Hot Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014

Shares of BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY  ) fell 8% yesterday following reports that the company's new Z10 flagship smartphone was seeing unusually high return rates. The company fired back this morning, disputing the findings of an investment firm's report and saying it would seek an SEC review of the report.

The Wall Street Journal on Thursday cited a report from Detwiler Fenton that claimed that Z10 returns were outnumbering sales in the U.S., a scenario that Detwiler has "never seen before." The WSJ also noted a separate report from ITG saying that the Z10 launch began poorly and has "weakened significantly." The Z10 launched in the U.S. in late March.

BlackBerry issued a press release today disputing what it calls "false reports on return rates." The company is requesting that regulators in both the U.S. and Canada investigate the "false and misleading report" about retail return rates, saying that sales of the Z10 are meeting expectations. CEO Thorsten Heins said retail and carrier data show that customers are satisfied with the Z10, and return rates are at or below its forecasts and in line with the broader industry.

Hot Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: ArcelorMittal SA (MT)

ArcelorMittal, incorporated on June 8, 2001, is a global steel producer. During the year ended December 31, 2010, ArcelorMittal had steel shipments of approximately 85 million tons and crude steel production of approximately 90.6 million tons. ArcelorMittal produces a range of finished and semi-finished products. ArcelorMittal produces flat products, including sheet and plate, long products, including bars, rods and structural shapes, and stainless steel products. The Company operates in five segments: Flat Carbon Americas; Flat Carbon Europe; Long Carbon Americas and Europe; Asia, Africa and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (AACIS), and Distribution Solutions. ArcelorMittal also produces pipes and tubes for various applications. ArcelorMittal sells its products in local markets and through its centralized marketing organization to a range of customers in approximately 174 countries, including the automotive, appliance, engineering, construction and machinery industries. On February 18, 2011 ArcelorMittal and Nunavut Iron Acquisition Inc. announced they had taken up over 93% of the Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation (Baffinland) under their joint offer. On January 25, 2011, ArcelorMittal approved the spin-off of ArcelorMittal�� stainless and specialty steels business into Aperam. On September 20, 2010, ArcelorMittal Poland completed the acquisition of Zaklady K Zdzieszowice. On July 23, 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of ArcelorMittal Ostrava. On July 5, 2010, the Company completed a disposition of the Anzherskaya coal mine in Russia.

Flat Carbon Americas

ArcelorMittal�� Flat Carbon Americas segment has production facilities in both North and South America, including the United States, Canada, Brazil and Mexico. As of December 31, 2010, ArcelorMittal USA had 18 production facilities, consisting of four integrated steel-making plants, one basic oxygen furnace/compact strip mill, six electric arc furnace plants, five finishing plants, and two coke-makin! g operations. ArcelorMittal USA�� operations include both flat carbon and long carbon production facilities. ArcelorMittal USA�� main flat carbon operations include integrated steel-making plants at Indiana Harbor, Burns Harbor and Cleveland. ArcelorMittal USA, through various subsidiaries, owns interests in joint ventures, including ArcelorMittal Tek, ArcelorMittal Kote, Double G Coatings, PCI Associates, and Hibbing Taconite Company. ArcelorMittal USA also owns several short-line railroads that transport materials among its facilities, as well as raw material assets. ArcelorMittal USA operates an iron ore mine through its wholly owned subsidiary ArcelorMittal Minorca. ArcelorMittal Coal Group USA, LLC and its subsidiaries operate surface mines and deep mines in McDowell County, as well as a surface mine in Tazewell County.

ArcelorMittal Tubarao (AMT), a wholly owned subsidiary of ArcelorMittal Brasil, has two production facilities: the Tubarao integrated steel making facility and the Vega finishing complex. ArcelorMittal Lazaro Cardenas (AMLC) is a steel producer in Mexico. AMLC operates a pelletizer plant, two direct reduced iron plants, electric arc furnace-based steel-making plants and continuous casting facilities. ArcelorMittal Dofasco Inc. (Dofasco) is a North American steel solution provider and manufacturer of flat rolled steels. Its products include hot-rolled, cold rolled, galvanized and tinplate, as well as tubular products and laser-welded blanks. ArcelorMittal Mines Canada is a North American producer of iron ore products, including concentrate and several types of pellets. During 2010, the mines in aggregate produced 15.1 million tons of pellets and concentrates.

