Top Long Term Stocks To Buy For 2015

The best thing about the stock market is that you can make money in�either direction. Historically, stock indexes have tended to trend up over the long term. But when you look at individual stocks, you'll find plenty that lose money over the long haul. According to hedge fund institution Blackstar Funds, even with dividends�included, between 1983 and 2006, 64% of stocks underperformed the Russell 3000, a broad-scope market index.

A large influx of short-sellers shouldn't be a condemning factor for any company, but it could be a red flag from traders that something may not be as cut-and-dried as it appears. Let's look at three companies that have seen a rapid increase in the number of shares sold short and see whether traders are blowing smoke or if their worry has some merit.

Company

Short Increase June 28 to July 15

Short Shares as a % of Float

VelocityShares Daily 2X VIX (NYSEMKT: TVIX  )

Top Long Term Stocks To Buy For 2015: Karoon Gas Australia Ltd (KRNGF)

Karoon Gas Australia Ltd (Karoon Gas) is an Australia-based exploration company. The Company is principally engaged in the hydrocarbon exploration and evaluation in Australia, Brazil and Peru. The Company operates in three segments: Australia, Brazil and Peru exploration. The Company�� Australia segment is involved in the exploration and evaluation of hydrocarbons in four offshore permit areas: WA-314-P, WA-315-P, WA-398-P and WA-482-P; The Company in its Brazil segment is involved in the exploration and evaluation of hydrocarbons in five offshore blocks including Block S-M-1037, Block S-M-1101, Block S-M-1102, Block S-M-1165 and Block S-M-1166. The Company under its Peru exploration segment is involved in the exploration and evaluation of hydrocarbons in two blocks in Peru, including Block 144 (onshore) and Block Z-38 (offshore). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks gave ground in early Friday trading, with banks broadly lower after overnight losses in the U.S., where investors worried that better-than-expected data would prompt the Federal Reserve to roll back stimulus soon. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) lost 0.4% to 5,178.30, as National Australia Bank Ltd. (AU:NAB) (NAUBF) fell 1.8%, Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (AU:ANZ) (ANEWF) lost 0.8%, and Macquarie Group Ltd. (AU:MQG) (MCQEF) retreated 1.3%. Among the resource shares, losses for gold both in New York and in early Asian electronic trade helped send Evolution Mining Ltd. (AU:EVN) (CAHPF) down 1.9% and Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. (AU:KCN) (KSKGF) off 4.5%, though Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) held the drop to 0.4%. Oil prices managed a modest gain, however, resulting in a 0.2% rise for Oil Search Ltd. (AU:OSH) (OISHF) and Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. (AU:KAR) (KRNGF) , while Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (AU:WPL)

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks seesawed in early Monday trade, with gains for miners and energy names helping support the market, as the S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) sat 0.1% higher at 5,325.90 after changing direction several times. Official Chinese data showing manufacturing holding its growth rate in October appeared to help some miners, as did gains for some commodity prices. Shares of Rio Tinto Ltd. (AU:RIO) (RIO) rose 0.5%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) added 0.7%, Oz Minerals Ltd. (AU:OZL) (OZMLF) advanced 1%, and Whitehaven Coal Ltd. (AU:WHC) improved by 1.9%. Likewise, an advance for gold futures sent Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) rallying 3.4%, and Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. (AU:KCN) (KSKGF) up 2.9%. Energy shares also traded higher, with Oil Search Ltd. (AU:OSH) (OISHF) up 1.3%, and Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. (AU:KAR) (KRNGF) adding 1.7%. On the downside, retailers were mostly lower, with David Jones Ltd. (AU:DJS) (DVDJF)

Top Long Term Stocks To Buy For 2015: Citigroup Inc.(C)

