Top Consumer Service Companies To Buy For 2014

Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd. detracted from performance in the first quarter following strong outperformance in 2013. Mitsui Fudosan is a mixed-use Japanese property developer and real estate operating company. The company's weak performance was in line with the general underperformance of Japanese equities due to increased uncertainty around monetary policy and economic growth in that country

From Baron Funds' first quarter 2014 commentary.

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5 Best Life Sciences Stocks To Buy For 2015: Fairchild Semiconductor International Inc (FCS)

Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. (Fairchild) focuses on developing, manufacturing and selling power analog, power discrete and certain non-power semiconductor solutions to a range of end market customers. The Company is a supplier of power analog products, power discrete products and energy-efficient solutions, according to iSuppli. Its products are used in a range of electronic applications, including sophisticated computers and Internet hardware; communications, including wireless phones; networking and storage equipment; industrial power supply and instrumentation equipment; consumer electronics, such as digital cameras, displays, audio/video devices and household appliances, and automotive applications.

The Company�� product groups are organized by the end markets, which include Mobile, Computing, Consumer and Communication (MCCC), Power Conversion, Industrial and Automotive (PCIA) and Standard Discrete and Standard Linear (SDT). It invested in the wafer fabrication power semiconductor technology, including low and mid voltage PowerTrench, advanced insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), as well as advanced high power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET) fabrication technologies.

Mobile, Computing, Consumer and Communication (MCCC)

The Company designs, manufactures and markets high-performance analog and mixed signal integrated circuits, low voltage power MOSFETs for mobile, consumer, computing, and communication applications. It has a portfolio of PowerTrench technology products. Its analog and mixed signal products are focused on the mobile end- markets.

Analog products monitor, interpret, and control continuously variable functions, such as light, color, sound, and energy. It forms the interface with the digital world. It provides a range of analog products that perform such tasks as voltage regulation, audio amplification, power and signal switching and system management. Analog voltage regulation circ! uits are used to provide constant voltages, as well as step up or step down voltage levels on a circuit board. These products enable improvements in power efficiency, lighting management, and improve charge times in ultraportable products. These products are used in a variety of mobile, computing, communications and consumer applications.

In addition to the power analog and interface products, it also offers signal path products. These include analog and digital switches, universal serial bus (USB) switches, video filters and high performance audio amplifiers. The analog switch functions are typically found in cellular handsets and other ultra portable applications. The video products provide a single chip solution to video filtering and amplification. Video filtering applications include set top boxes and digital television. Its solutions include surface mount devices, tiny packages, chip scale packages, and leadless carriers.

The Company also design, manufacture and market power semiconductor solutions for computing, communications, mobile, consumer and industrial applications. Power semiconductor solutions include, power discrete MOSFETs, analog integrated circuits, and fully integrated multi-chip and monolithic power solutions. Its power MOSFETs are primarily used in power delivery and power control applications. Power delivery and control applications are ubiquitous across data consumption, processing and communication applications. It produces advanced low power MOSFETs under its PowerTrench brands. The advanced power MOSFETs applications are used in smartphones, tablets, notebook personal computer, high performance gaming, home entertainment systems, servers, data communication, and routers.

The Company competes with Analog Devices, Inc., Linear Technology Corporation, Maxim Integrated Product, Inc., Micrel Inc, ON Semiconductor Corporation, ST Microelectronics N.V., Intersil Corporation, International Rectifier Corporation, Infineon Technologies AG and T! exas Inst! ruments Incorporated.

Power Conversion, Industrial and Automotive (PCIA)

Fairchild design, manufacture and market power discrete semiconductors, analog and mixed signal integrated circuits (ICs) for broad power conversion/power management, industrial, and automotive applications. Its products are building blocks that help convert a semi-regulated energy source (alternating current (AC)or direct current (DC)) to a regulated output for electronic systems (AC-DC, DC-AC, and DC-DC conversion). Its discrete devices are individual diodes or transistors that perform power switching, power conditioning and signal amplification functions in electronic circuits. The Company�� analog and mixed signal integrated circuits (IC) are used to control discrete semiconductors in applications, such as power switching, conditioning, signal amplification, power distribution and power consumption. It manufacture discrete products using vertical DMOS MOSFETs, Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT), Bipolar, and ultrafast rectifier technologies. It manufacture analog and mixed signal ICs using a range of bipolar (Bi), complementary metal oxide (CMOS), BiCMOS, and bipolar/CMOS/DMOS (BCDMOS) processes up to 1,200 volts and down to 0.35um (microns) minimum geometry.

