Best Industrial Disributor Stocks To Own For 2014

Apple‘s (AAPL) potential move into the market for electronic payments at retail point of sale may already be upsetting the, uh, apple cart for payment processors, according to a note today from Credit Suisse‘s Moshe Orenbuch, who follows shares of American Express�(AXP) and who has an Underperform rating on that stock.�

Writes Orenbuch, at the outset, an Apple entry will probably be just a “ripple” rather than a “wave” for traditional payments firms.�

However, “Longer-term, a successful Apple payment system roll-out would in our view most likely disrupt the interchange revenue stream earned by card issuing banks and 3-party providers such as AXP, as merchants clamor for lower fees given the rise of fraud combating technologies.”

Notes Orenbuch, Apple’s negotiating lower fees on transactions:

Reports suggest that five of the six credit card issuers in our coverage universe (the largest issuers of V, MA and AXP) have agreed to lower discount rates by 15-25 bps (and likely incur other costs as well) to be included in AAPL’s digital wallet. While AAPL may assume some of the increased fraud risk due to “Card Not Present,” we believe the fear of being “left out” of a payment system via the iPhone and iWatch is a more compelling driver to lower rates.

5 Best Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now: SilverCrest Mines Inc (SVLC)

SilverCrest Mines Inc. (SilverCrest), incorporated on May 22, 1973, is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in Mexico and Central America. The Company�� principal focus is the development and operation of the Santa Elena Project, which property consists of seven mineral concessions totaling 2,726.54 hectares, portions of which include the producing Santa Elena gold and silver mine located northeast of Hermosillo, Sonora State, Mexico. It operates in three segments: the mine operations at Santa Elena, Mexico; mine exploration and evaluation projects at La Joya and Cruz de Mayo, Mexico, and Corporate. The Company is also focused on exploring and developing its La Joya Property located in Durango, Mexico, which contains a discovered polymetallic deposit. The Company�� other mineral properties include the Cruz de Mayo Project (Mexico), the La Joya Property (Mexico), the Silver Angel Project (Mexico) and the El Zapote Project (El Salvador).

The La Joya Property consists of 14 mineral concessions with a total area of approximately 8,379.6 hectares. Its Cruz de Mayo Project consists of two mineral concessions comprising a total of 452 hectares. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Cruz de Mayo 2 concession (which encompasses 434 hectares). The Silver Angel Project consists of two mineral concessions encompassing a total of 3,251 hectares located in the northern Sierra Madre Range in Sonora, Mexico. The Company holds a 100% interest in these concessions, which were acquired by concession applications.

The El Zapote Project consists of two mineral concessions (the El Caliche and San Juan Exploration Concessions) located in the Department of Santa Ana in northern El Salvador, Central America. The Company holds a 100% interest in the El Zapote Project. During the year ended December 31, 2011, an initial drill program of 25 holes totaling approximately 2,900 meters was completed on the Santa Elena Norte target, located approximately 1 kilo! meters north of the Santa Elena Mine.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Hebba Investments]

  Even with rising Q2 costs, GG still has lower true all-in costs than many of its larger competitors' Q1FY13 costs. Compared to Q1FY13 numbers of competitors such as Yamana Gold (AUY) (costs just over $1300), Kinross Gold (KGC) (costs above $1350), Silvercrest Mines (SVLC) (costs below $1100), Newmont Gold (NEM) (costs around $1300) Agnico-Eagle (AEM) (costs around $1400) and Barrick Gold (ABX) (costs around $1200).

Best Industrial Disributor Stocks To Own For 2014: United Online Inc.(UNTD)

United Online, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides consumer products and services over the Internet in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company operates in three segments: FTD, Content and Media, and Communications. The FTD segment provides floral and related products, including occasion gifts, bath and beauty products, jewelry, wine, fruit and other gift baskets, chocolates, and stuffed animals to consumers and retail florists, as well as to other retail locations offering floral and related products and services primarily through the ftd.com, interflora.co.uk, and interflora.ie Web sites and various telephone numbers. This segment also offers a suite of products and services that enable its floral network members to receive, send, and deliver floral orders. The Content and Media segment provides online nostalgia products and services under the Memory Lane, Classmates, StayFriends, and Trombi brands; and loyalty marketing services under the MyPoint s brand. The Communications segment offers dial-up Internet access under the NetZero and Juno brands, as well as broadband, email, Internet security services, and Web hosting services. United Online, Inc. also offers Internet marketing services for advertisers. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Woodland Hills, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  United Online (Nasdaq: UNTD  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on April 30. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict United Online's revenues will expand 0.5% and EPS will decrease -23.8%.

