Top Trucking Companies To Buy For 2014

Navistar (NYSE: NAV  ) will release its quarterly report on Wednesday, and investors don't expect good news from the trucking giant. Yet even if Navistar earnings continue to look as bad as they have in recent quarters, relief might not be too far away for beleaguered investors.

Navistar is the company behind a wide variety of industrial vehicles, including trucks for both commercial and military use as well as school buses and recreational vehicles. It also produces diesel engines for vehicles. Yet troubles in meeting regulatory guidelines has led to some huge disruptions in Navistar's business, and even with a solution in place, the company could continue to struggle for a while longer. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with Navistar over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its report.

Stats on Navistar

Analyst EPS Estimate

($1.32)

10 Best Building Product Stocks For 2015: 7 Days Group Holdings Limited(SVN)

7 Days Group Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates a chain of limited service economy hotels under the brand name of 7 Days Inn in China. The company provides accommodations and services primarily to business and leisure travelers. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 568 hotels in operation, including 247 managed hotels, with 56,410 hotel rooms in 89 cities, as well as 197 hotels with 19,345 hotel rooms under conversion. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Guangzhou, China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Chinese economy hotel chain 7 Days Group (NYSE: SVN  ) announced today that the company's shareholders had approved the going-private proposal that was offered up on Feb. 28.�Approximately 88.3% of the hotel chain's shares voted on the proposal, and approximately 86% voted in favor of it.�

Top Trucking Companies To Buy For 2014: Intersections Inc.(INTX)

Intersections Inc. provides subscription based consumer protection services and other consumer products and services primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Consumer Products and Services, Online Brand Protection, and Bail Bonds Industry Solutions. The Consumer Products and Services segment offers credit reports; daily, monthly, and quarterly monitoring of subscriber?s credit files; reports and monitoring services based on additional information sources; and credit scores and credit score analysis tools, credit education, identity theft recovery services, identity theft cost reimbursement, and software and other technology tools to protect against identity theft. Its products and services also include consumer discounts on healthcare, home, and auto related expenses; access to professional financial and legal information; and life, accidental death, and disability insurance, as well as distributes online privacy protection software. This seg ment markets its products and services to credit card, direct deposit, or mortgage issuing financial institutions. The Online Brand Protection segment provides online brand protection services, including online channel monitoring, auction monitoring, and other services to corporate brand owners or law firms, as well as offers forum, blog, and newsgroup monitoring. The Bail Bonds Industry Solutions segment offers automated service solutions for the bail bonds industry, which include accounting, reporting, and decision making tools that allow bail bondsmen, general agents, and sureties to run their offices, to exercise operational and financial control over their businesses, and to make underwriting decisions. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  Frank Micelotta/Invision/The Associated PressIn a new Netflix sitcom, Lily Tomlin (left) and Jane Fonda play former foes who unite when their husbands desert them. An identity theft specialist lost its identity, a soda maker teamed up with an old-school appliance brand, Walmart made a play for video games, Netflix announced a new show and yet another online service upped its subscription price. Here's a rundown of the week's smartest moves and biggest blunders in the business world. Netflix (NFLX) -- Winner The leading video service keeps building its digital catalog of original content. Netflix announced on Wednesday that it will be the home of "Grace and Frankie," a new sitcom starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin that's partly the handiwork of "Friends" creator Marta Kaufman. The first season will debut next year. We naturally won't know until we dive into the 13 half-hour episodes come 2015 if the show is any good, but that's also the point of Netflix beefing up its portfolio of first-run shows introduced exclusively on Netflix. Walmart Stores (WMT) -- Loser The world's largest retailer is getting into the video game resale business. Walmart announced on Tuesday that it will begin accepting trade-ins at most of its stores next week. The discounter will swap the games for in-store credit. It will then send off the trade-ins to get refurbished. It will start offering the pre-owned wares later this year. The market is playing this out to be a big hit for GameStop (GME), but let's not kid ourselves. GameStop's sales of pre-owned games fell sharply in 2012 and have gone on to decline in each of 2013's first three quarters. Walmart won't make things easier, but this was already a fading market. Too many new systems rely on digital delivery, making physical discs and their eventual resale obsolete. Walmart's late to the game. SodaStream International (SODA) -- Winner Making soda at home is as popular as ever, and niche leader SodaStream is getting a boost wi