Power MOSFETs are used in applications to switch, shape or transfer energy. These products are used in a range of high-growth applications, including solar inverters, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), data centers and communications, motors, lighting, automotive, computing, displays and industrial supplies. It produce advanced power MOSFETs under its SupreMOS, SuperFET, PowerTrench, UniFET and QFET brands. IGBTs are high-voltage power discrete devices. They are used in switching applications for solar inverters, uninterruped power supply, data centers and communications, motors, industrial, power supplies, displays, television and automotive ignition systems. These applications require lower switching frequencies, highe! r power, ! and/or higher voltages than a power MOSFET can provide. It is a supplier of IGBTs. Rectifier products work with IGBTs and MOSFETs in many applications to provide power conversion and conditioning. Its product is the STEALTH rectifier, providing industry performance and efficiencies in data communications, industrial power supply, displays, television, and motor applications.

Leveraging its power MOSFET and IGBT technologies, it also design and manufacture modules for the industrial, automotive, and home appliance end markets. It design and develop a line of smart power modules (SPM) products targeted to various end applications in consumer white goods and industrial applications, which include room air conditioners, industrial power supplies, solar inverters, pumps, and industrial motors. These are multi-chip modules containing up to 28 components in a single package that includes diodes, power discrete IGBTs or MOSFETs, high voltage power management driver ICs and current and temperature sensors. Similar modules, called APM, are used in automotive applications.

The Company design and manufacture power management semiconductors for line-powered and off-line powered systems that integrate its Power MOSFETs. It sell and market off-line and isolated DC-DC ICs, MOSFET and IGBT gate driver ICs, and power factor correction ICs to the consumer, computing, display, television, lighting and industrial segments.

The Company competes with Infineon Technologies AG, ST MicroelectronicsN.V., International Rectifier Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Power Integrations, Inc., ON Semiconductor Corporation, NXP Semiconductors N.V. and Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.

Standard Linear and Standard Discrete (SDT)

Standard Diodes and Transistors products cover a range of semiconductor products, including MOSFET, junction field effect transistors (JFETs), high power bipolar, discrete small signal transistors, TVS,! Zeners, ! rectifiers, bridge rectifiers, Schottky devices and diodes. The Company design, manufacture and market analog integrated circuits for computing, consumer, communications, ultra-portable and industrial applications. These products are manufactured using bipolar, CMOS and BiCMOS technologies. Standard Linear solutions range from bipolar regulators, shunt regulators, low drop out regulators, standard op-amp/comparators, low voltage op-amps, and others. Analog voltage regulator circuits are used to provide constant voltages, as well as to step up or step down voltage levels on a circuit board. Op-amps/comparators are designed specifically to operate from a single power supply over a range of voltages. It also offer low-voltage op-amps that provide a combination of low power, rail-to-rail performance, low voltage operation, and tiny package options which are well suited for use in personal electronics equipment. Its solutions include surface mount devices, tiny packages and leadless carriers.

The Company competes with International Rectifier Corporation, Diodes Incorporated, NXP Semiconductors N.V., ST Microelectronics N.V., ON Semiconductor Corporation, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., Vishay Intertechnology, Inc, Osram Opto Semiconductors, OPTEK Technology, OMRON Corporation, Avago Technologies Ltd. and Kodenshi Corp.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  The Atari 2600 launched at a cost of $199 (equal to about $750 today) in the fall of 1977. The console's first two years on the market almost sent it the way of the Osyssey, since Atari managed to sell less than one million units by the end of 1978�. However, Fairchild Semiconductor's (NYSE: FCS  ) decision to abandon console gaming in 1979 (it had actually beaten Atari to market with the Channel F in �1976, but sold fewer units than the 2600), coupled with the launch of a Space Invaders cartridge for the 2600 in 1980, gave Atari a clear path to huge sales. Two years later, the 2600 had reached ten million households, and console gaming had a foothold. Atari was briefly the crown jewel in Warner's entertainment empire, but this success wouldn't last.

