if you're in your 30s now, it could be 20, 25 years down the line if you retire early, and you might need to pull money out.

When you pull money out, the IRA custodian will send a form 1099R to the IRS, and the IRS will think it's taxable. You have to fill out a Form 8606 attached to your next year's tax return with the distribution amount on it, net against your basis and that will show if any of the distribution is taxable and subject to the 10% penalty.

Of course, raiding a retirement account is a last resort. Keep in mind you're losing tax-free compounding on the amount you withdraw, and you can't replace the money in the account. Instead you can simply start anew with future annual contributions. When you can get back in the game, try to put in the max. For 2014, an individual can put away $5,500 in a Roth IRA, and if you're 55 or older, you can put in an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution.

See also:

15 Ways To Withdraw From Your IRA WIthout Penalty

How to Save Money on Family Travel

The cost of traveling with kids can add up quickly. I know because I have three children. But over the years as we have traveled to numerous spots across the U.S. and even overseas, I've learned several ways to keep costs under control. So the next time you take a trip with your family, here's how you can save on accommodations, flights, meals and entertainment:

SEE ALSO: Ways to Save Money at Walt Disney World Accommodations

Consider a vacation rental property. Renting a condo, apartment or home when traveling typically will give you more space than a hotel at a lower price. For example, the average nightly rate for a vacation rental in New York City listed on Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO.com) is about $219; whereas, the average nightly rate for a hotel is $350. Plus, you'll have access to a kitchen where you can cook your own meals to keep food costs down while on vacation. To learn more, see How to Save Money on Vacation Rental Properties.

Get the best deal on a hotel. With so many travel sites that can help you find a deal and a variety of discounts you might be able to take advantage of, there's no reason to pay full price for a hotel room. For example, the recently launched Last Minute Travel app offers travelers access to wholesale prices for hotels in more than 150 countries. We found that the prices of hotels in several cities we checked typically were lower -- by at least $10 but as much as $100 or more -- on the LMT app than on Hotels.com, Expedia and Priceline. Or you might be able to take advantage of discounts offered by hotels if you book directly through them. Many hotel chains, such as Marriott, offer discounts to government employees and members of the military. A AAA or AARP membership can also get you hotel discounts.

Join a loyalty program or use a rewards credit card. If you're loyal to a particular hotel chain, sign up for its loyalty program or get its branded credit card to rack up points for free hotel stays. Usually you can accrue points faster with a hotel-branded card because you get them for everyday purchases, not just hotel stays. In the year since I got the Citi Hilton HHonors Visa, I've scored four free nights for my family. See our picks for the top hotel rewards cards.

Flights

Score free flights. Airlines, like hotels, have branded credit cards that let you earn points when you make purchases and redeem them for free flights. However, if you're not a frequent flier, you'll earn points faster through a travel rewards card that isn't tied to a particular airline, according to a recent study by MileCards.com. That's because travel rewards cards attach a higher point value to most purchases than the airline-branded cards do.

To learn more, see How to Choose the Best Travel Rewards Card for You.

Avoid baggage fees. When booking a flight, consider whether the airline charges for checked bags. Most airlines other than JetBlue and Southwest charge $25 for the first checked bag. Even if you find cheaper flights on airlines other than those two, your savings could be wiped out if you have to pay $100 to check bags for a family of four.

For more ways to save money when you fly, see When to Book flights to Get the Lowest Fares and 9 Ways to Avoid Airline Fees.

Meals

Bring your own food. The best way to save money on food is to pack sandwiches, snacks and drinks for road trips or flights so you don't have to buy pricey meals at the airport. To make it fun for kids, you can buy a few trinkets at the dollar store and put them in bags along with their food to replicate kids meals from fast food restaurants.

Dine (or stay) where kids eat free. You can save money when dining out by taking advantage of kids-eat-free deals. Visit KidsMealDeals.com to find restaurants where kids eat free or check restaurants' Facebook pages for special offers. Several hotel chains offer free meals for kids -- and for adults. For example, up to four children ages 12 and younger can eat for free at Holiday Inn restaurants.

For more tips, see 10 Secrets to Saving Money When Dining Out With Kids. Entertainment

Take advantage of freebies. Many museums waive admission fees on certain days of the week, so visit the Web sites of those you plan to visit beforehand to see if you can get in for free. Some credit cards can help you score free admission to attractions. For example, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch cardholders receive free admission to 150 museums in 85 cities on the first weekend of the month. And American Express membership rewards can be redeemed for concert, theater and sporting event tickets, as well as Universal Studios Hollywood tickets.

Best Stocks For 2015

Cash in on memberships. In addition to hotel discounts, AAA membership entitles you to discounts on tickets to sporting events, museums, attractions and theme parks such as Legoland. Southwest Rapid Rewards members get a 20% discount at Sea World. Hilton HHonors members can use points for free admission to Busch Gardens, Sea World, Aquatica, Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World. More than 160 zoos and aquariums participate in a reciprocal program that entitles their members to get free or discounted admission to the other zoos and aquariums participating in the program. Check to see what perks your memberships offers.

Score discounts. Daily deal sites such as Groupon aren't just a great way to get deals at fancy restaurants (to which you'd never take your kids). They are a great source for savings of up to 50% on attractions and activities. Also check supermarkets in the area you're visiting because many sell discounted passes to attractions. If you're visiting a big city, you can save up to 50% on the cost of admission to several top attractions by purchasing a CityPASS. Many attractions offer discounts or free admission for members of the military and their families. And some offer discounts for educators. For example, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago offers one free pass to educators from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Teachers from other states can receive $3 off admission by showing a school ID or paystub.

Stake Your Claim to $70 Billion of Global Growth

Emerging markets frequently promise better returns than their domestic counterparts.

Still, they come with a special set of (manageable) risks that we don't always find at home.

A profound reaction to the Fed's tapering, higher-than-comfortable inflation, current account deficits, and outright political instability have all made for a volatile 2014 in the emerging markets.

It's easy to see why. Investors are worried about how they'll be impacted by the tapering of the Federal Reserve's bond purchases. And now Brazil, India, Indonesia, Turkey, Russia, and South Africa are now experiencing inflation of 6% to 7%.

Those same countries are facing current account deficits of between 4% and 7%, which places downward pressure on their currencies and upward pressure on inflation and interest rates.

And political volatility in Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and elsewhere are contributing to uncertainty that's reflected in market performance.

But the truth is, for investors who know what they're holding, these emerging markets still hold outsize profit potential.

And taking your share of this growth has never been easier, thanks to these special securities...

A Tale of Two Funds

Here's a look at two of the largest emerging markets exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and how the same sector can offer widely varied risk exposure.  

The easiest way for investors to gain broad emerging markets exposure is through two large emerging market ETFs that dominate the landscape:

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Indx ETF (NYSE Arca: EEM); and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Market ETF (NYSE Arca: VWO).

The MSCI fund is roughly $40 billion in size, while the Vanguard is about $30 billion in size.

There are dozens of other emerging markets ETFs, but the next largest in size is only $3 billion.

These two ETFs have some similarities - they both have significant holdings in Chinese equities, for instance. But each offer investors very different exposures in terms of both companies and countries.

And, importantly, each offers investors a chance to own a significant chunk of the ultra-high growth happening in these markets.

Global Growth Play No. 1

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index

The Emerging Markets Index holds Tencent Holdings Ltd., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM), China Mobile Ltd. (NYSE: CHL), and China Construction Bank Corp. (HKG: 0939)  among their top six holdings.

But EEM's largest exposure is to South Korea.

This is because Samsung Electronics is the fund's single biggest exposure, representing almost 4% of its total investments.

Interestingly, Samsung does not show up among VWO's top 10 holdings.

When considering Ukraine impact, EEM holds roughly 1% of their assets in Russia's energy interests.

