Top Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now

LONDON -- The shares of�Carpetright� (LSE: CPR  ) rose 2.4% to 265 pence in early afternoon trading yesterday after the FTSE 250 mid cap revealed like-for-like U.K. sales had jumped 5.6%.

Carpetright, the biggest seller of carpets and floor coverings in Britain, met market expectations by confirming gross margins were likely to improve by 0.2% this year.

The company's performance in the rest of Europe was less impressive, however, with total sales declining 10.2%, mostly due to "deteriorating economic conditions" in the Netherlands.

After suffering a disastrous blow to margins following the housing crisis, Carpetright said it would continue its plans to refurbish its U.K. stores, increase its product range, and focus on digital media marketing.

Chief executive Darren Shapland commented:

Excluding the expected contraction in sales from the wholesale business, our core U.K. retail business would have reported like-for-like sales growth of 6.7% for the period. Whilst the recent cold spring weather has been positive to our sales, we believe this performance reflects the continued success of our program of self-help initiatives.

Top 5 Gas Stocks To Watch For 2015: Amsurg Corp.(AMSG)

AmSurg Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiaries, engages in the development, acquisition, and operation of ambulatory surgery centers in partnership with physicians in the United States. The company?s surgery centers perform colonoscopy and other endoscopy procedures in the area of gastroenterology; cataracts and retinal laser surgery in the area of ophthalmology; and knee and shoulder arthroscopy and carpal tunnel repair in the area of orthopedics. As of December 31, 2010, it owned interest in 204 surgery centers in 33 states and the District of Columbia, including 140 centers performed gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures, 37 centers performed ophthalmology surgery procedures, 19 centers were multiple specialties, and 8 centers performed orthopaedic procedures. AmSurg Corp. markets its surgery centers directly to patients; and referring physicians and third-party payors, such as health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, other managed care o rganizations, and employers. The company was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  AmSurg (Nasdaq: AMSG  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on April 24. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict AmSurg's revenues will grow 13.6% and EPS will grow 4.0%.

Top Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now: TriStar Wellness Solutions Inc (TWSI)

TriStar Wellness Solutions, Inc., formerly Biopack Environmental Solutions Inc., incorporated on August 28, 2000, is engaged in developing, marketing and selling, NCP's Beaute de Maman product lines, which is a line of skincare and other products specifically targeted for pregnant women, as well developing the Soft and Smooth Assets. The Company supplied biodegradable food containers and industrial packaging products to multinational corporations, supermarket chains and restaurants located across North America, Europe and Asia. In May 2013, the Company acquired HemCon Medical Technologies Inc.

The Company�� priority direct-to-consumer target markets are focused on women�� health and wound care. The second core product area is directed at the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) wound care market space. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company focused the sales and marketing resources for the Beaute de Maman brand on efficient Internet portals via the brand Website and selected Web-based retailers.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Last Friday, small cap stocks Tristar Wellness Solutions Inc (OTCMKTS: TWSI) jumped 14.94% while Hybrid Coating Technologies (OTCBB: HCTI) and Bulova Technologies Group, Inc (OTCMKTS: BTGI) sank 23.53% and 13.04%, respectively. It should be mentioned that only one of these small cap stocks appears to be the subject of paid promotions or investor relations type activities. So what will these three small cap stocks do for investors this week? Here is a quick reality check to help you decide on a trading or investing strategy:

Top Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now: Grupo Televisa S.A.(TV)

Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a media company in Mexico and internationally. It operates in seven segments: Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks, Programming Exports, Publishing, Sky, Cable and Telecom, and Other Businesses. The Television Broadcasting segment engages in the production of television programming and broadcasting of channels 2, 4, 5, and 9; and production of television programming and broadcasting for local television stations in Mexico and the United States. The Pay Television Networks segment provides programming services for cable and pay-per-view television companies in Mexico, as well as other countries in Latin America, the United States, and Europe. The Programming Exports segment offers international licensing of television programming. The Publishing segment primarily publishes Spanish-language magazines in Mexico, the United States, and Latin America. The Sky segment provides direct-to-home broadcas t satellite pay television services in Mexico, Central America, and the Dominican Republic. The Cable and Telecom segment operates a cable and telecommunication system in the Mexico City metropolitan area. This segment provides data and long-distance services solutions to carriers and other telecommunications service providers through its fiber-optic network in Mexico and the United States; basic and premium television, pay-per-view, and telephone services. The Other Businesses segment engages in sports and show business promotion, soccer, feature film production and distribution, Internet, gaming, radio, and publishing distribution operations. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael J. Carr]

  Grupo Televisa (NYSE: TV) provides programming and cable and satellite services to viewers in the U.S., Mexico, the Dominican Republic and other countries. The company reported more than $5.5 billion in revenue over the past 12 months and earnings of more than $680 million, or $1.10 per share. Cash flow per share doubled in the past 12 months.