Flat Carbon Europe

ArcelorMittal�� Flat Carbon Europe segment has production facilities in Western and Eastern Europe, including Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Poland, Macedonia, Estonia and the Czech Republic. ArcelorMittal�� Flat Carbon Europe segm! ent has p! roduction facilities in Western and Eastern Europe, including Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Poland, Macedonia, Estonia and the Czech Republic. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Bremen GmbH produced 3.3 million tons of crude steel. The facilities of ArcelorMittal Liege Upstream are located in two main plants along the Meuse River: the Seraing-Ougree plant, which includes a coke plant, a sinter plant and two blast furnaces, and the Chertal plant, which includes a steel shop with three converters, a ladle metallurgy, two continuous caster machines and a hot strip mill. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Liege Upstream produced 0.9 million tons of crude steel. ArcelorMittal Atlantique is part of ArcelorMittal Atlantique et Lorraine, which is wholly owned by ArcelorMittal France. It has four plants in the north of France, located in Dunkirk, Mardyck, Montataire and Desvres. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Atlantique et Lorraine S.A.S. produced 5.3 million tons of crude steel.

During 2010, ArcelorMittal Eisenhuttenstadt GmbH produced 1.9 million tons of crude steel. It produces and sells a range of products, including hot-rolled, cold-rolled, electrical and hot dip galvanized and organic-coated rolls to automotive, distribution, metal processing, construction and appliances industry customers in Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. ArcelorMittal Mediterranee S.A.S. operates a flat carbon steel plant in Fos-sur-Mer. It also operates a finishing facility for electrical steel located in Fos-sur-Mer. ArcelorMittal Mediterranee S.A.S.�� principal equipment consists of one coke oven plant, one sinter plant, two blast furnaces, two basic oxygen furnaces, two continuous slab casters, one hot strip mill, one pickling line, one cold rolling mill and two continuous annealing lines. ArcelorMittal Mediterranee�� products include coils to be made into wheels, pipes for energy transport and coils for finishing facilities for exposed and non-exposed parts of car bodies, as well as the constructio! n, home a! ppliance, packaging, pipe and tube, engine and office material industries. ArcelorMittal Gent is an integrated coastal steelworks. ArcelorMittal Liege produces a range of steel grades, including a range of construction steels and micro-alloyed grades.

ArcelorMittal Piombino manufactures galvanized and organic-coated steel products. During 2010, it operated one pickling line, four-stand tandem mill, three hot dip galvanizing lines and three organic coating lines. ArcelorMittal Piombino�� products are sold to European customers, primarily in the distribution, appliance and construction industries. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Dudelange operated two hot dip-coating lines, producing Alussi and Aluzinc, and two electro galvanizing lines for appliances and industries. ArcelorMittal Sagunto is a flat steel finishing products. The facilities consist of a pickling line, a regeneration plant for hydrochloric acid and a full continuous five stands tandem mill. ArcelorMittal Sestao�� equipment consists of two electric arc furnaces, two continuous slab casters, one hot rolling mill and one pickling line. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Sestao produced 1.3 million tons. ArcelorMittal Sestao is a supplier of hot-rolled, pickled and oiled coils to the Spanish market. Its range of production includes cold forming and drawing steels, structural steels, cold for re-rolling, direct galvanization, dual phase, weather resistance and floor plates.

ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. (AMP) is a steel producer in Poland. AMP�� Zdzieszowice Coke Plant produces and supplies coke to ArcelorMittal subsidiaries and third parties. AMP produces coke and a range of steel products, including both long products and flat products. Its product range includes slabs, billets, blooms, sections, rails, hot-rolled sheets and strips, cold rolled sheets and strips, galvanized sheets, heavy plates, wire-rods, wires and other wire products and coated sheets and coils. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Galati S.A. produced 1.9 million tons! of crude! steel which were sold as plates, hot-rolled coil, cold rolled coil and galvanized products for the Romanian, Turkish and Balkan markets. ArcelorMittal Ostrava a.s. produces both flat and long carbon products. ArcelorMittal Annaba produces both flat and long carbon products.

