10 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In Right Now

The argument I've made for some time with BRF S.A. (Nasdaq: BRFS) is that this company is on a long-term plan to transform itself from a commodity- and export-driven protein company into a global branded food company like Kraft (Nasdaq:KRFT) or Nestle (Nasdaq:NSRGY). With that, I not only expect significant growth, but significant margin and free cash flow expansion over the next decade. BRF S.A. is by no means cheap according to conventional metrics, but the shares are still slightly undervalued on a cash flow basis and offer investors good exposure to emerging market consumer spending growth.

Q2 A Little Light On Sales, But Strong On Margins
BRF S.A. came in just slightly (1%) below average sales growth expectations, with 10% growth for the second quarter. Growth was driven by the company's large export business (up 19%), as domestic sales (up 4%) were weighed down by a weak demand environment across the Brazilian food sector.

With a better mix (more processed foods) and improving export conditions, BRF S.A. saw significantly better margins this quarter. Gross margin improved about three points from the year-ago period, beating the average estimate by almost a point and a half. Operating income jumped 79% on a huge improvement in export margins, while EBITDA rose 49% and the company logged an almost three-point margin improvement.

SEE: A Clear Look At EBITDA

Export Conditions Generally Better
One of the reasons BRF S.A. management wants to increase its exposure to packaged foods is to get off (or at least mitigate) the roller coaster that is the global protein export business. Chicken volumes were down about 2% from last year, pork was down 17%, and beef was down 3%, but pricing was significantly better. With that, export income more than doubled, with margin almost tripling over last year.

As the year goes on, export business ought to improve. Grain price pressures should ease in the second half, and the company is hopeful that it may get clearance to export chicken to Mexico. At the same time, pork exports to Ukraine should return to normal, while the entry of the company into Japan's pork business ought to help margins as this business will likely be centered on premium cuts.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Nordstrom Inc.(JWN)

Nordstrom, Inc., a fashion specialty retailer, offers apparel, shoes, cosmetics, and accessories for women, men, and children in the United States. It offers a selection of brand name and private label merchandise. The company sells its products through various channels, including Nordstrom full-line stores, off-price Nordstrom Rack stores, Jeffrey? boutiques, treasure & bond, and Last Chance clearance stores; and its online store, nordstrom.com, as well as through catalog. Nordstrom also provides a private label card, two Nordstrom VISA credit cards, and a debit card for Nordstrom purchases. The company?s credit and debit cards feature a shopping-based loyalty program. As of September 30, 2011, it operated 222 stores, including 117 full-line stores, 101 Nordstrom Racks, 2 Jeffrey boutiques, 1 treasure & bond store, and 1 clearance store in 30 states. The company was founded in 1901 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Kevin1977]

  Director of Nordstrom Inc., Felicia D Thornton, bought 1,140 shares on 9/09/2011 at an average price of $47.89. Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's fashion specialty retailers, with stores located in a number of states, including full-line stores, Nordstrom Racks, Faconnable boutiques, and free-standing shoe stores. Nordstrom Inc. has a market cap of $10.44 billion; its shares were traded at around $47.89 with a P/E ratio of 15.7 and P/S ratio of 1.1. The dividend yield of Nordstrom Inc. stocks is 2% Nordstrom Inc. had an annual average earnings growth of 27.3% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Nordstrom Inc. the business predictability rank of 3.5-star.
  
  On August 11, Nordstrom Inc. reported net earnings of $175 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, for the second quarter ended July 30, 2011. This represented an increase of 20 percent compared with net earnings of $146 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, for the same quarter last year.Second quarter same-store sales increased 7.3 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2010. Net sales in the second quarter were $2.72 billion, an increase of 12.4 percent compared with net sales of $2.42 billion during the same period in fiscal 2010.
  
  Last week, Director Felicia D Thornton bought 1,140 shares of JWN stock.
  
  Executive Vice President Ken Worzel and Director Philip G Satre bought shares in August.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In Right Now: TrueBlue Inc.(TBI)

TrueBlue, Inc. provides temporary blue-collar staffing services in the United States. It supplies on demand general labor to various industries under the Labor Ready brand; skilled labor to manufacturing and logistics industries under the Spartan Staffing brand; and trades people for commercial, industrial, and residential construction, and building and plant maintenance industries under the CLP Resources brand. The company also provides mechanics and technicians to the aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul, aerospace manufacturing, and assembly industries, as well as to other transportation industries under the Plane Techs brand; and temporary drivers to the transportation and distribution industries under the Centerline brand. It primarily serves small and medium-size businesses. The company was formerly known as Labor Ready, Inc. and changed its name to TrueBlue, Inc. in December 2007. TrueBlue, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Tacoma, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By McWillams]

  TrueBlue, Inc. is a provider of temporary blue-collar staffing. Its EPS forecast for the current year is 0.69 and next year is 1.1. According to consensus estimates, its topline is expected to grow 8.96% current year and 10.03% next year. It is trading at a forward P/E of 15.76. Out of 10 analysts covering the company, six are positive and have buy recommendations and four have hold ratings.

Top Financial Companies To Watch For 2014: CNO Financial Group Inc. (CNO)

CNO Financial Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the development, marketing, and administration of health insurance, annuity, individual life insurance, and other insurance products for senior and middle-income markets in the United States. The company markets and distributes Medicare supplement insurance, interest-sensitive and traditional life insurance, fixed annuities, and long-term care insurance products; Medicare advantage plans through a distribution arrangement with Humana Inc.; and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans through a distribution and reinsurance arrangement with Coventry Health Care. It also markets and distributes supplemental health, including specified disease, accident, and hospital indemnity insurance products; and life insurance to middle-income consumers at home and the worksite through independent marketing organizations and insurance agencies. In addition, the company markets primarily graded benefit and simplified issue life insurance products directly to customers through television advertising, direct mail, Internet, and telemarketing. It sells its products through career agents, independent producers, direct marketing, and sales managers. CNO Financial Group, Inc. has strategic alliances with Coventry and Humana. The company was formerly known as Conseco, Inc. and changed its name to CNO Financial Group, Inc. in May 2010. CNO Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Crocs Inc.(CROX)

Crocs, Inc. and its subsidiaries engage in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and distribution of footwear, apparel, and accessories for men, women, and children. The company primarily offers casual and athletic shoes, and shoe charms. It also designs and sells a range of footwear and accessories that utilize its proprietary closed cell-resin, called Croslite. The company?s footwear products include boots, sandals, sneakers, mules, and flats. In addition, it provides footwear products for the hospital, restaurant, hotel, and hospitality markets, as well as general foot care and diabetic-needs markets. Further, the company offers leather and ethylene vinyl acetate based footwear, sandals, and printed apparels principally for the beach, adventure, and action sports markets; and accessories comprising snap-on charms. The company sells its products through the United States and international retailers and distributors, as well as directly to end-user consumers th rough its company-operated retail stores, outlets, kiosks, and Web stores primarily under the Crocs Work, Crocs Rx, Jibbitz, Ocean Minded, and YOU by Crocs brand names. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 164 retail kiosks located in malls and other high foot traffic areas; 138 retail stores; 76 outlet stores; and 46 Web stores. Crocs, Inc. operates in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The company was formerly known as Western Brands, LLC and changed its name to Crocs, Inc. in January 2005. Crocs, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Niwot, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul]  

  They’re back! Two years ago everyone was convinced that Crocs (CROX: 23.33 0.00%) was just a fad, but their stock price exploded in 2010 gaining 206%. Revenues are expected to climb 20% this year and analysts are looking for 27% earnings growth in 2011. That type of growth could make Crocs a hot item again in 2011, especially if they can continue to top Wall Street’s estimates each quarter.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Sara Lee Corporation(SLE)

Sara Lee Corporation engages in the manufacture and marketing of a range of branded packaged meat, bakery, and beverage products worldwide. Its packaged meat products include hot dogs and corn dogs, breakfast sausages, sandwiches and bowls, smoked and dinner sausages, premium deli and luncheon meats, bacon, beef, turkey, and cooked ham. It also offers frozen baked products, which comprise frozen pies, cakes, cheesecakes, pastries, and other desserts. In addition, Sara Lee provides roast, ground, and liquid coffee; cappuccinos; lattes; and hot and iced teas, as well as refrigerated dough products. The company sells its products under Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Jimmy Dean, Sara Lee, State Fair, Douwe Egberts, Senseo, Maison du Caf Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Carlson]

  Director of Sara Lee Corp., James S Crown, bought 37,500 shares on 9/12/2011 at an average price of $17.5. Sara Lee Corporation is a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality, brand-name products for consumers throughout the world. Sara Lee Corp. has a market cap of $10.24 billion; its shares were traded at around $17.5 with a P/E ratio of 19.9 and P/S ratio of 1.2. The dividend yield of Sara Lee Corp. stocks is 2.7%.
  
  On August 11, Sara Lee Corp. reported earnings for the fourth quarter 2011. The fourth quarter included an 8% increase in adjusted net sales from continuing operations to $2.3 billion; 9% reported net sales increase, 40% increase in adjusted operating income to $189 million; and reported operating income increase of 19%.
  
