Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014

On the face of it, figuring out how a bank makes money is a pretty straightforward affair. A bank earns a spread on the money it lends out from the money it takes in as a deposit. The net interest margin (NIM), which most banks report quarterly, represents this spread, which is simply the difference between what it earns on loans versus what it pays out as interest on deposits. This, of course, gets much more complicated given the dizzying array of credit products and interest rates used to determine the rate eventually charged for loans. Below is an overview of how a bank determines the interest rate for consumers and business loans.

It All Starts with Interest Rate Policy
Banks are generally free to determine the interest rate they will pay for deposits and charge for loans, but they must take the competition into account, as well as the market levels for numerous interest rates and Fed policies. The United States Federal Reserve influences interest rates by setting certain rates, stipulating bank reserve requirements, and buying and selling ��isk-free��(a term used to indicate that these are among the safest bonds in existence) U.S. Treasury and agency securities to impact the deposits that banks hold at the Fed. This is referred to as monetary policy and is intended to influence economic activity as well as the health and safety of the overall banking system. Most market-based countries employ a similar type of monetary policy in their economies.

5 Best Regional Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now: Quad Graphics Inc(QUAD)

Quad/Graphics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of print and related products and services in North America, Latin America, and Europe. It offers print solutions, including catalogs, consumer magazines, special interest publications, direct mail, packaging and other commercial and specialty printed products, retail inserts, books, and directories. The company also provides media solutions comprising creative, digital imaging, video, photography, workflow solutions, mobile and social media, and response data analytics services. In addition, it offers logistics services, such as mailing, distribution, logistics, and data optimization and hygiene services; and printing-related auxiliary equipment for original equipment manufacturers and printing companies, as well as provides ink. The company markets its products and services to various companies that operate in a range of industries and serve businesses and consumers consisting of retailers, pub lishers, and direct marketers. Quad/Graphics, Inc. was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Sussex, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  My first earnings short-squeeze play is commercial printing services player Quad/Graphics (QUAD), which is set to release numbers on Tuesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Quad/Graphics to report revenue of $1.32 billion on earnings of 92 cents per share.

  The current short interest as a percentage of the float Quad/Graphics is very high at 17.1%. That means that out of the 26.02 million shares in the tradable float, 5.18 million shares are sold short by the bears. This is a high short interest on a stock with a relatively low tradable float. Any bullish earnings news could easily set off a monster short-squeeze for shares of QUAD post-earnings.

  From a technical perspective, QUAD is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last month, with shares moving higher from its low of $28.44 to its intraday high of $35.99 a share. During that uptrend, shares of QUAD have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action.

  If you're bullish on QUAD, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above its 52-week high at $35.99 a share (or Tuesday's intraday high if higher) with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 149,155 shares. If that breakout hits, then QUAD will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $45 to $50 a share.

  I would simply avoid QUAD or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below some near-term support levels at $34 to $33 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then QUAD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support areas at its 50-day moving average o

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another stock that's starting to trend within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is Quad/Graphics (QUAD), which provides print and related services in the U.S., Europe and South America. This stock has is down notably over the last three months, with shares off by 12.2%.

  If you look at the chart for Quad/Graphics, you'll notice that this gapped down sharply last November from $36.45 to under $29 with heavy downside volume. Following that gap down, shares of QUAD continued to trend lower, and the stock hit a new low at $23.48 a share a few trading sessions later. That said, shares of QUAD have now started to uptrend since printing that low, with shares moving higher from $23.48 to its recent high of $27.67 a share. During that uptrend, shares of QUAD have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of QUAD within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in QUAD if it manages to break out above its 50-day moving average of $27.29 a share to more near-term overhead resistance at $27.67 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 185,427 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then QUAD will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone that started at $36.45 a share.

  Traders can look to buy QUAD off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits just below more near-term support at $25 to $24.50 a share. One can also buy QUAD off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  Quad/Graphics (NYSE: QUAD  )
  This Wisconsin-based company has contracts to print magazines for many of the country's biggest customers -- including magazines from Hearst (Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, etc.) and Meredith (Better Homes and Gardens) -- as well as for clothiers such as J.Crew, L.L. Bean, and American Eagle Outfitters.

Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: HyperSolar Inc (HYSR)

Hypersolar, Inc., incorporated on February 18, 2009, is developing renewable hydrogen using sunlight and any source of water, including seawater and wastewater. Unlike hydrocarbon fuels, such as oil, coal and natural gas, where carbon dioxide and other contaminants are released into the atmosphere when used, hydrogen fuel usage produces pure water as the only byproduct. The Company�� technology includes HyperSolar H2Generator. Its nano-size particle is designed to mimic photosynthesis and contains a solar absorber that generates electrons from sunlight, as well as integrated cathode and anode areas to readily split water and transfer those electrons to the molecular bonds of hydrogen.

