Friends With (Discount) Benefits: You Can Save on Almost Everything

Top 5 Diversified Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now

www.workingadvantage.com Employees of governments and businesses large and small can often get employee discounts, on purchases as diverse as belly dancing classes and home mortgages. Better yet, their friends and family can frequently enjoy some of those discounts, too. In general, the larger the company, the more likely it offers these deals. For instance, Southwest Airlines (LUV) offers free flights to both workers and their families; friends get discounts. Many of the larger telecom companies, like Verizon (VZ) and AT&T (T), have discounted service plans for employees of the government and large corporations. If you work for an insurance company or a bank, you might get discounts at Macy's (M) or on Apple (AAPL) or Dell computers. So if you have a friend or family member who works for a large entity, you might want to ask them to inquire with their human resources department about what employee discounts they -- and you -- might be entitled to. Join the Club But for variety and breadth of discounts, plus ease of access, the web is the way to go. Sites like corporateperks.com, workingadvantage.com, workplaceperks.com and corporateshopping.com can best be described as mashups of priceline.com (PCLN) and Groupon (GRPN). They offer discounts to some alumni, some students and members of many special interest clubs, societies and groups, such as AAA, Actors Equity and the Zoological Society of San Diego -- and, in some cases, their friends and family members. After finding out if a program is available to you, using it is fairly straightforward. Sign into the site with whatever identification is required, browse the list of merchants and add your purchases to the shopping cart. For example, CorporatePerks offers a Lenovo thinkpad that retails for $700 for $600; the 15 percent discount is roughly the amount of a Lenovo employee discount. WorkingAdvantage has a two-day ticket to Universal Florida for $165.99, a $30 discount from the standard price. Larger-ticket items can get more complicated, and don't forget shipping and taxes. Why These Deals Abound Companies offer employee discounts as a low-cost (to them) perk that makes workers happy, especially in retail. American Apparel (APP), the Gap (GPS), Best Buy (BBY) and J. Crew offer employees up to 50 percent off their merchandise. For companies outside of retail, an employee discount program is relatively cheap and easy to administer. Partner merchants get exposure to potential customers, so it's a win-win even if they are discounting their merchandise and paying a fee or percentage to the program management companies. Then the discount program managers have the advantage of aggregate buying power to leverage deeper discounts. If you can't find a listed employer, these employee discount managers are eager to bring in more eligible groups since more members gives more power to negotiate with merchants. Just ask your human resources department or an officer of your club, society or organization about signing up. More from Annalisa Kraft-Linder
•10 Strange and Sneaky Supermarket Savings Strategies •Why We Hate to Love Walmart (and Why It Can Still Surprise Us) •What Would It Take to Pay Back Mom for All She Does?

10 Best Logistics Stocks To Invest In 2015

10 Best Logistics Stocks To Invest In 2015: Walter Bau AG (WTB)

Walter Bau AG is an international construction group based in Augsburg, southern Germany. The Company's core construction-related services are planning, financing, project development and facilities management. It is active in the fields of turnkey construction, civil engineering, international construction and transportation infrastructure. Its subsidiary, DYWIDAG-Systems International markets the Company's products and systems worldwide, particularly in the field of post-tensioning and geotechnics, as well as special civil engineering processes. Walter Bau also provides operation and financing solutions, as well as developing commercial and residential real estate projects. Facilities Management is offered by DYWIDAG Service GmbH. Its Logistics Competence Center in Augsburg bundles the Company's Germany-wide activities as a general contractor in the planning, construction and support of distribution centers. The Company commenced insolvency proceedings in April 2005. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Whitbread Plc (WTB) added 4.1 percent to 3,114 pence, its largest advance since September 2012. Oriel Securities Ltd. raised its rating on the shares to buy from hold, citing improvement in the U.K. hotel market.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/10-best-logistics-stocks-to-invest-in-2015.html

4 Stocks Within Range of Breakouts

 DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Professional traders running mutual funds and hedge funds don't just look at a stock's price moves; they also track big changes in volume activity. Often when above-average volume moves into an equity, it precedes a large spike in volatility.

Major moves in volume can signal unusual activity, such as insider buying or selling -- or buying or selling by "superinvestors."

Unusual volume can also be a major signal that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. These types of traders like to get in well before a large spike, so it's always a smart move to monitor unusual volume. That said, remember to combine trend and price action with unusual volume. Put them all together to help you decipher the next big trend for any stock.

With that in mind, let's take a look at several stocks rising on unusual volume today.

Iron Mountain

Iron Mountain (IRM) is a global provider of information protection and storage services. This stock closed up 1% at $26.88 in Monday's trading session.

Monday's Volume: 2.16 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.41 million

Volume % Change: 95%

From a technical perspective, IRM bounced modestly higher here right above some near-term support at $26 with above-average volume. This stock looks like it might have formed a double bottom chart pattern at $25.91 to $25.53, after shares plunged sharply back in May to late June from $39.32 to $25.91. Shares of IRM have now started to rebound off that $25.53 low with strong upside volume flows. That move is quickly pushing IRM within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if IRM manages to take out Monday's high of $26.94 and then once it clears its 50-day moving average at $27.40 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in IRM as long as it's trending above some near-term support levels at $26 or above that recent low of $25.53 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 1.41 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then IRM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $28.54 to $29.08. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give IRM a chance to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from June that started at $34.

Marketo

Marketo (MKTO) provides a cloud-based marketing software platform that enables organizations to engage in modern relationship marketing. This stock closed up 2.7% at $35.36 in Monday's trading session.

Monday's Volume: 649,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 261,206

Volume % Change: 167%

From a technical perspective, MKTO spiked notably higher here right above some near-term support levels at $34 to $33.31 with above-average volume. This stock has been trending sideways inside of a consolidation pattern for the last month and change, with shares moving between $33.31 on the downside and $39.80 on the upside. This move on Monday is starting to push shares of MKTO within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern. That breakout will hit if MKTO manages to take out some key near-term overhead resistance levels at $37.35 to $37.61 and then once it takes out its all-time high at $39.80 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MKTO as long as it's trending above support at $34 or at $33.31 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 261,206 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then MKTO will set up to enter new all-time-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $45 to $50.

Receptos

Receptos (RCPT) is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in discovering, developing and commercializing therapeutics for immune disorders. This stock closed up 5% at $23.19 in Monday's trading session.

Monday's Volume: 69,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 55,356

Volume % Change: 50%

From a technical perspective, RCPT ripped higher here right above some key near-term support at $21 with decent upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of RCPT within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if RCPT manages to take out its all-time high at $25 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in RCPT as long as it's trending above support at $21 and then once it sustains a move or close above its all-time high at $25 with volume that's near or above 55,356 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then RCPT will set up to enter new all-time-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $30 to $35.

Portola Pharmaceuticals

Portola Pharmaceuticals (PTLA) is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes novel therapeutics in the areas of thrombosis, other hematologic disorders and inflammation for patients who currently have limited or no approved treatment options. This stock closed up 3.3% at $27.03 in Monday's trading session.

Monday's Volume: 130,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 109,412

Volume % Change: 65%

From a technical perspective, PTLA ripped higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $23.36 with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of PTLA within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if PTLA manages to take out Monday's high of $27.19 to its 52-week high at $27.57 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in PTLA as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $25 or above its 50-day at $23.36 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 109,412 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then PTLA will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $30 to $35.

To see more stocks rising on unusual volume, check out the Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

Pending Home Sales Rise in April but Miss Forecasts

Matthew Staver/Bloomberg via Getty Images WASHINGTON -- More Americans signed contracts to purchase homes in April than the prior month. But the pace of buying is still weaker than last year, as higher prices and relatively tight supplies have limited sales. The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index rose 0.4 percent to 97.8 last month. The index remains 9.2 percent below its level a year ago. Pending sales are a barometer of future purchases. A one- to two-month lag usually exists between a signed contract and a completed sale. The index indicates that home buying has barely increased in May. The gain in signed contracts partly reflects the slight decline in mortgage rates and the economic rebound from the brutal winter. But prices have risen by 12.4 percent year-over-year, according to Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index. That has put home ownership out of reach for a growing share of Americans who are stuck with stagnant incomes in the aftermath of the Great Recession. The number of signed contracts increased in the Northeast and Midwest month-to-month, suggesting that a modest weather-based rebound has occurred. However, pending sales dropped last month in the West and South, a sign to many economists that the price increases have muted buying activity more than nasty weather. "The end of the severe winter weather will not bring with it a sustained revival in the housing market," said Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. "The real problem is last year's massive deterioration in affordability." Would-be buyers have gotten some help in recent weeks from falling mortgage rates. Average rates for 30-year, fixed mortgages declined for the fifth straight week to 4.12 percent, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. Still, rates remain above their lows of 3.51 percent a year ago. The rising rates in the second half of 2013 and higher home prices appear to have reduced the pool of potential homebuyers. The Realtors said last week that sales rose 1.3 percent in April from March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.65 million. Purchases of homes over the past 12 months have dropped 6.8 percent.