  Last week, Director James S Crown bought 37,500 shares of SLE stock. Executive Chairman Jan Bennink bought 58,400 shares in August.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Checkpoint Systms Inc.(CKP)

Checkpoint Systems, Inc. manufactures and markets identification, tracking, security, and merchandising solutions for the retail and apparel industry worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Shrink Management Solutions, Apparel Labeling Solutions, and Retail Merchandising Solutions. The Shrink Management Solutions segment provides shrink management and merchandise visibility solutions. It offers electronic article surveillance systems, such as EVOLVE, a suite of RF and RFID-enabled products that act as a deterrent to prevent merchandise theft in retail stores; and electronic article surveillance consumables, including EAS-RF and EAS-EM labels that work in combination with EAS systems to reduce merchandise theft in retail stores. This segment also provides keepers, spider wraps, bottle security, and hard tags, as well as Showsafe, a line alarm system for protecting display merchandise. In addition, it offers physical and electronic store monitoring solutions, incl uding fire alarms, intrusion alarms, and digital video recording systems for retail environments; and RFID tags and labels. The Apparel Labeling Solutions segment provides apparel labeling solutions to apparel retailers, brand owners, and manufacturers. It has Web-enabled apparel labeling solutions platform and network of 28 service bureaus located in 22 countries that supplies customers with customized apparel tags and labels. The Retail Merchandising Solutions segment offers hand-held label applicators and tags, promotional displays, and queuing systems. The company serves retailers in the supermarket, drug store, hypermarket, and mass merchandiser markets through direct distribution and reseller channels. Checkpoint Systems was founded in 1969 and is based in Thorofare, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael]

  OK, so Checkpoint (CKP: 13.80 0.00%) probably isn’t going to see its stock price double in 2011. However, the stock gained 35% in 2010 with earnings expected to climb 13%. Next year, Wall Street sees earnings growth accelerating to 25%. Despite the impressive growth rate, the stock trades at only 16x next year’s earnings estimates and analysts have a $25 price target for CKP.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In Right Now: MEDIFAST INC(MED)

Medifast, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of weight management and disease management products, and other consumable health and diet products in the United States. The company?s product lines include weight and disease management, meal replacement, and vitamins. It also operates weight control centers that offer Medifast programs for weight loss and maintenance, customized patient counseling, and inbody composition analysis. The company markets its products under the Medifast and Essential brand names, including shakes, appetite suppression shakes, women?s health shakes, diabetics shakes, joint health shakes, coronary health shakes, calorie burn drinks, calorie burn flavor infusers, antioxidant shakes, antioxidant flavor infusers, bars, crunch bars, soups, chili, oatmeal, pudding, scrambled eggs, hot cocoa, cappuccino, chai latte, iced teas, fruit drinks, pretzels, puffs, brownie, pancakes, soy crisps, crackers, and omega 3 and digestive health products. Medifast Inc. sells its products through various channels of distribution comprising Web, call center, independent health advisors, medical professionals, weight loss clinics, and direct consumer marketing supported via the phone and the Web; Take Shape for Life, a physician led network of independent health coaches; and weight control centers. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mark]

  Revenues are expected to grow 27% next year and yet MEDIFAST (MED: 15.68 0.00%) trades at only 16x consensus 2011 earnings. The company continues to gain market share in the competitive weight management sector and provides investors with the double benefit of both a growth stock and a potential acquisition target.

• [By Holly LaFon] Medifast produces, distributes and sells weight and health management products with the brand names Medifast, Take Shape for Life, Hi-Energy Weight Control Centers and Woman�� Wellbeing.
  
  Its return on assets in the third quarter of 2011 was 19.6%, which has been increasing in the past several years. The average return on assets for the specialty retail industry is 10.48% for the trailing 12 months.
  
  
  
  The company�� total assets amounted to $94 million in 2010, which increased from $62.8 million in 2009. Net income also increased to $19.6 million in 2010 from $12 million in 2009.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Intuitive Surgical Inc.(ISRG)

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets da Vinci surgical systems for various surgical procedures, including urologic, gynecologic, cardiothoracic, general, and head and neck surgeries. Its da Vinci surgical system consists of a surgeon?s console or consoles, a patient-side cart, a 3-D vision system, and proprietary ?wristed? instruments. The company?s da Vinci surgical system translates the surgeon?s natural hand movements on instrument controls at the console into corresponding micro-movements of instruments positioned inside the patient through small puncture incisions, or ports. It also manufactures a range of EndoWrist instruments, which incorporate wrist joints for natural dexterity for various surgical procedures. Its EndoWrist instruments consist of forceps, scissors, electrocautery, scalpels, and other surgical tools. In addition, it sells various vision and accessory products for use in conjunction with the da Vinci Surgical System as surgical procedures are performed. The company?s accessory products include sterile drapes used to ensure a sterile field during surgery; vision products, such as replacement 3-D stereo endoscopes, camera heads, light guides, and other items. It markets its products through sales representatives in the United States, and through sales representatives and distributors in international markets. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon] Intuitive Surgical is the maker of the da Vinci Surgical System, a breakthrough in robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery. It provides technology and procedural innovation across cardiac, thoracic, urology, gynecologic, colorectal, pediatric and general surgical disciplines and allows patients to recover in record time.
  
  In the last year, this fast-growing company�� stock has surged 66% to $529.54. Its revenue over the last ten years has grown at a rate of 38%, and it grew 24.5% last year with 72.5% gross profit and 39.5% operating margin. The company expects fiscal 2012 revenue growth of 17-19%.
  
  The da Vinci System is new technology first introduced to market in July 2000 after the US FDA approved it for laparoscopic surgery. Its new S model was released in April 2009. Already there are more than 1,933 systems installed in over 1,560 hospitals worldwide.
  
  Apple Inc. (AAPL)
  
  Apple Inc. is the maker of popular consumer products such as the Mac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. Its stock has famously increased 569% over the past five years to hit a record of $600 per share last week. Apple has split its stock 2 for 1 three times in the past on June 15, 1987, June 21, 2000 and February 28, 2005. CEO Tim Cook said as recently as this morning that the company saw little reason to that a split would help the stock but if it was in the best interest of shareholder the company would have one. The company also announced this morning that it would initiate a $2.65 per share quarterly dividend and buy back up to $10 billion of its common stock.
  
  In the last ten years, Apple�� annual growth rate for revenue was 34.5%, EBITDA 112.4% and book value 36.3%. Free cash flow increased 11% in the last five years and 58% in the last year. The rapidly growing company still has a relatively low P/E ratio of 16.68.
  
  Google Inc. Cl A (GOOG)
  
  Google Inc. is the search engine company founded in 1998 that has expanded to offer dozens of advertising and web services. Since going public i! n 2004, its stock has increased 485% to $633.98 per share on Monday. It has never had a stock split or paid a dividend.
  
  Google has also grown rapidly. Its revenue per share over the last 10 years has increased at an annual rate of 52.3%, EBITDA at 51.9%, free cash flow at 64.8% and book value at 74.8%.Its P/E ratio is 20.
  
  The company is also launching its 7-inch Nexus table in May to compete with Apple�� iPad and Amazon�� Kind Fire and is in the process of the biggest revamp of its Internet search formula in company history.
  
  Google has an expressed long-term focus in its business, rather than quarter-to-quarter goals, as stated in its IPO letter which quotes Warren Buffett. The company�� higher stock price may help discourage frequent trading and encourage high-quality shareholders, as Buffett has mentioned in the past.
  
  Priceline.com (PCLN)
  
  Priceline.com Inc. is an online travel booking company that debuted on the Nasdaq in 1999. In the last five years its stock increased 1,248%. Priceline.com�� stock price cratered to under $10 after the dot-com bubble and driven it up to almost $1,000. In 2003 it announced a 1 for 6 reverse stock split.
  
  "This reverse stock split enhances our position by expanding investor interest, reducing transaction costs for trading our stock, making our results more comparable to peer companies with far fewer outstanding shares, and allowing priceline.com's earnings per share on a post-split basis to more precisely reflect the Company's operating results," said priceline.com President and CEO Jeffery H. Boyd.
  
  On Monday it had climbed to $696.93 per share and its financial results have been strong and growing once again. Revenue in 2011 was $4.4 billion from $3 billion in 2010, earnings increased to $1.1 billion from $528 billion and free cash flow increased to $1.3 billion from $755 million. The company also has over $2.7 billion in cash, $164 in long-term liabilities and no debt.
  
  The stock has become expensive ! in the la! st several years and has a P/E of 30.3.
  
  NVR Inc. (NVR)
  
  NVR Inc. consists of two operating segments: homebuilding and mortgage banking. The homebuilding unit makes homes under the trade names Ryan Homes, NVHomes and Fox Ridge Homes, and NVR Mortgage primarily focuses on serving NVR homebuyers.
  
  NVR�� is older than most of the other companies on the over-$500 share-price list, having gone public in 1993. Since then its stock price has increased 7,219% to $741 per share on Monday. It has never split its stock.
  
  Seaboard Corp. (SEB)
  
  Seaboard is also an older company founded more than 90 years ago and has focused on grain and agriculturally derived products. In the last 10 years its stock has appreciated 543%, and on Monday one share costs $1,955. It has never split its stock.
  
  Seaboard is still a growing company. In the last ten years it increased revenue per share at an average rate of 12.5%, EBITDA at 9.8%, and book value at 18.2%. It also has a low P/E of 6.8, its lowest since about 2007.
  
