Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2015

Heading into this week, the stock market looked ready to follow the script one or the other of the weekend’s big opening films: the Tom Hanks vehicle Captain Phillips or Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills.With the former, brave investors are rescued at the last minute from the pirates in Washington D.C. In the latter, it’s a debt-ceiling induced bloodbath.

Hopper Stone, SMPSP

At the beginning of the week, it looked like a market massacre was on its way. The Dow Jones Industrials dropped 2% on Monday and Tuesday as it looked like the budget showdown would drag on into the debt ceiling and no one was giving ground. But the rescue came on Thursday as Republicans and Democrats started, you know, speaking to each other and the market soared 2.2%.

So Captain Phillips it is. The Dow Jones Industrials gained 1.1% to 15,237.11, avoiding a three-week slump, while the S&P 500 rose 0.8% to 1,703.20. The small-cap Russell 2000�jumped 1.4% to 1,084.32.

Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2015: Pacific Gas & Electric Co.(PCG)

PG&E Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility company that engages in electricity and natural gas distribution primarily in northern and central California. The company also involves in the generation, procurement, transmission, and distribution of electricity; and procurement, transportation, storage, and distribution of natural gas. It owns and operates electricity generation facilities, transmission and distribution lines, and substations; and an integrated natural gas transportation, storage, and distribution system, as well as has underground natural gas storage fields in California. The company serves residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, public street and highway lighting, and other electric utility customers. As of December 31, 2009, it served approximately 5.1 million electricity distribution customers and approximately 4.3 million natural gas distribution customers. The company also operated 18,650 circuit miles of intercon nected transmission lines and 141,213 circuit miles of distribution lines for electricity; and 42,142 miles of distribution pipelines, 6,438 miles of backbone and local transmission pipelines, and 3 storage facilities for natural gas. PG&E Corporation was founded in 1905 and is based in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Richard Stavros]

  Last August, PG&E Corp (NYSE: PCG), issued a callable 30-year bond (due Aug. 15, 2042) that yielded 3.75 percent at 99 (CUSIP: 694308HA8). But six months later, the bond was trading at a discount of 86.76 and yielding 4.586 percent, according to the last trade recorded by FINRA-Morningstar.

• [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Friday’s session are BlackBerry Ltd.(BB.T), PG&E Corp.(PCG) and Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc.(RH)

• [By Richard Stavros]

  At present, when looking at the top five utilities with the largest capital expenditure programs, we found many firms were barely exceeding their cost of capital, while there were a few that weren’t. According to Bloomberg analytics, those that earned above their cost of capital were: Duke Energy Corp (NYSE: DUK) (1.32 percent), American Electric Power (1.12 percent), NextEra (0.64 percent) and Southern Company (2.94 percent), while those firms not earning their cost of capital were Dominion (-2.27 percent) and PG&E Corp (NYSE: PCG) (-0.36 percent).

Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2015: ACCO Brands Corp (ACCO)

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

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

ACCO Brands North America and ACCO Brands International

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

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

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

! Computer Products Group

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

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

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

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

• [By John Kell]

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

• [By Will Ashworth]

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

  Cheap Stocks to Buy: ACCO Brands (ACCO)

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

Top 5 Energy Companies To Own In Right Now: SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services ETF (XES)

SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services Exchange Traded Fund (The Fund) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before expenses, the performance of an index derived from the oil and gas equipment and services segment of a United States total market composite index. The Fund uses a passive management strategy designed to track the total return performance of the S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services Select Industry Index (the Oil & Gas Equipment Index).

The Oil & Gas Equipment Index represents the oil and gas equipment and services sub-industry portion of the S&P Total Market Index (TMI). The S&P TMI tracks all the United States common stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), American Stock Exchange (AMEX), National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (NASDAQ) National Market and NASDAQ Small Cap exchanges.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Burnick]

  One ETF that fits the bill here is the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services ETF (XES).

  Energy stocks have lagged the overall market for the past few years and many oil and gas stocks are now undervalued relative to the S&P 500, which is getting pricier as stocks advance.

• [By Dr. Kent Moors]

  I have periodically recommended to Energy Advantageand Energy Inner Circlemembers two standouts in this sector - the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Equipment and Services ETF (NYSEArca: XES) and the Market Vectors Oil Service Holders ETF (NYSE MKT: OIH).

• [By Tony Daltorio]

  Moors' two oil service ETF picks - the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services ETF (NYSE Arca: XES) and the Market Vectors Oil Services ETF (NYSE Arca: OIH) - have both performed admirably in 2013.

Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2015: Bouygues SA (BOUYF.PK)

Bouygues SA is a France-based group that operates in two sectors: Telecommunications and Media, and Construction. The Construction division comprises three core subsidiaries: Bouygues Construction, specializing in building and public works activities, notably in the areas of electrical engineering, and facility maintenance; Bouygues Immobilier, a property development company, whose activities include the development of residential, corporate and commercial properties, and the execution of urban development schemes, and Colas, engaged in the construction and maintenance of transport, urban development and leisure infrastructure. The Telecommunications and Media division of the Group comprises two companies: TF1, specializing in audiovisual and cinema production, the acquisition and sale of audiovisual rights, and the publishing and distribution of compact discs, among others, and Bouygues Telecom, which offers mobile telephone and broadband Internet services. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mike Arnold]

  I normally don't look at charts much, but comparing Orange to its competitors in the French telecommunications market is quite fascinating. As one can see, incumbents Bouygues (BOUYF.PK) and Vivendi (VIVHY.PK) (owner of SFR) saw similar price declines. The market, on the other hand, rapidly bid up the price of new entrant Iliad SA (ILIAF.PK), as a result of forecasts for Iliad to capture significant mobile market share (which it did, around 10%). The wide divergence in price relative to changes in underlying value favor going long the incumbents, including Orange. Because this time it's different.

Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2015: Embraer SA (EMBR3)

Embraer SA is a Brazil-based holding company primarily engaged in the manufacture of aircrafts. The Company�� business activities are divided into three business segments: Commercial Aviation; Defense and Security Business, and Executive Aviation. The Commercial Aviation segment is involved in the development, production and sale of commercial jets, as well as in the provision of support services, with emphasis on the regional aviation industry and aircraft leasing. The Defense and Security Business segment mainly includes the research, development, production and modification of defense aircrafts as well systems and software design. Through the Executive Aviation segment, the Company is active in the development, production and sale of business jets, provision of support services related to this sector of the market and aircraft leasing. The Company has subsidiaries, affiliated companies and representative offices in Brazil, the United States, France, Holland and China, among others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lyubov Pronina]

  Most emerging-market stocks fell as Samsung Electronics Co.�� earnings missed estimates and planemaker Embraer SA (EMBR3) posted a surprise loss. Turkish stocks capped the biggest weekly loss since June after policy makers raised borrowing costs.