Beer Man: Blonde Ale tops Day of the Dead brews

Beer Man is a weekly profile of beers from across the country and around the world.

This week: Death Rides a Pale Horse

Cerveceria Mexicana, Tecate, Mexico

http://mexicalibeer.com

I came across some samples of Day of the Dead beer the last week of October, and although the official observances of this tradition have passed, the beers should still be available.

On Nov. 2, All Soul's Day, I tried five different DOTD ales with varying results. My favorite of the bunch was Death Rides a Pale Horse Blonde Ale. The 5.6% ABV ale had a nice light malt profile, slight sweetness and little bitterness, tempered by a bit of grassy hops. A tingly carbonation and a dryness that kicked in quickly after each sip made for a nice finish. Blonde ales can be rather bland, but this was worth having more than one.

My second favorite was Immortal Beloved Hefeweizen. It didn't skimp on the typical banana-clove aroma from the yeast and also had a hint of vanilla in the background. The flavor was quite fruity, overshadowing the wheat grain, with banana winning the fight with lemon. There was a slight sharpness to the finish that helped alleviate the fruit flavors and the creamy body.

The 5.5% ABV beer did not have the overwhelming pour that most German wheat beers do, but this did not affect the carbonation at all. A bit different from the typical wheat beer, but not detrimental to its enjoyment.

The other beers didn't quite live up to the standards of the initial two. Queen of the Night Pale Ale, Hop On or Die India Pale Ale and Death Becomes You Amber Ale were not bad, but nothing made them stand out from the hundreds of other similar beers on U.S. shelves. They were all better than Corona, however.

Cerveceria Mexicana has widespread distribution throughout the U.S., so although Day of the Dead observances are over, these beers should have some staying power on the shelves. It would be nice to see the Mexican brewery find a way to put a native spin on its beers instead of ! just offering styles that the U.S. is already bombarded with.

Many beers are available only regionally. Check the brewer's website, which often contains information on product availability. Contact Todd Haefer at beerman@postcrescent.com. To read previous Beer Man columns Click here.

What It's Like Turning Off Your Phone at 'World's Best' Spa

SAN DIEGO (TheStreet) -- It took me some time to truly appreciate all that Rancho La Puerta has to offer.

I've been to spas all over the world -- Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, the Caribbean -- and have plenty of experience treating myself to luxurious facials and massages. And I understand the value of personal maintenance.

Rancho La Puerta, the legendary wellness center in Tecate, Mexico, is far more than a glorified spa.

One of the biggest luxuries the ranch delivers is solitude and the time to slow down, reconnect with yourself, your mind and your body in an environment that couldn't be more peaceful. With its many flower- and tree-lined winding paths, yoga classes, morning hikes and dozens of other health and wellness classes, as well as an gourmet organic vegetarian menu, the 3,000-acre ranch is truly an experience in revitalizing and recharging your body and spirit. Add to this the ranch's guideline regarding cellular phone usage -- all phones are to be on silent and use of them is firmly discouraged except when in your room -- and you've found the ideal place for a detox, digital and otherwise. Still, for a person who has two jobs and is constantly connected to some form of technology or is always "doing" something -- whether it's taking care of my son or working late -- slowing down, relaxing, reflecting and letting go of technology involved a mental adjustment that took time. During my first evening at the ranch, I had dinner with several other guests, all of whom raved about their love of Rancho La Puerta and many of whom confessed to returning to the ranch year after year, some for 20 years now, some multiple times in a single year. Also see: They've Emptied Out a 757 to Take You to Exotic Lands>> I stared blankly at these guests, trying to smile politely, wondering why someone would visit one place over and over when there is a whole world to see? The guests I spoke to aren't alone in their dedication to Rancho La Puerta, though. In 2010, 2011 and 2013 Ranch La Puerta won World's Best Destination Spa from Travel + Leisure's World's Best reader's poll -- meaning it beat out every other destination spa in the world, according to T+L readers. By the middle of my first full day at Rancho La Puerta, I began to understand the raves. Days at Rancho La Puerta can begin any way you want, but the schedule typically includes numerous early morning hike options. Located in the shadow of Baja California's mystical Mount Kuchumaa, on a property lined by mountains and dotted by meadows, the hiking terrain is stunning and inspiring.

After the morning hike, days at Rancho La Puerta can unfold in dozens of ways. There is different health and wellness classes offered every hour, and the list of class offerings from one day to the next is different, allowing each day to be a new adventure based on your mood. There's also cooking classes, and a world-class spa.

The variety of fitness class options is pages long in the ranch's guide and includes Body Bar, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Drumming, Cardio Muscle Blast, Circuit Training, Core Challenge, Dance, Parkour, Pilates Matwork, Pilates Reformer, Yoga Sculpt. I could go on and on.

On my first day, I chose just a few classes and activities -- Release & Mobilize -- a class focused on deep muscle release and mobility using tennis balls, followed by a 50-minute facial, and then the Shallow Water Workout class. The change in my mood and spirit after just these few activities, strolls along the ranch's grounds during the course of the first day and several healthy meals was dramatic. I felt relaxed, more at ease and ready to dive into even more of the class offerings the next day, to get more of this great feeling I was experiencing. Also see: Camping Under the Stars -- Atop a Manhattan Hotel>>

The next day, I chose a more ambitious variety of activities -- some I had never heard of and couldn't wait to take. The day suddenly became an interesting adventure in mental and physical fitness and fun. My class selections included Gentle Yoga, The Wave, Postural Therapy, Tennis and Crystal Bowl: Sound Healing. Interspersed between these classes was a reflexology appointment at the ranch's spa and a 90-minute Energy Balance session. Treatments available at Rancho La Puerta's spa are divided into four categories: cleanse, relax, energize and restore. Guests are encouraged to start with cleansing and move on to relaxing and restoring treatments, finishing a weeklong visit with some of the energizing options. Selections include cleansing facials, body polishes and aromatherapy wraps, relaxing massages and reflexology, and energizing healing therapies and energy rebalances. The ranch also just launched a personalized medical and wellness program called Executive Wellness. The goal of the $6,950 program is to alleviate health problems for those with high-stress jobs. It begins with a physical examination at the Lifewellness Institute, a medical center in San Diego, and is followed by a visit to Rancho La Puerta, where participants are given comprehensive fitness and nutrition plans customized for each individual's needs by the ranch's fitness and health experts. If the price tag seems steep, remember that Rancho La Puerta alone does not come cheap; weekly stays range between about $2,800 and $4,800. At least for me, the luxury of Rancho La Puerta's price tag was not in the accommodations. The guest rooms are lovely, many with charming patios and sweeping views of the landscape. Inside, the rooms are decorated with vibrant local artwork, tile floors and fireplaces. But at the same time, the rooms are spare, and simply furnished. No televisions. No luxurious couches to sink into after a long day. But that also seems to be the point. Why make the guest rooms full of comforts when there is so much to do and see all day long at Rancho La Puerta outside your room? When it came time to leave, I was full of reluctance and found myself wondering how soon I could make my way back. But more then that, I felt healthier then I had in a long time, and spent most of the drive back to San Diego thinking about how I could incorporate all the good from Rancho La Puerta into my daily life.

4 Recent Fast Food Game-Changers

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Think all the major fast food innovations were already introduced years ago? Think again. The recent introduction of so-called “satisfries” at Burger King have been nothing less than a smash hit.

In fact, they may even be a big enough draw to merit an investment in Burger King Worldwide (BKW) shares. The company had been struggling, but the new fries are said to be driving a resurgence in revenue. After all, who goes to Burger King and ends up buying just an order of French fries?

Satisfries are hardly the only game-changer we’ve seen debuted by the industry in recent months, though. Here’s a rundown of the best additions to fast food menus we’ve seen in recent months.

Burger King’s Satisfries

Just for the record, “healthy” is a relative idea when describing Burger King’s newest version of the french-fry. They are a lower-calorie iteration of the nation’s favorite fast food side order … 20% less than the Burger King’s previous fries, to be specific. They’re still pretty packed with calories.

Then again, the company was never trying to create a diet food when it decided to spend an extra 30 cents per serving of its new French fries. BKW was trying to perk up deteriorating sales, and so far, all indications are that satisfries have done the job. While the company wasn’t forthcoming with the details, the introduction of the lower-calorie fry did lead to measurable sales growth right out of the gate.

Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos

If tacos are good, and if Doritos chips are good, then the combination of the two should make for a great flavor, right? That was the theory anyway, when Yum Brands (YUM) debuted a Doritos-flavored taco shell in early 2012. Since then, the company has introduced two more flavors of taco shells that Frito-Lay — the company that makes Doritos chips — first made popular in snack chip form.

Though now nearly two-years old, the positive impact of the flavored taco shells still isn’t crystal clear. The only definitive number YUM has given is that, as of last month, Taco Bell has sold $1 billion of its Dorito-flavored tacos. But without a benchmark to compare that against, it’s tough to say exactly how influential the Doritos Locos have been. Regardless, there’s no denying the Locos tacos are a huge hit with fast food patrons.