Citigroup, Inc., a global financial services company, provides consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions with a range of financial products and services. The company operates through two segments, Citicorp and Citi Holdings. The Citicorp segment operates as a global bank for businesses and consumers with two primary businesses, Regional Consumer Banking and Institutional Clients Group. The Regional Consumer Banking business provides traditional banking services, including retail banking, and branded cards in North America, Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The Institutional Clients Group business provides securities and banking services comprising investment banking and advisory services, lending, debt and equity sales and trading, institutional brokerage, foreign exchange, structured products, cash instruments and related derivatives, and private banking; and transaction services consisting of treasury and trade solutions, and securiti es and fund services. The Citi Holdings segment operates Brokerage and Asset Management, Local Consumer Lending, and Special Asset Pool businesses. The Brokerage and Asset Management Business, through its 49% stake in Morgan Stanley Smith Barney joint venture and Nikko Cordial Securities, offers retail brokerage and asset management services. The Local Consumer Lending business provides residential mortgage loans, retail partner card loans, personal loans, commercial real estate, and other consumer loans, as well as western European cards and retail banking services. The Special Asset Pool business is a portfolio of securities, loans, and other assets. Citigroup Inc. has approximately 200 million customer accounts and operates in approximately 160 countries. The company was founded in 1812 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chuck Saletta]

  For instance, when I went bank-stock shopping for the real-money Inflation-Protected Income Growth portfolio, I used a 15% discount rate. After all, banking crises aren't exactly rare, and nearly all the banks were affected by the recent financial crisis. Indeed, even some large banks, like Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) and Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) haven't recovered well enough from that most recent crisis to begin restoring their dividends. Your money may be safe in a bank, but it's at risk in the bank's stock.

• [By John Maxfield]

  What started as a whimper with a single Midwestern state's decision to allow interstate banking, quickly transformed into the same roar that can be heard today. Multiple states rushed to follow Iowa's lead throughout the 1970s. Alaska, Maine, and Arizona were early adopters, and New York soon followed suit. The trend gained momentum during the 1980s with the introduction of regional banking compacts, which were fueled, in large part, by a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding their constitutionality. This gave way to the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Act of 1994, which removed all federal impediments to interstate banking and ignited a series of "mergers among equals" that gave us the banking behemoths we know today, including Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) . And the final piece of the puzzle, the crowning achievement if you will, was the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999, which made it possible for the likes of JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM  ) and Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) to take on their present forms.

• [By Jessica Alling]

  Last week Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) made headlines when it was revealed that a House bill that would weaken some of the derivative rules in the Dodd-Frank bill was largely composed of suggestions from the bank. As one of the largest derivatives traders in the U.S., it's no surprise that Citi wanted to get involved in the regulatory changes. But now we're seeing some other financial companies step up to the plate to take their shot at regulations through a new avenue. With AIG (NYSE: AIG  ) and JPMorgan Chase� (NYSE: JPM  ) leading the pack, is it a good thing for investors if Wall Street goes to Washington?

• [By John Grgurich]

  Fellow Fools, operating under the assumption you can't properly evaluate a company as an investment if you don't know what makes that company tick, for the last few weeks we've been examining superbank Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) from top to bottom.

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now: AGCO Corporation (AGCO)

AGCO Corporation manufactures and distributes agricultural equipment and related replacement parts worldwide. The company provides tractors, including compact tractors for small farms and specialty agricultural industries comprising dairies, landscaping, and residential areas; utility tractors, such as two-wheel and all-wheel drive versions for small and medium-sized farms, and specialty agricultural industries consist of dairy, livestock, orchards, and vineyards; and horsepower tractors for large farms and on cattle ranches for hay production. It also offers application equipment, which includes self-propelled, three and four-wheeled vehicles, and related equipment for use in the application of liquid and dry fertilizers, and crop protection chemicals; chemical sprayer equipment for planting crops; and related equipment that comprises vehicles for waste application, as well as provides combines. In addition, the company offers hay tools and forage equipment consisting rou nd and rectangular balers, self-propelled windrowers, disc mowers, spreaders and mower conditioners for harvesting and packaging vegetative feeds; and engines, such as diesel engines, gears, and generating sets. Further, it provides implements, including disc harrows for improving field performance; heavy tillage to break up soil and mix crop residue; and field cultivators for preparing smooth seed bed and destroy weeds, as well as offers tractor-pulled planters and loaders. Additionally, the company provides precision farming technologies to enhance productivity and profitability on the farm; and other advanced technology precision farming products to gather information, such as yield data, as well as offers wholesale financing and retail financing. It markets its products under the Challenger, Fendt, Massey Ferguson, and Valtra brand names through a network of independent dealers and distributors. AGCO Corporation was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia .

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mike the PhD]

  Historically the stock prices of Deere (DE) and other agricultural equipment firms and retailers like Case-New Holland (CNH), Titan Machinery (TITN), AGCO (AGCO), Tractor Supply (TSCO), Valmont (VAL), and Lindsay (LNN) have tended to closely track the price of corn. When corn prices go up, farmers tend to make more money, and they spend that money on new equipment from Deere and other firms. This relationship is especially strong for Deere and Corn, but it holds true for all of the stocks above to some extent. (Correlation coefficients between all of the stock prices above and corn are statistically significant to at least the 5% level, see my blog here for more details.)

• [By John Reese]

  AGCO Corporation (AGCO) is a manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment and related replacement parts globally. Its products are marketed under a range of brands, including Challenger, Fendt, Massey Ferguson, and Valtra.

Top Long Term Stocks To Buy For 2015: Dorman Products Inc.(DORM)

Dorman Products, Inc. supplies automotive replacement parts, fasteners, and service line products primarily for the automotive aftermarket. The company offers approximately 128,000 products comprising original equipment dealer parts, which include intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, oil cooler lines, window regulators, radiator fan assemblies, power steering pulleys, and harmonic balancers; and replacement parts, such as window handles and switches, door hardware, interior trim parts, headlamp aiming screws and retainer rings, radiator parts, battery hold-down bolts and repair kits, valve train parts, and power steering filler caps. It also provides application specific and general automotive hardware, such as body hardware, general automotive fasteners, oil drain plugs, and wheel hardware; a selection of electrical connectors, wires, tools, testers, and accessories; and a line of home hardware and home organization products designed for retail merchandisers. In addition, the company offers a brake and clutch program; remanufactured automotive replacement parts, such as transfer case modules and instrument clusters; and heavy duty aftermarket parts for class 4-8 heavy vehicles, including coolant tubes, door handles and other body parts, fluid reservoirs, headlights and lighting, hood components, window regulators, and wiper transmissions. It sells its products under the OE Solutions, HELP!, AutoGrade, FirstStop, Conduct-Tite!, Pik-A-Nut, and HD Solutions brand names through automotive aftermarket retailers; national, regional, and local warehouse distributors; specialty markets; and salvage yards in the United States, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Canada. The company, formerly known as R&B, Inc., was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Colmar, Pennsylvania.

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 Dorman Products (Nasdaq: DORM  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top Long Term Stocks To Buy For 2015: Performant Financial Corp (PFMT)

Performant Financial Corporation (Performant), incorporated on October 8, 2003, provide technology-enabled recovery and related analytics services in the United States. The Company�� services help identify and recover delinquent or defaulted assets and improper payments for both government and private clients in a broad range of markets. The Company provides its services on an outsourced basis, where the Company handles many or all aspects of its clients��recovery processes. The Company derives its revenues from services for clients in a range of different markets. These markets include student lending and healthcare, as well as its other markets, which include delinquent state taxes and federal Treasury and other receivables. The Company�� clients include 12 of the 32 public sector participants in the student loan industry. In February 2012, it purchased a perpetual software license and computer equipment from HOPS, Inc.

Student Lending

The Company derives its revenues from the recovery of student loans. These revenues are contract-based and consist primarily of contingency fees based on a specified percentage of the amount the Company enables its clients to recover. The Company engages subcontractors to assist in the recovery of a portion of the client�� portfolio. It also receives success fees for the recovery of loans under Master Service Agreements (MSAs) and its revenues under MSA arrangements include fees earned by the activities of its subcontractors. The Company uses its technology to identify, track and communicate with defaulted borrowers on behalf of its clients to implement suitable recovery programs for the repayment of outstanding student loan balances.

The Company�� client�� contract with it to provide recovery services for large pools of student loans generally representing a portion of the total outstanding defaulted balances they manage, which they provide to us as placements on a periodic basis. The Company also restructures and r! ecovers student loans issued directly by banks to students outside of federal lending programs.

Healthcare

The Company derives revenues from the healthcare market primarily from its Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC), contract, under, which it is a prime contractor responsible for detecting improperly paid Part A and Part B Medicare claims in 12 states in the Northeastern United States. Revenues earned under the RAC contract are driven by the identification of improperly paid Medicare claims through both automated and manual review of such claims. The Company outsourced certain aspects of its healthcare recovery process to three different subcontractors.

