10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch For 2015

The new Consumer Reports survey of America's top appliance retailers is out, and the winner this time around is immediately clear: Abt.

Note to stock investors: Not "ABT," as in Abbot Labs, but "Abt" as in Abt Electronics, the Chicago-based superstore founded by Jewel and David Abt back in 1936.

Last year, Consumer Reports polled 22,888 of its subscribers on their impressions across 30,243 appliance purchases. In the just-released July issue of CR, the results came out, scoring nine of America's biggest retailers by sales (including one "retailer" that's actually an aggregation of small, independent stores) across eight separate categories. In reverse order of quality, the contestants in the "major appliances" category were:

P.C. Richard & Sons Best Buy (NYSE: BBY  ) Sears (NASDAQ: SHLD  ) hhgregg (NYSE: HGG  ) Home Depot (NYSE: HD  ) Lowe's (NYSE: LOW  ) Pacific Sales The aforementioned "independents"... Abt

Out of the nine, no single retailer won CR's coveted "red circle with a dot in the middle" in all eight categories. But Abt came darn near close to hitting that bull's-eye. In nearly every category -- haul-away services, installation, shipping, selection, product quality, service, and ease of checkout -- Abt hit the mark with perfect scores.

Top Medical Companies To Watch For 2016: NN Inc.(NNBR)

NN, Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of metal bearing, plastic and rubber, and precision metal components for bearing manufacturers worldwide. It operates in three segments: Metal Bearing Components, Plastic and Rubber Components, and Precision Metal Components. The Metal Bearing Components segment manufactures precision steel balls that are used primarily by manufacturers of anti-friction bearings; steel rollers comprising tapered rollers used in automotive gearbox applications, automotive wheel bearings, and various industrial applications; cylindrical rollers; and precision metal retainers for roller bearings. The Plastic and Rubber Components segment offers precision bearing seals for use in the automotive, industrial, agricultural, and mining markets; precision plastic retainers for ball and roller bearings used in various industrial applications; and precision plastic components, including automotive under-the-hood components, electronic instrument cases, pre cision electronic connectors and lenses, and various specialized industrial and consumer parts. The Precision Metal Components segment provides engineered shafts, fluid power assemblies, and complex precision assembled and tested parts used in the automotive, HVAC, fluid power, and diesel engine markets. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  NN (NASDAQ: NNBR  ) has a new man in the CEO chair. Richard Holder has been tapped to be the firm's CEO, effective June 3. He replaces the retiring Roderick Baty. Holder will also assume Baty's board seat, the term for which runs through NN's annual meeting in 2015.

10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch For 2015: Informatica Corporation (INFA)

Informatica Corporation provides enterprise data integration and data quality software and services worldwide. Its software solutions include a set of technologies that enable various enterprise-wide data integration initiatives. The company offers PowerCenter, which integrates data virtually from business systems in various formats and delivers that data throughout the enterprise; PowerExchange that enables IT organizations to access the sources of enterprise data without having to develop custom data access programs; and Informatica Data Services for finding, integrating, and managing data across the enterprise. It also provides Data Quality, which delivers data quality to stakeholders, projects, and data domains; Master Data Management that provides consolidated business-critical data; and B2B Data Exchange software for multi-enterprise data integration. In addition, the company offers application information lifecycle management products to manage various phases of the data lifecycle, from development and testing to archiving and retirement; complex event processing to detect, correlate, analyze, and respond to data-driven events; Ultra Messaging products, which enables ultra low latency messaging; and Cloud that delivers purpose-built data integration cloud applications to allow business users to integrate data across cloud-based applications, and on-premise systems and databases. Further, it offers product-related customer support, consulting, and education services. Informatica Corporation serves aerospace, automotive, energy and utilities, entertainment/media, financial services, healthcare/life sciences, high technology, insurance, manufacturing, public sector, retail, services, telecommunications, and travel/transportation industries through its direct sales force, as well as through systems integrators, resellers, distributors, and original equipment manufacturer partners. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Red wood City, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  In trading on Friday, technology shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.80 percent. Top decliners in the sector included Silicon Laboratories (NASDAQ: SLAB), down 15.32 percent, and Informatica (NASDAQ: INFA), off 11.91 percent.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  In trading on Friday, technology shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.80 percent. Top decliners in the sector included Silicon Laboratories (NASDAQ: SLAB), down 13.7 percent, and Informatica (NASDAQ: INFA), off 13.4 percent.