Long Carbon Americas and Europe

ArcelorMittal�� Long Carbon Americas and Europe segment has production facilities in North and South America and Europe, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Trinidad, Spain, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Morocco, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Czech Republic. ArcelorMittal Brasil S.A. is a long-rolled steel producer and the wire steel producer in Latin America in terms of both capacity and sales. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Brasil S.A.�� steel production facilities included one integrated plant, one semi-integrated steel plant, three mini-mills, nine wire plants and three plants that produce transformed steel products. In addition, ArcelorMittal Brasil S.A., through its subsidiary, produces charcoal from eucalyptus forestry operations that is used to fuel its furnaces in Juiz de Fora and or to exchange for pig iron with local producers, and through the jointly controlled entity Guilman Amorin, produces energy used to supply the Joao Monlevade plant. During 2010, it produced 3.4 million tons of crude steel and a total of 3.3 million tons of rolled products, of which 0.6 million tons were processed to manufacture wire products. Andrade Mine is an iron ore producer located in the Minas Gerais state of Brazil. In 2010, Andrade Mine produced 1.6 million tons of iron ore.

ArcelorMittal Mineracao Serra Azul is an iron ore producer located in the Minas Gerais state of Brazil. It supplies sinter feed to ArcelorMittal plants in Europe and domestic market and also lump ore for local pig iron producers and certain ArcelorMittal Brasil integrated plants. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Mineracao Serra Azul produ! ced 3.3 m! illion tons of iron ore. It produces rebars, wire rod, merchant bars, special bar quality (SBQ), wires, wire mesh, cut and bend and drawn bars. Acindar�� own distribution network can also service end-users. ArcelorMittal Point Lisas Ltd. is a steelmaker in the Caribbean. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Point Lisas exported substantially all of its wire rod shipments, to steel manufacturers in South and Central America, the Caribbean and the United States. ArcelorMittal USA produces both flat and long carbon products. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Montreal Inc. produced 1.8 million tons of crude steel. ArcelorMittal Duisburg GmbH�� production facilities are located in Ruhrort and Hochfeld, Germany. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Duisburg GmbH produced 1.2 million tons of crude steel. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Hamburg GmbH produced one million tons of crude steel. ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. produces both flat carbon and long carbon products. ArcelorMittal Ostrava�� production facilities are located in Ostrava, Czech Republic. As of December 31, 2010, ArcelorMittal Energy Ostrava had 11 boilers. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Rodange & Schifflange produced 0.7 million tons of crude steel. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Warszawa S.p.z.o.o. produced 0.5 million tons of crude steel. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Madrid produced 0.4 million tons of crude steel.

ArcelorMittal Zaragoza is located in Aragon, in northeastern Spain. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Zaragoza produced 0.5 million tons of crude steel. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Zenica produced 0.6 million tons of crude steel. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Prijedor produced 1.4 million tons of iron ore. ArcelorMittal Annaba produces both long and flat products. Its flat product range includes slabs, hot rolled and cold-rolled coils and sheets, hot-dipped galvanized products and tin plates, and its long product range includes billets, wire-rods, rebars and seamless tubes. Societe Nationale de Siderurgie (Sonasid) is a steel producer in Morocco and has facilities in! Nador, J! orf and Lasfar. Its facilities consist of one electric arc furnace, one continuous caster, one wire rod and one bar mill. Sonasid produces steel bars and rods. These products include reinforcing bars, wire rods and merchant bars. During 2010, Sonasid produced 0.5 million tons of crude steel. ArcelorMittal Hunedoara�� facilities are located in Romania. Its production facilities are one electric arc furnace, two continuous casters and a sections rolling mill. During 2010, Arcelor Mittal Hunedoara produced 0.1 million tons of crude steel. During 2010, ArcelorMittal Tubular Products division operated 19 operating units in Europe, North America, South America, CIS and Africa. The division caters to the energy, mechanical and automotive tubing and components markets. The facilities include four facilities producing seamless tubes, three facilities producing large diameter welded tubes, 10 facilities producing electric resistance welded (ERW) tubes, one facility producing cold drawn tubes and two facilities producing automotive components using welded tubes.

AACIS

ArcelorMittal�� AACIS segment has production facilities in Asia and Africa, including Kazakhstan, Ukraine, South Africa and Russia. During 2010, ArcelorMittal South Africa Ltd. produced 5.5 million tons of crude steel. OJSC ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih�� integrated steel plant consists of six coke oven plants, three sintering plants, six blast furnaces, six basic oxygen furnaces, two open hearth furnaces, two blooming mills and six light section / bar mills and three wire rod mills. ArcelorMittal Temirtau�� wholly owned integrated steel plant located in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan, consists of six coke oven batteries of which six are operating, three sinter plants, four blast furnaces (three of which are operational), three basic oxygen furnaces, two continuous slab casters, one hot strip mill, two cold rolling mills and three tinning lines, one hot dip galvanizing and one aluminum-zinc coating lines, one color ! coating l! ine, two welded pipe mills and a bar mill.

