Broker audits marred by conflicts of interest, watchdog says

The watchdog of U.S. accounting firms found deficiencies in more than 95 percent of brokerage audits it reviewed last year, including where auditors were checking statements prepared by their own firms.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's examination of 60 broker-dealer audits discovered “troubling” failures, according to a report issued today on its second interim inspection program. Some auditors were involved in preparing financial statements that they also audited, a breach of U.S. rules, according to the document.

“We've got a long ways to go to ensure compliance with the audit requirements in this area,” said PCAOB member Jay D. Hanson. “It points to a need for the firms we inspected to really up their game and show a strong desire to improve.”

Created by the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley law, the PCAOB was given responsibility after the financial crisis to inspect auditors of U.S. brokerages. Congress expanded the watchdog's authority after Bernard Madoff carried out the biggest Ponzi scheme in history while using an accounting firm that failed to conduct a meaningful audit of Madoff's securities business.

10 Best Performing Stocks To Own For 2014

The PCAOB's review found some audit firms are still having trouble complying with Securities and Exchange Commission rules designed to ensure independence from the client that hired them. The board's watchdogs found evidence that auditors were involved in preparing the financial statements in 22 of the 60 audits inspected by the board.

Brokerage Auditors

Auditors who worked only for brokerages, as opposed to public companies, were more likely to have erred, the PCAOB found. The review found 80 percent of audits done by firms that only audited brokers strayed from independence standards, while 8 percent of auditors who also reviewed public companies made the error. Under a temporary rule approved in 2011, the board doesn't disclose the names of auditors examined in the review.

“Any firm that wants to continue auditing a broker-dealer has to immediately s

5 Best Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ: HERO  ) is one of only a few companies left that focuses on shallow water drilling. But even now it's moving away from onshore shallow water by selling rigs that have little use to the company. This is a good move right now but does it make Hercules a top drilling stock? Fool.com contributor Travis Hoium took a look at Hercules' recent $45 million asset sale and discovered that there are still better drilling buys out there.�

If you're an energy investor on the lookout for new opportunities, then you should consider one of the more exciting plays in the space: Seadrill. To help you size up this stock, one of The Motley Fool's top Stock Advisor analysts has authored a premium research report on the company, covering everything from its strengths and weaknesses to what to expect going forward. Simply click here now to claim your copy and determine whether Seadrill deserves a place in your portfolio.

5 Best Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Freedom Energy Holdings Inc (FDMF)

Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. (FDMF), incorporated in June 2005, is a holding company with a focus on the identification of opportunities within the oil and energy sectors. KC-9000 is the Company�� heavy oil technology, to assist in the recovery of heavy oil. As of December 31, 2011, the Company research had developed and shown a new product SR-139 at breaking down asphalt shingles allowing the extraction and recovery of hydrocarbons.

KC-9000 is a micro-emulsion technology. KC 9000 is a micro-emulsion developed to assist in the recovery and extraction of heavy based hydrocarbons that are saturated with high metals and paraffin content. KC 9000 is used for tank cleaning processes. By injecting KC 9000 directly into the tank port holes, at the tank bottom, with the emulsifies turning into an easily extractable slurry.

5 Best Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now: HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA (HRTPY.PK)

HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA, formerly BN 16 Participacoes Ltda, is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the oil and gas industry. The Company is primarily involved in the exploration and production (E&P) of oil and natural gas in Brazil and Namibia. Through its subsidiaries, it is active in the geophysical and geological research, exploration, development, production, import, export and sale of oil and natural gas, as well as in the provision of air logistics services in transporting people and equipment related to oil and gas activities in the exploratory campaign in the Solimoes Basin. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had seven subsidiaries, including Integrated Petroleum Expertise Company Servicos em Petroleo Ltda (IPEX), HRT O&G Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo Ltda, HRT Netherlands BV, HRT America Inc, HRT Africa, HRT Canada Inc and Air Amazonia Servicos Aereos Ltda.

5 Best Value Stocks To Watch For 2014: Natural Resource Partners LP (NRP)

Natural Resource Partners L.P. is a limited partnership. The Company is engaged principally in the business of owning, managing and leasing mineral properties in the United States. It owns coal reserves in the three United States coal-producing regions: Appalachia, the Illinois Basin and the Western United States, as well as lignite reserves in the Gulf Coast region. The Company is engaged in the ownership and leasing of mineral properties and related transportation and processing infrastructure. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned or controlled approximately 2.3 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves and it also owned approximately 380 million tons of aggregate reserves in a number of states across the country. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its lessees produced 49.2 million tons of coal from its properties. In addition, the Company�� lessees produced 49.2 million tons of coal from its properties. The Company�� operations are conducted through, and its operating assets are owned by, its subsidiaries. The Company owns its subsidiaries through a wholly owned operating company, NRP (Operating) LLC. NRP (GP) LP, which is its general partner, which conducts its business and manages its operations. Because its general partner is a limited partnership, its general partner, GP Natural Resource Partners LLC, conducts its business and operations. Robertson Coal Management LLC owns all of the membership interest in GP Natural Resource Partners LLC. In addition to its preparation plants, the Company owns coal handling and transportation infrastructure in West Virginia, Ohio and Illinois. In February 2011, it acquired approximately 500 acres of mineral and surface rights related to limestone reserves on the Tennessee River near Paducah, Kentucky. In March 2011, it acquired approximately 500 acres of mineral and surface rights related to limestone reserves in Cleveland, Tennessee near Chattanooga. In July 2011, it acquired approximately 44,000 acres of coal reserves and coal bed met! hane located in Pennsylvania and Illinois. In February 2012, the Company acquired coal reserves at the Deer Run mine near Hillsboro, Illinois and approximately 9,500 net mineral acres located in the Mississippian Lime oil play in Northern Oklahoma. In March 2012, the Company acquired the rail loadout, associated infrastructure assets and a contractual overriding royalty interest on certain tonnage at the Sugar Camp mine near Benton, Illinois. In May 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of approximately 19,200 net mineral acres in the Mississippian Lime oil play in North Central Oklahoma.

Northern Appalachia

The Beaver Creek property is located in Grant and Tucker Counties, West Virginia. During 2011, 2.4million tons were produced from this property. The Company leases this property to Mettiki Coal, LLC, which is a subsidiary of Alliance Resource Partners L.P. Coal is produced from an underground longwall mine. It is transported by truck to a preparation plant operated by the lessee. Coal is shipped primarily by truck to the Mount Storm power plant of Dominion Power and to various export customers. During 2011, 366,000 tons were produced from Allegany County. The Company leases this property to Vindex Energy, a subsidiary of Arch Coal. Coal from this property is produced from a surface mine. The raw coal is trucked to the Warrior plant of Allegheny Energy. During 2011, 283,000 tons were produced from Area F property. It leases this property to Carter Roag, a subsidiary of Metinvest. Coal from this property is produced from an underground mine. The raw coal is trucked to a preparation plant operated by the lessee. Coal is shipped via rail to domestic metallurgical customers and exported for use by Metinvest.

Central Appalachia

The VICC/Alpha property is located in Wise, Dickenson, Russell and Buchanan Counties, Virginia. During 2011, 4.9 million tons were produced from this property. It primarily leases this property to a subsidiary of Alpha Natu! ral Resou! rces. Production comes from both underground and surface mines and is trucked to one of four preparation plants. Coal is shipped through both the CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads to utility and metallurgical customers. Customers include American Electric Power, Southern Company, Tennessee Valley Authority, VEPCO and the United States Steel and to various export metallurgical customers. The Lynch property is located in Harlan and Letcher Counties, Kentucky. During 2011, 4.8 million tons were produced from this property. The Company primarily leases the property to a subsidiary of Massey Energy. Production comes from both underground and surface mines. Coal is transported by truck to a preparation plant on the property and is shipped primarily on the CSX railroad to utility customers, such as Georgia Power and Orlando Utilities.

The Dingess-Rum property is located in Logan, Clay and Nicholas Counties, West Virginia. This property is leased to subsidiaries of Massey Energy and Patriot Coal. During 2011, 2.8 million tons were produced from the property. Coal is shipped through the CSX railroad to steam customers, such as American Electric Power, Dayton Power and Light, Detroit Edison and to various export metallurgical customers.

