Thursday, November 28, 2013

Top 10 Companies For 2014

WHIPPANY, N.J. ��The maker of Bayer Aspirin and Alka-Seltzer has located its new U.S. headquarters here, a short drive from Gov. Chris Christie's house.

And New Jersey's governor joined state and local officials Wednesday for the ceremonial ribbon-cutting at Bayer HealthCare's new campus.

STORY: Bausch + Lomb moving HQ to N.J. from N.Y.

"When I was asked to be here this morning, it was an easy yes," Christie said. "And not just because it's 20 minutes from my house although that didn't hurt."

Christie touted the ribbon-cutting as an example of government working with business to retain good jobs, a decision for Bayer that was made easier because of more than $35.1 million in business incentive grants to keep the international drugmaker not only in the Garden State but in Morris County.

Top 10 Companies For 2014: NB&T FINANCIAL GROUP INC(NBTF)

NB&T Financial Group, Inc. operates as a bank holding company for The National Bank and Trust Company that provides commercial banking and financial services to individuals and corporate customers in southwestern Ohio. The company offers various deposit products, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market deposit accounts, and term certificate accounts. Its loan portfolio includes commercial and industrial loans, such as loans to automobile dealers and loans guaranteed by the small business administration; loans secured by commercial real estate; real estate construction loans for constructing commercial and residential buildings; agricultural loans, including loans to finance farm operations, equipment purchases, and land acquisition; loans secured by one- to four-family residential real estate and multifamily real estate; and consumer installment loans, such as home equity loans, automobile loans, recreational vehicle loans, and overdraft protection. The company also offers credit card services; and trust services that consists of trust administration, investment purchase and management, estate planning and administration, tax and financial planning, and employee benefit plan administration. As of December 31, 2010, it operated a main office in Wilmington, as well as 23 full-service branch offices and 1 remote drive-through automated teller machine facility in Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Highland, Montgomery, Warren, and Cuyahoga counties in Ohio. The company was founded in 1859 and is based in Wilmington, Ohio.

Top 10 Companies For 2014: Harleysville Group Inc.(HGIC)

Harleysville Group Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the property and casualty insurance business primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States. It underwrites personal and commercial property and casualty coverages, including automobile, homeowners, commercial multi-peril, and workers compensation. The company markets its insurance products through independent agents to individuals, and small and medium-sized businesses. Harleysville Group Inc. was founded in 1979 and is based in Harleysville, Pennsylvania. Harleysville Group Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Harleysville Mutual Insurance Company.

10 Best Stocks To Own For 2014: Wild Acre Metals Limited(WAC.AX)

Wild Acre Metals Limited engages in the exploration of mineral properties in Australia. The company primarily explores for gold, nickel, porphyry copper, and iron oxide deposits. It holds interests in the Sambalay, Chaparra, and Yauca projects, which cover approximately 16 concessions totaling 13,900 hectares located in southern Peru. The company also has interests in the Quinns, Mt Ida South, and Yerilla projects located in the eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Wild Acre Metals Limited was incorporated in 2007 and is based in West Perth, Australia.

Top 10 Companies For 2014: Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais Cemig (CIG)

Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais (CEMIG), incorporated on May 22, 1952, is a Brazil-based holding company mainly engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. In the generation segment, CEMIG operates through hydroelectric plants, thermoelectric plants and wind farms. In the transmission segment, as of December 31, 2008, CEMIG�� transmission network was comprised of 38 substations with a total of 94 transformers and an aggregate transformation capacity of 15,583 Megavolt amperes. In the distribution business, as of December 31, 2008, the Company owned and operated 451,539 kilometers of distribution lines, supplying electricity to approximately 10 million customers. CEMIG is also engaged in the natural gas distribution business in Minas Gerais, through its subsidiary Companhia de Gas de Minas Gerais - GASMIG, as well as in the telecommunications business, through its subsidiary Cemig Telecomunicacoes SA - Cemig Telecom, which provides optical fiber and coaxial cable network.

Power Generation and Trading

As of December 31, 2009, the Company generated electricity at 54 hydroelectric plants, three thermoelectric plants and two wind farms, and had a total installed capacity of 6,624 megawatts. As of December 31, 2009, it owned and operated 3,085 miles of transmission lines and 281,756 miles of distribution lines. It holds concessions to distribute electricity in 96.7% of the territory of Minas Gerais. Eight of CEMIG�� hydroelectric plants accounted for approximately 81% of its installed electric generation capacity during the year ended December 31, 2009. CEMIG operates the Ipatinga thermoelectric plant, through its subsidiary Usina Termica Ipatinga S.A. The plant has an installed capacity of 40 megawatts, generated by two units and that uses blast furnace gas as fuel. The Company operates the Sa Carvalho hydroelectric power plant, located on the Piracicaba River in the municipality of Antonio Dias in the State of Minas Gerais, through its subsid! iary Sa Carvalho S.A. The Company�� Rosal hydroelectric plant has an installed capacity of 55 megawatts. The Rosal plant is located on the Itabapoana River, which runs along the border between the states of Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro.