Top European Companies To Buy For 2015

Top European Companies To Buy For 2015: Telefonica SA(TEF)

Telefonica, S.A. provides fixed and mobile telephony services primarily in Spain, rest of Europe, and Latin America. Its fixed telecommunication services include PSTN lines; ISDN accesses; public telephone; local, domestic, and international long distance and fixed-to-mobile communications; corporate communications; video telephony; supplementary and business-oriented value-added services; network services; leasing and sale of handset equipment; and telephony information services. The company?s Internet and broadband multimedia services comprise Internet service provider service; portal and network services; retail and wholesale broadband access; narrowband switched access to Internet; naked ADSL, a broadband connection; residential-oriented value-added services; companies-oriented value-added services; television services, such as IPTV, cable television, and satellite television; and Fiber to the Home, a service for high speed Internet access and digital video recording. Its data and business-solutions services principally include leased lines; virtual private network services; fiber optics services; the provision of hosting and application; outsourcing and consultancy services; desktop services; and system integration and professional services. The company?s wholesale services for telecommunication operators primarily comprise domestic interconnection services; international wholesale services; leased lines for other operators? network deployment; local loop leasing under the unbundled local loop regulation framework; and bit stream services. It also offers various mobile and related services and products that include mobile voice services, value added services, mobile data and Internet services, wholesale services, corporate services, roaming, fixed wireless, and trunking and paging services. The company has a strategic alliance with China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited. Telefonica, S.A. was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Ma! drid, Spai n.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Amy Thomson]

  AT&T has examined takeover candidates including Vodafones assets, U.K. mobile carrier EE -- a venture of Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE) and Orange SA (ORA) -- and parts of Spains Telefonica SA (TEF), people familiar with the companys plans said in June. AT&T is attracted to Europe because of its relatively recent introduction of faster, fourth-generation networks, which have been available for years in the U.S.

• [By Chris Hill, Jason Moser, and Eric Bleeker, CFA]

  Reports last week out of Spain indicated that AT&T (NYSE: T  ) was looking at making an offer toTelefonica (NYSE: TEF  ) valued at $93 billion. According to Spanish newspaper El Mundo,the sale didn't proceed in part because of governmental concerns over having a foreign company buy the country's most valuable telecom player. Yet even if AT&T and Telefonica aren't met to be, there is ample evidence that America's dominant mobile companies have begun looking abroad for growth.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-european-companies-to-buy-for-2015.html

Best European Stocks To Buy For 2015

Best European Stocks To Buy For 2015: Aercap Holdings N.V. (AER)

AerCap Holdings N.V., through its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated aviation company worldwide. It engages in leasing and trading aircraft and engines; and selling parts. The company also provides aircraft management services, as well as aircraft and limited engine MRO services, and aircraft disassembly services through its repair stations. In addition, it offers aircraft services, including remarketing aircraft; collecting rental and maintenance payments, monitoring aircraft maintenance, monitoring and enforcing contract compliance, and accepting delivery and redelivery of aircraft; conducting ongoing lessee financial performance reviews; inspecting the leased aircraft; coordinating technical modifications to aircraft to meet new lessee requirements; conducting restructurings negotiations in connection with lease defaults; repossessing aircraft; arranging and monitoring insurance coverage; registering and de-registering aircraft; arranging for aircraft and aircraft engine valuations; and providing market research. The company?s management services include leasing and remarketing, cash management and treasury, technical advisory, and accounting and administrative services. As of March 31, 2011, it owned 272 aircraft and 95 engines, which it leased under operating leases to 118 lessees in 53 countries. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Schiphol, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Finally. Finally American International Group (AIG) has disposed of its ILFC unit by selling it to AerCap Holdings (AER).

  Bloomberg News

  The Wall Street Journal has the details on the deal:

• [By Tess Stynes]

  AIG confirmed it will sell its stake in International Lease Finance Corp to aircraft-leasing company AerCap Holdings N.V(AER). for $5.4 billion in! cash and stock.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-european-stocks-to-buy-for-2015.html

House to Examine SEC’s Money-Market Fund Plan

The House Financial Services Committee’s Capital Market Subcommittee plans to hold a hearing Sept. 18 on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposed rules governing money-market funds.

The SEC in early June proposed two alternative reforms to money funds.

First, to require that all institutional prime money-market funds operate with a floating net asset value (NAV). Second, to employ a “fees-and-gates” approach in which a nongovernment money fund imposes a 2% liquidity fee if the fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below 15% of its total assets.

SEC Chairwoman Mary Jo White (right) said at the time that the two reforms could be adopted separately or combined into a single reform package.

Top 5 Tech Stocks To Own For 2015

The coment period on the money-market fund proposal expires Sept. 17.

Other hearings to be held by the committee in September include:

Sep. 10 – The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee will hold a hearing on reducing waste, fraud and abuse in housing programs and examine recommendations made by the inspector general of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Sept. 11 – The Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the history of the Federal Reserve.

Sept. 12 – The Financial Services Committee will hear from Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Richard Cordray during a hearing on the CFPB’s semiannual report.

Sept. 19 – The Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which is currently set to expire on Dec. 31, 2014.

---

Check out Are You Ready for Rising Rates? on ThinkAdvisor.

Top Safest Companies To Own In Right Now

Top Safest Companies To Own In Right Now: Oiltanking Partners LP (OILT)

Oiltanking Partners, L.P. (OTLT) is engaged in the terminaling, storage and transportation of crude oil, refined petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gas. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Oiltanking Houston, L.P. (OTH) and Oiltanking Beaumont Partners, L.P. (OTB), the Company owns and operates storage and terminaling assets located along the Gulf Coast of the United States on the Houston, Texas Ship Channel and in Beaumont, Texas. Its Houston and Beaumont terminals provides deep-water access and interconnectivity to refineries, chemical and petrochemical companies, carrier and pipelines and production facilities and have international distribution capabilities. Its facilities are directly connected to 18 refineries, storage facilities and production facilities along the Gulf Coast area through pipelines and common carrier pipelines, to end markets along the Gulf Coast and to the Cushing, Oklahoma storage interchange.

Houston Terminal

T he Company operates third-party crude oil and refined petroleum products terminals on the Houston Ship Channel. Its facility has an aggregate active storage capacity of approximately 11.7 million barrels and provides integrated terminaling services to a variety of customers, including integrated oil companies, marketers, distributors and chemical companies. The principal products handled at its Houston terminal complex are crude oil, the inputs for chemical production (such as naphtha and condensate), which are referred to as chemical feedstocks, liquefied petroleum gas and clean petroleum products, such as gasoline and distillates, with crude oil accounting for approximately 64% of its active storage capacity.

The Company's storage and distribution network is integrated with the Houston petrochemical and refining complex. The facility handles produ! cts through a number of transportation modes, primarily through pipelines interconnected to local refineries and production facilities, including Houston Refining's refine! ry in Pasadena, Texas, PRSI's refinery in Pasadena, Texas, ExxonMobil's refinery in Baytown, Texas, which is a refinery in the United States. Its Houston terminal also handles products through third-party crude oil, refined petroleum products and liquified petroleum gas tankers and barges arriving at its deep-water docks. Its waterfront capabilities consists of six deep-water ship docks, allowing for the dockage of vessels with up to 130,000 deadweight tons (dwt), of cargo and vessel capacity, and two barge docks, allowing for barges with up to 20,000 dwt of cargo and barge capacity. Its deep-water ship docks can accommodate vessels with up to a 45 foot draft, including Suezmax tankers, which can navigate the Houston Ship Channel. During the year ended December 31, 2011 (during 2011), the Company generated 22% of its Houston terminal revenues from throughput fees charged to non-storage customers.

The Company's real property at its Houston terminal consists of approximately 327 acres, including 63 acres of nearby parcels that could be connected to its Houston terminal through existing owned rights-of-way. The Company owns approximately 24 acres at the Crossroads Interchange approximately six miles from its Houston terminal.

Beaumont Terminal

The Company's Beaumont terminal serves as a regional strategic and trading hub for vacuum gas oil and clean petroleum products for refineries located in the upper Gulf Coast region. Its facility has an aggregate active storage capacity of approximately 5.6 million barrels and provides integrated terminaling services to a variety of customers, including integrated oil companies, distributors, marketers and chemical and petrochemical companies. The principal products handled at its Beaumont terminal complex are refined petroleum products, which a! ccounted ! for approximately 99% of its active storage capacity as of December 31, 2011.

The Company's sto rage and distribution network is integrated with the Beaumon! t/Port Ar! thur petrochemical and refining complex, and provides its customers with the additional services of mixing, blending, heating and marine vapor recovery. Its Beaumont facility handles products through a number of transportation modes, primarily through third-party pipelines interconnected to local refineries and production facilities, through its own pipeline system to Huntsman's chemical production facility in Port Neches, and through third-party crude and refined products tankers and barges arriving at its deep-water docks. Its waterfront capabilities consist of two deep-water ship docks, allowing for the dockage of vessels with up to 130,000 dwt of cargo and vessel capacity and drafts of up to 40 feet, and two barge docks, allowing for barges with up to 20,000 dwt of cargo and barge capacity and drafts of up to 12 feet.