The VICC/Kentucky Land property is located primarily in Perry, Leslie and Pike Counties, Kentucky. During 2011, 2.5 million tons were produced from this property. Coal is produced from a number of lessees from both underground and surface mines. Coal is shipped primarily by truck but also on the CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads to customers, such as Southern Company, Tennessee Valley Authority and American Electric Power. The Lone Mountain property is located in Harlan County, Kentucky. During 2011, 2.1 million tons were produced from this property. The Company leases the property to a subsidiary of Arch Coal, Inc. Production comes from underground mines and is transported primarily by beltline to a preparation plant on adjacent property and shipped o! n the Nor! folk Southern or CSX railroads to utility customers, such as Georgia Power and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

The D.D. Shepard property is located in Boone County, West Virginia. This property is primarily leased to a subsidiary of Patriot Coal Corp. During 2011, two million tons were produced from the property. Both steam and metallurgical coal are produced by the lessees from underground and surface mines. Coal is transported from the mines through belt or truck to preparation plants on the property. Coal is shipped through the CSX railroad to various domestic and export metallurgical customers. The Pardee property is located in Letcher County, Kentucky and Wise County Virginia. During 2011, 1.8 million tons were produced from this property. It leases the property to a subsidiary of Arch Coal, Inc. Production comes from underground and surface mines and is transported by truck or beltline to a preparation plant on the property and shipped primarily on the Norfolk Southern railroad to utility customers, such as Georgia Power and the Tennessee Valley Authority and domestic, and export metallurgical customers, such as Algoma Steel and Arcelor.

The Kingston property is located in Fayette and Raleigh Counties, West Virginia. This property is leased to a subsidiary of Alpha Natural Resources. During 2011, 1.5 million tons were produced from the property. Both steam and metallurgical coal are produced from underground and surface mines and has been historically transported by belt or truck to a preparation plant on the property or shipped raw. Coal is shipped via both the CSX railroad and by truck to barges to steam customers and various export metallurgical customers.

Southern Appalachia

The BLC properties are located in Kentucky and Tennessee. During 2011, 1.2 million tons were produced from these properties. The Company leases these properties to a number of operators, including Appolo Fuels Inc., Bell County Coal Corporation and Kopper-Glo Fuels. Prod! uction co! mes from both underground and surface mines and is trucked to preparation plants and loading facilities operated by its lessees. Coal is transported by truck and is shipped through both CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads to utility and industrial customers. Customers include Southern Company, South Carolina Electric & Gas, and numerous medium and small industrial customers. The Oak Grove property is located in Jefferson County, Alabama. During 2011, 470,000 tons were produced from this property. The Company leases the property to a subsidiary of Cliffs Natural Resources, Inc. Production comes from an underground mine and is transported primarily by beltline to a preparation plant. The metallurgical coal is then shipped through railroad and barge to both domestic and export customers.

Illinois Basin

The Williamson property is located in Franklin and Williamson Counties, Illinois. The property is under lease to an affiliate of the Cline Group. During 2011, 6.8 million tons were mined on the property. This production is from a longwall mine. Production is shipped primarily through CN railroad to customers, such as Duke and to various export customers. The Macoupin property is located in Macoupin County, Illinois. The property is under lease to an affiliate of the Cline Group. During 2011, 1.8 tons were shipped from the property. Production is from an underground mine and is shipped through the Norfolk Southern or Union Pacific railroads or by barge to customers, such as Western KY Energy and other midwest utilities or loaded into barges for shipment to export customers. The Sato property is located in Jackson County, Illinois. During 2011, 363,000 tons were produced from the property. The property is under lease to Knight Hawk Coal LLC, an independent coal producer. As of December 31, 2011, production was from a surface mine, and coal was shipped by truck and railroad to various midwest and southeast utilities.

Northern Powder River Basin

The Western Ener! gy proper! ty is located in Rosebud and Treasure Counties, Montana. During 2011, 2.7 million tons were produced from the Company�� property. A subsidiary of Westmoreland Coal Company has two coal leases on the property. Coal is produced by surface dragline mining, and the coal is transported by either truck or beltline to the four-unit 2,200-megawatt Colstrip generation station located at the mine mouth and by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad to Minnesota Power. A small amount of coal is transported by truck to other customers.

BRP Properties

As of December 31, 2011, BRP had acquired, in several stages, approximately 8.8 million mineral acres in 29 states from International Paper. As of December 31, 2011, BRP held 78 revenue generating leases. BRP�� assets include approximately 300,000 gross acres of oil and gas mineral rights in Louisiana, of which over 72,000 acres were under lease, as of December 31, 2011. In addition, BRP holds a gross production royalty interest on approximately 23,000 mineral acres under lease in Louisiana. The remaining oil and gas mineral acreage in Louisiana is not leased. As of December 31, 2011, BRP owned nearly 246,000 gross mineral acres of primarily lignite coal rights in the Gulf Coast region, of which approximately 5,000 acres are leased under three separate leases in Louisiana and Alabama. In addition to the coal rights, BRP held aggregate reserves, including limestone, granite, clay, and sand and gravel reserves, under lease in six states. As of December 31, 2011, other mineral rights held by BRP included coalbed methane rights in four Gulf Coast states, metals rights in three states, approximately 450,000 acres of water rights in East Texas, geothermal rights and royalty interests in the Gulf Coast and Pacific Northwest and carbon sequestration rights primarily in the Gulf Coast region.

5 Best Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now: WaterFurnace Renewable Energy Inc (WFIFF)

WaterFurnace Renewable Energy, Inc. specializes in the design, manufacture and distribution of geothermal and water-source systems. It�� the United States subsidiary companies are WaterFurnace International, Inc. (WaterFurnace) and LoopMaster International, Inc. (LoopMaster). In December 2010, it incorporated two Australian subsidiaries: WaterFurnace International Asia Pacific Pty. Ltd. (WaterFurnace Asia Pacific) and Hyper WFI Pty. Ltd. (Hyper WFI). WaterFurnace designs, manufactures and distributes geothermal water source heating and cooling systems for residential, commercial and institutional buildings. LoopMaster installs geothermal loops for residential applications, does commercial conductivity testing and provides design and installation assistance. Hyper WFI designs, develops and builds devices that limit the inrush current, which electric motors draw upon start up. On January 21, 2011, the Company acquired inventory and fixed assets from Binary Engineering Pty. Ltd.

5 Best Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Airgas Inc.(ARG)

Airgas, Inc., through its subsidiaries, distributes industrial, medical, and specialty gases, as well as hardgoods in the United States. The company offers various gases, including nitrogen, oxygen, argon, helium, and hydrogen; welding and fuel gases, such as acetylene, propylene, and propane; and carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ultra high purity grades, special application blends, and process chemicals. Its hardgoods products comprise welding consumables and equipment, safety products, and construction supplies, as well as maintenance, repair, and operating supplies. The company also engages in the rental of gas cylinders, cryogenic liquid containers, bulk storage tanks, tube trailers, and welding and welding related equipment. In addition, the company manufactures and distributes liquid carbon dioxide, dry ice, nitrous oxide, ammonia, refrigerant gases, and atmospheric merchant gases. It serves repair and maintenance, industrial manufacturing, energy and infrastructure co nstruction, medical, petrochemical, food and beverage, retail and wholesale, analytical, utilities, and transportation industries. The company operates an integrated network of approximately 1100 locations, including branches, retail stores, packaged gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities, and distribution centers. Additionally, it provides retail solutions to retail customers, such as florists, grocers, restaurants and bars, tire and automotive service centers, and others. The company markets its products through multiple sales channels, including branch-based sales representatives, retail stores, strategic customer account programs, telesales, catalogs, e-business, and independent distributors. Airgas, Inc. was founded in 1982 and is based in Radnor, Pennsylvania.

Top 5 Gold Stocks For 2014

Stock markets moved back into positive territory today and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) ended 0.34% higher, while the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) was up 0.17%. Comments from two Federal Reserve officials suggesting that the central bank's bond-buying program has been a success and will continue gave investors enough to jump back in today.

Merck (NYSE: MRK  ) was the surprise winner of the day after announcing an accelerated $5 billion share purchase program. The company announced earlier this month that it will buy back $15 billion in stock and accelerated a third of that through a transaction with Goldman Sachs. Investors cheered the news by pushing shares 4.7% higher today, but this just shows that Merck simply doesn't know what to do with additional cash. Shares pushed higher all day today, but I don't see this as a catalyst, because Merck reduced full-year guidance and is a shrinking company at this point. �

Top 5 Gold Stocks For 2014: CME Group Inc.(CME)

CME Group Inc. operates the CME, CBOT, NYMEX, and COMEX regulatory exchanges worldwide. The company provides a range of products available across various asset classes, including futures and options on interest rates, equity indexes, energy, agricultural commodities, metals, foreign exchange, weather, and real estate. It offers various products that provide a means of hedging, speculation, and asset allocation relating to the risks associated with interest rate sensitive instruments, equity ownership, changes in the value of foreign currency, credit risk, and changes in the prices of commodities. CME Group owns and operates clearing house, CME Clearing, which provides clearing and settlement services for exchange-traded contracts and counter derivatives transactions; and also engages in real estate operations. Its primary trade execution facilities consist of its CME Globex electronic trading platform and open outcry trading floors, as well as privately negotiated transact ions that are cleared and settled through its clearing house. In addition, the company offers market data services comprising live quotes, delayed quotes, market reports, and historical data services, as well as involves in index services business. CME Group?s customer base includes professional traders, financial institutions, institutional and individual investors, corporations, manufacturers, producers, and governments. It has strategic partnerships with BM&FBOVESPA S.A., Bursa Malaysia Derivatives, Singapore Exchange Limited, Green Exchange, Dubai Mercantile Exchange, Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, S.A.B. de C.V., as well as joint venture agreement with Dow Jones & Company. The company was formerly known as Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. and changed its name to CME Group Inc. in July 2007. CME Group was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Within equities, we believe that most companies will be negatively impacted by rising interest rates, but we did identify some exceptions. For example, the CME Group is a Chicago-based operator of numerous trading exchanges including a large volume of 铿�ed income futures contracts. Higher interest rates and greater interest rate volatility tends to be a catalyst for greater trading volumes, and hence, greater revenue for CME (CME). The company was our top-performing U.S. investment in the last three months with gains of nearly 30%. The insurance industry is another area that we believe can offer resilience in the face of rising rates. This quarter we added to our positions in Manulife Financial in Canada, AmTrust Financial in the U.S., and introduced U.K.-based Aon to our international portfolio. Many of our insurance companies enjoyed strong performance this quarter and helped offset the declines suffered within the 铿�ed income portfolio.