• [By Daniel Cross]

  Grupo Televisa (NYSE: TV) is a broadcasting company that is set to take advantage of growth in several areas. The increase in the United States' Hispanic population means there are 53 million potential users of Spanish-language networks like Univision. Grupo Televisa receives royalties from licensing its programs to Univision, and revenue is expected to top $270 million this year. The emergence of Mexico as a manufacturing powerhouse means that the middle class should see a boost as well. Pay TV is popular in Mexico, as seen by a 12% rise in that segment's revenues from last year. Operating margins are improving as well, increasing from 17% in 2011 to 26% as of the most recent quarter.

Top Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now: Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LLOY)

Lloyds Banking Group plc is a holding company. The Company is a financial services group providing a range of banking and financial services, primarily in the United Kingdom, to personal and corporate customers. It operates in four segments: Retail, Commercial Banking, Wealth, Asset Finance and International, and Insurance. Retail provides banking, mortgages and other financial services to personal customers in the United Kingdom. Commercial Banking provides banking and related services to business clients. Wealth, Asset Finance and International provides private banking and asset management and asset finance. Insurance provides long term savings, protection and investment products and provides general insurance to personal customers. In January 2014, Westpac Banking Corporation completed the acquisition of Lloyds Banking Group Plc�� Australian asset finance business, Capital Finance Australia Limited, and its Australian corporate loan portfolio, BOS International (Australia) Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Lloyds Banking Group Plc (LLOY) climbed above the price at which the U.K. government has said it will break even on its 39 percent stake in the lender. European carmakers rose to their highest level since November 2007 as vehicle sales in the region increased for the first time in 19 months. FLSmidth & Co. A/S sank 9.7 percent after Europe�� biggest maker of cement-production lines said it signed fewer large orders.

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  European stocks declined from a five-year high as investors sold holdings in companies from Lloyds Banking Group Plc (LLOY) to Continental AG.

  Lloyds dropped 3.5 percent after the U.K. government sold a 3.2 billion-pound ($5.1 billion) stake in the lender. Continental and Galp Energia SGPS SA fell at least 2.5 percent as investors sold shares in the companies. Total SA (FP) retreated 1.3 percent following a report that Groupe Bruxelles Lambert SA may dispose of its 4 percent stake in the French oil producer.

Top Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now: Kennametal Inc. (KMT)

Kennametal Inc. manufactures and supplies tooling, engineered components, and advanced materials consumed in production processes worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Industrial and Infrastructure. It offers standard and customized technologies for metalworking, such as metal cutting tools, tooling systems, and services, as well as materials, including cemented tungsten carbide products, super alloys, coatings, and investment castings. It also manufactures and markets a line of tool holders, tool-holding systems, and rotary-cutting tools by machining and fabricating steel bars and other metal alloys; and tungsten powders, tungsten heavy alloys, tungsten carbide materials, and tungsten carbide cutting tools. In addition, the company produces compacts and metallurgical powders; products made from tungsten carbide or other hard materials that are used for custom-engineered and applications, including mining and highway construction; and engineered components and s urface technology solutions with proprietary metal cladding capabilities, as well as process technology and materials that focus on component deburring, polishing, and effecting controlled radii. The Industrial segment serves customers primarily in the aerospace, defense, transportation, and general engineering market sectors, as well as the machine tool industry; and offers its products and services for use in the manufacture of engines, airframes, automobiles, trucks, ships, and various types of industrial equipment. The Infrastructure segment serves customers in energy and earthworks sectors who support primary industries, such as oil and gas; power generation; food and beverage; chemicals; underground, and surface and hard-rock mining, highway construction, and road maintenance. The company sells its products through direct sales force; network of independent distributors and sales agents; and Internet. Kennametal Inc. was founded in 1938 and is headquartered in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Kennametal (KMT)

  Richard Snow (Trades, Portfolio)�� fifth largest position is in Kennametal where he holds on to 1,872,839 shares of the company�� stock. This position represents 3.3% of his total portfolio as well as 2.41% of the company�� shares outstanding.

