Subaru shows WRX fans latest hot STI model

Subaru WRX fans today got their first glimpse of the latest STI which is the brand's flagship performance model much revered by young enthusiasts.

The STI global premiere starts a year of many launches for Subaru whose U.S. sales surged 26% last year, more than three times the industry's overall 7.6% sales increase. New generations of the Legacy and Outback will go on sale later this year as well as the hybrid Crosstrek crossover.

The new WRX STI is wider, rides on a stiffer suspension, has all-wheel drive and new active torque vectoring for better handling. It will go on sale in three months. Pricing has not been announced.

Under the hood is a 305-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine.

Top 5 Chemical Stocks To Invest In 2015

To mark the debut of the all-new model, Subaru will offer a Launch Edition, limited to a run of 1,000 cars, all of which come in an exclusive blue and has gold forged alloy wheels.

The STI Launch Edition uses alcantara on the sport seats. An extra inch of wheelbase provides more room inside. A Harman/Kardon audio system is available for the first time.

The hood, fenders, doors, quarter panels, bumpers, headlights and narrower LED taillights are all unique to the STI.

Todd Hill, car line manager, said the WRX and WRX STI are more differentiated from the Impreza than in past generations, mostly with distinct body panels.

A strong lineup has Subaru targeting sales of 460,000 in the U.S. this year, said H. William Cyphers III, senior vice president of sales.

That would break the 2013 sales record of 424,683 - the first time Subaru broke the 400,000 mark - and extend a five-year streak of record growth.

Subaru picked up a number of Saturn dealers and former Saturn and Volvo buyers, Cyphers said. In 2013, 60% of all Subarus sold were bought by people trading in another manufacturer's vehicle.

Buyers look ! to Subaru for practical vehicles to support active lifestyles, he said, a similar demographic to what Volvo historically attracted.

3D Stocks Raising Their Profiles

Top 10 Cheap Companies To Buy Right Now

The 3D printing industry is growing by leaps and bounds—and taking the share prices of some of the sector's leading lights up with it.

According to Gartner, global shipments of 3D printers grew by an estimated 49 percent in 2013, and will grow by 75 percent in 2014. Gartner also expects the market to double in growth by 2015.

That's heady stuff for a market that is still relatively new, and it's definitely a wake-up call for investors constantly on the lookout for the next "big thing" in technology.

“The 3D printer market has reached its inflection point,” notes Pete Basiliere, research director at Gartner. “While still a nascent market, with hype outpacing the technical realities, the speed of development and rise in buyer interest are pressing hardware, software and service providers to offer easier-to-use tools and materials that produce consistently high-quality results.”

The next-year-and-a-half is of vital importance to the 3D industry, as potential customers emerge from tire-kickers to actual product buyers.

“As the products rapidly mature, organizations will increasingly exploit 3D printing’s potential in their laboratory, product development and manufacturing operations,” adds Basiliere. “In the next 18 months, we foresee consumers moving from being curious about the technology to finding reasons to justify purchases as price points, applications and functionality become more attractive.”

Big box office services stores like Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) are already carrying 3D printers, and models for the home office market—a real jumping off point for the market—should be commonly available in 2016.

By and large, 3D printing designs and makes 3D products through an! intricate process that builds layer over layer via an additive material and a digital file that produces products for a variety of industries as diverse as aerospace and consumer goods. According to a separate 2013 study by MarketsandMarkets, "3D printing has a huge growth potential, especially, in markets that are characterized by low volume, complex architecture and highly individualized applications."

What stocks show the most potential for growth in the 3D world?

I like two in particular: 3D systems (NYSE: DDD) and Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS).

Stratasys is trading at $123 per share, and consensus analyst expectations see the stock rising to $143 over the next year. Last Friday, Brian Drab, a technology analyst at William Blair, upgraded Stratasys from "underperform" to "market perform."

“We have long considered Stratasys to be one of the highest-quality ways to invest in the 3D printing industry and continue to have confidence in management’s overall strategy and ability to execute,” Drab wrote.

That created a great deal of buzz on Wall Street, and SSYS saw its share price rise $4 on the news.

Stratasys is in direct competition with 3D Systems, with the former's MakerBot printers going head to head against the latter's Cubify line of 3D printers in the rapidly growing consumer 3d printer market.

Revenues are already running ahead of expectations, and that should provide a real boost for Stratasys stock price. “Continuing strength in the core business, successful integration of Objet, potential upside to revenue expectations for MakerBot, several new product launches, and the announcement of several new partnerships collectively have given us increased confidence in Stratasys’s ability to achieve better than 20 percent earnings per share (EPS) growth over the next several years,” writes Drab in a research note.

The company is expected to announce earnings in early March, and the early consensus i! s that re! venues will grow by over 100 percent, another good sign for SSYS investors.

3D Systems may offer investors an even greater upside.

Last week, the company inked a pact with Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) that could bust the consumer-side of the 3D printing market wide open. Both companies say new family-oriented 3D printing games and products should be on Hasbro store shelves by the end of 2014, just in time for the holidays.

“We believe 3d printing offers endless potential to bring incredible new play experiences for kids and we’re excited to work with 3D Systems,” notes Brian Goldner, chief executive officer at Hasbro.

The Hasbro deal could be a game changer for the entire 3D printing market, and especially for DDD. The pact opens up new-age printing games and products to the family, and breaks it out of the office market and into a lucrative new age of kids and their parents enjoying 3D printing "experiences" together.

But 3D Systems has a lot more going for it than a big toy deal. Revenues are growing each quarter (50 percent higher on an annual basis, based on last quarter's figures), debt is manageable, and the company's earnings-per-share story is a solid one.

Revenue growth is way ahead of the industry average of 4.7 percent, and EPS was up 6.3 percent in the fourth quarter, with most analysts expecting a higher growth rate in 2014.

3D Systems has had its problems in previous years, but with an improving revenue picture, good alliances with high-profile corporate partners like Hasbro, and a rising EPS scenario, 3D Systems should be good for another 15-20 percent rise in earnings in 2014, as its long-term outlook improves substantially.

“Consistent with our previous comments, during the fourth quarter we made very significant R&D, manufacturing and marketing investments designed to accelerate revenue growth that resulted in substantially compressed earnings for the fourth quarter,” said Avi Reichental, CEO of 3D ! Systems a! fter fourth quarter earnings were released. “As we previously stated, we are willing to tolerate earnings reduction and even slight gross profit margin compression during this period to substantially accelerate our growth rate and market share."

"We firmly believe that these accelerated investments that already resulted in the announcement of 24 new products over the past nine weeks position the company to double its revenue over the next couple of years on organic growth of at least 30 percent going forward and to achieve greater earnings power and profitability over the long term.”

That's a picture investors won't mind framing.

Brian O'Connell is an investment analyst at Investing Daily. He has appeared as an expert financial commentator on CNN, NPR, Fox News, Bloomberg, CNBC, C-Span, CBS Radio, and many other media broadcast outlets.

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Best Restaurant Companies To Watch For 2015

On this day in economic and business history...

April 23 was an important day in the history of two Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) components -- one current member and one recently removed. It's also the anniversary of one highly optimistic prediction that pundits continue to make (and get wrong) to this day. Let's take a look at how April 23 has shaped our two Dow companies and examine why this big prediction fell flat.

Mickey D's in the Middle Kingdom
�The 1997 research paper Golden Arches East, edited by James L. Watson, offers this fascinating tidbit on McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) debut in Beijing:

On April 23, 1992, the largest McDonald's restaurant in the world opened in Beijing. With 700 seats and 29 cash registers, the Beijing McDonald's served 40,000 customers on its first day of business. Built on the southern end of Wangfujing Street near Tiananmen Square -- the center of all public politics in the People's Republic of China -- this restaurant had become an important landmark in Beijing by the summer of 1994, and the image of the Golden Arches appeared frequently on national television programs. It also became an attraction for domestic tourists, as a place where ordinary people could literally taste a bit of American culture. New McDonald's restaurants appeared in Beijing one after another: two were opened in 1993, four in 1994, and ten more in 1995; by the end of 1996, there were 29 outlets in Beijing. According to Tim Lai, the company's General Manager, the Beijing market is big enough to support 100 McDonald's restaurants, and McDonald's plans to open 600 outlets in China by century's end.

Best Restaurant Companies To Watch For 2015: Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI)

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (Darden), incorporated in March 1995, is a company owned and full-service restaurant company. As of May 27, 2012, the Company operated through subsidiaries 1,994 restaurants in the United States and Canada. In the United States, it operated 1,961 restaurants in all 50 states, including 677 Red Lobster, 786 Olive Garden, 386 LongHorn Steakhouse, 46 The Capital Grille, 30 Bahama Breeze, 23 Seasons 52, eight Eddie V's Prime Seafood and three Wildfish Seafood Grille restaurants, and two test synergy restaurants, which house both a Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurant in the same building. In Canada, the Company operated 33 restaurants, including 27 Red Lobster and six Olive Garden restaurants. Through subsidiaries, it owns and operates all of its restaurants in the United States and Canada, except for three restaurants located in Central Florida that is owned by joint ventures it manages. On November 14, 2011, it acquired eight Eddie V's Prime Seafood restaurants and three Wildfish Seafood Grille restaurants.