Top 5 Gold Stocks For 2014: Golden Star Resources Ltd(GSS)

Golden Star Resources Ltd., a gold mining and exploration company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of gold properties. It owns and operates the Bogoso/Prestea gold mining and processing operation that covers approximately 40 kilometers of strike along the southwest-trending Ashanti gold district in western Ghana; and the Wassa open-pit gold mine located to the east of Bogoso/Prestea in southwest Ghana. The company also has an 81% interest in the Prestea underground gold mine located in Ghana. In addition, it holds interests in various gold exploration projects in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Cote d?Ivoire, as well as holds and manages exploration properties in Brazil in South America. The company was founded in 1984 and is based in Littleton, Colorado.

Top 5 Value Stocks To Watch Right Now: Claude Resources Inc.(CGR)

Claude Resources Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal properties, as well as production and marketing of minerals in Canada. It primarily explores for gold in northern Saskatchewan and northwestern Ontario. The company holds interests in the Seabee gold mine located at Laonil Lake, northern Saskatchewan; and the Madsen property that consists of 6 contiguous claim blocks totaling approximately 10,000 acres, located in the Red Lake Mining District of northwestern Ontario. It also holds interest in the Amisk Gold project, which covers an area of 13,800 hectares in the province of Saskatchewan. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in Saskatoon, Canada.

Top 5 Gold Stocks 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.

Top 5 Gold Stocks For 2014: Australian Dollar(AU)

AngloGold Ashanti Limited primarily engages in the exploration and production of gold. It also produces silver, uranium oxide, and sulfuric acid. The company conducts gold-mining operations in South Africa; continental Africa, including Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Namibia, and Tanzania; Australia; and the Americas, which include Argentina, Brazil, and the United States. It also has mining or exploration operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, and Colombia. As of December 31, 2010, the company had proved and probable gold reserves of 71.2 million ounces. The company has a strategic alliance with Thani Dubai Mining Limited to explore, develop, and operate mines across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. AngloGold Ashanti Limited, formerly known as Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited, was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sally Jones]

  Anglogold Ashanti Limited (AU)

  Down 65% over 12 months, Anglogold Ashanti Limited has a market cap of $4.85 billion, and trades with a P/E of 8.10.

• [By Profit Confidential]

  Graham Ehm, Executive Vice President of South African-based AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE: AU), one of the biggest gold producers in the global economy, stated the company is looking to save $500 million over the next 18 months, as capital expenditures will only be going towards their highest-quality assets. (Source: Mining Weekly, August 5, 2013.)

Sears and J.C. Penney: Which Will Disappear First?

Two of the oldest brands in U.S. retailing are engaged in a struggle for survival. And if either is to defy a Darwinian end, some evolution will have to take place.

Sears Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: SHLD) reported second-quarter 2013 results before markets opened on Thursday. The company posted an adjusted earnings per share (EPS) loss of $1.46 on revenues of $8.9 billion. In the same quarter a year ago, Sears posted an EPS loss of $1.06 on revenues of $9.5 billion. The consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters called for an EPS loss of $1.10 on revenues of $9.01 billion.

J.C. Penney Co. Inc. (NYSE: JCP) generated revenues in its second quarter of $2.66 billion and posted an EPS loss of $2.66. The company's share price actually opened 7% higher on Tuesday morning after reporting results that were far worse than expected.

Today's results from Sears will not get the same reception. It is not that the store's results are that much worse. The problem is Sears has nothing left to sell off. Sales at its Kmart stores are dropping faster than sales at its Sears stores, and the company already has spun off its Hometown and outlet stores and half its Canadian stores.

Sears plans to cut its inventories by $500 million to around $8.1 billion by closing stores and reducing prices. Sears gained $290 million in cash during the second quarter from the sale of real estate. The company's goal is essentially to raise cash. And why do that? To make itself attractive to a potential acquirer perhaps? Isn’t that putting lipstick on a pig?

Top 5 Value Stocks To Watch Right Now

J.C. Penney's strategy is different but no less anemic. The company could not afford to wait to see if former CEO Ron Johnson's strategy would turn the company around, so it returned to its former-former CEO's strategy, which is the one the company has used for decades and which essentially was undermined by the big-box discounters 30 or 40 years ago.

At the current pace of destruction, Sears looks like it will be the first to go. But it will be a close race.

Shares of Sears are down about 5.2% in premarket trading, at $41.00 in a 52-week range of $38.40 to $68.77.

Not Every Office Lets Fans Fly Their Team Colors

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Football season is the perfect time for game-watching parties, tailgating and wearing your team colors with pride, but fans would be wise to leave heated rivalries -- and inappropriate team attire -- out of the office.

Although most employees know the difference between a friendly challenge and more spiteful competitiveness, the emotions of football season can heat things up, especially when coworkers are wearing team apparel with pride, says Lori Kleiman, human resource expert and founder of Lori Kleiman HR.

"If someone came into a Chicago office in a Green Bay Packers jersey they might get a comment or two, but hopefully everyone would laugh about it -- it all goes back to the culture of the organization," Kleiman says. "In offices where everyone is rooting for a different team, it comes down to having respect in the workplace."

At many offices nationwide, rivalries are taken in stride, and that's as it should be, says Taki Skouras, CEO of Alpharetta, Ga.-based cellphone accessory company Cellairis. "Our office is full of sports enthusiasts, so naturally the office becomes a little more intense during the fall," Skouras says. "We love it! Everyone wants to show pride for their favorite teams, and who could blame them? Our office is very tight knit, so everyone knows to take the jabs in stride. It allows for a fun, competitive atmosphere." It's true that fights in the workplace are rare, and seldom do they start over a sports rivalry or the team colors someone is wearing, Kleiman says. The bigger issue employers tend to worry about is lack of productivity. "Most HR directors don't mind their people wearing game-day apparel, but most of them are not cool with everyone standing around discussing the latest on their office pool or rehashing last week's game," she says. "In other words, if you want to wear your team colors to show support that's one thing, but if you want to spend three hours talking about every play, it's entirely another." Unfortunately, if managers and HR notice that "football Fridays" result in productivity taking a dive, the entire company is likely to lose the privilege. Also see: How to Handle the Fashion Offender in the Workplace>> "It only takes a couple of employees to take things to an extreme level, and then HR is forced to restrict the practice," she says. Of course, if employees are interfacing with clients, it's a whole different story, says Claire Bissot, a senior professional in human resources at consultant CBIZ, where she's human resources business development manager.

"Today, fans can range from fair-weather to those that 'bleed' their team colors," Bissot says. "Just like the involvement in certain associations and groups can help build immediate trust and rapport with a client, picking the wrong team can lead to distrust, aversion and lost business."

In today's workplace, Bissot says it is a dangerous game to try to determine the level of passion and commitment of a fan.

"Ultimately, it is simply not worth the risk. Employees should look for clues like any logos in a client's office or use general conversation about sports to find out more before ever bringing their team, or sports in general, into the picture."

On the flip side, John Greene, president of CSB Training and chief operating officer of Collaborative Consulting, says that once you know your clients well, supporting the right team -- or having a friendly rivalry -- could earn you a few football season brownie points. Also see: How to Keep the Work Party From Getting Too Crazy>> "I would never worry about offending a client by rooting for your own team," Greene says. "If the client is sports-oriented they will understand. In fact, I have seen it work in our favor by creating a fun and healthy rivalry when you're playing the client's team in a big game. It helps build relationships." Unfortunately, most team apparel isn't exactly professional. While it's possible to find items such as logo ties for men or jewelry and purses for women, largely fans gravitate to T-shirts, tank tops, flip-flops and other items that are a no-go for many workplaces no matter the occasion. "I would never recommend wearing anything more casual than the dress code, that's where you can definitely send a negative message," Greene says. "On this one, following the rules makes sense. While an occasional slip-up won't seriously hurt you, constantly ignoring the dress code will."

