Best US Stocks To Buy For 2014

Bank of America (BAC), inclusive of yesterday's poor trading, has still provided investors a 37.9% return in the last 12 months, and has recently upped its dividend after passing its Federal Stress Test in the last month.

Throughout 2014, the bank has continued to make progress in this regard. It's been settling litigation left and right, and CEO Brian Moynihan appears to continue steering the ship in the right direction. USA Today reported on recent litigation leading up to the bank's earnings:

Bank of America in March agreed to pay $9.3 billion to settle claims it marketed risky mortgages to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. At the same time, the bank reached a $15 million settlement with the New York State Attorney General's office over its 2009 purchase of Merrill Lynch.

And on April 9, the bank also agreed to pay $772 million in refunds and fines to settle allegations by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of Comptroller of the Currency that it had bilked millions of customers with deceptive credit card practices. The agreement was "in line with what we expected," bank spokesman Tony Allen said last week.

Top 10 Bank Companies To Watch In Right Now: Invesco Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund (VTA)

Van Kampen Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund (the Fund) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund focuses to invest primarily in loan and debt instruments (and loan-related or debt-related instruments) (collectively, credit securities) of issuers that operate in a variety of industries and geographic regions located throughout the world. The Fund's investment adviser is Van Kampen Asset Management (the Adviser). The Fund's investment subadviser is Avenue Europe International Management, L.P. (the Subadviser).

The Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in any combination of credit securities, including senior secured floating rate and fixed-rate loans (Senior Loans); second lien or other subordinated or unsecured floating rate and fixed-rate loans or debt, and other debt obligations, including high-yield, high-risk obligations (such as securities that are rated below investment grade by a nationally recognized credit rating organization or unrated securities that are deemed to be of comparable quality). The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its assets in structured products, including collateralized debt and loan obligations (collectively, structured products). The Fund may also invest in swaps, including credit default, total return, index and interest rate swaps. To the extent that the Fund invests in structured products or swaps that adjust exposure to credit securities, such investments will be counted for purposes of the Fund's 80% policy.

The Fund may invest in credit securities of any credit quality, and may invest without limitation in obligations below investment grade. Any of the Fund's investments may be issued by non-stressed, stressed and distressed issuers, including issuers in bankruptcy, provided that with respect to the portion of the Fund's assets to be managed by the Subadviser, the Subadviser will generally not invest in securities that at the time of investment have a total! yield above the applicable Avenue-Credit Thresholds. The Fund may invest in credit securities of any maturity or duration, and although the Fund will not be managed for maturity or duration, given the nature of the Fund's portfolio, the Fund's portfolio will likely have a low average duration (generally, four years or less). In addition, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in equity securities obtained through debt restructurings or bankruptcy proceedings. The Fund may utilize credit securities derivative instruments.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Dowdee]

  The following 10 funds satisfied all of these conditions:

  BlackRock Float Rate Strategies (FRA). This CEF sells at a discount of 3%, which is low compared to an average premium of 2% over the past year. The distribution has been managed at 6.1% and a small amount (less than 10%) has been return of capital (ROC). However, this has not negatively affected net asset value (NAV) so has not been destructive. The fund holds 447 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. FRA utilizes 27% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.7%, including interest payments. Eaton Vance Floating Rate (EFR). This CEF sells at a 1% premium, which is low compared to an average premium of 5% over the past year. The distribution is 6.2%, none of which was ROC. The fund holds 800 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. About 85% of the securities are from U.S. companies. EFR utilizes 35% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.8% including interest payments. ING Prime Rate Trust (PPR). This CEF sells for a premium of 2%, which is below the average premium of 5%. It has a distribution of 6.8%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 350 holdings, virtually all in senior loans and from US companies. PPR utilizes 29% leverage and has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Dynamic Credit Opportunities (VTA). This CEF sells for a discount of 5%, which is below the average discount of 1%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 495 holdings, with 76% in floating rate loans. About 25% of the loans are from non-US companies. VTA utilizes a relatively low 20% leverage but still has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Senior Income (VVR). This CEF sells for a discount of 1%, which is below the average premium of 3%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has over 500 holdings, with 89% in floating rate loans. Almost all (95%) securities are from US companies. VVR ut
• [By Harry Domash, Publisher, DividendDetective and Winning Investing]

  If you're worried about rising interest rates then Invesco Dynamic Credit Opportunities, ticker (VTA), invests in below investment-grade floating rate bank loans. In other words, these are called senior loans.

  They're bank loans that adjust their payouts based on prevailing interest rates, so if interest rates go up, these loans will pay higher dividends, so this is a good hedge if you are concerned about rising interest rates.

  Another one that's really performed, and it's paying a 6.9% yield right now, Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities, ticker (GOF), that's actually Claymore Guggenheim, holds corporate and government backed, that it's mostly investment-grade and it's paying a 10.1% yield right now, which is pretty high. Those are three that I could recommend right now.