JSC ArcelorMittal Temirtau�� products includes pig iron, continuous caster slabs, hot- and cold-rolled coils and sheets, black plates, covers, tin plates, hot dipped galvanized products, color coated products and welded pipes, bars, sections and re-bars. JSC ArcelorMittal Temirtau has four iron ore mines in central Kazakhstan. ArcelorMittal Northern Kuzbass in Siberia, Russia includes the Berezovskaya and Pervomayskaya mines, as well as the Severnaya coal washery. The main consumers of the coking coal produced are OJSC ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih and some local coke producers.

Distribution Solutions

Distribution Solutions is primarily the in-house trading and distribution arm of ArcelorMittal. It also provides steel solutions. It services a range of customer industries, including automotive, construction, household appliances, public works, civil engineering and general industry. The range of Distribution Solutions is offered through a network covering 30 countries, while specific solutions are dispatched in five business units: ArcelorMittal Construction Solutions, ArcelorMittal International, ArcelorMittal Projects, ArcelorMittal Total Offer Processing, ArcelorMittal Wire Solutions. The range of distribution solutions is organized across geographical areas through locally empowered management: Benelux, Central and Eastern Europe, France, Germany/Switzerland, Iberia, Italy, the Maghreb, Turkey/Mediterranean, South America, Poland, the United Kingdom/Scandinavia. The processing facilities provide services for flat and long carbon steel, as well as for specialty products, from light finishing work on beams to an integrated offer of slit coils, sheets and blanks.

ArcelorMittal Construction Solutions provides its customers with steel-based solutions for cladding, roofing, flooring and structure. ArcelorMittal International is the global sales network supplying ArcelorMittal products from over 30 mills outside ! of their ! home markets. ArcelorMittal Projects provides distribution solutions and services for projects in foundation solutions, infrastructure, oil and gas and building related steel constructions. ArcelorMittal Total Offer Processing provides a global offer in steel processing, ranging from design to production and from the logistics of steel components to steel solutions for industrial accounts. ArcelorMittal Wire Solutions is a global industrial wiredrawer, serving sectors, such as agriculture, automotive, construction, energy and general industry.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Among holdings in which Passport Capital increased its stake were Yamana Gold�and Solazyme. Passport Capital reduced its stake in lots of companies, including Southern Copper�and global steel giant Arcelor Mittal (NYSE: MT  ) , the latter of which has been facing a weak steel market, especially in Europe, and carries a lot of debt, while not producing gobs of free cash flow lately. Still, some see it as promisingly priced now, with a forward P/E near 9, and a global economic recovery likely. Rising auto sales bode well for the steel company, too. Its stock is yielding about 5.6%.

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Beijing's subsidies to domestic materials producers has made life tough for leading companies in the industry, such as the world's top steelmaker, Europe's ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT  ) . Unless China counters its slowdown by increasing infrastructure investment -- an action the government has taken before -- Chinese oversupply could hamper already-pressured prices in steel and other commodities even further. Slowing demand has hurt ArcelorMittal and its rivals in the industry already, and a glut of supply in what is still one of the world's fastest-growing economies won't help sales get back on track.

• [By Sean Williams]

  ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT  )
  If you haven't been following the steel industry much, simply pulling a list of the most recent 52-week lows will get you up-to-date in no time. ArcelorMittal, a steel producer and iron ore and coal miner, has all the makings of a company investors would thoroughly dislike right now. It has net debt of $21.9 billion, is dealing with weak steel prices and demand throughout Europe, its largest market, and is struggling under the weight of weak iron ore and coal prices. And yet, I think ArcelorMittal could be ripe for the bottom-fisher willing to take on a little risk.

