Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014

Stocks are pushing up into record territory again, although today's gains are of the modest type a day after the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) closed above 15,000 for the first time. As of 2:15 p.m. EDT, the Dow has gained just 25 points, although a majority of members on the blue chip index are in the green. Several big names are picking up significant gains of more than 1% today. Let's check out the news and movers you need to know.

Stocks rising higher
Shares of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH  ) have surged higher today by a Dow-leading 2.5%. Despite the gains, UnitedHealth's facing hurdles: Obamacare's the big shadow on the company's radar, as the implementation of health care reform next year is still shrouded in uncertainty. More pressing, however, is that UnitedHealth's in hot water with the Department of Defense�over long medical care referral times for military personnel and families. UnitedHealth's acquisition of a contract worth more than $20 billion includes a clause indicating cost reimbursement for "poor performance," and the Pentagon is reportedly looking to get the insurer to reimburse it for the referral delays.

Top Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In Right Now: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce(CM)

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce provides various financial products, services, and advice to individual, small business, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Canada and internationally. The company offers retail markets services comprising personal banking, business banking, and wealth management services, as well as investment management services to retail and institutional clients. It also provides wholesale banking services, including credit, capital markets, investment banking, merchant banking, and research products and services to government, institutional, corporate, and retail clients. The company provides its services through its branch network, automated bank machines, mobile banking, and online banking site. As of June 3, 2011, it operated approximately 1,100 branches and 4,000 automated bank machines in Canada. The company was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Will Ashworth]

  NTIOF Rating: 7

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM)

  Dividend Yield: 4.4%

  According to a report by TD Securities,�Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM) generates 80% of its total loans in Canada, higher than any other major Canadian bank.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  It's easy for U.S. investors to paint Canadian banks with a single brush-stroke, as the differences in the banking system helped keep Bank of Montreal and its peers safer during the financial crisis five years ago. As Canada's housing market has kept rising even after the housing bust south of its border, however, investors have gotten increasingly concerned about the potential health of its banks, especially the largest ones. With downgrades for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE: CM  ) , Toronto-Dominion (NYSE: TD  ) , and Bank of Montreal among a total of six banks in January, Moody's identified higher debt levels among Canadian consumers as driving potential risk for the economy.

• [By John Buckingham]

  Canadian Imperial Bank (CM)

  Canadian Imperial Bank, often referred to as CIBC, is the fifth-largest Canadian bank by market capitalization. We like that the firm reported relatively strong Q4 earnings, showing net income growth across all divisions.

Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc(VRX)

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and markets pharmaceutical products in the areas of neurology, dermatology, and branded generics. It offers Wellbutrin XL to treat depressive disorders; Xenazine to treat chorea associated with Huntington?s disease; CeraVe to rebuild and repair skin barrier; and Kinerase, a cosmetic product. The company also provides Zovirax ointment to treat initial genital herpes; Xerese to treat recurrent herpes labialis; Elidel to treat atopic dermatitis; and Acanya and Atralin gels to treat acne vulgaris. In addition, it offers Cesamet to treat nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy; Tiazac XC to treat hypertension and angina; Wellbutrin to treat depressive illness; Sublinox to treat insomnia; and Lodalis to treat hypercholesterolemia. Further, the company provides Cold-FX to strengthen immune system; Duromine/Metermine for weight loss; Difflam to treat sore throa ts; and Duro-Tuss and Rikodeine to treat dry and chesty cough, as well as various branded generics for treatments, including antibiotics, treatments for cardiovascular and neurological diseases, antifungal medications, and diabetic therapies. Additionally, it offers Bisocard to treat hypertension and angina pectoris; Flucinar, a corticosteroid ointment; and Sachol mouth ulcer gel; Bedoyecta to treat neurotic pain; M.V.I., a hospital dietary supplement for trauma and burns; Tandene to treat fever and headache; Melleril to treat anxiety and depression; and products for therapeutic classes, such as vitamin deficiency, antibacterials, and dermatology. It markets its products in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Latin America, southeast Asia, and South Africa. The company was formerly known as Biovail Corporation and changed its name to Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. in September 2010. The company was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in M ississauga, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Hyperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ: HPTX  ) , a biopharmaceutical company focused on treatments for orphan diseases and hepatology, rose as much as 10% after receiving orphan drug exclusivity status for Ravicti from the Food and Drug Administration, and exercising an option to acquire two additional urea cycle drugs from Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: VRX  ) .

• [By Dan Burrows]

  True, that’s peanuts compared to the $100 billion Pfizer (PFE) is offering for AstraZeneca (AZN),� and just a fraction of the $46 billion Valeant (VRX) offered for Allergan (AGN). Holders of Merck stock probably know the deal between MRK and Bayer even pales compared to the $25 billion acquisition of Forest Labs (FRX) by Actavis (ACT).