EEM is investing more of its assets in Brazil, with positions in:

Itau Unibanco Holding SA (BVMF: ITUB4);

Companhia de Bebidas das Americas-AmBev (BVMF: AMBV3);

Banco Bradesco SA (BVMF: BBDC4); and

Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras SA (BVMF: PETR4)

These companies are among the Emerging Market Index fund's 20 largest holdings.

Global Growth Play No. 2

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Market ETF

Vanguard also includes the same top six companies as the Emerging Markets Index. But, rather than South Korea, China is Vanguard FTSE's largest country exposure at about 17.5%.

Top 10 Semiconductor Companies To Buy Right Now

Vanguard favors India with investments in Infosys Ltd. (NSE: INFY), Reliance Industries Ltd. (NSE: RELIANCE), and Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd. (NSE: HDFC) ranking among its top 20.

The ETF has low exposure to Russian investments, with a much heavier focus on Asia.

The 21st Century's Biggest Opportunities

Investors seek out emerging markets because they offer higher growth prospects than developed markets.

The problems that have emerged in these markets in early 2014 come from huge inflows of capital - the result of central banks printing enormous amounts of money to rescue the global financial market from the 2008 financial crisis.

Unfortunately, much of this capital was not invested productively, leaving a legacy of high inflation and high capital account deficits.

But don't be dissuaded; these markets are home to important global companies that are still growing at impressive rates, beating the S&P 500 many times over.

An examination of iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Market ETF's holdings makes it clear that their managers are focused on Asian technology and media companies that, like their Western cousins, are capable of growing rapidly regardless of the issues facing their home markets.

These ETFs should continue to offer investors diversified plays on long-term Asian growth as well as an added benefit of technology and media-related growth from some of the most exciting companies in the world in the years ahead.

Up Next

As we've seen in emerging markets, volatility isn't necessarily something to be feared. It can walk hand-in-hand with fast, robust growth. Even better, there's a way for investors to profit immensely from volatility spikes. Learn More...

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Buy For 2015

Blue-chip stocks are marginally lower this afternoon after a series of economic reports released today painted a conflicting picture of the financial health of the American consumer. With roughly an hour left in the trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) is off by 71 points, or 0.46%.

To start with the bad news: the Department of Commerce released data today suggesting that the economic recovery is still proceeding in fits and starts. According to its report, consumer spending fell by 0.2% in April -- the weakest reading since last May. Economists had forecast a decline of only 0.1%.

Now to the good news: A separate report showed that consumer confidence is at the highest level since 2007. The University of Michigan/Thomson Reuters Consumer Sentiment Index advanced to 84.5 this month from 76.4 in April. The consensus estimate called for a reading of 83.8.

These conflicting views provide fodder to bears and bulls alike, particularly as they relate to the Federal Reserve's ongoing analysis of QE3. "The surge in consumer confidence is exactly the type of economic jump-start the Federal Reserve intended to result from its aggressive policies," an economist noted about the University of Michigan survey.

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Buy For 2015: Steven Madden Ltd.(SHOO)

Steven Madden, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, designs, sources, markets, and sells fashion-forward name brand and private label footwear for women, men, and children. It offers wholesale footwear under the Steve Madden Women?s, Madden Girl, Steve Madden Men?s, Steven, l.e.i., Elizabeth and James, Olsenboye, Stevies, Big Buddha Shoes, Madden, Betsey Johnson shoes, Report, and Superga to department stores, mid-tier department stores, better specialty stores, and independently owned boutiques in the United States. The company also provides wholesale handbags and accessories under the Daisy Fuentes, Olsenboye, Steve Madden, Steven by Steve Madden, Betsey Johnson, Betseyville, and Big Buddha brand names, as well as sells cold weather accessories, fashion scarves, wraps, and other trend accessories primarily under the Cejon and Steve Madden brand names to department stores and specialty stores. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 84 retail stores, including 73 Steve Ma dden full price stores, 6 Steve Madden outlet stores, 3 Steven stores, 1 Report store, and 1 e-commerce Website. In addition, the company licenses its Steve Madden and Steven by Steve Madden trademarks for use in connection with the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of cold weather accessories, sunglasses, eyewear, outerwear, bedding, hosiery and women?s fashion apparel, jewelry, and luggage, as well as licenses Betsey Johnson and Betseyville trademarks for sale of apparel, jewelry, swimwear, eyewear, watches, fragrances, and outerwear. Steven Madden, Ltd. distributes its products through its retail stores and e-commerce Website in department stores, specialty stores, luxury retailers, national chains, and mass merchants in the United States; and through special distribution arrangements in Asia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Mexico, Australia, Central and South America, and India. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Long Island City, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By DAILYFINANCE]

  David Tulis/AP It's beginning to look a lot like ... the day after Christmas? On the day before Christmas, retailers turned shoppers' attention to the day after the holiday. Amazon.com (AMZN) already is offering "after Christmas" deals of up to 70 percent off clothes and 60 percent off some electronics. Old Navy (GPS) is running TV ads that its "after-holiday sale starts early" with discounts of up to 75 percent off. And CVS (CVS) was selling a wine cabinet for $10 off at $39.99 and three fleece throws for $9.99 on Christmas Eve. Heather Nadler, 38, stopped by the CVS in Decatur, Ga., on Tuesday, searching for stuffed animals for her children. But she still plans to hit up sales after Christmas. "I'll probably start shopping for me at that point," she said. Stores usually wait until after Christmas to offer discounts of up to 70 percent or more on holiday merchandise that didn't sell. But Americans who are still worried about the economy have held tightly to their purse strings this year, and store sales have fallen for the past three consecutive weeks. The pre-Christmas deals come as retailers are feeling pressure to attract Americans into stores during the final week of what's typically the busiest shopping period of the year. The two-month stretch that begins on Nov. 1 is important because retailers can make up to 40 percent of their annual sales during that time. Sales at U.S. stores dropped 3.1 percent to $42.7 billion for the week that ended on Sunday compared with the same week last year, according to ShopperTrak, which tracks data at 40,000 locations. That follows a decline of 2.9 percent and 0.8 percent during the first and second weeks of the month, respectively. Stores had a problem even getting Americans into stores, let alone getting them to spend. The number of shoppers fell 21.2 percent during the week that ended on Sunday, according to ShopperTrak. Karen McDonald, a spokeswoman at Taubman Centers, which owns or operates 28 malls, estima

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Deckers Outdoor have dropped 13% to $73.90, while Crocs (CROX) has gained 0.8% to $15.24, Steve Madden (SHOO) has dropped 0.1% to $36.52, Wolverine World Wide (WWW) has fallen 1.2% to $126.36 and Skechers (SKX) has fallen 1.6% to $33.82.

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Buy For 2015: Rallye SA (RAL)

Rallye SA is a France-based holding company organized around two sectors of activity: large scale distribution to the food stores and supermarkets and distribution of sports items. The Company is present in France, Latin America, Poland, and Asia through its interests in brands, such as Geant, Monoprix, Leader Price, and United Grocers Cash & Carry, among others. It also has its interst in the Groupe Go Sport. Rallye SA is notably present in France, the United States, Luxembourg, Poland and Colombia, among others. The Company operates through its subsidiaries and affliated companies, such as Cobivia SAS, L��abitation Moderne de Boulogne, Magasins Jean SAS, Matignon Sablons SAS, MFD SA, Parande SAS, Casino Guichaqrd Perrachon DA, Groupe Go Sport, Sivigral SCI and French Develompent Venture SA. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  A risk involved with the company is that its Republic Bank & Trust business derives 78% of its net income from TRS, which offers bank products that help get customers who electronically file their tax returns their payments. RB&T is only of the few financial institutions in the U.S. that provide the service. Under the program, the taxpayer may receive a Refund Anticipation Loan (RAL), which has been questioned by various governmental and consumer groups. In May 2011, RB&T received an order to cease and desist which could result in an order by the FDIC to terminate its RAL program. It has a hearing on Feb. 12, 2012 in Kentucky regarding the matter.