  Berkshire Hathaway-A (BRK.A)
  
  Berkshire Hathaway is the multinational conglomerate founded by Warren Buffett and is the eighth largest company in the world. They are the highest priced shares on the New York Stock Exchange, partially due to never splitting their stock or paying a dividend. Rather, they reinvest corporate earnings to continue growth.
  
  In the last 10 years, Berkshire Hathaway stock has increased 67%. On Monday, one share of BRK.A cost $122,115.
  
  Berkshire management has grown book value at an annual rate of 20.3% for the last 44 years. Growth has been continuing in recent history. In the last 10 years, revenue per share increased at a rate of 11.4%, EBITDA at 7.5% and free cash flow at 3.3%. Its P/E is 17.1.
  
  These stocks are not necessarily expensive or not expensive based on how much one share costs but are subject to the same va
• [By Jim Lowell]

  Intuitive Surgical (ISRG: 329.49 0.00%) is an expensive stock and their stock price is currently well below the $400 level that it flirted with in April. However, the stock is a compelling growth story with revenues and earnings expected to climb 19% in 2011. The company faces little competitive pressure and 2011 is likely the year that consumers opt for procedures that they delayed in 2009-10. That could produce some blowout earnings results for ISRG in 2011.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Waste Management Inc.(WM)

Waste Management, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides waste management services to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in North America. It offers collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal services. The company also owns, develops, and operates waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Its collection services involves in picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, material recovery facility, or disposal site; and recycling operations include collection and materials processing, plastics materials recycling, and commodities recycling. In addition, it provides recycling brokerage, which includes managing the marketing of recyclable materials for third parties; and electronic recycling services, such as collection, sorting, and disassembling of discarded computers, communications equipment, and other electronic equipment. Further, the company e ngages in renting and servicing portable restroom facilities to municipalities and commercial customers under the Port-o-Let name; and involves in landfill gas-to-energy operations comprising recovering and processing the methane gas produced naturally by landfills into a renewable energy source, as well as provides street and parking lot sweeping services. Additionally, it offers portable self-storage, fluorescent lamp recycling, and medical waste services for healthcare facilities, pharmacies, and individuals, as well as provides services on behalf of third parties to construct waste facilities. The company was formerly known as USA Waste Services, Inc. and changed its name to Waste Management, Inc. in 1998. Waste Management, Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sam Collins]

  Houston-based Waste Management Inc. (NYSE: WM) is the largest trash hauling/disposal company in the United States. This company is a model for steady growth with earnings increasing steadily over many years.?

  S&P has a “four-star buy” on WM with a 12-month target of $42. WM pays an annual dividend of $1.36 for a yield of 3.7%.?

  Technically, the stock is in a powerful bull channel with support at $36 and resistance at $39. Buy WM as a long-term growth opportunity.

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  Investors think Waste Management (WM) is a garbage stock right now. Why else would WM's short interest ratio hover around 12.6? Of course, Waste Management is in fact a garbage stock of sorts -- it is the largest waste management service provider in the country. The firm boasts more than 270 landfills and a massive fleet of trash collection vehicles that spans the U.S.

  When I think garbage firms, the first thing that comes to mind is dividends: WM and its peers historically have generous, recession-resistant dividend payouts. Currently, Waste Management's yield adds up to 3.36% annually. Don't forget, dividends are like kryptonite to short sellers.

  WM's willingness to embrace innovation has big potential in the years ahead. Right now, the firm's portfolio includes 22 waste-to-energy plants that are designed to turn the waste that WM literally gets paid to collect into renewable energy that the firm gets paid for again. At this point, the firm's energy plants make up a very small part of its total business, but waste-to-energy projects and the recent acquisition of small oil service firms should look attractive to investors right now.

  Earnings in two months look like the next big catalyst for a short squeeze in WM.

• [By Tom Konrad]

  The only household name in this year's list, Waste Management is coming back for an encore performance in 2013.  WM is the North American leader in recycling and renewable biogas among waste and environmental services companies.  The industry has been in a cyclical downturn, and WM's well-covered 4.2% dividend makes it a solid anchor for this portfolio of small and micro-cap clean energy stocks.

10 Best Growth Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Buffalo Wild Wings Inc.(BWLD)

Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. engages in the ownership, operation, and franchise of restaurants in the United States. The company provides quick casual and casual dining services, as well as serves bottled beers, wines, and liquor. As of July 26, 2011, it had 773 Buffalo Wild Wings locations in 45 states in the United States, as well as in Canada. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) is an owner, operator and franchiser of restaurants featuring a variety of boldly-flavored, craveable menu items. This stock closed up 6% to $103.58 in Wednesday's trading session.

  Wednesday's Volume: 1.55 million
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 402,120
  
  Volume % Change: 319%

  From a technical perspective, BWLD ripped higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $98.38 with heavy upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of BWLD within range of triggering major breakout trade. That trade will hit if BWLD manages to take out its intraday high on Wednesday of $105.32 and then once it clears is 52-week high at $106.03 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in BWLD as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $98.38 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 402,120 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then BWLD will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $110 to $120.

• [By Fabian]  

  While Chipotle has captured most of the attention among the restaurant stocks, Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD: 56.62 0.00%) could be 2011’s big winner. Wall Street is expecting 19% earnings growth from Buffalo Wild Wings in 2011 which is only slightly lower than Chipotle’s 20% growth rate. However, BWLD trades at only 18x consensus 2011 estimates while CMG trades at a pricey 40x. On an EBITDA basis, Chipotle trades at over 20x, while Buffalo Wild Wings trades at less than 9x.

Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger Q&A Part 3

These notes were taken live as GuruFocus covered the annual shareholder meeting of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)(BRK.B) in Omaha on Saturday. The notes are continued from Part 2 here.

Question: Will the health care act affect Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)(BRK.B)?

Warren: We're not sure. We don't know of any units that don't have health care. Health care was a huge cost for us. Do few things on a centralized basis but we have not assessed figures of the quarter. We saw a few units' costs rising 10% to 12%. We're not trying to centralized headquarters.

Question: What are your capital spending plans? And do you owe your success to timing?

Warren: I was born in the U.S. so I had a huge advantage, and I was born male so I had a big advantage. I'm not sure in the business world if I was born in 1930 the time could have been better. I was conceived in November 1929 when my parents had nobody to call on and no TV, so here I am, luck the crash of 29 came along. It caused a lot of people to be turned off on stocks like the last crash. Business was a terrible environment. Every baby born in the U.S., on a probably basis, will do better in all kinds of ways than I do. In the investment field, it is not as good as it was in 1950. But a person with a passion for investing coming of age likely will do better and live better.

Charlie: Competition was weak in the early days. Competition is not as weak now. There is surely an advantage from exiting between not mean more to do ahead.

Question: If you can imaging yourself at 30, how have you changed, and what advice would you give yourself, and how would you give the advice in a way that you would actually take it?

Charlie: It's so old fashioned and boringly trite. Keep plugging along. All old virtues still work. And work where you're turned on.

Warren: We met in the grocery business. I'm not in the grocery business now.

Charlie: You were not promoted either. Even though you had the famil! y name.

Question: How concerned are you about

Warren: I hate dumb competition. And a lot of hedge funds have entered into the hedge fund business aggressively in the last few years. It gives them an opportunity to operate in Bermuda and avoid taxes. It's respectable and sold to investors. Anything Wall Street can sell it will sell. It's very sellable now. Money is flowing in and bringing down prices. In the end we know what we're willing to do and do what we think will get us underwriting profit. If a hedge fund guy is willing to sell gas and buy first, he has a problem. In the 1980s we had expense ratios up and volume down. Standby costs were real, but not backbreaking. We look forward to better days and they came. Never anticipated it would happen. We've been luck to get people – Jain and Nicely. We hit the jackpot of people and like not having pressure to do…

Question: I noticed your boardroom reflects the fact that women are not hired for top jobs in corporate America.

Warren: I wrote an article for Fortune and you can see my views on that. There's no question that throughout my lifetime women have not had the same shot as we have. My sisters were as smart, grades were good, and more personable than me. My parents loved them. All my teachers were female and because they only had a few occupations available to them. Improvements have been made, but there is a long way to go. When people are placed in that position they start believing it themselves, so they don't envision more. Katherine Graham was an intelligent woman and told woman couldn't run a business as well as a man. She knew it wasn't true, but couldn't get rid of it and secretly told herself that. The stock went up 40% under her and she wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning biography. I hope it keeps moving and moving faster. I hope females hearing this will not see themselves in funhouse mirrors.

Question: Is Berkshire too big to fail? How about DF and how does it impact insurance and W! ells Farg! o (WF) and Goldman Sachs (GS).

Warren: It won't affect it to my knowledge. Capital ratios for long banks at high levels and affects return on equity. Cap ratios increase and return on equity will increase. Banking in the U.S. is stronger than in the past 20 years. Compared to the EU or 20 years ago, it's dramatically stronger. Don't worry about banking being the cause of the next bubble. Usually we don't get to a bubble the same way we got to the last one. I feel good about our investments at MNT and WFC. We won't earn as much return on equity because the rules change.

Charlie: I'm less optimistic in the long term. I see something more extreme. I don't see why massive derivatives books should be mixed with deposits of people. The more banks act like investment banks, the less I like it.