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Shares of Allergan Inc. (AGN) �and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. (VRX) �rallied following reports that Pershing Square�� Bill Ackman and Valeant were teaming up to take over Allergan.

Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: Kansas City Southern (KSU)

Kansas City Southern, through its subsidiaries, engages primarily in the freight rail transportation business. It operates north/south rail between Kansas City, Missouri, and various ports along the Gulf of Mexico in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas in the midwest and southeast regions of the United States. The company also operates direct rail passageway between Mexico City and Laredo in Texas, serving various Mexico?s industrial cities and 3 of its shipping ports; and a 157-mile rail line extending from Laredo, Texas to the port city of Corpus Christi, Texas, as well as owns the northern half of the rail bridge at Laredo, Texas. In addition, Kansas City Southern holds a concession to operate a 47-mile railroad located adjacent to the Panama Canal, as well as operates and promotes commuter and tourist passenger services. Further, the company operates a bulk materials handling facility with deep-water access to the Gulf of Mexico at Port Arthur, Texas that stores and transfers petroleum coke from rail cars to ships primarily for export; and a railroad wood tie treatment facility. It serves customers conducting business in various industries, including electric-generating utilities, chemical and petroleum products, industrial and consumer products, agriculture and mineral products, automotive products, and intermodal freight transportation. The company was formerly known as Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc. and changed its name to Kansas City Southern in 2002. Kansas City Southern was founded in 1962 and is based in Kansas City, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) were down 15.66 percent to $98.91 after the company reported downbeat Q4 earnings.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  But CSX has recognized the potential of moving important commodities like crops and oil from the center of the country to the East Coast. The success that Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP  ) has had in transporting oil across the country has inspired plenty of copycat moves from its railroad rivals as they all seek to make up for lost revenue elsewhere. For its part, CSX expects to spend $2.3 billion on infrastructure improvements like higher bridges, larger tunnels, and improving clearance to allow for double-decker-container transport to ports on the Atlantic coast. Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU  ) is also trying to capitalize on this trend, with its own plans to spend half a billion dollars on capital expenditures this year.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Investors have created a monster of their own–the emerging markets, an amalgamation of various countries that have very little in common–and like the monster in the original Frankenstein, they’re coming for their creator. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) fell 3.9% to $38.24 this week–dragging down U.S. stocks with it. The S&P 500 fell 2.6% to 1,790.29, its largest one-week decline since June, 2012, as it was pulled lower by International Game Technology (IGT) and Kansas City Southern (KSU). The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.5% to 15,879.11, its largest decline since November, 2011, with�EI Du Pont De Nemours (DD) and�General Electric (GE) the biggest losers. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 2.726%, down from 3.006% at the start of 2014, as investors flocked to the relative safety of bonds.

Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: Stevia First Corp (STVF)

Stevia First Corp. , formerly Legend Mining Inc., incorporated on June 29, 2007, is a development-stage company. It is an agricultural biotechnology company. The Company is engaged in the cultivation and harvest of stevia leaf and the development of stevia products. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had not generated any revenues.

The Company focuses on the process of stevia production from plant breeding through propagation, planting, cultivation, and harvesting, and developing, marketing, and selling stevia products. It also focuses on developing operations that will include stevia tissue culture, laboratory propagation, farming, and cultivation of stevia leaf. Stevia, is a plant from the chrysanthemum family. Stevia is a sweetener in its raw, unprocessed form. The small green plant�� leaves have a taste that can be 30 times sweeter than sugar.

The Company competes with Cargill, Incorporated, PureCircle, Blue California, Corn Products International, GLG Life Tech Corp., McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, Sunwin USA, L.L.C., Sweet Green Fields L.L.C., Whole Earth Sweetener Co. L.L.C., Wisdom Natural Brands and &W Seed Company.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Glenwoods]

  Cargill and Evolva are not the only companies developing stevia via a fermentation-based process. Stevia First Corp. (OTCMKTS:STVF), an early-stage agribusiness based in California's Central Valley, with its sights on being the first vertically integrated stevia company, has been developing its own stevia microbial fermentation-based process (through a license by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre of Canada).� Recently the company announced its "Beyond Reb A" research program, aimed at producing not only Reb A, but also Reb D and Reb X, two glycosides found in small amounts in the stevia leaves that have been identified as the next-generation of stevia sweeteners.� �

Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: Iberpapel Gestion SA (IBG)

