Top 10 Sliver Stocks To Own For 2014

Source: Macy's annual report

If you look across the retail landscape, you're bound to spot a few landmines. While the S&P 500 index has advanced 3% year to date, retail stocks in the index are down more than 5%.�And while retail investors have been running for the hills, now may be the time to pick up a diamond in the rough.�

Department store retailer Macy's (NYSE: M  ) �appears to be one of the gems. It competes with a host of retailers, including Kohl's and J.C. Penney on the discount side and others like Nordstrom and Neiman-Marcus that go head-to-head with its more upscale Bloomingdales. But it wasn't any of these rivals that Macy's took an early swipe at during a recent Nomura conference.�The jab that it did take says a lot about where Macy's is headed and which company poses the greatest threat. And the winner is none other than online retail behemoth Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) .

Best Freight Stocks To Own For 2015: Citrix Systems Inc.(CTXS)

Citrix Systems, Inc. designs, develops, and markets technology solutions that deliver information technology services on-demand worldwide. It offers desktop solutions, including Citrix XenDesktop, an integrated desktop virtualization system; Citrix XenApp, an application virtualization solution; and Citrix XenClient, a bare-metal hypervisor, which runs directly on the client device hardware. The company also provides online services, comprising GoToMeeting for online meetings, sales demonstrations, and collaborative gatherings; GoToWebinar, which allows users to host, attend, or participate in a Webinar session; GoToTraining, a training tool that allows trainers to deliver content to various trainees; Integrated HiDef Audio, which provides a audio and Web experience; HiDef Audio that offers audio options with reservationless audio conferencing; GoToAssist, a remote technical-support solution; GoToManage solution for IT management; and GoToMyPC, which offers remote access t o PC and Mac from an Internet-connected computer. In addition, it provides datacenter and cloud solutions, such as Citrix NetScaler, a Web application delivery controller; Citrix Access Gateway, a SSL/VPN that delivers applications with policy-based SmartAccess control; Citrix Repeater Solutions that provide application delivery to branch office users; Citrix XenServer, a platform for managing server virtualization in the datacenter; and Citrix Essentials for XenServer and Hyper-V solution for lab automation, high availability, provisioning, workflow orchestration, and integration with storage systems. Further, the company provides consulting, technical support, and product training and certification services. It markets and licenses its products to enterprise customers through systems integrators, value-added resellers, value-added distributors, and original equipment manufacturers, as well as through the Web. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Fort Lau derdale, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

  Citrix Systems, Inc. (CTXS) designs software and hardware products that allow users to connect with applications on any device, network or location. Citrix shares fell as the company had a challenging fourth quarter due to a management transition and product cycle execution. We exited our investment in the company.

• [By Jose Pagliery]

  While the foundation receives money from the Department of Homeland Security, Citrix (CTXS) and others, the vast majority of its funding is from specific work-for-hire contracts. A company wants a certain feature added here, a specific function there. It keeps developers busy. But Marquess said there's no money going toward reviewing the code or performing audits.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Citrix Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CTXS) is a top-rated stock to buy at almost every Wall Street firm that we cover. IBM’s Software unit missed bad in the third quarter, and Citrix is poised to grab business in this arena. While IBM’s Financial Services revenue declines also worsened slightly during the fourth quarter, it had the best relative performance as compared to the other verticals. The Baird analysts believe this also bodes well for Citrix, which generates about 20% of revenue from the segment. The Baird price target for this top-rated stock is $75, and the consensus is at $71.66. Citrix closed Wednesday at $61.20.

Top 10 Sliver Stocks To Own For 2014: Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Inc.(NUV)

Nuveen Municipal Value Fund, Inc. is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is managed by Nuveen Asset Management. It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. The fund also invests some portion of its portfolio in derivative instruments. It invests in undervalued municipal securities and other related investments the income, exempt from regular federal income taxes that are rated Baa or BBB or better. It employs fundamental analysis with bottom-up stock picking approach to create its portfolio. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Standard & Poor?s (S&P) National Municipal Bond Index. Nuveen Municipal Value Fund, Inc. was formed on April 8, 1987 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Donald van Deventer]