Hot Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: A. Schulman Inc.(SHLM)

A. Schulman, Inc. supplies plastic compounds and resins for packaging, consumer products, industrial, and automotive applications. The company offers additive compounds, custom color concentrates for film and molding, carbon black color concentrates, white color concentrates, additive compounds for polyester resins and special pearl effects, antistatic concentrates, and masterbatch for the production of synthetic paper. Its products also include engineered plastics, such as thermoplastic elastomers and vulcanizates, filled and unfilled nylon and PBT compounds, nylon/ABS alloys, formulated ionomer compounds, thermoplastic ionomer resins, flame-retardant thermoplastic compounds and concentrates, polypropylene, polyethylene, EVA compounds, thermoplastic olefins, flexible thermoplastic PVC compounds, high-quality PVC compounds, PVC-based thermoplastic elastomers, and low-gloss PVC thermoplastic elastomers for industrial packaging, appliances, electrical connectors, power tools , recreational items, and lawn and garden equipments. In addition, the company provides custom color and specialty compound powders, rotational molding process compounds, cross-linkable resin used in rotational molding, high heat-distortion temperature materials, and thermoplastic powders, as well as provides jet milling services used for products requiring very fine particle size, such as additives for printing ink, adhesives, waxes, and cosmetics; and cryogenic milling services for heat sensitive materials. Further, it buys, repackages, and re-sells polymers for various processing types comprising injection molding, blow molding, thermoforming, and extrusion, as well as provides tolling services. The company operates in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. A. Schulman, Inc. was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Akron, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Plastic compounds and resins manufacturer A. Schulman (SHLM) raised its quarterly dividend 3% to 20 cents per share, payable Nov. 4 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 28.
  SHLM Dividend Yield: 2.51%

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of A. Schulman (NASDAQ: SHLM  ) were getting squashed today, falling as much as 14% after the plastics-maker turned in a subpar quarter.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Monday
  The first trading day of the week, month, and quarter kicks off with A. Schulman (NASDAQ: SHLM  ) posting quarterly results. The provider of plastic compounds and resin may not be toiling away in a very glitzy industry, but results matter. A. Schulman has been able to push through three consecutive years of higher dividend rates as consistent growth continues.

• [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 A. Schulman (Nasdaq: SHLM  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Own Right Now: Constellation Brands Inc (STZ)

Constellation Brands, Inc. produces and markets alcoholic beverages primarily in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. It offers wine, spirits, and imported beer. The company?s Constellation Wines North America segment produces, markets, and exports wine, as well as sells various wine brands across various categories, including table wine, sparkling wine, and dessert wine. It offers wine under various brands, which include Robert Mondavi Brands, Clos du Bois, Blackstone, Estancia, Arbor Mist, Toasted Head, Simi, Black Box, Ravenswood, Rex Goliath, Kim Crawford, Franciscan Estate, Wild Horse, Ruffino, Nobilo, Mount Veeder, Inniskillin, and Jackson-Triggs; and spirits under various brands, including SVEDKA Vodka, Black Velvet Canadian Whisky, and Paul Masson Grande Amber Brandy. This segment also produces and markets wine kits and beverage alcohol refreshment drinks in Canada. The company?s Crown Imports segment imports, markets, and sells beer under the Modelo Brands, which include Corona Extra, Corona Light, Coronita, Modelo Especial, Pacifico, Negra Modelo, and Victoria, as well as the St. Pauli Girl and Tsingtao brands in the United States. The company sells its products through wholesale distributors, as well as state and provincial alcoholic beverage control agencies in North America; and directly to retailers or through wholesalers and importers in New Zealand. Constellation Brands, Inc. was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Victor, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Nickey Friedman]

  Ever since Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ  ) acquired Grupo Modelo's U.S. beer business from Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD  ) for nearly $5 billion, the company has been seeing unprecedented success. Perhaps it's a sign Anheuser-Busch InBev sold out too cheap, or worse, a sign of inept management. In any event, Anheuser-Busch InBev's loss is Constellation Brands' gain as it competes against other hot beer brands such as those from Boston Beer (NYSE: SAM  ) .

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Constellation Brands is a producer and marketer of alcohol products with a worldwide presence. Recent earnings news has investors upbeat about the company. The stock has been exploding to the upside and is now trading slightly below all-time high prices. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been mixed while revenues have been rising which has produced conflicting feelings among investors about earnings announcements. Relative to its peers and sector, Constellation Brands has been a year-to-date performance leader. Look for Constellation Brands to OUTPERFORM.

• [By Alex Dumortier, CFA]

  Constellation Brands earnings
  Beer and spirits company Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ  ) reported results this morning for the quarter ended May 31. Although the company "missed" with earnings per share of $0.38 (ex-items) against a consensus estimate, investors appear to be shrugging it off. That may have something to do with the fact that the company raised its guidance slightly for 2014 to $2.60-$2.90 from $2.55-$2.85 (although it should be mentioned that this increase has nothing to do with operational improvements or an improved sales forecast, but rather with lower expected interest expense).