Top Consumer Service Companies To Buy For 2014: Energy Partners Ltd. (EPL)

EPL Oil & Gas, Inc. operates as an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company. The company�s operations primarily focuses on the U.S. Gulf of Mexico shelf on state and federal waters offshore Louisiana. As of December 31, 2012, it had estimated proved reserves of 77.4 million barrels of oil equivalent, as well as interests in 37 producing fields located in the Gulf of Mexico shelf region. The company was formerly known as Energy Partners, Ltd. and changed its name to EPL Oil & Gas, Inc. in September 2012. EPL Oil & Gas, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  EPL Oil & Gas, Inc. (NYSE:EPL) will present at the New Frontiers in Energy Conference 2012 hosted by Westlake Securities on September 25, 2012 at 8:45 a.m. Central time in Austin, Texas. Gary C. Hanna, EPL’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will provide a financial and operational overview on the Company during the presentation.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  Energy XXI (NASDAQ: EXXI) and EPL Oil & Gas (NYSE: EPL) today announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Energy XXI will acquire all of EPL's outstanding shares for total consideration of $2.3 billion, including the assumption of debt. To read the full news, click here. Achaogen (NASDAQ: AKAO) announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of 6,000,000 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $12.00 per share. To read the full news, click here. Geron (NASDAQ: GERN) announced today that the company has received verbal notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for imetelstat has been placed on full clinical hold, affecting all ongoing company-sponsored clinical trials. To read the full news, click here. VeriFone (NYSE: PAY) jumped 9.5% in pre-market trading after the company reported its first quarter results. The firm reported a Q1 EPS of $0.31 versus the Street estimate of $0.27. To read the full news, click here.

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Top Consumer Service Companies To Buy For 2014: Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA (AEDU3)

Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA, formerly Mehir Holdings SA, is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the education sector. The Company provides higher graduate and postgraduate education through full time and distance learning programs. It is also engaged in the provision of preparatory courses for public competition and other specialization courses. The Company offers the academic programs, such as full time graduate, distance graduate and post-graduate courses. Additionally, the Company provides selected courses through the methodology of distance learning, including graduate, post-graduate and continuous education courses. Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA offers its services for working adults and operates in approximately 71 campuses and around 500 learning centers located throughout each of around the 26 Brazilian states. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ney Hayashi]

  Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA (AEDU3) tumbled after Brazil�� antitrust regulator signaled it may limit the education company�� merger with competitor Kroton Educacional SA. (KROT3) Lojas Renner SA (LREN3) led retailers higher after a report showed Brazil�� industrial production expanded faster than expected in October, easing concern that growth is faltering.

Top Consumer Service Companies To Buy For 2014: EMS Seven Seas ASA (EMS)

EMS Seven Seas ASA, formerly known as Eitzen Maritime Services ASA, is a Norway-based company active in the shipping industry. It is operational through two divisions: Ship Management and Ship Supply, servicing clients within the military, merchant, fisheries, offshore and cruise market segments. The Ship Management (and Insurance) unit provides technical management, crewing, newbuilding and project consultancy services, ship agency services and marine insurance brokering. It has its main operations in the Baltic, Russia, India and Singapore. Ship Supply provides provisions, duty free products, stores, spares and marine products and equipment to the merchant marine, offshore, fishing fleet, military and cruise market. This segment operates in Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Djibouti and Singapore. Eitzen Maritime Services ASA is active internationally through its subsidiaries. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By victorselva]

  In a macro view, revenues in the electronic equipment and instrument sub-industry will remain strong due to the rise in equipment and instrument manufacturers. Distributors, electronic manufacturing service (EMS) companies and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) are going to increase orders as the economy improves in the future. With this promising outlook, let's take a look at Gabelli麓s last trade and try to explain to investors the reasons of this appealing investment opportunity.

Top Consumer Service Companies To Buy For 2014: Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc (SHOS)

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. (SHO), incorporated on April 23, 2012, is a retailer primarily focused on selling home appliances, hardware, tools and lawn and garden equipment. As of April 28, 2012, the Company and its dealers and franchisees operated 1,238 stores across all 50 states and Puerto Rico, Guam and Bermuda. The Company also provides its customers with a range of services, including home delivery and installation and product protection agreements. SHO operates in two segments: the Sears Hometown and Hardware segment and the Sears Outlet segment.

