Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014

Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB  ) needs a new Chief Executive Officer.

On Friday, the self-proclaimed "world's leading source of commercial information and insight on businesses," announced that Chairman and CEO Sara Mathew plans to retire by May 2014. Planning ahead, D&B's board of directors has retained the services of executive recruiting firm Spencer Stuart to help find a replacement.

Wishing Mathew well on her departure, D&B Lead Director thanked the departing CEO "for her strategic vision, leadership and dedication over her 12-year career with the company."

Other shareholders may feel less charitable. Since Mathew took over D&B at the beginning of January 2010, the company's shares have gained less than 5% in value, underperforming the S&P 500 by nearly 40�percentage points.

Best Penny Stocks To Buy For 2015: Webxu Inc (WBXU)

WebXU, Inc. (WebXU), incorporated on July 16, 2010, is a media company. The Company develops, acquires and integrates consumer-oriented businesses in the online customer acquisition and e-commerce field, focusing on operational improvement and augmenting of management resources. The Company also provides marketing solutions for online businesses, media agencies and marketers. The Company generates revenue by providing advertiser clients with targeted consumer traffic. In December 2012, the Company acquired M.T. Performance Marketing, Inc. (MediaTrust). In May 2013, Webxu Inc acquired BarNone Inc.

The Company�� wholly owned subsidiaries include Bonus Interactive Inc. and Lot6 Media, Inc. Bonus Interactive Inc. is engaged in the business of customer acquisition and retention programs in both the online and offline arenas. Lot6 Media, Inc. provides a variety of solutions for online businesses, media agencies, and marketers.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Last Friday, small cap marijuana stock Petrotech Oil & Gas Inc (OTCMKTS: PTOG) surged 65.7% while OSL Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: OSLH) and WebXU Inc (OTCMKTS: WBXU) sank 20.47% and 12.02%, respectively, thanks in part to news and (in the case of two of these small caps) some paid promotions or investor relations type of activities. But will these three small cap marijuana stocks be able to sustain their highs or come out of rehab this week? Here is a reality check before you look for a quick high with them:

Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014: Comcast Corporation(CMCSK)

Comcast Corporation provides entertainment, information, and communications products and services in the United States and internationally. The company?s Cable Communications segment provides video, high-speed Internet, and voice services to residential and business customers. As of December 31, 2011, its cable systems served 22.3 million video, 18.1 million high-speed Internet, and 9.3 million voice customers. Its Cable Networks segment operates cable entertainment networks, such as USA Network, Syfy, E!, Bravo, Oxygen, Style, G4, Chiller, Cloo, and Universal HD; cable news and information networks, including CNBC, MSNBC, and CNBC World; cable sports networks comprising Golf Channel and NBC Sports Network; regional sports and news networks; international cable networks, such as CNBC Europe, CNBC Asia, and its Universal Networks International networks; cable television production studio; and digital media properties primarily comprising brand-aligned and other Websites, s uch as DailyCandy, Fandango, and iVillage. The company?s Broadcast Television segment primarily operates NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks; NBC and Telemundo owned local television stations; broadcast television production operations; and related digital media properties, which primarily include brand-aligned Websites. Its Filmed Entertainment segment operates Universal Pictures, which produces, acquires, markets, and distributes filmed entertainment and stage plays worldwide in various media formats for theatrical, home entertainment, television, and other distribution platforms. The company?s Theme Parks segment operates Universal theme parks in Orlando and Hollywood. Comcast Corporation also operates the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center, a multipurpose arena in Philadelphia; provides facilities management services; and offers food services for sporting events, concerts, and other events. The company was founded in 1969 and is based in Philadelphia, Penn sylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  www.youtube.com From a greeting card giant's savvy viral video catching fire to a key Best Buy executive calling it quits, here's a rundown of the week's smartest moves and biggest blunders in the business world. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) -- Winner Johnson & Johnson's signature Band-Aids and its "No More Tears" baby shampoo won't be necessary after the consumer and pharmaceuticals giant posted better than expected quarterly results. Adjusted earnings climbed to $1.54 a share from a $1.22 a share showing a year earlier. Analysts were holding out for a profit of $1.48 a share. Revenue also clocked in better than expected, topping $18 billion. A good report sometimes isn't enough to please the market, but Johnson & Johnson kept the positive vibes coming by raising its forecast for all of 2014. US Airways -- Loser It's probably the nightmare of anyone working social media for a major corporation. You're surfing the Web between posting corporate tweets, you come across something shockingly naughty, and you want to share it with a friend so you copy the link. Unfortunately you forget to update your copied link when publicly responding to a client on Twitter, only to realize that you're sending a link of a naked woman getting intimate with a model airplane to more than 420,000 followers. This is what happened to American Airlines Group's (AAL) US Airways on Monday. It quickly deleted the tweet, but not before word spread of the deed. Accidents happen. Even folks on top of the social media universe are human. It's still embarrassing. Netflix (NFLX) -- Winner Comcast (CMCSK) customers should experience better Netflix connections. We figured this would happen back in February when Netflix struck a deal with the country's largest cable and broadband Internet provider to improve video quality, but now it's official. Netflix publishes monthly data on connection speeds for its service across all of the leading access providers. It's a smart move by Netfli