Other

The Company derives revenues from the recovery of delinquent state taxes, and federal Treasury and other receivables, default aversion services for certain clients, including financial institutions and the licensing of hosted technology solutions to certain clients. For its hosted technology services, the Company licenses its system and integrates its technology into its clients��operations, for which it is paid a licensing fee. The Company�� revenues for these services include contingency fees, fees based on dedicated headcount to its clients and hosted technology licensing fees. The federal agency market consists of government debt subrogated to the Department of the Treasury.

For state and municipal tax authorities, the Company analyzes a portfolio of delinquent tax and other receivables placed with the Company, develop a recovery plan and execute a recovery process designed to maximize the recovery of funds. In some instances, it has also run state tax amnesty programs, which provide one-time relief for delinquent tax obligations, and other debtor management services for its clients. For the Department of the Treasury, it recovers government debt subrogated to it by numerous different federal agencies. The placements it has provided represent a mix of commercial and individual oblig! ations.

Data Management Expertise

The Company�� platform manages and stores large amounts of data throughout the workflow process. This includes both data it has compiled, as well as third-party data.

Data Analytics Capabilities

The Company�� data analytics capabilities screen and allocate massive volumes of recovery inventory. Upon receipt of each placement of student loans, the Company utilize its algorithms to assist its in determining the recovery process and the optimal allocation of recovery specialist resources for each loan. In the healthcare market, the Company analyze millions of Medicare claims to find potential correlations between claims data and improper payments.

Workflow Processes

The Company refers to the patented technology that supports its workflows as Smart Bins. The Company�� workflow processes integrate a range of functions that encompass each stage of a recovery process.

The Company competes with Health Management Systems, Inc., Connolly Consulting, Inc. and CGI Group.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Performant Financial (PFMT) provides technology-enabled recovery and related analytics services in the U.S. This stock closed up 6.9% at $11.84 in Friday's trading session.

  Friday's Volume: 310,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 261,916
  
  Volume % Change: 60%

  From a technical perspective, PFMT soared higher here right off both its 200-day moving average of $11.02 and its 50-day moving average at $11.06 with decent upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of PFMT within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if PFMT manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $12.47 to $13.26 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in PFMT as long as it's trending above its 200-day at $11.02 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 261,916 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then PFMT will set up to re-test or possibly take out its all-time high at $14.09. Any high-volume move above $14.09 will then give PFMT a chance to trend north of $15.

• [By Magic Diligence]

  Much of United Online's appeal was due to its over 4% dividend yield, but the company announced in late January that it would be discontinuing its dividend to focus on growth initiatives. This follows itsNovember spin-off of FTD, which leaves United with 3 cash producing but declining businesses: Classmates.com, NetZero, and Juno. NetZero Mobile Broadband is an interesting product but one with a lot of competition from the carriers. Frankly, the dividend has been the main attraction for some time, and without it this is a declining company with a fair bit of debt. That does not make for the most attractive option. PASS.

  Performant Financial (PFMT) - down 28.1%

  Performant earns fees for collecting delinquent student loans (about 60% of the business) and providing recovery services for improper Medicare payments (close to 30%). The recent sell-off in the stock seems due to comments from Sallie Mae regarding lower rehabilitation fees paid to Guarantee Agencies, which investors expect to "trickle down" to service providers like PFMT. The stock has been sold off dramatically on these assumptions. We should know more when the company reports earnings in the coming weeks, but this is one worth looking at more closely - the firm has been growing revenue at 30%+ rates. WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION.

Top Long Term Stocks To Buy For 2015: Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation(SMI)

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, an investment holding company, engages in the computer-aided design, manufacture, packaging, testing, and trade of integrated circuits. It offers a range of technologies from 0.35μm to 65nm with capabilities that include logic, mixed signal/RF CMOS, high voltage, embedded, flash, EEPROM, and CIS technology. The company also provides portfolio of semiconductor intellectual property (IP) blocks from 0.35um to 65nm to support the design needs of customers; ASIC design services; reference flows; mixed-signal/RF PDKs; and multi-project wafer services. In addition, it involves in the design and manufacture of semiconductor masks; and provides assembly and testing, wafer bumping, and wafer probing/testing services. Further, the company offers marketing related activities; operates convenience stores; and manufactures and trades in solar cell related semiconductor products. Its products are used primarily in mobile, network ing, and wireless local area network applications, as well as in consumer and communications products, including digital television, set-top box, mobile, portable media player, and personal digital assistant applications. The company serves integrated device manufacturers, fables semiconductor companies, and system companies principally in the United States, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Nestle decreased 2.6 percent to 63 francs, contributing the most to the SMI (SMI)�� drop. Revenue in the first half increased 4.1 percent, excluding acquisitions, divestments and currency shifts. That missed the median estimate of 4.5 percent growth.