  The latest implied forward rate forecast from Kamakura Corporation shows projected 10-year U.S. Treasury yields differing -0.07% to 0.03% from last week while fixed rate mortgage yields varied by -0.01% to 0.08%. Mortgage yields, determined by the Monday through Wednesday weekly survey of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, lag Treasury movements simply because of the 3-day yield calculation used in the Primary Mortgage Market Survey. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield is projected to rise from 2.92% at Thursday's close (down 0.06% from last week) to 3.374% (down 0.06% from last week) in one year. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield in ten years is forecast to reach 4.639%, 1 basis point lower than last week. The 15-year fixed rate mortgage rate is forecast to rise from the effective yield of 3.69% on Thursday (down 0.001% from last week) to 4.222% (down 0.006% from last week) in one year and 6.29% in 10 years, up 0.038% from last week. We explain the background for these calculations in the rest of this note, along with some mortgage servicing rights metrics. The forecast allows investors in exchange traded U.S. Treasury funds (TLT) (TBT), total return bond funds (BOND), municipal bonds (NUV) and exchange traded mortgage funds (REM) to assess likely total returns over the next 120 months. Treasury-related exchange traded funds affected by the forward rates include:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Everyone hates paying taxes. So when investors have the ability to get a 7.3% taxable-equivalent yield, they should jump at the opportunity. As one of the largest and oldest municipal CEFs, the Nuveen Municipal Value Fund (NUV) makes it possible.

• [By Adam Aloisi]

  The following chart takes a comparative look at some widely held ETFs/CEFs holding different types of bonds. The objective is to visualize not only how much these products cost, but also to break down the percent of total yield depleted by management fees. I define total yield as current annualized yield plus net fees - in other words the yield of the fund if there were no management fees attached. The funds we will examine are aforementioned BND, iShares 20+ Treasury Bond (TLT), iShares High-Yield Corporate (HYG), Nuveen Municipal Value (NUV), Eaton Vance Limited Duration (EVV) and Alliance Bernstein Global High-Yield (AWF).

Top 10 Sliver Stocks To Own For 2014: Network Engines Inc(NEI)

Network Engines, Inc. designs and manufactures application platforms and appliance solutions on which software applications are applied for enterprise and telephony information technology networks. The company?s application platforms are pre-configured server-based network infrastructure devices designed to deliver specific software application functionality, and enhance the integration, manageability, and security of that software application in an end user?s network. It also offers platform management software tools and support services related to solution design, systems integration, application management, global logistics, and support and maintenance programs. The company markets its application platform solutions and services to original equipment manufacturers and independent software vendors in the United States and internationally. Network Engines, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  NEI (Nasdaq:NEI), a leading provider of server-based application platforms, deployment solutions and lifecycle support services for software technology developers and OEMs worldwide, announced today that it has signed a definitive merger agreement with UNICOM Systems, Inc. (“UNICOM”) and a new UNICOM subsidiary under which UNICOM, a global information technology company and part of the UNICOM group of companies, will acquire NEI for $1.45 per common share in cash.

Top 10 Sliver Stocks To Own For 2014: Powershares Dynamic Leisure And Entertainment Portfolio (PEJ)

PowerShares Dynamic Leisure and Entertainment Portfolio (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield of an equity index called the Dynamic Leisure and Entertainment Intellidex Index (the Leisure and Entertainment Intellidex). The Leisure and Entertainment Intellidex consists of stocks of 30 United States leisure and entertainment companies. These are companies that are principally engaged in the design, production or distribution of goods or services in the leisure and entertainment industries. These companies may include companies that provide goods or services, including television and radio broadcast or manufacture (including cable television); motion pictures and photography; recordings and musical instruments; publishing, including newspapers and magazines; sporting goods and camping and recreational equipment; toys and games, including video and other electronic games; amusement and theme parks; travel and travel-related services; leisure apparel or footwear, and owners and operators of sports arenas and gaming casinos, hotels and motels. Stocks are selected principally on the basis of their capital appreciation potential as identified by the AMEX (the Intellidex Provider) pursuant to its Intellidex methodology.

The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in common stocks of leisure companies and entertainment companies. The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Leisure and Entertainment Intellidex. The Leisure and Entertainment Intellidex is adjusted quarterly, and the Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate the performance of the Leisure and Entertainment Intellidex. The Fund generally will invest in all of the stocks comprising the Leisure and Entertainment Intellidex in proportion to their weightings in the Leisure and Entertainment Intellidex. The Fund�� investment advisor is PowerShares Capital Management LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  The shares of small cap IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) have slipped more than 10% this week on growth concerns - meaning it might be a good idea to take a closer look at the stock plus its performance�verses other cinema stocks like Carmike Cinemas, Inc (NASDAQ: CKEC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) along with the PowerShares Dynamic Leisure & Entertainment ETF�(NYSEARCA: PEJ).

