Top Beverage Stocks To Buy For 2014

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- With its first quarter results, WhiteWave Foods (WWAV) showed Whole Foods Market (WFM) investors that there is still money to be made in the organic beverage and food space.

Shares of Whole Foods are down close to 20% on the week, while WhiteWave's jumped 10% after releasing quarterly results. Shares of WhiteWave are back up near 52-week highs, at the same time that around a third of the population is lactose intolerant. There's another large part of the consumer market that has chosen to simply cut dairy out of their diets. Both are big positives for WhiteWave.

WhiteWave still has a large presence in both almond milk and soy milk. The company owns the soy and almond milk market, having over 25% of the market share for each. Now it's looking to capitalize on the increasing appetite for other natural and organic foods.

Best Logistics Stocks To Watch For 2015: Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV (FOMC)

Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV (FEMSA) is a Mexico-based holding company engaged in the beverages industry. Through its subsidiary Coca-Cola FEMSA SAB de CV, the Company is active in the production and distribution of a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, bottled water and still beverages such brands as Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Powerade, Delaware Punch and other trademark beverages of The Coca-Cola Company in Mexico. Through FEMSA Comercio SA de CV, it operates the OXXO convenience-store chain in Latin America. The Company operates in a number of Latinamerican countries and in Philippines. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Canadian Value]

  Also interesting is that the duration of rising rate environments is distinctly shorter after 1982. The average duration declines to 14 months from 40 months prior to 1982. A possible explanation could be changes in the monetary mechanism influencing interest rates. In 1982, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) first referenced a targeted federal funds rate.7

• [By CanadianValue]

  Former Philadelphia Fed President Edward Boehne elegantly described the approach at a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in late 1989:

  ��ow, sooner or later, we will have a recession. I don�� think anybody around the table wants a recession or is seeking one, but sooner or later we will have one. If in that recession we took advantage of the anti-inflation (impetus) and we got inflation down from 4 1/2 percent to 3 percent, and then in the next expansion we were able to keep inflation from accelerating, sooner or later there will be another recession out there. And so, if we could bring inflation down from cycle to cycle just as we let it build up from cycle to cycle, that would be considerable progress over what we��e done in other periods in history.��/p>

Top Beverage Stocks To Buy For 2014: Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV (FMX)

Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FEMSA), incorporated on May 30, 1936, is a holding company. The Company conducts its operations through principal holding companies, each of which it refers to as a principal sub-holding company. These companies are Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. (Coca-Cola FEMSA), which engages in the production, distribution and marketing of soft drinks, and FEMSA Comercio, S.A. de C.V. (FEMSA Comercio), which operates convenience stores. The Company�� convenience store chain OXXO operated a total of 7,492 stores as of March 31, 2010. Compania Internacional de Bebidas, S.A. de C.V. (CIBSA) owns a 53.7% interest in Coca-Cola FEMSA. On April 30, 2010, FEMSA announced the closing of the transaction, pursuant to which FEMSA agreed to exchange 100% of its beer operations conducted by FEMSA Cerveza for a 20% economic interest in the Heineken Group. In February 2009, Coca-Cola FEMSA acquired with The Coca-Cola Company the Brisa bottled water business in Colombia from Bavaria, a subsidiary of SABMiller. Coca-Cola FEMSA acquired the production assets and the rights to distribute in the territory, and The Coca-Cola Company obtained the Brisa brand.

Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V.

Coca-Cola FEMSA is a bottler of Coca-Cola trademark beverages. Coca-Cola FEMSA operates in various territories, including Mexico, a substantial portion of central Mexico (including Mexico City and the states of Michoacan and Guanajuato) and southeast Mexico (including the Gulf region); Central America, including Guatemala (Guatemala City and surrounding areas), Nicaragua (nationwide), Costa Rica (nationwide) and Panama (nationwide); Colombia; Venezuela; Argentina, including Buenos Aires and surrounding areas, and Brazil, including the area of greater Sao Paulo, Campinas, Santos, the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the state of Minas Gerais and part of the state of Goias.

Coca-Cola FEMSA produces, markets and distributes Coca-Cola trademark beverages, own brands and b! rands licensed from the Company. The Coca-Cola trademark beverages include sparkling beverages (colas and flavored sparkling beverages), water, and still beverages (including juice drinks, ready-to-drink teas and isotonics). Out of the more than 100 brands and line extensions of beverages sold and distributed by Coca-Cola FEMSA, its most important brand, Coca-Cola, together with its line extensions, Coca-Cola light, Coca-Cola Zero and Coca-Cola light caffeine free, accounted for 61.4% of total sales volume during the year ended December 31, 2009. Coca-Cola FEMSA�� next largest brands, Ciel (a water brand from Mexico), Fanta (and its line extensions), Sprite (and its line extensions), ValleFrut and Hit, accounted for 10.5%, 5.8%, 2.6%, 1.5% and 1.3%, respectively, of total sales volume in 2009. Coca-Cola FEMSA uses the term line extensions to refer to the different flavors in which it offers its brands.