Top Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now: MiMedx Group Inc (MDXG)

MiMedx Group, Inc. (MiMedx), incorporated on February 28, 2008, is an integrated developer, manufacturer and marketer of regenerative biomaterial products processed from human amniotic membrane. The Company�� biomaterial platform technologies include the device technologies HydroFix and CollaFix, and tissue technologies, AmnioFix and EpiFix. Its tissue technologies are processed from human amniotic membrane that is derived from the donated placentas. Through the Company�� donor program, mothers delivering full-term caesarian births can elect in advance of delivery to donate the placenta in lieu of having it discarded as medical waste. MiMedx processes the human amniotic membrane utilizing its Purion Process to produce a manipulated implant for homologous use. MiMedx is the supplier of amniotic tissue, having supplied over 100,000 implants to distributors and other equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for application in the Wound Care, Surgical, Sports Medicine, Ophthalmic and Dental sectors of healthcare.

The Company has three platform technologies. Its largest addressable market is in chronic wound care consisting of diabetic, venous and pressure ulcers. On January 5, 2011, the Company acquired all of the outstanding equity interests in Surgical Biologics, LLC. Located in Kennesaw, Georgia, Surgical Biologics develops allografts and other products processed from human amniotic membrane that can be used for a range of medical applications, including ocular surface repair, gum repair, wound care, nerve and tendon repair, spine repair, burn treatment, and many other types of procedures that require the repair of a patient�� integumental (native) tissue. Surgical Biologics has developed a specialized process for the processing of amniotic membrane to produce a manipulated allograft for homologous use.

AmnioFix and EpiFix

MiMedx is the supplier of allografts processed from amniotic tissue, having supplied over 70,000 allografts to date for application in the Ophthalm! ic, Orthopedic, Dental, Spinal and Wound Care segments of healthcare. Its amnion products, AmnioFix and EpiFix, are processed from human tissue. The AmnioFix and EpiFix allografts can be used for a range of procedures, including ocular surface repair, gingival recession repair, wound care, burns, and many other types of procedures for the repair of a patient�� integumental (native) tissue. Its AmnioFix technology also is used as a graft to reduce the amount of scar tissue formation, provide a local anti-inflammatory and help with the soft tissue healing of the area. EpiFix offers a range of wound healing and wound care options. Much of the clinical usage of EpiFix has been for wound care patients suffering from diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, vein circulation ulcers, or artery circulation ulcers.

CollaFix

The Company�� CollaFix technology combines a means of creating fibers from soluble collagen and a specialized cross-linking process. MiMedx utilizes two separate cross-linking technologies for various applications. Initial laboratory and animal testing shows that the cross-linked collagen fibers produce a biocompatible, and durable construct that can be transformed into surgical meshes intended to treat a number of orthopedic soft-tissue trauma and disease disorders.

HydroFix

The Company licenses rights to a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer, which is a water-based biomaterial that can be manufactured with a range of mechanical properties, including those that appear to mimic closely the mechanical and physical properties of natural, healthy human tissue. This hydrogel has been used in other orthopedic and general surgery device applications, and it has demonstrated biocompatibility and durability inside the human body. It has a similar version of the product for the European market called HydroFix Spine Shield. The device is classified as a post-surgical adhesion inhibiting barrier and is used in specific spine surgeries. In December the original! HydroFix! Spine Shield (for Anterior use Class IIb in Europe) was renamed to be HydroFix Anterior Shield.

The Company competes with W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. and Stryker.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Teresa Rivas]

  The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Arrowood and Petit, CEO of MiMex Group (MDXG), in January of last year. The SEC alleges that Arrowood received non-public information about the potential sale of Matria Healthcare (a publicly traded company that merged with Inverness Medical Innovations in 2008) from Petit, who was CEO of the firm at that time.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  It may not be as big as NuVasive, Inc. (NASDAQ:NUVA), and it might not be as sexy as MiMedx Group Inc. (NASDAQ:MDXG). But, Bacterin International Holdings Inc. (NYSEMKT:BONE) offers something to investors that MDXG and NUVA don't - can't - right now... a distinct opportunity for a lot of upside in a short amount of time.