• [By Tim Beyers]

  Informatica (NASDAQ: INFA  ) also saw its shares jump after exceeding Q1 revenue targets, a nice switch for a company that had suffered stalling sales in the wake of the European debt crisis. During the quarter, the company signed 19 deals with more than $1 million.

• [By Luke Jacobi]

  Informatica (NASDAQ: INFA) was down, falling 12.3 percent to $30.65 after the company reported quarterly results and lowered its FY14 earnings forecast. Baird downgraded Informatica from Outperform to Neutral and lowered the price target from $45.00 to $36.00.

10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch For 2015: Hubbell Inc (HUBB)

Hubbell Incorporated (Hubbell), incorporated in 1905, is engaged in the design, manufacture and sale of electrical and electronic products for a range of non-residential and residential construction, industrial and utility applications. Products are either sourced complete, manufactured or assembled by subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the People�� Republic of China, Italy, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Australia. Hubbell also participates in joint ventures in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and maintains sales offices in Singapore, China, Mexico, South Korea and countries in the Middle East. It operates in two segments: Electrical segment and the Power segment. The Electrical segment consists of electrical systems products and lighting products. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it acquired two product lines. The first product line acquired consists of grounding, bonding and cable management solutions with renewable energy applications, while the second product line consists of fire pump control panels. The Company has several operations located outside of the United States. These operations manufacture, assemble and/or market Hubbell products and service both the Electrical and Power segments.

Electrical Segment

The Electrical segment consists of businesses that sell stock and custom products, including standard and special application wiring device products, rough-in electrical products, connector and grounding products, lighting fixtures and controls, as well as other electrical equipment. The products are used in and around industrial, commercial and institutional facilities by electrical contractors, maintenance personnel, electricians and telecommunications companies. In addition, certain businesses design and manufacture a variety of high voltage test and measurement equipment, industrial controls and communication systems used in the non-residential and industrial markets. Many of these products are designed such that they can ! also be used in harsh and hazardous locations where a potential for fire and explosion exists due to the presence of flammable gasses and vapors. Harsh and hazardous products are primarily used in the oil and gas (onshore and offshore) and mining industries. Certain lighting fixtures, wiring devices and electrical products also have residential and utility applications.

These products are primarily sold through electrical and industrial distributors, home centers, retail and hardware outlets, and lighting showrooms. Special application products are sold primarily through wholesale distributors to contractors, industrial customers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). High voltage products are sold primarily by direct sales to customers through its sales engineers. Hubbell maintains a sales and marketing organization to assist users with the application of certain products to their specific requirements, and with architects, engineers, industrial designers, OEMs and electrical contractors for the design of electrical systems to meet the specific requirements of industrial, non-residential and residential users. Hubbell is also represented by sales agents for its lighting fixtures and controls, electrical wiring devices, rough-in electrical products and high voltage products lines.

Hubbell designs, manufactures and sells thousands of wiring and electrical products, which are supplied principally to industrial, non-residential and residential customers. These products include cable reels, cable glands and fittings, connectors and tooling, floor boxes, ground fault devices, wiring devices and accessories, switches and dimmers, pin and sleeve devices, electrical motor controls, and steel and plastic electrical enclosures. Its products also include junction boxes, plugs and receptacles, datacom connectivity and enclosures, speciality communications equipment high voltage test systems and mining communication and controls. These wiring and electrical products are sold under var! ious bran! ds and/or trademarks, including Hubbell, Kellems, Bryant, Burndy, Wejtap, Implo, Raco, Bell, Wiegmann, Killark, Hawke, Chalmit, Victor, GAI-Tronics, Gleason Reel, Haefely, Hipotronics and Austdac.