Coca-Cola FEMSA produces, markets and distributes Coca-Cola trademark beverages in each of its territories in containers authorized by The Coca-Cola Company, which consist of a variety of returnable and non-returnable presentations in the form of glass bottles, cans and plastic bottles made of polyethylene terephtalate (PET). Coca-Cola FEMSA uses the term presentation to refer to the packaging unit in which it sells its products. Presentation sizes for its Coca-Cola trademark beverages range from a 6.5-ounce personal size to a 3-liter multiple serving size. For all of its products excluding water, Coca-Cola FEMSA considers a multiple serving size as equal toor larger than one liter. In addition, it sells some Coca-Cola trademark beverage syrups in containers designed for soda fountain use, which it refers to as fountain. It also sells bottled water products in bulk sizes, which refers to presentations equal to or larger than five liters, which have a much lower average price per unit case than its other beverage products.

In Mexico, Coca-Cola FEMSA�� product portfolio consis! ts of Coc! a-Cola trademark beverages, and includes Mundet trademark beverages licensed from FEMSA in some Mexican territories. Coca-Cola FEMSA�� product sales in Latincentro consist predominantly of Coca-Cola trademark beverages. Per capita consumption of its sparkling beverages products in Colombia and Central America was 92 and 146 eight-ounce servings, respectively, in 2009. Its product portfolio in Venezuela consists of Coca-Cola trademark beverages. Sparkling beverages per capita consumption of its products in Venezuela was 174 eight-ounce servings during 2009. Coca-Cola FEMSA�� product portfolio in Mercosur consists mainly of Coca-Cola trademark beverages, and the Kaiser beer brand in Brazil, which Coca-Cola FEMSA sells and distributes on behalf of FEMSA Cerveza. Sparkling beverages per capita consumption of its products in Brazil and Argentina was 214 and 359 eight-ounce servings, respectively, in 2009.

The Company competes with Pepsi Beverage Company, Grupo Embotelladores Unidos, S.A.B. de C.V., Grupo Jumex, Groupe Danone, Cadbury Schweppes, Big Cola, Consorcio AGA, S.A. de C.V., Postobon, Florida Ice and Farm Co. S.A., Cerveceria Nacional, S.A., Pepsi-Cola Venezuela, C.A., AmBev and Quilmes Industrial S.A.

FEMSA Comercio, S.A. de C.V.

FEMSA Comercio operates a chain of convenience stores in Mexico, under the trade name OXXO. OXXO stores are concentrated in the northern part of Mexico, but also have a presence in central Mexico and the Gulf coast. FEMSA Comercio is the largest single customer of FEMSA Cerveza and of the Coca-Cola system in Mexico. During 2009, a typical OXXO store carried 1,954 different store keeping units (SKUs) in 31 main product categories.

The Company competes with 7-Eleven, Super Extra, Super City, Circle-K and AM/PM.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV (FMX)

  As of the close of the third quarter there were ten guru owners of Fomento Economico Mexicano. These gurus held a combined weighting of 1.99%. During the third quarter, there were four gurus making buys and seven making sells of their stake in FMX.

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  Fomento Economico Mexicano (FMX), better known as FEMSA, isn't another ascending triangle trade this week, unfortunately for shareholders. Instead, FEMSA is currently forming the bearish opposite of the pattern in Wells Fargo and Citi: a descending triangle.

  The descending triangle is formed by downtrending resistance above shares and a horizontal support level to the downside. In this case, that price floor comes in just below $90. The lower highs that form resistance in FMX signal that buying pressure is waning above the $100 level as long-suffering sellers opt to take gains near the high-end of this stock's recent range. Once that glut of demand at $90 gets taken out, a lot more downside looks likely for FMX.

  But now, MTB is forming a rounding bottom, a bullish setup that indicates a gradual shift in control of shares from sellers to buyers. The rounding bottom pattern looks exactly like it sounds, and even though MTB's pattern is actually at the top of its recent range, the trading implications are exactly the same. A breakout above $118 is the signal that the pattern is completed and it's time to be a buyer.

  With high short interest in MTB right now, a short squeeze could add some fuel to the fire on a breakout. Support looks reasonably strong at $110 -- that's the spot to keep your stop.

• [By Robert Martin]

  South Africa, China, Mexico and Brazil collectively make up 68% of ECON�� holdings. The top three holdings are Naspers LTD (NPSNY) at 10%, AmBev (ABV) at 8% and FEMSA (FMX) at 5.6%.

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Memberships and Peers: KO is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) with a 3.2% yield, Pepsico Inc (PEP) with a 2.6% yield and Fomento Economico ADR (FMX) with a 1.7% yield.