As of May 27, 2012, the Company had 28 restaurants outside the United States and Canada operated by independent third parties pursuant to area development and franchise agreements, including five LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants in Puerto Rico, 22 Red Lobster restaurants in Japan, and one Red Lobster restaurant in Dubai. During fiscal year ended May 27, 2012, it opened 89 net new restaurants in the United States and Canada.

Red Lobster

Red Lobster is a full-service dining seafood specialty restaurant operator in the United States. It offers a menu featuring fresh fish, shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops and other seafood. The menu includes a variety of specialty seafood and non-seafood entrees, appetizers and desserts. Red Lobster maintains different lunch and dinner menus and different menus across its trade areas.

Olive Garden

Olive Garden is a full service dining Italian restaurant operator in the United Stat! es. Olive Garden�� menu includes a range of authentic Italian foods featuring fresh ingredients and a wine list that includes a selection of wines imported from Italy. The menu includes flatbreads and other appetizers, soups, salad and garlic bread sticks, baked pastas, sauted specialties with chicken, seafood and fresh vegetables, grilled meats, and a variety of desserts. Olive Garden also uses coffee imported from Italy for its espresso and cappuccino.

LongHorn Steakhouse

LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants are full-service establishments serving both lunch and dinner. With locations in 35 states, primarily in the Eastern half of the United States, LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants feature a range of menu items, including signature fresh steaks, as well as salmon, shrimp, chicken, ribs, pork chops, burgers and prime rib.

The Capital Grille

The Capital Grille has locations in metropolitan cities in the United States. The Capital Grille offers seafood flown in daily and culinary specials created by its chefs. The restaurants feature a wine list offering over 350 selections, personalized service, and private dining rooms.

Bahama Breeze

Bahama Breeze restaurants bring guests the feeling of a Caribbean escape, offering the food, drinks and atmosphere found in the islands. The menu features Caribbean-inspired seafood, chicken and steaks, as well as signature specialty drinks. During fiscal 2012, it opened four Bahama Breeze restaurant.

Seasons 52

Seasons 52 is a grill and wine bar with seasonally inspired menus offering ingredients to meals that are lower in calories than comparable restaurant meals. It offers a wine list of more than 90 wines with approximately 60 available by the glass. As of May 27, 2012, there were 23 Seasons 52 restaurants in the United States.

Synergy restaurant

Synergy restaurant houses both a Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurant in the same building, but ! with sepa! rate front doors, dining rooms and brand-specific menus. It opened a second synergy test location during fiscal 2012.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Louis Navellier]

  Darden Restaurant’s� (DRI) has given investors heartburn after posting one disappointing earnings report after another. But now that the company is looking to shed its failing Red Lobster chain, could 2014 hold better fortunes for the restaurant operator? Find out in today’s Stock of the Day.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Shares of Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) dipped 7.14% on Friday after the company reported a downbeat first-quarter profit and announced the retirement of its president and chief operating officer. Darden shares closed at $45.78 on Friday.

Best Restaurant Companies To Watch For 2015: Burger King Worldwide Inc (BKW)

Burger King Worldwide, Inc., incorporated on April 2, 2012, is a fast food hamburger restaurant, under the Burger King brand. The Company generates revenues from three sources: franchise revenues, consisting primarily of royalties based on a percentage of sales reported by franchise restaurants and fees paid by franchisees; property income from properties that it leases or subleases to franchisees, and retail sales at Company restaurants. In September 2012, it sold 41 Company-owned BURGER KING restaurants in Singapore to Rancak Selera Sdn Bhd. As of December 31, 2012, it owned or franchised a total of 12,997 restaurants in 86 countries and United States territories. In April 2013, it announced the sale of Burger King Restaurants of Canada (BKRC), including 94 Company owned BURGER KING restaurants in the Canada market to Redberry Investments Corp.

The Company operates in the FFHR category of the quick service restaurant (QSR), segment of the restaurant industry. In the United States, the QSR segment is the segment of the restaurant industry and has demonstrated steady growth over a long period of time. The Company launched four new menu platforms (salads, wraps, smoothies and desserts) and expanded its chicken, coffee and ancillary menu platforms. It has established a data driven marketing process, which is focused on driving restaurant sales and traffic, while targeting a broader consumer base with more inclusive messaging to reach women, parties with children and seniors.

United States and Canada (U.S. and Canada)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 7,293 franchise restaurants and 183 Company restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company refranchised 752 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, bringing the region to 98% franchised. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it also continued to implement its Four Pillars strategy to improve comparable sales growth and franchise profitability by enhancing its Menu, Marke! ting Communications, Image, and Operations.

Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 2,989 franchise restaurants and 132 Company restaurants in EMEA. While in Germany continues with 684 restaurants as of December 31, 2012, Turkey and Russia are two of its growing markets with net openings of 78 restaurants and 47 restaurants, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2012.

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 1,290 franchise and 100 Company restaurants in LAC. In 2011, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with Vinci Partners for Brazil and granted franchise and development rights to the joint venture. The Company received a minority stake and board seats in the joint venture without deploying its own capital.

Asia Pacific (APAC)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 1,007 franchise and 3 Company restaurants in APAC. As of December 31, 2012,the Company had 357 restaurants in Australia. It contributed 44 Company restaurants in China. In September 2012, the Company sold 38restaurants to Rancak Selera, the Burger King franchisee in Malaysia.

The Company competes with McDonald�� Corporation, Wendy�� Company, Carl�� Jr., Jack in the Box and Sonic.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  The restaurant sector is extremely competitive to begin with, so any negative publicity can crush a company, regardless of its size or dominance, over the short term. This week has been something of a nightmare for fast-food restaurant chains McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) and Burger King Worldwide (NYSE: BKW  ) .

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX  ) turned heads a few years ago when it began offering smoothies, and McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) followed suit in 2010 by adding the frosty fruit beverages to its McCafe line. Burger King Worldwide (NYSE: BKW  ) became the latest player to throw marketing muscle behind its smoothie offerings.

Best Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc (ARCO.N)

Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc., incorporated on December 9, 2010, is a McDonald�� franchisee. As of December 31, 2010, the Company operated or franchised 1,755 McDonald��-branded restaurants, which represented 6.7% of McDonald�� total franchised restaurants globally. It operates McDonald��-branded restaurants under two different operating formats, Company-operated restaurants and franchised restaurants. As of December 31, 2010, of its 1,755 McDonald��-branded restaurants in the territories, 1,292 (or 74%) were Company-operated restaurants and 463 (or 26%) were franchised restaurants. It generates revenues from two sources: sales by Company-operated restaurants and revenues from franchised restaurants, which consist of rental income, which is based on the greater of a flat fee or a percentage of sales reported by franchised restaurants. As of December 31, 2010, it owned the land for 510 of its restaurants (totaling approximately 1.2 million square meters) and the buildings for all but 12 of its restaurants. It divides its operations into four geographical divisions: Brazil; the Caribbean division, consisting of Aruba, Curacao, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas; North Latin America division (NOLAD), consisting of Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama, and South Latin America division (SLAD), consisting of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. As of December 31, 2010, 35.1% of its restaurants were located in Brazil, 29.7% in SLAD, 27.1% in NOLAD and 8.1% in the Caribbean division. The Company conducts its business through its indirect, wholly owned subsidiary Arcos Dorados B.V.

Company-Operated and Franchised Restaurants

The Company operates its McDonald��-branded restaurants under two basic structures: Company-operated restaurants operated by the Company and franchised restaurants operated by franchisees. Under both operating alternatives the real estate location m! ! ay either be owned or leased by the Company. It owns, fully manages and operates the Company-operated restaurants and retains any operating profits generated by such restaurants, after paying operating expenses and the franchise and other fees owed to McDonald�� under the Master Franchise Agreements (MFAs). In Company-operated restaurants, it assumes the capital expenditures for the building and equipment of the restaurant and, if it owns the real estate location, for the land as well. Under its franchise arrangements, franchisees provide a portion of the capital required by initially investing in the equipment, signs, seating and decor of their restaurants, and by reinvesting in the business over time. It is required by the MFAs to own the real estate or to secure long-term leases for franchised restaurant sites. It subsequently leases or subleases the property to franchisees.

In exchange for the lease and services, franchisees pay a monthly rent to the Comp any, based on the greater of a fixed rent or a certain percentage of gross sales. In addition to this monthly rent, it collects the monthly continuing franchise fee, which generally is 5% of the United States dollar equivalent of the restaurant�� gross sales, and pays these fees to McDonald�� pursuant to the MFAs. However, if a franchisee fails to pay its monthly continuing franchise fee, it remains liable for payment in full of these fees to McDonald��. As of December 31, 2010, it was engaged in several joint ventures, which collectively owned 24 restaurants, in Argentina, Chile and Colombia.

Restaurant Categories

The Company classifies its restaurants into one of four categories: freestanding, food court, in-store and mall stores. Freestanding restaurants are the type of restaurant, which have ample indoor seating and include a drive-through area. Food court restaurants are located in malls and consist of a front counter and kitchen and do not have their own seating area. In-store restaurants are! pa! rt o! f a l! arger building and resemble freestanding restaurants, except for the lack of a drive-through area. Mall stores are located in malls like food court restaurants, but have their own seating areas. As of December 31, 2010, 808 (or 46.2%) of its restaurants were freestanding, 359 (or 20.5%) were food court, 265 (or 15.1%) were in-stores and 319 (or 18.2%) were mall stores. In addition, it has four non-traditional stores, such as food carts.