• [By Pato Kehoe]

  In an attempt to trim costs and increase its operational efficiencies, Estee Lauder�� business strategy last year focused on centralizing its core operating functions, as well as reducing non-profitable stock keeping units. The cost reduction program, Strategic Modernization Initiative (SMI), proved highly efficient, saving the company $781 million in 2013. Furthermore, while the program will continue throughout 2014, management announced that it would be reinvesting a large amount of the cost savings in marketing for its core brands, along with product innovation. In this regard, decentralizing innovation to better adjust to its global customer preferences, is and will continue to be a key strategy in further propelling the beauty giant�� growth.

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  National benchmark indexes advanced in 13 of the 18 western European markets this week. France�� CAC 40 Index climbed 1.2 percent and Germany�� DAX Index increased 0.6 percent. The U.K.�� FTSE 100 Index sank 1.3 percent, while the Swiss Market Index (SMI) retreated 0.2 percent.

• [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

  The SMI (SMI) declined 0.1 percent to 8,161.14 at 10:05 a.m. in Zurich. The gauge fell 1.4 percent last week, its first retreat in five weeks. The broader Swiss Performance Index also decreased 0.1 percent today.

Top Long Term Stocks To Buy For 2015: Brady Corp (BRC)

Brady Corporation (Brady), incorporated in 1914, is an international manufacturer of identification solutions and specialty materials that identify and protect premises, products and people. Brady provides customers with a range of customized and diverse products for use in various applications. The Company is organized and managed on a geographic basis within three regions: Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Asia-Pacific, which are the segments. Across these regions, the Company operates three primary business platforms: Identification Solutions (ID Solutions), Direct Marketing and Die-Cut. During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company�� revenue included Americas 45%, EMEA 29% and Asia-Pacific 26% respectively. During fiscal 2012, the Company�� ID Solutions generated 56%, Direct Marketing 27% and Die-Cut 17% of revenue. In December 2012, Water Street Healthcare Partners sold Precision Dynamics Corporation (PDC) to the Company.

ID Solutions

Within the ID Solutions platform, Brady�� product categories include workplace safety and compliance, which includes facility identification, labeling systems, spill control, lockout/tagout, and software services; product identification, which includes materials and printing systems for product identification, brand protection labeling, work in process labeling, finished product identification, and bar coding that performs under a range of harsh or demanding conditions; wire identification, which includes handheld printers, wire markers, sleeves and tags, and people identification, which includes self-expiring name tags, badges, lanyards, and access control software and products. Approximately 75% of ID Solutions products are sold under the Brady brand.

Safety and facility identification products are also marketed under the Safety Signs Service brand, with some lockout/tagout products offered under the Scafftag brands. In the United States, identification products for the u! tility industry are marketed under the Electromark brand, and spill-control products are marketed under the Sorbent Products Company brand; security and identification badges and systems are included in the Temtec, B.I.G., Identicard/Identicam, STOPware, J.A.M. Plastics, PromoVision, and Brady People ID brands; wire identification products are marketed under the Modernotecnica brand in Italy and the Carroll brand in Australia; hand-held regulatory documentation systems are available under the Tiscor brand, and custom labels and nameplates are available under the Stickolor brand in Brazil.

The Company�� ID Solutions platform offers products with rapid response and superior service to provide solutions to customers. The business markets and sells products through multiple channels, including distributors, direct sales, mail-order-catalog marketing, and electronic access through e-commerce. The ID Solutions platform serves customers in many markets, which include industrial manufacturing, electronic manufacturing, chemical, oil, gas, food and beverage, aerospace, defense, mass transit, electrical contractors, and telecommunications, among others. The ID Solutions platform provides differentiated, products, many which have been internally developed and manufactured. These internally developed products include materials, printing systems, and software.