Top Beverage Stocks To Buy For 2014: WhiteWave Foods Co (WWAV)

WWF Operating Company, incorporated on March 14, 1988, is a consumer packaged food and beverage company. The Company manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells plant-based foods and beverages, coffee creamers and beverages, and dairy products throughout North America and Europe. The Company operates in two segments: North America and Europe. The North America segment offers products in the plant-based foods and beverages, coffee creamers and beverages, and dairy product categories throughout North America. Europe segment offers plant-based food and beverage products throughout Europe. The Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dean Foods Company (Dean Foods).

The Company�� brands distributed in North America include Silk plant-based foods and beverages, International Delight and LAND O LAKES coffee creamers and beverages, and Horizon Organic dairy products, while its European brands of plant-based foods and beverages include Alpro and Provamel. The Company sell its products to a variety of customers, including grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, and convenience stores, as well as various away-from-home channels, including restaurants and foodservice outlets, across North America and Europe. The Company sells its products in North America and Europe primarily through its direct sales force and independent brokers. The Company utilizes five manufacturing plants, two distribution centers, and three co-packers across the United States. Additionally, it has four plants across Europe in the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, each supported by an integrated supply chain.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  So this isn't a case like that of�WhiteWave Foods (NYSE: WWAV  ) , which tried to snooker consumers by calling the sugar in its milk the creatively contrived name "evaporated cane juice." Rather, this is a company saying sugar's sugar and telling consumers how much the drink contains -- as the FDA requires it to do -- but it is still facing financial loss regardless.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  Staying in the food and beverage industry, shares of�WhiteWave Foods� (NYSE: WWAV  ) finished up 8% after a strong earnings report this morning. The parent of Silk soy milk and other organic products said sales jumped 36%, to $830.2 million, driven by its acquisition of Earthbound Farms earlier in the quarter. That figure was much better than the $786.9 million Wall Street expected. WhiteWave also posted earnings of $0.22 per share, ahead of estimates at $0.19, and lifted its full-year guidance above expectations to $0.95-$0.98. Finally, the company said it plans to launch a joint venture in China by the end of the year, which should drive profits further. Propelled by the joint venture, tailwinds from growth in organics and its recent acquisition, shares could easily move higher.

• [By Pendulum]

  Organic / Health Foods companies:

  Hain Celestial (HAIN)WhiteWave (WWAV)Annie's

  Best In Class Food Companies:

  Coca-Cola (KO)Pepsico (PEP)Mondelez (MDLZ)Kraft Foods (KRFT)General Mills (GIS)Kellogg (K)ConAgra Foods (CAG)Hershey (HSY)J.M. Smucker (SJM)McCormick (MKC)Dean Foods (DF)

  A few comments about this analysis:

• [By John Maxfield]

  Meanwhile, the worst-performing stock on the index was Dean Foods (NYSE: DF  ) , which lost more than half of its value. This otherwise disturbing performance followed the company's spinoff of its organic-foods division, WhiteWave Foods (NYSE: WWAV  ) . As fellow Fool Rich Duprey covered here, each Dean Foods shareholder received 0.25544448 shares of WhiteWave class A stock and 0.36380189 shares of its class B stock for every share of Dean Foods.

Top Beverage Stocks To Buy For 2014: Pernod Ricard SA (PDRDY)

Pernod Ricard SA is a France-based producer and distributor of spirits and wines. The Company offers such products as whiskies, aniseed spirits, liqueurs, cognacs and brandies, white spirits and rums, bitters, champagnes and wines. Its business is divided into three segments: Top 14 Spirits & Champagne, Priority Premium Wines and 18 key local spirits brands. Pernod Ricard SA�� flagship brands include ABSOLUT, Ricard, Havana Club, Ballantine��, Malibu, The Glenlivet, Chivas Regal, Beefeater, Kahlua, Martell, Royal Salute, Mumm, Perrier-Jouet and Jameson, among others. The wine category includes, Jacob�� Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Graffigna. It operates as a holding company, with the structure divided between brand owner subsidiaries, such as The Absolut Company, Havana Club International and Chivas Brothers and regional distribution subsidiaries, such as Pernod Ricard Europe, Pernod Ricard Americas and Pernod Ricard Asia, distribute local brands. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Charles Sizemore]

  But its current valuation��t trades at 31 times earnings��akes me pause. At that price, you are implicitly expecting one of two things to happen:

  The American whiskey boom continues unabated for years��nd isn�� replaced by something new and trendy. Brown-Forman will be acquired by a larger competitor (think Diageo or Pernod-Ricard (PDRDY)).

  The first assumption is one I�� be hesitant to make given the whims of fashion. And the second is even less likely. Brown-Forman is family controlled, and in the past the company has very adamant about preserving its independence.