Hubbell manufactures and sells lighting fixtures and controls for indoor and outdoor applications. The markets served include residential, commercial, institutional and industrial. The Company has a range of light emitting diode (LED)-luminaire products within its portfolio. Hubbell�� variety of lighting products includes canopy light fixtures, emergency lighting/exit signs, specification grade LED fixtures, floodlights and poles, recessed, surface mounted and track fixtures, parking lot/parking garage fixtures, bollards, and bath/vanity fixtures and fans. Its products also include chandeliers, sconces, directionals, fixtures used to illuminate athletic/recreational fields, decorative landscaping fixtures, flourescent fixtures, ceiling fans, site and area lighting fixtures, and occupancy, dimming and daylight harvesting sensors.

These lighting products are sold under various brands and/or trademarks, including Kim Lighting, Sportsliter Solutions, Kurt Versen, Beacon Products, Architectural Area Lighting, Security Lighting Systems, Sterner Lighting, Prescolite, Precision-Paragon [P2], Hubbell Building Automation, Spaulding Lighting and Alera Lighting. Brands and/or trademarks also include Dual-Lite, Progress Lighting and Hubbell Outdoor Lighting.

Power Segment

The Power segment consists of operations that design and manufacture various distribution, transmission, substation and telecommunications products primarily used by the electrical utility industry. In addition, certain of these products are used in the civil construction and transportation industries. Products are sold to distributors and directly to users, such as electric utilities, telecommunication companies, pipeline and mining operations, industrial firms, construction and engineering firms. Pro! ducts inc! lude Arresters, Cutouts and fuse links, lineman tools, hoses and gloves, overhead and pad mounted switches, high voltage bushings, insulators, cable terminations and accessories, formed wire products and splices, taps and connectors. Its products also include grounding equipment, programmable reclosures, sectionalizers, pole line hardware and polymer concrete and fiberglass enclosures and equipment pads.

These products are sold under various brands and/or trademarks, including Ohio Brass, Fargo, Quazite, Electro Composites, Hot Box, Chance, Hubbell, Quadri*sil, USCO, PCORE and Anderson. Brands and/or trademarks also include Polycast, Comcore, CDR and Delmar.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Hubbell (NYSE: HUBB  ) reported earnings on April 19. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Hubbell met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch For 2015: DCT Industrial Trust Inc (DCF)

DCT Industrial Trust Inc. (DCT) is an industrial real estate company that owns, operates and develops bulk distribution and light industrial properties in distribution markets in the United States and Mexico. The Company is structured as an umbrella partnership real estate investment trust (REIT), under which substantially all of its business is, and will be, conducted through a majority-owned and controlled subsidiary, DCT Industrial Operating Partnership LP (the operating partnership), a Delaware limited partnership, for which DCT Industrial Trust Inc. is the sole general partner. The Company owns properties through its operating partnership and its subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2011, DCT owned approximately 90% of the outstanding equity interests in its operating partnership. In March 2012, DCT acquired a 32.6 acre land parcel in Romeoville, within the southern I-55 industrial submarket of Chicago. In May 2012, the Company acquired two Class A industrial buildings totaling 98,000 square feet in Houston, known as DCT Claymoore Center. Located in the Northwest submarket of Houston, DCT Claymoore Center encompasses a bulk and light industrial facility and is 95.8%-occupied. In August 2013, the Company announced that it has acquired a three building portfolio totaling 308,000 square feet in the Tempe/Airport submarket of Phoenix. In September 2013, Dct Industrial Trust Inc announced the acquisition of 45 acres in the heart of the Inland Empire West submarket of Southern California. In October 2013, DCT Industrial Trust Inc acquired DCT Fox River Business Center, a six-building industrial portfolio in Elgin. In October 2013, DCT Industrial Trust Inc sold its entire portfolio of Mexico assets to an investment trust of Macquarie Mexican REIT.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired 24 buildings comprising 2.8 million square feet and controlling ownership interests in three buildings totaling 0.4 million square feet. In 2011, the Company sold 16 operating properties to! taling approximately 2.7 million square feet to third-parties. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� consolidated operating properties had leases with approximately 900 customers with no single customer accounting for more than 1.7% of the total annualized base rents of its properties. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned interests in, managed or had under development approximately 75.5 million square feet of properties leased to approximately 900 customers, including 58.1 million square feet comprising 408 consolidated properties owned in its operating portfolio, which were 90.6% occupied; 0.2 million square feet comprising one consolidated property under redevelopment, and 17.2 million square feet comprising 52 unconsolidated properties, which were 86.3% occupied and one managed-only property operated on behalf of five institutional capital management partners. As of December 31, 2011, its total consolidated portfolio consisted of 409 properties with an average size of 142,000 square feet and an average age of 20.2 years.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  The partnership has generated $7.6 billion of distributable cash flow (DCF) over the past nine years, paying out just short of three quarters of that total and reinvesting the rest. The long-term distribution coverage checks in at a prudent 134%.