Sears Hometown

Sears Hometown and Hardware segment�� stores are designed to provide its customers with in-store and online access to a range selection of brands of home appliances, tools, lawn and garden equipment, sporting goods, consumer electronics and household goods, depending on the particular store. Its Sears Outlet stores are designed to provide its customers with in-store and online access to purchase new, one-of-a-kind, out-of-carton, discontinued, obsolete, used, reconditioned, overstocked and scratched and dented products, collectively, outlet-value products, including home appliances, lawn and garden equipment, apparel, mattresses, televisions, sporting goods and tools.

As of April 28, 2012, the Sears Hometown and Hardware segment consisted of 944 Sears Hometown Stores, 96 Sears Hardware Stores and 76 Sears Home Appliance Showrooms. The 944 Sears Hometown Stores are primarily independently owned stores, predominantly located in smaller communities and offering appliances, consumer electronics, lawn and garden equipment, and hardware. Hometown Stores carry y Sears brand products, such as Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard, as well as other brands. 96 Sears Hardware Stores are hardware stores that carry Craftsman brand tools and lawn and garden equipment, DieHard brand batteries and other national brands and other home improvement products. 93 of these locations also offer a selection of Kenm! ore and other national brands of home appliances.

Sears Hometown and Hardware business operates through three formats: Sears Hometown Stores (Hometown Stores), Sears Hardware Stores (Hardware Stores), and Sears Home Appliance Showrooms (Home Appliance Showrooms). Hometown Stores offer products and services across a range of merchandise categories, including home appliances, consumer electronics, lawn and garden equipment, sporting goods, tools and household goods. Most of its Hometown Stores carry Sears brand products, such as Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard, as well as other national brands. Its Hardware Stores offer products and services across a range of merchandise categories and sales are primarily driven by tools, lawn and garden equipment, home appliances, and other home improvement products. In addition, these stores offer blade sharpening, key cutting and screen repair, as well as products typically found in local hardware stores, such as fasteners, electrical supplies and plumbing supplies. These stores carry Craftsman brand tools and lawn and garden equipment, DieHard brand batteries and a range of national brands and other home improvement products. Its Home Appliance Showrooms offer home appliances and related services in stores primarily located in strip malls and lifestyle centers of metropolitan areas. Home Appliance Showroom sales are primarily driven by big-ticket cooking, laundry and refrigeration home appliances, as well as, in certain stores, mattresses. These stores carry Kenmore and other national brands of home appliances. As of April 28, 2012, out of 76 Home Appliance Showrooms in 19 states, 44 of these stores are owned and operated by franchisees, 30 stores are owned and operated by the Company and two are owned and operated by independent dealers.

Sears Outlet

As of April 28, 2012, the Sears Outlet segment consisted of 122 Sears Outlet Stores. The Company�� Sears Outlet stores provide in-store and online access to purchase outlet-value ! products ! across a range of merchandise categories, including home appliances, consumer electronics, lawn and garden equipment, apparel, sporting goods, tools, and household goods.

The Company competes with Sears Holdings, The Home Depot, Best Buy, Lowe�� and Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware, True Value, HH Gregg and US Appliances.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Lewis]

  Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores� (NASDAQ: SHOS  ) , the recent spinoff of�Sears Holdings� (NASDAQ: SHLD  ) �and one of my top picks for a retail play,�delivered a softer-than-expected earnings report that has sent the stock down more than 18 points in five days of trading. I believe the short-term discount gives investors a little bit more time to pick up this outstanding operation at a price materially below its intrinsic value. With the recent earnings release in mind, here is what you need to know about Sears Hometown and Outlets.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  On Friday, the stock market posted another sizable gain, sending several major market benchmarks to new all-time record levels. In the absence of any downright bad news, investors have been willing to bid most stocks higher, and enthusiasm about the direction of the U.S. economy appears to be bolstering the bullish argument in favor of further investment in stocks. Yet, a few stocks nevertheless fell today, and Hertz Global Holdings (NYSE: HTZ  ) , Diamond Foods (NASDAQ: DMND  ) , and Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores (NASDAQ: SHOS  ) were among the weakest performers in the stock market on Friday.