Operations

The Company provides integrated terminaling, storage, pipeline and related services for third-party companies engage d in the production, distribution and marketing of crude oil, refined petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gas. The Company generates its revenues through the provision of fee-based services to its customers. During 2011, it generated approximately 75% of its revenues from fixed monthly fees for storage services, which its customers pay to reserve storage space in its tanks and to compensate the Company for receiving an agreed upon average periodic amount of product volume, or throughput, on their behalf.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Oiltanking Partners LP (NYSE: OILT) were down 7.23 percent to $59.79 after the company priced an offering of 2.6 million common units.

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  2. Oiltanking Partners (NYSE: OILT  )
  The H! ouston sh! ip channel is the Mecca of marine transportation services for the oil industry, and Oiltanking Partners has one of the largest third-party terminals there. It's got six deepwater docks and a storage capacity of 12.1 million barrels.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-safest-companies-to-own-in-right-now-2.html

Wednesday’s Dividend Changes: 8 Companies Raise Payouts (VIAB, DCI, UFCS, More)

U.S. equities ended Wednesday’s session higher after the Fed minutes revealed the central bank believes the economy is gradually improving. Also during today’s session, eight companies raised their dividend payouts.

Viacom Raises Dividend 10%

Viacom, Inc. (VIAB) raised its quarterly dividend from $0.30 to $0.33, or $1.32 annualized. The new dividend will be paid on 7/1/2014 to shareholders on record as of 6/13/2014. The stock will go ex-dividend on 6/11/2014.

10 Best Solar Stocks To Own Right Now

Donaldson Co., Inc. Lifts Dividend 17.9%

Donaldson Co., Inc. (DCI) raised its quarterly dividend from $0.14 to $0.165, or $0.66 annualized. The new dividend will be paid on 6/20/2014 to shareholders on record as of 6/6/2014. The stock will go ex-dividend on 6/4/2014.

United Fire Group, Inc. Boosts Dividend 11.1%

United Fire Group, Inc (

Interesting WMGI Put And Call Options For July 19th

Investors in Wright Medical Group Inc. (NASD: WMGI) saw new options begin trading this week, for the July 19th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the WMGI options chain for the new July 19th contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.

The put contract at the $25.00 strike price has a current bid of 5 cents. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $25.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $24.95 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of WMGI, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $30.12/share today.

Because the $25.00 strike represents an approximate 17% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 91%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 0.20% return on the cash commitment, or 1.28% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.

Click here to find out the Top YieldBoost Puts of the S&P 500 »

Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Wright Medical Group Inc., and highlighting in green where the $25.00 strike is located relative to that history:

Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $35.00 strike price has a current bid of 5 cents. If an investor was to purchase shares of WMGI stock at the current price level of $30.12/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $35.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 16.37% if the stock gets called away at the July 19th expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if WMGI shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Wright Medical Group Inc., as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing WMGI's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $35.00 strike highlighted in red:

Considering the fact that the $35.00 strike represents an approximate 16% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 87%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 0.17% boost of extra return to the investor, or 1.06% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.

Click here to find out the Top YieldBoost Calls of the S&P 500 »

The implied volatility in the put contract example is 37%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 32%. Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 252 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $30.12) to be 26%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.

Wave Systems Erases any Lingering Doubt (WAVX)

If there was any lingering doubt that Wave Systems Corp. (NASDAQ:WAVX) was in the early stages of a rebound, today's 11% pop should wipe those doubts away. This little technology company has lodged itself firmly into a bullish trend today, after hammering out a turnaround effort for the past four months. Translation: WAVX has become a convincing buy.

If the name rings a bell, that may be because WAVX was named as a budding breakout idea back in early March, and then again in early May. In March, it was pointed out that Wave Systems was mounting an attack on a key resistance line at $1.15. Though it didn't hurdle that line until the middle of April (and then only with an aggravating bullish gap), it did make its way above that line.

Just for the sake of safety, a wise investor would have waited for Wave Systems Corp. to either close that gap or fall back, regroup, and then rekindle the uptrend. Although the stock didn't need to close the gap, WAVX did peel back and regroup, and began to move higher again by early May... the last time it was dissected on May 5th. Since then, not only have shares continued to advance, they've visibly accelerated. The daily chart below tells the whole tale pretty well.

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The question from here is, just how for could Wave Systems Corp. before hitting a major wall?

As was the case earlier in the month, there's a huge line in the sand at $2.00. That's where WAVX topped out last month following the gap, and it's also where the stock hit a ceiling a couple of times in early 2013. Unlike then, however, this time the stock has some healthy bullish momentum behind it. Translation: While the $2.00 mark is a good checkpoint target, traders may want to be willing to give it a chance to break past $2.00 and then make a run for a former floor at $2.40... a floor from late 2012 and early 2013. If that level doesn't prove to be a line in the sand, then Wave Systems could - and we stress could - make a run for the major ceiling at $4.00. The weekly chart illustrates all of these potential resistance levels.

Whatever's in the cards, one thing's for sure now - WAVX is on the move, and could keep going for a while. The tide's strong enough to take a swing on now, although newcomers may want to wait at least a day or two to let today's overbought condition burn off just a little. The stock should regroup pretty quickly, though, and resume the uptrend that got started earlier in May. The stock shouldn't slide under $1.45 to restart the rally, and if it does, it may then be best to wait for a test of the 20-day moving average line at $1.30 before wading in.

For more trading ideas and insights like these, be sure to sign up for the free SmallCap Network newsletter. You'll get stock picks, market calls, and more, every day. Here's what you've missed recently.

Reynolds American Looks to Acquire Lorillard (RAI, LO)

North Carolina-based tobacco bellwether, Reynolds American (RAI), is reportedly in late stage talks to acquire one of its biggest competitors, Lorillard Inc. (LO).

According to exclusive sources from Reuters, the proposed deal would potentially unite the second and third largest U.S. tobacco companies under one roof. Furthermore, this transaction is expected to be a bit more complex than a “plain vanilla” acquisition seeing as how British American Tobacco (BTI), another key player in the industry, owns roughly a 42% stake in Reynolds American. The proposed deal should be finalized within a matter of weeks; however, people involved in the negotiations asked not to be named and couldn’t disclose any more information since the matter is not yet public.

Shares of Lorillard jumped 10.40% on Wednesday, closing at $62.63, while Reynolds stock gained 4.38%, finishing the day at $59.77. Lorillard and Reynolds are up 23% and 19% YTD, respectively.

7 Things I Wish People Knew About 401(k) Plans

Karen Roach/ShutterstockAutomated portfolios are more professional than you may think. Do you have a 401(k) plan? If so, read on. Here are seven things I wish people knew about their 401(k) plans: 1. You can rollover when you leave. When you leave your employer, you can transfer your 401(k) plan to an individual retirement account -- and it is not a taxable event. This type of transfer is called a rollover. Many 401(k) participants think that any type of distribution from their 401(k) plan is taxable and subject to penalties. That isn't true. All plans allow rollovers to an established IRA account. Usually the check is made payable to the new financial institution as the custodian, with an "for benefit of," or FBO, to you. If you have a few 401(k) plans from former employers, I'd advise consolidating them into one IRA account. It will make it far easier to handle address and beneficiary changes, manage investments, and track distributions once you are retired. 2. Automated portfolios work. Most 401(k) plans today offer either a fund choice or an online interactive tool that will make the investment decisions for you. These types of automated portfolios are great choices. If it is a single fund, it may have a retirement year in the name of the fund, such as "Target-date 2030." In that case, pick the fund that corresponds with the approximate year you think you may retire. A single fund like this is a complete diversified investment that automatically allocates your money across many asset classes. If it is an online tool, take the time to walk through the steps and it should pick the portfolio for you. This type of system often results in something like "conservative, moderate, or moderately aggressive" as a result. Using such a tool delivers a complete professionally designed portfolio. These automated portfolios make far better choices than the random way many participants pick investments -- which often seems more akin to "eeny meeny miny moe." 3. Stable value funds are a good choice. As you get closer to retirement, you'll want some of your retirement money in a safe investment option. Stable value funds, which are offered within many 401(k) plans, are a good choice. Today they are paying higher interest rates than bank savings. They won't fluctuate like stock funds, and unlike bond funds, they shouldn't go down in value if interest rates rise. How much should you keep in such a safe choice? It depends on how close you are to retirement and how much you'll need to withdraw. For example, if you are retiring in two years, and know you'll need to withdraw $20,000 a year once retired, you ought to consider moving at least your first two to three years of future withdrawals into a safe investment option. In this example, that would be $40,000 to $60,000. 4. Age 55 is special. Most people think that if they take a withdrawal from a 401(k) plan before age 59½, a 10 percent early withdrawal penalty tax will apply. This isn't always true for 401(k) plans. There is a special provision in 401(k) plans for people who leave their employer after they reach age 55, but before they reach age 59½. This rule allows you to take withdrawals that are exempt from the penalty tax without having to use the substantially equal payment provision. Beware of someone who suggests you roll funds from a 401(k) to an IRA without first explaining the age 55 provision to you. Once you move funds from your 401(k) to your IRA, the age 55 penalty-free withdrawal provision no longer applies, and you'll have to wait until age 59½. 5. You have creditor protection. Your 401(k) plans are creditor-protected by law. This is why it can be foolish to use 401(k) money to avoid foreclosure, pay off debt or start a business. In the case of future bankruptcy, your 401(k) money is a protected asset. Don't touch your 401(k) money except for retirement. 6. Designated Roth accounts are great. More and more 401(k) plans are offering the ability to make Roth contributions. In a 401(k) plan, this is called a designated Roth Account. Such contributions, unlike a regular 401(k) contribution, are not tax-deductible, but they grow tax-free, and in retirement, your withdrawals will be tax-free. There are many people who would be better off making Roth contributions, but they don't consider it because they just assume they are better off getting a deduction today. This is not always true. Check to see if your plan offers a Roth option, and if so talk to your certified public accountant, tax preparer, or other financial adviser to see which choice they think would be best for you. 7. Company stock may have special tax treatment. If your 401(k) plan has an employee stock ownership plan, or ESOP, within it, and you own a lot of company stock, a special tax rule may apply to you. This tax rule is referred to as net unrealized appreciation, or NUA. At retirement, it enables you to distribute company stock and only pay ordinary income tax on the cost basis of the stock. Then, as you sell the stock off, you can typically pay tax on the gain at the capital gains tax rate, which is lower than the ordinary income tax rate. If the NUA tax rule applies to you, that doesn't automatically mean it will be to your benefit. But you ought to at least run an analysis to see if it would save you money. I've seen cases where using the NUA tax rules saved tens of thousands of dollars, and other cases where it offered no meaningful benefit. You won't know unless you look. .