Top Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Monster Beverage Corp (MNST)

Monster Beverage Corporation, formerly Hansen Natural Corporation, incorporated on April 25, 1990,is a holding company. The Company develops, markets, sells and distributes alternative beverage. The alternative beverage category combines non-carbonated ready-to-drink iced teas, lemonades, juice cocktails, single-serve juices and fruit beverages, ready-to-drink dairy and coffee drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, and single-serve still water (flavored, unflavored and enhanced) with new age beverages, including sodas that are considered natural, sparkling juices and flavored sparkling beverages. It has two reportable segments, namely Direct Store Delivery (DSD), whose principal products comprise energy drinks, and Warehouse (Warehouse), whose principal products comprise juice-based and soda beverages. The DSD segment develops, markets and sells products primarily through an exclusive distributor network, whereas the Warehouse segment develops, markets and sells products primarily directly to retailers. Corporate and unallocated amounts that do not relate to the DSD or Warehouse segments specifically, have been allocated to Corporate and Unallocated.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, it continued to expand its existing product lines and flavors and further develop its distribution markets. In particular, it continued to focus on developing and marketing beverages that fall within the category generally described as the alternative beverage category. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it introduced a number of new products, including Monster Rehab Tea + Orangeade + Energy, a non-carbonated energy drink with electrolytes, Monster Energy Zero Ultra, a carbonated energy drink which contains zero calories and zero sugar, bermonster Energy Brew, a non-alcoholic energy drink, manufactured using a brewed fermentation process, Hansen�� Coconut Water, in original and tropical flavors, packaged in re-sealable Tetra Prisma boxes, Peace Tea Cranberry, Pink Lemonade and Texas-Style Sweet ! Tea, ready-to-drink iced teas, Monster Cuba-Lima, a carbonated lime flavored non-alcoholic energy drink, Monster Energy Dub Edition Baller�� Blend, a carbonated punch + energy drink and Monster Energy Dub Edition Mad Dog, a carbonated punch + energy drink.

DSD Segment

Monster Energy Drinks offers products under the Monster Energy drink product line: Monster Energy, Lo-Carb Monster Energy, Monster Energy Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster M-80 (named Ripper in certain countries), Monster MIXXD, Monster Energy Absolutely Zero, Monster Energy Import and Import Light, Monster Energy Dub Edition Baller�� Blend, Monster Energy Dub Edition Mad Dog, M3 Monster Energy Super Concentrate energy drinks, bermonster Energy Brew, Monster Energy Zero Ultra and Monster Cuba-Lima.

Java Monster Coffee + Energy Drinks - A line of non-carbonated dairy based coffee + energy drinks. It offers products under the Java Monster product line: Java Monster Kona Blend, Java Monster Loca Moca, Java Monster Mean Bean, Java Monster Vanilla Light, Java Monster Irish Blend and Java Monster Toffee. Monster Energy Extra Strength Nitrous Technology Energy Drinks - A line of carbonated energy drinks containing nitrous oxide. It offer products under the Monster Energy Extra Strength Nitrous Technology product line: Super Dry, Anti Gravity and Black Ice.

-Presso Monster Coffee + Energy Drinks - A line of non-carbonated dairy based coffee + energy drinks. It offers products under the X-Presso Monster coffee + energy drinks product line: X-Presso Monster Hammer and X-Presso Monster Midnite.

Monster Rehab Tea + Energy Drinks - A line of non-carbonated energy drinks with electrolytes. It offers products under the Monster Rehab drink line: Monster Rehab Tea + Lemonade + Energy, Monster Rehab Rojo Tea + Energy, Monster Rehab Green Tea + Energy, Monster Rehab Protean + Energy and Monster Rehab Tea + Orangeade + Energy.

Worx Energy Energy Shots - A line of energy suppleme! nts which! contains zero calories and zero sugar. It offers products under the Worx Energy energy shot product line: Original Formula and Extra Strength.

Peace Tea Iced Teas - A line of ready-to-drink iced teas. It offers products under the Peace Tea product line: green tea, imported Ceylon tea, sweet lemon tea, razzleberry tea, cranberry tea, pink lemonade tea, Texas-style sweet tea and Caddy Shack tea + lemonade.

Warehouse Segment

Hansen�� brand sodas have been a natural soda brand on the West Coast of the United States for more than 30 years and are made with natural flavors. Hansen�� brand sodas, sweetened with cane sugar, and Hansen�� Diet Sodas, sweetened with Splenda no calorie sweetener and Acesulfame-K, contain no preservatives, sodium, caffeine or artificial colorings. It offers sodas under the Hansen�� brand name: Hansen�� Sodas, Hansen�� Diet Sodas and Hansen�� Natural Mixers, as well as Hansen�� Sparkling Waters, in a variety of flavors.

Its Blue Sky products contain no preservatives, artificial sweeteners, caffeine (other than its Blue Sky energy drinks) or artificial coloring and are made with sugar and natural flavors. It offers products under the Blue Sky product line: Blue Sky Natural Soda, Blue Sky Zero Calorie Sodas (sweetened with Truvia brand stevia extract, an all natural sweetener), Blue Sky Premium Sodas, Blue Sky Organic Natural Sodas, Blue Sky Seltzer Waters, Blue Sky Blue Energy drinks, Blue Sky Zero Calorie Blue Energy drinks, Blue Sky Caf Energy drinks and Blue Sky Recover Energy drinks.

Its original Hansen�� energy drinks compete in the functional beverage category, namely, beverages that provide a benefit in addition to simply delivering refreshment. It offers products under the Hansen�� energy drink product line: Hansen�� Natural Energy Pro, Hansen�� Energy Diet Red and Hansen�� Natural Stamina Pro.

Its fruit juice product line includes Hansen�� Natural Apple Juice, Ha! nsen�� ! Natural Grape Juice, White Grape Juice, Pineapple Juice, Apple Grape Juice, Apple Strawberry Juice, Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, Cranberry-Apple Juice, Cranberry-Grape Juice, Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice, and Organic Apple Juice. In March 2012, it added Hansen�� Natural Apple Orange Pineapple Juice which contains 100% juice as well as 120% of the United States Recommended Daily Allowances (the USRDA) for vitamin C. It also offer Hansen�� Natural Lo-Cal juice cocktails, a line of all natural, low-calorie cocktails in four flavors. The Lo-Cal juice cocktails are sweetened with Truvia sweetener. Hansen�� juice products compete in the shelf-stable juice category.

It offers a number of aseptically packed boxed juice products, including its dual-branded multi-vitamin 100% juice line, which itsell in conjunction with Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco) through Costco stores. It offers its Hansen�� Natural line of multi-vitamin 100% juices to other customers. These multi-vitamin juices contain eleven essential vitamins and six essential minerals and are available in a variety of flavors. In February 2012, it added Hansen�� Natural Organic Apple Juice, a 100% USDA Certified Organic Apple Juice with 100% of the USRDA for vitamin C.

Its Hansen�� Junior Juice product line is a 100% juice line targeted at toddlers and preschoolers. These juices have added calcium and all flavors contain 100% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C. It also offers organic juices as well as Hansen�� Organic Junior Water, a lightly flavored reduced calorie beverage, both of which contain 100% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C. In addition, it offers Junior Juice Coconut Water Twist, a line of fruit and coconut water juices containing 100% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C.

Its Hubert�� Lemonade is a line of premium ready-to-drink lemonades. Hubert�� Lemonade is sweetened with cane sugar and Truvia sweetener. Hubert�� Lemonade i! s all nat! ural and contains no preservatives, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, or artificial colorings. It offers products under the Hubert�� Lemonade product line: Strawberry Lemonade, Limeade, Mango Lemonade, Honey Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade and Original Lemonade. It added Cherry Limeade and Blackberry Lemonade flavors to the product line in February 2012 and October 2012, respectively. In July 2012, it introduced 4-count multi-packs of select flavors.