To show some spirit without being shown the door, Bissot says employees should get creative.

"By getting creative, anyone can use their apparel to support their team without the risk of offending someone, appearing unprofessional or causing a disruption," she says. "Coordinate a professional outfit that shows your pride by wearing your team colors -- like women adding an accent scarf or men coordinating with a team-colored tie -- but leave the jerseys and logoed apparel at home."

No matter who you're rooting for this fall, Kleiman says the most important thing is knowing company culture and what your managers expect. If you're new at a company and your employee handbook didn't address the topic adequately, hang back a few weeks and see what your co-workers and bosses wear.

"When considering whether or not to wear team apparel at work, employees should always remember to dress for the job they want, not the job they have," Bissot says.

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In Right Now

With shares of American International Group�(NYSE:AIG) trading around $44, is AIG an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

AIG is�an international insurance company, serving customers in more than 130 countries. AIG companies serve commercial, institutional, and individual customers through property-casualty networks of any insurer. In addition, AIG companies are providers of life insurance and retirement services. AIG�� segments include Chartis, SunAmerica Financial Group, Aircraft Leasing, and Other Operations. The company suffered greatly during the 2008 Financial Crisis but is now on the road to recovery. Insurance companies will continue to rise to demand as new and exisiting risks continue to be of concern for businesses and consumers worldwide.

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In Right Now: China Grentech Corporation Limited(GRRF)

China GrenTech Corporation Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of wireless coverage products and services in the People?s Republic of China. The company offers a range of wireless coverage products that include repeaters, trunk amplifiers, and base station amplifiers that support various 2G protocols, including GSM and CDMA, and 3G protocols comprising TD-SCDMA, WCDMA, and CDMA2000. It provides its wireless coverage products in indoor coverage areas, such as high-rise buildings, underground areas, and elevators; and outdoor coverage areas comprising highways, railways, subways, and tunnels. China GrenTech also offers design, installation of wireless coverage products, and project warranty services. In addition, it engages in the development, manufacture, and supply of RF parts and components that include transistors and diodes; and filters, duplexers, multi-frequency splitters, combiners and couplers, and antennae. The company was f ormerly known as Powercom Holdings Limited. China GrenTech Corporation Limited was founded in 1999 and is based in Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China.

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Banca Milano(PMII.MI)

Banca Popolare di Milano Societa Cooperativa a r.l. provides banking and financial services primarily in Italy, Europe, the United States, and Asia. The company offers current and savings accounts, mortgage and personal loans, credit cards, finance leases, and factoring services. It also provides commercial, corporate, and investment banking services; treasury services; financial advisory services; brokerage services; bancassurance products; collective and individual portfolio management services; and open and close-ended mutual funds, and hedge funds. As of 30 June 2011, the company operated a network of 770 retail branches, 4 corporate branches, 10 SME units, and 17 private banking centers, as well as 3 direct branches and 28 financial shops. It also offers telephone and Internet banking services. The company was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Milan, Italy.

Best Heal Care Companies To Invest In Right Now: Gemini Corporation (GKX.V)

Gemini Corporation, a professional services company, engages in designing, building, and maintaining energy and industrial facilities in western Canada and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Field Solutions and Engineered Solutions. The Field Solutions segment offers engineering, construction, fabrication, and maintenance services. The Engineered Solutions segment provides engineering, procurement, and construction management services. Gemini Corporation principally serves conventional/unconventional oil and gas, in-situ heavy oil, and heavy industrial facilities markets. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In Right Now: RTI Biologics Inc.(RTIX)

RTI Biologics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces orthopedic and other surgical implants that repair and promote the natural healing of human bone and other human tissues. The company processes donated human musculoskeletal and other tissues, including bone, cartilage, tendon, ligament, fascia lata, pericardium, sclera, and dermal tissues, as well as bovine animal tissues to produce allograft and xenograft implants by utilizing its proprietary BIOCLEANSE and TUTOPLAST sterilization processes It processes and distributes human and bovine animal tissues for use in the fields of sports medicine, spine, dental, surgical specialties, bone graft substitutes, and general orthopedic. RTI Biologics, Inc. markets its products through its direct distribution force, as well as through a network of independent distributors to hospitals and surgeons in the United States and 30 countries internationally. The company was formerly known as Regeneration Technologies, Inc. and c hanged its name to RTI Biologics, Inc. as a result of its merger with Tutogen Medical, Inc. in February 2008. RTI Biologics, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Alachua, Florida.

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Perry Ellis International Inc.(PERY)

Perry Ellis International, Inc. engages in designing, sourcing, marketing, and licensing apparel products for men and women in the United States and internationally. The company?s men?s wear offerings include casual sportswear and bottoms, dress shirts and pants, jeans wear, golf apparel, sweaters, sports apparel, swimwear and swim accessories, active wear, outerwear and leather accessories. Its women?s wear offerings comprise dresses, sportswear, and swimwear and swim accessories. The company offers its products under the brand names of Perry Ellis, Axis, Tricots St. Raphael, Jantzen, John Henry, Cubavera, the Havanera Co., Centro, Solero, Natural Issue, Munsingwear, Grand Slam, Original Penguin, Mondo di Marco, Redsand, Pro Player, Manhattan, Axist, Savane, Farah, Gotcha, Girl Star, MCD, Laundry by Shelli Segal, C&C California, Ben Hogan, and Rafaella. It also licenses the Nike brand for swimwear and swimwear accessories; the JAG brand for men?s and women?s swimwear and cover-ups; the Callaway Golf brand and Top-Flite for golf apparel; the PGA TOUR brand, including Champions Tour for golf apparel; and Pierre Cardin for men?s sportswear. The company distributes its products primarily to wholesale customers, including department stores, national and regional chain stores, mass merchants, specialty stores, sporting goods stores, the corporate wear market, and e-commerce, as well as clubs and independent retailers. As of March 2, 2011, it operated 38 Perry Ellis and 3 Original Penguin retail outlet stores primarily in upscale retail outlet malls across the United States and Puerto Rico; 1 Perry Ellis and 1 Cubavera retail store in Miami, Florida; and 7 Original Penguin retail stores in upscale demographic markets in the United States. The company was formerly known as Supreme International Corporation and changed its name to Perry Ellis International, Inc. in June 1999. Perry Ellis International, Inc. was founded in 1967 and is headquarte red in Miami, Florida.

Apple Scores China Mobile Deal (AAPL)

After much anticipation, Apple (AAPL) has finally secured the necessary license to sell its iPhone devices for China Mobile, the largest carrier in the emerging economy.

China Mobile has approximately 740 million subscribers in China, making this deal especially significant for the tech giant. The low-cost iPhone 5C debuted yesterday and will be used to target emerging markets like China, making this deal all the more significant. Apple has been reportedly in talks with China Mobile since 2011, when Steve Jobs personally traveled to attempt to secure the deal.

Investors spent the day sulking over Tuesday’s debut of two new iPhones, which were not up to expectations, as shares have been tanking ever since the announcement.

Apple shares finished the day down a hefty $26.93, or 5.76%. The stock is now over 33% away from its 52-week high.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now

Visteon (NYSE: VC  ) reported earnings on May 9. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Visteon beat expectations on revenues and crushed expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue increased. Non-GAAP earnings per share expanded significantly. GAAP earnings per share grew.

Margins grew across the board.

Revenue details
Visteon notched revenue of $1.86 billion. The three analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ wanted to see a top line of $1.74 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 8.1% higher than the prior-year quarter's $1.72 billion.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Seair Inc. (SDS.V)

Seair Inc. develops and sells diffusion technologies in North America and internationally. The company offers diffusion systems, sterilizer systems, and wastewater treatment plants, as well as accessories, including oxygen concentrators, oxygen generators, and ozone generators. It develops equipment that diffuses gases, such as Oxygen, Ozone, and CO2 into a liquid. The company also owns and operates a fleet of rental portable wastewater treatment units primarily for performing sewage treatment at remote campsites in Alberta, Canada. Seair Inc. offers its systems for use in various industries comprising waste/ water treatment, pulp and paper, aquaculture, agriculture/ horticulture, sterilization, golf course irrigation and pond treatment, animal enhancement, and oil and gas industries. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Halmont Properties Corporation (HHC.V)

Halmont Properties Corporation invests in commercial real estate properties and securities of companies with real estate interests in Canada. It holds a 75% equity interest in a commercial office building located in the central financial district of Toronto, Ontario; and interests in a forest reserve. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Best Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: HCC Insurance Holdings Inc. (HCC)

HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. underwrites non-correlated specialty insurance products worldwide. The company operates in five segments: U.S. Property & Casualty, Professional Liability, Accident & Health, U.S. Surety & Credit, and International. The U.S. Property & Casualty segment provides aviation, small account errors and omissions liability (E&O), public risk, contingency, disability, residual value, employment practices liability (EPLI), technical property, primary and excess casualty, and brown water marine insurance products, as well as title and mortgage reinsurance products in the United States. The Professional Liability segment offers directors� and officers� (D&O) liability, large account E&O liability, fiduciary liability, fidelity and bankers blanket bonds, and EPLI for the United States and International-based policyholders. The Accident & Health segment provides medical stop-loss, short-term domestic and international medical, HMO reinsurance, and medical excess coverages in the United States. The U.S. Surety & Credit segment offers contract surety bonds, commercial surety bonds, and bail bonds; credit insurance policies for export trade transactions and structured trade transactions; and political risk and letters of credit insurance products. The International segment provides energy, property treaty, liability, surety, credit, direct and facultative property, ocean marine, accident and health, and other smaller product lines for international customers. The company markets its products directly to consumers, as well as through a network of independent agents and brokers, producers, and managing general agents. HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Quanex Building Products Corporation(NX)

Quanex Building Products Corporation provides engineered products and aluminum sheet products. Its Engineered Products segment produces window and door components for original equipment manufacturers that primarily serve the residential construction and remodeling markets. This segment?s products consist of insulating glass spacer/sealant systems, thin film solar panel sealants, window and patio door screens, aluminum cladding and other roll formed metal window components, thresholds and astragals, moldings, residential exterior products, engineered vinyl and composite patio doors, window profiles and custom window grilles, and trim and architectural moldings in various woods primarily for the home improvement and residential construction markets. The company?s Aluminum Sheet Products segment includes reducing reroll coil to specific gauge, annealing, slitting, and custom coating. This segment?s products are used in customer end-use applications comprising window screen fr ames and screens, exterior home trim, fascias, roof edgings, soffits, downspouts, and gutters in the building and construction markets, as well as capital goods and transportation markets. The company offers its products to original equipment manufacturers and distributors through direct and indirect sales groups primarily in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Asia, and Europe. Quanex Building Products Corporation is based in Houston, Texas.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Cross Country Healthcare Inc.(CCRN)

Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. provides healthcare staffing and outsourcing services to the healthcare market in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Asia. The company?s Nurse and Allied Staffing segment provides nurse and allied staffing services; healthcare professionals in various specialties, such as operating room and radiology technicians, rehabilitation and respiratory therapists, radiation therapy technicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants; and registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nurse assistants for per diem assignments. This segment markets its nurse and allied staffing services primarily to acute care hospitals, health systems, public and private healthcare facilities, and for-profit and not-for-profit facilities under the Cross Country TravCorps, MedStaff Healthcare Solutions, NovaPro, Cross Country Local, CRU-48, Allied Health Group, and Assignment America names. Its Physician Staffing segment offers temporary physici an staffing services. The company?s Clinical Trial Services segment provides contract staffing and outsourcing, drug safety monitoring, and regulatory consulting services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies, as well as contract research organization customers under the ClinForce, Assent, and AKOS brands. Its Other Human Capital Management Services segment offers education and training, as well as retained search services primarily related to physicians, allied health, and healthcare executives. The company was formerly known as Cross Country, Inc. and changed its name to Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. in May 2003. Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Federal-Mogul Corporation(FDML)

Federal-Mogul Corporation supplies powertrain and safety technologies worldwide. The company?s Powertrain Energy segment offers powertrain components, such as engine pistons, piston rings, piston pins, cylinder liners, camshafts, valve seats and guides, and ignition products under the Federal-Mogul, AE, Champion, Goetze, Nural, and Daros brand names. Its Powertrain Sealing and Bearings segment provides dynamic seals, bonded piston seals, combustion and exhaust gaskets, static gaskets and seals, rigid heat shields, engine bearings, industrial bearings, bushings and washers, sintered engine and transmission components, and metallic filters, as well as polymer bearings primarily under the Federal-Mogul, Deva, Fel-Pro, FP Diesel, Glyco, Metafram, Metagliss, National, Payen, and Poral brand names. The company?s Vehicle Safety and Protection segment offers brake disc pads, brake linings, brake blocks, element resistant systems protection sleeving products, flexible heat shield s, brake system components, chassis products, windshield wipers, fuel pumps, and lighting products under the Federal-Mogul, Abex, Anco, Bentley-Harris, Beral, Champion, Ferodo, Moog, ThermoQuiet, and Wagner brands. Its Global Aftermarket segment provides aftermarket products to distributors, retail parts stores, and mass merchants who distribute these products to professional service providers and do-it-yourself consumers under the Abex, AE, ANCO, Beral, Carter, Champion, Fel-Pro, Ferodo, FP Diesel, Glyco, Goetze, MOOG, National, Necto, Nural, Payen, Sealed Power, ThermoQuiet, and Wagner brand names. The company serves original equipment manufacturers of automotive, as well as light, medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles; and agricultural, marine, rail, aerospace, off-road, and industrial applications, as well as the aftermarket sector. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. Federal-Mogul Corporation is a subsidiary of Icahn Enterpr ises L.P.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: QCR Holdings Inc.(QCRH)

QCR Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides commercial and consumer banking, and trust and asset management services for the Quad City, Cedar Rapids, and Rockford communities. The company accepts deposits and invests in loans/leases and securities. Its deposit products comprise interest bearing deposits, non-interest bearing and interest bearing demand deposits, savings deposits, time deposits, and brokered time deposits. The company also offers a range of commercial and retail lending and investment services to corporations, partnerships, individuals, and government agencies. Its loan portfolio comprises commercial loans, including loans to wholesalers, manufacturers, building contractors, business services companies, other banks, and retailers; business loans, which include lines of credit for working capital and operational purposes; term loans for the acquisition of facilities, equipment, and other purposes; commercial real estate loans; and consumer loans c omprising motor vehicle, home improvement, home equity, and signature loans, as well as small personal credit lines. In addition, the company engages in the direct financing lease contracts; holding the real estate property; and issuing various trust preferred securities. QCR Holdings was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Moline, Illinois.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Psion(PON.L)

Psion plc, through its subsidiaries, provides enterprise mobile computing solutions, integration services, and product support and maintenance services worldwide. It offers hardware and software, professional services, and customer services and support. The company?s products include hand held computers; rugged vehicle mount computers; connectivity solutions comprising access points, network management products, emulators, and utilities; and companion products, such as printers, speech solutions, imagers and scanners, and tablet PCs. It also provides professional services, including assessment and consultation, infrastructure development, project management, and installation and deployment services. In addition, the company offers reconditioned and rental products, as well as repair services. It serves airport, automotive, cold chain, field service, public sector, passenger management, port and container yard, postal and courier, retail, and warehouse and distribution ind ustries. The company sells its products through a network of third party resellers, distributors, and system integrators, as well as through its direct sales force. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (NM)

Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. operates as a seaborne shipping and logistics company. It focuses on the transportation and transshipment of dry bulk commodities, including iron ore, coal, fertilizers, and grains. The company controls a fleet of 31 owned vessels and 26 chartered-in vessels totaling 5.8 million dwt. Its owned fleet comprises 14 Ultra Handymax, 11 Capesize, 1 Handysize, and 3 Panamax vessels, as well as 2 Panamax vessels under construction; and chartered-in vessels consists of 8 Capesize, 11 Panamax, 1 Handysize, and 6 Ultra Handymax vessels under long-term time charters. The company also engages in port terminal, river barge, and coastal cabotage operations; and charters its vessels under medium to long-term charters to trading houses, producers, and government-owned entities. In addition, it engages in operating ports and transfer station terminals; and handles vessels, barges, and push boats, as well as operates upriver transport facilities in the Hidrovia region. Further, the company engages in the transportation and handling of liquid cargoes through the ownership, operation, and trading of tanker vessels. It has operations primarily in North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. The company is headquartered in Piraeus, Greece.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Acacia Research Corporation(ACTG)

Acacia Research Corporation, through its subsidiaries, acquires, develops, licenses, and enforces patented technologies in the United States. It assists patent owners with the prosecution and development of their patent portfolios; protection of their patented inventions from unauthorized use; generation of licensing revenue from users of their patented technologies; and enforcement against unauthorized users of their patented technologies. The company owns or controls the rights to approximately 200 patent portfolios, which include the United State?s patents and foreign counterparts covering technologies used in various industries. Acacia Research Corporation was founded in 1992 and is based in Newport Beach, California.

John Paulson's Top Five Holdings

John Paulson is the President and Portfolio Manager of Paulson & Co. The guru became a guru by short-selling subprime mortgages in 2007, but is most known for his stance on gold.

During the second quarter the guru bought 15 new stocks bringing his portfolio to 91 stocks valued at over $14.17 billion.


Sprint Corp (S)

Paulson's largest holding is in Sprint where the guru holds on to 200 million shares of the company's stock. His position in the company takes up 9.9% of his portfolio and 5.09% of the company's shares outstanding.

Paulson's holding history as of the second quarter:

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It is an American telecommunications holding company. The company through its subsidiaries provides wireless and wireline communications products and services that are designed to meet the needs of individual consumers, businesses, government subscribers and resellers.

