5 Best Consumer Service Stocks To Buy Right Now

Last week I rolled out a Health Care Portfolio for the Ages by adding two big biotech growth stories, Celgene and Gilead Sciences, to the HealthyMoney Motley Fool CAPS virtual portfolio.�From fast growers to dividend plays, to companies with disruptive technology, join me each week as I construct a market-beating virtual portfolio of 10 health care stocks.�

Let's continue our quest for a market-beating portfolio constructed entirely from health care companies by adding two health care powerhouses.

Big pharma stuck in a rut?
It's been an interesting year in health care with small- and mid-cap biotechs soaring and traditional big pharma stalling on the crushing blows of the patent cliff. Big names like Roche, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Merck, and Eli Lilly are all in the midst of major restructuring and cost cutting initiatives after in-house R&D costs had swollen with unimpressive end results. But with the inflated valuations of health care growth companies and the expanding notion that there is a biotech bubble, it is critical that we find some stalwart plays to diversify the virtual portfolio.

Hot Growth Stocks To Buy For 2015: California Water Service Group (CWT)

California Water Service Group, incorporated on August 2, 1999, is a holding company. The Company operates California Water Service Company (Cal Water), New Mexico Water Service Company (New Mexico Water), Washington Water Service Company (Washington Water), Hawaii Water Service Company, Inc. (Hawaii Water), and CWS Utility Services and HWS Utility Services LLC are collectively called Utility Services. Cal Water, New Mexico Water, Washington Water, and Hawaii Water are regulated public utilities. Utility Services provides non-regulated services to private companies and municipalities. The Company�� business is conducted through its operating subsidiaries. Its bulk business consists of the production, purchase, storage, treatment, testing, distribution and sale of water for domestic, industrial, public and irrigation uses, and for fire protection. It also provides non-regulated water-related services under agreements with municipalities and other private companies. The non-regulated services include full water system operation, billing and meter reading services. Non-regulated operations also include the lease of communication antenna sites, lab services, and promotion of other non-regulated services.

Regulated Business

California water operations are conducted by the Cal Water and CWS Utility Services entities, which provide service to approximately 473,100 customers in 83 California communities through 25 separate districts. Of these 25 districts, 23 districts are regulated water systems, which are subject to regulation by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Cal Water operates two leased water systems, the City of Hawthorne and the City of Commerce, which are governed through their respective city councils and are outside of the CPUC's jurisdiction. California water operations account for approximately 94% of its total customers and approximately 94% of its total consolidated operating revenue.

Hawaii Water provides service to approximately 4,2! 00 water and wastewater customers on the islands of Maui and Hawaii, including several resorts and condominium complexes. Hawaii's regulated operations are subject to the jurisdiction of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. Hawaii Water accounts for less than 1% of its total customers and approximately 3% of its total operating revenue.

Washington Water provides domestic water service to approximately 15,800 customers in the Tacoma and Olympia areas. Washington Water's utility operations are regulated by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. Washington Water accounts for approximately 3% of its total customers and approximately 2% of its total consolidated operating revenue.

New Mexico Water provides service to approximately 7,600 water and wastewater customers in the Belen, Los Lunas and Elephant Butte areas in New Mexico. New Mexico's regulated operations are subject to the jurisdiction of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. New Mexico Water accounts for approximately 2% of its total customers and approximately 1% of its total consolidated operating revenue.

Non-Regulated Businesses

Non-regulated activities consist primarily of operating water and waste water systems, which are owned by other entities; providing meter reading and billing services; leasing communication antenna sites on its properties; operating recycled water systems; providing lab services for water quality testing; billing of optional third-party insurance program to its residential customers; selling surplus property, and other services as requested by the client. The Company provides operating and maintenance, meter reading and customer billing services for several municipalities in California. It also provides sewer and refuse billing services to several municipalities. The Company leases antenna sites to telecommunication companies, which place equipment at various Company-owned sites. The antennas are used in cellular phone and personal communic! ation app! lications.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Richard Band]

  California Water Service (CWT) is the third-largest publicly traded water utility in the country��nd the largest west of the Mississippi River. The company has raised its dividend for 47 years in a row.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Utility holding company California Water (CWT) raised its quarterly dividend 1.5% to 16.25 cents per share, payable on Feb. 21 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 10.
  CWT Dividend Yield: 2.78%

5 Best Consumer Service Stocks To Buy Right Now: Nicholas Financial Inc.(NICK)

Nicholas Financial, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialized consumer finance company. The company engages in acquiring and servicing contracts for purchases of new and used automobiles and light trucks. It also makes direct loans and sells consumer-finance related products. In addition, the company engages in developing, marketing, supporting, and updating industry-specific computer application software for small businesses located primarily in the Southeast United States. As of April 5, 2011, it operated 56 branch locations in 14 Southeastern and Midwestern states. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Clearwater, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Prospect Capital Corp.(PSEC) said it agreed to buy Nicholas Financial Inc.(NICK) in a stock deal valued at about $199 million that the investment firm expects will expand its presence in the car-loan industry. Prospect Capital is offering $16 a share for Nicholas, a 4.5% premium over Tuesday’s closing price. Nicholas Financial shares edged up 2.8% to $15.70 premarket.