• [By Canadian Value]

  As many of our clients know, Jensen focuses primarily on the discounted cash flow (DCF) method to value equities. Our long held belief is that the intrinsic value of a business is the present value of the cash flows the company is expected to pay its shareholders in the future. The remainder of this paper explores some of the advantages and disadvantages of using either DCF or multiples and outlines why we believe DCF is the more fundamentally sound way to value equities.

• [By David Kerr]

  Let�� take a look at using a version of the Discounted Cash Flow method (DCF) to valuate the share price. I will use the most recent Earnings Per Share of 2.32, an 18.9% growth rate over the next 10 years (which is the average EPS growth rate of the past 10 years), a Terminal Growth Rate of 2% (average inflation rate for 2013 so far), with 10 years of Terminal Growth at a Discount Rate of 12% to be safe. That leaves us with a Fair Value of $58.85 and a 42% Margin of Safety. That�� a healthy margin.

• [By GuruFocus]

  Free cash flow is a favorite parameter of value investors. It seems to make sense, because the value of a company is determined by how much cash it can generate over time. Value investors have developed discounted cash flow (DCF) models to estimate the value of companies.

10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch For 2015: adidas AG (ADDYY)

adidas AG designs, develops, produces, and markets through its own retail activities a range of athletic and sports lifestyle products. The Company operates in six segments: Wholesale, Retail, TaylorMade-adidas Golf, Rockport, Reebok-CCM Hockey and Other Centrally Managed Brands. adidas AG is the ultimate parent if the adidas Group. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had 169 subsidiaries worldwide. In June 2012, the Company announced that its TaylorMade-adidas Golf business segment completed the acquisition of Adams Golf, Inc.

The Wholesale segment consists of all business activities relating to the distribution of adidas and Reebok products to retail customers. The Retail segment consists of all business activities relating to the sales of adidas and Reebok products directly to consumers through own retail and own e-commerce platforms. adidas and Reebok branded products include footwear, apparel and hardware, such as bags and balls. TaylorMade-adidas Golf includes the three brands: TaylorMade, adidas Golf and Ashworth. TaylorMade designs, develops and assembles golf clubs, balls and accessories. adidas Golf branded products include footwear, apparel, and accessories. Ashworth designs and distributes men�� and women�� lifestyle sportswear. Rockport designs and markets leather footwear for men and women. Reebok-CCM Hockey designs, produces and markets hockey equipment, such as sticks and skates, as well as apparel mainly under the brand names, Reebok Hockey and CCM. The Other Centrally Managed Brands segment primarily includes the business activities of the Y-3 label, under which premium footwear and apparel are designed and distributed.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Taulli]

  As I pointed out about a year ago, SKUL stock would face some tough headwinds, such as:

  Competition: It is intense, with operators like Beats by Dre, Incase, Urbanears, Soul, Sony (SNE), JVC, Bose and even Adidas (ADDYY). Fickleness: This is the bane of the fashion business. The Skullcandy brand isn’t too hip — that can change overnight, but success can be fleeting, too. Market Size: For the most part, Skullcandy has focused on the youth crowd, such as those who are snowboarders or skateboarders. The problem is that it’s a niche market, and one where the crowd rapidly moves on as it gets older.