Reimaging

As of December 31, 2010, the Company had completed the reimaging of 308 of 1,569 restaurants. Many of the reimaging projects include the addition of McCafe locations to the restaurant. It has developed system-wide guidelines for the interior and exterior design of reimaged restaurants.

McCafe Locations and Dessert Centers

McCafe locations are stylish, separate areas within restaurants where customers can purchase a range of customizable beverages, including lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, hot and iced premium coffees and hot chocolate. As of December 31, 2010, there were 267 McCafe locations in the Territories, of which 12% were operated by franchisees. Argentina, with 71 locations, has McCafe locations, followed by Brazil, with 67 locations. In addition to McCafe locations, it has Dessert Centers. Dessert Centers operate from existing restaurants, but depend on them for supplies and operational support. As of December 31, 2010, there were 1,306 Dessert Centers in the Territories.

Product Offerings

The Company�� menus feature three tiers of products: affordable entry-level options, such as its Big Pleasures, Small Prices or Combo del Dia (Daily Extra Value Meal) offerings, core menu options, such as the Big Mac, Happy Meal and Quarter Pounder, and premium options, such as Big Tasty or Angus premium hamburgers and chicken sandwiches and low-calorie or low-sodium products, which are marketed through common platforms rather t han as individual items. These platforms can be base! d on the!! type of ! products, such as beef, chicken, salads or desserts, or on the type of customer targeted, such as the children�� menu.

Best Restaurant Companies To Watch For 2015: Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc (FRGI)

Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc. (Fiesta Restaurant Group), incorporated on April 27, 2011, owns, operates and franchises two fast-casual restaurant brands, Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana. The Company's Pollo Tropical restaurants offer a range of tropical and Caribbean inspired food, while the Company's Taco Cabana restaurants offers a range of fresh, authentic Mexican food. As of December 30, 2012 , the Company owned and operated a total of 251 restaurants across four states, which included 91 Pollo Tropical and 160 Taco Cabana restaurants. The Company franchises its Pollo Tropical restaurants internationally. As of December 30, 2012 , the Company had 35 franchised Pollo Tropical restaurants located in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Honduras, Trinidad, the Bahamas, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panama and on several college campuses in Florida. As of December 30, 2012 , the Company had eight Taco Cabana franchised restaurants located in Georgia, New Mexico and Texas.

Pollo Tropical

The Company's Pollo Tropical restaurants offer tropical and Caribbean inspired menu items, featuring grilled chicken marinated in the Company's blend of tropical fruit juices and spices. The Company's diverse menu also includes a line of TropiChops (a casserole bowl of grilled chicken, roast pork or grilled vegetables served over white, brown or yellow rice and red or black beans and topped with a range of condiments and sauces), a range of chicken sandwiches, wraps, salads, roast pork, grilled ribs and wings offered with a range of salsas, sauces and Caribbean style made from scratch side dishes, including black beans and rice, Yucatan fries and sweet plantains, as well as menu items, such as french fries, corn and salads. The Company also offers Hispanic desserts, such as flan and tres leches, and at certain locations, the Company offers a range of sangria, wine and beer.

The Company's Pollo Tropical restaurants feature signature dining areas. In additiona, the Company's Pollo Tropical restaurants ! provide its guests the option of take-out, as well as the convenience of drive-thru windows. The Company's Pollo Tropical restaurants are open for lunch, dinner and late night orders seven days per week. As of December 30, 2012, its company-owned Pollo Tropical restaurants were freestanding buildings. The Company's typical free-standing Pollo Tropical restaurant ranges from 2,800 to 3,500 square feet and provide interior seating for approximately 70 guests. As of December 30, 2012 , the Company owned and operated a total of 91 Pollo Tropical restaurants, of which 89 were located in Florida and two were located in Georgia. The Company is franchising its Pollo Tropical restaurants internationally. As of December 30, 2012, the Company had 35 franchised Pollo Tropical restaurants located in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Honduras, Trinidad, the Bahamas, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panama and on college campuses in Florida. The Company also has agreements for the future development of franchised Pollo Tropical restaurants in Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Guatemala and India.

Taco Cabana

The Company's Taco Cabana restaurants serve Mexican food, including flame-grilled beef and chicken fajitas served on sizzling iron skillets, quesadillas, hand-rolled flautas, enchiladas, burritos, tacos, fresh-made flour tortillas, a selection of made from scratch salsas and sauces, customizable salads served in a Cabana bowl, traditional Mexican and American breakfasts and other Mexican dishes. The Company's Taco Cabana restaurants also offer a range of beverage choices, including soft drinks, frozen margaritas and beer.

The Company's Taco Cabana restaurants feature interior dining areas, as well as semi-enclosed and outdoor patio areas. In addition, the Company's Taco Cabana restaurants provide its guests the option of take-out. The Company's freestanding Taco Cabana restaurants average approximately 3,500 square feet (exclusive of the exterior dining area) and provide seating for approximatel! y 80 gues! ts, with additional outside patio seating for approximately 50 guests. As of December 30, 2012, its company-owned Taco Cabana restaurants were freestanding buildings. As of December 30, 2012, the Company owned and operated 160 Taco Cabana restaurants, of which 156 are located in Texas and four in Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

  Fiesta Restaurant Group (FRGI) was the Fund's best performing position in the fourth quarter and for all of 2013. Over the past year the stock g ained over 240 percent and added 212 basis points of return. The fast-food chain has con tinued to restructure after spinning off Burger King restaurants and is now successfully ach ieving organic growth. We continue to believe the stock is undervalued and expect further growth ahead.

• [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 Fiesta Restaurant Group (Nasdaq: FRGI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Fiesta Restaurant Group (FRGI) owns, operates and franchises fast-casual restaurants under the Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana brand names. This stock closed up 10.5% to $34.73 in Friday's trading session.

  Friday's Volume: 552,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 220,525
  
  Volume % Change: 140%

  From a technical perspective, FRGI ripped sharply higher here right off some near-term support at $30.89 and back above its 50-day moving average of $34.23 with strong upside volume. This move pushed shares of FRGI into breakout territory, since the stock took out some near-term overhead resistance at $33.14. Shares of FRGI are now starting to move within range of triggering another key breakout trade. That trade will hit if FRGI manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance at $35.73 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in FRGI as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $34.23 or above $33 and then once it sustains a move or close above $35.75 with volume that hits near or above 220,525 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then FRGI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its all-time high at $38.84. Any high-volume move above that level will then give FRGI a chance to trend north of $40.

Best Restaurant Companies To Watch For 2015: Noodles & Co (NDLS)

Noodles & Company, incorporated on December 19, 2002, is a casual restaurant concept offering lunch and dinner. The Company offers noodle and pasta dishes, staples of many cuisines, with the goal of delivering fresh ingredients and flavors globally under one roof from Pad Thai to Mac & Cheese. The Company�� globally inspired menu includes a variety of cooked-to-order dishes, including noodles and pasta, soups, salads and sandwiches, which are served on china by its friendly team members.

As of May 28, 2013, including the 16 Company owned restaurants and one franchise restaurant opened in 2013. The Company opened 39 new company owned restaurants and six franchise restaurants. In 2012, the Company began using Your World Kitchen to describe the breadth of its offering and its customers' dining experience.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Hill]

  Noodles & Company's (NASDAQ: NDLS  ) stock continues to rise. Westport Innovations (NASDAQ: WPRT  ) experiences a pullback. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV  ) and DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH  ) team up to offer live TV to passengers. And it was a bad day for anyone who thinks Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) is overvalued. In this installment of Investor Beat, Jason and Matt discuss four stocks making big moves today.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another stock that's starting to move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is Noodles (NDLS), which develops and operates fast casual restaurants that serves noodle and pasta dishes, soups, salads and sandwiches. This stock is off to a decent start so far in 2013, with shares up 12.2%.

  If you look at the chart for Noodles, you'll notice that this stock recently pulled back from $49.15 to $38.90 a share. During that pullback, shares of NDLS were marking lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of NDLS have now started to stabilize below $39 a share and the stock is starting to form a near-term uptrend. That uptrend is quickly pushing NDLS within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in NDLS if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $42.73 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 923,754 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then NDLS will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $45 to $47 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give NDLS a chance to take out its all-time high of $51.97 a share.

  Traders can look to buy NDLS off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $39.85 or $38.90 a share. One can also buy NDLS off strength once it takes out $42.73 with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Best Restaurant Companies To Watch For 2015: Darden Restaurants Inc (DDN)

Darden Restaurants, Inc., incorporated on March 30, 1995, is a company owned and operated full service restaurant company. As of May 26, 2013, the Company operated through subsidiaries 2,138 restaurants in the United States and Canada. In the United States, it operated 2,105 restaurants in all 50 states, including 822 Olive Garden, 678 Red Lobster, 430 LongHorn Steakhouse, 49 The Capital Grille, 44 Yard House, 33 Bahama Breeze, 31 Seasons 52, nine Eddie V's Prime Seafood, six test synergy restaurants (which house both a Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurant in the same building) and three Wildfish Seafood Grille restaurants. As of May 26, 2013, it operated 33 restaurants, including 27 Red Lobster and six Olive Garden restaurants in Canada.