Cemig Capim Branco Energia S.A. is engaged in developing the Capim Branco Generating Complex in partnership with Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD), a mining company, Comercial e Agricola Paineiras, an agricultural company, and Companhia Mineira de Metais (CMM) a metallurgical company. Horizontes Energia S.A. was formed by the Company to generate and trade electricity, through the commercial operation of its hydroelectric plants: the Machado Mineiro Power Plant (located on the Pardo River in the municipality of Ninheira in the State of Minas Gerais with an installed capacity of 1.72 megawatts); the Salto do Paraopeba Power Plant (located on the Paraopeba River in the town of Jeceaba in the State of Minas Gerais with an installed capacity of 2.37 megawatts); the Salto Voltao Power Plant (located on the Chapecozinho River in the town of Xanxere in the State of Santa Catarina with an installed capacity of 8.2 megawatts), and the Salto do Passo Velho Power Plant (located on the Chapecozinho River in the town of Xanxere in the State of Santa Catarina with an installed capacity of 1.8 megawatts), as well as other generating projects.

Usina Termeletrica Barreiro S.A. holds the assets of the Barreiro thermoelectric power plant. The Irape Hydroelectric Power Plant, which has an installed capacity of 360 megawatts, is located on the Jequitinhonha River, in northern Minas Gerais. The Company�� wind farm, Morro do Camelinho is located in Gouveia, a municipality in northern Minas Gerais. It has a total generation capacity of 1 megawatt, powered by four turbines with a capacity of 250 kilowatts each. Central Eolica Praia do Morgado S.A is located in the county of Acarau, in the State of Ceara. Central Eolica Volta do Rio S.A is located in the county ! of Acarau! , in the State of Ceara.

Transmission

The Company�� transmission business consists of the bulk transfer of electricity from the power plants where it is generated to the distribution system, which carries the electricity to final consumers, and others consumer agents connected directly in the transmission grid. Its transmission system comprises transmission lines and step-down substations with voltages ranging from 230 kilovolt to 500 kilovolt. As of December 31, 2009, the Company�� transmission network in Minas Gerais consisted of 1,352 miles of 500 kilovolt lines, 1,244 miles of 345 kilovolt lines and 485 miles of 230 kilovolt lines, as well as 35 substations with a total of 94 transformers and an aggregate transformation capacity of 15,506 megavolt ampere. The Company transmits the energy that it generates and the energy that it purchases from Itaipu and other sources, as well as the energy for the interconnected power system. On December 31, 2009, the Company also had 13 industrial consumers, to whom it transported 4,103 gigawatt hour directly with high voltage energy, through their connections to its transmission lines. Nine of these industrial consumers accounted for approximately 66.9% of the transported total volume of electricity. The Company also transmits energy to distribution systems, through the south/southeast-linked system of the grid.

Distribution and Purchase of Electric Power

The Company�� distribution operation consists of electricity transfers from distribution substations to final consumers. Its distribution network consists of a network of overhead and underground lines and substations with voltages lower than 230 kilovolts. The Company supplies electricity to industrial consumers at the higher end of the voltage range and residential and commercial consumers at the lower end of the range.

Other Businesses

The Company holds approximately 55% of Gasmig and Petrobras, through its subsidiary, Gaspet! ro-Petrob! ras Gas S.A., holds 40%. In 2009, Gasmig supplied approximately 1.5 million cubic meters of natural gas per day to 276 consumers, including 175 industrial and commercial clients, 93 retail distribution stations for natural gas vehicles, two thermal power plants and six distributors of compressed natural gas (CNG). Gasmig supplied 0.2 million cubic meters of gas per day to thermal power plants and 1.3 million cubic meters of gas per day to retail consumers. In addition to, Gasmig also supplied eight customers with re-gasified liquefied natural gas (LNG). In 2009, Gasmig distributed approximately 4.1% of all natural gas distributed in Brazil.

The Company�� owns a 99.9% interest in Cemig Telecomunicacoes S.A., which has an optical fiber-based long-distance communications backbone installed along the Company�� power grid using optical ground wire cables. This communications backbone is connected to an access network that is based on hybrid fiber-coaxial cable technology and is deployed along its power grid. The telecommunication services provided by Cemig Telecomunicacoes S.A., through its network are signal transportation and access, both for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications, delivered to telecommunications operators and Internet service providers on a channel basis. Cemig Telecomunicacoes S.A. also provides intra-company data transmission services to the Company. CEMIG provides consulting services to governments and public utility companies in the electricity industry. The Company has a 100% interest in Efficientia S.A.

Top 10 Companies For 2014: Analytica Ltd(ALT.AX)

Analytica Limited focuses on the development and commercialization of a range of medical devices and pharmaceutical implants. It is developing Autostart burette, a solution to regular monitoring and refilling of burettes in intravenous fluid infusion; perineometer device to assist women and their clinicians in treatment of stress urinary incontinence; and Naltrexone implant for the treatment of drug and alcohol addictions. Analytica Limited is based in Eight Mile Plains, Australia.