Microsoft unveils Surface Pro 3 tablet

Microsoft unveiled the Surface Pro 3 tablet at an event in New York on Tuesday, as it attempts to fuel interest in its struggling tablet line amid increasing competition.

Panos Panay, corporate vice president with Microsoft's Surface division, says the goal of the device is to "take away the conflict" between owning a laptop and a tablet.

"This is the tablet that can replace your laptop," Panay said. The Intel Core-powered tablet measures 0.36 inches thick, boasts a 12-inch screen and weighs just under 2 pounds. The device will include an upgraded kickstand, bending down to display the tablet as far as a 150-degree angle.

Five models of the Surface Pro 3 will be available, starting at $799 for a tablet with 4 GB of storage, Intel Core i3 processor and 4 GB of RAM, climbing all the way to $1,949 for the top model with 512 GB of storage, an Intel Core i7 processor and 8 GB of RAM.

Along with the tablet, Microsoft will launch an updated, thinner type cover that protects the screen and provides a keyboard with an improved trackpad.

Panay demonstrated multiple ways to use the Surface Pro 3, from setting it on your lap and typing like a laptop to writing on it with a pen like a notepad.

"Removing that barrier to technology is critical to making it great," said Panay, about the vision for the tablet.

Meet #SurfacePro3, the tablet that can replace your laptop. pic.twitter.com/FuE3WvxALG

— Surface (@surface) May 20, 2014

In opening remarks, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the goal of Microsoft's "mobile-first" hardware ambitions is to "build together experiences that bring together all the capabilities of our company."

"It starts with this obsession for every individual and organization to do more and be more," said Nadella.

The tablet announcement comes as Microsoft struggles to sell its Surface tablet in a market dominated by companies such as Apple with its iPad and Samsung with its lineup of Android-powered tablets.

However, Forrester analyst! J.P. Gownder says the Surface Pro 3 should bolster Microsoft's odds in cracking the competitive space. "The weight, battery life, flexible kickstand, active stylus, and other features sound incremental but, taken together, make the new Surface a formidable market competitor — lighter than a MacBook Air, more full-featured than an iPad," he says.

Hot Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2015

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

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

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @bam923.

Hot Rising Stocks To Buy For 2015

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

What:�Shares of QIWI PLC (NASDAQ: QIWI  ) fell more than 16% Monday amid broader market unrest as Russia invaded Ukraine.�

So what:�The Moscow Exchange's Micex index fell nearly 11% on the day, so its unsurprising U.S.-listed Russian stocks like QIWI suffered the fallout. Shares of the Russia-based payment services provider are also still up more than 12% after a rapid rise over the past month, which at least partially explains the severity of today's drop.

Now what:�QIWI is all set to announce fourth quarter results on March 12, when investors hope the company can reprise last quarter's better-than-expected performance. Even so, I remain hesitant to dive in today given the wider macrco uncertainties surrounding Russia's decision. Until the dust settles and the longer-term repercussions for Russia's economy become more clear, I'm perfectly happy watching QIWI from the sidelines.

Hot Rising Stocks To Buy For 2015: Bemis Company Inc (BMS)

Bemis Company, Inc., incorporated on May 18, 1885, is a manufacturer of packaging products and pressure sensitive materials. The Company's business activities are organized around its three reportable business segments, U.S. Packaging , Global Packaging and Pressure Sensitive Materials. The majority of the Company�� products are sold to customers in the food industry. Other customers include companies businesses, such as chemical, agribusiness, medical, pharmaceutical, personal care, electronics, automotive, construction, graphic industries and other consumer goods. In July 2013, Bemis Company Inc acquired all of the common stock of Foshan New Changsheng Plastics Films Co., LTD.

The Company�� flexible packaging businesses has a technical base in polymer chemistry, film extrusion, coating, laminating, printing, and converting. The Company�� pressure sensitive materials business specializes in adhesive technologies. On August 22, 2012, the Company acquired two flexible packaging businesses in Australia and New Zealand.

U.S. Packaging segment

The U.S. Packaging segment represents all food, consumer, and industrial products packaging-related manufacturing operations located in the United States. This segment manufactures multilayer polymer, blown and cast film structures to produce packaging sold for food and personal care product applications as well as non-food applications. Additional products include custom thermoformed packaging, and multiwall paper bags. Markets for these products include processed and fresh meat, liquids, frozen foods, cereals, snacks, cheese, coffee, condiments, candy, pet food, bakery, seed, lawn and garden, tissue, fresh produce, personal care and hygiene, disposable diapers, agribusiness, and minerals. This segment has 35 manufacturing plants located in 16 states, of which 32 are owned directly by the Company or its subsidiaries and three are leased from outside parties.

Global Packaging segment

The ! Global Packaging segment includes all packaging-related manufacturing operations located outside of the United States as well as global medical device and pharmaceutical packaging manufacturing operations. This segment manufactures multilayer polymer, blown and cast film structures to produce packaging sold for a variety of food, medical, pharmaceutical, personal care, and industrial applications. Additional products include injection molded plastic and folding carton packaging. Markets for these products include processed and fresh meat, liquids, snacks, cheese, coffee, condiments, candy, bakery, tissue, fresh produce, personal care and hygiene, disposable diapers, agribusiness, pharmaceutical, and medical devices. This segment has 32 manufacturing plants located in three United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and ten non-United States countries, of which 26 are owned directly by the Company or its subsidiaries and six are leased from outside parties.

Pressure Sensitive Materials segment

The Pressure Sensitive Materials segment is a global manufacturer of pressure sensitive adhesive coated paper and film substrates sold into label, graphic, and technical product markets. Products for label markets include narrow-Web rolls of pressure sensitive paper, film, and metalized film printing stocks used in high-speed printing and die-cutting. Products for graphic markets include pressure sensitive films used for decorative signage through computer-aided plotters, digital and screen printers, and photographic overlaminate and mounting materials including optically clear films with built-in ultraviolet (UV) inhibitors. Products for technical markets include micro-thin film adhesives used in delicate electronic parts assembly and pressure sensitive applications utilizing foam and tape based stocks to perform fastening and mounting functions. This segment has seven manufacturing plants located in three states and two non-United States countries, all of which are owned directly b! y the Com! pany or its subsidiaries.