Through subsidiaries, the Company owns and operates all of its restaurants in the United States and Canada, except for three restaurants located in Florida and three restaurants in California, which are owned jointly by the Company and third parties, and managed by the Company, and five franchised restaurants in Puerto Rico. As of May 26, 2013, it also had 37 restaurants operated by independent third parties pursuant to area development and franchise agreements, including 23 Red Lobster restaurants in Japan, five LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants in Puerto Rico, four Red Lobster restaurants and two Olive Garden restaurants in the Middle East region (a Red Lobster in Dubai, a Red Lobster in Qatar, a Red Lobster and an Olive Garden in Kuwait, a Red Lobster and an Olive Garden in Abu Dhabi), and two Olive Garden restaurants and one The Capital Grille restaurant in Mexico City.

Olive Garden

Olive Garden is a full service dining Italian restaurant operator in the United States. Olive Garden�� menu includes a variety of authentic Italian foods featuring fresh ingredients and a wine list that includes a selection of wines imported from Italy. The menu includes flatbreads and other appetizers; soups, salad and garlic breadsticks; bak! ed pastas; sauteed specialties with chicken, seafood and fresh vegetables; grilled meats, and a variety of desserts. Olive Garden also uses coffee imported from Italy for its espresso and cappuccino.

Red Lobster

Red Lobster is a full service dining seafood specialty restaurant operator in the United States. It offers a menu featuring fresh fish, shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops and other seafood in a casual atmosphere. The menu includes a variety of specialty seafood and non-seafood entrees, appetizers and desserts. Red Lobster maintains different lunch and dinner menus and different menus across its trade areas.

LongHorn Steakhouse

LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants are full-service establishments serving both lunch and dinner. With locations in 38 states, primarily in the Eastern half of the United States, LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants feature a range of menu items, including signature fresh steaks and chicken, as well as salmon, shrimp, ribs, pork chops, burgers and prime rib.

The Capital Grille

The Capital Grille has locations in metropolitan cities in the United States. The Capital Grille offers seafood flown in daily and culinary specials created by its chefs. The restaurants feature a wine list offering over 350 selections, personalized service, and private dining rooms.

Bahama Breeze

Bahama Breeze restaurants bring guests the feeling of a Caribbean escape, offering the food, drinks and atmosphere found in the islands. The menu features fresh seafood, chicken and steaks, as well as signature specialty drinks.

Seasons 52

Seasons 52 is a grill and wine bar with menus offering a dining experience that celebrates living well. It offers an international wine list of more than 90 wines, with approximately 60 available by the glass. Its private dining rooms create the ideal environment for many social and business events, the Chef's Table provides a setting for chef-hosted cust! omizable ! food and wine pairing events, while the piano bar, featuring live music every night.

Eddie V's

Eddie V's opened in 2000 with an emphasis on prime seafood creations, USDA prime beef and chops, and fresh oyster bar selections. The ambiance is sophisticated and contemporary, with live nightly music in the V-Lounge.

Synergy Restaurants

Synergy restaurant houses both a Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurant in the same building, but with separate front doors, dining rooms and brand-specific menus. It opened a second synergy test location during the fiscal year ended May 26, 2013.

Best Restaurant Companies To Watch For 2015: Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc (ARCO)

Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc., incorporated on December 9, 2010, is a McDonald�� franchisee. As of December 31, 2010, the Company operated or franchised 1,755 McDonald��-branded restaurants, which represented 6.7% of McDonald�� total franchised restaurants globally. It operates McDonald��-branded restaurants under two different operating formats, Company-operated restaurants and franchised restaurants. As of December 31, 2010, of its 1,755 McDonald��-branded restaurants in the territories, 1,292 (or 74%) were Company-operated restaurants and 463 (or 26%) were franchised restaurants. It generates revenues from two sources: sales by Company-operated restaurants and revenues from franchised restaurants, which consist of rental income, which is based on the greater of a flat fee or a percentage of sales reported by franchised restaurants. As of December 31, 2010, it owned the land for 510 of its restaurants (totaling approximately 1.2 million square meters) and the buildings for all but 12 of its restaurants. It divides its operations into four geographical divisions: Brazil; the Caribbean division, consisting of Aruba, Curacao, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas; North Latin America division (NOLAD), consisting of Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama, and South Latin America division (SLAD), consisting of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. As of December 31, 2010, 35.1% of its restaurants were located in Brazil, 29.7% in SLAD, 27.1% in NOLAD and 8.1% in the Caribbean division. The Company conducts its business through its indirect, wholly owned subsidiary Arcos Dorados B.V.

Company-Operated and Franchised Restaurants

The Company operates its McDonald��-branded restaurants under two basic structures: Company-operated restaurants operated by the Company and franchised restaurants operated by franchisees. Under both operating alternatives the real estate location may ! either be owned or leased by the Company. It owns, fully manages and operates the Company-operated restaurants and retains any operating profits generated by such restaurants, after paying operating expenses and the franchise and other fees owed to McDonald�� under the Master Franchise Agreements (MFAs). In Company-operated restaurants, it assumes the capital expenditures for the building and equipment of the restaurant and, if it owns the real estate location, for the land as well. Under its franchise arrangements, franchisees provide a portion of the capital required by initially investing in the equipment, signs, seating and decor of their restaurants, and by reinvesting in the business over time. It is required by the MFAs to own the real estate or to secure long-term leases for franchised restaurant sites. It subsequently leases or subleases the property to franchisees.

In exchange for the lease and services, franchisees pay a monthly rent to the Company, based on the greater of a fixed rent or a certain percentage of gross sales. In addition to this monthly rent, it collects the monthly continuing franchise fee, which generally is 5% of the United States dollar equivalent of the restaurant�� gross sales, and pays these fees to McDonald�� pursuant to the MFAs. However, if a franchisee fails to pay its monthly continuing franchise fee, it remains liable for payment in full of these fees to McDonald��. As of December 31, 2010, it was engaged in several joint ventures, which collectively owned 24 restaurants, in Argentina, Chile and Colombia.

Restaurant Categories

The Company classifies its restaurants into one of four categories: freestanding, food court, in-store and mall stores. Freestanding restaurants are the type of restaurant, which have ample indoor seating and include a drive-through area. Food court restaurants are located in malls and consist of a front counter and kitchen and do not have their own seating area. In-store restaurants are part ! of a larg! er building and resemble freestanding restaurants, except for the lack of a drive-through area. Mall stores are located in malls like food court restaurants, but have their own seating areas. As of December 31, 2010, 808 (or 46.2%) of its restaurants were freestanding, 359 (or 20.5%) were food court, 265 (or 15.1%) were in-stores and 319 (or 18.2%) were mall stores. In addition, it has four non-traditional stores, such as food carts.

Reimaging

As of December 31, 2010, the Company had completed the reimaging of 308 of 1,569 restaurants. Many of the reimaging projects include the addition of McCafe locations to the restaurant. It has developed system-wide guidelines for the interior and exterior design of reimaged restaurants.

McCafe Locations and Dessert Centers

McCafe locations are stylish, separate areas within restaurants where customers can purchase a range of customizable beverages, including lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, hot and iced premium coffees and hot chocolate. As of December 31, 2010, there were 267 McCafe locations in the Territories, of which 12% were operated by franchisees. Argentina, with 71 locations, has McCafe locations, followed by Brazil, with 67 locations. In addition to McCafe locations, it has Dessert Centers. Dessert Centers operate from existing restaurants, but depend on them for supplies and operational support. As of December 31, 2010, there were 1,306 Dessert Centers in the Territories.

Product Offerings

The Company�� menus feature three tiers of products: affordable entry-level options, such as its Big Pleasures, Small Prices or Combo del Dia (Daily Extra Value Meal) offerings, core menu options, such as the Big Mac, Happy Meal and Quarter Pounder, and premium options, such as Big Tasty or Angus premium hamburgers and chicken sandwiches and low-calorie or low-sodium products, which are marketed through common platforms rather than as individual items. These platforms can be based on the ty! pe of pro! ducts, such as beef, chicken, salads or desserts, or on the type of customer targeted, such as the children�� menu.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Arcos Dorados (ARCO) operates and franchises McDonald's restaurants in Latin America. This stock closed up 7.7% to $13.33 in Wednesday's trading session.

  Wednesday's Volume: 3.81 million
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 856,761
  
  Volume % Change: 333%

  From a technical perspective, ARCO soared higher here back above both its 50-day moving average at $12.31 and its 200-day moving average at $12.86 with heavy upside volume. This move has now taken shares of ARCO out of its downtrend and the stock closed strong near the highs of the day. Shares of ARCO are now moving within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if ARCO manages to take out its intraday high of $13.42 and then once it clears more resistance at $14.35 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ARCO as long as it's trending above its 200-day at $12.86 or its 50-day at $12.31 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 856,761 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ARCO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $15.52 to its 52-week high at $16. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give ARCO a chance to tag $18 to $19.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Latin American McDonald's franchisee�Arcos Dorados (NYSE: ARCO  ) announced today its second-quarter dividend of $0.0596�per share on its Class A and Class B stock, slightly lower than the steady rate of $0.0597 per share it's paid since 2011.

Best Restaurant Companies To Watch For 2015: Noodles & Co (NDLS.O)

Noodles & Company, incorporated on December 19, 2002, is a casual restaurant concept offering lunch and dinner. The Company offers noodle and pasta dishes, staples of many cuisines, with the goal of delivering fresh ingredients and flavors globally under one roof from Pad Thai to Mac & Cheese. The Company�� globally inspired menu includes a variety of cooked-to-order dishes, including noodles and pasta, soups, salads and sandwiches, which are served on china by its friendly team members.