Iberpapel Gestion SA is a Spain-based holding company engaged in the paper industry. The Company operates through three divisions: Forestry, involved in the acquisition and cultivation of eucalyptus plantations in Argentina, Uruguay and Spain; Industrial, focused on the production of bleached pulp and paper products, and Commercial, specialized on the distribution of products such as printing and photocopy paper, offset paper, light-coated paper, laser printing paper, paper bags and envelopes. The Company�� subsidiaries include Distribuidora Papelera SA, Moliner Dominguez y Cia SA, Ibereucaliptos SA, Papelera Guipuzcoana de Zicunaga SA, Central de Suministros de Artes Graficas Papel SA and Copaimex SA, among others. The Company�� major shareholders include ONCHENA, SL and BESTINVER GESTION, SA. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  The top contributing stock for the quarter was Saft Groupe (XPAR:SAFT).� The company has two main divisions: the Specialty Battery Group (SBG), which makes lithium batteries for various end markets including satellites, utility meters and military applications; and the Industrial Battery Group (IBG), which produces rechargeable nickel and lithium-ion batteries for industrial back-up power, aviation, rail, telecom and energy storage industries.�

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  The top contributing stock for the quarter was Saft Groupe (XPAR:SAFT).� The company has two main divisions: the Specialty Battery Group (SBG), which makes lithium batteries for various end markets including satellites, utility meters and military applications; and the Industrial Battery Group (IBG), which produces rechargeable nickel and lithium-ion batteries for industrial back-up power, aviation, rail, telecom and energy storage industries.�

Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: Liberty All-Star Equity Fund(USA)

Liberty All Star Equity Fund is a closed-ended equity mutual fund managed by ALPS Advisers, Inc. The fund is co-managed by Matrix Asset Advisors, Inc., Pzena Investment Management, LLC, Schneider Capital Management Corporation, Cornerstone Capital Management, Inc, and TCW Investment Management Company. It invests in the public equity markets of the United States. The fund invests in the stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. It primarily invests in the combination of both value and growth stocks of large cap companies. Liberty All Star Equity Fund was formed in October 1986 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Patricio Kehoe]

  In fact, today the company announced that it will be launching a new universal life product for the Canadian market called Manulife UL by May 26 of this year. The new product will offer cost-effective insurance protection, as well as the opportunity for tax-advantaged investing, catering to customer�� demands for a more simplified insurance solution, which should help boost sales to some extent. Although the firm�� balance sheet is highly leveraged, exposing it to possible damages in the case of higher-than-expected policy liabilities, Manulife�� capital position has improved substantially over the past year. With a ratio of regulatory capital to capital required at 248%, the firm possesses excessive capital levels, well above competitors like Prudential Public Limited Company (ADR) (PUK), China Life Insurance Company Ltd. (ADR) (LFC), and Sun Life Financial Inc. (USA) (SLF), which all sport a 200% ratio. Moreover, the company�� excessive capital should allow it to maintain the above average dividend yield of 2.66% offered to shareholders.

• [By Rich Bieglmeier]

  While Quail thinks of the group as Neutral, he points to Barrick Gold Corporation (USA) (NYSE:ABX) as a "Buy," up from "Neutral" saying, "[Barrick] has actively shrunk to profitability over the past twelve months, focusing on its key FCF generating operations and divesting non-core strategic assets. Following the equity raise in 2013, we believe the company's financial flexibility has significantly improved."

Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: The Medicines Company(MDCO)

The Medicines Company, a pharmaceutical company, provides various medicines to hospitals for advancing the treatment of critical care patients worldwide. The company markets Angiomax, an intravenous direct thrombin inhibitor for use as an anticoagulant in combination with aspirin in patients with unstable angina undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and for use in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention; and Cleviprex, an intravenous small molecule calcium channel blocker for the reduction of blood pressure, as well as to treat neurocritical care and cardiac surgery patients. Its products under development include Cangrelor that is in Phase III clinical trial acts as an intravenous small molecule antiplatelet agent to prevent platelet activation and aggregation; and Oritavancin, which is in Phase III clinical trial acts as an investigational intravenous antibiotic for the treatment of serious gram-positive bacterial infections, including acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. The company?s products under development also comprise MDCO-157, a pre-registration stage product for platelet inhibition in patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and patients experiencing myocardial infarction, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease; MDCO-2010, a small molecule serine protease inhibitor that is in Phase II clinical trial used for the reduction of blood loss during surgery; and MDCO-216, which is in Phase I clinical trial used for the reversal of atherosclerotic plaque development and the reduction of the risk of coronary events in patients with ACS. Its products also consist of Argatroban, a direct thrombin inhibitor used as anticoagulant for prophylaxis or for the treatment of thrombosis; and acute care generic products. The Medicines Company was founded in 1996 and is based in Parsippany, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  The Medicines Company (NASDAQ: MDCO) was down as well, falling 5.52 percent to $32.33 ahead of the review of its blood clot drug.

  Commodities
  In commodity news, oil traded up 0.23 percent to $100.11, while gold traded up 0.92 percent to $1,274.50.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of The Medicines Company (NASDAQ: MDCO) were down 14.64 percent to $24.26 after the company provided an update on Angiomax patent litigation.