  Steven Halpern: Well, we really appreciate you joining us today and sharing your expertise. Thank you.

  Harry Domash: You're welcome.

  Subscribe to the Dividend Detective here...

Best US Stocks To Buy For 2014: Northern Trust Corporation(NTRS)

Northern Trust Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides asset servicing, fund administration, asset management, and fiduciary and banking solutions for corporations, institutions, families, and individuals worldwide. The company offers corporate and institutional services, including global master trust and custody, trade settlement, and reporting; fund administration; cash management; investment risk and performance analytical services; investment operations outsourcing; and transition management and commission recapture services. It also provides personal financial services, such as personal trust, investment management, custody, and philanthropic services; financial consulting; guardianship and estate administration; brokerage services; and private and business banking services, as well as customized products and services. In addition, the company offers active and passive equity and fixed income portfolio management, as well as alternative asset classes comprisin g private equity and hedge funds of funds, and multi-manager products and advisory services. Further, it engages in fund administration, investment operations outsourcing, and custody business that provides specialized services to a range of funds, which include money-market, multi-manager, exchange-traded funds, and property funds for on-shore and off-shore markets. Additionally, the company provides administrative and middle-office services consisting of trade processing, valuation, real-time reporting, accounting, collateral management, and investor servicing. Northern Trust Corporation was founded in 1889 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Northern Trust (NASDAQ: NTRS  )

  To earn their high scores, the companies above engaged in a variety of good practices, including applying their human rights policy to their suppliers and vendors, and committing to quantifiable targets and goals.

• [By E.S. Browning]

  This view is spreading. When Northern Trust(NTRS) surveyed 100 outside investment managers at the end of last year, 34% called themselves more risk averse, up from 20% in the third quarter. Only 36% said U.S. stocks are undervalued.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  In the fourth quarter, Yacktman�� biggest additions to his holdings were Research In Motion (RIMM) and Avon Products (AVP). He also surprised followers by venturing into financials, with new positions in Goldman Sachs (GS), Bank of America (BAC), State Street Corp. (STT) and Northern Trust Corp. (NTRS).

Best US Stocks To Buy For 2014: Templeton Emerging Markets Fund (EMF)

Templeton Emerging Markets Fund (the Fund) is a diversified, closed-end investment company. The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing at least 80% of its net assets in emerging country equity securities. It makes investments in China, Brazil, South Korea, Turkey, Russia, Thailand, India, Taiwan, Hungary and South Africa. The Fund invests in sectors, such as metals and mining, commercial banks, diversified financial services, semiconductors and semiconductor equipment, wireless telecommunication services, and oil, gas and consumable fuels.

Templeton Asset Management Ltd. (TAML) serves as the Fund�� investment manager. Its administrative manager is Franklin Templeton Services, LLC. The Fund may invest in the Franklin Institutional Fiduciary Trust Money Market Portfolio (the Sweep Money Fund), an open-end investment company managed by Franklin Advisers, Inc. (an affiliate of TAML).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By George Putnam, Editor, New Generation Research, Inc.]

  Templeton Emerging Markets Fund (EMF) is also actively managed. Currently, the fund is Asian-centric with about 71% of assets from Asian markets, mostly China and Thailand.

Best US Stocks To Buy For 2014: iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)

iShares Lehman 20+ Year Treasury Bond Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the long-term sector of the United States Treasury market as defined by the Lehman Brothers 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Index (the Index). The Index includes all publicly issued, the United States Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity greater than 20 years, are non-convertible, are denominated in United States dollars, are rated investment grade (Baa3 or better) by Moody�� Investors Service, are fixed rate, and have more than $150 million par outstanding. Excluded from the Index are certain special issues, such as flower bonds, targeted investor notes, state and local government series bonds, and coupon issues that have been stripped from assets that are already included in the Index.

The Index is a market capitalization-weighted index. The Fund invests in a representative sample of the securities in the Index, which has a similar investment profile as the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisor.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Aspray]

  The spike in short term T-bill rates got the market's attention and the iShares Barclay 20+ Year Treasury (TLT) is still having a rough year, down over 13%.

• [By Chris Ciovacco]

  Similarities To 2007-2008?
  One way to evaluate any situation in the markets is to compare the present day to previous bearish market turns and look for similarities. The Junk Bond Spyder ETF (JNK) can be used as an excellent proxy for the high-yield debt markets. Since JNK did not start trading until 2008, to go back to the stock market's October 2007 peak, the graph below uses a mutual fund (FIHBX) as a proxy for JNK. The top of the chart shows the S&P 500 for comparison purposes. The ratio of junk debt to conservative debt is below the S&P 500. When the bond ratio rises, demand for junk bonds is greater than demand for conservative Treasuries. Were the debt markets a step ahead of stocks in 2007? Yes, as you can see below, bond investors started to migrate away from junk bonds toward more conservative Treasuries (TLT) well before stocks peaked (falling ratio). The credit markets correctly forecasted the coming risks in June 2007, or four months before a major bear market began in October.