As of May 28, 2013, including the 16 Company owned restaurants and one franchise restaurant opened in 2013. The Company opened 39 new company owned restaurants and six franchise restaurants. In 2012, the Company began using Your World Kitchen to describe the breadth of its offering and its customers' dining experience.

Stocks open higher, hope to end losiong streak

Stocks rose at the open Tuesday as Wall Street hopes to break the slow start to the new year. Investors are looking ahead to Federal Reserve minutes due Wednesday and a monthly jobs report on Friday.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.4% to 16,492 and the Standard & Poor's 500 gained 0.3% to 1,833. The Nasdaq composite index was up 0.4% to 4,130.

Wall Street started the week with losses. On Monday, the Dow dropped 0.3% to 16,425.10, the S&P 500 shed a similar amount to 1,826.77 and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.4% to 4,113.68.

The closely watched benchmark S&P 500 index has finished lower the first three days of 2014. The last time the stock market suffered a hat trick of losses to kick off a new year was back in 2005.

MONDAY: Stocks struggle: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq wilt

MARKETS: Stocks' slow start got you down? Hey, cheer up

Benchmark oil for February delivery was up 37 cents a barrel to $93.63 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 53 cents to close at $93.43 on Monday.

Stocks have started the new year in lackluster fashion — especially compared with how they closed out 2013 at record highs.

"What we've seen so far this year is most likely just a case of profit taking rather than anything else," said Craig Erlam, market analyst at Alpari. "That said, it has been accompanied by a number of disappointing economic releases, not just in the U.S., but also in other major economies."

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 0.6% to 15,814.37 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng benchmark added 0.1% to 22,712.78. China's Shanghai composite index rose 0.1% to 2,047.32.

European markets moved higher.

Molson Taps the Cash Keg: 20 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts

Popular Posts: Harley Revs Up Income: 19 Dividend Stocks Increasing PayoutsMolson Taps the Cash Keg: 20 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts Recent Posts: Molson Taps the Cash Keg: 20 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts Harley Revs Up Income: 19 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts Hanes Hitches Up: 32 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts View All Posts

A major snow and ice storm did nothing to hold back the onslaught of dividend stocks increasing their payouts during a very busy week.

Indeed, the diversity in the types of dividend stocks getting more generous made for an interesting week, from network provider Cisco (CSCO) to beer giant Molson Coors (TAP) to package delivery service UPS (UPS).

In total, 20 dividend stocks managed to increase their regular payouts. Here’s a look at the new dividends paid out to CSCO stock holders and others for the business week ending Feb. 14. (Note: All yields are as of 2/14.)

Global insurance company AIG (AIG) raised its quarterly dividend 25% to 12.5 cents per share, payable March 25 to shareholders of record as of March 11.
AIG Dividend Yield: 1.03%

Information technology and communications product provider Cisco (CSCO) raised its quarterly dividend 12% to 19 cents per share, payable April 23 to shareholders of record as of April 3.
CSCO Dividend Yield: 3.35%

Engineered and advanced technical service products manufacturer Curtiss-Wright (CW) raised its quarterly dividend 30% to 13 cents per share, payable April 10 to shareholders of record as of March 27.
CW Dividend Yield: 0.82%

The biggest increase among our dividend stocks this week came from Boca Raton, Florida-based financial holding company 1st United Bancorp (FUBC), who raised its quarterly dividend 100% to 2 cents per share, payable March 7 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 24.
FUBC Dividend Yield: 1.07%

Silicon metals and alloys producer Globe Specialty Metals (GSM) raised its quarterly dividend 7.1% to 7.5 cents per share, payable March 12 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 26.
GSM Dividend Yield: 1.65%

Children’s and family leisure time products manufacturer Hasbro (HAS) raised its quarterly dividend 8% to 43 cents per share, payable May 15 to shareholders of record as of May 1.
HAS Dividend Yield: 3.27%

Command, control and communications leader L-3 Communications (LLL) raised its quarterly dividend 9% to 60 cents per share, payable March 17 to shareholders of record as of March 3.
LLL Dividend Yield: 2.12%

Global investment and financial advisory services holding company LPL Financial Holdings (LPLA) raised its quarterly dividend 26.3% to 24 cents per share, payable March 10 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 24.
LPLA Dividend Yield: 1.81%

International brewing company Molson Coors Brewing (TAP) raised its quarterly dividend 16% to 37 cents per share, payable March 17 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 28.
TAP Dividend Yield: 2.69%

Precision ball-bearings and tapered rollings manufacturer NN, Inc. (NNBR) raised its quarterly dividend 16.6% to 7 cents per share, payable March 14 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 28.
NNBR Dividend Yield: 1.47%

Oil, gas, and chemicals company Occidental Petroleum (OXY) raised its quarterly dividend 12.5% to 72 cents per share, payable April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 10.
OXY Dividend Yield: 3.02%

Third-party logistics services provider Owens & Minor (OMI) raised its quarterly dividend 4.2% to 25 cents per share, payable March 31 to shareholders of record as of March 17.
OMI Dividend Yield: 2.82%

Theatre exhibitions and movie house operator Regal Entertainment (RGC) raised its quarterly dividend 4.7% to 22 cents per share, payable March 14 to shareholders of record as of March 4. At more than 4.60%, RGC is the highest dividend yielder of this week’s dividend stocks.
RGC Dividend Yield: 4.62%

Employment staffing and risk management services provider Robert Half (RHI) raised its quarterly dividend 12.5% to 18 cents per share, payable March 14 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 25.
RHI Dividend Yield: 1.78%

Deathcare services and products provider Services Corporation (SCI) raised its quarterly dividend 14% to 8 cents per share, payable March 28 to shareholders of record as of March 15.
SCI Dividend Yield: 1.73%

International oil and gas company Total (TOT) raised its quarterly dividend 3.4% to 61 cents per share, payable June 20 to shareholders of record as of May 30.
TOT Dividend Yield: 4.01%

Insurance brokerage and risk management consultant Willis Group (WSH) raised its quarterly dividend 7.1% to 30 cents per share, payable April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 31.
WSH Dividend Yield: 2.89%

Package delivery giant UPS (UPS) raised its quarterly dividend 8.1% to 62 cents per share, payable March 11 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 24.
UPS Dividend Yield: 2.55%

Shopping center real estate investment trust (REIT) Weingarten Realty (WRI) raised its quarterly dividend 6.6% to 32.5 cents per share, payable March 14 to shareholders of record as of March 6.
WGI Dividend Yield: 4.32%

Programmable devices and technologies designer Xilinx (XLNX) raised its quarterly dividend 11.5% to 29 cents per share, payable June 4 to shareholders of record as of May 14.
XLNX Dividend Yield: 2.33%

Marc Bastow is an Assistant Editor at InvestorPlace.com. As of this writing he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. For more dividend stocks increasing payouts, see previous weeks' lists of Companies Increasing Dividends.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Check out Jim Cramer's latest trading recommendations on "Action Alerts Plus".

(Updates from 10:45 a.m. ET with closing information and corrects the ticker symbol for Avon Products.)

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Here's what Jim Cramer had to say on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" Friday.

Bernstein downgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) to hold from buy. "Be careful with all the big biotech," Cramer advised, and  suggested taking some profits in Gilead Sciences (GILD). VRTX fell 5.6% to $67.36.

Piper Jaffray downgraded Chart Industries (GTLS) to hold from buy. Cramer said that although he likes CEO Sam Thomas, the "shortfall is meaningful," especially after the company missed on top- and bottom-line earnings estimates. GTLS dropped 6.3% to $100.73. Yelp (YELP) is trading well despite pricing its secondary at $67. Cramer said the "quarter was good" and investors should not "believe the critics." YELP fell 1% to $67.15. BMO downgraded Avon Products (AVD) to hold from buy. "Avon is a disaster," Cramer stated, and CEO Sheri McCoy "has to pull it out of a tailspin and quickly." AVP rose 4.4% to $18.27. Quintiles (Q) announced the departure of a major executive and now "people suddenly hate it," Cramer said. He agreed with the upgrade to buy from hold at Robert Baird. Q was 3.4% higher to $43.43. Groupon (GRPN) is "making a major comeback," according to Cramer, who would bet with management rather than against them. GRPN jumped 8.7% to $9.93. To sign up for Jim Cramer's free Booyah! newsletter, with all of his latest articles and videos, please click here. -- Written by Bret Kenwell in Petoskey, Mich. Follow @BretKenwell

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: StemCells Inc (STEM.W)

StemCells, Inc. (StemCells), incorporated in August 1988, is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of stem cell therapeutics and related tools and technologies for academia and industry. The Company is focused on developing and commercializing stem and progenitor cells as the basis for therapeutics and therapies, and cells and related tools and technologies to enable stem cell-based research and drug discovery and development. The Company�� primary research and development efforts are focused on identifying and developing stem and progenitor cells as potential therapeutic agents. The Company has two therapeutic product development programs, including its CNS Program, which is developing applications for HuCNS-SC cells, its human neural stem cell product candidate, and its Liver Program, which is characterizing the Company�� human liver cells as a therapeutic product.