The HyperSolar H2Generator consists of the following primary stages: Reactor Vessels, Hydrogen Compressor and Hydrogen Storage. The reactor vessels resemble transparent rectangular boxes containing water and billions of nanoparticles suspended in solution. When exposed to sunlight, hydrogen gas will bubble up into an air gap on top for separation and collection. Produced hydrogen gas will be compressed for space efficient storage. Hydrogen can be stored in compressed gas tanks or chemical canisters depending on the application. The HyperSolar H2Generator will be a self-contained renewable hydrogen production system that requires only sunlight and any source of water.

The Company competes with Air Products and Chemicals Inc. and Air Liquide.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap hydrogen fuel stocks Hydrogenics Corporation (NASDAQ: HYGS), FuelCell Energy Inc (NASDAQ: FCEL), HyperSolar Inc (OTCMKTS: HYSR) and HydroPhi Technologies Group, Inc (OTCMKTS: HPTG) are some of the lesser known small caps that are�working with hydrogen fuel or hydrogen fuel cell related technology. I should say that small cap hydrogen stocks are not for risk adverse investors as there are considerable unanswered questions about hydrogen fuel related technology and whether it can be a viable green technology given the fueling infrastructure needed along with the�energy and expense involved in creating hydrogen�(Note: None of these small cap�stocks are profitable at ). But any new technology will pose the same types of risks for early stage investors���especially if its so-called green technology.�

Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: American Public Education Inc.(APEI)

American Public Education, Inc., together with its subsidiary, American Public University System, Inc., provides online postsecondary education focusing on the needs of the military and public service communities. The company operates through two universities, American Military University (AMU) and American Public University (APU) serving approximately 110,000 students in the United States and internationally. The universities share a common faculty and curriculum, which includes 87 degree programs and 69 certificate programs in disciplines related to national security, military studies, intelligence, homeland security, criminal justice, technology, business administration, education, nursing, and liberal arts. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Charles Town, West Virginia.

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 American Public Education (Nasdaq: APEI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  Non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares climbed around 0.22 percent in trading on Friday. Leading the sector was strength from American Public Education (NASDAQ: APEI) and XO Group (NASDAQ: XOXO). In trading on Friday, telecommunications services shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.41 percent.

Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: Whiting Petroleum Corporation(WLL)

Whiting Petroleum Corporation engages in the acquisition, development, exploitation, exploration, and production of oil and gas primarily in the Permian Basin, Rocky Mountains, Mid-Continent, Gulf Coast, and Michigan regions of the United States. As of December 31, 2010, its estimated proved reserves were 304.9 million barrels equivalent of oil; and had interests in 9,698 gross productive wells covering approximately 1,115,000 gross developed acres. The company sells its oil and gas to end users, marketers, and other purchasers. Whiting Petroleum Corporation was founded in 1983 and is Denver, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  For a bit of perspective, that multiple is about double that of top Bakken operator Continental Resources (NYSE: CLR  ) . It's also almost four times the multiple of closer rival Whiting Petroleum (NYSE: WLL  ) . That's why some of Kodiak's potential suitors viewed it as already fully valued.

• [By Tony Daltorio]

  They constitute some of the best investments in energy now. Notice how they dominate a list of the leading producers in the three most prolific oil basins over the last year:

  Bakken: Continental Resources Inc. (NYSE: CLR), Whiting Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: WLL), and Hess Corp. (NYSE: HES). Permian Basin: Occidental Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: OXY), Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE: PXD), and Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA). Eagle Ford: EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG), ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (NYSE: COG), and Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK).

  Two stocks from this list that investors should focus on are EOG Resources and Cabot Oil & Gas.

• [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]

  A big winner
  On the other hand, if you live in North Dakota, you probably don't have to worry about finding a job. North Dakota has had the lowest unemployment in the U.S. for some time, and it's no secret why. North Dakota has benefited from a tremendous oil boom in the past few years as advances in hydraulic fracturing have opened up a huge oil-drilling opportunity in the Bakken shale formation. Companies like Whiting Petroleum (NYSE: WLL  ) -- the top Bakken driller -- have rapidly expanded production as oil prices have remained near $100. Whiting's production increased 22% year over year in 2012, and the company plans to ramp up investment this year to boost production even further.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Last year Hess (NYSE: HES  ) and Whiting (NYSE: WLL  ) represented 33% and 25%, respectively, of Bakken-based Power Fuel's revenue before it merged with Nuverra. Both companies represent big future opportunities, as Hess expects to drill 175 wells this year and has plans to double its daily production by 2015, while Whiting sees the potential for more than 4,000 future wells on its Northern Rockies acreage. If Nuverra can continue to work with both companies to capture that�growth and up-sell�value-added services like solid waste, then it speaks to a bright future for the company.