Hubert�� Half & Half is sweetened with cane sugar and Truvia sweetener, and contains no preservatives, artificial sweeteners, or artificial colorings. Its Fruit and Tea Stix product line is an all-natural, low-calorie powder drink mix line, sweetened naturally with Truvia sweetener. Its Angeleno Aguas Frescas is a line of premium ready-to-drink aguas frescas. Angeleno Aguas Frescas are sweetened with cane sugar and real fruit juice and contain no preservatives, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, or artificial colorings. It offers flavors under the Angeleno Aguas Frescas product line: Mango, Melon, Pineapple, Jamaica (Hibiscus) and Tamarindo. Its Hansen�� Natural PRE products include a line of prebiotic and probiotic digestive wellness ready-to-drink beverages and powder drink mixes, containing specially formulated blends by Jarrow Formulas. PRE prebiotic ready-to-drink beverages are sweetened with either cane sugar or stevia. PRE probiotic powder drink mixes are sweetened with cane sugar and stevia. In March 2012, it introduced Hansen�� Natural Coconut Water, a line of premium 100% Coconut Waters available in Pure and Tropical flavors.

The Company competes with TCCC, PepsiCo, Inc. (PepsiCo), The Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (the DPS Group), Red Bull Gmbh, Kraft Foods, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Nestle Beverage Company, Tree Top Inc. (Tree Top), Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. (Ocean Spray), Red Bull, Rockstar, Full Throttle, No Fear, Amp, Adrenaline Rush, NOS, Venom, Redline, 180, Red Devil, Rip It, Xenergy, 5-Hour Energy ! Shots, Mi! O Energy, Stacker 2, VPX Redline Energy Shots, Red Bull, Rockstar, Burn, V-Energy, Lucozade, Adrenaline Rush, Power Play, Mother, Hell, Shock, Tiger, Boost, Gladiator, TNT, Shark, Hot 6, Nalu, Battery, Bullit, Flash Up, Black, Non-Stop, Bomba, Semtex, Starbucks Frappuccino, Starbucks Double Shot, Starbucks Double Shot Energy Plus Coffee , other Starbucks coffee drinks, Rockstar Roasted, Seattle�� Best, illy issimo coffee, Full Throttle Coffee, Arizona, Lipton, Snapple, Nestea, Xing Tea, Honest Tea, Gold Peak Tea, Fuze Tea, the DPS Group, Cott Corporation and National Beverage Corporation, Jones Soda Co., Crystal Geyser, J.M. Smucker Company, Reeds, Inc., Zevia, Tree Top, Mott��, Martinelli��, Welch��, Ocean Spray, Tropicana, Minute Maid, Langers, Apple , Eve, Seneca, Northland, Juicy Juice, Old Orchard, Calypso, Simply Lemonade, Minute Maid, Cabana, Tropicana, Newman�� Own, Vita Coco, ZICO and O.N.E.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Coca-Cola has gained 8.7% this year, while PepsiCo (PEP) has risen 18% and Monster Beverage (MNST) has advanced 17%. Dr. Pepper Snapple (DPS) is up 7.9% in 2013.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Finally, energy-drink maker Monster Beverage (NASDAQ: MNST  ) tacked on 4.1% after being named to investment firm UBS' (NYSE: UBS  ) top picks list for the second-quarter. According to Wall St. 24/7, UBS has selected 14 top picks which are expected to return 25% from their current levels, of which Monster is one. There's little denying that Monster has exceeded the growth rate of nearly all of its peers, thanks to the strength in its energy-drink sales. However, an FDA probe into the safety of its drinks, and the potential for increased governmental regulation, is enough of a gray cloud to keep me firmly away from Monster Beverage.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Monster Beverage (NASDAQ: MNST  ) is under attack again.

  San Francisco's city attorney is suing the energy drink maker, alleging that Monster is marketing its caffeinated beverages to children and young teens.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  After hours, shares of�Monster Beverage� (NASDAQ: MNST  ) were scaring away investors, falling 3.5% after reporting earnings. The energy-drink maker beat estimates on the bottom line with a per-share profit of $0.55 against the consensus at $0.49, but sales came in short, increasing 10.7%, to $536.1 million. Analysts had expected revenue of $541.9 million. Operating margin shot up 560 basis points in the quarter to 27.8% as the company avoided $8.3 million in distributor termination expenses and saw selling expenses plummet 280 basis points. Monster was once under scrutiny for the safety of its beverages, but the company seems to have put those concerns in the past as CEO Rodney Sacks reminded investors that more than 10 billion Monster drinks have been safely consumed in the last 12 years. With that storm now behind it, the stock looks like a much safer investment, even with moderating growth.

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Buy For 2015: Coldwater Creek Inc. (CWTR)

Coldwater Creek Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a multi-channel specialty retailer of women's apparel, accessories, jewelry, and gift items primarily in the United States. It operates premium retail stores located in traditional malls, lifestyle centers, and street locations; merchandise outlet stores; and day spas, which offer spa treatments, including massages, facials, body treatments, manicures, and pedicures, as well as provide relevant apparel and personal care products. The company also offers its products through its e-commerce Web site coldwatercreek.com and catalogs, as well as through phone and mail. As of October 27, 2012, it operated 354 premium retail stores and 38 factory outlet stores, as well as 9 spas. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  In turn, it bumps QLogic (NASDAQ: QLGC  ) from that index to the S&P SmallCap 600. Finally, QLogic's shift completely displaces Coldwater Creek (NASDAQ: CWTR  ) , which will no longer be on the S&P SmallCap 600.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Coldwater Creek Inc.'s(CWTR) fiscal third-quarter loss widened as the women’s apparel retailer reported a sharp drop in same-store sales and ebbing gross margins. Results missed expectations.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another earnings short-squeeze prospect is specialty retailer of women's apparel, accessories, jewelry and gift items Coldwater Creek (CWTR), which is set to release numbers Tuesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Coldwater Creek to report revenue of $162.81 million on a loss of 63 cents per share.

  The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Coldwater Creek is very high at 18.8%. That means that out of the 12.17 million shares in the tradable float, 3.47 million shares are sold short by the bears. This is a big short interest on a stock with a very low tradable float. If the bulls get the earnings news they're looking for, then this stock could easily explode higher post-earnings.

  From a technical perspective, CWTR is currently trending just below its 50-day moving average and well below its 200-day moving average, which is bearish. This stock has been trending sideways for the last two months, with shares moving between $2.16 on the downside and $2.80 on the upside. A high-volume move above the upper-end of its recent range could trigger a breakout trade for CWTR post-earnings.

  If you're bullish on CWTR, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.51 to $2.69 a share and then once it takes out more resistance at $2.80 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 192,994 shares. If that breakout hits, then CWTR will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from June that started near $3.60 a share.

  I would simply avoid CWTR or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below some key near-term support levels at $2.35 to its 52-week low at $2.16 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then CWTR will set up to enter new 52-wee

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Buy For 2015: Leapfrog Enterprises Inc(LF)

LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. designs, develops, and markets technology-based learning platforms and related proprietary content primarily for infants and children worldwide. The company offers interactive reading systems, such as the Tag reading system that focuses on fundamental reading skills and offers a library of software-based books; and Tag Junior reading system used for the introduction of younger children to books and reading. It also provides mobile learning system products, including Leapster platform, a handheld device with a multi-directional control pad and a touch-screen enabled by a built-in stylus; Leapster2 platform, a Web-connected version of Leapster; and Leapster Explorer to download digital content, such as games, e-Books, videos and flash cards. In addition, the company offers Scout collection, a line of learning toys that are Web-enabled and connect to the Learning Path; and My Own Leaptop, a Web-enabled customizable laptop; Fridge Collection, a line of magnetic learning toys that introduce letter names, letter sounds, spelling, and songs; Learn and Groove Collection, which include bilingual musical learning toys; and various products that address basic learning needs and milestones. Further, it provides LeapFrog Learning Path, an online tool enabling parents to track what their children are learning with Web-connected products; and LeapWorld, which allows children to play online games, customize their mobile learning and gaming experiences, access new content, watch trailers for new games, and view demonstrations. It sells its products directly to national and regional mass-market and specialty retailers; other retail stores and distributors; school-related distributors and resellers; and through online store and other Internet-based channels. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Emeryville, California. LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is a subsidiary of Mollusk Holdings, LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  LeapFrog Enterprises (NYSE: LF) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform and the price target was slashed down to $10 from $15�by BMO Capital Markets, taking out almost 7% of the value based up glitches or issues with its new tablet product.