The Company competes with Amcor Limited, Berry Plastics Corporation, Bryce Corporation, Exopack Company, Hood Packaging Corporation, Printpack, Inc., Sealed Air Corporation, Sonoco Products Company, Wihuri OY, Winpak ltd, 3M, Acucote, Inc., Avery Dennison Corporation, FLEXcon Corporation, Green Bay Packaging Inc., Ricoh Company, Ltd., Ritrama Inc., Spinnaker Industries, Inc., Technicote Inc., UPM-Kymmene Corporation, and Wausau Coated Products Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By The Part-time Investor]

  The following stocks met the criteria in January of 2008 and were put into the initial portfolio:

  Abbot Labs (ABT)Advanced data processing (ADP)Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC)Bank of America (BAC)BB&T Corp. (BBT)Bemis Company (BMS)Anheuser Busch (BUD)The Chubb Corporation (CB)Clorox (CLX)Comerica Inc. (CMA)Diebold Inc. (DBD)Emerson Electronics (EMR)First Dollar Corp. (FDO)First Third BanCorp. (FITB)Gannett Co, Inc. (GCI)General Electric (GE)Hershey (HSY)Illinois Tools Works (ITW)Johnson and Johnson (JNJ)Leggett and Platt (LEG)Eli Lilly (LLY)La-Z-Boy (LZB)McDonald's (MCD)Marsh and Ilsley (MI)M&T Bancorp (MTB)PepsiCo (PEP)Pfizer (PFE)Procter & Gamble (PG)Pentair Ltd. (PNR)Regions Financial Corp. (RF)Rohm and Haas (ROH)RPM International (RPM)Sherwin Williams (SHW)Sysco Corp. (SYY)UDR Inc. (UDR)

  Historical quotes were taken from Yahoo Finance. $10,000 was put into each position, to the nearest whole share, so a total of $349,262.89 was invested. From 1/15/08 through 5/16/13 all dividends were reinvested back into the stock that paid them. If a dividend cut was announced, that stock was sold on the ex-div date of the new, lower dividend.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Looking to increase its presence and market share in Asia, specialty packaging maker Bemis (NYSE: BMS  ) announced today it was acquiring a Chinese manufacturer of specialty films, Foshan New Changsheng Plastics Films.�

Hot Rising Stocks To Buy For 2015: Transocean Inc.(RIG)

Transocean Ltd. provides offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells worldwide. It offers deepwater and harsh environment drilling, oil and gas drilling management, and drilling engineering and drilling project management services. The company also offers well and logistics services. In addition, it engages in oil and gas exploration, development, and production activities primarily in the United States offshore Louisiana and Texas, and in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea. As of February 10, 2011, the company owned, had partial ownership interests in, and operated 138 mobile offshore drilling units, including 47 high-specification floaters, 25 midwater floaters, 9 high-specification jackups, 54 standard jackups, and 3 other rigs, as well as 1 ultra-deepwater floater and 3 high-specification jackups under construction. Transocean Ltd. was founded in 1953 and is based in Zug, Switzerland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Taylor Muckerman and Joel South]

  Shareholders of Transocean (NYSE: RIG  ) should be busy this weekend reading up on how the two proposed dividends could affect the company financially and about the backgrounds of the nominees to the Board of Directors. Each of these decisions will likely weigh heavily on the future outlook of Transocean which resides in a competitive and growing industry.��

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Offshore drillers like Ensco (ESV), Seadrill (SDRL) and Rowan (RDC) are sinking today, but shares of Transocean (RIG) have managed to stay afloat.

  AFP

  Transocean has gained 0.9% to $41.85 at 1:22 p.m. today, even as Ensco has fallen 1.3% to $50.89, Seadrill has plunged 3.1% to $34.87 and Rowan has dipped 0.8% to $30.89.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  What Seadrill does see for small and midsized companies is that these operators will look to sign short-term contracts for exploration drilling. Larger companies like BP will counterbalance this with long-term drilling campaigns. Overall, Seadrill expects oil companies to continue to increase their budgets and spending on ultra-deep water by double digits. The company sees a strong trend here which also bodes well for competitors such as Noble Corp (NYSE: NE  ) and Transocean (NYSE: RIG  ) .

5 Best Financial Stocks To Buy For 2015: NewMarket Corp (NEU)

NewMarket Corporation (NewMarket), incorporated in 2004, is a holding company, which is the parent company of Afton Chemical Corporation (Afton), Ethyl Corporation (Ethyl), NewMarket Services Corporation (NewMarket Services), and NewMarket Development Corporation (NewMarket Development). Each of the Company�� subsidiaries manages its own assets and liabilities. Afton encompasses the petroleum additives business, while Ethyl represents the sale and distribution of tetraethyl lead (TEL) in North America and certain petroleum additives manufacturing operations. NewMarket Development manages the property, which it owns in Richmond, Virginia. NewMarket Services provides administrative services to NewMarket, Afton, Ethyl, and NewMarket Development. NewMarket Services departmental expenses and other expenses are billed to NewMarket and each subsidiary pursuant to services agreements between the companies.

As a specialty chemicals company, Afton develops, manufactures, and blends formulated fuel and lubricant additive packages, and markets and sells these products globally. Afton is a lubricant and fuel additives companies globally. Lubricant and fuel additives are products for maintenance and reliable operation of all vehicles and machinery. Ethyl provides contract manufacturing services to Afton and to third parties and is one of the marketers of TEL in North America. NewMarket Development manages the property, which it owns on a site in Richmond, Virginia consisting of approximately 64 acres.

Petroleum Additives

Petroleum additives are used in lubricating oils and fuels to enhance their performance in machinery, vehicles, and other equipment. It manufactures chemical components, which are selected to perform specific functions and combine those chemicals with other components to form additive packages for use in specified end-user applications. The petroleum additives market is an international marketplace, with customers ranging from oil companies and refineries t! o original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and other specialty chemical companies. Lubricant additives are ingredients for lubricating oils. Lubricant additives are used in a range of vehicle and industrial applications, including engine oils, transmission fluids, gear oils, hydraulic oils, turbine oils, and in other application where metal-to-metal moving parts are utilized. Lubricant additives are organic and synthetic chemical components, which enhance wear protection, prevent deposits, and protect against the hostile operating environment of an engine, transmission, axle, hydraulic pump, or industrial machine.

Lubricants are used in every piece of operating machinery from heavy industrial equipment to vehicles. Lubricants provide a layer of protection between moving mechanical parts. Lubricants serve the functions, such as friction reduction, heat removal and containment of contaminants.

The Company offers a range of lubricant additive products, each of which is composed of component chemicals specially selected to perform desired functions. It manufactures the chemical components and blends these components to create formulated additives packages. Purchasers of lubricant additives tend to be oil companies, distributors, refineries, and compounders/blenders. The engine oils market�� primary customers include consumers, service dealers, and OEMs. Afton offers products, which enhances the performance of mineral, part-synthetic, and fully-synthetic engine oils.

The driveline additives submarket is consisted of additives designed for products, such as transmission fluids, gear oils, and off-road fluids. Transmission fluids serve as the power transmission and heat transfer medium in the area of the transmission. Gear oil additives lubricate gears, bearings, clutches, and bands in the gear-box and are used in vehicles, off-highway, hydraulic, and marine equipment. Other products in this area include hydraulic transmission fluids, universal tractor fluids, power ste! ering flu! ids, shock absorber fluids, gear oils and lubricants for machinery. These additives are sold to oil companies and often sold to vehicle OEMs for new vehicles. End-products are also sold to service dealers for aftermarket servicing (service-fill), as well as retailers and distributors.

The industrial additives submarket is consisted of additives designed for products for industrial applications, such as hydraulic fluids, grease, industrial gear fluids, industrial specialty applications, and metalworking additives. This submarket also shares in the 30% of the market not covered by engine oils. These products must conform to industry specifications, OEM requirements and/or application and operating environment demands. Industrial additives are sold to oil companies, service dealers for after-market servicing, and distributors.

The types of fuel additives the Company offers include gasoline performance additives, which clean and maintain fuel delivery systems, including fuel injectors and intake valves, in gasoline engine; diesel fuel performance additives, which perform similar cleaning functions in diesel engines; cetane improvers, which increase the cetane number in diesel fuel by reducing the delay between injection and ignition; stabilizers, which reduce or eliminate oxidation in fuel; corrosion inhibitors, which minimize the corrosive effects of combustion by-products and prevent rust; lubricity additives, which restore lubricating properties lost in the refining process; cold flow improvers, which improve the pumping and flow of diesel in cold temperatures, and octane enhancers. It offers a range of fuel additives globally and sells its products to fuel marketers and refiners, as well as independent terminals and other fuel blenders.

Real Estate Development

The real estate development segment represents the operations of Foundry Park I, LLC (Foundry Park I). The Company is exploring various development opportunities for other portions of the proper! ty it own! s, as the demand warrants.

All Other

The All other category includes the continuing operations of the TEL business (primarily sales of TEL in North America), as well as contract manufacturing performed by Ethyl. Ethyl manufacturing facilities include its Houston, Texas and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada plants. The Houston plant is engaged in petroleum additives manufacturing and produces both lubricant additives and fuel additives. The Sarnia plant is engaged in petroleum additives manufacturing and produces fuel additives. The All other category financial results include a service fee charged by Ethyl for its production services to Afton. Its remaining manufacturing facilities are part of Afton and produce both lubricant additives and fuel additives.