Direct Marketing

Within the Direct Marketing business platform, Brady�� product categories include workplace safety and compliance products, which include informational signs, tags, security and traffic related products, first aid supplies, material handling, asset identification, safety and facility identification, and regulatory products. Products within the Direct Marketing platform are sold under a range of brands, including safety and facility identification products offered under the Seton, Emedco, Signals, Safetyshop, Clement and Personnel Concepts brands; spill-control products under the D.A.W.G. brand, and ! first aid! supplies under the Accidental Health and Safety, Trafalgar, and Securimed brands. The Direct Marketing platform markets and sells products through multiple channels, which include catalog, telemarketing and e-commerce. The business serves customers in many markets, which include process industries, manufacturers, government, education, construction, and utilities. The Direct Marketing platform manufactures a range of stock and custom identification products, and also sells a range of related resale products.

Die-Cut

Within the Die-Cut business platform, the Company's products include customized precision die-cut products used to seal, dissipate heat, insulate, protect, shield, or provide other mechanical performance properties. Products within the Die-Cut platform are sold primarily under the Brady brand, with some European business marketed as Balkhausen products. The business sells through a technical direct sales force, and is supported by global strategic account management. The Die-Cut platform serves customers in many markets, which include mobile handset, hard disk drive, consumer electronics, other computing devices, as well as products for the automotive and medical equipment markets. The Die-Cut platform consists of engineered customized products, manufactured to specific customer requirements.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Flannelly]

  Before the opening bell on Thursday, identification solutions provider Brady Corp (BRC) posted a loss in the fourth quarter, despite a rise in revenues, as it was negatively impacted by a number of charges. However, excluding these charges, the company was able to top Wall Street analysts’ earnings and sales estimates. Nonetheless, BRC shares are plummeting in Thursday’s trading.

  The Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based company posted a loss from continuing operations of $176.2 million, or $3.41 per share, in the fourth quarter, versus last year’s fourth quarter earnings from continuing operations of $20.9 million, or 40 cents per share. Furthermore, Brady posted a net loss of $177.2 million, or $3.43 per share, compared to net earnings of $11.6 million, or 22 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

  The fourth quarter loss includes non-cash impairment charges of $204.4 million, $15.6 million in restructuring charges, and $4 million in acquisition-related charges. Excluding these charges, Brady Corp said earnings would have been 53 cents per share in the quarter. According to analysts polled by Thomson Reuters, the company was expected to earn an adjusted 51 cents per share in the fourth quarter.

  The company’s fourth quarter sales came in at $309.1 million, up 15% from $269.1 million in sales posted last year. On average, analysts were expecting the company to see $307.13 million in revenues for the quarter.

  Looking ahead, Brady Corp. sees fiscal 2014 earnings coming in between $1.80 and $2.00 per share, below the analysts’ view of $2.30 per share.

  Brady Corp shares were down $1.71, or 5.25%, during early morning trading on Thursday. The stock is up 7.93% year-to-date.

• [By Mike Deane]

  For the 28th year in a row, Brady Corp (BRC) has increased its dividend payout to investors.

  The Milwaukee, WI-based company increased its quarterly dividend to 19.5 cents from 19 cents, an increase of 2.6%. The annual dividend now stands at 78 cents. The quarterly dividend will be paid on October 31st, 2013 to all shareholders of record on October 10, 2013.

  BRC shares were down 40 cents, or �1.23%, by market close on Wednesday. YTD, the company’s stock is down over 4%.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Basic guidelines
  In this series, I examine inventory using a simple rule of thumb: Inventory increases ought to roughly parallel revenue increases. If inventory bloats more quickly than sales grow, this might be a sign that expected sales haven't materialized. Is the current inventory situation at Brady (NYSE: BRC  ) out of line? To figure that out, start by comparing the company's inventory growth to sales growth. How is Brady doing by this quick checkup? At first glance, OK, it seems. Trailing-12-month revenue increased 1.7%, and inventory decreased 6.1%. Comparing the latest quarter to the prior-year quarter, the story looks decent. Revenue shrank 7.8%, and inventory shrank 6.1%. Over the sequential quarterly period, the trend looks healthy. Revenue dropped 5.7%, and inventory dropped 20.2%.