Best Industrial Disributor Stocks To Own For 2014: Wave Systems Corp.(WAVX)

Wave Systems Corp. develops, produces, and markets products for hardware-based digital security. Its products are based on the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a hardware security chip that enables secure protection of files and other digital secrets, and performs critical security functions. The company offers EMBedded Application Security SYstem (EMBASSY) Trust Suite, a set of applications and services that are designed to bring functionality and user value to TPM enabled products. The EMBASSY Trust Suite includes the EMBASSY Security Center, Trusted Drive Manager, Document Manager, Private Information Manager, and Key Transfer Manager. It also offers middleware and tools, which include Trusted Computing Group (TCG) enabled toolkit that assists application developers in writing new applications or modifying existing ones to function on TCG-compliant platforms; and Wave TCG-Enabled Cryptographic Service Provider, which allows software developers to utilize the security of a TCG standards-based platform. In addition, the company offers EMBASSY Trust Server Applications comprising EMBASSY Key Management Server, a server application designed to provide corporate-level backup and transition of the TPM keys; EMBASSY Authentication Server that offers centralized management, provisioning, and enforcement of multifactor domain access policies; and EMBASSY Remote Administration Server, which provides centralized management and auditing of TPMs and self-encrypting drives. Further, it offers eSign Transaction Management Suite and broadband media distribution services. Wave Systems Corp. sells its products to chip original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), PC OEMs, enterprise customers, and systems integrators. The company was formerly known as Cryptologics International, Inc. and changed its name to Wave Systems Corp. in January 1993. Wave Systems Corp. was founded in 1988 and is based in Lee, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Just when you think it can't get any better for Wave Systems Corp. (NASDAQ:WAVX), it gets better. WAVX is turning out to be one of those rare cases where the higher the stock goes, the easier it gets for it to go higher.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  If there was any lingering doubt that Wave Systems Corp. (NASDAQ:WAVX) was in the early stages of a rebound, today's 11% pop should wipe those doubts away. This little technology company has lodged itself firmly into a bullish trend today, after hammering out a turnaround effort for the past four months. Translation: WAVX has become a convincing buy.

Best Industrial Disributor Stocks To Own For 2014: Alleghany Corporation(Y)

Alleghany Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the property and casualty, and surety insurance business in the United States. It underwrites specialty insurance coverages in the property, umbrella/excess, general liability, directors and officers liability, professional liability lines of business, and homeowners insurance. The company also writes surety products, such as commercial surety bonds and contract surety bonds. In addition, Alleghany Corporation owns and manages improved and unimproved commercial land, and residential lots in the Sacramento, California. As of December 31, 2010, the company owned approximately 320 acres of property in various land use categories. Further, it engages in the oil and gas exploration and production business. The company was founded in 1929 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew Argersinger]

  Matching a stable of strong insurance businesses with intelligent investing is one of the key formulas Warren Buffett used to turn Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A  ) (NYSE: BRK-B  ) into one of the greatest investments of the past half-century. Fortunately for investors who weren't able to ride Buffett's market-crushing train, there are several smaller companies that have embraced Berkshire's formula with great success. One of those is Alleghany (NYSE: Y  ) , a multi-line insurance company whose objective�is "to create value through owning and managing operating subsidiaries and investments, anchored by a core position in property and casualty reinsurance and insurance." Sound familiar?

• [By Damian Illia]

  The firm is currently Zacks Rank # 2 - Buy, and it also has a longer-term recommendation of ��utPerform�� For investors looking for a Zacks Rank # 1 ��Strong Buy, Alleghany Corp. (Y), Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK.B) and Fidelity (FNF) could be the options.