CNS Program

The Company in its CNS Program, is in clinical development with its HuCNS-SC cells for a range of disorders of the central nervous system. The CNS includes the brain, spinal cord and eye. In February 2012, the Company had completed a Phase I clinical trial in Pelizeaus-Merzbacher Disease (PMD), a fatal myelination disorder in the brain.

The Company�� CNS Program is focused on developing clinical applications, in which transplanting HuCNS-SC cells protect or restore organ function of the patient before such function is irreversibly damaged or lost due to disease progression. The Company�� initial target indications are PMD, and more generally, diseases in which deficient myelination plays a central role, such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis; spinal cord injury, disorders in which retinal degeneration plays a central role, such as age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa. The Company�� product candidate, HuCNS-SC cells, is a purified and expanded composition of normal hum an neural stem cells. Its HuCNS-SC cells can be directly tr! a! nsplanted.

Liver Program

Liver stem or progenitor cells offer an alternative treatment for liver diseases. A liver cellular therapy or cell-based therapeutic provide or support liver function in patients with liver disease. The Company held a portfolio of issued and allowed patents in the liver field, which cover the isolation and use of both hLEC cells and the isolated subset, as well as the composition of the cells themselves.

The Company�� range of cell culture products, which are sold under the SC Proven brand, includes iSTEM, GS1-R, GS2-M, RHB-A, RHB-Basal, NDiff N2, and NDiff N2B27. Its iSTEM is a serum-free, feeder-free medium that maintains mouse embryonic stem cells in their pluripotent ground state by using selective small molecule inhibitors to block the pathways, which induce differentiation. RHB-A is a defined, serum-free culture medium for the selective culture of human and mouse neural stem cells and their maintenanc e and expansion as adherent cell populations. RHB-Basal is a defined, serum-free basal medium. When supplemented with specific growth factors, this media is formulated for the propagation and differentiation of adherent neural stem cells. RHB-Basal can also be tailored to specific-cell type requirements by the addition of customer preferred supplements.

The Company�� NDiff N2 is a defined serum-free scell culture supplement for the derivation, maintenance, expansion and/or differentiation of human and mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells and tissue-derived neural stem cells supplement. Its NDiff N2-AF is a serum-free and animal component-free version of NDiff N2. Its NDiff N2B27 is a defined, serum-free medium for the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells to neural cell types. NDiff N27-AF is a serum-free and animal component-free version of NDiff N27. Its GS1-R is a serum-free media formulation shown to enable the derivation and long-term maintenance of tr ue, germline competent rat embryonic stem cells without! the ! ad! dition ! of cytokines or growth factors. Its GS2-M is a defined, serum- and feeder-free medium for the derivation and long-term maintenance of true, germline competent mouse iPS cells.

The Company also markets a number of antibody reagents for use in cell detection, isolation and characterization. These reagents are also under the SC Proven brand and it includes STEM24, STEM101, STEM121 and STEM123. Its STEM24 is a human antibody that recognizes human CD24, also known as heat stable antigen (HSA), a glycoprotein expressed on the surface of many human cell types, including immature human hematopoietic cells, peripheral blood lymphocytes, erythrocytes and many human carcinomas. Its CD24 is also a marker of human neural differentiation. Its STEM101 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes the Ku80 protein found in human nuclei. Its STEM121 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes a cytoplasmic protein of human cells. Its STEM123 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes human glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).

The Company�� Other products marketed under SC Proven include total cell genomic DNA (gDNA), RNA and protein lysate reagents purified from homogenous stem cell populations for intra-comparative studies, such as Epigenetic fingerprinting, Southern, Western and Northern blots, PCR, RT-PCR and microarrays. This range of purified stem cell line lysates includes mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells propagated in SC Proven 2i inhibitor-based GS2-M media and mouse ES cell-derived and fetal tissue-derived neural stem (NS) cells propagated in SC Proven RHB-A media.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Amarantus Bioscience Holdings Inc (AMBS)

Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc., formerly Amarantus BioSciences, Inc., incorporated on March 22, 2013, is focuses on developing intellectual property and proprietary technology in order to develop drug candidates and diagnostic blood tests to diagnose and treat human diseases. The Company owns the intellectual property rights to a therapeutic protein known as Mesencephalic-Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor (MANF), owns the intellectual property rights to biomarkers related to oncology and neurodegeneration named BC-SeraPro and NuroPro respectively, has a license to an Alzheimer�� disease blood test named LymPro, and owns a number of proprietary cell lines called PhenoGuard. MANF was the first therapeutic protein discovered from a PhenoGuard Cell Line. In December 2012, the Company acquired neurodegenerative diagnostic portfolio from Power3 Medical Products. On March 22, 2013, the Company was merged with into Amarantus Bioscience Inc.

The Company also owns an inventory of 88 cell lines that Amarantus refers to as PhenoGuard Cell Lines. MANF is a protein that corrects protein misfolding. The Company�� MANF product development effort is centered on a therapy for Parkinson�� disease.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Two weeks ago I penned some bullish thoughts on Amarantus BioScience, Inc. (OTC:AMBS). In simplest terms, I liked the way the stock had spent some time in consolidation mode, and looked like was testing the upper boundary of that zone - I figured a breakout from AMBS was imminent. So I waited... and waited.... and waited. Nothing. A week and a half later, I let the stock fall off my mental radar. As it turns out, I should have been a little more patient. Amarantus BioScience finally did the deed yesterday, and is following through today.

5 Best Dividend Stocks To Watch Right Now: Amgen Inc.(AMGN)

Amgen Inc., a biotechnology medicines company, discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets human therapeutics based on advances in cellular and molecular biology for grievous illnesses primarily in the United States, Europe, and Canada. The company markets recombinant protein therapeutics in supportive cancer care, nephrology, and inflammation. Its principal products include Aranesp and EPOGEN erythropoietic-stimulating agents that stimulate the production of red blood cells; Neulasta and NEUPOGEN to stimulate the production of neutrophils, which is a type of white blood cell that helps the body to fight infections; and Enbrel, an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor that plays a role in the body?s response to inflammatory diseases. The company also markets other products comprising Sensipar/Mimpara, a small molecule calcimimetic that lowers serum calcium levels; Vectibix, a monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to the epidermal growth factor receptor; and Nplate, a thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor agonist that mimics endogenous TPO, the primary driver of platelet production. In addition, it provides Denosumab, a human monoclonal antibody that targets RANKL, an essential regulator of osteoclasts. Further, the company offers product candidates in mid-to-late stage development in a variety of therapeutic areas, including oncology, hematology, inflammation, bone, nephrology, cardiovascular, and general medicine consisting of neurology. It markets its products to healthcare providers, including physicians or their clinics, dialysis centers, hospitals, and pharmacies; consumers; and wholesale distributors of pharmaceutical products. The company has various collaborative arrangements with Pfizer Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline plc; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited; Array BioPharma Inc.; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd.; and Cytokinetics, Inc. Amgen Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Louis Navellier]

  Of the top three holdings of the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology (IBB) ETF, only Amgen (AMGN) stock pays a divided, currently around 1.6%. Amgen, the largest biotechnology company by revenues and one of the most mature, has only been paying a dividend since 2011, but it has rapidly hiked the rate from 28 cents per quarter to the current 47 cents.

• [By Bioassociate Consulting]

  Focused on development and commercialization of products for the aesthetic medicine market, Kythera is led by a highly experienced management team, boasting impressive record in the pharmaceutical industry and the aesthetic medicine market, as former Allergan (AGN) and Amgen (AMGN) executives. Kythera has been flying under the radar since its October 2012 IPO, and the successful completion of the Phase III program is expected to bring KYTH to the front, and in our opinion, makes it a buyout target.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Don't set sail without an anchor
  Every portfolio needs a group of core holdings to weather out storms and net steady long-term gains. Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN  ) is an easy choice for any biotech portfolio. I was tempted to include Johnson & Johnson for its impressive suite of biologics on the market, but biotech investors may not want hip implants in their portfolio, so we'll stick with Amgen. The $80 billion behemoth has increased its focus in recent years by bringing intriguing compounds into its pipeline, and should have no problem heading higher for the long-term.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Amarantus Bioscience Holdings Inc (AMBS.PK)

Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc., formerly Amarantus BioSciences, Inc., incorporated on March 22, 2013, is focuses on developing intellectual property and proprietary technology in order to develop drug candidates and diagnostic blood tests to diagnose and treat human diseases. The Company owns the intellectual property rights to a therapeutic protein known as Mesencephalic-Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor (MANF), owns the intellectual property rights to biomarkers related to oncology and neurodegeneration named BC-SeraPro and NuroPro respectively, has a license to an Alzheimer�� disease blood test named LymPro, and owns a number of proprietary cell lines called PhenoGuard. MANF was the first therapeutic protein discovered from a PhenoGuard Cell Line. In December 2012, the Company acquired neurodegenerative diagnostic portfolio from Power3 Medical Products. On March 22, 2013, the Company was merged with into Amarantus Bioscience Inc.