Hot Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: Prospect Capital Corporation(PSEC)

Prospect Capital Corporation is a mezzanine finance and private equity firm that specializes in late venture, middle market, mature, mezzanine, buyouts, recapitalizations, growth capital, development, and bridge transactions. It makes secured debt and equity investments. The firm typically invests across all industry sectors, with a particular expertise in the energy and industrial sectors. It invests in oil and gas production, coal production, materials, industrials, consumer discretionary, information technology, utilities, pipeline, storage, power generation and distribution, renewable and clean energy, oilfield services, healthcare, food and beverage, education, business services, and other select sectors. The firm prefers to invest in the United States and Canada. It seeks to invest between $5 million to $50 million in companies with EBITDA between $$ million and $75 million, sales value up to $500 million, and enterprise value of up to $250 million. The firm also co- invests for larger deals. It seeks control acquisitions by providing multiple levels of the capital structure. Prospect Capital Corporation was founded in 1988 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  But one concern is that investors are paying too much for BDCs. Like Ares, peers Prospect Capital (NASDAQ: PSEC  ) and Fifth Street Finance (NASDAQ: FSC  ) also carry share prices that are higher than the net value of the assets on their books. Yet Ares trades at a substantially higher premiums to NAV than Prospect or Fifth Street, suggesting that they're more comfortable with the quality of Ares' assets compared to its rivals.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Business development company�Prospect Capital (NASDAQ: PSEC  ) announced today�that based on its earnings expectations for the rest of the year it set dividends for the following four months:

• [By Grass Hopper]

  Examples of the first class of publicly ��raded private equity firms include Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (KKR), The Blackstone Group L.P. (BX), and Oaktree Capital Group, LLC (OAK). Examples of the second class are Wendel SA (MF FP), Exor SpA (EXO IM) and, to some extent, Reinet Investments SCA (REI SJ). Examples of the third class are American Capital, Ltd. (ACAS), Main Street Capital, Gladstone Capital Corp. (MAIN), and Prospect Capital Corp. (PSEC).

• [By Amanda Alix]

  Similarly, Prospect Capital (NASDAQ: PSEC  ) recently announced�the next four months' worth of dividends, showcasing a yield of 12.7%. Further, management noted that its liabilities are locked in for the next 30 years, while its loans float with LIBOR, putting them in the catbird seat as far as rising interest rates are concerned.

Hot Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: Imperial Holdings Inc. (IFT)

Imperial Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty finance company in the United States. The company operates in two business segments: Life Finance and Structured Settlements. The Life Finance segment comprises life settlements and finance loan businesses. The Structured Settlement segment purchases structured settlements at a discounted rate and sells such assets to third parties. This segment primarily markets its products through the Internet and television. Imperial Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is based in Boca Raton, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Whopper Investments]

  Note: This is my response to the recent short case on Imperial Finance (IFT). Obviously, all humans are fallible, and I'm sure someone can find just as much to argue with my long case as I found to argue with his short case. Please read for yourself, do your own research, and make your own decision. I am long IFT and plan on fully participating in the rights offering.

Hot Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: GrafTech International Ltd (GTI)

GrafTech International Ltd (GTI) incorporated on April 26, 2010, is a manufacturer of graphite electrodes, products essential to the production of electric arc furnace (EAF) steel and various other ferrous and nonferrous metals. The Company also produces needle coke products, which are the primary raw material needed in the manufacture of graphite electrodes. The Company also manufactures carbon, graphite, and semi-graphite refractory products, which protect the walls of blast furnaces and submerged arc furnaces. The Company is manufactures and provides graphite and carbon materials used in the transportation, solar and oil and gas exploration industries. The Company's operating segments include Industrial Materials, which include graphite electrodes, refractory products and needle coke products, and Engineered Solutions, which includes advanced electronics technologies, advanced graphite materials, advanced composite materials, and advanced materials. The Company has seven product categories: graphite electrodes, refractory products, needle coke products, advanced graphite materials, advanced composite materials, advanced electronics technologies (formerly referred to as natural graphite products), and advanced materials.

Industrial Materials.