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  comcast.com What do King Kong, Frankenstein's monster, the Iron Giant and Comcast (CMCSK) have in common? They are all misunderstood beasts that wanted to be loved and not hated. It's too late for those other gentle giants that were provoked to the point of destruction, but Comcast thinks it still has a shot at social redemption. In an interesting and praiseworthy twist, Comcast announced a deal with UPS (UPS) last week, allowing Xfinity customers to return their Comcast cable, Internet, or phone equipment at any of the more than 4,400 UPS Stores. The service is free, and disgruntled customers don't need to worry about boxing up and packaging the rented gear. UPS will take it in, providing customers with tracking information. This is a big deal. Anyone who has ever had to deal with an Xfinity store for returns, swapping defective gear or even paying a monthly bill knows about the dreary experience, which can rival a DMV visit for squandered time. With 26.9 million Xfinity customers and roughly 500 Xfinity branches, the math is cruel. The UPS move is a win-win for customers and Comcast. Departing Xfinity accounts now have a streamlined exit strategy, and Xfinity stores may be less busy in tackling disputes, handling bill payments and swapping out equipment. One can also imagine that this would be good for in-store morale at Xfinity centers. It probably weighs on the psyche employees to see so many people taking time out of their day to cut ties with Comcast. And there's no way that Comcast wants its ongoing customers to be rubbing elbows with the people who are dumping the service. It's a Long Way Down Comcast is in trouble. It's growing in popularity as an Internet service provider, but its customer count for cable television is going the other way. Comcast has posted sequential declines in video customers in 28 of the past 30 quarters. Cheaper alternatives in the form of satellite and broadband television providers have eaten away at the market share of

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  John Raoux/AP This promises to be a big summer for tourism in Central Florida. Disney (DIS) just opened the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster at the Magic Kingdom. Later this month, it will be Comcast's (CMCSK) Universal Studios Florida that gets a chance to woo travelers with its Harry Potter-themed expansion that includes a Hogwarts Express train ride and an indoor roller coaster in a richly themed London setting. Disney's new family-friendly attraction -- the final achievement of the New Fantasyland expansion that began to open to the public in late 2012 -- officially opened shortly after Memorial Day. It is now the centerpiece of Disney World's television marketing campaign. The initial wave of reviews hasn't been kind. Many complain that the ride is too short and lacks the thrills befitting a roller coaster. Enthusiast site Disboards.com has an active thread that is now 300-plus posts and 21 pages deep with folks chiming in. The consensus seems to be that it's a fun and gentle ride, but not the roller coaster ride that many were expecting. That's fine for most guests. There's a reason why they are at Disney World instead of a Six Flags (SIX) park closer to home. However, there's clearly an opportunity here to expand its audience. Disney just prefers to keep its focus on young families. It's a Small World After All Disney has never sold itself as a thrill haven. The largest roller coaster in its four Florida parks -- Expedition Everest -- has an 80-foot drop and maxes out at 50 miles per hour. There are a couple of coasters in the country that go more than twice as fast and have drops five times higher. This doesn't mean that Disney's cutting corners. Expedition Everest was tapped by Guinness World Records as the world's most expensive coaster. The final tab for rich theming and cutting-edge ride systems reportedly came in at $100 million when accounting for the surrounding area, four times as much as Cedar Fair (FUN) has ever spent on one of its famed

Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014: Automatic Data Processing Inc.(ADP)

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. provides technology-based outsourcing solutions to employers, and vehicle retailers and manufacturers worldwide. It operates in three segments: Employer Services, Professional Employer Organization Services, and Dealer Services. The Employer Services segment offers a range of human resource (HR)information, payroll processing, and tax and benefits administration solutions and services, including traditional and Web-based outsourcing solutions. Its solutions enable employers to staff, manage, pay, and retain their employees. The Professional Employer Organization Services segment provides employment administration outsourcing solutions, including payroll, payroll tax filing, HR guidance, 401(k) plan administration, benefits administration, compliance services, health and workers? compensation coverage, and other supplemental benefits for employees. The Dealer Services segment offers integrated dealer management systems (DMS) and other busines s management solutions to automotive, truck, motorcycle, marine, recreational vehicle, and heavy machinery retailers. This segment also provides a suite of additional integrated applications to address department and functional area of the dealership, including customer relationship management applications, front-end sales and marketing/advertising solutions, and an IP Telephony phone system integrated into the DMS to help dealerships drive sales processes and business development initiatives, as well as offers computer hardware, hardware maintenance services, software support, system design, and network consulting services. In addition, it designs, establishes, and maintains communications networks for its dealership clients that allow interactive communications among various site locations, as well as links between franchised dealers and their vehicle manufacturer franchisors. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Yet Paychex faces competitive threats on multiple fronts. On one hand, traditional rival Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ: ADP  ) has recently reupped on a deal with Visa to let employers pay their workers through prepaid Visa cards. For ADP's traditional big-business customers, that's not necessarily a huge draw, but for small- and mid-sized companies that tend have less formal arrangements for paying their employees, the program is appealing. That's especially troubling for Paychex because it has tended to favor those smaller businesses, leaving the biggest companies to ADP.