• [By Ashraf Eassa]

  LeapFrog Enterprises (LF) is a developer of educational toys/products for children. In particular, the company's biggest claim-to-fame is its very well received "LeapPad" line of specialized, education-focused tablets. While the stock enjoyed an impressive run from its 2011 lows, shares have not been able to replicate this showing during 2013, with shares up a mere 11.47% YTD. It is my belief that owning shares at current levels may prove to be particularly risky, in light of what I believe to be highly optimistic sell-side EPS estimates against management's guide, particularly as growth has slowed (management is now guiding to mid single digit Y/Y top line growth) and competitive pressures continue to mount.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  LeapFrog (NYSE: LF  ) reports two weeks from today. There won't be the same kind of correlation there that Hasbro has with Mattel and JAKKS Pacific. It makes electronic learning toys, and weakness for the makers of traditional games doesn't necessarily mean that parents aren't buying more LeapFrog game cartridges or learning tablets.

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Buy For 2015: AEP Industries Inc.(AEPI)

AEP Industries Inc. engages in the production, manufacture, and distribution of plastic packaging products in the United States and Canada. The company offers a line of polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene flexible packaging products for consumer, industrial, and agricultural applications. Its products include custom films for industrial applications, including sheeting, tubing, and bags; films that protect items stored outdoors or in transit, such as boats and cars; a range of shrink films, barrier films, and overwrap films; stretch film products for hand wrap and rotary applications; and pre stretch and high performance products for commodity and specialty uses. The company also provides food wraps products, including blown plastic film fold-top bags, twist-tie bags, and food containers under the Seal Wrap brand for the supermarket and industrial markets; a range of coextruded polyolefin films and monolayer films for food, pharmaceutical, and medical appli cations; and canliners product line comprising trash bags and institutional bags. In addition, it offers printed rollstock to the food and beverage industries, and manufacturing and distributing companies; and unplasticized polyvinyl chloride films for use in battery labels, twist films, and credit card laminates; and various film products with agricultural applications, such as silage, smooth mulch films, and fumigation films. Further, the company provides disposable consumer and institutional plastic products, which include table covers and skirts, aisle runners, aprons, bibs, gloves, boots, freezer/storage bags, saddle pack bags, locker wrap and custom imprint designs for the food service, party supply, and school/collegiate markets under the Sta-Dri brand. AEP Industries Inc. markets its products directly to end-users, as well as through distributors. The company was founded in 1970 and is based in South Hackensack, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Victor Selva]

  Competitors such as AEP Industries Inc. (AEPI) and Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) will be better options in term of ROE.

  Final Comment

• [By Lisa Levin]

  AEP Industries (NASDAQ: AEPI) shares touched a new 52-week low of $34.20. AEP shares have dropped 56.11% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 15.91% in the same period.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of plastic packaging manufacturer AEP Industries (NASDAQ: AEPI  ) sank 14% today after its quarterly results and outlook disappointed Wall Street.

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Buy For 2015: Crumbs Bake Shop Inc (CRMB)

Crumbs Bake Shop, Inc., formerly 57th Street General Acquisition Corp., incorporated on October 29, 2009, is owner of Crumbs Holdings LLC (Crumbs), a neighborhood bakery and a retailer of cupcakes. As of November 1, 2011, Crumbs had 43 locations, including 29 locations in the New York Metro area, nine locations on the West Coast, three locations in Washington, D.C., one location in Virginia and one location in Chicago. The specialty of the house is cupcakes; however, the menu also includes a blend of baked goods. On May 5, 2011, the Company merged with Crumbs.

The Company offers a range of Signature and Taste size cupcakes. Signature cupcakes are ordered in increments of six. One can create its own individual six packs or choose a pre-selected assortment. Its Taste size cupcakes are offered by the dozen in pre-selected favorites assortments. There are more than 60 varieties of cupcakes baked fresh daily with a new cupcake of the week debuting each Monday.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell and Tess Stynes var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); p]

  Crumbs Bake Shop Inc.(CRMB) said interim Chief Executive Edward M. Slezak has been named permanently to post, while also announcing that its board has appointed Frederick G. Kraegel as chairman.

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Buy For 2015: JAKKS Pacific Inc.(JAKK)

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. designs, produces, markets, and distributes toys and consumer products worldwide. The company offers traditional toys and electronics, such as action figures and accessories, including licensed characters under Pokemon name; toy vehicles and accessories under Road Champs, Fly Wheels, and MXS names; electronics products under EyeClops Bionic Eye, Laser Challenge, and Plug It In & Play TV Games names; dolls and accessories, including small and large dolls, fashion dolls, and baby dolls under Disney Princess, Disney Fairies, Cabbage Patch Kids, Taylor Swift, Fancy Nancy, Hello Kitty, Graco, and Fisher Price names; private label products; pet products, including toys, consumables, and accessories under American Kennel Club and The Cat Fanciers? Association; and vehicles, play sets, plush products, construction toys, and infant and pre-school toys. It also offers role play, novelty, and seasonal toys, including food play and activity kits under Girl Gourmet, Creepy Crawlers, and BloPens names; role-play, dress-up, pretend play, and novelty products for boys and girls under Black & Decker, McDonald?s, Dirt Devil, Disney Princess, Disney Fairies, Barbie, and Dora the Explorer names; indoor and outdoor kids? furniture, activity trays, tables and room d Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One under-$10 toy player that's trending very close to triggering a major breakout trade is Jakks Pacific (JAKK), which is a producer and marketer of children's toys and other consumer products. This stock has been destroyed by the bears so far in 2013, with shares off sharply by 60%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Jakks Pacific, you'll notice that this stock has been downtrending badly for the last two months and change, with shares plunging from its high of $11.75 to its recent low of $4.82 a share. During that downtrend, shares of JAKK have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of JAKK look like they might be ready to see an end to its downside volatility in the short-term if the recent lows can hold. I believe this due to the fact that JAKK has started to move sideways and trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in JAKK if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $5.08 to $5.27 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 695,817 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then JAKK will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $5.68 to its 50-day moving average at $6.07 a share. Any high-volume move above its 50-day will then put $7 to $8 into range for shares of JAKK.

  Traders can look to buy JAKK off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $4.87 to $4.82 a share. One can also buy JAKK off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: The fun and games are over for toy and consumer products maker JAKKS Pacific (NASDAQ: JAKK  ) , which saw its shares get mauled by 37% after reporting its second-quarter results.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Shares of JAKKS Pacific (NASDAQ: JAKK  ) shed roughly a third of their value today after the company posted disappointing quarterly results and nixed its quarterly dividend.

• [By Chandan Dubey]

  Background: Jakks Pacific (JAKK) is a company which I started following after it was suggested as a special situation by Adib Motiwala [gurufocus]. Oaktree Capital approached Jakks with an interest to acquire it at $20 a share. The company was trading at around $15 at that time. In September 2011, Oaktree went public with the offer but Jakks management adopted poison pill in an attempt to rebuff the plan [bloomberg]. The company now trades at $5 and change. The question is, is it cheap enough to buy?