Sprint's historical revenue and net income:

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Sprint has a market cap of $26.43 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $6.73 with a P/S ratio of 0.60.

SPDR Gold Trust (GLD)

Despite cutting his position in half over the second quarter, the SPDR Gold Trust is still Paulson's second largest position. As of the second quarter Paulson holds on to 10,234,852 shares of the company's stock, representing 8.6% of his total portfolio and a 2.29% stake in the SPDR Gold Trust.

During the second quarter Paulson sold 11,602,700 shares of the trust in the price range of $154.57 to $115.94, with an estimated average quarterly price of $136.88. The share price has since then dropped an additional -6.1%.

Paulson's holding history as of the second quarter:

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SPDR Gold Shares is an ETF ! that offers investors an innovative, relatively cost efficient and secure way to access the gold market. SPDR Gold Shares is the largest physically backed gold exchange traded fund in the world.

GLD's historical pricing:

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SPDR Gold Trust (ETF) has a market cap of $58.11 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $127.71.

Realogy Holdings (RLGY)

Paulson's third largest holding goes to Realogy Holdings. The guru holds on to 12,957,700 shares, representing 4.4% of his total portfolio and 8.87% of the company's shares outstanding.

During the second quarter Paulson reduced his position -2.59% by selling a total of 344,644 shares of the company's stock. He sold these shares in the second quarter price range of $44.27 to $54.85 with an estimated average quarterly price of $49.03 per share. The price per share has dropped approximately -9.7% since then.

Paulson's holding history as of the second quarter:

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The company is a provider of residential real estate services in the U.S. The company is a franchisor of residential real estate brokerages with some of the most recognized brands in the real estate industry. It is the owner of U.S. residential real estate brokerage offices, and a global provider of outsourced employee relocation services and a significant provider of title and settlement services

Realogy Holdings' historical revenue and net income:

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The analysis on the company reports that the company's revenue has been in decline over the past three years.

Realogy Holdings has a market cap of $6.36 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $43.53 with a P/S ratio of 1.00 and a P/B ratio of 4.10.

Grifols SA (GRFS)
!
Pauls! on's fourth largest holding is in Grifols SA where he holds on to 19,786,279 shares of the company's stock. His position in the company represents 4% of his total portfolio and 5.76% of the company's shares outstanding.

During the second quarter Paulson reduced his holdings in Grifols by -1.34%. The guru sold a total of 268,100 shares in the price range of $25.84 to $31.23, with an estimated average price of $28.10. The price per share has increased about 12.2% since then.

Paulson's holding history as of the second quarter:

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Grifols is a vertically integrated producer of plasma derivatives. Its activities include sourcing raw material, manufacturing various plasma derivative products and selling and distributing final products to healthcare providers.

Grifols' historical revenue and net income:

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Grifols SA has a market cap of $10.81 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $31.43 with a P/E ratio of 26.30 and a P/S ratio of 3.00. The company had an annual average earnings growth of 28.2% over the past five years.

MGM Resorts International (MGM)

Paulson's fifth largest position is in MGM Resorts International. The guru holds on to 34 million shares of the company's stock, representing 3.5% of his total portfolio and 6.94% of the company's shares outstanding.

During the second quarter Paulson reduced his holdings -9.06% by selling a total of 3,387,600 shares. He sold these shares in the price range of $11.99 to $15.86, with an estimated average price of $14.14 per share. Since then the price per share has jumped about 34.9%.

Paulson's holding history as of the second quarter:

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The company acts as a holding company and its o! perations! are conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The company is engaged in the gaming and resort operations. It mainly owns and operates casino resorts, which includes offering gaming, hotel, dining, entertainment, retail and other resort amenities.

MGM Resorts' historical revenue and net income:

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MGM Resorts has a market cap of $9.25 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $18.87 with a P/S ratio of 1.00 and a P/B ratio of 2.10.

You can check out John Paulson's most recent portfolio update here.

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Kraft Foods: Should You Drink the Kool-Aid?

After divorcing from its global snack business less than a year ago, Kraft Foods Group (NYSE:KRFT) has sought to streamline its business operations as a domestic consumer packaged foods supplier. The stock has surged around 30 percent since the spinoff, as Kraft's management and investors alike are optimistic about higher margins and better product innovation. Can Kraft continue to grow without its snack business? Let's use our CHEAT SHEET investing framework to decide whether Kraft is an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY.

C = Catalysts for the Stock's Growth

The food giant, formerly known as Kraft Foods, broke into two separate components last October—its global snack business becoming Mondelez International (NASDAQ:MDLZ) and its North American consumer packaged food business becoming Kraft Foods Group. Kraft houses popular American brands such as Philadelphia, Oscar Meyer, Planters, and Maxwell House; Mondelez owns snack-food brands like Oreo, Chips Ahoy, and Trident gum. Existing shareholders were granted one new share of Mondelez International and a third of a share of Kraft Foods Group per one share of old Kraft. The spinoff originally occurred because the global snack business was growing much faster than the domestic grocery business. However, the newly issued Kraft Foods Group stock has actually grown more than Mondelez International's stock on a percentage basis, since the split.

Kraft reported better than expected first quarter earnings in May, with $4.5 billion in revenues—up 2.1 percent from the previous year's quarter. While EPS decreased 5.6 percent year-over-year, earnings still beat analysts' expectations by 12 cents. Additionally, earnings were $0.12 lower because of a one-time restructuring charge due to last year's spinoff. Kraft's management has so far delivered on its promise of higher margins—gross margins were up 3.7 percent and operating margins were up 9.2 percent. Maintaining these margins though streamlining business operations and supply chain optimizations is paramount as Kraft faces increasingly difficult competition from private label brands. Kraft reports its second quarter earnings on August 1.

As part of its restructuring initiative, Kraft recently announced that it would split its grocery division in two: "meals and desserts" and "enhancers and snack nuts." Clearly, this isn't the type of catalyst that is going to send buyers running to their brokers, but it does speak to Kraft's commitment in continuing to build its most popular brands. Kraft plans on ramping up its marketing budget $100 million throughout the year to protect the increasing competition its foods face from cheaper private label offerings.

E = Exceptional Performance Relative to Peers?

Kraft stacks up well against its chief competitors: Hershey (NYSE:HSY), ConAgra Foods (NYSE:CAG), and General Mills (NYSE:GIS). The company trades at a trailing price to earnings multiple of around 21.25, slightly higher than the industry average of 20.6. However, Kraft has a relatively high operating margin of 16.24 percent. If management can implement its restructuring programs effectively, Kraft's operating margin should rise higher. While company promises are always dubious, Kraft's margins should continue to benefit from lower input prices—namely, commodity prices—in the medium-term. Finally, Kraft has a best-in-class dividend, yielding 3.50 percent. The dividend will pay shareholders an annualized $2.00, or $0.50 a quarter.

	KRFT	HSY	CAG	GIS
Trailing P/E	21.25	29.96	19.90	18.37
Operating Margin	16.24%	18.53%	9.20%	16.25%
Dividend Yield	3.50%	1.80%	2.70%	3.00%

Hot Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014

*Data sourced from Yahoo! Finance

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart are Strong

Kraft is currently trading at around $57.18, above both its 200-day moving average of $51.32 and its 50-day moving average of $55.25. The stock has experienced a strong uptrend since the spinoff—up around 30 percent since October 1. Kraft recently set a new high of $57.84 on Tuesday.

Conclusion

Kraft Foods Group has set earnings per share guidance of $2.75 for the 2013 fiscal year. While slightly below analysts' expectations, this guidance puts Kraft’s growth in line with the rest of the consumer packaged food industry at 6 percent for the coming year. Kraft's ability to sustain new product interest past the first year has often been called into question; however, management is bucking this trend with line extensions like MiO water enhancers, which grew 67 percent in the second year of its release. Additionally, Kraft differentiates itself from private label brands by its ability to create brand extensions for its already popular products—one such product planned for 2013 is Philadelphia Spicy Jalapeño Cream Cheese.

U.S. Auto Quality Crushed Again as Trend Toward Imports Returns

After many years of quality improvement, according to most industry research, U.S. car companies apparently have fallen back into old habits. New data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) shows that cars made by non-U.S. manufacturers have eclipsed those of the Big Three in terms of how consumers view the quality of their vehicles.

The new survey puts Mercedes (with a score of 88 out of 100) and Toyota Motor Corp.’s (NYSE: TM) luxury brand Lexus (87) at the top of the list, which is not unusual based on results from other research studies. Toyota (86) and Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (NYSE: HMC) (86), also near the top, have moved back up on most lists after a period in which American cars had caught or even passed them in polls. Toyota’s demise may have been caused by recalls that hit millions of its cars. The public apparently has forgotten that.

Among the Big Three, the worst news was for Chrysler, which usually underperforms in studies from research firms like J.D. Power. Its Jeep (80) and Dodge (79) units were in the cellar, with General Motors Co.’s (NYSE: GM) biggest division — Chevrolet (79) — its only car brand with them. The blow is particularly bad for GM because Chevy represents such a large portion of its sales.