Wendy’s Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger

It doesn’t seem game-changing, or even innovative, with just a quick glance. But Wendy’s (WEN) bacon cheeseburger on a pretzel bun has been a huge success.

For those who haven’t tried it yet, Wendy’s pretzel bun doesn’t have the exact same flavor and texture as snack-pretzels from the bag. It’s more of an homage to the pretzel. Still, it’s something different from an industry and a fast food restaurant chain that needed to put a new twist on a very old idea — the hamburger.

Pretzel bun burger sales were so hot after their July launch that some analysts predicted they would drive a whopping 5.5% improvement in same-store sales for Q3 (which would have been the best year-over-year quarterly sales growth in years). The restaurant chain ended up with only a 3.2% improvement in its same-store sales, but that’s still a significant win for WEN.

McDonald’s Mighty Wings

Earlier this year, McDonald’s (MCD) tiptoed into KFC’s territory — and even put Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) on notice — with the launch of its Mighty Wings chicken wings. Sales of the fried chicken wings have failed to take off as expected, though. As McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson (under)stated it, the wings’ price of $3.69 for five pieces was “not the most competitive.”

Mighty Wings are a big departure from McDonald’s normal sandwich-based fare. MCD has offered non-sandwich fast food before, and still does. But, none of them are quite the leap for McDonald’s that chicken wings are. And, it’s worth noting that while the price of the wings themselves may seem relatively high, compared to other players in the wing arena — like Buffalo Wild Wings — the prices are fairly typical.

Mighty Wings launched in September, and though sales have been lackluster thus far, the restaurants’ menus are still crowded, and the product is still new. It may take a while to train (and even reach) guests regarding the new product.

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

U.S. Index Futures Advance Before Shortened Trading Day

U.S. stock-index futures increased, indicating the Standard & Poor's 500 Index may extend a record in today's shortened trading session, before economic reports next week.

Apple Inc. climbed 0.8 percent in early New York trading after a report showed the company sold three of every four smartphones in Japan last month. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. rose 0.5 percent in European trading after Australia blocked a A$2.2 billion ($2 billion) takeover of GrainCorp Ltd.

S&P 500 futures expiring in December advanced 0.3 percent to 1,809.10 at 7:20 a.m. in New York. Dow Jones Industrial Average contracts added 51 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,125. The S&P 500 climbed 27 percent this year, and the Dow gained 23 percent, after the Federal Reserve refrained from tapering its third round of economic stimulus.

"Investors are waiting for indications on when tapering may come," said Ioan Smith, strategist at KCG Europe Ltd. "The minutes revealed a wide-ranging discussion of various policy scenarios and contingencies. It is still the case that there's not enough sustained evidence to meet the taper criteria as soon as next month."

The S&P 500 and the Dow closed at records on Nov. 27, as jobless claims unexpectedly declined and a measure of consumer confidence beat estimates. U.S. markets were closed yesterday for the Thanksgiving holiday and trading in the New York Stock Exchange will end at 1 p.m. local time today.

Fed Minutes

Minutes of the last Fed meeting released on Nov. 20 showed that officials are considering scaling back their $85 billion in monthly bond purchases "in coming months" if the economy improves as anticipated.

Investors will await reports on manufacturing and home sales next week, and the November release of non-farm payrolls on Dec. 6. Janet Yellen, who will replace Ben S. Bernanke as chairman of the Fed, has said she will ensure monetary stimulus isn't removed too soon to support economic recovery in the U.S. There are no economic reports scheduled for today.

Apple rose 0.8 percent to $550.30 in early New York trading. The company accounted for 76 percent of smartphone sales in Japan last month after the country's largest carrier, NTT Docomo Inc., began offering the iPhone, market researcher Kantar Worldpanel ComTech said yesterday.

ADM (ADM) rose 0.5 percent to $41.69 in European composite trading. Australia's rejection of the agricultural commodities producer's takeover prompted a record 22 percent drop in GrainCorp, the biggest crop handler on Australia's east coast, and a slide in the local currency.

"This proposal has attracted a high level of concern from stakeholders and the broader community," Treasurer Joe Hockey said today, ruling U.S.-based ADM's bid of A$12.20 a share isn't in the national interest. "Now is not the right time for a 100 percent foreign acquisition of this key Australian business."

GM Q3 profit drops 53% to $698M after special c…

General Motors reported third-quarter earnings of $698 million, after the cost of special items, down 53% from a year ago on a slight increase in revenue to $39 billion.

Without special items and increased tax expenses, earnings were $1.6 billion.

A year ago, GM reported earnings of $1.5 billion on revenue of $37.6 billion.

CHRYSLER EARNINGS: Q3 net income up 22%

Wall Street seemed willing to ignore the "specials," and applaud the results. "GM reported strong 3Q results," J.P. Morgan auto industry analyst Ryan Brinkman said in a note to clients shortly after the automaker announced results.

Investors agreed, and GM shares jumped more than $1, to $37-plus, just after the opening bell at the stock exchange.

Without the special charges GM earned 96 cents a share, up from 89 cents last year and more than the Wall Street consensus prediction of 93 cents. .

GM identified the key special item as a loss of $800 million "related to the repurchase of 120 million shares of Preferred Series A Stock. It also cited "incremental tax expense" and "goodwill impairment" write-downs on international operations.

In North America, where auto sales are strong, GM reported an operating profit of $2.2 billion, up 29% from $1.7 billion a year ago.

Troublesome European operations lost less than a year ago: $214 million, an improvement over a $487 million loss a year ago.

GM notes that the third quarter was its 15th consecutive profitable quarter.

The first nine months of the year, GM has earned $2.9 billion, vs. $4 billion a year ago.

Dan Ammann, GM's CFO, said in a TV interview with CNBC that the period was "a strong quarter overall," and said a revenue increase in Europe was among "encouraging signs" that GM will hit its forecast of breaking even there by mid-decade.

Ford Motor reported Oct. 24 that it had net income for the third quarter of $1.3 billion after special charges for European restructuring and a switch to lump-sum retirement payou! ts to some U.S. white-collar employees.

GM notes that it's selling more vehicles under its four brands than it did via eight brands immediately before it went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in the summer of 2009.

"In North America, General Motors has seen its Buick and Cadillac brands continue to post double-digit sales increases, while its mass-market Chevrolet brand has lagged the market's overall growth," says Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and market analyst for Kelley Blue Book.

Chevy's sub-par showing "indicates a bit of weakness, but we believe the well-reviewed new Silverado and Impala plus a rejuvenated Malibu will improve Chevy's fortunes," he says. Pickups such as Silverado are among the highest-profit models an automaker sells.

Despite new models, usually a key to higher prices and higher profits, the average transaction price for a new GM vehicle in the third quarter was up only 1% from a year ago, to $34,566, Kelley reports.

Will Recent News Affect General Electric?

With shares of General Electric (NYSE:GE) trading around $26, is GE an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

General Electric is a diversified industrial, technology, and financial services company that operates worldwide. The products and services of the company range from aircraft engines, power generation, water processing, and household appliances to medical imaging, business and consumer financing, and industrial products. General Electric's segments are Energy Infrastructure, Aviation, Healthcare, Transportation, Home & Business Solutions, and GE Capital. General Electric is a leading provider of a wide range of products and many are essential in daily lives of consumers and companies around the world.

General Electric announced that it will close an electrical capacitor facility in northern New York that employs around 200 persons. The company advised workers that it will follow through on plans announced in September to shut its plant 45 miles north of Albany, and transfer operations to an existing manufacturing site in Clearwater, Florida. The plant located close to the Hudson River will not close prior to September 2014.

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart Are Strong

General Electric stock has been trending higher over the past several quarters. The stock is currently trading near highs for the year and looks poised to continue. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, General Electric is trading above its rising key averages, which signal neutral to bullish price action in the near-term.

(Source: Thinkorswim)

Taking a look at the implied volatility (red) and implied volatility skew levels of General Electric options may help determine if investors are bullish, neutral, or bearish.

	Implied Volatility (IV)	30-Day IV Percentile	90-Day IV Percentile
General Electric options	17.81%	0%	0%

What does this mean? This means that investors or traders are buying a small amount of call and put options contracts as compared to the last 30 and 90 trading days.

	Put IV Skew	Call IV Skew
December Options	Flat	Average
January Options	Flat	Average

As of today, there is an average demand from call buyers or sellers and low demand by put buyers or high demand by put sellers, all neutral to bullish over the next two months. To summarize, investors are buying a small amount of call and put option contracts and are leaning neutral to bullish over the next two months.

On the next page, let’s take a look at the earnings and revenue growth rates and the conclusion.

