Hot Safest Stocks For 2014

Source: StockMonkeys.com

Not all dividend stocks are created equal. Some offer monstrous 10% yields or more, but their share prices dwindle with each passing year.

With that in mind, I have identified two dividend stocks that offer above-average yields and have characteristics that suggest they should be safer than most massive yielders.

A niche New York bank
New York Community Bancorp (NYSE: NYCB  ) �is�one of the highest-yielding banks, and arguably one of the safest.

The bank focuses on lending to multifamily investors in the New York City area, where rents are seemingly always on the rise and demand for housing is permanently strong. Due to the underlying characteristics of the real estate market, the bank's credit metrics are often near the top of the industry, even during the depths of the financial crisis.

The stock is no slouch, though. Today's buyers will pay about 16 times last year's earnings. But because the bank pays out almost all of its income each year, the stock yields a respectable 6.7% dividend.

Best Chemical Stocks To Buy Right Now: Kadant Inc (KAI)

Kadant Inc., incorporated in November 1991, is a supplier of equipment used in the global papermaking and paper recycling industries and a manufacturer of granules made from papermaking byproducts. Through its Papermaking Systems segment, the Company develops, manufactures and markets a range of equipment and products for the global papermaking, paper recycling, and process industries. Through its Fiber-based Products business, the Company manufacture and sell granules derived from pulp fiber for use as carriers for agricultural, home lawn and garden, and professional lawn, turf and ornamental applications, as well as for oil and grease absorption. Its Papermaking Systems segment consists of product lines, such as stock-preparation, fluid-handling, doctoring and water-management. On May 27, 2011, its subsidiary, Kadant Johnson Europe B.V., acquired all the interests in m-clean papertech holding AB. In April 2013, it completed the acquisition of Companhia Brasileira de Tecnologia Industrial (CBTI).

The Company�� customer base includes major global paper manufacturers and with its equipment found in most of pulp and paper mills. The Company manufactures its products in nine countries in Europe, North and South America and Asia. It develop, manufacture and market complete custom-engineered systems and equipment, as well as standard individual components, for pulping, de-inking, screening, cleaning, and refining recycled and virgin fibers for preparation for entry into the paper machine. Its principal stock-preparation products include recycling and approach flow systems and Virgin pulping process equipment.

The Company develop, manufacture and market rotary joints, precision unions, steam and condensate systems, components, and controls used primarily in the dryer section of the papermaking process and during the production of corrugated boxboard, metals, plastics, rubber, textiles, chemicals and food. Its principal fluid-handling systems include rotary joints, siphons, turbul! ator bars, and engineered steam and condensate systems. Its mechanical devices, used with rotating shafts, allow the transfer of pressurized fluid from a stationary source into and out of rotating machinery for heating, cooling, or the transfer of fluid power. Its devices, installed primarily inside the rotating cylinders of paper machines, are used to remove condensate from the drying cylinders through rotary joints located on either end of the cylinder. Its steel or stainless steel axial bars, installed on the inside of cylinders, are used to induce turbulence in the condensate layer to improve the uniformity and rate of heat transfer through the cylinders. Its steam systems control the flow of steam from the boiler to the paper drying cylinders, collect condensed steam, and return it to the boiler to improve energy efficiency during the paper drying process.

The Company develop, manufacture and market a range of doctoring systems and related consumables that continuously clean rolls to keep paper machines running efficiently; doctor blades made of a variety of materials to perform functions, including cleaning, creping, web removal, flaking, and the application of coatings, and profiling systems that control moisture, Web curl, and gloss during paper converting. Its principal doctoring products include doctor systems and holders, profiling systems and doctor blades. Its doctor systems clean papermaking rolls to maintain the operation of paper machines and other equipment by placing a blade against the roll at a constant and uniform pressure. A doctor system consists of the structure supporting the blade and the blade holder. It offers profiling systems that control moisture, Web curl, and gloss during paper converting. It manufacture doctor and scraper blades made of a variety of materials, including metal, bi-metal, or synthetic materials that perform a variety of functions, including cleaning, creping, Web removal, flaking and the application of coatings.

The Company devel! ops, manu! facture and markets water-management systems and equipment used to continuously clean paper machine fabrics and rolls, drain water from pulp mixtures, form the sheet or Web, and filter the process water for reuse. Its principal water-management systems include shower and fabric-conditioning systems, formation systems, and water-filtration systems. Its shower and fabric-conditioning systems assist in the removal of contaminants that collect on paper machine fabrics used to convey the paper Web through the forming, pressing and drying sections of the paper machine. A typical paper machine has between 3 and 12 fabrics. It supplies structures that drain, purify, and recycle process water from the pulp mixture during paper sheet and Web formation. It offer a variety of filtration systems and strainers that remove contaminants from process water before reuse and recover reusable fiber for recycling back into the pulp mixture.