Kia and Hyundai, the South Korean stablemates, posted scores that may indicate that the scandal over how they calculated mpg and the changes they had to make after the federal government caught them continue to hurt each brand. Kia’s score of 82 put it very near the bottom. Hyundai posted the same score.

ACSI officials made two negative comment about Detroit:

Although the drop in customer satisfaction affects most automakers, Detroit is losing ground to imports. The customer satisfaction gap relative to imports is now the widest in five years. As recently as 2010, Asian and domestics were tied in customer satisfaction, but Asian carmakers have now reestablished a significant advantage.

And:

U.S. automakers may be stretched too thin, ramping up production to meet rising demand. This becomes problematic once demand slackens, making further sales growth more challenging unless customer satisfaction improves. At more than full capacity, it is not unexpected that quality may give way to quantity.

American car companies have weak quality control when they have to meet customer demand, a damning comment.

As for the entire industry:

Customer satisfaction with automobiles and light vehicles declines following back-to-back years of improvement, falling 1.2% to an ACSI benchmark of 83. The slide comes at a time when sales of both domestic and import brands are surging. The industry's sales growth is most likely due to pent-up demand coupled with inexpensive financing and a resurgence in dealer incentives.

Company                                                        2012         2013      % Change
Automobiles & Light Vehicles                       84                  83            -1.2%
Mercedes-Benz (Daimler)                             85                  88                4%
Lexus (Toyota)                                                  89                  87               -2%
Subaru                                                                87                  86               -1%
Toyota (Toyota)                                                85                   86                1%
Honda                                                                 83                   86                4%
Cadillac (GM)                                                    86                   85               -1%
GMC (GM)                                                          80                  85                 6%
Volkswagen                                                       85                   84                -1%
Acura (Honda)                                                 NM                  83                 NA
Ford (Ford)                                                         83                  83                  0%
Nissan                                                                 83                  83                  0%
Chrysler (Chrysler)                                          78                   83                  6%
Buick (GM)                                                         87                   82                 -6%
BMW                                                                   86                   82                 -5%
Hyundai                                                              85                   82                 -4%
Kia                                                                        82                   82                  0%
Mazda                                                                 82                   82                  0%
All Others                                                           82                   81                 -1%
Jeep (Chrysler)                                                  83                   80                 -4%
Chevrolet (GM)                                                 84                   79                 -6%
Dodge (Chrysler)                                              81                   79                 -2%

5 Best Financial Stocks To Watch For 2014

Methodology: The August 2013 ACSI report on automobiles is based on interviews with 4,078 customers, chosen at random and contacted via telephone and email between April 6 and May 22, 2013. Customers were asked to evaluate their recent purchase and experiences with automobiles manufactured by the largest companies in terms of market share, plus an aggregate category consisting of "all other" and thus smaller auto nameplates.

Hot Financial Stocks For 2014

LONDON -- Successful investors use a disciplined approach to picking stocks, and checklists can be a great way to make sure you've covered all the bases.

In this series I'm subjecting companies to scrutiny under five headings: prospects, performance, management, safety and valuation. How does�Shell� (LSE: RDSB  ) (NYSE: RDS-B  ) measure up?

1.�Prospects
The oil price is driven by supply and demand for oil, which in turn is affected by geopolitics and the health of the global economy. The costs of production, and massive capital expenditures involved in exploration, complete the financial dynamics.

Shell has mature upstream operations that deliver solid cash flow, and reserves that cover over 10 years of current production.

The company has invested heavily in natural gas and LNG production. Big investment in U.S. shale gas has not (yet) paid off as the glut of supply depressed prices, but it has added to Shell's reserves.

Hot Financial Stocks For 2014: PokerTek Inc.(PTEK)

PokerTek, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of electronic table games and related products for casinos, cruise lines, racinos, card clubs, and lotteries worldwide. Its products include PokerPro system, an automated 10-seated poker table with electronic components that allows players to play live poker against one another in a brick and mortar environment using electronic cards and chips by supporting poker, cash games, tournaments, and various languages; and Blackjack Pro, which offers the traditional game of Blackjack on the new ProCore automated table game platform, as well as allows operators to configure the game rules and payouts to meet their needs. The company distributes its gaming products using internal sales force and select distributors. PokerTek, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina.

Hot Financial Stocks For 2014: Photon Group Ltd(PGA.AX)

Photon Group Limited provides marketing and communications services in Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe. The company offers integrated marketing services, including retail marketing and merchandising, advertising, public relations, graphic design, digital printing, production of sales promotion material, communications planning, events management, direct marketing, and market research services. Its International Agencies segment provides specialized marketing services, which comprise public relations, communications strategy, and research and data analytics. The company?s Australian Agencies segment offers marketing services to Australian clients, including advertising, direct marketing, promotional campaigns, consumer research, public relations, and stakeholder communications. Its Australian Field Marketing segment provides outsourced merchandising and point-of-sale marketing services. The company?s Search Marketing segment offers U.S. facing search marketing services. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Surry Hills, Australia.

Top Undervalued Stocks To Watch For 2014: Nam Tai Electronics Inc.(NTE)

Nam Tai Electronics, Inc. provides electronics manufacturing and design services to the original equipment manufacturers of telecommunication and consumer electronic products. The company?s Consumer Electronic and Communication Products segment manufactures mobile phone accessories, such as headsets containing Bluetooth wireless technology, and phone cradles, as well as snap-on portable music speaker, FM radio adaptors, and GPS adaptors; entertainment devices, including USB Web cam for interactive games, USB microphone and converter box Karaoke, and buzzer devices for quiz games; educational products consisting of digital pens, calculators, and electronic dictionaries; and optical devices comprising CMOS imaging sensor modules for notebook computers, portable media players, and recording cameras for the automotive industry. Its Telecommunication Component Assembly segment offers subassemblies and components, such as color and monochrome LCD modules for PDA phones, smart p hones, mobile phones, and telephone systems; RF modules for integration into mobile phones; DAB modules for digital radio products, including home tuners, kitchen radios, in-car receivers, CD players, clock radios, boom boxes, midi-systems, and handheld portable devices; FPC subassemblies for LCD modules and electronic devices; FPC boards for mobile phones, PDAs, office automation, and laptop computers; front and back light panels for handheld video game devices; and high-frequency cordless telephones and home feature phones. The company?s LCD Products segment manufactures LCD panels for watches and medical instruments, white goods and industrial applications, automotive parts and appliances, car audio systems, hand held products, VoIP phones, and office automation applications. It sells its products to customers in Hong Kong, North America, Europe, Japan, the People?s Republic of China, and Korea. The company was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Shenzhen, the Peopl e?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sally Jones] Kahn�� Current Shares: 3,736,917
  
  Irving Kahn also increased his position with components manufacturer Nam Tai Electronics (NTE) by 9.24%, buying 315,981 shares at an average price of $8.96, for a 14.5% loss. For the 3,828,873 shares bought since the second quarter of 2008, Kahn�� average price was $9.90 per share with a 23% loss.
  
  Up 15% over 12 months, Nam Tai has a market cap of $343.2 million, and trades with a P/E of 4.70, a P/B of 0.80 and a P/S of 0.27. The current share price is $7.66.
  
  [ Enlarge Image ]
  
  For the second quarter of 2013, Nam Tai Electronics reported sales of $167.9 million, up 64%, with a net income loss of $31.9 million. The company�� gross profit margin was at 9.4%, compared to 15% in the same quarter a year ago. The company�� net income for first quarter 2013 was reported at $4.9 million, compared to a loss of $3.6 million in the same quarter a year ago.
  
  More Second Quarter Action
  
  Guru Irving Kahn also reduced ten of his positions in the second quarter of 2013.
  
  Here are the trade details.
  
  Irving Kahn, along with brothers Alan and Thomas, founded Kahn Brothers & Company Inc., in 1978, which later became Kahn Brothers Group. The company portfolio lists 46 stocks, none of them new, with a total value of $648 million and a 1% quarter over quarter turnover, according to the recent GuruFocus update.
  
  
  
  GuruFocus Real Time Picks reports the stock purchases and sales that Gurus have made within the prior 2 weeks. The report time lag can be as short as 2 days after the date of the transaction. This feature is for Premium Members only. If you are not a Premium Member, we invite you for a 7-day Free Trial.

Managing Interest Rate Risk

Best China Stocks To Invest In 2014

Interest rate risk exists in an interest-bearing asset, such as a loan or a bond, due to the possibility of a change in the asset's value resulting from the variability of interest rates. Interest rate risk management has become very important, and assorted instruments have been developed to deal with interest rate risk. This article examines how to manage interest rate risk using various interest rate derivative instruments.

Why Interest Rate Risk Should Not Be Ignored
As with any risk-management assessment, there is always the option to do nothing, and that is what many people do. However, in circumstances of unpredictability, sometimes not hedging is disastrous. Yes, there is a cost to hedging, but what is the cost of a major move in the wrong direction?