E = Earnings Are Mixed Quarter-Over-Quarter

Rising stock prices are often strongly correlated with rising earnings and revenue growth rates. Also, the last four quarterly earnings announcement reactions help gauge investor sentiment on General Electric’s stock. What do the last four quarterly earnings and revenue growth (Y-O-Y) figures for General Electric look like and more importantly, how did the markets like these numbers?

	2013 Q3	2013 Q2	2013 Q1	2012 Q4
Earnings Growth (Y-O-Y)	11.11%	3.45%	17.24%	8.72%
Revenue Growth (Y-O-Y)	-1.46%	-3.50%	-0.49%	3.57%
Earnings Reaction	3.52%	4.61%	-4.05%	3.47%

General Electric has seen increasing earnings and decreasing revenue figures over the last four quarters. From these numbers, the markets have had conflicting feelings about General Electric’s recent earnings announcements.

P = Average Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has General Electric stock done relative to its peers, United Technologies (NYSE:UTX), Phillips (NYSE:PHG), Siemens (NYSE:SI), and sector?

	General Electric	United Technologies	Phillips	Siemens	Sector
Year-to-Date Return	27.78%	36.02%	34.06%	21.87%	30.93%

General Electric has been an average relative performer, year-to-date.

Conclusion

General Electric is a globally diversified industrial, technology, and financial services company. The company announced that it will close an electrical capacitor facility in northern New York that employs around 200 persons. The stock has been trending higher over the past several quarters and is currently trading near highs for the year. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been rising while revenues have been decreasing, which has produced conflicting feelings among iinvestors. Relative to its peers and sector, General Electric has been an average year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what General Electric does this quarter.

White House: 'Obamacare' Website Fixed by End of November

HealthCare.gov/AP The White House official brought in to fix the U.S. government website created to enable Americans to buy insurance under President Barack Obama's health care law said Friday that HealthCare.gov will be working smoothly for most users by the end of November. Jeffrey Zients told reporters in a conference call that Quality Software Services, or QSSI, will serve as a general contractor to oversee the repairs. The website hasn't had a technology company overseeing the entire project. Instead, the government decided early on that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would serve as the system integrator. The company, a unit of health insurer UnitedHealth Group (UNH), already has a technology contract related to the website and testified on Thursday to a congressional panel about problems with the system. QSSI produced the federal data hub and a software tool for creating online consumer accounts, which was at the center of early logjam problems. Online insurance exchanges were launched on Oct. 1 under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, often called "Obamacare," to offer health care insurance plans to millions of uninsured Americans. But many Americans have experienced error messages and long waits in trying to sign on to HealthCare.gov, which has become a political embarrassment for Obama.

Top Performing Stocks To Own Right Now

In the short term, the stock market is a popularity contest. A high-performing stock gets the most coverage, and people begin buying shares simply because its price has been going up. This drives the price even higher, drawing more people into the stock. This can only go on for so long -- eventually, there aren't any buyers left. A horrific crash follows, leaving those who bought in late with staggering losses.

There's no telling how long it will take for this crash to occur. Often, even the smallest piece of bad news can trigger it. Let's take a look at a few stocks which have risen too far, too fast -- and might be set for a painful fall.

Unbridled enthusiasm

Electric car maker Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA  ) has been on a tremendous run so far this year. The stock has shot up like a rocket, with the company now valued at about $23 billion.

TSLA data by YCharts

Top Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: First Bancorp Inc(ME)

The First Bancorp, Inc. operates as a holding company for The First, N.A., which is a chartered national bank that provides various banking services to individual and corporate customers in coastal Maine. The company offers various deposit products, including demand, savings, NOW, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts. It also provides various loan products, such as commercial real estate, commercial construction, and other commercial loans; municipal loans; residential term and construction loans; home equity lines of credit; and consumer loans. In addition, the company offers private banking, financial planning, investment management, and trust services to individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, and municipalities. It operates a network of 14 full-service banking offices in Lincoln, Knox, Hancock, and Washington Counties located in the mid-coast and down east regions of Maine. The company was formerly known as First National Lincoln Corporation and changed its name to The First Bancorp, Inc. in April 2008. The company was founded in 1864 and is based in Damariscotta, Maine.

Top Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Rodman & Renshaw Capital Group Inc.(RODM)

Rodman & Renshaw Capital Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides investment banking services to public and private companies primarily in the United States and China. It offers corporate finance in a range of financing alternatives, including private placements, private investments in public equity, registered direct offerings, and public offerings. The company also offers strategic advisory services on various transactions comprising mergers, acquisitions, and asset sales; sales and trading services; and equity research services to institutional investors. In addition, it designs investment conferences that bring together companies, institutional investors, business development executives, and experts. Further, the company makes principal investments in early-stage biotechnology and life sciences companies. Rodman & Renshaw Capital Group, Inc. serves the life science/healthcare, energy, metals/mining, financial services, and cleantech sectors. The company was foun ded in 2002 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

5 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own Right Now: Atac Resources Ltd. (ATC.V)

ATAC Resources Ltd. engages in exploring for metals and minerals with a focus on gold in Canada. It primarily focuses on the exploration and development of the Rackla gold project covering approximately 1,600 square kilometers located in central Yukon. The company also owns interests in the Connaught prospect, a silver-gold property located in the Sixtymile placer gold camp of western Yukon Territory; and the Dawson gold project located in west-central Yukon approximately. ATAC Resources Ltd. is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Top Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Ramba Energy Limited (R14.SI)

Ramba Energy Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the exploration and production of oil and gas in Indonesia; and the provision of transportation and logistics services in the Asia Pacific region. The company holds a 70% interest in the Jatirarangon block in West Java, a 100% interest in the West Jambi block in Sumatra, and a 51% interest in the Lemang block in Sumatra. It also provides supply chain services, including inbound and outbound transportation, distribution management, seaport and airport cargo handling services, and chemical logistics distribution; and container haulage, project logistics, and warehousing. The company�s container haulage services comprise import and export haulage, container staging and fumigation, container loading and unloading, freight documentation, permit declaration, customs clearance, cross-border haulage, and short-term storage services. Its project logistics services include bulk commodity transportation primarily for co al, steel, and nickel; marine logistics covering ship brokering and ship chartering; heavy lift and logistics services for project cargo movement, mainly in the energy, mining, construction, and infrastructure sectors; and freight management and contract logistics for oil and gas exploration and production companies. The company�s warehousing services comprise order fulfillment, merge in transit, pick and pack, asset ownership, multi-client warehousing management, consolidation x-dock, and bulk and chemical warehousing services. It serves technology, petrochemical, oil and gas, freight-forwarding, consumer goods, and manufacturing sectors. In addition, Ramba Energy Limited engages in property rental activities. The company was formerly known as RichLand Group Limited and changed its name to Ramba Energy Limited in January 2009. The company was founded in 1992 and is based in Singapore. Ramba Energy Limited is a subsidiary of Redmount Holdings Limited.

Top Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: GTSI Corp.(GTSI)

GTSI Corp., together with its subsidiaries, provides information technology (IT) hardware and solutions to federal, state, and local government customers, as well as to prime contractors in the United States. It offers IT infrastructure solutions, including data center consolidation and optimization solutions, server and desktop virtualization solutions, cloud computing solutions, network modernization solutions, unified communications and collaboration solutions, database and software development solutions, asset management solutions, and financial services solutions. The company also provides various services comprising software development and maintenance, program and project management, database development and maintenance, and legacy systems modernization services. In addition, it offers computer hardware, software, and peripheral products, as well as provides technical support and assistance services. The company markets and sells its computer hardware and software, and solutions through GTSI.com. It has strategic partner relationships with Cisco, Hewlett Packard, Crossmatch Technologies, Microsoft, Dell, Oracle, Net App, and Hitachi. GTSI Corp. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  I picked GTSI (GTSI) for the Ben Graham: Net-Net Newsletter.

  And that is not a good business. It lost money in about half of the last 10 years. It had no history of earning more than about 6% on equity over time. It was a truly terrible business.

Top Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Bioniche Life Scie Com Npv (BNC.TO)

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets proprietary products for human and animal health markets worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Human Health, Animal Health, and Food Safety. The Human Health segment is involved in the discovery, pre-clinical research, clinical development, regulatory submission, and commercialization of therapeutic products for use in human medicine. Its product development candidates include mycobacterial cell wall-DNA complex (MCC) for the treatment of bladder cancer, intraperitoneal cancers, and metastatic cancers; and a combination of MCC and hyaluronan for treatment of prostate cancer. This segment also develops Urocidin, which is in Phase III clinical testing for the treatment of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The Animal Health segment develops vaccines and other pharmaceutical products for the preventive health management of animal diseases. This segment offers products in areas, such as assisted reproduction, immunostimulant, hyaluronan based, and nutritional and natural health products for veterinarians. It also engages in the research and development of products in areas comprising canine cancer therapies, rhodococcus equi vaccines, natural health products, and equine plasma products. The Food Safety segment is involved in researching, developing, manufacturing, and marketing veterinary biopharmaceutical products for the safety of food and water supplies. This segment develops Econiche, a cattle vaccine, which is used to reduce the spread of E. coli O157 bacterium. Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Belleville, Canada.