The Company competes with Berkshire Hathaway Inc., ExxonMobil Chemical, Royal Dutch Shell plc, Chevron Oronite Company LLC, BASF AG, Chevron Oronite Company LLC, The Lubrizol Corporation, Innospec, Inc., Eurenco and EPC - U.K.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  The biotech sector has been pretty exciting this year�with small cap biotech stocks Prana Biotechnology Limited (NASDAQ: PRAN) and TNI BioTech (OTCMKTS: TNIB) having recently produced noteworthy news for investors�while Acceleron Pharma, Inc (NASDAQ: XLRN), Ophthotech (NASDAQ: OPHT) and BIND Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BIND) have just�set term sheets for their upcoming IPOs. Just consider all of the following recent news:

  Surge in Biotech IPOs. Unquote.com has noted�a surge in biotech IPOs this year as there have been�almost 30 biotech IPOs since January - marking a 13-year high and sparking some concerns about a bubble. More specifically and according to the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), there was just one venture capital-backed biotech IPO in the US in the first quarter of this year, but this was followed by a massive increase of 20 in�the second quarter and a�further six since July. There has also been a small uptick in�venture capital-backed European biotech companies going public (four) with�a listing on the Nasdaq appearing to be the most popular or rather the safest option. � New IPO Term Sheets. This month, a couple of small cap biotech companies announced their terms for upcoming IPOs, including 1)�Acceleron Pharma, Inc, a clinical stage biotech developing protein therapeutics for cancer and rare diseases, plans to raise $65 million by offering 4.7 million shares at a price range of $13 to $15; 2) Ophthotech, a clinical-stage biotech developing therapeutics for eye diseases, plans to raise $100 million by offering 5.7 million shares at a price range of $16 to $19; and 3) BIND Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech developing a platform of targeted and programmable therapeutics, plans to raise $71 million by offering 4.7 million shares at a price range of $14 to $16. Biotechs Invest More on R&D. The 2013 BDO Biotech Briefing examined the most recent 10-K SEC filings of publicly traded companies listed on the Nasdaq Biotechnolog

Hot Rising Stocks To Buy For 2015: ITT Educational Services Inc (ESI)

ITT Educational Services, Inc. (ITT/ESI), incorporated in 1946, is a provider of postsecondary degree programs in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, the Company offered master, bachelor and associate degree programs to approximately 73,000 students. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had 144 locations (including 141 campuses and three learning sites) in 39 states. In addition, ITT/ESI offered one or more of its online programs to students who were located in 48 states. The Company designs its education programs, after consultation with employers and other constituents, to help graduates prepare for careers in various fields involving their areas of study. The Company provides career-oriented education programs under the Daniel Webster College (DWC) name. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it began operations at 11 new ITT Technical Institute campuses and discontinued operations at one learning site. As of December 31, 2011, the ITT Technical Institutes offered 55 degree programs in various fields of study across the schools of study, such as information technology (IT); electronics technology; drafting and design; business; criminal justice, and breckinridge school of nursing and health sciences. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had 144 locations (including 141 campuses and three learning sites) in 39 states, which provided postsecondary education to approximately 73,000 students. In 2011, the Company derived approximately 98% of its revenue from tuition and approximately 2% from the sale of tool kits and fees, charged to and paid by, or on behalf of, its students. On August 1, 2013, the Company announced that it has acquired Cable Holdings, LLC.

At most of its campuses, ITT/ESI organizes the academic schedule for programs of study on the basis of four 12-week academic quarters in a calendar year, with new students beginning at the start of each academic quarter. At these campuses, students taking a full-time course load can complete its associate degree programs in ! eight academic quarters, bachelor degree programs in 14 or 15 academic quarters and a master degree program in six or seven academic quarters. ITT/ESI offers classes in residence programs in 3.5- to 5.5-hour sessions three days a week, Monday through Saturday, with all program courses taught entirely or partially in residence; or sessions that are scheduled two to three days a week, Monday through Saturday, with certain program courses taught entirely or partially online over the Internet academic quarters. Depending on student enrollment, class sessions at the most of its campuses are available in the morning, afternoon and evening. The courses that are taught online over the Internet are delivered through an asynchronous learning network and have a prescribed schedule for completion of the coursework. In addition to courses directly related to a student�� program of study, its programs also include general education courses in the humanities, composition, mathematics, the sciences and the social sciences.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  A German blogger just posted about this site. It is a list of the most shorted stocks in the USA...
  I was surprised that ITT Educational (ESI), Carbo Ceramics (CRR), and Boston Beer (SAM) are on this list...

• [By Bill Smith]

  ITT Educational Services (ESI) is a company in the for-profit education services industry, and appears on GuruFocus��Buffett-Munger screener. This screener can be used to find companies with high quality businesses at undervalued, or fairly-valued, prices. Businesses on this screener are able to consistently grow revenue and earnings, maintain and expand profit margins while growing, and incur little debt during growth.

• [By GuruFocus]

  This year�� underperformance was almost all caused by one single stock, ITT Educational Services (ESI). The market environment for the for-profit college has changed dramatically. It can�� make money as easily as it used to. The company�� business predictability dropped. This is the largest risk in investing in predictable companies.

Hot Rising Stocks To Buy For 2015: NextStage Inc (NXT)

NextStage, Inc. is a holding company. The Company is engaged in the management of its investments in shares of stocks of its subsidiaries. The Company�� subsidiaries include Mondex Philippines Inc. (MXP), Infinit-e Asia Inc. (Infinit-e Asia) and Technology Support Services, Inc. (TSSI). MXP operates a multi-application smart card system in Philippines. Infinit-e Asia is a software development company specializing on smart card and e-commerce solutions tailored to enhance the business of its clients. Infinit-e Asia develops smart card solutions for both real and online applications and on both contact and contactless platform. Infinit-e Asia�� spectrum of products and applications are classified as payments, data capture and security. TSSI is engaged in the business of business process outsourcing (BPO), applications service providers (ASP) and managed service providers (MSP). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

  HSBC Holdings Plc (HSBA), Europe�� largest bank, slid 2.1 percent. International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) declined 2 percent as it canceled some of its flights following a disruption caused by one of its planes at Heathrow airport. Next Plc (NXT) retreated 2.4 percent as Morgan Stanley cut its recommendation on the shares.

Hot Rising Stocks To Buy For 2015: Lenovo Group Ltd (LNVGY)

Lenovo Group Limited (Lenovo) is a personal technology company serving customers in more than 160 countries. The Company is a personal computer (PC) vendor. The Company develops, manufactures and markets technology products and services. Its product lines include Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile Internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. Lenovo operates seven research and development centers and more than 46 world-class labs, including research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina, the United States. The Company is also engaged in investment holding. It operates in three segments: China, emerging markets (excluding China) and mature markets. Lenovo offers a range of commercial desktops to businesses of all sizes.

The Company�� products include laptops, tablets, desktops, workstations and servers. In May 2010, it launched the LePhone smartphone in China. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 (fiscal 2011), China accounted for 46.4% of the Company�� total sales. During fiscal 2011, Emerging Markets (excluding China) accounted for 17.9% of the Company�� total sales. During fiscal 2011, Mature Markets accounted for 35.7% of the Company�� total sales. Its brands include ThinkPad notebook, as well as products carrying the ThinkCentre, ThinkStation, ThinkServer, IdeaCentre and IdeaPad sub-brands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Brugger]

  Of the five named PC makers included in Gartner's research, only Chinese vendor Lenovo (NASDAQOTH: LNVGY  ) and U.S.-based Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) experienced PC shipment growth in Q1, 7.2% and 0.8% respectively.

Hot Rising Stocks To Buy For 2015: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund (DXJ)

WisdomTree Japan Total Dividend Fund (The Fund) is a non-diversified fund. It seeks investment results that closely correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the WisdomTree Japan Dividend Index (The Index).

The Index is a fundamentally weighted Index that measures the performance of dividend-paying companies incorporated in Japan, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and that meet other requirements necessary to be included in the WisdomTree DEFA Index. The Fund is managed by WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  International investors have recently gotten a lot more interested in currency-hedged ETFs. But what are currency-hedged ETFs, and how can you decide whether they belong in your portfolio? (NYSEMKT: DXJ  )

• [By KIPLINGER]

  Investors seeking to cash in on the Japanese stock market face a Catch-22. The government is trying to goose the economy by, among other things, lowering the value of the yen, a move designed to make Japanese exporters more competitive (see Japan�� Rebound Is for Real). But a falling yen harms U.S. investors because money they have in Japanese securities translates back into fewer bucks. Enter WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity (DXJ), an exchange-traded fund that invests in the stocks of dividend-paying Japanese firms that have a market value of at least $100 million.