The Company a lso owns an inventory of 88 cell lines that Amarantus refers to as PhenoGuard Cell Lines. MANF is a protein that corrects protein misfolding. The Company�� MANF product development effort is centered on a therapy for Parkinson�� disease.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Dendreon Corporation(DNDN)

Dendreon Corporation, a biotechnology company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics to enhance cancer treatment options for patients. The company offers active cellular immunotherapy and small molecule product candidates to treat various cancers. Its product candidates comprise Provenge (sipuleucel-T), an active cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer; DN24-02, an investigational active immunotherapy for the treatment of patients with bladder, breast, ovarian, and other solid tumors expressing HER2/neu; and TRPM8, a small molecule agonist to transient receptor potential ion channel, for multiple cancers. The company also has a range of products in preclinical studies, which include Carcinoembryonic antigen for the treatment of lung, colon, and breast cancer; and Carbonic AnhydraseIX for the treatment of kidney cancer. Dendreon Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in S eattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  This week's winner
  Although there was no company-specific news out of�Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN  ) this week, following weeks of poor performance, it tacked on 8.7%. Presentations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting two weeks ago certainly helped to excite investors with regard to the potential of immunotherapy stocks, but Dendreon needs a lot more help than what a few early and mid-stage studies can offer. If Dendreon is to keep this rally going, it'll need decisively positive data on advanced prostate cancer treatment Provenge in Europe. We should certainly know more about its progress in Europe within the next few months.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Let's look at an example of a hypothetical investor we'll call Joe. In April 2010, Joe saw that the Food and Drug Administration approved a new prostate cancer vaccine, Provenge, which was developed by Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN  ) . Provenge looked very promising, with one prominent analyst forecasting peak annual sales as high as $4 billion.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Unfortunately, gaining FDA approval and commercializing a product don't necessarily end a biotech's volatility. Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN  ) received approval for prostate cancer drug Provenge in April 2010. JPMorgan estimated that peak annual sales for the drug could reach $3 to $4 billion. Those estimates failed to materialize. Disappointing sales for the drug have contributed to a stock collapse of more than 90% since the FDA approval.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Dyadic International Inc (DYAI)

Dyadic International, Inc. (Dyadic), incorporated in September 2002, is a holding company. The Company is a global biotechnology company. The Company has operations at the United States and the Netherlands. Dyadic uses its technologies to conduct research and development (R&D) and commercial activities for the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of enzymes and proteins for the bioenergy, industrial enzyme, and biopharmaceutical industries. The Company derives all of its revenues from the licensing of its technologies, the sale of its enzymes and conducting research and development (R&D) activities for third parties. The Company operates in two segments: the United States operations and The Netherlands operations. The United States segment includes a subsidiary in Poland.

The United States operating segment is a developer, manufacturer and distributor of enzyme products, proteins, peptides and other bio-molecules derived from genes and a collaborative licensor of enabling technologies for the development and manufacturing of biological products and use in R&D. The Netherlands operating segment is also a researcher and developer of enzyme products, proteins, peptides and other bio-molecules derived from genes and, to date, has mainly invested in R&D activities.

Dyadic�� R&D activities focus on its fungal strains and associated technologies. Dyadic uses its Trichoderma and C1 fungal strains in the production of its industrial enzymes. Dyadic manufactures and sells liquid and dry enzyme products to global customers for use within the animal feed, pulp and paper, starch and alcohol, food and brewing, textiles, and biofuels industries.

Dyadic also utilizes a technology platform based on its patented and C1 fungus (the C1 Platform Technology), which enables the development and manufacture of proteins and enzymes for diverse market opportunities. The C1 Platform Technology can also be used to screen for the discovery of novel genes and proteins. The C1 Platf! orm Technology also has the potential of developing and producing other biological products such as antibodies, vaccines, proteins and polypeptides for the biopharmaceutical industry.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Johnson & Johnson(JNJ)

Johnson & Johnson engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of various products in the health care field worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices and Diagnostics. The Consumer segment provides products used in baby care, skin care, oral care, wound care, and women?s health care fields, as well as nutritional, over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, and wellness and prevention platforms under the brands of JOHNSON?S, AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, JOHNSON?S Adult, NEUTROGENA, RoC, LUBRIDERM, DABAO, LISTERINE, REACH, BAND-AID, CAREFREE, STAYFREE, SPLENDA, TYLENOL, SUDAFED, ZYRTEC, MOTRIN IB, and PEPCID AC. The Pharmaceutical segment offers products in various therapeutic areas, such as anti-infective, antipsychotic, contraceptive, dermatology, gastrointestinal, hematology, immunology, neurology, oncology, pain management, and virology. Its principal products include REMICADE for the treatment of immune me diated inflammatory diseases; STELARA for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis; SIMPONI, a treatment for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis; VELCADE for the treatment of multiple myeloma; PREZISTA and INTELENCE for treating HIV/AIDS patients; NUCYNTA for moderate to severe acute pain; INVEGA SUSTENNAtm for the acute and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in adults; RISPERDAL CONSTA for the management of bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia; and PROCRIT to stimulate red blood cell production. The Medical Devices and Diagnostics segment primarily offers circulatory disease management products; orthopaedic joint reconstruction, spinal care, and sports medicine products; surgical care, aesthetics, and women?s health products; blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery products; professional diagnostic products; and disposable contact lenses. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in Ne w Brunswick, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  If there's one health-care stock every investor knows by name, it's Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) . This industry titan makes everything from consumer health products to medical devices to pharmaceuticals, reaching into every niche of the medical sector. It's a strong dividend stock with a history of stability -- there's seemingly some perk for every �J&J�investor.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Maybe the letter “N” should be added to the Dow. How better describe the benchmark’s performance after it was dragged down again today, this time by Coca-Cola (KO),�Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)�and Procter & Gamble (PG)?

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Living Cell Technologies Ltd (LHI)

Living Cell Technologies Limited (LCT) develops cell therapies to treat diseases with unmet clinical needs. LCT is an Australasian biotechnology company that operates in the field of cell encapsulation and implantation for human therapeutics. The Company has taken two therapeutic candidates into clinical development: DIABECELL(r) for the treatment of type 1 diabetes and NTCELL(r), which is in Phase I clinical trials in New Zealand for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Living Cell Technologies Ltd (LHI.BE)

Living Cell Technologies Limited (LCT) develops cell therapies to treat diseases with unmet clinical needs. LCT is an Australasian biotechnology company that operates in the field of cell encapsulation and implantation for human therapeutics. The Company has taken two therapeutic candidates into clinical development: DIABECELL(r) for the treatment of type 1 diabetes and NTCELL(r), which is in Phase I clinical trials in New Zealand for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Prosensa Holding NV (RNA)

Prosensa Holding N.V., formerly Prosensa Holding B.V., is a biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and development of ribonucleic acid-modulating (RNA)-modulating, therapeutics for the treatment of genetic disorders. The Company�� primary focus is on rare neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders with a large unmet medical need, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy and Huntington�� disease. The Company�� clinical portfolio of RNA-based product candidates is focused on the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The Company�� platform technology allows the development of RNA-modulating therapeutics that either interferes with splicing (exon skipping, exon inclusion, or splice mutation correction), remove mutant RNA, or block RNA expression, for different indications.

DMD is a rare, severe muscle wasting disease that occurs in up to 1 in 3,500 male births. It is commonly diagnosed between the ages of three to five, when boys begin to show signs of impaired motor development. PRO044, the Company�� product candidate, addresses a separate sub-population of DMD patients. The Company developed PRO044 using its exon-skipping technology to generate a product candidate with the same mechanism of action that is used by drisapersen.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Recent news surrounding small cap biotech stocks like�Xencor Inc (NASDAQ: XNCR), Prosensa Holding NV (NASDAQ: RNA),�Puma Biotechnology Inc (NYSE: PBYI),�Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN)
  and TNI BioTech Inc (OTCQB: TNIB) show that while the sector and appetite for biotech�IPOs may have cooled, lottery tickets can still be found or occur in the sector. Just consider the following recent news or trends:

• [By John Udovich]

  It should also be mentioned that earlier in the week, GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE: GSK) returned full rights of Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug drisapersen to their partner�Prosensa Holding NV (NASDAQ: RNA) and that news sent shares down 12.48% on�Monday. Moreover,�Prosensa Holding also sank some 70% last fall when Drisapersen failed a phase 3 trial by missing a primary endpoint measuring for how far patients could walk over the course of six minutes (the improvement�wasn't significantly better than the placebo).�However, Prosensa Holding also rose 24.37% yesterday after announcing�initial findings from further analyses from the aggregate data for drisapersen, with the CEO saying:

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: OncoSec Medical Inc (ONCS.PK)

OncoSec Medical Incorporated, incorporated on February 8, 2008, is an emerging drug-medical device company. The Company focused on designing, developing and commercializing medical approaches for the treatment of solid cancers. In March 2011, the Company acquired from Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Inovio) certain assets related to the use of drug-medical device combination products for the treatment of different cancers.