Top Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Midlands Minerals Corporation(MEX.V)

Midland Minerals Corporation, a junior exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. It engages in the exploration of gold, precious metals, diamonds, and other resources in the continent of Africa. It has interests in Sian-Praso property, which covers an area of approximately 157 square kilometers located on the northwest of Accra, Ghana; and Kaniago property that consists of an area of approximately 25.5 square kilometers located on the Asankrangwa Gold Belt, Ghana. The company also has interests in Lwenge, Kishapu, Lalago, Vukene, and Itilima properties in the Lake Victoria Goldfields area in Tanzania; and Tamota, Mziha East, Ruanda, and Turian East properties in the Handeni area in Tanzania. Midlands Minerals Corporation is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Top Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: DayStar Technologies Inc.(DSTI)

DayStar Technologies, Inc., a development stage company, engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of solar photovoltaic products to the grid-tied and ground-based photovoltaic markets. The company offers solar photovoltaic modules to convert sunlight into electricity. It provides monolithically integrated copper indium gallium selenide modules on glass laminate substrates for centralized utility power plants, commercial building roof tops, and smaller residential roof tops. DayStar Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Milpitas, California.

Extreme Networks, Inc (EXTR): Insider Buying – Another Extreme Winner?

Insiders opened up their wallets at the briskets pace in more than two months as measured by the number of purchase records. Executives and directors bought stock in nearly 600 companies last week, which is almost the same as the last two-weeks combined.

Hopefully, the heightened board room enthusiasm is a sign that the economy is going to gain strength in 2014 – fingers crossed.

As readers know, one of iStock favorite insider buying traits is the buyers past performance record. Studies have shown that insiders as a group outperform professional money managers i.e. mutual funds, hedge funds…

We like to take it one step further than just buying, iStock specifically targets insiders with a history of making the correct call. Extreme Networks Inc. (EXTR) Director, Maury Austin is taking a second bite of the apple.

[Related -Cree (CREE) Retreats After CFO Resigns To Take Similar Role At Extreme Networks (EXTR)]

Extreme Networks provides network infrastructure equipment and services for enterprises, data centers, and service providers.

On May 17, 2012, Austin purchased 10,000 shares of the tech stock in the open market at $3.49 for a total investment of $34,900. Last week, he increased the share amount by 50% and invested 2.5 times more money. The Director added another 15,000 shares at $6.39 for a total of $95,850.

It is interesting to note that Austin's previous buy was close to 52-week low while last week's buy was near a 52-week high. We also see substantial differences based on price-to-sales (P/S) and price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios.

[Related -Hot Stocks Of The Day: TM, AIG, GOLD, EXTR, PGNX, DRC, HERO, TXN, WAG, CHSI]

In May of 2012, EXTR was trading at 31.67 times earnings and at 1.02 times sales. Last week, Austin was willing to pay 1.98 times sales, and an infinite P/E as Extreme is unprofitable at the moment.

Looking forward, Wall Street thinks EXTR will make $0.42 for fiscal 2014 on revenue of $556.37 million. The average P/E in ! the last five-years was 44.12 for the networking company, of course that's only when Extreme made money.

If the company trades at its average P/E multiple and meets the street's view, then Austin's $6.39 stock would be worth $15.53.  The five-year, average price-to-sales multiple would need to expand to turn a profit for the Director this time. EXTR's average P/S ratio was 0.91 in the last half-decade, which translates to a price of $5.36 using 2014's consensus sales number.

Overall: It does appear Wall Street is widening Extreme Networks Inc. (EXTR) valuations at the moment. If the company can hit Wall Street's 2014 targets, there seems to be upside, which would make Maury Austin a two-time Extreme winner. 

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now

Asian stocks rose, paring this week�� loss, as a gauge of China�� manufacturing unexpected expanded and after the Federal Reserve maintained its bond-buying program at current levels.

Panasonic Corp., Japan�� largest consumer electronics maker, climbed 6.8 percent after posting profit that beat estimates. STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co. (067250) jumped 15 percent in Seoul after agreeing to restructure it debt. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), the nation�� biggest lender, fell 1.5 percent, pacing losses among the nation�� financial shares on a report the government will impose a new tax on banks.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index advanced 1.2 percent to 133.85 as of 7:23 p.m. in Tokyo, with all 10 industry groups on the gauge rising. Almost three shares gained for each that fell on the measure, which is headed for a 1.1 percent loss this week. Futures on the Standard & Poor�� 500 Index added 0.7 percent.

��he market consensus is that China�� economy is slowing, but it won�� crash,��Koji Toda, chief fund manager at Resona Bank Ltd., Japan�� fifth-largest lender by market value, said in Tokyo. ��apanese stocks are rebounding after dropping yesterday, with individual shares moving according to earnings.��

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Banco Bradesco SA (BBD)

Banco Bradesco S.A. (the Bank), incorporated on November 5, 1943, is commercial bank. The Bank offers a range of banking and financial products and services in Brazil and abroad to individuals, large, midsized and small companies and local and international corporations and institutions. It operates in two segments: the banking, and the insurance, pension and capitalization bonds. Its products and services encompass banking operations, such as loans and advances and deposittaking, credit card issuance, purchasing consortiums, insurance, leasing, payment collection and processing, pension plans, asset management and brokerage services. The main services it offers through Bradesco Expresso are receipt and submission of account applications; receipt and submission of account applications; Social Security National Service (INSS) benefit payments; checking and savings account deposits, and receipt of consumption bills, bank charges and taxes. In May, 2011, the Bank acquired Banco do Estado do Rio de Janeiro S.A. (BERJ).

Banking

The Banking segment includes deposit-taking with clients, including checking accounts, savings accounts and time deposits; loans and advances (individuals and companies, real estate financing, microcredit, onlending BNDES funds, rural credit, leasing, among others); credit cards, debit cards and pre-paid cards; management of receipts and payments; asset management; services related to capital markets and investment banking activities; intermediation and trading services; custody, depositary and controllership services; international banking services, and purchasing consortiums.

The Bank offers a variety of deposit products and services to our customers through its branches, including Non-interest bearing checking accounts, such as Easy Account, Click Account, Academic Account and Cell Phone Bonus Account; traditional savings accounts; time deposits, and deposits from financial institutions. As of December 31, 2011, it had 43.4 million savings a! ccounts. It offers its customers certain additional services, such as identified deposits and real-time banking transfers. Its loans and advances to customers, consumer credit, corporate and agricultural-sector loans, totaled R$263.5 billion as of December 31, 2011.

The Bank�� loan portfolio consists of short-term loans, vehicle financings and overdraft loans on checking accounts. It also provides revolving credit facilities and traditional term loans. As of December 31, 2011, it had outstanding advances, vehicle financings, consumer loans and revolving credit totaling R$58.0 billion, or 22.0% of its portfolio of loans and advances. Banco Bradesco Financiamentos (Bradesco Financiamentos) offers direct-to-consumer credit and leasing for the acquisition of vehicles and payroll-deductible loans to the public and private sectors 'in Brazil. Supported by BF Promotora de Vendas Ltda. (BF Promotora), and using the Bradesco Financiamentos brand, the Bank operates through its network of correspondents in Brazil, consisting of retailers and dealers selling light vehicles, trucks and motorcycles, to offer financing and/or leasing for vehicles. Through Bradesco Promotora brand, it offer payroll-deductible loans to social security retirees and pensioners, public-sector employees, military personnel and private-sector companies sponsoring plans, and other aggregated products (insurance, capitalization bonds, cards, purchasing consortiums, and others).

As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had 63,156 outstanding real estate loans. As of December 31, 2011, the aggregate outstanding amount of its real estate loans amounted to R$15.9 billion, representing 6% of its portfolio of loans and advances. As of December 31, 2011, it had 69,491 microcredit loans outstanding, totaling R$62.8 million. Its BNDES onlending portfolio totaled R$35.4 billion as of December 31, 2011.

The Bank provides traditional loans for the ongoing needs of its corporate customers. It had R$85.8 billion of outstand! ing other! local commercial loans, accounting for 32.5% of its portfolio of loans and advances as of December 31, 2011. It offers a range of loans to its Brazilian corporate customers, including short-term loans of 29 days or less; guaranteed checking accounts and corporate overdraft loans; discounting trade receivables, promissory notes, checks, credit card and supplier receivables, and a number of other receivables; financing for purchase and sale of goods and services; corporate real estate financing, and investment lines for acquisition of assets and machinery. As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had R$11 billion in outstanding rural loans, representing 4.2% of its portfolio of loans and advances. The Bank conducts its leasing operations through its primary leasing subsidiary, Bradesco Leasing and also through Bradesco Financiamentos.