Top Long Term Stocks To Buy For 2015: Enertopia Corp (ENRT)

Enertopia Corp (Enertopia), incorporated on November 24, 2004, is engaged in medicinal marijuana business. The Company is diverse in its pursuit of business opportunities in several sectors, including: Medicinal Marijuana, Oil and Gas, Solar PV (Photovoltaic), Solar Thermal (Hot Water), Energy Retrofits and Recovery, and Solar powered Filtered Drinking Water.

The Company no longer has any material oil and gas resources. The Company operates in two segments: renewable energy, and mining exploration and developments, which are managed separately based on fundamental differences in their operations nature.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  What�� the Catch With Lexaria Corp? According to various disclosures, a transaction or transactions of $1k has or will occur to mention Lexaria Corp in various investment newsletters. Last Friday, Lexaria Corp announced it had closed its Private Placement financing announced on March 5 for gross proceeds of $1,272,000 ��higher than the originally announced $960,000 figure due to ��verwhelming demand.��Lexaria Corp will issue 10,600,000 common shares at US$0.12 and 10,600,000 full warrants that expire on September 21, 2016 with an exercise price of US$0.25. However, the company may also accelerate the expiry date of the warrants if the stock price trades above CAD$0.40 cents for 20 consecutive days at any time after 6 months and one day has elapsed. Otherwise and in early March, Lexaria Corp reported that its board of directors had decided to make a strategic entry into the medical marijuana business by way of an ��mportant Joint Venture��with Enertopia Corp (OTCQB: ENRT). Under the terms of the Agreement, Lexaria Corp had agreed to pay Enertopia 1 million restricted common shares in return for Enertopia's participation plus 500,000 restricted common shares ENRT�� Chairman in return for his participation on the Lexaria Advisory Board. Following the issuance of these shares, Lexaria Corp will have a total of 18,431,452 shares issued and outstanding and 21,256,452 shares fully diluted. A quick look at Lexaria Corp�� financials reveals revenues of $160k (most recent reported quarter), $241k, $251k and $253k for the past four quarters along with net losses of $102k (most recent reported quarter), $126k, $58k and $48k. At the end of last January, Lexaria Corp had $66k in cash to cover $1,415k in current liabilities and $59k in other liabilities. So aside from the income statement, investors might want to look more closely at Lexaria Corp�� financing terms.

Top Long Term Stocks To Buy For 2015: Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ENZN)

Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company, engages in the research and development of therapeutics for cancer patients with unmet medical needs. The company?s drug-development programs utilize two platforms-Customized PEGylation Linker Technology and third-generation mRNA-targeting agents utilizing the Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) technology. It currently holds four compounds in clinical development and multiple novel LNA targets in preclinical research. The company?s development product pipeline consists of PEG-SN38 compound that utilizes Customized Linker Technology, which is in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic colorectal and breast cancer, as well as a Phase I trial for pediatric patients with cancer; and the Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 alpha antagonist in Phase I studies for the treatment of solid tumors and lymphoma. Its product line also comprises Survivin antagonist in Phase I study in pediatric patients with recurrent acute lymphoblas tic leukemia; Androgen Receptor antagonist, a validated target for the treatment of prostate cancer that is in a Phase I study in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer; and rights to five compounds, including AR, HER3, beta-catenin, PI3KCA, and Gli2. Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Enzon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENZN) shares fell 2.57% to touch a new 52-week low of $1.11. Enzon Pharmaceuticals shares have dropped 75.85% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 24.92% in the same period.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  With just a quick glance at the company's recent news (or lack thereof), Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ENZN) doesn't look like anything all that special... or even trade-worthy. It only takes a brief look at the chart of ENZN, however, to conclude this stock - lack of new or not - has just become something trade-worthy, because the rest of the market has clearly started to fall back in love with it; there's no telling at what price the love affair could end.

• [By Equities Lab]

  The stocks that currently pass the stock screen in order of market cap are Frontier Communications Corp , Crown Media Holdings (CRWN), Vonage Holding (VG), MCG Capital Corp (MCGC), 1-800-FLOWERS.COM (FLWS), MTR Gaming Corporation (MNTG), Alaska Communications (ALSK), and Enzon Pharmaceuticals (ENZN).