  These issues all remain for SKUL stock, as evidenced by the steep drop in the revenues in 2013.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Yet it's not really what Reebok parent Adidas� (NASDAQOTH: ADDYY  ) was really looking for at the moment. Ever since the sneaker maker was acquired in 2006, it's served as a drag on Adidas' performance. It was looking for Reebok to finally turn to growth this year with new footwear and clothing-line introductions.

• [By Steve Symington]

  The catch? Footwear is obviously a crowded market, and behemoth competitors like Adidas (NASDAQOTH: ADDYY  ) and Nike (NYSE: NKE  ) have a lot to lose to bold up-and-comers like Under Armour. Heck, Under Armour even had to sue Nike recently after the larger company went so far as to release ad campaigns that appeared to blatantly copy�some of UA's trademarked phrases.

10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch For 2015: Tranzyme Inc.(TZYM)

Tranzyme, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of acute and chronic gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders in the United States and internationally. The company?s clinical product candidates include ulimorelin, an intraveneous ghrelin agonist, which is in the Phase III clinical development stage for the treatment of acute upper GI motility disorders; and TZP-102, an orally-administered ghrelin agonist that has commenced Phase IIb clinical development stage for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. Its preclinical product candidates comprise TZP-201, a motilin antagonist for the treatment of various forms of moderate-to-severe diarrhea; and TZP-301, an oral ghrelin antagonist for the treatment of metabolic diseases. The company has strategic collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company to discover, develop, and commercialize additional novel co mpounds; and a license agreement with Norgine B.V to develop and commercialize ulimorelin in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and north and South Africa. Tranzyme, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Tranzyme Pharma (Nasdaq:TZYM) reported that it has closed the previously announced underwritten registered direct offering of approximately 3.0 million shares of its common stock at a price of $3.85 per share for gross proceeds, including the over-allotment option, of approximately $11.5 million.

10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch For 2015: SK Telecom Corporation Ltd.(SKM)

SK Telecom Co., Ltd. provides wireless telecommunications services using code division multiple access (CDMA) and wide-band CDMA technologies. It offers cellular voice services, such as wireless voice transmission services; and wireless global roaming services. The company also provides wireless data transmission services, such as wireless Internet access services, which allow subscribers to access online digital contents and services, as well as to send and receive text and multimedia messages. In addition, it offers broadband Internet and fixed-line telephone services, such as video-on-demand and IP TV services; and local, domestic, and international long-distance fixed-line telephone services to residential and commercial subscribers. Further, the company provides wireless entertainment-related contents and services, wireless finance-related contents and m-commerce services, and wireless news and search services; and international calling services, such as direct-dial, pre and post paid card calling services, bundled services for corporate customers, voice services using Internet protocol, Web-to-phone services, and data services. Additionally, it offers satellite digital media broadcasting services; telematics services; and fixed-line and online community portal services. The company also operates 11th Street, an online shopping mall; and T Store, an online open marketplace for mobile applications. As of March 31, 2011, SK Telecom Co. had 26 million wireless subscribers. It has strategic alliances with Bridge Alliance; Orange SA; Telecom Italia Mobile S.p.A.; T-Mobile International AG & Co; and Teliasonera Mobile Networks AB. The company was formerly known as Korea Mobile Telecommunications Co., Ltd. and changed its name to SK Telecom Co., Ltd. in March 1997. SK Telecom Co., Ltd. was founded in 1984 and is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Neiger]

  SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM  ) launched the world's first 4G LTE-Advanced network in South Korea today, providing the fastest available data speeds for the same price as 4G LTE.�

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Telecommunications services shares gained around 0.25 percent in today’s trading. Top gainers in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), Allot Communications (NASDAQ: ALLT), and SK Telecom Co (NYSE: SKM).

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Telecommunications services shares gained around 0.25 percent in today’s trading. Top gainers in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NYSE: NTT), and SK Telecom Co (NYSE: SKM).