Top Trucking Companies To Buy For 2014: Constellation Brands Inc (STZ.B)

Constellation Brands, Inc., incorporated on December 4, 1972, is a producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Italy. The Company�� beer brands include Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo and Pacifico. Its wine brands consist of Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Kim Crawford, Rex Goliath, Mark West, Franciscan Estate, Ruffino and Jackson-Triggs. The Company�� spirits brands include SVEDKA Vodka and Black Velvet Canadian Whisky. The Company has more than 100 brands in its portfolio, sales in approximately 100 countries and has about 40 facilities.

Beer

The Company imports markets and sells Mexican Beer Brands in all 50 states of the United States, which includes Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Pacifico, Negra Modelo and Victoria. During the fiscal year ended February 28, 2014 (fiscal 2014), the Company had 15 imported beer brands in the United States. During fiscal 2014, the Company introduced Modelo Especial Chelada, a blend of Modelo Especial with flavors of tomato, salt and lime.

Wine and Spirits

The Company sells a range of wine brands across all categories, such as table wine, sparkling wine and dessert wine in the United States, Canada and New Zealand. Its wine produced in the United States is primarily marketed domestically and in Canada and the United Kingdom. The wine produced in Canada is primarily marketed domestically. Wine produced in New Zealand is primarily marketed in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and domestically. Wine produced in Italy is primarily marketed in the United States, Canada and domestically. In addition, it also exports its wine products to other world markets. Its spirits business, Svedka Vodka is imported from Sweden.

The Company sells its wine brands in the United States, which comprise its United States Focus Brands (Focus Brands) includes Arbor Mist, Inniskillin, Rex Go! liath, Black Box, Kim Crawford, Robert Mondavi, Blackstone, Mark West, Ruffino, Clos du Bois, Mount Veeder, Simi, Estancia, Nobilo, Toasted Head, Franciscan Estate, Ravenswood and Wild Horse. Its spirits brands include Black Velvet Canadian Whisky and Svedka Vodka.

Corporate Operations and Other

The Corporate Operations and Other segment includes corporate-related items, including executive management, corporate development, corporate finance, human resources, internal audit, investor relations, legal, public relations and global information technology.

The Company competes with Anheuser-Busch InBev, MillerCoors, Heineken, E&J Gallo Winery, The Wine Group, Trinchero, Treasury Wine Estates, Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Kendall-Jackson, Andrew Peller, Kruger, Pernod Ricard, Lion Nathan, Diageo, Beam, Pernod Ricard, Bacardi and Brown-Forman.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By sandyinvestment]

  As the craft beer industry has a considerable measure of room to develop, Boston Beer confronts rivalry from Molson Coors Brewing (TAP) and Constellation Brands (STZ) (STZ.B). Each of the three organizations have had great runs on the Street, however Boston Beer and Constellation Brands have been the greatest outperformers. We should investigate each of them.

Top Trucking Companies To Buy For 2014: TransAlta Corporation (TAC)

TransAlta Corporation operates as a non-regulated electricity generation and energy marketing company. The company engages in the production and sale of electric energy through its diversified portfolio of facilities fuelled by coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, and biomass resources in Canada, the United States, and Australia. It has an aggregate net ownership interest of approximately 8,025 megawatts of generating capacity in operation. The company was founded in 1911 and is based in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Nitish]

  Google Inc. reported consolidated revenues of $15.96 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2014, an increase of 22% compared to the second quarter of 2013. The company reports advertising revenues consistent with GAAP on a gross basis without deducting traffic acquisition costs (TAC). In the second quarter of 2014, TAC totaled $3.29 billion, or 23% of advertising revenues.

