Top Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014

Molex (Nasdaq: MOLX  ) reported earnings on April 23. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q3), Molex missed estimates on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew slightly. Non-GAAP earnings per share dropped. GAAP earnings per share contracted significantly.

Margins contracted across the board.

Revenue details
Molex reported revenue of $852.9 million. The 12 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected a top line of $917.3 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were the same as the prior-year quarter's.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
EPS came in at $0.33. The 14 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $0.35 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.33 for Q3 were 2.9% lower than the prior-year quarter's $0.34 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.25 for Q3 were 31% lower than the prior-year quarter's $0.36 per share.

Top Income Companies To Buy Right Now: iShares Morningstar Small-Cap Value ETF (JKL)

iShares Morningstar Small Value Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Morningstar Small Value Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of stocks issued by small-capitalization companies that have exhibited value characteristics as determined by Morningstar, Inc.'s (Morningstar) index methodology. Index constituents are drawn from the pool of liquid, United States-domiciled stocks that trade publicly on the NYSE, the AMEX or NASDAQ.

The Morningstar index methodology defines small-capitalization stocks as those stocks that form the 7% of market capitalization between the 90th and 97th percentile of the market capitalization of the stocks eligible to be included in the Morningstar US Market Index (a market index that represents approximately 97% of the market capitalization of publicly traded United States stocks). The Fund uses a representative sampling strategy in seeking to track the Index.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Todd Shriber, ETF Professor]

  Unusual volume (at least 5X ADV): QuantShares US Market Neutral Anti-Beta ETF (NYSE: BTAL), iShares 10+ Year Credit Bond ETF (NYSE: CLY), iShares Morningstar Small Value ETF (NYSE: JKL) and the PowerShares Dynamic Energy ETF (NYSE: PXI).

Top Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: Puget Technologies Inc (PUGE)

PUGET TECHNOLOGIES, INC., incorporated on March 17, 2010, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in the distribution of luxury wool bedding sets produced in Germany. The Company�� product includes Lama Wool, Camel Wool, Cashmere Wool and Merino Wool.

The Company�� Lama Wool is consists of 50% Lama Wool hair, and 50% Merino wool hair. The Camel wool is consists of 50% Camel wool hair, and 50% Merino wool hair. The Cashmere wool is blended with Merino wool.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Inscor, Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA), Puget Technologies Inc (OTCBB: PUGE) and PTA Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: PTAH) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters or investor alerts. However, two of these small caps have been the subject of paid promotions while the third is getting attention largely because its in the growing marijuana or cannabis business. With that in mind, are these stocks really all that hot or not? Here is a quick reality check:

Top Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: Viad Corp(VVI)

Viad Corp, together with its subsidiaries, operates in exhibition and events, and travel and recreation industries primarily in North America, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates. The company?s Marketing & Events Group segment designs, plans, and produces face-to-face events for show organizers, corporate brand marketers, and retail shopping centers. It offers general event management, planning and consultation, concept design, exhibition layout and design, graphics and design, show traffic analysis, carpeting and flooring, decorating products and accessories, custom graphics, overhead rigging, and cleaning services, as well as temporary electrical, lighting, and plumbing services. This segment also provides custom exhibit design and construction; portable and modular exhibits and design; integrated marketing, including pre- and post-event communications and customer relationship management; multimedia services; event surveys; return on investment an alysis; attendee and exhibit booth traffic analysis; staff training; online management tools; logistics and freight-forwarding, storage, and refurbishment of exhibits; booth furnishings, carpeting, and signage; in-house installation and dismantling; and various other show services. In addition, the segment offers various entertaining attractions and brand-based experiences, sponsored events, mobile marketing and other branded entertainment, and face-to-face marketing solutions for clients and venues, including movie studios, leading consumer brand marketers, shopping malls, museums, and casinos. Its Travel & Recreation Group segment provides tourism products, including attractions, transportation services, inbound package tour operations, hotel operations, and corporate and event management; operates five lodges, three motor inns, and one resort hotel; and engages in food and beverages, and retail and concession businesses. Viad Corp was founded in 1914 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Viad Corp (NYSE: VVI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: UQM Technologies Inc (UQM)

UQM Technologies, Inc. (UQM), incorporated on December 7, 1967, is a developer and manufacturer of electric motors, generators and power electronic controllers for the automotive, aerospace, military and industrial markets. The Company's primary focus is incorporating its advanced technology into products for clean vehicles including propulsion systems for electric, hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and fuel cell electric vehicles. The Company makes propulsion system products, generators and related auxiliary components for electric vehicle (EVs), hybrid electric vehicle (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEVs) and fuel cell all-electric vehicles (FCEVs). The Company markets its products in many segments of the transportation sector including passenger vehicles and light trucks, commercial trucks and buses, off-road vehicles including agricultural and construction equipment, boats and military vehicles. The Company's principal products include propulsion motors and generators with power ratings from 25 kilowatts to 220 kilowatts, auxiliary motors and electronic controls, direct current (DC)-to-(DC) converters and DC-to-alternating current (AC) inverters that convert direct current to usable alternating current.