Best US Stocks To Buy For 2014: Oak Ridge Energy Technologies Inc (OKME)

Oak Ridge Energy Technologies, Inc., formerly Oak Ridge Micro-Energy, Inc., incorporated on August 15, 1986, is a development-stage company. The Company licenses thin-film, solid-state batteries for industrial, government, and medical applications. The Company�� thin-film battery is rechargeable, lithium-based, and the active battery layers are thinner than common plastic wrap.

The Company�� batteries are intended for applications, such as wireless smart sensors, which operate in harsh environments, security cards, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, semiconductor non-volatile memory chips, and implantable medical devices. Its prototype cells on ceramic substrates supplied to customers are 0.024 of an inch (0.62 millimeters) thick. Thin-film lithium and lithium-ion batteries are ideally suited for a variety of applications where a small power source is needed.

The Company competes with Infinite Power Solutions, Inc., Front Edge Technology, Inc., Cymbet Corporation, Teledyne Electronic Technologies, Excellatron and Planar Energy Devices, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, OKME has shed (-7.69%) down -0.050 at $.600 with 2,446 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 9:56AM EDT July 15, 2013), but don�� let this get you down.

  Oak Ridge Micro-Energy, Inc. previously reported a strategic US $2.5M investment by Precept Fund Management SPC�� on behalf of Prescient Fund SP into the revitalised US battery company Oak Ridge Micro-Energy.

  Mr. Steve Barber, Principal of Precept Investment Management Limited, the investment manager of Precept Fund Management SPC said:

  ��lobally the energy storage sector is projected to be a US$60 Billion market by 2020. Precept�� $2.5m placement into OKME is a strategic move by the fund to secure a significant share of this exciting company and the growth potential of the battery market. Our opinion is that OKME has a world leading technical and commercial team, a focused business development strategy and the reputation to be a key player in the US and global battery market. OKME is one of only two investment targets the Fund identified after an in-depth analysis of the energy storage market. The other is a Swiss battery company named Leclanche. Precept is a long-term, active participation, value investor, and we look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with OKME.��/p>

• [By CRWE]

  Today, OKME has surged (+6.67%) up +0.050 at $.800 with 10,090 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 10:52AM EDT July 18, 2013).

  Oak Ridge Micro-Energy, Inc. previously reported a strategic US $2.5M investment by Precept Fund Management SPC�� on behalf of Prescient Fund SP into the revitalised US battery company Oak Ridge Micro-Energy.

  Mr. Steve Barber, Principal of Precept Investment Management Limited, the investment manager of Precept Fund Management SPC said:

  ��lobally the energy storage sector is projected to be a US$60 Billion market by 2020. Precept�� $2.5m placement into OKME is a strategic move by the fund to secure a significant share of this exciting company and the growth potential of the battery market. Our opinion is that OKME has a world leading technical and commercial team, a focused business development strategy and the reputation to be a key player in the US and global battery market. OKME is one of only two investment targets the Fund identified after an in-depth analysis of the energy storage market. The other is a Swiss battery company named Leclanche. Precept is a long-term, active participation, value investor, and we look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with OKME.��/p>

Best US Stocks To Buy For 2014: Quanta Services Inc.(PWR)

Quanta Services, Inc. provides specialty contracting services primarily in North America. The company?s Electric Power Infrastructure Services segment designs, installs, upgrades, repairs, and maintains electric power transmission and distribution networks, and substation facilities; renewable energy generation facilities; and offers emergency restoration services, including repairing infrastructure to the electric power industry. Its Natural Gas and Pipeline Infrastructure Services segment designs, installs, repairs, and maintains natural gas and oil transmission and distribution systems, compressor and pump stations, and gas gathering systems, as well as offers related trenching, directional boring, and automatic welding services; and pipeline protection, integrity testing, rehabilitation and replacement, and fabrication of pipeline support systems, and related structures and facilities. This segment also provides airport fueling systems, and water and sewer infrastruct ure. It services customers engaged in the transportation of natural gas, oil, and other pipeline products. The company?s Telecommunications Infrastructure Services segment designs, installs, repairs, and maintains fiber optic, copper, and coaxial cable networks for video, data and voice transmission; and designs, installs, and upgrades wireless communications networks, including towers, switching systems, and backhaul links, as well as offers emergency restoration services. This segment serves customers in the wireline and wireless telecommunications, and cable television industries. Its Fiber Optic Licensing segment designs, procures, constructs, owns, and maintains fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure; and markets and licenses the right to use these point-to-point fiber optic telecommunications facilities. It provides its services to enterprise, education, carrier, financial services, and healthcare customers. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chad Tracy]

  TransCanada is not the only company that stands to profit from the possible Keystone XL approval. Refiners such as Valero and LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE: LYB), as well as construction companies Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) and Quanta Services (NYSE: PWR) all stand to gain if Keystone XL gets the green light.

• [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 Quanta Services (NYSE: PWR  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.