• [By alicet236]

  TransAlta Corporation (TAC) Reached the Five-Year Low of $12.78

  The prices of TransAlta Corporation (TAC) shares have declined to close to the five-year low of $12.78, which is 47.9% off the five-year high of $23.30. TransAlta Corp. is owned by one Guru we are tracking. Among them, zero have added to their positions during the past quarter. One reduced their position. TransAlta Corp. was incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act in March 1985. TransAlta Corp. has a market cap of $3.43 billion; its shares were traded at around $12.78 with a P/E ratio of 96.80 and P/S ratio of 1.46. The dividend yield of TransAlta Corp. stocks is 8.71%. TransAlta Corp. had an annual average earnings growth of 0.20% over the past 10 years.

Top Trucking Companies To Buy For 2014: Vitacost.com Inc (VITC)

Vitacost.com, Inc. (Vitacost), incorporated in May 20, 1994, is an online retailer of health and wellness products, including dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals, herbs and other botanicals, amino acids and metabolites, as well as cosmetics, natural personal care products, pet products, sports nutrition and health foods. The Company sells these products directly to consumers primarily through its Website, www.vitacost.com. It offers its customers the selection of healthy living products. It offers its customers a selection of approximately 40,000 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), from over 2,000 third-party brands, such as New Chapter, Nature�� Way, Twinlab, Source Naturals, Jarrow Formulas, Jason, Desert Essence, Atkins, Bob�� Red Mill, BSN, Optimum Nutrition, USP Labs and MuscleTech in addition to its own brands: Vitacost, Cosmeceutical Sciences Institute (CSI), Best of All, and Smart Basics. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had approximately 2.1 million customers.

The Company offers products in a range of potency levels and dosage forms, such as tablets, capsules, vegi-capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids and powders. It offers products that encompass four main categories: Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and Supplements; Sports Nutrition; Beauty; and Natural and Organic Food.

Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and Supplements (VMHS)

VMHS products are taken to maintain or improve health and address specific health conditions. In its dietary supplements category, the Company offers its offer its Vitacost branded products as well as third-party brands such as Nature�� Way, Twinlab, Jarrow, Carlson and Rainbow Light. Vitamin and mineral products include multi-vitamins, lettered vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C, D, E and B-complex, along with minerals such as calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc.

Herbal products include whole herbs, standardized extracts, herb combination formulas and teas. Supplements include essential fatty acids, probiotics, anti-o! xidants, phytonutrients and condition-specific formulas.

Sports Nutrition

Sports nutrition products are used in conjunction with cardiovascular conditioning, weight training and sports activities. Major categories in sports nutrition include protein and weight gain powders, meal replacements, nutrition bars, sport drinks and pre and post-workout supplements. The Company offers bodybuilding and sports products from third parties, such as Optimum Nutrition, CytoSport and BSN as well as our Vitacost branded sports nutrition products.

Beauty

Natural care products consist of a variety of natural products for skin, body, hair and oral health. The Company offers hundreds of natural personal-care products from companies, such as JASON, and Kiss My Face, as well as its CSI-branded products. These products appeal to allergen-conscious and environmentally-conscious consumers seeking products that are made without harsh chemicals and additives.

Natural and Organic Food

Natural and organic food products consist of organic and specialty products such as organic peanut butter, gluten free foods and low mercury tuna and salmon. The Company offers third-party brands, such as Kashi, Eden Foods and Amy�� Organic, as well as its Best of All natural food products.

Under its Vitacost brand, the Company offers over 900 products including multivitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, anti-oxidants and others. Under its CSI brand, it markets and sells health and beauty products such as facial cleanser, facial and body moisturizing creams and lotions, and other beauty and skincare products. Under its Best of All brand, it markets and sells organic food products such as banana chips, trail mix, almonds, cashews and more. Under its Smart Basics brand, it markets and sells organic fruit juices and extracts and related dietary supplements. Under its Walker Diet brand, it markets and sells low carb powders used to assist in weight loss and ! managemen! t.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Margins matter. The more Vitacost.com (Nasdaq: VITC  ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Vitacost.com's competitive position could be.