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Buy For 2015: Career Education Corp (CECO)

Career Education Corporation, incorporated on January 5, 1994, through its colleges, schools and universities offers education to a student population of more than 75,000 students across the world in a variety of career-oriented disciplines through online, on-ground and hybrid learning program offerings. The Company operates four business units: University Schools, Career Schools, International and Transitional Schools. The Company�� institutions include, among others, American InterContinental University (AIU); Brooks Institute; Colorado Technical University (CTU); Harrington College of Design; INSEEC Group (INSEEC) Schools; International University of Monaco (IUM); International Academy of Design & Technology (IADT); Le Cordon Bleu North America (LCB), and Sanford-Brown Institutes and Colleges. In December 2013, Career Education Corp announced sale and transfer of control of its European education properties to private equity firm Apax Partners.

University Schools

The Company�� Colorado Technical University (CTU) schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of business studies, information systems and technologies, criminal justice, computer science and engineering, and health sciences in an online, classroom or laboratory setting. American InterContinental University (AIU) schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of business studies, information technologies, criminal justice and design technologies in an online, classroom or laboratory setting.

Career Schools

The Company�� Health Education includes its Sanford-Brown schools, along with Brown College, Briarcliffe College and Missouri College. These schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of health education, complemented by certain programs in business studies and information technology in a classroom, laboratory or online setting. Culinary Arts includes its Le Cordon Bleu schoo! ls in North America that collectively offer hands-on programs in the career-oriented disciplines of culinary arts and patisserie and baking in the commercial kitchens of Le Cordon Bleu, and advanced degree programs in culinary arts and hotel and restaurant management online. Design and Technology includes IADT, Harrington College of Design and Brooks Institute schools. These schools collectively offer academic programs primarily in the career-oriented disciplines of fashion design, game design, graphic design, interior design, film and video production, photography and visual communications in a classroom, laboratory or online setting, as well as jobs training in the field of energy conservation.

International

The Company�� International includes its INSEEC schools and IUM school which are located in France, the United Kingdom and Monaco. These schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of business studies, health education, advertising, communications and technologies and luxury goods and services in a classroom or laboratory setting.

Transitional Schools

The Company�� Transitional Schools includes its campuses that are being taught out. Schools that operate within this segment include Collins College, Phoenix, AZ, Colorado Technical University (CTU), CTU Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, and CTU Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls, SD.

The Company competes with Apollo Group, Bridgepoint Education, Inc., Capella Education Company, Corinthian Colleges, Inc., DeVry Inc., Education Management Corporation, Grand Canyon Education, Inc., ITT Educational Services, Kaplan and Strayer Education.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Stocks on the Move: Career Education Corp. (NASDAQ: CECO) is up 57.6% at $5.99 after selling its European properties for $305 million. NQ Mobile Inc. (NYSE: NQ) is down another 12.3% at $10.60 after yesterday�� 50% drop following a scathing report from analysts at Muddy Waters.

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Buy For 2015: ForeverGreen Worldwide Corp (FVRG)

ForeverGreen Worldwide Corporation, incorporated on March 18, 1999, is a holding company that operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, ForeverGreen International, LLC. The Company's product philosophy is to develop, manufacture and market the science and nature through formulations as the Company produces and manufacture a wide arrays of whole foods, nutritional supplements, personal care products and essential oils. The Company provides health answers, not only through exclusive nutritional whole food beverages, but also by providing a broad product lines of delicious whole foods that can be eaten for every meal, instead of the processed, fatty and preservative-laden synthetic meals prevalent in society.

The Company provides the every-meal answer with a variety of appetizing healthy food products that allow its Members and customers to eat healthy for every meal and snack throughout the day. In addition, the Company provides healthy personal care products as an alternative to the chemical-laden and synthetic products in the marketplace that may potentially negatively impacts its health. The Company's products, along with a distinct and fresh corporate philosophy and message of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health through service to community and others, attract consumers as well as Members who wish to own a home-based business selling the Company's products and spreading its health message.

The Company's primary product is FrequenSea, a whole-food beverage consisting of a blend of marine phytoplankton, ionic sea minerals, frankincense, rose, ginger and aloe vera in a base of blueberry, cranberry and lime juice concentrate. soluble. FrequenSea is sold as a single bottle, in individual single-serving packets or even in four-bottle packs. The marine phytoplankton in FrequenSea contains more than 200 different sea algae that are all processed through patent-pending harvesting processes. Azul is a rich-in-antioxidant, delicious powdered blend of 24 raw whole foo! d and fruit ingredients and probiotics that are naturally dried and blended to preserve their natural integrity.The Company's whole food offerings consist of a variety of healthy, natural food products that are made onsite in the Company's whole-food manufacturing facility. Versativa Pulse based with hemp seed, consists of 17 different nuts, seeds, fruits, grains and other whole foods. Pulse is offered in various flavors, either loose in bags or in snack bars, and may be used as a snack or a meal replacement.

The Company competes with NuSkin, Neways, Young Living Essential Oils, Amway Corporation, Herbalife and NuSkin Enterprises.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Last Friday, FVRG had shed (-15.38%) down -0.100 at $.550 with 20,050 shares in play at the close (ref. google finance August 16, 2013 ��Close).

  ForeverGreen Worldwide Corporation previously reported that sales are continuing to flourish. Sales for July 2013 increased to in excess of $1.44 million compared to $1.04 million during July 2012, an increase of 38.1%. Sequentially, sales increased 12.3% compared to June 2013.

• [By CRWE]

  Today, FVRG remains (0.00%) +0.000 at $.780 thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 10:06AM EDT August 12, 2013).

  ForeverGreen Worldwide Corporation previously reported that sales are continuing to flourish. Sales for July 2013 increased to in excess of $1.44 million compared to $1.04 million during July 2012, an increase of 38.1%. Sequentially, sales increased 12.3% compared to June 2013.

Tiffany Q1 Sales Up 13%, Comps Up 11%

Tiffany & Co Tiffany & Co. said Wednesday that worldwide net sales in the first quarter increased 13 percent, year-over-year, to $1 billion led by strong results in nearly all regions and product categories. On a constant-exchange-rate basis that excludes the effect of translating foreign-currency-denominated sales into U.S. dollars worldwide net sales rose 15 percent and comparable store sales rose 11 percent due to growth in most regions.

The New York-based luxury jewelry retailer said the spike in sales was combined with an improved operating margin, resulting in a growth in net earnings to $126 million, or $0.97 per diluted share, from $84 million, or $0.65 per diluted share, in last year's first quarter when pre-tax expenses of $9 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, were recorded for staff and occupancy reductions. Excluding those expenses, net earnings rose 41 percent.

Tiffany also increased its earnings forecast for the current fiscal year.

Sales by region are as follows:

* In the Americas, total sales increased 8 percent to $439 million. On a constant-exchange-rate basis, total sales rose 9 percent and comparable store sales rose 8 percent, primarily due to geographically broad-based growth across the U.S.

* In Asia-Pacific, total sales rose 17 percent to $261 million. On a constant-exchange-rate basis, total sales increased 19 percent and comparable store sales rose 10 percent with noteworthy growth throughout Greater China and in Australia.

* In Japan, total sales surged 20 percent to $174 million. On a constant-exchange-rate basis eliminating the negative effect of a weaker yen versus the U.S. dollar, total sales and comparable store sales rose 29 percent and 30 percent.

* In Europe, total sales rose 9 percent to $101 million. On a constant-exchange-rate basis, total sales rose 2 percent and comparable store sales declined 3 percent. Trends were similar in the U.K. and in continental Europe.

* Other sales increased 39 percent to $37 million, primarily due to retail sales growth which included 18 percent comparable store sales growth in the United Arab Emirates and the opening of the first company-operated Tiffany & Co. store in Russia. Other sales also benefited from an increase in wholesale sales of diamonds; such diamonds are a result of the company's rough diamond sourcing operations.

"This is an excellent and encouraging start to the year," said Michael J. Kowalski, Tiffany chairman and CEO. "We were pleased with the strong and broad-based sales growth across most regions and product categories and our ability to leverage those improved sales into very significant growth in operating and net earnings. Strength in fine and statement jewelry sales continued, while sales of our new or expanded jewelry collections accelerated, led by our ATLAS collection."