Hot Rising Stocks To Buy For 2015: Thor Industries Inc.(THO)

Thor Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells a range of recreation vehicles and small and mid-size buses, as well as related parts and accessories in the United States and Canada. The company offers a range of travel trailers and motorhomes under the trade name of Airstream, which include Airstream Safari, International, Flying Cloud, and Bambi travel trailers, as well as Interstate Class B motorhomes. It also manufactures and sells conventional travel trailers and fifth wheels under the trade names of Dutchmen, Four Winds, Aero, Grand Junction, Colorado, Cruiser, Seville, Zinger, and Sunset Trail; travel trailers and fifth wheels under trade names of Montana, Springdale, Hornet, Sprinter, Outback, Laredo, Everest, Mountaineer, Challenger, Cougar, Komfort, and Trailblazer; and gasoline and diesel Class C, Class A, and Class B motorhomes under the trade names of Four Winds, Hurricane, Windsport, Mandalay, Dutchmen, Chateau, Serrano, Ventura, and Fun Mover. In addition, it manufactures and sells gasoline and diesel Class A motor homes under the trade names of Daybreak, Challenger, Astoria, Tuscany, Outlaw, and Avanti; travel trailers, fifth wheels, truck campers, and park models under the trade name of General Coach; and park models under the trade names of Tranquility, Westchester, and Breckenridge. Further, the company manufactures small and mid-size transit and commercial buses under the trade names of Aerolite, AeroElite, Aerotech, Escort, MST, Transmark, EZ Rider, Axess, Challenger, Defender, Crusader, American Cruiser, Classic Coach, EZ Trans, GC II, and Pacer. It markets its vehicles through independent dealers to municipalities and private purchasers, such as rental car companies and hotels. The company has a joint venture agreement with Cruise America, Inc. to provide short-term rentals of motorized recreation vehicles to the public. Thor Industries was founded in 1980 and is based in Jackson Center, Oh io.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Thor Industries (NYSE: THO  ) reported earnings on June 6. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended April 30 (Q3), Thor Industries met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Next week investors will be waiting for several key earnings reports including FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX), Thor Industries, Inc. (NYSE: THO), American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO), and Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG).

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  My first earnings short-squeeze trade idea is recreational vehicle maker Thor Industries (THO), which is set to release numbers on Thursday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Thor Industries to report revenue of $964.54 million on earnings of 95 cents per share.

  The current short interest as a percentage of the float Thor Industries is notable at 6.7%. That means that out of the 50.23 million shares in the tradable float, 3.01 million shares are sold short by the bears. If the bulls get the earnings news they're looking for, then shares of THO could easily rip sharply higher post-earnings.

  From a technical perspective, THO is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last six months, with shares moving higher from its low of $34.38 to its recent high of $55.93 a share. During that uptrend, shares of THO have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of THO within range of triggering a big breakout trade post earnings.

  If you're bullish on THO, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $55.29 to its 52-week high at $55.93 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 397,012 shares. If that breakout hits, then THO will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $65 to $70 a share.

  I would simply avoid THO or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below some key near-term support levels at its 50-day moving average of $53.11 to $52.52 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then THO will set up to

• [By Sue Chang]

  Thor Industries (THO) � is expected to report fiscal first-quarter earnings of 70 cents a share. The recreational-vehicle maker in early November released a preliminary first-quarter sales target of $802.6 million, below the average estimate of $845 million at the time, The Wall Street Journal said. Thor manufactures Four Winds, Airstream and Dutchman.

Hot Rising Stocks To Buy For 2015: Western Asset Inflation Management Fund Inc (IMF)

Western Asset Inflation Management Fund Inc. (the Fund), incorporated on March 16, 2004, is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund�� primary investment objective is total return.

Current income is a secondary investment objective. Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (LMPFA) is the Fund�� investment manager and Western Asset Management Company (Western Asset) is the Fund�� sub adviser.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Canadian Value]

  From a macroeconomic viewpoint, our optimism for Asian markets��strong long-term potential is based on three main factors. First, when compared with developed markets generally, Asia�� emerging markets have had higher rates of historic economic growth, and growth expectations for the year ahead are generally higher as well. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects growth in developing Asia of 6.5% in 2014, compared with 2% in developed markets generally.1Since 1999, the region has seen strong growth even in 2009 when developed markets fell into recession, as you can see in the chart below.

Hot Rising Stocks To Buy For 2015: Zargon Oil & Gas Ltd (ZARFF.PK)

Zargon Oil & Gas Ltd. (Zargon), formerly Zargon Energy Trust, is engaged in the business of oil and natural gas exploration, exploitation, development, acquisition and production in Canada and the United States. During the year ended December 31, 2010, Zargon�� average daily production were 9,879 barrels of oil equivalent. Its properties are concentrated within the Western Provinces in Canada and in North Dakota in the United States. Its Williston Basin core area encompasses a portion of southeast Saskatchewan, southwest Manitoba and three counties of North Dakota. During 2010, it accounted 51% of its oil and liquids production. During 2010, its Alberta Plains South core area contributed 27% of its oil and liquids production. In June 2012, the Company sold 275 barrels of oil per day pertaining to all of its southwest Manitoba assets and selected properties in the Elswick area of southeast Saskatchewan. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MLP Trader]

  Here are the current top five companies in the list:

  CompanySymbolEV/BOEPD/NetbackPrice/NAVEV/DACFPinecrest(PNCGF.PK)53564%4.0XLightstream(LSTMF.PK)131753%4.5XNovus(NOVUF.PK)133290%4.1XZargon(ZARFF.PK)138664%5.6XTwin Butte(TBTEF.PK)155885%5.5X

  Of the larger companies, one that remains obstinately near the top of the list is Lightstream . Lightstream trades at 40% of its book value and a whopping 13.4% yield.

Ford Motor Company's Next CEO on How Innovation Drives Success

Ford Chief Operating Officer Mark Fields gave the keynote address at last month's New York International Auto Show. Ford announced that Fields, shown here (on right) with current Ford CEO Alan Mulally and Executive Chairman Bill Ford, will become Ford's next CEO on July 1. Photo: Ford Motor Company

Even though it didn't have any major new models to announce, Ford (NYSE: F  ) had a big presence at last month's New York International Auto Show.

Ford celebrated the 50th anniversary of the original Mustang's debut by unveiling a commemorative model -- and with an epic stunt at the Empire State Building. The company also showed off its refreshed-for-2015 Focus, and many key Ford executives were on hand.

Those executives included Ford's Chief Operating Officer, Mark Fields. Fields opened the New York show's media days with a keynote speech that framed the show as a showcase of innovation.

Fields' speech keyed off of the 1964 World's Fair -- where the original Mustang was unveiled, and which Fields attended as a small child -- to talk about innovation, the characteristics of innovative companies, and how Ford is looking to the future of transportation.

It was a fascinating speech, one that got even more fascinating with last week's announcement that Fields will soon succeed Alan Mulally as Ford's President and Chief Executive Officer. 

We (the Motley Fool's John Rosevear and Rex Moore) were in the room when Fields spoke, and we captured the speech on video. In light of Ford's announcement of Fields' impending promotion, we've decided to share excerpts of the speech that -- we think -- shed light on the current thinking of Ford's brain trust at a moment when the company is preparing for a significant transition.

In this final excerpt from Fields' presentation, he sums it up: What makes a company innovative? How does one innovate? And what kinds of innovations drive success?

Check out this presentation by Ford's next CEO, and scroll down to leave a comment with your thoughts.

A transcript (provided by Ford) of the excerpt is included below.

 

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Imagine a company that rents a very specific and valuable piece of machinery for $41,000... per hour (that's almost as much as the average American makes in a year!). And Warren Buffett is so confident in this company's can't-live-without-it business model, he just loaded up on 8.8 million shares. An exclusive, brand-new Motley Fool report reveals the company we're calling OPEC's worst nightmare. Just click HERE to uncover the name of this industry-leading stock... and join Buffett in his quest for a veritable LANDSLIDE of profits!

Mark Fields: So to sum it all up, as we reflect today on 50 years since the 1964 World's Fair, it's fair to say that it's "Back to the future."

What we learned is the most successful among us will be those who continue to look beyond commonly held beliefs to find new ways and to defy constraints. The true innovators among us will understand the reality that the world will continue, and far more dramatically than it has the last 50 years. The true innovators will anticipate, far in advance, exactly how these changes will affect consumers. And the most successful among us will fully anticipate consumers' spoken wants and even more importantly their unspoken future needs.

As we do all of this, the reward is not only massive business growth, but the chance to change the world.

It reminds me of what Henry Ford said after introducing the Model T, the car that changed the world. When asked about innovation, he said, "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses." A good lesson, one that still rings true today.

Now, speaking of "faster horses," the Ford team has some more news to share this morning.

We are introducing a very special edition of Ford Mustang, on this, the 50th anniversary of its introduction at the 1964 World's Fair.

Thank you.

Budget for Higher Electric Bills

Your electricity bills are going to show hefty increases in coming months, even as the reliability of the nation's electric grid grows shakier.

See Also: Kiplinger's Economic Outlooks -- Energy

Capacity constraints loom. Strict new federal clean air rules set to take effect in 2016 will force the shuttering of dozens of coal-fired power plants, which account for a sizable portion of the country's available power generating capacity.

The shutdowns and scramble to offset closed coal power plants with facilities that rely on natural gas to generate power spell sharp cost increases. Some parts of the country may also experience brief outages, though widespread blackouts aren't in the cards. Note, too, that utilities face a growing need to shield the electric grid from terrorism, adding to their costs.

