Hot Prefered Stocks For 2014

The rally in stocks is continuing today after a government report estimated that jobless figures were better than expected last week. With roughly an hour left in the trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) is higher by 62 points, or 0.42%.

According to the Department of Labor -- click here for the official press release -- the number of people filing for unemployment benefits for the seven days ended April 6 dropped by 42,000 from the previous week to 346,000. Economists had expected the number of applications to come in at 360,000. This was a huge relief after last Friday's dismal report on March unemployment.

Alternatively, a report issued last night by market research firm IDC estimated that personal-computer shipments posted the "steepest decline ever in a single quarter." The company said worldwide PC shipments totaled 76.3 million units for the first three months of the year. That's down 13.9% from the same time period last year and much worse than the estimated decline of 7.7%.

Hot Prefered Stocks For 2014: Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (APD)

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. provides atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, equipment, and services worldwide. The company?s Merchant Gases segment sells atmospheric gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen, and argon; process gases, including hydrogen and helium; and medical and specialty gases for the metal, glass, chemical processing, food processing, healthcare, steel, general manufacturing, and petroleum and natural gas industries. This segment also offers respiratory therapies, home medical equipment, and infusion services primarily in Europe. Its Tonnage Gases segment provides hydrogen, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, oxygen, and syngas to the energy production and refining, chemical, and metallurgical industries; and produces dinitrotoluene used in the manufacture of a precursor of polyurethane foam. The company?s Electronics and Performance Materials segment offers nitrogen trifluoride, silane, arsine, phosphine, white ammonia, silicon tetra fluoride, carbon tetrafluoride, hexafluoromethane, critical etch gases, and tungsten hexafluoride; and tonnage gases, specialty chemicals, and services and equipment for the manufacture of silicon and compound semiconductors, thin film transistor liquid crystal displays, and photovoltaic devices. This segment also provides performance materials for a range of products, including coatings, inks, adhesives, civil engineering, personal care, institutional and industrial cleaning, mining, oil refining, and polyurethanes. Its Equipment and Energy segment designs and manufactures cryogenic equipment for air separation, hydrocarbon recovery and purification, natural gas liquefaction, and helium distribution; and offers plant design, engineering, procurement, and construction management services for the chemical and petrochemical manufacturing, oil and gas recovery and processing, and steel and primary metals processing industries. The company was founded in 1940 and is based in All entown, Pennsylvania.

Hot Prefered Stocks For 2014: Legacy Reserves LP(LGCY)

Legacy Reserves LP, an independent oil and natural gas limited partnership, engages in the acquisition and development of oil and natural gas properties primarily located in the Permian Basin, Mid-Continent, and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States. As of December 31, 2010, it owned interests in producing oil and natural gas properties in 370 fields in the Permian Basin, Texas Panhandle, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and several other states; operated 2,132 gross productive wells; and owned non-operated interests in 3,227 gross productive wells, as well as had proved reserves of approximately 52.8 million barrels of crude oil equivalent. Legacy Reserves GP, LLC operates as the general partner of the partnership. Legacy Reserves LP was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Midland, Texas.

Best High Dividend Companies To Watch In Right Now: Taylor Capital Group Inc.(TAYC)

Taylor Capital Group, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Cole Taylor Bank that provides a range of commercial banking products and services primarily to closely-held commercial customers and their owner operators in the Chicago area. It offers various deposit products, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as time deposits, and other deposit and credit services to commercial clients and community-based customers, including individuals and small local businesses. The company?s commercial lending activities primarily consist of providing loans for working capital and business expansion or acquisition; owner-occupied commercial real estate financing; revolving lines of credit; and stand-by and commercial letters of credit. It also originates and sells mortgage loans. In addition, the company provides treasury cash management services, including repurchase agreements, Internet balance reporting, remote deposit capture, positive pay, automa ted clearing house products, imaged lock-box processing, controlled disbursement, and account reconciliation services to commercial clients; and investment management and brokerage services. Further, it offers asset-based financing, including revolving lines of credit supported by receivables and inventory; and term loans supported by equipment and real estate. The company?s target commercial lending customers include businesses engaged in various industries, such as manufacturing, wholesale and retail distribution, transportation, construction contracting, and professional services. It operates through nine banking centers in the Chicago area. The company was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois.

Hot Prefered Stocks For 2014: Wetherspoon(jd)

JD Wetherspoon plc owns and operates pubs. The company operates 823 pubs that offer food and drinks in England, northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It also operates hotels. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Watford, the United Kingdom.

Hot Prefered Stocks For 2014: Cohu Inc.(COHU)

Cohu, Inc. engages in the development, manufacture, sale, and servicing of test handling and burn-in related equipment, and thermal sub-systems for the semiconductor industry worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Semiconductor Equipment, Microwave Communication Systems, and Video Cameras. The Semiconductor Equipment segment develops, manufactures, and sells pick-and-place semiconductor test handlers, burn-in related equipment, and thermal sub-systems to semiconductor manufacturers and semiconductor test subcontractors. It also develops, manufactures, and sells gravity-feed and test-in-strip semiconductor test handling equipment used in final test operations. The Microwave Communication Systems segment develops, manufactures, and sells microwave communications equipment, antenna systems, and associated equipment, which are used in the transmission of video, audio, and telemetry. These products have applications in unmanned aerial vehicles, law enforcement, secu rity and surveillance, and electronic news gathering. Its customers include government agencies, law enforcement and public safety organizations, unmanned air vehicle program contractors, television broadcasters, entertainment companies, professional sports teams, and other commercial entities. The Video Cameras segment develops, manufactures, and sells closed circuit video or CCTV cameras, equipment, and systems for security, surveillance, and traffic monitoring. It also offers accessories, which include monitors, lenses, and camera test equipment. This segment serves end-users, government agencies, original equipment manufacturers, contractors, and value-added resellers. Cohu, Inc. markets its products through direct sales force and independent sales representatives. The company was formerly known as Cohu Electronics, Inc. and changed its name to Cohu, Inc. in 1972. Cohu, Inc. was founded in 1947 and is based in Poway, California.