Top 10 Companies For 2014: Argo Group International Holdings Ltd.(AGII)

Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. underwrites specialty insurance and reinsurance products in the property and casualty market worldwide. The company?s Excess and Surplus Lines segment underwrites casualty, property, transportation, and binding authority for commercial enterprises, including restaurants, contractors, day care centers, apartment complexes, condominium associations, manufacturers, and distributors; and offers policies for medical facilities within the social services, miscellaneous healthcare, and long term care markets, as well as for lawyers, miscellaneous professions, employment practices, and real estate related accounts. This segment also provides package policies for environmental consultants and contractors, storage tanks, dry cleaners pollution liability, as well as other environmental related liability exposures; and coverage for architects and engineers, accountants, and insurance agents. Its Commercial Specialty segment offers property casu alty and surety coverages; and underwrites business coverage for small commercial businesses comprising office, retail operations, light manufacturing, services, and restaurants. This segment also provides general and automobile liability, automobile physical damage, property, inland marine, crime, public official?s and educator?s legal liability, employment practices, law enforcement liability, environmental and lawyers professional liability, student accident, police and firefighters accident, workers compensation, inmate medical, and tax interruption coverages. In addition, the company?s International Specialty segment covers claims arising from catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, windstorms, hailstorms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, fires, industrial explosions, freezes, riots, floods, and other man-made or natural disasters. Further, its Syndicate 1200 segment underwrites property and non-U.S. liability insurance. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By CRWE]

    Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. (Nasdaq:AGII), an international underwriter of specialty insurance and reinsurance products, reported that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents per share on the company’s common stock.

Top 10 Companies For 2014: Atmos Energy Corporation(ATO)

Atmos Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages primarily in the distribution, transmission, and storage of natural gas in the United States. The company operates in four segments: Natural Gas Distribution; Regulated Transmission and Storage; Natural Gas Marketing; and Pipeline, Storage, and Other. The Natural Gas Distribution segment involves in regulated natural gas distribution business and related sales operations. It distributes natural gas through regulated sales and transportation arrangements to approximately 3 million residential, commercial, public authority, and industrial customers in 12 states located primarily in the southern United States. As of September 30, 2009, this segment owned approximately 70,879 miles of underground distribution and transmission mains. The Regulated Transmission and Storage segment transports natural gas for third parties and manages five underground storage reservoirs in Texas. It owned 5,950 miles of gas transmis sion and gathering lines. The Natural Gas Marketing segment provides various natural gas management and marketing services to municipalities, other local gas distribution companies, and industrial customers. The Pipeline, Storage, and Other segment offers natural gas gathering, transmission, and storage services. It owned 113 miles of gas transmission and gathering lines. Atmos Energy Corporation was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Marc Courtenay]

    Another lesser-known possibility is Atmos Energy (ATO), the $3.93 billion (market cap) company that engages in the distribution, transmission, and storage of natural gas in the United States. As of the last quarter of 2012, its year-over-year EPS growth was 17.5%.

  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Natural gas distribution and storage company Atmos (ATO) raised its quarterly dividend 5.7% to 37 cents per share, payable on Dec. 9 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 25. The increase marks the 26th consecutive year Atmos has raised its annual dividend.
    ATO Dividend Yield: 3.26%

  • [By Inyoung Hwang]

    Atos (ATO) dropped 3.5 percent to 62.07 euros for a fifth straight day of losses. Shareholder PAI Partners SAS is selling 8.9 million shares in the French company for 61.25 euros each.

Top 10 Companies For 2014: Northern Star Resources Ltd(NST.AX)

Northern Star Resources Limited engages in the exploration and production of mineral properties. It primarily explores for gold, silver, and copper. The company?s principal asset includes the Paulsens Gold Mine located in the Ashburton/Pilbara region, Western Australia. It also has operations in Murchison and Kimberley regions, Western Australia. The company is based in Balcatta, Australia.

Top 10 Companies For 2014: Dataram Corporation(DRAM)

Dataram Corporation engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of large capacity memory products primarily used in high performance network servers and workstations worldwide. The company offers customized memory solutions for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and compatible memory for computers manufactured by various companies. It also manufactures a line of memory products for Intel and AMD motherboard based servers. The company sells its memory products to OEMs, distributors, value-added resellers, and end-users. Dataram Corporation was founded in 1967 and is based in Princeton, New Jersey.

Top 10 Companies For 2014: Mdr Limited (A27.SI)

mDR Limited distributes and retails telecommunications devices and provides mobile related services. It distributes gadgets, and mobile devices and accessories. The company also provides prepaid card services; and after-market services, including retrofit, repair management, and technical services for consumer electronic products and mobile telecommunication equipment. As of November 26, 2012, it operated a network of approximately 50 retail stores under Handphone Shop, 3Mobile shops, Samsung and Nokia concept stores, and Gadget World brand names in Singapore. The company is based in Singapore.

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