The Bank offers electronic solutions for receipt and payment management solutions, which include collection and payment services and online resource management enabling its customers to pay suppliers, salaries, and taxes and other levies to governmental or public entities. The global cash management concept provides solutions for multinationals in Brazil and/or domestic companies operating abroad. It manages third-party assets through mutual funds; individual and corporate investment portfolios; pension funds, including assets guaranteeing the technical provisions of Bradesco Vida e Previdencia, and insurance companies, including assets guaranteeing the technical provisions of Bradesco Seguros.

The Bank�� subsidiaries Bradesco S.A. CTVM and Agora S.A. CTVM (or Bradesco Corretora and Agora Corretora, respectively) trade stocks, options, stock lending, public offerings and forwards. They also offer a range of products, such as Brazilian government securities (under the Tesouro Direto program), BM&F trading, investor clubs and investment funds.

The Bank offers a range of international services, such as foreign exchange transactions, foreign tr! ade finan! ce, lines of credit and banking. As of December 31, 2011, its international banking services included New York City, a branch and Bradesco Securities Inc., its subsidiary brokerage firm, or Bradesco Securities United States, and its subsidiary Bradesco North America LLC, or Bradesco North America; London, Bradesco Securities U.K., its subsidiary, or Bradesco Securities U.K.; Cayman Islands, two Bradesco branches and its subsidiary, Cidade Capital Markets Ltd., or Cidade Capital Markets; Argentina, Banco Bradesco Argentina S.A., its subsidiary, or Bradesco Argentina; Banco Bradesco Luxemburgo S.A. its subsidiary, or Bradesco Europe; Japan, Bradesco Services Co. Ltd., its subsidiary, or Bradesco Services Japan; in Hong Kong, its subsidiary Bradesco Trade Services Ltd, or Bradesco Trade, and in Mexico, its subsidiary Ibi Services, Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, or Ibi Mexico.

The Bank�� Brazilian foreign-trade related business consists of export and import finance. In addition to import and export finance, its customers have access to a range of services and foreign exchange products, such as purchasing and selling travelers checks and foreign currency paper money; cross border money transfers; advance payment for exports; accounts abroad in foreign currency; cash holding in other countries; collecting import and export receivables; repaid cards with foreign currency (individual), and structured foreign currency transactions through its foreign units.

Insurance, pension plans and capitalization bonds

The Bank offers insurance products through a number of different entities, which it refers to collectively as Grupo Bradesco Seguros. It offers life, personal accident and random events insurance through its subsidiary Bradesco Vida e Previdencia. It offers health insurance policies through Bradesco Saude and its subsidiaries for small, medium or large companies. It provides automobile, property/casualty and liability products through its subsidiary Bradesco Auto! /RE. It a! lso offers certain automobile, health, and property/casualty insurance products directly through its Website.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Apollo Investment Corporation(AINV)

Apollo Investment Corporation is business development company and operates as a closed-end management investment company. The company invests in middle market companies. It provides direct equity capital, mezzanine and senior secured loans, and subordinated debt and loans. It also seeks to invest in PIPES transactions. The company may also invest in public companies that are thinly traded and may acquire investments in the secondary market. It prefers to invest in warrants, makes equity co-investments, and may also invest in cash equivalents, U.S. government securities, high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less, high-yield bonds, distressed debt, non-U.S. investments, or securities of public companies that are not thinly traded. The company typically invests in building materials, business services, cable television, chemicals, consumer products, direct marketing, distribution, energy and utilities, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, media, publishing, retail and transportation. It primarily invests between $20 million and $250 million in its portfolio companies. The company seeks to make investments with stated maturities of five to ten years.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  Here are a couple private equity-powered dividend stocks on my radar right now:

  Apollo Investment (AINV)

  Apollo Global Management (APO) is one of the world�� largest asset management and private equity firms with more than $100 billion under management. Its largest publicly offered vehicle is Apollo Investment (AINV), a business development company that invests in and ends to middle-market companies and pays out 90% of its net income to shareholders.

Top Financial Stocks To Watch For 2014: Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT)

Fulton Financial Corporation operates as a multi-bank financial holding company that provides various banking and financial services to businesses and consumers. It offers various deposits, such as checking account and savings deposit products, certificates of deposits, and individual retirement accounts. The company also provides consumer lending products, including commercial and industrial, financial, agricultural, and real estate loans; secured consumer loan products comprising home equity loans and lines of credit; fixed and variable-rate products, including construction loans and jumbo loans; residential mortgages; and consumer loan products consisting of automobile loans, automobile and equipment leases, personal lines of credit, and checking account overdraft protection. In addition, it offers equipment leasing, letters of credit, cash management services, and traditional deposit products; and investment management, trust, brokerage, insurance, and investment advis ory services. Further, the company is involved in reinsuring credit life, and accident and health insurance; and sells various life insurance products. As of March 19, 2013, Fulton Financial Corporation operated 267 branches in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Virginia. The company was founded in 1882 and is headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Ohio Legacy Corporation(OLCB)

Ohio Legacy Corp. operates as a bank holding company for Premier Bank & Trust, National Association that provides retail and commercial banking services to its customers located in Stark, Wayne, and Belmont Counties in Ohio. The company offers a range of deposit products, including interest-bearing demand deposits, noninterest-bearing demand deposits, personal and business checking, time accounts, savings and money market accounts, certificates of deposit, Internet banking, cash management, and direct-deposit services. It also provides commercial loans, construction loans, real estate mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, and installment and personal loans. In addition, the company offers safe deposit box facilities, courier services, night depository facilities, Internet banking, cash management, direct-deposit services, and electronic funds transfer services, as well as provides trust, wealth management, and investment brokerage services. It provides its banking s ervices through its four branch offices and a trust office. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in North Canton, Ohio. Ohio Legacy Corp. is a subsidiary of Excel Bancorp, LLC.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Intact Financial Corp (IFC.TO)

Intact Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty insurance products for individuals and small to medium size businesses primarily in Canada and the United States. It underwrites standard and non-standard automobile, home, and commercial property insurance products. The company markets its products through a network of insurance brokers or directly under the Intact Insurance, belairdirect, GP Car and Home, JEVCO, and Novex Group Insurance brands. The company was formerly known as ING Canada Inc. and changed its name to Intact Financial Corporation in May 2009. Intact Financial Corporation was founded in 1809 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: The Blackstone Group L.P.(BX)

The Blackstone Group, L.P., together with its subsidiaries, provides alternative asset management and financial advisory services worldwide. The company operates in five segments: Private Equity, Real Estate, Hedge Fund Solutions, Credit Businesses, and Financial Advisory. The Private Equity segment involves in private equity investing through five general private equity funds and one specialized fund focusing on communications-related investments. This segment engages in various transactions comprising leveraged buyout acquisitions of seasoned companies, transactions involving growth equity or start-up businesses in established industries, minority investments, corporate partnerships, distressed debt, structured securities, and industry consolidations. The Real Estate segment manages general opportunistic real estate funds and internationally focused opportunistic real estate funds. This segment also has debt investment funds targeting non-controlling real estate debt-rel ated investment opportunities in the public and private markets, primarily in the United States and Europe. The Hedge Fund Solutions segment manages funds of hedge funds, and Indian-focused and Asian-focused closed-end mutual funds. The Credit Businesses segment manages credit-oriented funds, CLOs, credit-focused separately managed accounts, and publicly registered debt-focused investment companies. The Financial Advisory segment offers financial and strategic advisory, including corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions advice; restructuring and reorganization advisory; and fund placement services for alternative investment funds. Blackstone Group Management L.L.C. operates as the general partner of the company. The Blackstone Group, L.P. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Amanda Alix]

  For Wall Street types, single-family foreclosures can be bought cheaply and in bulk, then fixed up and rented. Companies like the Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX  ) and Colony Financial (NYSE: CLNY  ) have been very active in this market, with the former purchasing 16,000 homes just last year, and the latter ramping up its own portfolio to approximately 7,000. This new industry has also spawned fresh entrants from the REIT field, Silver Bay Realty (NYSE: SBY  ) and Altisource Residential, (NYSE: RESI  ) two trusts that were spun off earlier this year from parent companies Two Harbors Investment (NYSE: TWO  ) and Altisource Portfolio Solutions (NASDAQ: ASPS  ) , specifically to take advantage of the boom in the foreclosure-to-rental market.