• [By Mary Anne & Pamela Aden]

  So, for now, the US stock market is the best overall market. So continue holding the stocks you have, which are mostly doing very well. If you want to buy new positions and increase your stock allocation, the following ETFs are among the strongest ETFs, and we recommend them for purchase: SPDR KBW Bank (KBE)
  
  Consumer Discretionary SPDR (XLY)
  
  Merrill Lynch Retail HOLDRS (RTH)
  
  iShares Dow Jones US Financial Service (IYG)
  
  PowerShares Dynamic Leisure & Entertainment (PEJ)
  
  

  Subscribe to The Aden Forecast here��/P>

• [By John Udovich]

  Labor Day weekend is coming and if you have travel plans, you might be making a stop at a facility owned by small cap TravelCenters of America LLC (NYSE: TA) which is also worth taking a closer look at from an investment standpoint along with the PowerShares Dynamic Leisure and Entertainment ETF (NYSEARCA: PEJ) and iShares Dow Jones Transportation Average ETF (NYSEARCA: IYT).

Top 10 Sliver Stocks To Own For 2014: ING Groep NV (ING)

ING Groep N.V. (ING), incorporated in 1991, is a global financial institution offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to meet the needs of the customers. The Company�� segments include banking and insurance. Banking segment includes retail Netherlands, retail Belgium, ING direct, retail central Europe (CE), retail Asia, commercial banking (excluding real estate), ING real estate and corporate line banking. Insurance segment includes insurance Benelux, insurance central and rest of Europe (CRE), insurance United States (US), Insurance US closed block VA, insurance Asia/Pacific, ING investment management (IM) and corporate line insurance. In February 2011, the Company divested its real estate investment operation ING Real Estate Investment Management (ING REIM) to CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. In June 2011, the Company sold Clarion Partners. In July 2011, ING announced the completion of the sale of Clarion Real Estate Securities. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company divested its interests in ING Car Lease and ING IM Philippines. In February 2012, Capital One Financial Corp. acquired ING Direct business in the United States from the Company.

In June 2011, ING had completed the sale of its interest in China�� Pacific Antai Life Insurance Company Ltd. In June 2011, ING announced the completion of the sale of real estate investment manager of its United States operations, Clarion Partners, to Clarion Partners management in partnership with Lightyear Capital LLC. In October 2011, ING announced that it had completed the sale of REIM�� Asian and European operations to CBRE Group Inc. In December 2011 ING completed the sale of its Latin American pensions, life insurance and investment management operations.

Retail Netherlands

Retail Banking reaches its individual customers through Internet banking, telephone, call centers, mailings and branches. Using direct marketing methods, it is a provider of current account services an! d payments systems to provide other financial services, such as savings accounts, mortgage loans, consumer loans, credit card services, investment and insurance products. Mortgages are offered through a tied agents sale force and direct and intermediary channels. ING Bank Netherlands operates through a branch network of approximately 280 branches. It offers a range of commercial banking activities and also life and non-life insurance products. It also sells mortgages through the intermediary channel.

Retail Belgium

ING Belgium provides banking, insurance (life, non-life) and asset management products and services to meet the needs of individuals, families, companies and institutions through a network of local head offices, 773 branches and direct banking channels (automated branches, home banking services and call centers). ING Belgium also operates a second network, Record Bank, which provides a range of banking products through independent banking agents and credit products through a multitude of channels (agents, brokers, vendors).

ING Direct

ING Direct offers a range of financial products, such as savings, mortgages, retail investment products, payment accounts and consumer lending products. It operates in Canada, Spain, Australia, France, Italy, Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom. In June 2011, ING Group announced the sale of ING Direct USA to Capital One Financial Corporation.

Retail Central Europe

Retail Central Europe has a presence in Poland, and Romania and Turkey. ING in Poland is an Internet bank. During 2011, ING Bank Turkey launched the Orange account, the variable savings product. ING in Turkey also launched a mobile phone banking application. ING Bank Romania carried out its Internet banking site, Home��ank. In September 2011, a mobile version of the Home��ank Website was introduced.

Retail Asia

Retail Banking has a presence in Asian markets of India, China and Thailand. As o! f Decembe! r 31, 2011, the Company had 44% interest in ING Vysya and 30% interest in TMB Bank in Thailand. Bank of Beijing (BoB), in which ING has the largest single interest (16.07%) is a commercial bank in China. ING provides principally risk management and retail banking to BoB.