• [By Chris Hill]

  Which investors are worth following? In this installment of MarketFoolery, our analysts talk about why they're following Cook and Bynum's Richard Cook and Dowe Bynum, Martin Capital's Frank Martin, Alleghany's (NYSE: Y  ) CEO Weston Hicks, and T. Rowe Price's (NASDAQ: TROW  ) �Preston Athey.�

Best Industrial Disributor Stocks To Own For 2014: iShares North American Tech-Software ETF (IGV)

iShares S&P North American Technology-Software Index Fund (the Fund), formerly, iShares S&P GSTI Software Index, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance as represented by the S&P North American Technology-Software Index (the Index). The Index has been developed as an equity benchmark for United States-traded, software-related stocks.

The Index includes companies that are producers of client/server applications, enterprise software, Internet software, personal computer and entertainment software. The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities in the Index, which has a similar investment profile as the Index.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  The Q2 2014 earnings report for software stock Adobe Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: ADBE), a potential peer or performance benchmark of other software stocks or players like Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Autodesk, Inc (NASDAQ: ADSK) and iShares S&P GSTI Software Index Fund (NYSEARCA: IGV), is scheduled for after the market closes on Tuesday. Aside from the Adobe Systems Incorporated earnings report, it should be said that Microsoft Corporation reported Q3 2014 earnings on April 24th (FYQ3 revenues and�EPS beat; cloud revenue doubled; Q4 view was light) and Autodesk, Inc reported Q1 2015 earnings on�May 15th (Q1 revenues beat and�earnings met�estimates). The last time Adobe Systems reported earnings, it beat expectations thanks to strong adoption of Creative Cloud and Adobe Marketing Cloud as the�company has been shifting away from from physical products to cloud-based software that users subscribe to.

• [By John Udovich]

  Although Small cap Synacor Inc (NASDAQ: SYNC) calls itself the place "where Tech, Hollywood and Madison Avenue meet in the cloud,��its not exactly been a blockbuster for investors���meanings its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of potential benchmarks like the First Trust ISE Cloud Computing Index (NASDAQ: SKYY), iShares North American Tech-Software (NYSEARCA: IGV) and Global X Social Media Index ETF (NASDAQ: SOCL).

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap Synacor Inc (NASDAQ: SYNC) says its "where Tech, Hollywood and Madison Avenue meet in the cloud��but its not exactly been a blockbuster for investors���meanings its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of potential benchmarks like the First Trust ISE Cloud Computing Index (NASDAQ: SKYY), iShares North American Tech-Software (NYSEARCA: IGV) and Global X Social Media Index ETF (NASDAQ: SOCL).

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap cloud and enterprise services stock Rally Software Development Corp (NYSE: RALY) just had a reversal ��meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with potential performance benchmarks like Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL), iShares North American Tech-Software (NYSEARCA: IGV) and First Trust ISE Cloud Computing Index (NASDAQ: SKYY).

Best Industrial Disributor Stocks To Own For 2014: Landauer Inc (LDR)

Landauer, Inc. (Landauer) is a provider of technical and analytical services to determine occupational and environmental radiation exposure. The Company is domestic provider of outsourced medical physics services. The Company operates in two segments: Radiation Monitoring and Medical Physics. The Company has provided radiation dosimetry services to hospitals, medical and dental offices, universities, national laboratories, nuclear facilities and other industries. Landauer's services include the manufacture of radiation detection monitors, the distribution and collection of the monitors to and from customers, and the analysis and reporting of exposure findings. In addition to providing analytical services, the Company leases or sells dosimetry detectors and reading equipment to customers. Medical physics services are provided through the Company's Global Physics Solutions, Inc. (GPS) subsidiary. In November 2011, it acquired IZI Medical Products, LLC.

In November 2009, Landauer completed the acquisition of GPS. GPS is a nationwide service provider of clinical physics support, equipment commissioning and accreditation support and imaging equipment testing. In June 2010, Landauer, through its GPS subsidiary, completed the acquisition of Upstate Medical Physics (UMP), a provider of imaging physics services in New York. In November 2009, Landauer completed the acquisition of Gammadata Matteknik AB (GDM), a Swedish provider of radon measurement services. GDM provides measurement services throughout the Scandinavian region and Europe. In October 2009, Landauer completed the acquisition of dosimetry service in Sweden, called Landauer Persondosimetri AB (PDM).