• [By Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson]

  Shares of The Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX  ) took a 5% hit today. In this segment, Matt talks about a lesser-discussed metric here at the Fool, the beta of a stock, and tells investors that Blackstone's high beta indicates that this stock tends to experience an increased amount of volatility when compared to the broader market.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Weingarten Realty Investors(WRI)

Weingarten Realty Investors operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). The company engages in the management, acquisition, and development of real estate. It operates in two segments, Shopping Center and Industrial. The Shopping Center segment engages in the acquisition, development, and management of real estate, primarily anchored neighborhood and community shopping centers located in Texas, California, Louisiana, Arizona, Nevada, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Utah, Kentucky, and Maine. Its customer base includes supermarkets, discount retailers, drugstores, and other retailers. The Industrial segment engages in the acquisition, development, and management of bulk warehouses and office/service centers. Its properties are located in Texas, Nevada, Georgia, Florida, California, and Tennessee. As of June 30, 2005, Weingarten Realty Investors owned or operated under long -term leases, directly or through its interest in joint ventures or partnerships, a total of 350 developed properties and 3 properties that are in various stages of development. Its properties include 294 shopping centers and 59 industrial properties. Weingarten Realty Investors qualifies as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, it would not be taxed on the portion of its income, which is distributed to shareholders, provided it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income. The company was founded in 1948 and is based in Houston, Texas.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: First Bancshares Inc.(FBSI)

First Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for the First Home Savings Bank that offers a range of community banking products and services in Missouri. It primarily engages in generating deposits and originating loans. The company?s deposit products include negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, money market accounts, regular savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and retirement savings plans. Its loan portfolio comprises real estate loans, such as residential mortgage, commercial real estate, land, and second mortgage loans; consumer loans, including automobile, recreational vehicles, mobile home, savings account, and various other consumer loans; and commercial business loans. As of February 14, 2012, the company operated from its home office in Mountain Grove and 10 full service offices in Marshfield, Ava, Gainesville, Sparta, Springfield, Theodosia, Crane, Galena, Kissee Mills, and Rockaway Beach, Missouri. First Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1 911 and is based in Mountain Grove, Missouri.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Home Federal Bancorp Inc. of Louisiana(HFBL)

Home Federal Bancorp, Inc. of Louisiana operates as the holding company for Home Federal Bank, which provides financial services to individuals, corporate entities, and other organizations in northwest Louisiana. The company?s deposit products include savings accounts, NOW accounts, money market accounts, and certificate accounts, as well as passbook savings, certificates of deposit, and demand deposit accounts. Its loan portfolio comprises real estate loans, such as one to four family residential loans; commercial-real estate loans; multi-family residential loans; commercial business loans; land loans; construction loans; home equity and second mortgage loans; equity lines of credit; and consumer loans, including loans secured by deposit accounts, automobile loans, and other unsecured loans. The company also offers wealth management services. As of December 7, 2010, it operated through its main office, two branch offices, and one agency office in Shreveport, Louisiana. T he company is based in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Bank-holding company Banner Corp.(BANR) on Tuesday said it had agreed to buy Home Federal Bancorp Inc.(HFBL) (HOME) for $197 million in cash and stock. The deal, expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, will result in a combined company with about $5.2 billion in assets, making it the fourth-largest bank in the Pacific Northwest by assets, the companies said.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Argo Group International Holdings Ltd.(AGII)

Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. underwrites specialty insurance and reinsurance products in the property and casualty market worldwide. The company?s Excess and Surplus Lines segment underwrites casualty, property, transportation, and binding authority for commercial enterprises, including restaurants, contractors, day care centers, apartment complexes, condominium associations, manufacturers, and distributors; and offers policies for medical facilities within the social services, miscellaneous healthcare, and long term care markets, as well as for lawyers, miscellaneous professions, employment practices, and real estate related accounts. This segment also provides package policies for environmental consultants and contractors, storage tanks, dry cleaners pollution liability, as well as other environmental related liability exposures; and coverage for architects and engineers, accountants, and insurance agents. Its Commercial Specialty segment offers property casu alty and surety coverages; and underwrites business coverage for small commercial businesses comprising office, retail operations, light manufacturing, services, and restaurants. This segment also provides general and automobile liability, automobile physical damage, property, inland marine, crime, public official?s and educator?s legal liability, employment practices, law enforcement liability, environmental and lawyers professional liability, student accident, police and firefighters accident, workers compensation, inmate medical, and tax interruption coverages. In addition, the company?s International Specialty segment covers claims arising from catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, windstorms, hailstorms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, fires, industrial explosions, freezes, riots, floods, and other man-made or natural disasters. Further, its Syndicate 1200 segment underwrites property and non-U.S. liability insurance. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. (Nasdaq:AGII), an international underwriter of specialty insurance and reinsurance products, reported that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents per share on the company’s common stock.

Top 10 Tech Stocks For 2014

Around the globe and Down Under it, L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL  ) landed a pair of new contracts this week.

On Thursday, the Australian Defence Force announced that it has signed two contracts with L-3's Oceania subsidiary, ordering up "off-the-shelf" satellite communications terminals.

Under the first contract, L-3 will supply the ADF with 51 portable satellite terminals, 30 deployment kits, spare parts, and test equipment for $32 million. This equipment will be delivered in 2014. Under the second, L-3 will provide integrated logistics support, engineering services, supply support services, maintenance services, and training in the use of the terminals for $7 million, payable over three years.

Commenting on the awards, Australian Minister for Defence Material Dr. Mike Kelly explained that the new equipment will enable "linking of sensors, weapon systems, and commanders to their respective command and control systems" through technology certified for use on the Wideband Global Satellite System.

Top 10 Tech Stocks For 2014: Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc.(RSTI)

Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, engineering, manufacturing, and marketing of laser-based products worldwide. The company offers laser macro products to machine tool and automotive markets for cutting and welding of metals. It also provides laser marking products to semiconductor and electronics markets for the marking of integrated circuits, wafers, solar cells, electronic components, and smart cards, as well as to automotive markets for the marking of labels and car components. In addition, the company offers laser micro products for fine welding, fine cutting, micro structuring, and drilling applications in medical devices, semiconductor and electronics, photovoltaic, dental, and jewelry markets; and for perforating and scribing of paper and foils in packaging and paper industries. Further, it provides components to laser industry. The company sells its products in approximately 65 countries to original e quipment manufacturers, systems integrators, and industrial end-users. Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc. was founded in 1975 and is based in Plymouth, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  For decades, the standard technology in the laser industry has been the carbon-based laser. In reality, these lasers are still commonly used, and sold in bulk by the likes of Rofin-Sinar (NASDAQ: RSTI  ) and Coherent (NASDAQ: COHR  ) . They are used largely for precision cutting of large pieces of metal.

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  Rofin-Sinar (NASDAQ: RSTI  ) , Coherent (NASDAQ: COHR  ) , Newport (NASDAQ: NEWP  ) , and JDS Uniphase (NASDAQ: JDSU  ) all offer fiber-optic lasers as well.

Top 10 Tech Stocks For 2014: Kingtone Wirelessinfo Solution Holding Ltd(KONE)

Kingtone Wirelessinfo Solution Holding Ltd operates as a software and solutions developer focusing on wirelessly enabling businesses and government agencies. The company develops and provides mobile enterprise solutions, which allow company personnel whose work function requires mobility to be connected with enterprise information technology systems, including enterprise asset management, enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, and customer relationship management. It develops and implements mobile enterprise solutions for customers in various sectors and industries to enhance efficiencies by enabling information management in wireless environments. The company?s software enables such systems to get extended to personnel in the field using wireless devices, such as smart phones, PDAs, cameras, barcode scanners, portable printers, GPS devices, and tablet computers. Its mobile enterprise solutions are built on its proprietary core middleware platform consisti ng of standardized modules. The company was formerly known as ReiZii Capital Management Ltd. and changed its name to Kingtone Wirelessinfo Solution Holding Ltd in December 2009. Kingtone Wirelessinfo Solution Holding was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Xi?an, China.

Hot Undervalued Stocks To Watch For 2014: Evolving Systems Inc.(EVOL)

Evolving Systems, Inc. provides software solutions and services to the wireless, wireline, and Internet protocol (IP) cable markets. It offers Dynamic SIM Allocation solution that offers carriers a way to provide wireless services by activating and assigning resources to the wireless device when it is first used; and Tertio, a service activation solution for carriers to activate a new subscriber or to add a new service to an existing subscriber, as well as provides an operating environment to manage their voice, data, and content service needs for their IP networks. The company?s LNP and WNP software solutions comprise OrderPath order entry; NumberManager network provisioning; LNP DataServer data warehousing; VeriPort NPAC testing; and Verify product suite for monitoring carriers? application communications. In addition, the company provides billing mediation products, which include Evident that supports convergent voice, data, and content services, and enables the managem ent of data, allowing reconciliation of data inputs and outputs. Further, it offers network mediation products, including Mediation Central that supports a range of technologies that carriers deploy in their network, and provides support for wireline, broadband, transport, and wireless networks; and Traffic Data Management System, a product for wireline carriers to collect usage data from their circuit switch networks. The company also provides various professional and integration services for the design, customization, integration, and deployment of its products. It operates primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Greece, and Canada. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado.