Commercial Banking

ING Commercial Banking supports the banking needs of its corporate and institutional clients to invest both retail and commercial bank customer deposits. It is a commercial bank in its home markets in the Benelux, as well as in Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. In addition to the banking services of lending, payments and cash management and treasury, it also provides solutions in other areas, including specialized and trade finance, derivatives, corporate finance, debt and equity capital markets, leasing, factoring and supply chain finance. Payments and Cash Management (PCM) and General Lending are its some of the product lines. Structured Finance (SF) is a specialist commercial lending business, providing loans to support capital intensive investments and working capital. It is managed in three groups: the Energy, Transport and Infrastructure Group; the Specialized Financing Group; and International Trade and Export Finance. Leasing and Factoring (L&F) provides financial and operating leasing services for a range of equipment, as well as receivables financing and other factoring solutions for commercial banking clients. The Financial Markets (FM) is the global business unit that manages ING�� financial markets trading and non-trading activities. FM is managed along three business lines: ALCO manages the interest rates exposures arising from the traditional banking activities, Strategic Trading Platform incorporates the primary proprietary risk taking units, and Clients and Products is the primary customer trading facilitation business line.

Real Estate

During 2011, Real Estate Finance (REF) maintained its credit portfolio. Real Estate Development (ING RED) and! Real Est! ate Investment Management (ING REIM) has a controlled wind down of activities.

Insurance Benelux

Duirng 2011, Nationale-Nederlanden introduced bank pension savings products and annuities. ING Life Belgium introduced a new Universal Life product. Nationale-Nederlanden also received a license from the Dutch Central Bank to launch a defined contribution DC company pension product PPI in Europe. NN Services introduced a processing and information technology system (business process management layer) for several legacy lines of retail Life businesses. NN Services IT manages all the closed book business of Nationale-Nederlanden. ING�� life insurance products in the Benelux consist of a range of traditional, unit-linked and variable annuity policies written for both individual and group customers. ING is also a provider of (re-insured) company pension plans in the Netherlands.

NG Benelux��non-life products, mainly in the Netherlands, include coverage for both individual and commercial/group clients for fire, motor, disability, transport and third party liability. Nationale-Nederlanden has also a central product manufacturing service for property and casualty insurance, which has developed products for ING Bank in Belgium and ING Bank in the Netherlands. ING offers a range of disability insurance products and complementary services for employers and self-employed professionals (such as dentists and general practitioners).

Insurance Central and Rest of Europe

Insurance Central and Rest of Europe has life insurance companies in Hungary, Poland, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Turkey. It has pension funds in Poland, Hungary, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Bulgaria, Romania and in Turkey. ING offers a range of individual endowment, unit linked, term and whole life insurance policies designed to meet specific customer needs. It also has employee benefits products, as well as pension funds, that manage individu! al retire! ment accounts for individuals. The latter comprise both mandatory and voluntary retirement savings.

Insurance United States (Excluding US Closed Block Va)

ING Insurance US offers retirement services (primarily defined contribution plans), life insurance, fixed annuities, employee benefits, mutual funds, and broker-dealer services in the United States. ING Insurance US operates four businesses: Retirement Plans, Individual Retirement, Individual Life and Employee Benefits. ING Insurance US�� Retirement Plans business is a contribution providers, which offers a range of retirement solutions to all sizes and types of employers, including businesses for-profit ranging from start-ups to large corporations, public and private school systems, higher education institutions, state and local governments, hospitals and healthcare facilities, and not-for-profit organizations. ING Insurance US�� Retirement Plans business is a provider of defined contribution (DC) retirement plans in the United States based on assets under management and administration.

Insurance US Closed Block Va

ING US Closed Block VA consists of variable annuities issued in the United States that are primarily owned by individuals and were designed to address the demand for tax-advantaged savings, retirement planning, and wealth-protection. These annuity contracts were sold in the United States, primarily through independent third party distributors, including wirehouses and securities firms, independent planners and agents and banks.

Insurance Asia/Pacific

ING Insurance Asia/Pacific (IAP) is a provider of life insurance products and services. It is a life insurer in the region, with nine life operations in eight markets. IAP has ip operations in Japan and South Korea, operates a nt business in Malaysia, and is well in China, Hong Kong, Macau, India and Thailand. In April 2011, IAP, together with Public Bank Berhad and Public Islamic Bank Berhad, launched a joint ! venture i! n Malaysia, ING PUBLIC Takaful Ehsan Berhad, which will develop Takaful insurance products. In June 2011, IAP completed the sale of its 50% interest in Pacific-Antai Life Insurance Company Limited (PALIC).

The business units of IAP offer select types of life insurance, wealth management, and retail products and services. These include annuities, endowment, disability/morbidity insurance, unit linked/universal life, whole e, participating life, group life, accident and health, term life and employee benefits. In Hong Kong non-life insurance products (including medical, motor, fire, marine, personal accident and general liability) are also offered.

Insurance Latin America

ING completed the sale of its pensions, life insurance and investment management operations on December 29, 2011. These operations were in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay.

