Best Railroad Stocks To Watch Right Now

Shares of CSX (CSX) were slipping Thursday afternoon, after an analyst downgrade citing lack of catalysts for the railroad giant.

Barclays��Brandon Oglenski and Keith Mori cut their rating on the stock from Overweight to Equal Weight and lowered their target price by $2 to $30. They write that while CSX is still the cheapest in the sector, they see marginal upside for the stock given a limited growth outlook in 2015. They also note that a difficult start to 2014 implies further headwinds, as CSX�� cost and margin performance has lagged peers in recent periods, and ��fficiency gains could be masked in the near-term as the network regains fluidity.��/p>

Their downgrade also relates to dynamics in the coal industry:

CSX shareholders have sustained a volatile ride in the past two years, dominated by the loss of nearly $800mm in coal revenue. Dynamics have improved in the near term for domestic coal consumption, but pending environmental regulations and soft export markets make for a difficult long-term outlook. Based on our analysis of future headwinds, we estimate coal revenues could decline a further $380 to $500mm in the coming years. We are encouraged at CSX�� pace of expansion beyond coal markets, which has totaled nearly $1bn in additional revenue or 12% of growth in two years. However, growth has been insufficient to create favorable earnings outcomes given coal�� relatively high profitability. Beyond the near term, coal headwinds signal another slow growth year in 2015, driving our downgrade to Equal Weight.

Top Medical Companies To Buy For 2015: ATMI Inc.(ATMI)

ATMI, Inc. supplies high performance materials, materials packaging, and materials delivery systems for use in the manufacture of microelectronics devices worldwide. The company primarily offers front-end semiconductor performance materials; sub-atmospheric pressure gas delivery systems for safe handling and delivery of toxic and hazardous gases to semiconductor process equipment; and high-purity materials packaging and dispensing systems that allow for the reliable introduction of low volatility liquids and solids to microelectronics and biopharmaceutical processes. It also provides containment, mixing, and bioreactor technologies to the biotechnology, laboratory, and cell therapy markets. The company serves semiconductor and flat-panel display manufacturers, as well as the life sciences industry. It has strategic alliances with Enthone, Inc. and Lake LED Materials, Co., Ltd. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut.

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 ATMI (Nasdaq: ATMI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Best Railroad Stocks To Watch Right Now: Skechers U.S.A. Inc.(SKX)

Skechers U.S.A., Inc. engages in the design, development, marketing, and distribution of footwear for men, women, and children in the United States and internationally. The company offers various products comprising casuals, such as boots, shoes, and sandals for men, as well as slip-ons, lug outsole and fashion boots, and casual sandals for women; dress casuals; relaxed fit for men; sandals; and casual fusion under the Skechers USA brand name. It also provides a line of sport footwear for men and women, including men?s lifestyle athletic footwear, lightweight women?s sneakers, and sport sandals under the Skechers Sport brand name. In addition, the company offers men?s and women?s casuals, field boots, hikers, and athletic shoes under the Skechers Work brand name; and a range of infants, toddlers, boys, and girls? boots, shoes, and sneakers under the Skechers Kids brand name. Further, its product line includes Skechers Active products, such as casual everyday and sport fusi on sneakers for females; Tone-ups and Tone-ups Fitness products comprising casual and athletic-inspired sandals for women, as well as sneakers; Shape-ups toning footwear for men and women; and Skechers Resistance Runner technical shoes for runners. Skechers U.S.A. markets its products through department and specialty stores, athletic and independent retailers, and boutiques, catalog and Internet retailers, as well as through own e-commerce Website and retail stores. As of February 15, 2011, it operated 105 concept stores, 99 factory outlet stores, and 40 warehouse outlet stores in the United States, as well as 28 concept stores and 16 factory outlets internationally. The company was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Associated Press]

  Federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday filed criminal and civil charges against fired KPMG partner Scott London for conspiracy to commit securities fraud through insider trading. The 24-page affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint alleges that London, 50, of Agoura Hills, Calif., provided confidential information about KPMG clients Herbalife (NYSE: HLF  ) , Skechers USA (NYSE: SKX  ) , Deckers Outdoor (NASDAQ: DECK  ) , RSC Holdings, and Pacific Capital to Bryan Shaw, a close friend, from late 2010 until last month. Prosecutors allege that Shaw made more than $1.2 million in illicit profits by trading in advance of company announcements on earnings results or mergers.

Best Railroad Stocks To Watch Right Now: Lithia Motors Inc. (LAD)

Lithia Motors, Inc. operates as an automotive franchisee and retailer of new and used vehicles in the United States. The company sells new and used cars, and trucks; offers replacement parts; provides vehicle maintenance, warranty, paint, and repair services; and arranges related financing, service contracts, protection products, and credit insurance. As of February 22, 2013, the company offered 27 brands of new vehicles and various brands of used vehicles in 87 stores, as well as online at Lithia.com. Lithia Motors, Inc. was founded in 1946 and is based in Medford, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Lithia Motors (LAD) fell8.3% to $63.31 despite beating earnings forecasts on lower guidance.

  Monarch Casino & Resort (MCRI) fell 15% to $18.71 after revenue missed forecasts today.

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Fresnillo Plc soared 6.6 percent to a two-month high as precious metals gained. Prudential Plc climbed to the highest in more than two decades after posting a 22 percent jump in profit. Telekom Austria AG dropped 1.6 percent after reporting second-quarter earnings that missed analysts��projections. Ladbrokes Plc (LAD) slid 2.6 percent as JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded the U.K. gambling company.

Best Railroad Stocks To Watch Right Now: Lennar Corp.(LEN)

The third largest U.S. homebuilder by revenue reported exceptional Q3 results, as its earnings more than quadrupled, primarily as a result of an increase in new-home demand. The reported net income of 40c was well ahead of last year's 11c, and the forecasted 28c.

