Top 5 Defensive Companies To Buy For 2014

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority announced Wednesday that it had expelled Washington, D.C.-based Success Trade Securities Inc. from membership and barred its CEO and president, Fuad Ahmed, for defrauding 59 investors, mainly NFL and NBA players.

The FINRA hearing panel has also ordered the firm and Ahmed to jointly and severally pay approximately $13.7 million in restitution to those investors.

Many of the players involved were clients of now-barred financial advisor Jinesh “Hodge” Brahmbhatt and his now-defunct investment advisory firm, Jade Private Wealth Management, which referred clients to Success Trade in exchange for kickbacks.

According to an investigation by Yahoo Sports, those players included San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden, former Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis, former Chicago Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Jared Odrick, Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Pat Sims, Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Fred Evans and Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Knight. The athletes involved were not named in the FINRA complaint.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Sony Corp Ord(SNE)

Sony Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and sells electronic equipment, instruments, and devices for consumer, professional, and industrial markets worldwide. The company offers consumer products and devices, including televisions, video cameras, compact digital cameras and interchangeable single-lens cameras, Blu-ray Disc players/recorders, DVD-video players/recorders, home theaters and audio systems, and portable audio and car audio products. It also provides charged coupled devices, complementary metal-oxide semiconductor image sensors, system LSIs, small- and medium-sized LCD panels, and other semiconductors; and components, such as batteries, optical disk drives, chemical products, audio/video/data recording media, storage media, and optical pickups. In addition, the company develops, produces, markets, and distributes games, such as PlayStation3, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation 2 hardware and related software; and PCs and flash memory digital audio pl ayers, as well as manufactures broadcast- and professional-use products, Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and CD discs. Further, it produces and distributes motion pictures and television programs, and home entertainment; creates and distributes digital content; operates television networks and studio facilities; and develops entertainment products, services, and technologies. Additionally, the company engages in the music publishing business, as well as provision of various financial services, including insurance, savings products, loans, and credit financing services; and a network service business and an advertising agency business. It also involves in research, development, design, production, marketing, sales, distribution, and servicing mobile phones, accessories, services, and applications. The company was formerly known as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha and changed its name to Sony Corporation in 1958. Sony Corporation was founded in 1946 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Dieterich]

  Following weeks of drama over hacker attacks, Sony (SNE) released its film, “The Interview,” in select theaters on Christmas and for streaming. But additional cyber attacks crippled online services for Sony’s PlayStation gaming console, as well as for those for Microsoft‘s (MSFT) Xbox. Early reports said it wasn’t clear whether the attacks were connected to the release of “The Interview.” Sony’s U.S.-traded shares rose 1.7% while Microsoft was unchanged.

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images College students use Apple (AAPL), Facebook (FB) and Google (GOOG) products every day, so it's not much of a surprise that those companies are high on their lists of potential employers. But a new survey also shows Boeing (BA), the National Institutes of Health and Disney (DIS) at the top. The annual survey by Universum, an international consulting and brand marketing firm, asked 50,000 students for their top choices -- undergraduates in business, engineering, computer sciences, natural sciences and humanities plus those working on their master's of business administration. Google placed first in three categories and in the top six in all of them. "It is perception-based, so a lot of these companies have really strong brand recognition," said Kortney Kutsop, senior account director at Universum. "We're trying to understand what makes students tick, what they're looking for in a career." Government Agencies Do Well Students were given 230 potential employers to choose from. NASA, the Department of Energy, the CIA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Defense Department, the FBI and the Air Force all ranked in the top 40 for engineering students. Kutsop says this is partly because of the desire among students to "give back and be part of the greater good." Oil and gas companies have also climbed in the rankings among engineering students. Exxon Mobil (XOM) came in No. 6, while Shell Oil (RDS-A), Chevron (CVX) and BP (BP) all made the top 25. "This generation is looking for employers that provide development, training and mentorship," said Kutsop. "They want to become leaders of the world." She says they also want jobs that offer some flexibility, work-life balance and job security. She says there's a perception about millennials that they like to change jobs frequently, but in fact many are seeking job security. "They may stay if they see the opportunity to grow and advance." Potential employers are working h

• [By Sam Mattera]

  But this year could be difficult for Google's mobile operating system. Many of Google's hardware partners, including Sony (NYSE: SNE  ) , LG, and Samsung (NASDAQOTH: SSNLF  ) , continue to toy with alternatives -- making it possible that Google could see some defections in 2014.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  GameStop (NYSE: GME  ) appears initially to have caught a break with Sony (NYSE: SNE  ) .