5 Best Consumer Service Stocks To Buy Right Now: Kyocera Corp (KYOCF)

KYOCERA CORPORATION mainly develops products for the information and communications market. The Fine Ceramic segment offers semiconductor and liquid crystal manufacturing equipment parts, and information communication parts. The Semiconductor Parts segment offers ceramic and optical communication packages. The Fine Ceramic Applied Product Related segment offers residential, industrial photovoltaic generations. The Electronic Device segment offers ceramic capacitors, tantalum capacitors. The Communication Device segment provides personal handy phone systems (PHSs). The Information Equipment segment offers monochromes and combined machine. The Others segment provides information communication services. On April 1, 2013, it transferred the liquid crystal display related business to KYOCERA Display Corporation. On October 1, 2013, it acquired a 55% stake in NEC TOPPAN CIRCUIT SOLUTIONS, INC. from Toppan Printing Co Ltd, and acquired another 45% stake from NEC Corporation. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Daniel Inman]

  Shares of Japanese real-estate companies managed to move higher in Tokyo, with Mitsui Fudosan (JP:8801) � (MTSFF) �up 1.6%, and Mitsubishi Estate Co. (JP:8802) � (MITEF) �up 1.9%. Local exporters, however, failed to lead the market lower: Honda Motor Co. (JP:7267) � (HMC) �lost 0.8%, and Kyocera Corp. (JP:6971) � (KYOCF) �fell 0.6%

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks weakened in early Thursday trading as the yen rose and Wall Street ended mixed, with the Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) falling 1.2% to 15,929.74 after a 1.9% advance a day earlier. With the yen (USDJPY) slightly firmer than in the previous session, some investors sold currency-sensitive exporters, with Fanuc Corp. (JP:6954) (FANUF) down 2%, Kyocera Corp. (JP:6971) (KYOCF) off 1.9%, and Fujitsu Ltd. (JP:6702) (FJTSY) losing 2.3%. News that China would lift a ban on some sales of videogame consoles had sent shares of Nintendo Co. (JP:7974) (NTDOF) shooting 11% higher on Wednesday, but apparent profit-taking sent the stock down 4.2% in early Thursday action. Shares of rival Sony Corp. (JP:6758) (SNE) , however, followed with a 4% rise, also possibly buoyed by a Nikkei Asian Review report that it was planning a "smartphone offensive" in the U.S. and China. Canon Inc. (JP:7751) (CAJ) fell 2% on a separate Nikkei report that the company's 2013 operating profit would miss forecasts. Toshiba Corp. (JP:6502) (TOSYY)

5 Best Consumer Service Stocks To Buy Right Now: Starbucks Corporation(SBUX)

Starbucks Corporation purchases and roasts whole bean coffees. It operates approximately 16,858 stores, including 8,833 company-operated stores and 8,025 licensed stores. The company offers approximately 30 blends and single-origin premium arabica coffees. It also provides handcrafted beverages, such as fresh-brewed coffee, hot and iced espresso beverages, coffee and non-coffee blended beverages, Vivanno smoothies, and Tazo teas; and merchandise products, including home espresso machines, coffee brewers and grinders, coffee mugs and accessories, packaged goods, music, books, and gift items. In addition, it offers fresh food items, which comprise baked pastries, sandwiches, salads, oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, and fruit cups. Further, it also provides VIA ready brew coffee, bottled frappuccino beverages, discoveries chilled cup coffee, doubleshot espresso drinks, iced coffee, whole bean coffee, and ice creams. The company?s brand portfolio includes Tazo tea, Ethos water, Seatt le?s Best Coffee, and Torrefazione Italia Coffee. Starbucks Corporation sells its products in approximately 50 countries worldwide. Starbucks Corporation was founded in 1971 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Panera has thrived by selling healthy fare in an inviting bakery setting. Not content to allow Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX  ) to dominate the early morning coffee niche, Panera has used some of the same tactics as its rival, building out its restaurants to encourage customers to linger with Wi-Fi and comfortable furnishings. Starbucks has reupped its efforts to go beyond coffee with its purchase last year of bakery company La Boulange, but that hasn't stopped Panera from posting strong growth.