The Company�� acquired assets relate to certain non-deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) vaccine technology and property relating to selective tumor ablation technologies, which it refers to as the OncoSec Medical System (OMS), a therapy which uses an electroporation device to facilitate delivery of chemotherapy agents, or nucleic acids encoding cytokines, into tumors and/or surrounding tissue for the treatment and diagnosis of various cancers. As of January 24, 2012, the Company had not generated any revenue from operations.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: EntreMed Inc (ENMD.PH)

EntreMed, Inc. (EntreMed), incorporated in 1991, is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. EntreMed's drug candidate is ENMD-2076, an Aurora A and angiogenic kinase inhibitor for the treatment of cancer. ENMD-2076 has completed Phase I studies in patients with advanced solid tumors, multiple myeloma and leukemia and is completing data for a multi-center Phase II study in patients with platinum resistant ovarian cancer. The Company�� other product candidates have includes MKC-1, ENMD-1198 and 2-methoxyestrdiol (2ME2, Panzem) for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

ENMD-2076 is a novel orally-active, Aurora A/angiogenic kinase inhibitor with potent activity against Aurora A and multiple tyrosine kinases linked to cancer and inflammatory diseases. ENMD-2076 is relatively selective for the Aurora A isoform in comparison to Aurora B. Aurora kinases are key regulators of the process of mitosis, or cell division, and are often over-expressed in human cancers. E NMD-2076 exerts its effects through multiple mechanisms of action, including anti-proliferative activity and the inhibition of angiogenesis. ENMD-2076 has demonstrated significant, dose-dependent preclinical activity as a single agent, including tumor regression, in multiple xenograft models (such as breast, colon, leukemia), as well as activity towards ex vivo-treated human leukemia patient cells.

Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: NeoStem Inc (NBS)

NeoStem, Inc., incorporated on September 18, 1980, operates in cellular therapy industry. Cellular therapy addresses the process by which new cells are introduced into a tissue to prevent or treat disease, or regenerate damaged or aged tissue, and consists of a separate therapeutic technology platform in addition to pharmaceuticals, biologics and medical devices. The Company�� business model includes the development of novel cell therapy products, as well as operating a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) providing services to others in the regenerative medicine industry. Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC, the Company�� wholly owned subsidiary (PCT), is a CDMO in the cellular therapy industry. PCT has provided pre-clinical and clinical current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) development and manufacturing services to over 100 clients advancing regenerative medicine product candidates through rigorous quality standards all the way through to human testing.

PCT has two cGMP, cell therapy research, development, and manufacturing facilities in New Jersey and California, serving the cell therapy community with integrated and regulatory compliant distribution capabilities. Its core competencies in the cellular therapy industry include manufacturing of cell therapy-based products, product and process development, cell and tissue processing, regulatory support, storage, distribution and delivery and consulting services. The Company�� wholly-owned subsidiary, Amorcyte, LLC (Amorcyte) is developing its own cell therapy, AMR-001, for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. AMR-001 represents its clinically advanced therapeutic product candidate and enrollment for its Phase II PreSERVE clinical trial to investigate AMR-001's safety and efficacy in preserving heart function after a heart attack in a particular type of post Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) patients.

Through the Company�� subsidiary, Athelos Corporation (Athelos), the Company is collaborating w! ith Becton-Dickinson in early stage clinical development of a therapy utilizing T-cells, collaborating for autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, including but not limited to, graft vs. host disease, type 1 diabetes, steroid resistant asthma, lupus, multiple sclerosis and solid organ transplant rejection. The Company�� pre-clinical assets include its Very Small Embryonic Like (VSEL) Technology platform. The Company has basic research and development capabilities, manufacturing facilities on both the east and west coast of the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Summer and the slow news for the market that usually comes with it�is over with and both stem cell researchers or small� cap stem cell stocks like Advanced Cell Technology, Inc (OTCBB: ACTC), Neuralstem, Inc (NYSEMKT: CUR), NeoStem Inc (NASDAQ: NBS), International Stem Cell Corp (OTCMKTS: ISCO)�and BioRestorative Therapies (OTCBB: BRTX) having news for investors and traders alike. Consider the following:

Semiconductors - A Crazy Industry

The global semiconductor industry exceeded $300 billion in sales for the first time ever in 2013, spurred by consistent, steady growth across nearly all regions and product categories.

Last year's semiconductor revenues came to $305.6 billion, an increase of 4.8% over 2012′s total of $291.6 billion.

From a long-term historical perspective the way this industry works is absolutely astounding.

The semiconductor industry is unique, unlike anything else in the history of the world.  For half a century this business has been running and churning every year, year after year, devouring significant bank-loads of capital, and, in return, delivering huge gains in performance, productivity, and cost-effectiveness.  The performance gains provided by semiconductors are unheard of in any other industry, increasing by roughly 25-30% per year.

But this industry's financial returns are completely offset by steep price declines.  Users keep getting more and more performance, but in the end, they pay about the same amount every year no matter how much performance increases.

Industry revenues in 2000 peaked at $204B, driven by the dot.com boom and a resultant shortage.  Thirteen years later the industry has grown to $306 billion in revenues  for a CAGR of about 3.2%/year.

Out of the 25-30% in benefits that the semiconductor market provides the world, it gets to keep, for its share, about 3.2% which shows up as revenue growth.  The rest of the benefits end up in the pockets of downstream users, end consumers and system makers who are more adept at capturing the benefits they create, and sometimes it it flows through to their customers.

In fact, the semiconductor industry's $306 billion in 2013 revenues probably paid for 20-30 times the functionality of the $204 billion worth of semiconductors sold in 2000.

Is this trend ready to slow down?  I seriously doubt it.  Not yet, anyway…

7 Reasons Semiconductor Stocks Will Shine in 2014

2014 should be a banner year for semiconductor stocks.  Barring any financial calamities all of the stars are lined up for strong growth.

Let's have a look at the factors that should cause semiconductor stocks to do well in 2014:

1) 2012 Capital spending was low:  After prices collapsed in 2011, semiconductor makers slashed their capital budgets, reducing their spending on plant and equipment.  This resulted in the price flattening the industry has experienced over the past year.  It generally takes 2 years for a change in semiconductor capital spending to create a shortage or oversupply, and the 2011 CapEx decrease, which has extended most of the way through 2013, has created a tightness that will become a full-fledged shortage in 2014.  Shortages re-establish profitability, and growing profits and revenues drive stock prices to increase.

2) Demand is strong: Despite concern about declining PC unit shipments semiconductor demand is doing very well.  Other applications (most notably cell phone handsets and tablet PCs) have driven demand increases that more than offset any loss in PCs.

3) The economy is doing well enough: Sure, things were better in early 2008, and in 2000, prior to the collapses that followed those two strong economies, and it's true that the Fed is treading extremely cautiously in an effort to get the US economy into better shape than it is today, but the world economy is doing well enough today to drive continuing strong semiconductor demand, and it doesn't look like semiconductor demand will be making any nosedives anytime soon.

4) A weak dollar increases foreign investments:  Although I am not one to condone the recent antics of our elected representatives, the dollar is weakening as a result of Fiscal Cliffs, Sequesters, and other desperate-sounding events, and that's a decided plus for US semiconductor company stock prices.  A weak dollar may indeed make foreign goods more expensive to US buyers, but it also makes US-based stocks more attractive to foreign investors.  These investors have a lot of money that is looking for a good home, and US company stocks are likely to benefit from an influx of foreign investment capital.

5) There will be more build-out of the Internet: It has become quite clear that there is a very strong relationship between the compute horsepower of a data center and its resulting revenue stream.  Big Internet service providers and web-based service companies continue to invest heavily to improve the user experience.  Instead of hanging onto old servers and storage until they are fully depreciated, these companies continue to "Rip 'n' Replace" their systems with larger, faster, and more efficient hardware.  This is driving solid demand for the chips in these systems that should continue for the next several years.

6) Lack of price elasticity: Back in the 1990s a colleague and I analyzed the short-term price elasticity of the DRAM market over a three-decade span.  Our finding: Only about 5% of DRAM's bit growth could be correlated to its price – bit demand grew at a relatively steady rate whether prices were high or low.  This phenomenon continues today.  Yes, shortages will drive price increases, but this will have very little negative impact on consumption.

Top 10 Safest Companies To Watch In Right Now

7) This could be an extended shortage: There are indications that the current shortage will not be typical of semiconductor cycles, which usually have two "Up" years followed by two "Down" years.  Certain factors that I will describe in a later post are poised to extend this shortage anywhere from 1½ to 3 years longer than the cycles typically driven by capital spending.  This means that 2014 (or even 2013) could be the beginning of a very long period of profitability like those seen in 1992-5 or 2003-6.  Although it's too early to be certain, those who invest in 2014 will get a lot more out of an extended shortage than Johnny-come-lately investors who jump in towards the end of the cycle.

So there you have it.  A short list of reasons that this analyst expects 2014 to be a very good year for semiconductor stocks.

Keep in mind that I am not an investment analyst, and you should talk to your own adviser prior to making any investment, but semiconductors certainly deserve a close look when you are making these decisions.

Iron Mountain: REIT Success Would Bring Respite, Not Salvation

Iron Mountain (IRM) has bet heavily that it’s conversion to a real-estate investment trust would arrest its declining share price. But Don’t count on a permanent benefit without major changes, according to a Jefferies report released today.

Jefferies’ Dan Dolev and Trevor Young explain:

For many years, the durability of IRM’s paper storage business (74% of GP) has made it synonymous with stability, but our proprietary survey highlighting a dramatic decline in paper storage intentions is concerning. Data centers are a step in the right direction, but to ensure long-term viability, IRM needs a comprehensive plan to diversify away from storing paper…

REIT status does not affect fundamentals, but a 2x dividend could bring short-term respite to the shares. Only the IRS knows if IRM would become a REIT; however, if it does, the stock would surely rise on the prospects of a $2+ dividend (~2x C-corp.).

Dolev and Young started Iron Mountain with a Hold rating and a $27 price target. Shares of Iron Mountain have dropped 1.7% to $29 today at 2:41 p.m.