  Unlike Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) restrictive Xbox One, where publishers will have more say in the way that their games are or are not able to be transferred between players, Sony made it a point on Monday night to emphasize that PS4 buyers will be able to trade in, sell, or lend their disc-based games.

Top 5 Defensive Companies To Buy For 2014: EveryWare Global Inc (EVRY)

EveryWare Global, Inc., formerly ROI Acquisition Corp., incorporated on September 19, 2011, is the designer and seller of tabletop and food preparation products for the consumer and foodservice markets. The Company�� global platform allows the Company to market and distribute internationally its total portfolio of products, including flatware, dinnerware, crystal stemware, glassware, serveware, cutlery, buffetware, candle glass, floral glass, spirit bottles, kitchen tools and gadgets and kitchen accessories. On June 18, 2013, the Company acquired the George Wilkinson and Samuel Groves business units of Metalrax Housewares, a maker and provider of metal bakeware, cooking utensils and catering supplies.

The Company also licenses the trademarks and distributes the Stolzle, Schonwald, Strata and BuffetEuro branded products in its Consumer, Foodservice and International segments. The Company operates in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  On Wednesday, small cap kitchen stock Everyware Global Inc (NASDAQ: EVRY) surged 52.94% after announcing an amendment to extend its forbearance agreement with lenders until July 15 that could give the company�time to find a long-term financing solution���meanings its worth taking as closer look at the stock along with potential peers Libbey Inc (NYSEMKT: LBY) and Lifetime Brands Inc (NASDAQ: LCUT).

Top 5 Defensive Companies To Buy For 2014: SPDR S&P Emerging Middle East & Africa ETF (GAF)

SPDR S&P Emerging Middle East & Africa ETF (the Fund) seeks to replicate as closely as possible the total return performance of the S&P/Citigroup BMI Middle East & Africa Index (the Index). The Index is a market capitalization-weighted index that defines and measures the investable universe of publicly traded companies domiciled in emerging Middle Eastern and African markets. The Index is float adjusted, meaning that only those shares publicly available to investors are included in the Index calculation. The Fund uses a passive management strategy designed to track the price and yield performance of the Index. The Fund�� investment manager is SSgA Funds Management, Inc. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Powell]

  For long-term investing, we continue to recommend Africa Funds��he iShares South Africa (EZA), the SPDR Mideast & Africa (GAF), and the TRP Africa & Mideast (LX:TRPMEAI).

Top 5 Defensive Companies To Buy For 2014: Cavco Industries Inc. (CVCO)

Cavco Industries, Inc. engages in the design, production, wholesale, and retail sale of manufactured homes. It also produces modular homes, which include single and multi-section/modular ranch-style dwellings; split-level homes; Cape Cod style homes; two and three story homes; and multi-family units, such as apartments and duplexes. In addition, the company manufactures park model homes and vacation cabins, as well as commercial structures, including apartment buildings, condominiums, hotels, schools, and housing for U.S. military troops. Further, it provides conforming mortgages to purchasers of factory-built and site-built homes; and property and casualty insurance to owners of manufactured homes. The company sells its products under the Cavco Homes, Fleetwood Homes, Palm Harbor Homes, and Nationwide Homes brands. As of March 31, 2012, it distributed its homes through 53 company-owned retail outlets, and a network of approximately 1,029 independent retail outlets n the U nited States, Canada, Mexico, and Japan. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Manufactured Housing: This industry moved up 1.33% by 10:30 am. The top performer in this industry was Cavco Industries (NASDAQ: CVCO), which gained 1.4%. Cavco Industries' PEG ratio is 1.16.

• [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 Cavco Industries (Nasdaq: CVCO  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.