The Radiation Monitoring revenues are realized from radiation monitoring services and other services incidental to radiation dose measurement. The Company enters into agreements with customers to provide them with radiation monitoring services, for a 12 month period. As part of its services, the Company provides to its custome! rs radiation detection badges, which are produced and owned by the Company. The badges are worn for a period selected by the customers (wear period), which is usually one, two, or three months in duration. At the end of the wear period, the badges are returned to the Company for analysis. The Company analyzes the badges that have been worn and provides its customers with a report indicating their radiation exposures. The Company recycles certain badge components for reuse, while also producing replacement badges on a continual basis.

The Company offers its service for measuring the dosages of x-ray, gamma radiation and other penetrating ionizing radiations, to which the wearer has been exposed, through badges, which contain optically stimulated luminescent (OSL) material, which are worn by customer personnel. This technology is marketed under the trade names Luxel+ and InLight. A component of the Company's dosimetry system is OSL crystal material. The Company's base OSL material is manufactured utilizing a process to create aluminum oxide crystals in a structure that is able to retain charged electrons following the crystal's exposure to radiation.

Landauer's InLight dosimetry system provides in-house and commercial laboratories with the ability to provide in-house radiation monitoring services using OSL technology. InLight services involve a customer acquiring or leasing dosimetry devices, as well as analytical reading equipment from the Company. The InLight system allows customers the flexibility to tailor their dosimetry needs. Landauer's operations include services for the measurement and monitoring of radon gas. The Company offers a service, which provides radon monitoring and, when necessary, remediation to purchasers of personal residences. Testing requires the customer to deploy a radon detector and return the detector to the Company's laboratories for dose determination and reporting. The Company assists with remediation services on properties where radon measurements ! exceed a ! specified threshold.

The Company competes with Mirion Technologies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Landauer (NYSE: LDR  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Best Industrial Disributor Stocks To Own For 2014: CLARCOR Inc. (CLC)

CLARCOR Inc. provides filtration products, filtration systems and services, and consumer and industrial packaging products worldwide. Its Engine/Mobile Filtration segment offers oil, air, fuel, coolant, transmission, and hydraulic fluid filters for engines used in stationary power generation and mobile equipment applications, as well as for marine, construction, industrial, mining, and agricultural equipment. This segment also provides dust collection cartridges for environmental filtration applications The company�s Industrial/Environmental Filtration segment manufactures specialty industrial process liquid filters; filters for pharmaceutical processes and beverages; filtration systems, filters, and coalescers for the oil and natural gas industry; filtration systems for aircraft refueling, anti-pollution, sewage treatment, and water recycling; bilge water separators; sand control filters for oil and gas drilling; and woven wire and metallic products for filtration of pl astics and polymer fibers. This segment also offers antimicrobial treated filters and electronic air cleaners for use in commercial and residential buildings, hospitals, factories, residences, paint spray booths, gas turbine and dust collector systems, medical facilities, motor vehicle and aircraft cabins, clean rooms, and compressors. Its Packaging segment provides metal, plastic, and a combination of metal/plastic containers and closures for packing dry and paste form products, smokeless tobacco products, lip balms, ointments, and consumer healthcare products. This segment also offers shells for dry batteries; canisters for films and candles; spools for insulated and fine wire; and custom decorated flat metal sheets. The company distributes its products through independent distributors, dealers for original equipment manufacturers, retail stores, and internal sales force, as well as directly to end-use customers. CLARCOR Inc. was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Fra nklin, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]

  Clarcor Inc.'s(CLC) fiscal second-quarter sales and profit rose, bolstered by recent acquisitions, prompting the Franklin, Tenn., filter and packaging company to raise its full-year expectations again. Shares rose 5.6% to $62.10 in light premarket trading.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Filtration and packaging product provider Clarcor (CLC) announced a 26% dividend increase to 17 cents per share, payable Oct. 18 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 11.
  CLC Dividend Yield: 1.22%