Top 10 Tech Stocks For 2014: Tangoe Inc (TNGO)

Tangoe, Inc. (Tangoe), incorporated on February 9, 2000, is a global provider of communications lifecycle management (CLM), software and services to a range of enterprises, including large and medium-sized businesses and other organizations. CLM encompasses the entire lifecycle of an enterprise's communications assets and services, including planning and sourcing, procurement and provisioning, inventory and usage management, mobile device management (MDM), invoice processing, expense allocation and accounting, and asset decommissioning and disposal. Its on-demand Communications Management Platform is a suite of software designed to manage and optimize the complex processes and expenses associated with this lifecycle for both fixed and mobile communications assets and services. On February 21, 2012, it acquired ttMobiles Limited (ttMobiles), On January 10, 2012, Tangoe acquired Anomalous Networks Inc. On December 19, 2011, it acquired ProfitLine, Inc. (ProfitLine).On March 16, 2011, the Company acquired the telecommunications expense management division of Telwares, Inc. and its subsidiary Vercuity Solutions, Inc. (Telwares). On January 25, 2011, it acquired HCL Expense Management Services Inc. (HCL). On August 8, 2012, the Company acquired the Telecommunications Expense Management Business of Symphony Teleca (TEM Business).

The Company�� solution is implemented worldwide, providing service coverage in over 180 countries and territories in over 125 currencies with support for approximately 1,700 different communications carriers and 1,900 different billing formats. Its user interface is translated into 16 different languages and its solution supports compliance with the requirements of 63 regulatory committees around the world. Its on-demand software organizes disparate billing, ordering, asset and usage data into a format, allowing its customers to access, query and analyze their communications expense and asset profile information. Improved control of the billing process helps enterpri! ses ensure they pay their bills on time, avoiding late payments and associated service interruptions. Its software also provides customers proactive and predictive mobile usage alerts allowing them to avoid mobile bill overages. Its solution allows its customers to manage the financial, legal and reputational risks associated with unauthorized or unintended use of their communications assets and services.

Communications Management Platform

The Company�� customers can engage the Company through its client service group to manage their communications assets and services using a combination of CMP and its client services. The services it offers include help desk, asset procurement and provisioning and carrier dispute resolution. Its Communications Data Management technology processes and normalizes service-provider billing and order-related information for its customers. CMP also integrates with its customers' critical third-party enterprise systems, including enterprise resource planning, accounts payable, general ledger and human resources systems, which enables automated, real-time access to and synchronization with employee, accounting, user access authentication and security policy information.

The Company sells CMP in three standard bundles: Asset Management, Expense Management and Usage Management. The Asset Management bundle of CMP provides asset procurement, provisioning, tracking and disposal capabilities for fixed and mobile communications assets and services. The Asset Management bundle tracks and audits all add, move, change or disconnect service transaction orders and manages all customer assets and services by location, business unit and employee. Its MDM software allows its customers to manage and maintain their mobile inventory with wireless, real-time monitoring and remote update functions. Key capabilities of the Asset Management bundle of CMP include catalog management, procure, provision, track, maintain and dispose.

Catalog Manage! ment incl! ude Customer-configurable catalog of over 51,500 services, devices, features and plans with dynamic access and presentation based on corporate policy and user profile. Procure include capture, validation, approval, submission and tracking of fixed and mobile service and equipment orders. Provision is engaged in establishment of mobile device enterprise connectivity with installation of corporate applications, usage and security policies utilizing wireless provisioning capabilities. Track includes tracking of fixed and mobile assets, including information regarding characteristics, configurations, ownership and operational and connectivity status. Maintain include centralized management of mobile devices enabled through on-device software providing security and usage policy enforcement as well as automated mobile policy and mobile application deployments and updates. Dispose include collection, data cleansing and disposal of mobile devices.

The Expense Management bundle of CMP provides automated processing and services to manage every aspect of the fixed and mobile communications billing function, from receipt to payment. Key capabilities of the Expense Management bundle of CMP include contract management, billing, audit, dispute, allocate, payment and optimize. The Usage Management bundle of CMP provides enterprises with visibility and control over how communications assets and services are being used in fixed and mobile environments through a combination of real-time and historical usage tracking as well as corporate communications and security policy enforcement. The Company�� capabilities of the Usage Management bundle of CMP include secure, policy management, monitor, real-time, compliance, performance and support. The Company offers Real-time Telecommunications Expense Management (rTEM) bundled or as a point solution. Its rTEM solution serves the enterprise, medium and small business and carrier deployment markets.

The Company�� rTEM solution provides businesses and ca! rriers of! all sizes the ability to monitor, report and analyze data, voice, short message service (SMS) and roaming consumption of their mobile devices in real-time. Its rTEM solution utilizes predictive algorithms designed to proactively identify and help prevent costly, unexpected overages from occurring. Its rTEM solution also provides device location monitoring services to help find lost or stolen devices, as well as device geo-fencing features to alert appropriate individuals that an asset is leaving or entering pre-defined geographic tracking areas, providing additional device security tracking. Its rTEM solution supports implementation on smartphones, tablets and machine-to-machine communication devices.

Strategic Consulting and Other Services

The Company offers a set of strategic consulting services that address all areas of CLM for fixed and mobile environments. These services can be contracted separately or in conjunction with CMP. Its strategic consulting services offerings include sourcing, strategic advisory service, bill auditing, inventory optimization, mobile optimization and policy administration. The Company assists its customers with reviewing and negotiating contracts with communications carriers. The Company provides its clients with peer comparison analysis and benchmarking. It works with its customers to identify billing errors and other issues related to usage and contract activity. The Company advises its customers on how to align their current asset and service inventories with their business objectives. The Company aids its customers in aligning their mobile policies, assets, contracts and requirements. It works with its customers to formulate policies concerning the appropriate use of communications assets and services. In addition, the Company helps its customers develop policies regarding risk mitigation, entitlements, cost management, liability models, cost allocation methodologies and positive behavioral management. The Company also offers standard imple! mentation! services, including data conversion, system configuration, process review and corporate system integration, to assist its customers in the setup and deployment of CMP.

The Company competes with Emptoris, Rivermine, MDSL, Symphony SMS, Vodafone, XIGO, AirWatch, BoxTone, Good Technology, MobileIron, Sybase, Zenprise, CSC, Orange, Ariba and PAETEC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  What: Shares of Tangoe (NASDAQ: TNGO  ) have danced higher today, up by 13% at the high, after the company announced a partnership with software giant SAP (NYSE: SAP  ) .

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Tangoe Inc. (NASDAQ: TNGO) is another small cap name with potential for huge upside. The company provides communications life cycle management software and services primarily to commercial enterprises and governmental agencies. The company offers an on-demand communications management platform (CMP), a suite of software designed to manage and optimize the complex processes and expenses associated with the life cycle of an enterprise’s fixed and mobile communications assets and services. The Deutsche Bank price target for the stock is at $28, while the consensus level is at $27. Trading to the target would represent a 60% gain for investors.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Historically, most companies have not tried to manage this process. Tangoe (TNGO) helps companies consolidate and renegotiate contracts by using the buying power that's already there to help companies better manage this end of their business.

Top 10 Tech Stocks For 2014: Solarwinds Inc.(SWI)

SolarWinds, Inc. designs, develops, markets, sells, and supports enterprise information technology (IT) infrastructure management software for IT professionals in various organizations in the United States and internationally. The company offers enterprise-class IT management products, including Network Performance Monitor, a server-based fault and performance management platform to minimize network downtime; Network Performance Monitor modules, a series of add-ons; network configuration manager to automate the processes of network device discovery, network inventory management, and network change management; user device tracker, a server-based switch port management tool; scalability engines to increase the scale of a number of the products; and enterprise operations console to provide web-based views of various instances of Network Performance Monitor modules and Application Performance Monitor. Its enterprise-class network and IT management products also comprise Applic ation Performance Monitor, a server-based availability and performance management system for applications and server infrastructure; patch manager to automate the process of deploying, managing, and reporting on patches and configuration settings; and synthetic end user monitor to capture the user steps of any web application and monitor the end-user experience; storage manager that combines reporting, monitoring, and notification on the performance of storage resources; backup profiler to provide a consolidated view of the status of backup operations; virtualization manager to manage various aspects of virtual server infrastructure; and log and event manager to automate the collection and interpretation of logs. In addition, the company provides free tools, such as desktop, laptop, server-based, or internet-based applications; and tools and toolsets for specific solutions of routine and complicated tasks. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas .

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of SolarWinds (NYSE: SWI  ) dropped 14% today as investors reacted to the company's acquisition plans.