Based on the results, Tiffany increased its earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2015, to a range of $4.15-$4.25 per diluted share, versus its previously-published forecast of $4.05-$4.15 per diluted share.

Tiffany opened four stores in the first quarter (including a store on the Champs Elysees in Paris) and closed one in the US. The company now operates 292 stores (121 in the Americas, 72 in Asia-Pacific, 55 in Japan, 38 in Europe, five in the U.A.E. and one in Russia), versus 275 stores a year ago.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network blog, the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, and on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet.

Will Microsoft event Surface a small tablet?

SEATTLE — It's been quite a honeymoon for new Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. The executive, named to the top position in February, has continued the strategic shifts begun under predecessor Steve Ballmer.

But Nadella has also managed to put his own stamp on the company's messaging and tactics, and the reward has been a bump in the stock price. Now comes the hard part: managing Microsoft's substantial investments in hardware and mobile devices.

That continues on Tuesday in New York, when Nadella takes the stage for an 11 a.m. event that many tech observers believe will introduce new Surface and Surface Pro tablets.

RELATED: Microsoft's hard sell for Surface event

But what kind of Surface tablets? A smaller "mini" tablet with a 7- or 8-inch screen, which has become a popular size in the tablet market?

"The consensus on (Tuesday's) event seem to be centered on the announcement of a new Surface 'mini' running Windows RT, which seems a likely scenario to me," said Charles King, president and principal analyst at industry watcher Pund-IT. "The fact is that the tablet market has evolved to support both mini (7-8 inch) and maxi (10-inch) sized products, to the point where even Apple, the longest major holdout, finally threw in the towel with the iPad mini."

But an Intel-based mini-Surface running the latest version of Windows 8.1, "seems a bit far-fetched to me," King added. "The company may have felt that developing its own hardware was the only way Windows RT would have received proper attention, but the move reportedly irritated some of Microsoft's hardware partners to the point (that they are) throttling back or fully abandoning development of RT devices."

Many of those same companies are finally seeing their smaller Windows 8.1 tablets gaining traction, "so the appearance of a new mini Surface Pro would be unnecessarily provocative."

Then again, why would the company want to go up against other inexpensive Windows tablets coming soon?

"It is doubtful Mic! rosoft will do a 7-inch or 8-inch product near-term," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. "A number of vendors plan to have Windows tablets in the second half of the year running on Intel and priced around $100, and I just don't think Microsoft wants to play at that price point."

What Enderle is hearing is that Microsoft needs to separate the Surface and Surface Pro products, with the former being positioned more like a tablet and the Pro "closer to a laptop in primary form to better match user needs. My expectation is that they are likely to make a strong move in that direction."With Nadella, they have the opportunity to create a much richer, more differentiated line that is more strongly connected to cloud services and pulls from more of Microsoft," Enderle said.

'My boss doesn't rule my destiny'

Chad Tall, Taco Bell, earns $8 an hour: "I support a sister, brother and my mom. We all live together in an apartment in the Bronx."

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Fast-food workers went on strike across the country on Thursday hitting pizza, burger and taco chains in Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, and other cities.

Organizers say workers in about 150 cities walked off work to demand a minimum wage of $15 an hour, and the right to join unions without retaliation from employers.

The big chains of the $200 billion fast food industry were well represented, with workers from McDonald's (MCD, Fortune 500), Taco Bell (YUM, Fortune 500), Chipotle (CMG), KFC, Wendy's (WEN), Burger King (BKW) and Domino's Pizza.

In New York City, workers paraded up Broadway beating drums and blowing vuvuzelas. CNNMoney talked to several of them. Here they are, in their own voices.

Sheila Brown, KFC, earns $8 an hour: "I am here for respect, equal rights for workers, and to be treated fairly."

Anthony Roman, McDonald's, earns $8 an hour: "Everybody else in the store was afraid to strike. My boss does not rule my destiny."

Prospero Sanchez, Domino's Pizza, earns $11.50 an hour: "I've worked 14 years at Domino's and I can't support a family. I h! ave a 2-year-old daughter and a 3-month-old son."

Sabrina Storey, KFC, earns $8 an hour: "I live in a homeless shelter, and I go to school. They want us to work hard but they don't want to pay for it."

Alex Ortiz, Wendy's, earns $8 an hour: "I'm 24 and I live with my parents. They get food stamps and government assistance for rent. I want to go to college someday for computer science."

Luis Vasquez, Chipotle Mexican Grill, earns $9 an hour: "I'd like to go back to college, but I can't afford it."

The May 15 protests also went global with rallies reported from Tokyo, Seoul and London.

Wildfires and Climate Change: It's Enough to Make You Sick

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- This week started off ominously with two independent teams of scientists saying that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is collapsing as a result of man-made global warming. The melt could put coastal cities under water in the not-too-distant future.

Turned out that was only the start of the week's bad news for the globe. Since then, California wildfires have begun raging again, this time near San Diego. The early start to the season of vicious, destructive infernos is evidence that climate change is already directly affecting individuals in ways predicted by the recently released National Climate Assessment report, or NCAR. Nine fires have been reported to be burning in the San Diego area, one person has been killed and a firefighter injured. More than 20,000 evacuation notices were delivered in Carlsbad alone. A nuclear plant and a university are among those sites abandoned. Local news channels have included warnings about the dangers of exposure to smoke.

In perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the NCAR, released May 6 by the federal government, researchers listed health risks caused by warming temperatures and resulting changes in the environment. These effects constitute an area of immediate and often ignored hazards from global warming, including those from more intense and more frequent wildfires. State governments and the insurance industry are already reacting, shifting in the direction of climate change prediction and adaptation.

The NCAR is the work of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, established by President H.W. Bush in 1989 and mandated by Congress with the Global Change Research Act of 1990. It involves 300 experts, including researchers from 13 federal departments. The program is overseen by a 60-member Federal Advisory Committee and the findings are reviewed by the public and experts, including a panel of the National Academy of Sciences. Among the hazards that affect the health of the U.S. populace, the report includes rising ground-level ozone, pollution and threat to life from increased wildfires, increased allergens, more days of extreme heat, more extreme rainfall and flooding, swelling populations of mosquitos and other disease-carrying insects, a climb in the frequency and severity of drought conditions and heightened stress levels among animals and people. Most of those causes carry the potential for multiple ill effects. An increase in wildfires for instance could affect not only property but also those with respiratory problems or those with any number of stress-related conditions. Drought and fire can also cause damage to the quality of drinking water. As natural environments become compromised, wildlife can relocate to populated areas, threatening locals with the spread of disease and unexpected physical encounters with hungry, agitated wild animals. The Present Evidence California is a test case for many of the problems outlined in the NCAR. According to the California Department of Health (CDPH), the State of California as a matter of policy sees many of the personal health risks outlined in NCAR as related to climate change. Officials there confirmed that they were already seeing dramatic changes in weather patterns that could affect the health of citizens.

In an email, Richard Stapler, Deputy Secretary for Communications for the California Natural Resources Agency noted that the 30-month period from October 2011 to March 2014 was the driest 30-month period, statewide, in the 1895 to 2014 record.

The risk of wildfires increase during dry periods and heavy smoke from wildfires "can cause respiratory distress in even the healthiest of people," Stapler said. Children, the elderly and those with a history of respiratory problems are more at risk and "are asked to shelter in place or avoid the area altogether" during wildfires, he said.