• [By Sue Chang and Saumya Vaishampayan]

  Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP) �shares rose 3.5%. The payroll and benefits-administration company last week declared a quarterly dividend of 48 cents a share, up from 43.5 cents. The dividend will be paid on Jan. 1 to shareholders of record on Dec. 13.

Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014: Kohlberg Capital Corporation(KCAP)

Kohlberg Capital Corporation is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in buyouts and mezzanine investments. It focuses on mature and middle market companies. The firm structures its investments through senior debt, second lien debt, secured and unsecured subordinated debt, mezzanine debt, and equity. It invests in all sectors except cyclical industries. The firm invests equity in both minority and control transactions alongside other equity investors. It invests through its own balance sheet. Kohlberg Capital Corporation is based in the New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  KCAP Financial (NASDAQ: KCAP) is projected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.25 per share on revenue of $13.27 million.

  Home Inns & Hotels Management (NASDAQ: HMIN) is estimated to post its Q4 earnings at $2.18 per share on revenue of $1.54 billion.

Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014: Palatin Technologies Inc. (PTN)

Palatin Technologies, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development of peptide therapeutics for the treatment of diseases. Its drug development programs include Bremelanotide, a peptide melanocortin receptor agonist that is in Phase IIb clinical trials for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction; and PL-3994, a peptide mimetic natriuretic peptide receptor A agonist, which is in Phase I clinical trials for the treatment of cardiovascular and pulmonary indications, as well as melanocortin receptor-based compounds for treatment of obesity. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Cranbury, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  At first glance, Palatin Technologies, Inc. (NYSEMKT:PTN) doesn't look like anything particularly special, nor anything particularly investment-worthy. The longer you study the chart of PTN, however, the clearer it becomes... this stock is on the verge of breaking out, and should be on most traders' watchlists.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  For the third time in a little more than three months I find myself singing the praises of Palatin Technologies, Inc. (NYSEMKT:PTN), suggesting it is a "buy" ... at least to nimble and cautious speculators. It's a rarity, as I tend not to like beating a dead horse (personal preference). PTN, however, is one of those rare cases where the message deserves to be delivered again, as there's still a lot of opportunity left for newcomers to tap into.

Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014: Madison Covered Call & Equity Strategy Fund (MCN)

Madison/Claymore Covered Call & Equity Strategy Fund (the Fund), formerly Madison/Claymore Covered Call Fund, is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund�� primary investment objective is to provide current income and current gains, with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. The Fund invests in a portfolio consisting primarily of large capitalization common stocks. The Fund will sell covered call options to seek to generate a reasonably steady production of option premiums.

Madison Asset Management, LLC is the Fund�� investment manager. Madison Asset Management, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Madison Investment Advisors, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Hsu]
  Name Type of Security� Recommendation� Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. (NYSE: KMP) � MLP August 15, 2013� TeeKay LNG Partners L.P.� (NYSE: TGP) � MLP September 16, 2013� PowerShares S&P 500 BuyWrite Portfol ETF� (NYSE Arca: PBP)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� Madison Covered Call Equity Strtgy Fd (NYSE: MCN)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (NYSE: JSN)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� BlackRockEnhanced Dividend Achievers Tr (NYSE: BDJ)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� Vornado Realty Trust � (NYSE: VNO)� Real Estate
  Investment
  Trust September 26, 2013�
  
  

  Robert Hsu is the editor of Permanent Wealth Investor and a former hedge fund portfolio manager at Wall Street powerhouse Goldman Sachs. He retired from Goldman at age 31. He since has come out of retirement to establish and preside over his money management firm, Absolute Return Capital Advisors. His retirement experience has given him his current mission: helping investors like you achieve their goal of comfortable retirement through profitable income strategies.

• [By Robert Hsu]

  Here are four to consider:

  PowerShares S&P 500 BuyWrite ETF (PBP), yielding 4.09%
  
  Madison/Claymore Covered Call & Equity Strategy (MCN), yielding 8.94%
  
  Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (JSN), yielding 9.19%
  
  BlackRock Enhanced Dividend Achievers (BDJ), yielding 7.39%
  
  

  The yield on these funds is very attractive. Even more attractive is the fact that many buy-write funds actually are selling at a discount to their net asset value.