The Company's electric propulsion systems are powering development vehicles including the all-electric Audi A1 e-tron test fleet vehicles. In addition to these programs, the Company is supplying its electric propulsion systems and generators to various other international automakers and entrepreneurial automobile developers as part of their HEV, PHEV, EV and FCEV vehicle development programs. The Company has also developed electric power products for the aircraft and aerospace markets and the boat and marine market. In the boat market, the Company has developed generators for onboard power production in hybrid-electric boats as well as electric propulsion systems. The United States military purchases a range of ground vehicles each year, including combat vehicles such! as tanks, self-propelled artillery and armored personnel carriers, as well as a variety of light, medium and heavy-duty trucks for convoy and supply operations and for the transport of fuel used on the battlefield.

The Company competes Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Hitachi, Toshiba, Siemens, Delphi, Danaher, Enova, Continental, Magna, Remy, and Bosch.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  When most people think of electric vehicle stocks, they probably think of troubled Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) or one of the several Chinese stocks active in the space, but North America based large cap Magna International Inc (NYSE: MGA) and small caps Polypore International, Inc (NYSE: PPO), UQM Technologies Inc (NYSEMKT: UQM) and Green Automotive Company (OTCMKTS: GACR) are all players, one way or the other, in the electric vehicle space that most investors have probably overlooked or just aren�� aware of. Of course, we can argue�about whether or not purely electric vehicles or some sort of hybrid vehicles are the way of the future, but what cannot be argued about is the fact that the following electric vehicle stocks are at the forefront of EV or�hybrid technology and design:

Top Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: Nature's Sunshine Products Inc.(NATR)

Nature?s Sunshine Products, Inc., a natural health and wellness company, together with its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the manufacture and direct sale of nutritional and personal care products worldwide. The company offers herbal products in the form of capsules or tablets; and single herbs and herb combinations in the form of liquid herbs and extracts under ALJ, Cardio Assurance, Blood Pressurex, LBS II, CleanStart, Mistica, Liquid Chlorophyll, Noni Plus, and Core Greens brands. It also provides vitamins and mineral supplements, including a line containing natural antioxidants in the form of chewable or non-chewable tablets under EverFlex, Super Supplemental, Vitamin B Complex, Probiotic Eleven, Food Enzyme, ProArgi-9 Plus, SyneMax, and Vitazone brands; and personal care products, such as oils and lotions, aloe vera gels, herbal shampoos, herbal skin treatments, toothpastes, and skin cleansers under Tei-Fu, Pau-D Arco, EverFlex, Pro-G Yam, Hydrating Toner, 5 in 1 Shampoo, Repair Complex, and Bright Renewal Serum brands. In addition, the company offers various other products, such as homeopathic products, powders, sales aids, and other miscellaneous products under Lavender Oil, Tei-Fu Oil, Peppermint Oil, Flower Essences, and Massage Oil brands. It sells its products to a sales force of independent distributors and managers, who use the products themselves or resell them to other independent distributors or consumers. Nature?s Sunshine Products, Inc. was founded in 1972 and is based in Provo, Utah.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  In trading on Monday, non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares dropped by just 0.33 percent. Top gainers in the sector included The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX), up 6.9 percent, and Nature's Sunshine Products (NASDAQ: NATR), up 5.3 percent.

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  Alamy You can never know in advance all the news that will move the market in a given week, but some things you can see coming. From a direct marketer of wellness supplements stepping up with healthy financials (we hope) to Olive Garden's parent checking in with a report on the dreary state of casual dining, here are some of the things that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street. Monday -- Human Nature Nature's Sunshine Products (NATR) distributes natural wellness products through its growing direct sales force of more than 340,000 reps worldwide, and it also happens to be kicking off the new trading week with its latest financials. Analysts expect to see healthy bottom-line growth in Monday morning's quarterly report. They predict a profit of $0.35 a share, well ahead of the $0.28 a share it rang up a year earlier. The rub is that Nature's Sunshine has come up short against Wall Street profit targets in three of the past four quarters. Tuesday -- Photoshop These Financials Adobe Systems (ADBE) reports on Tuesday. The desktop publishing software giant behind Photoshop, Flash, and PDF authoring platform Acrobat has seen better days. The market's bracing for a dip in revenue and profitability in its latest quarter. That probably isn't much of a surprise. There are now free or nearly free Web-based alternatives to many of Adobe's products. The alternatives may not have as many features, but they're more than enough for casual users. Adobe is going to need new products to get back on the growth track. Wednesday -- New Home Sales Brewing One of the economy's biggest turnaround stories is the residential real estate revival. Folks are buying houses again and they're willing to pay more for them, which is making developers a lot of money. After all, their component costs aren't rising at the same clip as home prices. We'll get a great snapshot of the industry this week. KB Home (KBH) reports on Wednesday, and Lennar (LEN) follows a day lat