• [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 Vitacost.com (Nasdaq: VITC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top Trucking Companies To Buy For 2014: AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. (AMP)

Ameriprise Financial Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company�s Advice and Wealth Management segment offers financial planning and advice, as well as brokerage and banking services primarily to retail clients through its financial advisors. The Asset Management segment provides investment advice and investment products to retail and institutional clients. The Annuities segment offers variable and fixed annuity products to retail customers through affiliated and unaffiliated advisors, and financial institutions. The Protection segment provides various protection products through financial advisors to address the protection and risk management needs of retail clients, including life, disability income, and property-casualty insurance. The company was formerly known as American Express Financial Corporation and changed its name to Ameriprise Financial, Inc. in September 2005. Ame riprise Financial Inc. was founded in 1894 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By U.S. News]

  Getty Images Recently, a client came to me with a difficult dilemma. He was retired and living comfortably but didn't have much room in his budget for additional expenses. His son was a high-ranking executive with a midsize company. He was married, with three children, all of whom were in private school in New York City. The son lost his job as a consequence of restructuring. He was having difficulty finding another position at anything close to his prior income. He had been looking without success for more than six months. He was at a point where he could no longer meet his substantial monthly expenses. He asked my client to provide the funds necessary to maintain his lifestyle and the education of his children, until he was able to "land on his feet." My client could afford to make these payments for a limited period of time but his retirement plans would be jeopardized if the time period was prolonged and if his son did not pay him back. He asked for my advice. For many Americans, the goal of helping children and grandchildren pay for their education and preserving wealth to leave to their children is an important goal. Unfortunately, the 2008 recession reduced the confidence of investors in their ability to meet those goals. According to a report prepared by Ameriprise Financial (AMP), only 24 percent of those surveyed in 2012 were "very confident" they could help with education and only 16 percent had confidence in their ability to leave an inheritance to their children. What is more troubling is the finding that only one-third of those surveyed felt very confident in their ability to provide adequately for themselves and their family. My client had never discussed his finances with his children. He is not alone. More than one-third of the parents of boomers believe they haven't adequately discussed finances with their children, according to the Ameriprise study. Their children were often reluctant to engage in these discussions with aging parents b

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Karen Roach/Shutterstock When singles are looking for love, they typically don't start by checking out a potential mate's credit score. But maybe they should. A recent survey of 1,010 married people by Experian (EXPGY) Consumer Services division found that 95 percent of those polled rate financial responsibility as an important attribute in a spouse. Compare that to physical attractiveness -- often the first criterion we use to judge potential mates -- which was deemed an important trait for compatibility by just 86 percent. (Personal compatibility led the list at 98 percent.) Financial communication can be an important barometer of how successful a relationship will be, although women place more of a premium on it than men. Among those surveyed, 73 percent of women and 60 percent of men said that being open about personal finances and credit makes a person more attractive as a spouse. On the flip side, 59 percent of women and 44 percent of men say that a partner who avoids talking about those things is less attractive as a spouse. What's Your Number? "Financial debt and a person's credit score are so important to disclose before you tie the proverbial knot," says Les Parrott, co-author with his wife, Leslie, of "Making Happy" and "The Good Fight." "We can tell you about lots of disastrous money surprises when a person isn't up front about this." It's important to discuss all aspects of your individual and shared financial situations regularly with your significant other, but because your credit score will impact your ability to make major purchases like a home or a car, it's especially important to determine whether a low credit score tied to one or both of you may affect your long-term goals, says Suzanna de Baca, vice president of wealth strategies at Ameriprise Financial (AMP). "An important step toward having a successful relationship is being willing to share your feelings about money with your partner. This includes being honest about past and p