One need only look to Orange County, Calif., in 1994 to see evidence of the pitfalls of ignoring the threat of interest rate risk. In a nutshell, Orange County Treasurer Robert Citron borrowed money at lower short-term rates and lent money at higher long-term rates. The strategy was great - short-term rates fell and the normal yield curve was maintained. But when the curve began to turn and approach inverted yield curve status, things got ugly. Losses to OrangeCounty, and the almost 200 public entities for which Citron managed money, were estimated at $1.6 billion and resulted in the municipality's bankruptcy - a hefty price to pay for ignoring interest rate risk.

Luckily, those who do want to hedge their investments against interest rate risk have many products to choose from.

Investment Products

Forwards
A forward contract is the most basic interest rate management product. The idea is simple, and many other products discussed in this article are based on this idea of an agreement today for an exchange of something at a specific future date.

Forward Rate Agreements (FRAs)
An FRA is based on the idea of a forward contract, where the determinant of gain or loss is an interest rate. Under this agreement, one party pays a fixed interest rate and receives a floating interest rate equal to a reference rate. The actual payments are calculated based on a notional principal amount and paid at intervals determined by the parties. Only a net payment is made - the loser pays the winner, so to speak. FRAs are always settled in cash.

FRA users are typically borrowers or lenders with a single future date on which they are exposed to interest rate risk. A series of FRAs is similar to a swap (discussed below); however, in a swap all payments are at the same rate. Each FRA in a series is priced at a different rate, unless the term structure is flat. Futures
A futures contract is similar to a forward, but it provides the counterparties with less risk than a forward contract, namely a lessening of default and liquidity risk due to the inclusion of an intermediary.

Swaps
Just like it sounds, a swap is an exchange. More specifically, an interest rate swap looks a lot like a combination of FRAs and involves an agreement between counterparties to exchange sets of future cash flows. The most common type of interest rate swap is a plain vanilla swap, which involves one party paying a fixed interest rate and receiving a floating rate, and the other party paying a floating rate and receiving a fixed rate.

Options
Interest rate management options are option contracts for which underlying security is a debt obligation. These instruments are useful in protecting the parties involved in a floating-rate loan, such as adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs). A grouping of interest rate calls is referred to as an interest rate cap; a combination of interest rate puts is referred to as an interest rate floor. In general, a cap is like a call and a floor is like a put.

Swaptions
A swaption, or swap option, is simply an option to enter into a swap.

Embedded options
Many investors encounter interest management derivative instruments via embedded options. If you have ever bought a bond with a call provision, you too are in the club. The issuer of your callable bond is insuring that if interest rates decline, they can call in your bond and issue new bonds with a lower coupon.

Caps
A cap, also called a ceiling, is a call option on an interest rate. An example of its application would be a borrower going long, or paying a premium to buy a cap and receiving cash payments from the cap seller (the short) when the reference interest rate exceeds the cap's strike rate. The payments are designed to offset interest rate increases on a floating-rate loan.

If the actual interest rate exceeds the strike rate, the seller pays the difference between the strike and the interest rate multiplied by the notional principal. This option will "cap," or place an upper limit, on the holder's interest expense.

The interest rate cap is actually a series of component options, or "caplets," for each period the cap agreement exists. A caplet is designed to provide a hedge against a rise in the benchmark interest rate, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), for a stated period.

Floors
Just as a put option is considered the mirror image of a call option, the floor is the mirror image of the cap. The interest rate floor, like the cap, is actually a series of component options, except that they are put options and the series components are referred to as "floorlets." Whoever is long the floor is paid upon maturity of the floorlets if the reference rate is below the floor's strike price. A lender uses this to protect against falling rates on an outstanding floating-rate loan.

Collars
A protective collar can also help manage interest rate risk. Collaring is accomplished by simultaneously buying a cap and selling a floor (or vice versa), just like a collar protects an investor who is long a stock. A zero-cost collar can also be established to lower the cost of hedging, but this lessens the potential profit that would be enjoyed by an interest rate movement in your favor, as you have placed a ceiling on your potential profit. Conclusion
These products all provide ways to hedge interest rate risk, with different products being appropriate for different scenarios. There is, however, no free lunch. With any of these alternatives, one gives up something - either money (premiums paid for options) or opportunity cost (the profit one would have made without hedging).

Amarin Heading In The Right Direction Based On Script Data Trends

Amarin (AMRN) continues to barrel forward - with each week's prescription data behind it, Amarin proves wrong everyone (including myself) who said they'd really have a tough go of it getting Vascepa prescriptions out there without the help of a major pharmaceutical partner. This past week's data showed a small, cyclical stall in total prescriptions and a promising week-over-week gain in refills.

From its website, "Amarin (AMRN) Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the commercialization and development of therapeutics to improve cardiovascular health. Amarin's product development program leverages its extensive experience in lipid science and the potential therapeutic benefits of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Vascepa (icosapent ethyl) is Amarin's first FDA approved product and is available in the United States by prescription."

After the drug's approval, the company did not pair with any major pharmaceutical partners, brought on its own sales staff, and is taking a stab at launching Vascepa on its own. In the face of the stock losing a good portion of its value over the past six months, prescription data (provided by Symphony & IMS Health) continues to head in the right direction.

Top 10 Stocks To Buy Right Now

On July 3rd of this year, I announced that I was covering my Amarin short that yielded results over 30% and that in the face of Vascepa data and the valuation of the stock, Amarin was a buy opportunity. Of recent, it's looking more and more like the stock had bottomed in the mid to low $5 range, and we've seen a major trend reversal:

(Click to enlarge)

The raw Vascepa prescription data itself continues to head in the right direction, with a continued healthy correlation between total prescr! iptions and refills. On 8/16/13, the last data available, total scripts reported were 5109 (1.29% from 5044) and refills reported as 2417 (up 9.27% from 2212). Both parameters are trending in the right direction - as represented by this chart showing the progression since 3/22/13.

(Click to enlarge)

Some bears are arguing that the fall off in total prescriptions for the week is bearish news, but it's not in the slightest bit alarming to this investor. A while ago, I explored whether or not Vascepa was experiencing cyclical growth versus a slowdown in scripts. What I found out was that Vascepa, like other drug launches, usually grows in a cyclical fashion:

No better place to look than Vascepa's nemesis, Lovaza, for proof of this. When reviewing data for Lovaza's launch, they had consistent pullbacks every couple of months for years through their launch. It's a product of refill cycles (and sometimes short weeks, etc), and seems to be par for the course when launching a new drug.

I've reiterated my bullish sentiments a few times over in the last couple of weeks and I'll do the same now, heading into the end of the year with a large cash position and some momentum behind Vascepa.

Again, I believe that the continued growth of Vascepa prescriptions and the momentum behind the data will set a great foundation for buying now and riding the wave into the end of the year. The catalysts that the company has coming down the pipeline for Vascepa, including news on whether or not the drug is likely to be approved for its ANCHOR indication, are binary catalysts that are going to attract emotional buying regardless of the outcome. I remain bullish on Amarin, expecting next week's prescription data to return to full form, adding several hundred new total prescriptions and retaining significant clients through refills. Amarin is a buy here a! nd hold u! ntil the emotional hype that'll lead to a fall run up.

Source: Amarin Heading In The Right Direction Based On Script Data Trends

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. (More...)

KS Bancorp, Inc. Announced 2nd Quarter 2013 Financial Results (OTCBB:KSBI, OTCMKTS:CLNO)

KS Bancorp, Inc. (KSBI)

Today, KSBI remains (0.00%) +0.000 at $7.50 thus far (ref. google finance 9:49AM EDT July 23, 2013).

KS Bancorp, Inc. previously reported unaudited net income available to common shareholders of $200,000, or $.15 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2013, compared to a net income available to common shareholders of $86,000, or $.07 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2012. For the six months ended June 30, 2013, the Company reported net income available to common shareholders of $325,000, or $.25 per diluted share, compared to $314,000, or $.24 per diluted share, for the six months ended June 30, 2012

KS Bancorp, Inc. (KSBI) 5 day chart:

Cleantech Transit, Inc. (CLNO)

Cleantech Transit, Inc. (OTCMKTS:CLNO) (www.cleantechtransit.net ) through its Discovery Carbon subsidiary, develops emissions offset strategies for companies, municipalities, and countries. Today, CLNO has surged (+6.19%) up +0.014 at $.240 with 201,039 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:47AM EDT July 23, 2013), but don't let this get you down.

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CLNO's daily range is at ($.251 – $.226) thus far and currently at $.240 would be considered a (+21718.18%) gain above the 52 wk low of $.0011. The stock is up +0.24 ( +10809.09%) since the concerning dates of January 25, 2013 – July 22, 2013. +10809.09% is the 6 month high and rightly so.

Cleantech Transit, Inc. (CLNO ) 5 day chart: