Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Buy Right Now

The U.S. Department of Defense wrapped up the workweek Friday with the announcement of nine new contracts, worth more than $791 million in total. One single contract, however, accounted for fully 62% of the funds on offer.

The winners of that contract, a $494 million firm-fixed-price, multiple-award, task-order contract for the supply of hardware, software, and related integration services needed for the U.S. Army's "Information Technology Enterprise Solution-2" (ITES-2S) enterprise business systems project, include:

Dell's (NASDAQ: DELL  ) Federal Systems business International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM  ) And four privately owned companies -- Unicom Government, CDW Government, Iron Bow Technologies, and World Wide Technology.

The specific type of contract being awarded is best described as an "umbrella" contract, setting a maximum amount of funds that can be spent (the $494 million). Dell, IBM, and the other contract winners will now need to bid against each other to sell the Army equipment and software in response to specific task orders, up until said ceiling value has been reached.

Top 10 Communications Equipment Stocks To Invest In 2015: Huntington Bancshares Incorporated(HBAN)

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated operates as the holding company for The Huntington National Bank that provides commercial, small business, and consumer banking services. The company?s Retail and Business Banking segment offers various financial products and services, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, certificates of deposit, consumer loans, and small business loans and leases; and investments, insurance, interest rate risk protection, foreign exchange hedging, and treasury management services to consumer and small business customers. Its Regional and Commercial Banking segment provides commercial lending; depository and liquidity management products; treasury management solutions; equipment and technology leasing; international services; and capital markets services, such as interest rate risk protection, foreign exchange hedging and sales, trading of securities, mezzanine investment capabilities, and employee benefit programs to government, not-f or-profit, health-care, and publicly traded entities. The company?s Automobile Finance and Commercial Real Estate segment offers financing for the purchase of automobiles, and new and used vehicle inventory by automotive dealerships; and financing for land, buildings, and other commercial real estate owned or constructed by real estate developers, automobile dealerships, or other customers. Its Wealth Advisors, Government Finance, and Home Lending segment provides investment management; investment servicing; custody, and corporate trust and retirement plan services; and administrative and operational support to fund to high net worth customers. It also offers online, mobile, and telephone banking services; and operates approximately 1,300 automated teller machines. As of December 31, 2011, the company had 652 branches located in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Huntington Bancshares Incorporated was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jeff Reeves]

  One sector of the stock market that has big potential in 2014 is regional banks. And among these players, Huntington Bancshares (HBAN) is one of the strongest regional banks on Wall Street.

• [By David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer]

  In this segment of The Motley Fool's everything-financials show,�Where the Money Is, banking analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson tell investors what they will be watching when PNC Financial Services (NYSE: PNC  ) , Huntington Bancshares (NASDAQ: HBAN  ) , and KeyCorp� (NYSE: KEY  ) �report earnings this week

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Finally, Diamond Hill's biggest closed positions included Johnson & Johnson and PPG Industries. Other closed positions of interest include Huntington Bancshares (NASDAQ: HBAN  ) , which many view as a high-quality bank because of its low percentage of non-performing assets. It's also viewed favorably for its effective management and smart growth strategy. Its recently reported first quarter featured net income down a bit -- but also a 25% dividend increase.

Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Buy Right Now: National Fuel Gas Company(NFG)

National Fuel Gas Company, through its subsidiaries, operates as a diversified energy company primarily in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Utility, Pipeline and Storage, Exploration and Production, and Energy Marketing. The Utility segment sells natural gas or provides natural gas transportation services to approximately 727,000 customers in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Jamestown, New York; and Erie and Sharon, Pennsylvania. The Pipeline and Storage segment provides interstate natural gas transportation and storage services for affiliated and nonaffiliated companies through an integrated gas pipeline system; and 27 underground natural gas storage fields, as well as 4 other underground natural gas storage fields owned and operated jointly with other interstate gas pipeline companies. This segment also transports natural gas for industrial customers and power producers in New York State. It owns the Empire Pipeline, a 157-mile pipeline; and the Empire Connector, which is a 76-mile pipeline extension. The Exploration and Production segment engages in the exploration for, and the development and purchase of natural gas and oil reserves in California, in the Appalachian region of the United States, and in the Gulf Coast region of Texas and Louisiana. As of September 30, 2009, this segment had proved developed and undeveloped reserves of 46,587 thousand barrels of oil and 248,954 million cubic feet equivalent of natural gas. The Energy Marketing segment markets natural gas to industrial, wholesale, commercial, public authority, and residential customers primarily in western and central New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. The company also develops and operates mid-range independent power production and landfill gas electric generation facilities. National Fuel Gas Company was founded in 1902 and is based in Williamsville, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Utilities sector was the leading decliner in the US market today. Among the sector stocks, Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo (NYSE: SBS) was down more than 5.3 percent, while National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE: NFG) tumbled around 2.8 percent.

• [By David Dittman]

  Question: I note that National Fuel Gas Co (NYSE: NFG) is usually only rated a “hold.” Yet it�� been very consistent with paying dividends–including during the ��9 crash and depression that followed.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  National Fuel Gas (NYSE: NFG  ) is hewing tightly to tradition with its upcoming shareholder payout. The company has declared a bump in its quarterly dividend, to $0.375 per share. This will be dispensed on July 15 to shareholders of record as of June 28. That amount is 2.7% higher than the firm's previous four distributions of $0.365 apiece, the most recent of which was paid in April. Prior to that, National Fuel Gas handed out $0.355 per share.

Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Buy Right Now: Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc.(AUXL)

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. operates as a specialty biopharmaceutical company primarily in the United States. It focuses on developing and marketing products to urologists, endocrinologists, primary care physicians, hand surgeons, and rheumatologists, as well as to orthopedic, general, and plastic surgeons. The company markets XIAFLEX (collagenase clostridium histolyticum), an injectable collagenase enzyme for the treatment of adult Dupuytren?s contracture; and Testim, a topical 1% testosterone gel for the treatment of hypogonadism. The company?s clinical development products include XIAFLEX that is in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of Peyronie?s disease, as well as in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of Adhesive Capsulitis. In addition, it has rights to develop other products for the treatment of pain, urologic disease, and hormone replacement using its transmucosal film delivery system. The company has a strategic alliance with Asahi Kasei Ph arma Corporation for the development, commercialization, and supply of XIAFLEX, a biologic for the treatment of Dupuytren?s contracture and Peyronie?s disease. Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Auxilium Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AUXL) was also up, gaining 12.11 percent to $21.67 following FDA approval of its Peyronie's disease treatment, Xiaflex.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One potential earnings short-squeeze candidate is biotechnology player Auxilium Pharmaceuticals (AUXL), which is set to release numbers on Thursday before the market open. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Auxilium Pharmaceuticals to report revenue of $91.43 million on a loss of 3 cents per share.

  During the last quarter, this company reported revenue of $66.2 million and GAAP reported sales were 10% lower than the prior-year quarter's $73.6 million. Also during the last quarter, this company reported non-GAAP EPS of -12 cents per share and GAAP EPS of -17 cents per share.

  The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Auxilium Pharmaceuticals is pretty high at 11.1%. That means that out of the 39.84 million shares in the tradable float, 5.14 million shares are sold short by the bears. This is a decent short interest on a stock with a relatively low tradable float. If the bulls get the earnings news they're looking for, then shares of AUXL could easily rip higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their short bets.

  From a technical perspective, AUXL is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last three months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $13.87 to its intraday high of $18.42 a share. During that uptrend, shares of AUXL have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of AUXL within range of triggering a major breakout trade post-earnings.

  If you're bullish on AUXL, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some key overhead resistance levels at $18.50 to $19.60 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that registers near or above its three-month average action of 834,059 shares. If that breakout hits, then AUXL will set up

• [By Sean Williams]

  Also, the testosterone market is also glutted with competition and Aveed, even will likely have a hard time making any meaningful impact for Endo. AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV  ) recently reformulated its AndroGel testosterone treatment into a more potent form at 1.62% and in 2011 received FDA approval after 82% of hypogonadal men achieved normal testosterone levels after 112 days. Also operating in the gel space is Auxilium Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ: AUXL  ) drug Testim, which achieved $45.5 million in sales in the first quarter. That figure actually represents a 23% year-over-year decline because of difficulties in gaining insurance coverage for the gel, but it's yet another hurdle for Aveed to jump over if it were to reach market.

Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Buy Right Now: World Acceptance Corp (WRLD)

World Acceptance Corporation operates a small-loan consumer finance business in 12 states and Mexico. The Company is engaged in the small-loan consumer finance business, offering short-term small loans, medium-term larger loans, related credit insurance and ancillary products and services to individuals. As of March 31, 2012, the Company offered standardized installment loans through 1,137 offices in South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Kentucky, Alabama, Wisconsin, and Mexico. The Company serves individuals with limited access to consumer credit from banks, credit unions, other consumer finance businesses and credit card lenders. In the United States offices, the Company also offers income tax return preparation services to its customers and others.

During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company opened 69 new offices. In each state in which it operates and in Mexico, the Company offers consumer installment loans, which are standardized by amount and maturity. The Company's loans are consumer installment loans, which are payable in fully amortizing monthly installments with terms generally of 4 to 36 months, and all loans are pre-payable at any time without penalty. During fiscal 2012, the Company's average originated gross loan term was approximately 12 months. As of March 31, 2012, the annual percentage rates on loans offered by the Company, which include interest, fees and other charges as calculated for the purposes of the requirements of the federal Truth in Lending Act, ranged from 24% to 204% depending on the loan size, maturity and the state, in which the loan is made. In addition, in certain states, the Company, as agent for an unaffiliated insurance company, sells credit insurance in connection with its loan transactions.

Specific allowable charges vary by state and, consistent with industry practice, the Company generally charges at or close to the maximum rates allowable under app! licable state law in those states that limit loan rates. Statutes in Texas and Oklahoma allow for indexing the maximum loan amounts to the Consumer Price Index. The Company�� loan products are pre-computed loans in which the finance charge is a combination of origination or acquisition fees, account maintenance fees, monthly account handling fee and other charges permitted by the relevant state laws.

The Company, as an agent for an unaffiliated insurance company, markets and sells credit life, credit accident and health, credit property, and unemployment insurance in connection with its loans in selected states where the sale of such insurance is permitted by law. Credit life insurance provides for the payment in full of the borrower's credit obligation to the lender in the event of death. Credit accident and health insurance provides for repayment of loan installments to the lender, which come due during the insured's period of income interruption resulting from disability from illness or injury. Credit property insurance insures payment of the borrower's credit obligation to the lender in the event, which the personal property pledged as security by the borrower is damaged or destroyed by a covered event. Unemployment insurance provides for repayment of loan installments to the lender, which come due during the insured�� period of involuntary unemployment. The Company requires each customer to obtain specific credit insurance in the amount of the loan for all loans originated in Georgia under the Georgia Industrial Loan Act, and encourages customers to obtain credit insurance for all loans originated in South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama and Kentucky and on a limited basis in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Texas. Customers in those states obtain such credit insurance through the Company.

In South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky and Alabama, the Company charges its borrowers for its non-file premiums in connection with certain loans in lieu of recording and perfecting the! Company� �s security interest in the loan collateral. The premiums are remitted to a third party insurance company for non-file insurance coverage. The Company also markets automobile club memberships to its borrowers in Georgia, Tennessee, New Mexico, Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, and Kentucky as an agent for an unaffiliated automobile club. Club memberships entitle members to automobile breakdown and towing reimbursement and related services. The Company is paid a commission on each membership sold.

The Company offers income tax return preparation and electronic filing. This program is provided in all but a few of the Company�� the United States offices. During fiscal 2012, the Company prepared 44,000 returns. During fiscal 2012, 93.4% of the Company�� revenues were attributable to the United States customers and 6.6% were attributable to customers in Mexico. During fiscal 2012, approximately 84.7% of the Company's loans were generated through refinancings of outstanding loans and the origination of new loans to previous customers.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  1. World Acceptance (WRLD)
  2. Express Scripts (ESRX)
  3. Walgreen (WAG)
  4. Humana (HUM)
  5. McDonald's (MCD)

  Those are the kinds of companies a younger ��and poorer ��Warren Buffett might buy. Actually, a few of those companies are big enough for Warren Buffett to buy today.

• [By Ong Kang Wei]

  Besides this, I would also avoid companies which had previously fooled investors by using things such as "creative accounting" or "aggressive accounting" (Remember Enron); had been involved in a scandal which required it to restate past financials or go to court with shareholders (Remember the Diamond Foods (DMND) scam); was unable to produce financial statements on time [One recent case being World Acceptance (WRLD)]; or was being investigated by the SEC. These are all some signs of management being dishonest, and I would rather avoid companies with such a history, unless there is a change in the company's management team.

• [By Canadian Value]

  So I�� going to stick my next out and share my views on four battleground stocks that are among my favorite shorts: World Acceptance (WRLD), Green Mountain (GMCR), Herbalife (HLF), and InterOil (IOC). And next week at the Value Investing Congress I will present another short, my largest.