The Company's Industrial Materials segment manufactures and delivers graphite electrodes, refractory products and needle coke products. Approximately 70% of the Company's graphite electrodes sold is consumed in the EAF steel melting process. The remaining approximately 30% of the Company's graphite electrodes sold is primarily used in various other ferrous and non-ferrous melting applications, including steel refining ladle furnace operations for both EAF and basic oxygen furnace steel production, fused materials, chemical processing, and alloy metals. The Company is a producer of petroleum needle coke. Needle coke is the raw material in the manufacture of the graphite electrodes used in melting operations. The Company is also a leadi! ng global supplier of carbon, semi-graphitic and graphite refractory hearth linings for blast and submerged arc furnaces used to produce iron and ferro alloys.

The Company competes with SGL Carbon A.G. Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd. Showa Denko Carbon K.K. Graphite India Limited, HEG Limited, SEC Corporation Limited, Nippon Carbon Co., Ltd., Energoprom Group, Beijing FangDa Carbon Tech Co. Ltd., Sinosteel Corporation, Phillips 66, Petrocokes Japan Limited , Mitsubishi Chemical Company, Baosteel Group , C-Chem Co., Ltd. Indian Oil Company Limited, Hongte Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. JX Holdings Inc., Petrochina International Jinzhou Co., Ltd. and Sinosteel Anshan Research Institute of Thermo-Energy Co. Ltd.

Engineered Solutions

The Engineered Solutions segment includes advanced electronics technologies, advanced graphite materials, advanced composite materials and advanced materials. Advanced electronics technology products consist of electronic thermal management solutions, fuel cell components, and sealing materials. These products are used in transportation, alternative energy, metallurgical, chemical, oil and gas exploration and various other industries. Advanced composite materials are engineered carbon products that are woven into various shapes to primarily support the aerospace and defense industries. Advanced materials use carbon and graphite powders as components or additives in a variety of industries, including metallurgical processing, battery and fuel cell components, and polymer additives.

SGL Carbon A.G., Mersen S.A., Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd., Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd., SEC Carbon Ltd, Nippon Carbon Co. Ltd, Graphite India Ltd. (India) , Panasonic Corporation , and Kaneka Corporation .

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Rhyu joins the company from IAC's (NASDAQ: IACI  ) Match.com, where he has filled the roles of both CFO and chief administrative officer since 2011. Previous to that, he was a senior vice president at News Corp's (NASDAQ: FOXA  ) Dow Jones & Company. He also served as corporate controller for both Sirius XM Radio and GrafTech International (NYSE: GTI  ) .

Hot Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: Compliance Energy Corp (CEC)

Compliance Energy Corporation (Compliance) is an exploration and development company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties. Compliance�� main projects are its freehold coal holdings on Vancouver Island, British Columbia and four non-coal exploration properties on Vancouver Island. Through the Comox Joint Venture (CJV), CEC owns 60% of the Raven Underground Coal project. The Company�� main properties are its approximately 29,000 hectares of freehold coal and mineral interests and 2,046 hectares of Crown Coal licenses in the Comox Coal Basin on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Through the Comox Joint Venture agreement, Compliance owns 60% of interests and Itochu International and LG International own 20% respectively. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of Chuck E. Cheese's operator CEC Entertainment (NYSE: CEC  ) soared 15% today after its quarterly results and guidance topped Wall Street expectations.

• [By Geoff Gannon] ominal GDP Growth: Village Supermarket (VLGEA)

  Over the last 10 years ��population growth, inflation, and real output per person growth has been so low it�� hard to tell the difference between companies growing at the rate of inflation, along with the population, or along with the economy.

  You have to squint really hard to see any difference in the revenue growth records of DNB, Chuck E. Cheese, and Village.

  This will not be true in all countries and at all times.

  A literally no growth company like Earthlink is actually shrinking. It just happens to look like it�� staying perfectly flat because inflation is hiding the company�� real decay rate. In real terms, the company has been shrinking by about 3% a year for the last 10 years. So, Earthlink is not a no growth company. It�� shrinking.

  That�� a bad sign. And, frankly, I don�� know how to value Earthlink. You would need to evaluate it as a turnaround or something ��not as a business that�� simplly stuck in place. I don�� know how to do that.

  So, Earhtlink goes into the ��oo hard��pile.

  Dun & Bradstreet and CEC Entertainment are actual no growth businesses. This is hidden by their constant share buy backs. So, if you look at their earnings per share growth they look kind of like Peter Lynch�� idea of a ��low growth��company or even a ��talwart�� They aren��. They��e no growth businesses.