Warren: Five years ago I wrote about investors getting sold predictions. I offered to beat bet a group of hedge funds that they could not beat a no-load index fund over five years. Each put $350,000 into a zero-coupon treasury at $1 million. Interests rates have gone down, so from an investment of $950,000 sold zero-coupon and bought Berkshire Hathaway, now worth 1.2 million. Hedge funds have returned 0.13% and the S&P returned 8.96%, at the half-way part. If it does well we'll have more than $1 million to give to charity. You can see it on Longbets.com, where there is a bet a large hadron collider will destroy the earth in 10 years. And one that says one human in 2000 will be alive in 2150 – Charlie?

Related links:BRKABRKBHere

Top 10 Penny Companies To Invest In 2014

The stock market can be a wonderful thing, helping you grow your wealth and enjoy a comfortable retirement. But it can also fry your precious nest egg if you're not careful. My colleague Morgan Housel has noted that the financial industry "is dominated by cranks, charlatans, and salesmen" -- but very often, we're the ones who most endanger our portfolios and our financial futures with our reckless investment ideas. Permit me to review just a few.

"Wow, this cheap stock is only $0.13 per share! I can buy 10,000 shares for just $1,300!"
Penny stocks -- those trading for less than about $5 per share -- are usually very bad investment ideas, as they can be easily manipulated and are often tied to shaky, unproven companies. Sure, they entice us with their seemingly cheap prices, and the thought of owning 10,000 shares of something is somehow more exciting than owning far fewer shares. But a low price isn't necessarily a cheap price. A $200 stock can be undervalued and more likely to rise than fall while a $0.13 stock can be worth much less than that and be more likely to fall than rise.

Top 10 Penny Companies To Invest In 2014: Capital Bank Corporation(CBKN)

Capital Bank Corporation operates as the holding company for Capital Bank that provides general commercial banking products and services in North Carolina. Its deposit products include checking, savings, negotiable order of withdrawal, money market, and individual retirement accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. The company?s loan products portfolio comprises loans for real estate, construction, businesses, agriculture, personal use, home improvement, and automobiles, as well as equity lines of credit, mortgage loans, credit loans, consumer loans, and credit cards. It also offers safe deposit boxes, bank money orders, Internet banking services, traveler?s checks, and notary services, as well as electronic funds transfer services, including wire transfers and remote deposit capture. In addition, the company provides automated teller machine access to its customers; and a line of uninsured investment products and services. It operates 32 branch offices in North Carol ina, including 5 in Raleigh, 4 in Asheville, 4 in Fayetteville, 3 in Burlington, 3 in Sanford, 2 in Cary, and 1 each in Clayton, Graham, Hickory, Holly Springs, Mebane, Morrisville, Oxford, Pittsboro, Siler City, Wake Forest, and Zebulon. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. Capital Bank Corporation is a subsidiary of North American Financial Holdings, Inc.

Top 10 Penny Companies To Invest In 2014: Skechers U.S.A. Inc.(SKX)

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. engages in the design, development, marketing, and distribution of footwear for men, women, and children in the United States and internationally. The company offers various products comprising casuals, such as boots, shoes, and sandals for men, as well as slip-ons, lug outsole and fashion boots, and casual sandals for women; dress casuals; relaxed fit for men; sandals; and casual fusion under the Skechers USA brand name. It also provides a line of sport footwear for men and women, including men?s lifestyle athletic footwear, lightweight women?s sneakers, and sport sandals under the Skechers Sport brand name. In addition, the company offers men?s and women?s casuals, field boots, hikers, and athletic shoes under the Skechers Work brand name; and a range of infants, toddlers, boys, and girls? boots, shoes, and sneakers under the Skechers Kids brand name. Further, its product line includes Skechers Active products, such as casual everyday and sport fusi on sneakers for females; Tone-ups and Tone-ups Fitness products comprising casual and athletic-inspired sandals for women, as well as sneakers; Shape-ups toning footwear for men and women; and Skechers Resistance Runner technical shoes for runners. Skechers U.S.A. markets its products through department and specialty stores, athletic and independent retailers, and boutiques, catalog and Internet retailers, as well as through own e-commerce Website and retail stores. As of February 15, 2011, it operated 105 concept stores, 99 factory outlet stores, and 40 warehouse outlet stores in the United States, as well as 28 concept stores and 16 factory outlets internationally. The company was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California.

Top 5 Bank Stocks For 2014: PostRock Energy Corporation(PSTR)

PostRock Energy Corporation, an integrated independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and transportation of oil and natural gas in the United States. It operates in two segments, Oil and Gas Production, and Natural Gas Pipelines. The Oil and Gas Production segment primarily focuses on the development of coal bed methane in the Cherokee basin and the Marcellus Shale in Appalachian Basin, as well as has oil properties in Central Oklahoma. As of December 31, 2009, it had approximately 51.9 billion cubic feet equivalent (Bcfe) of estimated net proved reserves; development rights to approximately 516,184 net acres; and operated approximately 2,849 gross wells in the Cherokee Basin. It also had approximately 44,507 net acres of oil and natural gas producing properties with estimated proved reserves of 18.9 Bcfe and approximately 498 gross wells in Appalachian Basin; and had 65 gross wells, development rights to approximately 1,4 80 net acres, and estimated net proved reserves, 3.9 Bcfe in Central Oklahoma. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment involves in transporting, gathering, treating, and processing natural gas. It owns and operates a natural gas gathering pipeline networks of approximately 2,173 miles in the Cherokee Basin and 183 miles in the Appalachian Basin; and a 1,120 mile interstate natural gas pipeline, which transports natural gas from northern Oklahoma and western Kansas to the metropolitan Wichita and Kansas City markets. The company is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Top 10 Penny Companies To Invest In 2014: Kulicke and Soffa Industries Inc.(KLIC)

Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells capital equipment and expendable tools used to assemble semiconductor devices, including integrated circuits, high and low powered discrete devices, light-emitting diodes, and power modules. It also services, maintains, repairs, and upgrades its equipment. The company operates in two segments, Equipment and Expendable Tools. The Equipment segment manufactures and sells a line of ball bonders, heavy wire wedge bonders, stud bumpers, and die bonders. Its Ball bonders are used to connect very fine wires, primarily made of gold or copper, between the bond pads of the semiconductor device or die, and the leads on its package; Heavy wire wedge bonders are used in the power semiconductor and automotive power module markets; and Die bonders are used to attach a die to the substrate or lead frame, which will house the semiconductor device. This segment?s Stud bumpers mechanically apply bumps to die, while still in the wafer format, for some variants of the flip chip assembly process. The Expendable Tools segment manufactures and sells various expendable tools for a range of semiconductor packaging applications. Its products include capillaries, bonding wedges, and saw blades. The company?s customers primarily comprise semiconductor device manufacturers, outsourced semiconductor assembly and test providers, other electronics manufacturers, and automotive electronics suppliers in the United States and the Asia/Pacific region. Kulicke and Soffa Industries sells its products through manufacturers? representatives and distributors. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Singapore.

Top 10 Penny Companies To Invest In 2014: (NWBO)

Northwest Biotherapeutics, Inc., a development stage biotechnology company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of immunotherapy products that generate and enhance immune system responses to treat cancer in the United States. Its technology platforms comprise dendritic cell-based cancer vaccines (DCVax) and monoclonal antibodies for cancer therapeutics. The company?s product candidates include DCVax-Prostate for the treatment of non-metastatic hormone independent prostate cancer, which cleared Phase III clinical trial; DCVax-Brain that is in Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme; and DCVax-LB, which cleared Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Its product candidates also comprise DCVax-Direct that cleared Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of ovarian, head, and neck cancer; and DCVax-L, which completed Phase I/II clinical trials for the treatment of resectable solid tumors. In addition, the company develops CXCR4 antibodies, which are involved in various phases of disease progression, including proliferation of the primary tumor, migration of cancer cells out of the primary tumor, and establishment of distant metastatic sites for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, colon cancer, melanoma, prostate, pancreatic, kidney, ovarian, and certain blood cancers. Northwest Biotherapeutics, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Lowell]

  Northwest Biotherapeutics Inc (OTC: NWBO)is up 20.40% to $0.530 on volume of over 414K shares.Biomedreports published a specialreporton the drug developer and some developments involving its clinical trials of DCVax for GBM brain cancer. (OTC:NWBO), (NWBO)

Top 10 Penny Companies To Invest In 2014: Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund(CFP)

Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund is a closed-ended equity fund of fund launched and managed by Cornerstone Advisors, Inc. The fund invests funds investing in the public equity markets of the United States. It invests in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund was formed on April 26, 2007 and is domiciled in the United States.

Top 10 Penny Companies To Invest In 2014: Terra Nova Royalty Corporation(TTT)

Terra Nova Royalty Corporation operates as a mineral royalty company in Canada. It owns a royalty stream on the Wabush iron ore mine located in Labrador Newfoundland. The company was formerly known as KHD Humboldt Wedag International Ltd. and changed its name in March 2010 to Terra Nova Royalty Corporation as a result of spin off of KHD Humboldt Wedag International Ltd. Terra Nova Royalty Corporation is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 10 Penny Companies To Invest In 2014: BNC Bancorp(BNCN)

BNC Bancorp operates as the holding company for Bank of North Carolina, which provides a range of commercial banking products and services to individuals, and small to medium size businesses in North Carolina. The company offers various deposit products, including checking and savings accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, money market demand accounts, noninterest-bearing accounts, and fixed interest rate certificates with varying maturities. Its loan portfolio comprises business loans secured by real estate, personal property, and accounts receivable; unsecured business loans; consumer loans that are secured by consumer products, such as automobiles and boats; unsecured consumer loans; commercial real estate loans; and commercial, installment, and personal loans. The company also offers safe deposit boxes and other associated services. As of December 31, 2009, it operated a main office in Thomasville, 15 other branch offices, and 1 limited services office. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in High Point, North Carolina.

Top 10 Penny Companies To Invest In 2014: Orion Marine Group Inc(ORN)

Orion Marine Group, Inc. operates as a marine specialty contractor serving the heavy civil marine infrastructure market. The company provides a range of marine construction and specialty services on, over, and under the water along the Gulf Coast, the Atlantic Seaboard, the West Coast, Canada, the Caribbean Basin, and the Pacific Northwest. The company?s marine construction services include construction of marine transportation facilities, marine pipelines, bridges and causeways, and marine environmental structures. Its marine transportation facility construction projects comprise public port facilities for container ship loading and unloading; cruise ship port facilities; private terminals; recreational use marinas and docks; and other marine-based facilities. Orion Marine Group?s marine pipeline service projects consist of the installation and removal of underwater buried pipeline transmission lines; installation of pipeline intakes and outfalls for industrial facilities ; construction of pipeline outfalls for wastewater and industrial discharges; river crossing and directional drilling; and creation of hot taps and tie-ins. Its bridge and causeway projects include the construction, repair, and maintenance of bridges and causeways, as well as the development of fendering systems in marine environments; and marine environmental structure projects primarily comprise the installation of concrete mattresses to ensure erosion protection, and the installation of geotubes for wetlands and island creation. In addition, the company offers dredging services; specialty services, including salvage, demolition, surveying, towing, diving and underwater inspection, excavation, and repair; and survey services comprising surveying pipelines and performing hydrographic surveys. Its customers include federal, state, and municipal governments, as well as private commercial and industrial enterprises. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Houst on, Texas.

Top 10 Penny Companies To Invest In 2014: Stewart Enterprises Inc.(STEI)

Stewart Enterprises, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides funeral and cemetery products and services in the death care industry in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company also offers a range of funeral merchandise and services, as well as cemetery property, cremation, merchandise, and services. Its funeral homes provide various services and products, including the family consultation, removal and preparation of remains, usage of funeral home facilities for visitation, worship and funeral services, transportation services, flowers, and caskets. The company also sells cemetery property and related merchandise, which includes lots, lawn crypts, family and community mausoleums, monuments, markers, and burial vaults; and provides burial site openings and closings and inscriptions. In addition, it maintains cemetery grounds under cemetery perpetual care contracts and local laws. As of January 31, 2011, the company owned and operated 218 funeral homes and 141 cemeterie s. Stewart Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1910 and is based in Jefferson, Louisiana.

Associated Reaffirmed at Neutral - Analyst Blog

On Jul 5, 2013, we reiterated our long-term Neutral recommendation on Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC), based on impressive loan and deposit growth, along with improving asset quality and sound capital deployment activity. However, higher expenses and considerable exposure to commercial loans keep us apprehensive.

Why Neutral?

Associated's focus on its organic growth strategy has resulted in an increase in deposits as well as net interest income (NII) over the past several quarters. Further, the company continues to build capital, leading to a better financial position that will aid in fulfilling higher capital requirements. Moreover, meaningful capital deployment and consistently improving credit quality are the positives for Associated.

Nevertheless, increased non-interest expenses and significant exposure to commercial loans remain major causes of concern for the company. In addition, Associated's profitability remains subject to stringent regulations. Another issue that plagues the company is its limited exposure to markets.

Associated's first-quarter 2013 earnings marginally surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Lower operating expenses, partly offset by a reduction in top-line drove the results. The company is scheduled to announce second-quarter results on Jul 18.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter is pegged at 25 cents per share. The Zacks Earnings ESP (Read: Zacks Earnings ESP: A Better Method) for Associated is +4.00% for the second quarter. This, along with its Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), makes it likely for the company to report a positive earnings surprise.

Other Stocks to Consider

Better performing Midwest banks include Old Second Bancorp Inc. (OSBC), First Interstate Bancsystem Inc. (FIBK) and Tower Financial Corporation (TOFC). All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Why Are So Many Investors Shorting GE?

Last week, General Electric (NYSE:GE) sparked rally cries from investors, sending it to considerable gains that evened out by the end of the July 20 trading week.

Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

The enthusiasm, as noted by analysts everywhere, revolved around the jump in orders and implications for the rest of the industrial sector. Yet investors had spent the lead-up to GE’s earnings report by shorting its stock.

What was behind the trend? Dividend Channel picked up the topic in a Thursday post for Forbes. The analysts noted that GE had moved up to 24th place among all stocks with short interest, according to information from Nasdaq that covered the period up to July 15. Of the different metrics presented, most remarkable was the time given for short interest investors to cover.

Dividend Channel notes the 2.28 days to cover moved it in front of the next company in line, Travelers (NYSE:TRV). Investors may have been buying into the news that declining revenues would spell bad news in the company’s then-upcoming earnings report. As Jim Cramer pointed out on CNBC, those pro-revenue folks don’t have an excellent track record.

“Those people have been so wrong, it’s frightening,” he told “Squawk Box” on July 19. Yet short sellers may have predicted the general direction of GE. Since the temporary surge last week, prices of GE have remained stagnant, with overall trends headed into negative territory.

Cramer told CNBC its all about the profit margins, whereas revenues can take a backseat in the big picture. Revenues are declining for GE in part because of the trimming of its finance division. The move to sell off its healthcare lending business was followed this week by the announcement the company would lay off several hundred employees in GE France, with more than two-thirds coming among finance employees.

Analysts have liked this commitment to downsizing, seeing it as key to the company’s long-term health and stability. Each one would also remind investors that GE Capital could have been the mammoth company’s downfall just a few years back. It might lead to lower revenues, but it could increase profit margins.

Is the lower revenue and downsizing of GE Capital enough to discourage investors into shorting GE stock? The conglomerate has retained its share of boosters. Jim Cramer reaffirmed his contention that GE was headed higher by rating it a buy this week on his CNBC show.

Then again, an important factor in the Dividend Channel post in Forbes was the date in question. Following July 15, confidence in GE has risen, as has the public support from Cramer and analysts of several firms. Less in the finance department could spell more for investors long term.

Using a solid investing framework such as this can help improve your stock-picking skills. Don't waste another minute — click here and get our CHEAT SHEET stock picks now.

Don’t Miss: Halliburton's Penalty Shows DoJ Has No Teeth.

5 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014

Without a doubt, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B  ) stands alone as the most successful financial holding company in history. Thanks largely to the leadership of Warren Buffett, Berkshire's per-share book value grew by an astounding average of 19.7% annually from 1965 through 2012 -- good for an unbelievable total gain of nearly 587,000%.

But while I wholeheartedly believe Berkshire will continue to outperform the wider market going forward, even Buffett has admitted Berkshire's enormous capital base will make it nearly impossible to duplicate his past rate of return. What's more, though Berkshire is comprised of a wide range of profitable underlying businesses, much of its success can be attributed to Buffett's knack for investing in the stocks of other great long-term oriented companies.

5 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Innergex Renewable Energy Inc (INE.TO)

Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. operates as an independent renewable power producer. It develops, owns, and operates run-of-river hydroelectric facilities, wind farms, and solar photovoltaic parks. The company�s portfolio of assets consists of 26 operating facilities with an aggregate net installed capacity of 494 MW, including 20 hydroelectric operating facilities, 5 wind farms, and 1 solar photovoltaic farm; 9 projects under development with an aggregate net installed capacity of 231 MW; and several prospective projects with an aggregate net capacity approximately 2,844 MW. It has operations in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, and Idaho, the United States. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Longueuil, Canada.

5 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Ship Finance International Limited(SFL)

Ship Finance International Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership and operation of vessels and offshore related assets in Bermuda, Cyprus, Malta, Liberia, Norway, the United States, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the Marshall Islands. The company also involves in the charter, purchase, and sale of assets. As of March 22, 2011, it owned 29 oil tankers, 8 oil/bulk/ore carriers, 3 dry bulk carriers, 9 container vessels, 2 jack-up drilling rigs, 3 ultra-deepwater drilling units, 6 offshore supply vessels, and 2 chemical tankers. The company offers its services to various sectors of shipping and offshore industry, including oil transportation, drybulk shipments, chemical transportation, container transportation, drilling rigs, and offshore supply vessels. Ship Finance International Limited was founded in 2003 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Perry]

  Ship Finance International Ltd. (NYSE: SFL) is the most diversified of all ocean-going cargo carriers. The company operates a fleet of 32 double-hull oil tankers, eight dual-purpose dry/oil tankers, one dry bulk carrier, eight container ships, one jack up rig, three ultra-deep water units, six offshore supply vessels and two chemical tankers. It’s like a quasi-ETF for the shipping industry.

  At its current price of about $20 per share with a 6.8% yield, SFL carries a market cap of $1.7 billion with 2011 revenues expected to increase by 14% to $360 million. With a payout ratio of only 46% it’s no wonder this meticulously well-managed company raised its dividend three times in 2010 and is poised to continue raising its dividend payout this year as well. You just aren’t getting that kind of news from 90% of other shipping companies. Shares of SFL traded above $30 in early 2008 and that’s where I believe they will again revisit and represents my one-year price target. Buy SFL below $23.

10 Best Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: Analog Devices Inc (ADI.O)

Analog Devices, Inc. (Analog Devices), incorporated on January 18, 1965, is engaged in the design, manufacture and marketing of a range of analog, mixed-signal and digital signal processing integrated circuits (ICs). The Company produces a range of products, including data converters, amplifiers and linear products, radio frequency (RF) ICs, power management products, sensors based on micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology and other sensors, and processing products, including DSP and other processors, which are designed to meet the needs of a base of customers. The Company's products are embedded inside many different types of electronic equipment, including industrial process control systems; instrumentation and measurement systems; wireless infrastructure equipment, and aerospace and defense electronics. The Company designs , manufactures and markets a range of ICs, which incorporate analog, mixed-signal and digital signal processing technologies. The Comp any's product portfolio includes both general-purpose products used by a range of customers and applications, as well as application-specific products. On March 30, 2012, the Company acquired Multigig, Inc.

Analog Products

The Company's product portfolio includes several thousand analog ICs. The Company's analog IC customers include original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and customers who build electronic subsystems for integration into larger systems. The Company is a supplier of data converter products. Data converters translate real-world analog signals into digital data and also translate digital data into analog signals. The Company is also a supplier of amplifiers. Amplifiers are used to condition analog signals. The Company provides precision, instrumentation, intermediate frequency/radio frequency (RF), broadband, and other amplifiers. The Company also offers a range of precision voltage references, which are used in a range of application s. The Company's analog product line also includes a range! p! ortfolio of RF ICs covering the RF signal chain, from RF function blocks, such as phase locked loops, frequency synthesizers, mixers, modulators, demodulators, and power detectors, to broadband and short-range single chip transceiver solutions.

The Company's RF ICs support the requirements of cellular infrastructure and a range of applications in the Company's target markets. Also within the Company's analog technology portfolio are products, which are based on MEMS technology. This technology enables the Company to build small sensors, which incorporate an electromechanical structure and the supporting analog circuitry for conditioning signals obtained from the sensing element. The Company's MEMS product portfolio includes accelerometers used to sense acceleration, gyroscopes used to sense rotation, inertial measurement units used to sense multiple degrees of freedom combining multiple sensing types along multiple axis, and MEMS microphones used to sense audio . The Company's current revenue from MEMS products is derived from the automotive end market. In addition to the Company's MEMS products, its other analog product category includes isolators. The Company's isolators have been designed for applications, such as universal serial bus isolation in patient monitors, where it allows hospitals and physicians to adopt the advances in computer technology to supervise patient health and wirelessly transmit medical records. In smart metering applications, the Company's isolators provide electrostatic discharge performance. In satellites, where any malfunction can be catastrophic, the Company's isolators help protect the power system while enabling designers to achieve small form factors. Power management & reference products make up the balance of the Company's analog sales. Those products, which include functions such as power conversion, driver monitoring, sequencing and energy management, are developed to complement analog signal ch ain components across core market segments from micro ! power,! e! nergy-s! ensitive battery applications to power systems in infrastructure and industrial applications.

Digital Signal Processing Products

Digital Signal Processing products (DSPs) complete the Company's product portfolio. DSPs are optimized for numeric calculations, which are essential for instantaneous, or real-time, processing of digital data generated, from analog to digital signal conversion. The Company's DSPs are designed to be fully programmable and to execute specialized software programs, or algorithms, associated with processing digitized real-time, real-world data. Programmable DSPs are designed to provide the flexibility to modify the device's function using software. The Company's DSP IC customers write their own algorithms using software development tools provided by the Company and third-party suppliers. The Company's DSPs are designed in families of products, which share common architectures and therefore can execute the same software across a range of products. The Company's customers use the Company's products to solve a range of signal processing challenges across its core market and segment focus areas within the industrial, automotive, consumer and communications end markets. As an integrated part of the Company's customers' signal chain, there are other Analog Devices products connected to its processors, including converters, audio and video codecs and power management solutions.

The Company competes with Broadcom Corporation, Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., Cirrus Logic, Inc., Microchip Technology, Inc., Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Infineon Technologies, ST Microelectronics, Intersil Corporation, Silicon Laboratories, Inc., Knowles Electronics, Texas Instruments, Inc. and Linear Technology Corporation.

5 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Solar Senior Capital Ltd.(SUNS)

Solar Senior Capital Ltd., a business development company, provides investment management services in the United States. The company primarily invests in senior secured loans, including first lien, unitranche, and second lien debt instruments. It serves middle-market companies. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

5 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Novagold Resources Com Npv(NG.TO)

NovaGold Resources Inc. engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties primarily in Alaska, the United States and British Columbia, Canada. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, copper, zinc, and lead ores. It primarily holds interest in the Donlin Gold deposits located in southwestern Alaska covering an area of approximately 81,361 acres. The company was formerly known as NovaCan Mining Resources (1985) Limited and changed its name to NovaGold Resources Inc. in March 1987. NovaGold Resources Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Best Medical Companies To Watch For 2014

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 Wright Medical Group (NASDAQ: WMGI  ) , an orthopedic medical device manufacturer, surged as much as 10% after announcing the sale of its OrthoRecon business.

So what: Under the terms of the deal, MicroPort will acquire Wright Medical's OrthoRecon for $290 million in cash. The segment consists of various hip and knee replacement devices and generated $269 million in sales for Wright Medical last year. On paper, this should benefit both companies as MicroPort will gain a segment expected to grow in need as baby boomers age. For Wright Medical, it transforms the company by focusing growth on its extremities segment.

Best Medical Companies To Watch For 2014: Organovo Holdings Inc (ONVO)

Organovo Holdings, Inc. (Organovo), formerly Real Estate Restoration & Rental, Inc., incorporated in 2007, is a development-stage company. The Company has developed and is commercializing a platform technology for the generation of three-dimensional (3D) human tissues that can be employed in drug discovery and development, biological research, and as therapeutic implants for the treatment of damaged or degenerating tissues and organs. On December 28, 2011, Real Estate Restoration and Rental, Inc.�� (RERR) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, pursuant to which RERR merged with its, wholly owned subsidiary, Organovo (Merger Sub). On February 8, 2012, the Company merged with and into Organovo Acquisition Corp. (Acquisition Corp.), a wholly owned subsidiary of Organovo, with the Company surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Organovo Holdings (the Merger). As a result of the Merger, Organovo acquired the business of Organovo, Inc.

The Company has collaborative research agreements with Pfizer, Inc. (Pfizer) and United Therapeutic Corporation (Unither). As of March 31, 2012, it has five federal grants, including Small Business Innovation Research grants and developed the NovoGen MMX Bioprinter (its first-generation 3D bioprinter). The Company is engaged in the development of specific 3D human tissues to aid Pfizer in discovery of therapies in two areas of interest. In addition, in October 2011, it entered into a research agreement with Unither to establish and conduct a research program to discover treatments for pulmonary hypertension using its NovoGen MMX Bioprinter technology. Additionally, under the research agreement with Unither, the Company granted Unither an option to acquire from the Company a worldwide, royalty-bearing license in certain intellectual property created under the research agreement solely for use in the treatment or prevention of pulmonary hypertension and all other lung diseases.

The Company�� NovoGen MMX Bioprinter is an automate! d device that enables the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) living tissues comprised of mammalian cells. A custom graphic user interface (GUI) facilitates the 3D design and execution of scripts that direct precision movement of the dispensing heads to deposit cellular building blocks (bio-ink) or supporting hydrogel. The Company is using a third party manufacturer, Invetech Pty., of Melbourne, Australia, to manufacture its NovoGen MMX Bioprinter. Its bioprinting technology and surrounding intellectual property and commercial rights serve as a platform for product generation across multiple markets that employ cell- and tissue-based products and services.

The Company competes with Organogenesis, Advanced BioHealing, Tengion, Genzyme, HumaCyte and Cytograft Tissue Engineering.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another stock that's starting to move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is Organovo (ONVO), a three-dimensional biology company focused on delivering breakthrough bioprinting technology and creating tissue on demand for research and medical applications. This stock has been on fire so far in 2013, with shares up sharply by 133%.

  If you look at the chart for Organovo, you'll notice that this stock recently pulled back sharply from its high of $8.50 to its recent low of $4.43 a share. During that move, shares of ONVO were consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, the downside volatility stopped for ONVO once it hit $4.43 a share, and the stock has now reversed its downtrend and entered an uptrend. That move is quickly pushing ONVO within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ONVO if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $6.20 to $6.65 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ONVO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $7.50 to its 52-week high at $8.50 a share. Any high-volume move above $8.50 will then put its all-time high at $10.90 within range for shares of ONVO.

  Traders can look to buy ONVO off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day at $5.07 a share, or just below $5 a share. One can also buy ONVO off strength once it takes out that breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Organovo (ONVO) is a three-dimensional biology company focused on delivering breakthrough bioprinting technology and creating tissue on demand for research and medical applications. This stock closed up 8.5% to $5.21 in Thursday's trading session.

  52-Week Range: $1.78-$8.50
  
  Thursday's Volume: 2.88 million
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 1.78 million

  From a technical perspective, ONVO ripped higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $4.88 with heavy upside volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last month, with shares plunging lower from its high of $8.50 to its recent low of $4.43. During that downtrend, shares of ONVO have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of ONVO might be ready to see its downside volatility stop and reverse its downtrend and enter a new uptrend. The probability for that reverse in trend is supported by the high volume on Thursday.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ONVO as long as it's trending above its recent low at $4.33 and then once it sustains a move or close above $5.21 to $5.64 with volume that hits near or above 1.78 shares. If we get that move soon, then ONVO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $6.65 to $7.50.

Best Medical Companies To Watch For 2014: Compugen Ltd.(CGEN)

Compugen Ltd. operates as a drug and diagnostic discovery company based on computer-based discovery capabilities to predict and select novel product candidates. Through in silico prediction and selection, the resulting novel molecules are synthesized and validated utilizing traditional in vitro and in vivo experimental procedures. The company provides these validated product candidates to pharmaceutical, biotech, and diagnostic companies under licensing and other commercialization arrangements. Its research and discovery efforts are focused primarily on therapeutic proteins and peptides, and monoclonal antibodies, and primarily in the fields of immunology and oncology. Its therapeutic peptide and protein related platforms include Protein Family Members Discovery Platform, Protein-Protein Interaction Blockers, GPCR Therapeutic Peptide Ligands, Disease-Associated Conformation Blockers, Intracellular Drug Delivery, Viral Peptides, and Splice Variant based Therapeutic Proteins . The company?s monoclonal antibody related platforms comprise Monoclonal Antibody Targets. Its other therapeutic and diagnostic platforms consist of Nucleic-Acid Disease Markers, Protein Disease Markers, Nucleic-Acid Preclinical Toxicity Markers, Non-SNP Drug Response Markers, and New Indications. Its therapeutic peptide and protein product candidates comprise CGEN-15001, a novel protein for the treatment of autoimmune disorders; CGEN-25017, a novel peptide antagonist of the Angiopoietin/Tie-2 pathway; CGEN-855, a peptide agonist of the FPRL1 GPCR receptor; CGEN-856 and CGEN-857, which are MAS GPCR peptide agonists; CGEN-25007, an antagonist of the gp96 protein; and CGEN-25009, a peptide of the LGR7 receptor. The company also offers monoclonal antibody target product candidates, including CGEN-671, a drug for multiple epithelial tumors; CGEN-928, a drug for multiple myeloma; and CGEN-15001T, a novel B7/CD28 family member. Compugen Ltd. was founded in 1993 and is based in Te l Aviv, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Shulman]

  Compugen Ltd. (NASDAQ: CGEN) is the world’s leading molecular intellectual property company. Based in Israel, the company has revolutionized the early phases of drug development through a highly automated process of exploring and selecting molecules with the greatest promise to serve as the basis for a particular treatment.

  The company licenses its peptides and proteins for a fee to the who’s who of the drug industry, and also receives a back-end cut of any drug that makes it to market using its discoveries.

  Compugen just announced that it entered into an agreement with Baize Investments under which it will receive $5 million in R&D funding. My target for CGEN is $20 in three to five years.

Top 5 Gold Companies To Watch In Right Now: Cerus Corporation(CERS)

Cerus Corporation, a biomedical products company, engages in the development and commercialization of the INTERCEPT Blood System. The company?s INTERCEPT system is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in donated blood components intended for transfusion. It markets the INTERCEPT system for platelets and plasma primarily in Europe, the Russian Federation, and the Middle East. The company is also developing INTERCEPT Blood System for red blood cells or red blood cell system, which is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in donated red blood cells for transfusion. Cerus Corporation has collaboration agreements with Baxter International, Inc.; and BioOne Corporation, as well as the United States Armed Forces. The company was founded in 1991 and is based in Concord, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Shulman]

  Cerus (NASDAQ: CERS) developed and markets the INTERCEPT Blood System, which is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in blood components so the blood can be used in transfusions. In other words, it “cleans” donated blood of viruses, bacteria and parasites.

  Cerus is pretty much the only game in town with this remarkable technology, and it has gained approval in most large European countries. Why not the United States? Well, management has not stood up to the FDA. The approval has been held up by one member of the FDA even though Cerus hit the primary endpoints in its pivotal Phase III trial and is receiving grants from the Department of Defense.

  The FDA should quit dragging its feet eventually. There is no scientific or product risk in this stock. Their system works. My target price is $14 in one to three years.

Best Medical Companies To Watch For 2014: Telik Inc (TELK)

Telik, Inc. (Telik), incorporated in 1988, is a clinical-stage drug development company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat cancer. The Company discovers its product candidates using the Company�� drug discovery technology, Target-Related Affinity Profiling (TRAP). TELINTRA, its principal drug product candidate in clinical development, is a small molecule glutathione analog inhibitor of the enzyme glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (GST P1-1). TELCYTA, its other product candidate, is a small molecule cancer drug product candidate designed to be activated in cancer cells.

Clinical Product Development

TELINTRA is the Company�� lead small molecule product candidate in clinical development for the treatment of blood disorders, including cancer. It has a mechanism of action and acts by inhibiting GST P1-1, an enzyme that is involved in the control of cellular growth and differentiation. Inhibition of GST P1-1 results in the activation of the signaling molecule Jun kinase, a regulator of the function of blood precursor cells. Preclinical tests show that TELINTRA is capable of causing the death or apoptosis of leukemic or malignant blood cells, while stimulating the growth and development of normal blood precursor cells. TELINTRA has been studied in Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) using two formulations. A liposomal formulation was developed for intravenous administration of TELINTRA and was used in Phase I and Phase II studies in MDS patients. The results from the Phase II intravenous liposomal TELINTRA clinical trials demonstrated that TELINTRA treatment was associated with improvement in all three types of blood cell levels in patients with all types of MDS, including those in intermediate and high-risk groups. An oral dosage formulation (tablet) was subsequently developed and results from a Phase I study with TELINTRA tablets showed clinical activity and the formulation to be well tolerated. In June 2011, the Company initiated a Phase II clinical ! trial to evaluate TELINTRA tablets. In October 2011, the Company initiated an additional Phase IIb clinical trial to evaluate TELINTRA tablets. '

The activity and safety profile of tablet formulation allowed the Company to complete a Phase II trial of TELINTRA tablets in MDS. The primary objective of the Phase II TELINTRA tablet study was to determine the efficacy of TELINTRA. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify MDS disease prognostic factors associated with erythroid improvement response rates, including prior MDS treatment, age, gender, the international prognostic scoring system (IPSS), risk, Eastern Cooperative Group performance status, years from MDS diagnosis, MDS World Health Organization subtypes, anemia only versus anemia plus other cytopenias, dose schedule and starting dose. Results from this study show that TELINTRA is the first GSTP1-1 enzyme inhibitor shown to cause clinically reductions in red blood cell transfusions, including transfusion independence in low to intermediate-1 risk MDS patients, as well as improvement in platelet count and white blood cell levels in certain patients. TELINTRA, administered orally twice daily, appeared to be convenient and flexible for chronic treatment administration.

TELCYTA is a small molecule drug product candidate that the Company is developed for the treatment of cancer. TELCYTA binds to GST. TELCYTA has been evaluated in multiple Phase II and Phase III clinical trials, including trials using TELCYTA as monotherapy and in combination regimens in ovarian, non-small cell lung, breast and colorectal cancer. Results from these clinical trials indicate that TELCYTA monotherapy was generally well-tolerated, with mostly mild to moderate side effects, particularly when compared to the side effects and toxicities of standard chemotherapeutic drugs. When TELCYTA was evaluated in combination with standard chemotherapeutic drugs, the tolerability of the combinations was similar to that expected of each! drug alo! ne.

Clinical activity including objective tumor responses and/or disease stabilization was reported in the TELCYTA Phase II trials; however, TELCYTA did not meet its primary endpoints in the Phase III studies. Positive results from a Phase I-IIa multicenter, dose-ranging study of TELCYTA in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel as first-line therapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, were published in a peer reviewed publication. Clinical data demonstrated positive results of TELCYTA in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel in the treatment of first-line lung cancer followed by TELCYTA maintenance therapy. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had an on-going investigator-led study at a single site of TELCYTA in patients with refractory or relapsed mantle cell lymphoma, diffuse B cell lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

Preclinical Drug Product Development

The Company has a small molecule compound, TLK60404, in preclinical development that inhibits both Aurora kinase and VEGFR kinase. Aurora kinase is a signaling enzyme whose function is required for cancer cell division, while VEGF plays a key role in tumor blood vessel formation, ensuring an adequate supply of nutrients to support tumor growth. These lead compounds prevented tumor growth in preclinical models of human colon cancer and human leukemia by inhibiting both Aurora kinase and VEGFR kinase. A development drug product candidate, TLK60404, has been selected.

The Company, using its TRAP technology has discovered TLK60357, a novel, potent small molecule inhibitor of cell division. TLK60357 inhibits the formation of microtubules that are necessary for cancer cell growth leading to persistent G2/M cancer cell cycle block and subsequent cell death. This compound demonstrates potent broad-spectrum anticancer activity against a number of human cancer cells. This compound also displays oral efficacy in multiple, standard preclinical models of cancer. TLK60596, a potent VG! FR kinase! inhibitor, blocks the formation of new blood vessels in tumors. Oral administration of TLK60596 to animal models of human colon cancer reduced tumor growth.

Best Medical Companies To Watch For 2014: Uroplasty Inc (UPI)

Uroplasty, Inc., incorporated in January 1992, is a medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets products for the treatment of voiding dysfunctions. The Company�� primary focus is on two products: the Urgent PC Neuromodulation system and Macroplastique Implants. The Urgent PC system is a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved minimally invasive, office-based neuromodulation therapy for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) and associated symptoms of urinary urgency, urinary frequency, and urge incontinence; and Macroplastique Implants a urethral bulking agent for the treatment of adult female stress urinary incontinence primarily due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD). Outside of the United States, the Company�� Urgent PC is also approved for treatment of fecal incontinence, and Macroplastique is also approved for treatment of male stress incontinence and vesicoureteral reflux.

Urgent PC Neuromodulation System

Using a small-gauge needle electrode inserted above the ankle, the Urgent PC System delivers electrical impulses to the tibial nerve that travel to the sacral nerve plexus, a control center for pelvic floor and bladder function. Components of the Urgent PC system include a hair-width needle electrode, a lead set, and an external, handheld, battery-powered stimulator. For each 30-minute, office-based therapy session, the physician or other qualified healthcare provider inserts the needle electrode in the patient�� lower leg and connects the electrode to the stimulator. Typically, a patient undergoes 12 consecutive weekly treatment sessions, with follow-up maintenance treatments as required to sustain the therapeutic effect. The Company has received regulatory clearances for sale of the Urgent PC system in the United States, Canada and Europe. It also has launched its second generation Urgent PC system.

Macroplastique

Macroplastique is designed to restore the patient�� urinary contine! nce immediately following treatment. Macroplastique is a soft-textured, permanent implant injected, under endoscopic visualization, around the urethra distal to the bladder neck. It is a composition of heat vulcanized, solid, soft, irregularly shaped polydimethylsiloxane (solid silicone elastomer) implants suspended in a biocompatible excretable carrier gel. Macroplastique does not degrade, is not absorbed into surrounding tissues and does not migrate from the implant site. The Company has sold Macroplastique for several urological indications in over 40 countries outside the United States.

Other Uroplasty Products

The Company markets outside of the United States minimally invasive products to address fecal incontinence. Its PTQ Implants offer minimally invasive, soft-textured permanent implant for treatment of fecal incontinence. The PTQ Implants are implanted circumferentially into the submucosa of the anal canal, creating a bulking and supportive effect similar to that of Macroplastique injection for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. The PTQ is Conformite Europeenne (CE) marked and is sold outside the United States in various international markets. The Urgent PC is also CE marked and sold outside of the United States for the treatment of fecal incontinence. In addition to urological applications, the Company markets its tissue bulking material outside the United States for otolaryngology vocal cord rehabilitation applications under the trade name VOX Implants. In the Netherlands and the United Kingdom only, the Company distributes certain wound care products in accordance with a distributor agreement.

The Company competes with Pfizer Inc., Johnson and Johnson, Novartis, Allergan, GlaxoSmithKline, Carbon Medical Technologies, BioForm, Inc., Q-Med AB and Contura.

Best Medical Companies To Watch For 2014: Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc (NAVB.A)

Navidea Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Navidea), formerly Neoprobe Corporation, incorporated in 1983, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of precision diagnostic agents. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� radiopharmaceutical development programs included Lymphoseek (Lymphoseek, Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m for Injection), a radiopharmaceutical agent for lymph node mapping; AZD4694, an imaging agent, and RIGScan, a tumor antigen-specific targeting agent. In January 2012, the Company executed an option agreement with Alseres Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Alseres) to license [123I]-E-IACFT Injection, also called Altropane, an Iodine-123 radiolabeled imaging agent, being developed as an aid in the diagnosis of Parkinson�� disease, movement disorders and dementia. In August 2011, the Company sold its gamma detection device line of business (the GDS Business) to Devicor Medical Products, Inc.

Lymphoseek

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Navidea�� pipeline includes clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical agents used to identify the presence and status of disease. Lymphoseek (Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m for Injection) is a lymph node targeting agent intended for use in intraoperative lymphatic mapping (ILM) procedures and lymphoscintigraphy employed in the overall diagnostic assessment of certain solid tumor cancers. The lymph system is a component of the body�� immune system. The key components of the lymph system are lymph nodes-small anatomic structures that contain disease-fighting lymphocytes, filter lymph of bacteria and cancer cells, and signal infection in response to heightened levels of pathogens. In Navidea�� Phase III clinical studies of Lymphoseek, it detected over 99% of positive nodes identified by vital blue dye (VBD). As of December 31, 2011, Navidea, in co-operation with UC, San Diego affiliate (UCSD), completed or initiated five Phase I clinical trials, one multi-c enter Phase II trial and three multi-center Phase II trial! s ! involving Lymphoseek. Two Phase III studies were completed in subjects with breast cancer and melanoma. During the year ended December 31, 2011, data from NEO3-09 were released, which indicated that all primary and secondary endpoints for the study were met. As of December 31, 2011, third Phase III clinical trial for Lymphoseek in subjects with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (NEO3-06) was in progress.

AZD4694

AZD4694 is a Fluorine-18 labeled precision radiopharmaceutical candidate for use in the imaging and evaluation of patients with signs or symptoms of cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). It binds to beta-amyloid deposits in the brain that can then be imaged in positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Amyloid plaque pathology is a required feature of AD and the presence of amyloid pathology is a supportive feature for diagnosis of probable AD. Patients who are negative for amyloid pathology do not have AD. AZD4694 has b een studied in several clinical trials. Clinical studies through Phase IIa have included more than 80 patients to date, both suspected AD patients and healthy volunteers. No significant adverse events have been observed. Results suggest that AZD4694 has the ability to image patients quickly and safely with high sensitivity.

RadioImmunoGuided Surgery

As of December 31, 2011, RIGScan had been studied in a number of clinical trials, including Phase III studies. Navidea has conducted two Phase III studies, NEO2-13 and NEO2-14, of RIGScan in patients with primary and metastatic colorectal cancer, respectively. Both studies were multi-institutional involving cancer treatment institutions in the United States, Israel, and the European Union.

The Company competes with Pharmalucence, Eli Lilly, Bayer Schering, General Electric and GE Healthcare.

Can North East be the next driver for Indian stock market?

A lot of North East youth and children go out to metros to pursue higher education. The programme also focused on how parents fund their education costs. The aspects like how can financial advisors tap a market, penetrate this market and make these savers into investors would also be covered.

The panellist for the discussion included BP Muktieh, chairman and managing director of North Eastern Development Finance Corporation; Naresh Pachisia, managing director of SKP Securities and a certified financial planner; Debashish Mohanty, country head of retail network at UTI and RK Garg, chief general manager of North Eastern circle at SBI.

Here is the edited transcript of their discussion.

Q: How to increase the investment penetration? What should be the roadmap for it?

Mohanty: The investment penetration is very low in this part of the country and whole of the country. Out of 120 crore population, there might be around 1.5 crore unique mutual fund investors. It clearly states the agenda that we need more penetration.

This product is intangible which delivers value at a future point of time, and need a bit of effort to explain and create the need in the minds of investor who doesn't feel the necessity on its own. For this, we need to create more number of advisors, whether it is an individual financial advisor or a banker acting on behalf of its remote branch or a post office or a sub-broker of a distributor.

At present, we have only 40,000 KYD compliant advisors to promote or penetrate in 120 crore population. We should encourage and facilitate anyone coming for more advisors.

We should also create an atmosphere of investment by spreading investor education, which not only required creating the amount the people who can invest, but it can also be started at an early age in school or colleges by inculcating the right curriculum.

Q: What has been your experience? You have seen this market. Do you think that your bank is playing a crucial role in terms of penetrating in this market in terms of financial planning?

Garg: The awareness about investment product is very low here. People mostly back with different banks, put their money in fixed deposits or savings bank accounts and wait for that annual rate of interest.

Therefore, SBI reaches out to different clusters of people spread across the North East, for example, executives of Oil India, ONGC and army establishments as we have nearly 200 thousand army men across seven states.

We organise groups, collect 50 people and send out people to inform them to improve their returns from various types of investments.

Q: What is the key factor needed to penetrate a market like this? What are the challenges that a financial advisor has to go through?

Pachisia: More number of advisors penetrating a very under penetrated market of investors potential investors, who are right now savers but not yet investors, and educating them about the need to think of the financial wellbeing of their family. Then, they create of a good relationship with them and think of this profession on a scalable basis.

Q: The advisors should meet the needs of the customers or harp on those needs. What is the mindset of people here? Most of the youth go out of North East to metros to pursue higher education and the costs are large. Are parents doing enough? Is it a need that financial advisors can look into and everyone needs to be trained on that?

Muktieh: As far as North East is concerned, it is a very potential market and very underserved. The capital market has been largely ignored. There is a need for advisors where people from the region can attend to and they can advise them on how to invest.

As of now, when we look at the region, each of these states have been growing at a very high rate almost at the all India level in the last seven-eight years. People will be turning to the capital markets only when they are confident.

Since there is a lack of knowledge, there is a need to educate them and that�s the role of the financial advisor. For that, they need to be very confident themselves. There is need for the advisors to upgrade and educate themselves. Their confidence will encourage these people to invest in these areas.

Also watch the accompanying videos for the complete show