Best Construction Companies To Invest In Right Now

Move over, Elmo.

There's a new toy in town. MaKey MaKey isn't fluffy or cute. It doesn't talk or dance when you press its belly. It inspires curiosity, experimentation, invention and pride.

This $49.95 part-digital, part-mechanical construction kit represents the business potential of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math ��or STEM �� movement compelling politicians and professors to rethink education and venture capitalists and entrepreneurs to create and fund new products around it.

Kit founders Jay Silver and Eric Rosenbaum of Cocoa Beach, Fla.-based JoyLabz believe MaKey MaKey and an equally-inventive new generation of toys are on the cusp of transforming the toy industry.

Less than three-year-old littleBits of New York City recently raised $11.1 million to grow its business selling exploration kits ��tiny circuit-boards that can be snapped together to create larger circuits that light up, make noise or perform other small feats. GoldieBlox and Roominate both sell building sets aimed at getting girls interested in electronics and engineering. GoldieBlox won Intuit's Super Bowl commercial contest this year after it created a viral video of young girls making a Rube Goldberg device.

Best Specialty Retail Stocks To Buy Right Now: Societe Libanaise des Ciments Blancs SAL (CBN)

Societe Libanaise des Ciments Blancs SAL is a Lebanon-based joint stock company that operates in the construction materials industry sector. The Company is engaged in the production and sale of white cement. The Company is a 65.99% owned by Holcim (Liban) SAL. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CanadianValue]

  Nigeria�� reformed banking system has provided many foreigners with an attractive means to invest in the fast-growing domestic economy. The banking industry is important, not only because of the rise of microfinance, but because of the move by banks into consumer banking. Until recently, banks were mainly financing large businesses or the government through bond purchases. Following a banking crisis in 2008, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) conducted an audit of the commercial banking sector. All banks that failed the audit had their CEOs replaced. The state-owned Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) was created to purchase non-performing loans and recapitalize the unhealthy banks. A recent review of the country�� banks by the IMF showed a dramatic increase in profits for the industry in 2012, while the capital adequacy ratio was above the minimum requirement of 10% and non-performing loans were below the mandated threshold of 5%5.

Best Construction Companies To Invest In Right Now: Tile Shop Holdings Inc (TTS)

Tile Shop Holdings, Inc., incorporated on June 21, 2012, is a specialty retailer of manufactured and natural stone tiles, setting and maintenance materials, and related accessories in the United States. The Company sells over 4,500 products from around the world, including ceramic, porcelain, glass, and stainless steel manufactured tiles and, marble, granite, quartz, sandstone, travertine, slate, and onyx natural tiles. It purchases its tile products and accessories directly from producers. The Company manufactures its own setting and maintenance materials, such as thinset, grout, and sealers under its brand name. The Company operates 70 stores in 22 states, with an average size of 23,000 square feet. It also sells its products on its Website. In January 2014 Tile Shop Holdings Inc launched its first retail store in Oklahoma City.

The Company offers a complete assortment of tile products, generally sourced directly from producers, including ceramic, porcelain, glass, and stainless steel manufactured tiles, and marble, granite, quartz, sandstone, travertine, slate, and onyx natural tiles. The Company also offers a range of setting and maintenance materials, such as thinset, grout and sealers, and accessories, including installation tools, shower and bath caddies, drains, and similar products.

The Company competes with Home Depot, Tile America, World of Tile, Century Tile, and Floor and Decor, Dal-Tile and Florida Tile.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  The shorts appear to be trying to crack small cap Tile Shop Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: TTS)���meaning it might be worth taking a realistic look at the stock and any potential problems surrounding it plus the performance of other home improvement retailers or peers like Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc (NYSE: LL), which is not into tiles, and The Home Depot, Inc (NYSE: HD) and Lowe's Companies, Inc (NYSE: LOW) which would be into tiles.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTS)�managed to recover almost 12% on Friday to $14.50, but this one tanked on accusations of having third party transactions that would have inflated the company sales. Shares were down almost 40% on Thursday to $12.95 after having closed at $21.22 the day before. Now there are investigations and everyone is scared despite the company denying the claims and despite the company reaffirming its guidance. This one even traded 19 million shares on Thursday and 20 million on Friday, versus an average of what would be closer to 500,000 or so before the news. Anything tied to “accounting irregularities” sends investors running and brings the regulators and lawyers in.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, natural stone tile retailer Tile Shop Holdings (NASDAQ: TTS  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