Top Consumer Service Companies To Buy For 2014: Keating Capital Inc (KIPO)

Keating Capital, Inc., incorporated on May 9, 2008, is a business development company. The Company is an externally managed, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Company focuses to invest principally in equity securities, including convertible preferred securities, and other debt securities convertible into equity securities, of primarily non-public United States based companies. Keating Investments, LLC (Keating Investments) serves as the Company�� investment adviser and also provides it with the administrative services necessary for it to operate. Keating Investments is primarily responsible for the selection, evaluation, structure, valuation and administration of the Company�� investment portfolio. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had investments in industries, including technology equipment, consumer products and clean technology. In May 2013, the Company completed the sale of Solazyme Inc.

During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company made four portfolio company investments, which included investments in NeoPhotonics Corporation (NeoPhotonics); Livescribe, Inc. (Livescribe); Solazyme, Inc. (Solazyme), and MBA Polymers, Inc. (MBA Polymers). NeoPhotonics develops and manufactures photonic integrated circuit based components, modules and subsystems for use in telecommunications networks. Livescribe is a developer and marketer of a mobile, paper-based computing platform, consisting of smartpens, dot paper, smartpen applications, accessories, desktop software, an online community and development tools. Solazyme is engaged in development and commercialization of algal oil and bioproducts for the fuels and chemicals, nutritionals and health sciences markets. MBA Polymers is a manufacturer of recycled plastics sourced from end of life durable goods, such as computers, electronics, appliances and automobiles. The Company focuses to provide capital primarily to micro-cap companies and small-cap companies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Keating Capital (KIPO)

  Over the past week there were four insiders making buys into Keating Capital as the company�� price is sitting near its 52-week low and as the company made a secondary public offering of its stocks.� The insiders making buys during this public offering of common stock were CEO and President Timothy Keating, Director Taylor Simonton, Chief Investment Officer Kyle Rogers and CFO, COO, CCO and Treasurer Frederic Schweiger.

• [By Helix Investment Research]

  In light of recent debates here on Seeking Alpha regarding Keating Capital (KIPO), we had the opportunity to speak with Tim Keating, the company's CEO, to receive his view of the company, as well as answer a variety of questions regarding the company's equity, portfolio, and investment philosophy. Based on our conversation with Mr. Keating, we believe that the market has misunderstood Keating Capital. With a discount to net asset value of over 20%, and with several catalysts set to materialize in the 2nd half, we believe that there is potential for double digit upside in the remainder of 2013 and 2014. Unless otherwise noted, financial statistics and managerial commentary will be sourced from Keating Capital's Q2 2013 earnings release, its Q2 2013 earnings call, its Q2 2013 earnings presentation, its latest 10-Q, or its 2012 10-K, as well as our conversation with Mr. Keating.

Top Consumer Service Companies To Buy For 2014: Splunk Inc (SPLK)

Splunk Inc. (Splunk) provides a software platform. Splunk�� software collects and indexes data regardless of format or source, and enables users to search, correlate, analyze, monitor and report on this data, all in real time. Its software is designed to help users in various roles, including information technology (IT) and business professionals, analyze machine data and realize real-time visibility into and about their organization's operations. The core of its software is a machine data engine, comprised of collection, indexing, search and data management capabilities. Its software can collect and index terabytes of information daily, irrespective of format or source. As of January 31, 2012, the Company had approximately 3,700 customers.

The Company�� software enables users to identify problems, get answers and gain new business insights and intelligence from machine data across their globally distributed enterprise all through one platform. Its software contains features and functionality, such as Universally collect, index, store and archive any machine data, from any source, search and investigate, user-friendly interface, knowledge store, monitor and alert, report and analyze, custom dashboards and views, platform extensibility, role-based access and controls.

The Company competes with BMC Software, Inc., CA, Compuware, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft Corporation, Quest Software, Adobe Systems, Google, Webtrends, EMC, Oracle and SAP.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  That's just what we did earlier this year with our May 23, 2013, recommendation of Splunk Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLK), an emerging player in the area of Big Data analytics. We spotted Splunk's strong position in a new business area and predicted that would pave the way for a strong rally. The stock zoomed nearly 140% before it got tripped up by short-term earnings issues (illustrating, once again, why we're advocates of "trailing stops").