  The same is pretty much true with Village Supermarket. Although this is complicated. The nature of their business ��high volume, low cost groceries ��means they can appear to be a no growth business when they are actually just keeping prices down and increasing volume. You would need to check their sales numbers more carefully. Grocery stores often discuss inflation in their annual reports. Village Supermarket always does this.

  (The annual report is Exhibit 13 of the 10-K at EDGAR).

  So, in reality, Village Supermarket may be a

• [By Lisa Levin]

  CEC Entertainment (NYSE: CEC) surged 1.57% to $44.53. The volume of CEC Entertainment shares traded was 172% higher than normal. CEC Entertainment's trailing-twelve-month ROE is 30.51%.

Hot Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: CirTran Corp (CIRC)

CirTran Corporation, incorporated on March 23, 1987, manufactures, markets, and distributes internationally an energy drink under a license with Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (Playboy) through its subsidiary, CirTran Beverage Corporation. It operates in Beverage Distribution and Contract Manufacturing segments. In the United States, it provides a mix of high- and medium-volume turnkey manufacturing services and products using various high-tech applications for electronics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the communications, networking, peripherals, gaming, law enforcement, consumer products, telecommunications, automotive, medical, and semiconductor industries. The Company�� services include pre-manufacturing, manufacturing, and post-manufacturing services.

Beverage Distribution

CirTran Beverage Corporation (CirTran Beverage) manufactures, markets, and distributes Playboy-licensed energy drinks, flavored water beverages, and related merchandise through various distribution channels. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 65 countries throughout Europe, Africa, Australia, the Pacific, and the Middle East.

Contract Marketing

CirTran Products Corp. pursues contract-manufacturing relationships in the domestic consumer products markets, including products in areas, such as home/garden, kitchen, health/beauty, toys, licensed merchandise, and apparel for film, television, sports, and other entertainment properties. The Company concentrates its product development efforts into three areas: home and kitchen appliances, beauty products, and licensed merchandise. Through CirTran - Asia, Inc., the Company designs, manufactures, and supplies products in the international electronics, consumer products, and general merchandise industries for various marketers, distributors, and retailers selling overseas. This subsidiary provides manufacturing services to the direct-response and retail consumer markets.

The Company competes with Hansen�! � Energy, Diet Red, Monster Energy, Lost Energy, Joker Mad Energy, Ace Energy, Unbound Energy, Rumba energy juice, Red Bull, Rockstar, Full Throttle, No Fear, Amp, Adrenaline Rush, 180, Extreme Energy Shot, Red Devil, Rip It, NOS, Boo Koo, and Vitaminenergy.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Last Friday, CIRC remained (0.00%) +0.000 at $.0005 at the close (ref. google finance August 30, 2013 ��Close).

  CirTran Corporation has recently filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2013, showing continued growth in sales and a dramatic improvement in profits. CirTran�� sales were again driven by its Playboy Energy Drink line, which has grown to represent nearly 98% of revenues.

  For the quarter, CirTran previously reported sales of $1,096,691, a 247% increase over the $315,755 reported for the same period a year ago. For the six months ended June 30, 2013, CirTran reported sales of 1,964,843, a 110% improvement over the $934,455 reported for the first half of 2012.

Hot Sliver Companies To Buy For 2014: Rallye SA (RAL)

Rallye SA is a France-based holding company organized around two sectors of activity: large scale distribution to the food stores and supermarkets and distribution of sports items. The Company is present in France, Latin America, Poland, and Asia through its interests in brands, such as Geant, Monoprix, Leader Price, and United Grocers Cash & Carry, among others. It also has its interst in the Groupe Go Sport. Rallye SA is notably present in France, the United States, Luxembourg, Poland and Colombia, among others. The Company operates through its subsidiaries and affliated companies, such as Cobivia SAS, L��abitation Moderne de Boulogne, Magasins Jean SAS, Matignon Sablons SAS, MFD SA, Parande SAS, Casino Guichaqrd Perrachon DA, Groupe Go Sport, Sivigral SCI and French Develompent Venture SA. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  A risk involved with the company is that its Republic Bank & Trust business derives 78% of its net income from TRS, which offers bank products that help get customers who electronically file their tax returns their payments. RB&T is only of the few financial institutions in the U.S. that provide the service. Under the program, the taxpayer may receive a Refund Anticipation Loan (RAL), which has been questioned by various governmental and consumer groups. In May 2011, RB&T received an order to cease and desist which could result in an order by the FDIC to terminate its RAL program. It has a hearing on Feb. 12, 2012 in Kentucky regarding the matter.