ING Investment Management

ING IM is an investment manager of ING Group with activities in Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. In October 2011, ING IM sold ING IM Australia. ING IM provides a range of actively-managed strategies, investment vehicles and advisory services in all major asset classes and investment styles. It delivers a range of investment strategies and services to ING�� global network of businesses and third-party clients.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Wednesday

  Earnings Expected From: CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL), Tempur-pedic International Inc. (NYSE: TPX), ING Group, N.V. (NYSE: ING), Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE: DUK), Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) Economic Releases Expected: Australian unemployment rate, US CB Leading Index, eurozone retail sales, British Industrial and manufacturing production, eurozone services PMI

  Thursday

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  ING Groep N.V. (NYSE: ING) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley.

  Pandora Media Inc. (NYSE: P) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Raymond James, based on valuation after the stock went over $21 recently. Stifel Nicolaus also downgraded shares to Hold from Buy. These calls are after earnings, and the stock is down about 6% so far on Friday.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  ING's (NYSE: ING  ) Latin American operations will soon be one division lighter. The company announced it reached an agreement to sell its mortgage business in Mexico to�Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico (NYSE: BSMX  ) , the local presence of Spanish financial group Banco Santander (NYSE: SAN  ) . The price was 643 million pesos ($51 million), according to Mexico City newspaper La Cronica de Hoy.

• [By Vaughan Scully, ,]

  Three of the fund's top 10 holdings��NG Groep (ING), BNP Paribas (Paris:BNP) (US:BNPQY), and Credit Suisse Group (CS)��re European financials that came into the fund beginning in early 2012, when the team began to sense the pessimism regarding the European banking sector was too extreme.

Top 10 Sliver Stocks To Own For 2014: Brookfield Asset Management Inc (BAM)

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. is a publicly owned asset management holding company. Through its subsidiaries the firm invests in the property, power, and infrastructure sectors. Its property business include owning and managing office properties, developing master planned residential communities, and offering clients bridge and mezzanine lending; alternative assets funds; and financial and advisory services. Through its power generation business the firm operates hydroelectric power facilities, interconnections and transmission facilities in Northeast North America, and development of wind power in Canada. Through its funds and private capital business the firm invests in specialty funds including private equity and makes direct investments in real estate, energy, and resource assets. It also makes investments in privately held investment management and equity and fixed income mutual funds. The firm was formerly known as Brascan Corp. Brookfield Asset Management is base d in Toronto, Canada with additional offices across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mike Arnold]

  Brookfield is a recent spin-off (April 2013) from Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) ("BAM"), who has a history of spinning out businesses which subsequently outperform. For a case study, one might take a look at Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (BIP) as part of their due diligence procedures, which has significantly outperformed the S&P 500 since its listing.

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Brookfield Asset Management (BAM)

  Ashton�� fifth largest increase of the quarter came from Brookfield Asset Management where he upped his stake by 33.33%. The guru purchased 15,000 shares in the price range of $34.31 to $39.12. Since then the price per share has dropped about -4.2% from the quarterly estimated average price of $36.58 per share.

Top 10 Sliver Stocks To Own For 2014: First Majestic Silver Corp.(AG)

First Majestic Silver Corp. engages in the production, development, exploration, and acquisition of mineral properties with a focus on silver in Mexico. The company owns interests in La Encantada Silver Mine comprising 4,076 hectares of mining rights and 1,343 hectares of surface land located in Coahuila; La Parrilla Silver Mine consisting of mining concessions covering an area of 69,867 hectares; and San Martin Silver Mine comprising approximately 7,841 hectares of mineral rights and approximately 1,300 hectares of surface land rights located in Jalisco. It also holds interests in Del Toro Silver Mine consisting of 393 contiguous hectares of mining claims and an additional 129 hectares of surface rights located in Zacatecas; Real de Catorce Silver Project comprising 22 mining concessions covering 6,327 hectares located in San Luis Potosi state; and Jalisco Group of Properties consisting of mining claims totalling 5,240 hectares located in Jalisco. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Doug Ehrman]

  In terms of individual companies, there are several good choices, but these can behave very differently. Pan American Silver (NASDAQ: PAAS  ) , for example, missed revenue expectations and beat earnings expectations in its last earnings release. But despite the beat, EPS shrank considerably from a year earlier on a GAAP basis. The stock has been fairly flat ever since. Conversely, First Majestic (NYSE: AG  ) reported strong revenue growth and a small bump in profits, sending the stock higher since the announcement. First Majestic reported increased cash costs and tightening margins, largely driven by lower silver prices. Each of these companies faces pressure from increasing production costs and environmental concerns.