• [By Tim Melvin]

  Tile Shops Holdings (TTS) came public back in 2012 and was initially a hot deal, doubling in the months after the deal was priced. It has been pretty much downhill from there, and the shares have lost half their peak value and are back near the offering price.

Best Construction Companies To Invest In Right Now: Mostostroy No6 OAO (MSTF)

Mostostroy No6 OAO (Mostostroitel��yi trest No 6 OAO or Bridge Construction Trust N 6 OJSC) is a Russia-based company engaged in the construction industry. Its services portfolio includes the design, construction, reconstruction and renovation of bridges, railways, highways, tunnels and subways, nuclear and thermal power stations, residential and industrial facilities, among others. Mostostroitel��yi trest No 6 OAO provides its services mainly to companies engaged in the transportation, hydraulic engineering, industrial, civil and nuclear construction sectors and its customers include ROSATOM and Russian Railways, among others. The Company operates through 10 branches, as well as two representative offices, located in Moscow and Sochi. In addition, it has five wholly owned subsidiaries. As of March 4, 2011, the Company�� major shareholder was Malakhit OOO with a stake of 19.85%. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Taulli]

  But again, the most glaring red flag is the valuation of GOOG stock. Shares of Google stock are currently trading at a P/E ratio of 30, which is certainly rich. Consider that�Apple (AAPL) and �Microsoft (MSTF) sport multiples of only about 14. These companies also have decent dividend yields.

Best Construction Companies To Invest In Right Now: Oci NV (OCI)

Oci NV is a Netherlands-based company, which divides its activities into two groups. The first group is engaged in the design, construction and maintenance of industrial and commercial infrastructures and buildings, such as roads, ports, railroads, hospitals, stadiums and water treatment units. The second group is engaged in the production of fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonia, granulated urea, calcium ammonium nitrate and urea ammonium nitrate, among others. The Company is a subsidiary of Orascom Construction Industries SAE, an international fertilizer producer and construction contractor based in Cairo, Egypt. In September 2013, it announced spin-off of its subsidiary OCI Partners LP. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ahmed A. Namatalla]

  OCI attracted $2 billion in commitments from a group of investors including Cascade Investment LLC, Gates�� personal investments vehicle, to help finance the move to Amsterdam, which it said would lower borrowing costs and boost its global profile. Yesterday�� settlement prompted Cairo-based investment bank Pharos Holding to raise Orascom to buy from hold, saying the construction and fertilizer company would proceed with an offer to investors to buy its Cairo-listed shares or swap them with OCI NV (OCI) stock.

Best Construction Companies To Invest In Right Now: Boral Ltd (BLD)

Boral Limited (Boral), is engaged in the manufacture and supply of building and construction materials in Australia, the United States and Asia. The Company�� operating segments include Construction Materials & Cement, Building Products, Boral Gypsum, and Boral USA. The Construction Materials & Cement is engaged in quarries, concrete, asphalt, transport, landfill, property, cement and concrete placing. The Building Products segment is engaged in Australian bricks, roof tiles, masonry, timber products and windows. The Boral Gypsum involves Australian and Asian plasterboard. The Boral USA is engaged in Bricks, cultured stone, roof tiles, fly ash, concrete and quarries. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Lam]

  Ballard Power (BLD), which designs and manufactures hydrogen fuel cells, slumped 15 percent to C$1.42, the biggest decline since March. The company yesterday said it will sell about 9 million units at $1.40 a unit for proceeds of about $12.6 million. The cash generated will be used to fund working capital, support growth and general corporate purposes, the company said.