  So what: Yesterday, the company announced it will buy N-able, a cloud-based IT infrastructure company, for $120 million. This is expected to reduce 2013 earnings and there's no guarantee the acquisition will pay off, so investors sold off shares today. �

Top 10 Tech Stocks For 2014: Rovi Corporation(ROVI)

Rovi Corporation provides digital entertainment technology solutions for the discovery and management of entertainment content. It offers interactive program guides; embedded licensing technologies, such as recommendations and search capability; media recognition technologies; licensing of the company?s database of descriptive information about television, movie, music, books, and game content; and analog content protection technologies and services. The company?s interactive program guides technology is an interactive listing of television or video program information that enables viewers to navigate through, sort, select, and schedule video programming for viewing and recording. The company also provides video delivery solutions, such as compression-decompression technology (codec) to enable distribution of content across the Internet and through recordable media in physical or streamed forms; and media manager, a personal computer application enabling consumers to man age personal media files, including music, photos, and video files. In addition, it offers digital copy solution for consumer electronics devices and PC software applications; the Rovi Entertainment Store video delivery solutions; content authoring solutions; and advertising solutions. Rovi Corporation primarily serves companies in the consumer electronics, cable and satellite, entertainment, and online distribution markets. The company was formerly known as Macrovision Solutions Corporation and changed its name to Rovi Corporation in July 2009. Rovi Corporation was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  What: Shares of Rovi (NASDAQ: ROVI  ) have lost nearly 12% today as a result of the company's disappointing earnings report. Both top and bottom lines missed estimates, and the company is now contemplating divestitures to keep itself afloat.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Rovi (Nasdaq: ROVI  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on May 1. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Rovi's revenues will decrease -12.8% and EPS will wither -17.9%.

Top 10 Tech Stocks For 2014: EntreMed Inc (ENMD.PH)

EntreMed, Inc. (EntreMed), incorporated in 1991, is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. EntreMed's drug candidate is ENMD-2076, an Aurora A and angiogenic kinase inhibitor for the treatment of cancer. ENMD-2076 has completed Phase I studies in patients with advanced solid tumors, multiple myeloma and leukemia and is completing data for a multi-center Phase II study in patients with platinum resistant ovarian cancer. The Company�� other product candidates have includes MKC-1, ENMD-1198 and 2-methoxyestrdiol (2ME2, Panzem) for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

ENMD-2076 is a novel orally-active, Aurora A/angiogenic kinase inhibitor with potent activity against Aurora A and multiple tyrosine kinases linked to cancer and inflammatory diseases. ENMD-2076 is relatively selective for the Aurora A isoform in comparison to Aurora B. Aurora kinases are key regulators of the process of mitosis, or cell division, and are often over-expressed in human cancers. E NMD-2076 exerts its effects through multiple mechanisms of action, including anti-proliferative activity and the inhibition of angiogenesis. ENMD-2076 has demonstrated significant, dose-dependent preclinical activity as a single agent, including tumor regression, in multiple xenograft models (such as breast, colon, leukemia), as well as activity towards ex vivo-treated human leukemia patient cells.

Top 10 Tech Stocks For 2014: Automatic Data Processing Inc.(ADP)

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. provides technology-based outsourcing solutions to employers, and vehicle retailers and manufacturers worldwide. It operates in three segments: Employer Services, Professional Employer Organization Services, and Dealer Services. The Employer Services segment offers a range of human resource (HR)information, payroll processing, and tax and benefits administration solutions and services, including traditional and Web-based outsourcing solutions. Its solutions enable employers to staff, manage, pay, and retain their employees. The Professional Employer Organization Services segment provides employment administration outsourcing solutions, including payroll, payroll tax filing, HR guidance, 401(k) plan administration, benefits administration, compliance services, health and workers? compensation coverage, and other supplemental benefits for employees. The Dealer Services segment offers integrated dealer management systems (DMS) and other busines s management solutions to automotive, truck, motorcycle, marine, recreational vehicle, and heavy machinery retailers. This segment also provides a suite of additional integrated applications to address department and functional area of the dealership, including customer relationship management applications, front-end sales and marketing/advertising solutions, and an IP Telephony phone system integrated into the DMS to help dealerships drive sales processes and business development initiatives, as well as offers computer hardware, hardware maintenance services, software support, system design, and network consulting services. In addition, it designs, establishes, and maintains communications networks for its dealership clients that allow interactive communications among various site locations, as well as links between franchised dealers and their vehicle manufacturer franchisors. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  ADP: Payroll processor and human resources management giant ADP (ADP) is another company that has had a few ups and downs, but is generally a rock-solid business. ADP now processes one in every six paychecks in the U.S. all the while managing human resource and tax planning functions for companies across a wide spectrum of sectors. ADP stubbed its toes between 2009-10 and had a minor hiccup between 2011-12, but is back on track again for 5% to 6% EPS growth in 2013. Also, ADP sports an “AAA” credit rating from Standard & Poor’s — one of only four companies with that gold-plated credit. Plus, ADP has increased its dividend 38 consecutive years, good for a modest 2.4% yield today.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Yet Paychex faces competitive threats on multiple fronts. On one hand, traditional rival Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ: ADP  ) has recently reupped on a deal with Visa to let employers pay their workers through prepaid Visa cards. For ADP's traditional big-business customers, that's not necessarily a huge draw, but for small- and mid-sized companies that tend have less formal arrangements for paying their employees, the program is appealing. That's especially troubling for Paychex because it has tended to favor those smaller businesses, leaving the biggest companies to ADP.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Automatic Data Processing (Nasdaq: ADP  ) reported earnings on May 3. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q3), Automatic Data Processing met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Rich Smith]

  The business of cutting paychecks for other folks' employees isn't what it used to be -- and lately, one stock in this business has been underperforming the stock market as a whole, and performing particularly poorly relative to its peers: Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ: ADP  ) . Why?

Top 10 Tech Stocks For 2014: Dell Inc.(DELL)

Dell Inc. provides integrated technology solutions in the information technology (IT) industry worldwide. It designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports mobility and desktop products, including notebooks, workstations, tablets, smartphones, and desktop PCs, as well as servers and networking products. The company offers storage solutions, including storage area networks, network-attached storage, direct-attached storage, and various backup systems. It also provides IT and business services comprising transactional services, such as support, managed deployment, enterprise installation, and configuration services; outsourcing services, including data center and systems management, network management, life cycle application development and management, and business process outsourcing services; and project-based services consisting of IT infrastructure, applications, business process, and business consulting services. In addition, the company offers third-part y software products comprising operating systems, business and office applications, anti-virus and related security software, and entertainment software; and peripheral products, such as printers, televisions, notebook accessories, mouse, keyboards, networking and wireless products, and digital cameras. Further, it provides financial services, including originating, collecting, and servicing customer receivables related to the purchase of its products and third-party technology products. The company sells its products and services directly through its sales representatives, telephone-based sales, and online sales; and through retailers, third-party solution providers, system integrators, and third-party resellers. It serves corporate businesses, law enforcement agencies, small and medium businesses, consumers, and public institutions that include government, education, and healthcare organizations. Dell Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]

  Dell offers a variety of technology products and services to companies and consumers worldwide. The recent buyout battle has put shareholders of the company in a tough spot. The stock has declined in the last several years, but looks to remain stagnant until the buyout of company is settled. Over the last four quarters, investors in the company have been disappointed, as earnings and revenue figures have decreased. Relative to its peers and sector, Dell has been a year-to-date performance leader. WAIT AND SEE what Dell does this coming quarter.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  Dell (NASDAQ: DELL  ) has been able to mostly avoid the bloodshed, with shares hardly flinching. However, that owes primarily to the numerous buyout offers on the table. Even though Dell is keenly aware of how bad the PC market is, there are now three offers to consider, and investors are just waiting for an exit.

• [By Tim Beyers]

  Think specifically of Dell (NASDAQ: DELL  ) and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ  ) , both of which offer SSD machines but whose customers are more price sensitive, says Tim Beyers of Motley Fool Rule Breakers and Motley Fool Supernova in the following video. Having access to Western Digital's higher-capacity drives should allow them to cater to budget-savvy customers that are still hungry for high performance, Tim says.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Dell (NASDAQ: DELL  ) isn't going to go out on top.

  Grim data out of industry tracker IDC doesn't paint a pretty picture on the state of the PC market. Worldwide shipments plunged 13.9% for all PC makers during the first quarter, according to IDC.�

Top 10 Tech Stocks For 2014: Supertex Inc.(SUPX)

Supertex, Inc., together with its subsidiary, Supertex Limited, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets high voltage analog and mixed signal integrated circuits (IC) primarily in Asia, the United States, China, and Europe. The company offers high voltage analog multiplexer switches, pulsers, high-speed MOSFET drivers, and discrete high voltage MOSFETs and arrays for the medical electronics market. It also provides LED driver products, including linear regulators and switching regulators for general lighting in automotive, industrial, and consumer applications; and for backlighting in LCD TVs, monitors, and laptop screens. In addition, the company offers electroluminescent lamps for backlighting hand-held instruments, such as cell phone keypads, watches, monochrome flat screens, and MP3 players; and driver ICs for driving non-impact printers and plotters. Further, it provides high voltage amplifier ICs to drive optical micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) for use in optical switching applications in the telecommunications market; high voltage electronic switch ICs for use in telephones; high voltage ICs for use as ring generators; and protection ICs for line cards. Additionally, the company offers ICs and DMOS devices primarily for various industrial applications. It markets and sells its products through direct sales personnel, independent sales representatives, and distributors primarily to original equipment manufacturers of electronic products. The company was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.