Look for electricity rates to rise about 3% on average this year nationwide, with some regions seeing even steeper hikes. New England will see a 7% jump; the Mid-Atlantic, 4%. Both regions are more reliant on natural gas, and this year's higher natural gas prices are pinching utilities that burn gas for power.

10 Best Specialty Retail Stocks To Watch Right Now

A steeper gain is on tap for next year: a 4% increase nationwide and, in the coal-reliant Midwest, a jump of 5% or so.

The coming shutdowns of coal-fired power plants worry many electric industry experts. Jim Hunter, director of utilities at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, warns that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—which wrote the rules to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants from power plants—is underestimating the extent of the closures.

Hunter says that not enough new, cleaner power plants will be built to offset them. "I have to believe [electricity] prices are going to go up" to encourage the construction of more plants and keep power demand from overwhelming the reduced generating capacity, he says.

Mike Bryson, executive director of systems operations at PJM—the company that coordinates power delivery in much of the Mid-Atlantic region—says he's not concerned that lack of electric generation will cause outages for customers.

However, he does expect electric rates to rise and become more volatile as utilities in PJM's service region shut down coal plants and burn pricier natural gas to generate power. "We still have a sufficient reliability margin" during periods of peak demand, such as this past winter's severe cold weather, he says. However, keeping the system up and running reliably with less coal-fired power will be costly.

Grid operators in the Midwest—home of many of the coal plants slated to close—are even more cautious in their outlook. J.T. Smith, manager of policy studies for grid operator MISO, says that the Upper Midwest faces particularly stiff challenges in adapting to a low-coal future. The retirement of up to 18% of the region's coal plants means that MISO is "taking on a little bit of risk" that future power demand could eclipse supply. Brief, localized outages can't be ruled out, he says.

Meanwhile, utilities are scrambling to protect the electric grid from terrorist attacks, one year after unknown assailants disabled a critical substation in California, nearly causing a sizable blackout. Regulations coming this year from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will call for increased surveillance of power stations and transmission lines and require walls and other physical barriers to protect the most critical facilities.

Sue Kelly, president of the American Public Power Association—one of the groups helping to develop the new safety rules—expects that utilities will need to invest heavily in cameras and electronic sensors that can detect intruders, and work closely with local police agencies on developing plans to thwart saboteurs.

Rising electricity prices also create opportunities, especially for large industrial users whose operations are flexible enough to accommodate some brief, voluntary power reductions in exchange for reduced electric rates and cash payments from their utility or grid manager. Such "demand response" programs are going to be called upon heavily in the next few years to smooth out peaks in power demand and avoid unplanned blackouts, particularly in PJM's Mid-Atlantic service region. Higher utility rates also make it more attractive to generate power independently of the electric grid.

The falling cost of solar power systems, for example, will look more attractive as utilities' rates rise, speeding up the return on investment for homeowners and firms that go solar. Big solar installers such as SolarCity and Sunrun figure to see a bump in their already fast-growing markets.

Moreover, businesses specializing in surveillance can expect plenty of demand from utilities looking to safeguard their power stations and related infrastructure. Aerial drones from the likes of AeroVironment and Aeryon are good bets to help patrol the nation's half-million miles of high-voltage power lines, once drones get approved for widespread commercial use in a few years.

Also likely to be in high demand: Sophisticated alarm systems that warn of intruders at far-flung power facilities, such as security firm Optellios' networks of remote sensors and fiber-optic cables.

Report: Cereals Loaded With Too Much Sugar for Kids

Kristoffer Tripplaar/AlamyHoney Smacks, with 56 percent sugar by weight, was the worst offender, according to the study. U.S. children are consuming more than 10 pounds of sugar annually if they eat a typical morning bowl of cereal each day, contributing to obesity and other health problems, and cereal-makers and regulators are doing little to address the issue, according to a study released Thursday. The Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based health information non-profit, said its report covers more than 1,500 cereals, including 181 marketed to children. As part of the report, the group re-examined 84 cereals it studied in a similar report in 2011, and found that the sugar content of those cereals remained on average at 29 percent. Some cereals had increased sugar content now compared to 2011, and none of the 181 cereals marketed to children was free of added sugars, the group found. On average, children's cereals have more than 40 percent more sugars than adult cereals, EWG said. "Obviously we know cereals have a lot of sugar in them," said Dawn Undurraga, an EWG consultant and a co-author of the report. "But there is a lot that manufacturers can be doing and FDA can be doing, to protect kids." The group said one of the worst offenders is Kellogg's (K) Honey Smacks, with 56 percent sugar by weight. A child eating an average serving of a typical children's cereal eats more than 10 pounds of sugar a year from that source alone, and the average daily intake of added sugar for children is two to three times the recommended amount, the EWG said. A Kellogg official said the company has cut sugar in its top-selling kids' cereals by 20 percent to 30 percent over time. The company said the EWG report ignores the benefits provided by a cereal breakfast, including pre-sweetened cereals. "When you consider what constitutes a good breakfast, cereal and fat free milk pack a powerful nutritional punch, lower in fat and calories than many other breakfast choices, and including many nutrients that people might otherwise miss," said company spokeswoman Kris Charles. The report is the latest in a push by consumer and health groups to convince food companies and regulators to cut unhealthy ingredients from packaged food products. In March, the Food and Drug Administration proposed that added sugar content be listed in nutrition facts panels on packaged foods. But the serving sizes need to be more accurately labeled, the EWG said. Cereal-maker General Mills (GIS) also has already cut the sugar content in its cereals advertised to children, on average by 16 percent since 2007, according to spokeswoman Kirstie Foster. The company's cereals advertised to children have 10 grams of sugar or less per serving, with some at 9 grams, Foster said. The EWG said companies shouldn't market cereals containing 6 grams of sugar or more per serving to children.

Get Paid for Your Opinions

Perhaps you've been told -- maybe more than once -- to keep your opinions to yourself. But you can actually make money by sharing your opinions.

Marketing research firms are hired by businesses and other groups to get inside the heads of consumers to gauge their attitudes about particular products and services. To do so, they need people to participate in surveys and focus groups -- and will pay participants with cash, gift cards or merchandise for their time. Attorneys also pay people to review cases and offer feedback before they go to trial.

SEE ALSO: 25 Ways to Earn Extra Cash

You won't get rich participating in market research or serving on a mock jury, but it's a relatively easy way to earn extra cash to, say, pay for birthday gifts, fill up the gas tank or start a vacation fund. Scams do exist, but there are several legitimate opportunities that never ask for payments from participants (a red flag for fraud) and don't share your personal information with third parties -- so you don't have to worry about being bombarded with marketing pitches. Here are some opportunities to consider:

Participate in focus groups. Marketing research firms use focus groups to gain insight into consumer attitudes. Typically, six to ten participants are led in a discussion by a trained moderator for one to two hours, according to the Marketing Research Association. Participants are screened beforehand to make sure they are part of the relevant target market for the study. You can sign up with marketing research firms usually by filling out short surveys online and will be notified if you fit the profile to participate in a focus group.

For example, Focus Pointe Global has facilities in 16 cities and pays between $45 and $250 for focus group participation. To participate in its studies, you must join online by taking a screening survey to find out what products, services and brands with which you are familiar. Then you'll be interviewed by phone to verify your answers and chosen to participate based on whether you fit the profile needed for research. Focus Pointe Global keeps all the personal information you provide confidential, and its marketing research never involves sales or promotions.

To find marketing research firms near you, use the GreenBook Directory. It's a guide for companies looking for marketing research suppliers, but it's also a good way for participants to find legitimate firms in their state and visit their web sites to see if they're recruiting.

Take online surveys. If you don't have the time or desire to participate in in-person focus groups, or you don't live near firms that are conducting studies, you can participate in online surveys instead. However, you won't be paid as much because online surveys typically take less time. Some reward participants with gift cards or merchandise instead of cash. For example, The Harris Poll, one of the longest running surveys that measures public opinion, awards 50 to 150 points for the completion of an online survey, which can take five to 25 minutes to complete. Survey takers can redeem points for gift cards from retailers such as Amazon and Starbucks, says Larry Shannon-Missal, a spokesperson for Nielsen, which owns Harris Interactive. You would need 800 points for a $5 Starbucks gift card, he says.

Be an online juror. Some attorneys use large panels of online mock jurors to get feedback on their cases before they go to trial. However, the jurors must live in the county or federal district where the case will be tried. You can sign up at a couple of sites and receive e-mail notifications if a case is posted in your county. Cases can take 20 minutes to an hour to review. EJury.com pays $5 to $10 per case via the online payment system PayPal. You can't be an attorney, paralegal or legal assistant -- or even related to an attorney -- to participate. EJury says you're likely to have better luck getting picked if you live in a large metropolitan area, where more cases are tried, rather than a small rural area. At OnlineVerdict.com, fees range from $20 to $60, and payment is made by check. You must be a U.S. citizen to participate.