Responding to a question on drought's effect on water quality, Stapler noted that there were many environmental factors that could impact the quality of the water supply, including flooding, drought and wildfires. But rising temperatures put quality of life at risk in other ways, he said. Changes in the timing of snowfall and snowmelt as a result of climate change may make it more difficult to refill reservoir flood control space during late spring and early summer, potentially reducing the amount of surface water available during a dry season. Changes in reservoir levels also affect lake recreation, hydroelectric power production, and fish habitat by altering water temperatures and quality. Higher air temperatures and changes in snowmelt will make it more difficult to manage reservoirs and reservoir releases to maintain temperatures cool enough for salmon and steelhead. Officials from the CDPH were also aware of changes in weather patterns and the adverse effects on citizens. "Increasing temperature and extreme heat events due to climate change and heat islands that concentrate additional heat in our dense urban areas, create health risks," officials from the department said in an email. Those risks "include heat cramps (salt deficiency), heat exhaustion (salt depletion plus water depletion), and most seriously, heatstroke and death (rising body temperature that results in cell damage and neurologic dysfunction)." "We need to be monitoring the health impacts of increasing temperatures and taking steps to reduce heat risks as much as we can and prepare our communities, especially vulnerable populations, for these events," the department said, adding that, among other measures, it is working with other state agencies to deploy "cooler pavements, cooler roofs and buildings, urban greening, and a more resilient energy grid." Insurance Industry Response Nationwide, increased personal risk of health problems from climate change can also be found. Diseases borne by mosquitos and ticks are not as plentiful in the U.S. as in other countries, but a rise in those pests could elevate the risks of Lyme Disease, West Nile Virus and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Cases of dengue fever, a disease that has historically been relegated to more underdeveloped tropical regions, have been turning up in Florida, as reported last year by NPR. As areas north become wetter and warmer, the risk increases that incidence of such cases could continue to spread.

In communities that deal with flooding, diseases from contaminated water are a concern. Once a flood has receded, air quality problems can plague buildings previously exposed to the flooding. Breathing problems, allergies, asthma and respiratory infections are all more common in these water-compromised environments.

On its Web site, the Insurance Information Institute cites a recent report that finds "heavy rainstorms linked to flooding are increasing in frequency in the Midwest . . . . Since 1961, the frequency of the largest of these storms, those that produce rainfall of three or more inches in a single day, increased by 103 percent. The states where the trend is most evident are Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. . . " Incidence of loss from severe thunderstorms, which can lead to fatalities even in the absence of tornado activity, are rising dramatically.

That's the kind of data the insurance industry takes seriously, even if companies don't confront global warming head-on. Reactions to flooding in particular have grown more sophisticated as flood intensity and frequency have increased.

According to Steven Weisbart, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at the Insurance Information Institute, policies now include coverage for mold cleanup that would have been overlooked 20 years ago, responded to changing trends. Policy changes are informed by projections from scientists, but driven by hard data on losses, Weisbart emphasized in a phone interview. "I would have to say that right this minute, all that that report [the NCAR] would do would be to reinforce the data gathering, the alertness to issues that might eventually result in underwriting changes, increased rates and other responses the industry might come up with," he said. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is pushing back against that conservative tendency within the industry, with a multistate survey of insurers on the topic of climate change preparedness intended to encourage a pro-active role in planning for the damaging effects of a warmer planet. In particular, the Web site of the NAIC lists climate change as one of the more important of several factors influencing a rise of more intense and frequent wildfires and an extension of the wildfire season.  According to statistics cited on the NAIC Web site, nearly 2 million homes in California alone are at high or extreme risk from wildfires, which topped the historic milestone of 9 million acres burned in a year during three years of the last decade. Reinsurance giant Munich Re reports that insured losses from California wildfires in 2007 alone topped $2 billion. The cost of losses is being driven down in recent decades due in large part to increased awareness by the state and federal governments, property owners and the insurance industry. But those loss figures don't necessarily include the full impact on personal health, the extent of which is hard to measure. Meanwhile the wildfires themselves are increasing, with total burned acreage expected to double over the next 50 years, the NAIS says, citing federal projections. Such projections, together with the observable trends in climate change affecting many areas, ensure that the nation as a whole will continue to face global warming's threat to personal health as a permanent, worsening concern. -- Written by Carlton Wilkinson in New York Follow @CarltonTSC

3 Preferred Stocks Yielding More Than 8%

Popular Posts: 3 Preferred Stocks Yielding More Than 8%3 Covered Calls for a Cool $1,000 in Income3 Cash Cow Stocks to Buy: Timeshare Stocks Recent Posts: 3 Preferred Stocks Yielding More Than 8% Hail This Taxi Dividend Stock for a 6.9% Yield   3 Covered Calls for a Cool $1,000 in Income View All Posts

My always astute, if occasionally irritating, editor Kyle hit me with a question regarding preferred stocks. "What's the case for owning individual preferred stocks over an ETF? Wouldn't it only be to get a higher dividend yield?"

It's a good question, but that doesn't make ol' Kyle any less irritating.

There's nothing wrong with owning something like iShares US Preferred Stock (PFF) which offers a dividend yield of 6.6%. It's a little dicey in that it isn't terribly diversified, with 65% of its holdings coming from the financial sector. But then again, most preferred offerings come from financials anyway. The problem with a non-diversified ETF like this is that if the financial sector comes under pressure, the whole ETF may get taken down.

With individual issues, they may or may not get taken down, even if in the same sector. If the individual name has strong underlying fundamentals, it may get spared. On the other hand, if it doesn’t — if it gets caught up in the tsunami — you may find yourself with a generational buying opportunity. If your preferred stock's underlying company is solid and is being shot down because it happens to be in the same sector, there's an excuse to just buy more.

A classic example was the preferred shares of Ashford Hospitality Trust (AHT) during the financial crisis. The D series, for example, fell under $7. An astute investor would have recognized the company was in far better shape than its peers, bought the preferred stocks at that price and seen a huge capital gain appreciation.

Let's move on to today's preferred picks.

Next Page

Preferred Stocks: New York Mortgage Trust (NYMT)

Dividend Yield: 8.2%

New York Mortgage Trust (NYMT) is a mortgage real estate investment trust, or mREIT, that acquires, invests in, finances and manages mortgage related securities. These mREITs are very much tied to interest rates, so while rates are low, the stocks will do well. NYMT common stock, in fact, yields more than 14%. Yet that's why I would choose the New York Mortgage Trust 7.75% Preferred Series B (NYMTP).

As preferred stocks go, it is less volatile than the underlying and trades about 6% below par, thus giving it a dividend yield of 8.2%.

Next Page

Preferred Stocks: Montpelier RE Holdings (MRH)

Dividend Yield: 8.2%

Montpelier RE Holdings (MRH) has an 8.875% Series A Preferred, currently trading at $27 — about 8.5% above par and callable in two years. Its dividend yield is thus 8.2%.

What I like about this issue is that Montpelier is a specialty insurer, with a large part of its business being re-insurance. That means when an insurance company gets hit with massive claims from things like airline crashes, war, political unrest or space aliens, the insurance company will pay out some big claims, but it will have purchased insurance for its own insurance payouts.

Montpelier is a stable business, with even more stable preferred stock, and it would take a hell of a lot of disasters in a row to put it under.

Next Page

Preferred Stocks: Stag Industrial (STAG)

Dividend Yield: 8.1%

Finally, we have Stag Industrial (STAG) and it's 9% Series A Preferred issue. STAG preferred stock focuses on single-tenant industrial properties. The advantage here is that a well-run REIT like Stag will carefully choose its tenants, selecting companies that are recession-proof, or at least have ample liquidity to pay rents. Occupancy is at 94%, and recent earnings came in with sizable growth across the board. The preferred stock trades almost 10% above par, and thus the dividend yield is 8.1%.

Like what you see? Sign up for our Dividend Insights e-letter and get income investment advice delivered to your inbox every Friday!

Lawrence Meyers owns shares of AHT and AHT Preferred D. He is president of Asymmetrical Media Strategies, a crisis PR firm, and PDL Broker, Inc., which brokers financing, strategic investments and distressed asset purchases between private equity firms and businesses. He also has written two books and blogs about public policy, journalistic integrity, popular culture, and world affairs. Contact him at pdlcapital66@gmail.com and follow his tweets at @ichabodscranium.