According to the company's CEO, Stuart Miller, "The homebuilding business is beginning to revert to normal, and that's a positive for the U.S. economy in general, which is in turn good for sustained recovery in the housing market. Overall demand has been improving and we've seen a consistent sales pace at improving prices."

LEN's contract backlog, which is an indicator of future sales, rose by a whopping 79% on a YoY basis. Its average selling price of delivered homes also increased to $258,000 from last year's $247,000.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Maxfield]

  In addition, homebuilders themselves are starting to report dramatically improved quarterly results. Most recently, Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL  ) said that its unit deliveries in the second quarter were up by 33% while Lennar's (NYSE: LEN  ) were higher by 39%.

• [By Chris Hill and Matt Koppenheffer]

  Shares of Lennar Corp (NYSE: LEN  ) rose Tuesday morning after reporting strong second-quarter numbers. While profit was off from the prior year, the company reported strong orders and deliveries for its recent quarter. Gross margins on home sales rose, as well. Things also looked good in the broader housing market. New-home sales hit their highest point in almost five years in May, rising 2.1% from the previous month. In other housing news, the Case-Shiller index of home prices in 10 major markets increased 1.8% in April. In this installment of Stock of the Day, Motley Fool analyst Matt Koppenheffer discusses how investors should analyze the housing market, and what he thinks of Lennar.

Best Railroad Stocks To Watch Right Now: Eco Depot Inc (ECDP)

Eco Depot, Inc. (Eco Depot), incorporated on November 2, 2004, is a development-stage company. The Company is in the business of developing an Internet e-commerce Website that will sell a range of environmentally friendly goods, energy efficient building and construction materials and sustainable home products. Eco Depot will not manufacture any equipment or goods, but will resell green products from various manufacturers. In July 2010, Eco Depot Inc acquired CS Tech (America).

Eco Depot, Inc. plans to develop and market an e-commerce enabled Website, which would attract prospective industrial clientele, businesses, municipalities and individual customers seeking cleaner technologies and products. The Company plans to market and sell through its Website goods and products that are defined as green. These green products include recycled paper counter tops, environmentally friendly paints, and recycled glass tiles. Eco Depot began the initial development of its Website (www.ecodepotinc.com.) where these products are listed.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap green stocks Eco Depot Inc (OTCMKTS: ECDP), Eco Building Products Inc (OTCMKTS: ECOB) and Profire Energy, Inc (OTCBB: PFIE) has been getting some extra attention lately in various investment newsletters thanks to paid promotions or investor relation campaigns. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed promotions and investor relations campaigns, but small cap green stocks tend to be extra volatile when compared with other stocks. So how in greenbacks will these three small cap green stocks produce for investors? Here is a quick reality check:

Best Railroad Stocks To Watch Right Now: Linktone Ltd.(LTON)

Linktone Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides entertainment-oriented telecom value-added services and content to mobile phone users over mobile telecommunications networks in China and Indonesia, as well as the 3G mobile telecommunications network in Indonesia. The company specializes in the development, aggregation, marketing, and distribution of user wireless content and applications for access by mobile phone users through three mobile network operators in China and nine mobile network operators in Indonesia. Its 2G short messaging service (SMS)-based services include ringtones, icons and screen savers, interactive SMS messaging in certain television programs, adventure, action, trivia and fortune-telling games, lunar and Western horoscopes, jokes, fan clubs, and event-driven or entertainment news updates. The company?s 2.5G services comprise multimedia messaging services, such as animated cartoons and screensavers, comic strips, magazine-style ?mobile articles? on various topics, and event-driven news updates; and WAP services, which consist of WAP-based ringtones, screensavers, games and dating services, and advanced Java games. It also offers audio-related services, including color ring-back tones; and interactive voice response services that allow users to listen to songs, jokes, stories, and coverage of various events. In addition, Linktone is launching 3G services in Indonesia, including e-paper/e-reading; video-on-demand on tablet devices and smart TVs; and radio streaming on mobile applications. Further, it distributes and sells home entertainment products, such as VCDs/DVDs/Blu-ray discs and video-on-demand in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia; and engages in the theatrical distribution of movies, karaoke video licensing, karaoke system rental, and providing a karaoke-on-demand channel on Pay TV platforms. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Shanghai, China. Linktone Ltd. is a subsidiary of MNC International Li mited.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Linktone (NASDAQ: LTON) shares touched a new 52-week low of $1.30. Linktone's trailing-twelve-month operating margin is -20.15%.

  TOR Minerals International (NASDAQ: TORM) shares touched a new 52-week low of $9.76. TOR Minerals shares have dropped 9.95% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 27.45% in the same period.

Best Railroad Stocks To Watch Right Now: LendingClub Corp (LC)

LendingClub Corporation, incorporated on October 2, 2006, provides online marketplace connecting borrowers and investors. The Company operates an online market that connects borrowers looking for loans with individuals with the money to fund them. It lends money to help consumers pay off credit-card bills, consolidate debt and take vacations. Its platform enables customers in investing in and obtaining personal loans by providing financial data and credit information.

The Company provides search algorithm, credit decisioning, a secondary market, and a choice of loan durations. The Company serves the professional fixed income investors, such as family offices and insurance companies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rana Pritanjali]

  Lending Club's (NYSE: LC  ) stock is up a stellar 66% since the company went public in December. The peer-to-peer lending specialist offers an alternative to the traditional banking system with an online platform for borrowers and lenders. It has a leading 40% share of the�peer-to-peer lending market, far outstripping No. 2 player�Prosper.com and its 8% market share.