The Company competes with Voith Paper GmbH, Metso Corporation, Maschinenfabrik Andritz AG, Deublin Company, Barco Company, Christian Maier GmbH & Co. KG, Duff-Norton Company, Joh. Clouth GmbH & Co. KG, Bonetti, S.p.A., Metso Corporation and IBS-Paper Performance Group.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [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 Kadant (NYSE: KAI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Hot Safest Stocks For 2014: Badger Daylighting Ltd (BAD)

Badger Daylighting Ltd. and its subsidiaries (Badger) provide non-destructive excavating services to the utility, transportation, industrial, engineering, construction and petroleum industries in Canada and the United States. Its key technology is the Badger Hydrovac excavator, which is used primarily for digging trenches in congested grounds. The Company�� excavation services include daylighting and potholing, slot trenching, debris removal and cleanups, maintenance and installation service pits, poles and piling holes and trench shoring/shoring. Badger slot trenching provides a non-destructive method of digging trenches for water lines, wiring and pipeline installations or excavations. Its applications include pipeline tie-ins, investigative slot trenching, installation slot trenching, drain tile trenching and line fault repairs. In November 2013, the Company acquired the business and operating assets of Fieldtek Holdings Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Kim Hjelmgaard]

  There have been some good (read: bad) predictions over the years.

  Before the 2013 forum, DealBook's Andrew Ross Sorkin recalled that in 2003 the serial Davos attendee, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, said of Google: "These Google guys (co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin), they want to be billionaires and rock stars and go to conferences and all that. Let us see if they still want to run the business in two to three years."

Hot Safest Stocks For 2014: Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.(CHKP)

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. develops, markets, and supports a range of software, and combined hardware and software products and services for information technology (IT) security applications worldwide. The company offers a range of network and gateway security solutions, data and endpoint security solutions, and management solutions. Its network security gateways enables its customers to implement their security policies on network traffic between internal networks and the Internet, as well as between internal networks and private networks that are shared with partners. The company?s endpoint security solutions provide various software blades that run on individual computers connected to the network, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, and other mobile devices. It also offers technical services consisting of technical customer support programs and plans, such as enterprise based support and collaborative enterprise support; certification and education al training on the checkpoint?s products; and professional services in implementing, upgrading, and optimizing checkpoint?s products, including design planning, security implementation, and project management services. In addition, the company offers ZoneAlarm solutions that protect consumers from hackers, spyware, and identity theft. It sells its products and services through a network of channel partners, including distributors, resellers, value-added resellers, system integrators, and managed services providers to enterprises, service providers, small and medium sized businesses, and consumers. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GuruFocus]

  George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) just reported his first quarter portfolio. He buys Citrix Systems Inc, Baker Hughes Inc, Comcast Corp, Spansion Inc, etc during the 3-months ended 03/31/2014, according to the most recent filings of his investment company, Soros Fund Management LLC. As of 03/31/2014, Soros Fund Management LLC owns 305 stocks with a total value of $10.1 billion. These are the details of the buys and sells.New Purchases: BHI, CODE, CTRP, CLI, AVB, COMM, CNQ, AGO, AUY, ATML, ASH, BXMT, CSTM, AEM, CMA, ARE, CHKP, AUQ, BEAV, CX, ADSK, AALCP, BLK, AIG, BIIB, ADEP, AMRI, ARWR, ATHX, BALT, BCRX, BEAT, CFX, CLFD, CUR, CODE,Added Positions: CTXS, CMCSA, CNP, ALTR, BRCD, CBS, CRM, CHTR, CCJ, CIEN, BIDU, ALLE, ABT, CDNS, ACT,Reduced Positions: AAPL, CCI, AMT, ABBV, AAL, BITA, AL, ANGI, ARIA, CBST, BA, BIRT, EXAR,Sold Out: C, BAC, CRI, AMZN, AGN, CF, BRCM, COTY, BMY, AMCX, CAR, A, ADBE, AFL,For the details of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)'s stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=George+SorosThis is the sector weightings of his portfolio:Technology18.9%Energy14%Healthcare8.3%Consumer Defensive8.2%Communication Services8.1%Consumer Cyclical5.4%Industrials5.1%Basic Materials4.9%Financial Services2.5%Real Estate1.9%Utilities0.5%These are the top 5 holdings of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)1. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA) - 10,310,041 shares, 5.4% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 10.67%2. Herbalife Ltd (HLF) - 4,901,337 shares, 2.8% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 52.9%3. EQT Corp (EQT) - 2,573,814 shares, 2.5% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 3.27%4. Adecoagro SA (AGRO) - 25,915,076 shares, 2.1% of the total portfolio.5. Halliburton Co (HAL) - 3,596,353 shares, 2.1% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 20.73%New Purchase: Baker Hughes Inc (BHI)George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) initiated holdings in Baker Hughes Inc. His purchase prices were between $51.82 and $65.27, with an estimated

Hot Safest Stocks For 2014: Vimicro International Corporation(VIMC)

Vimicro International Corporation, through its subsidiaries, designs, develops, and markets mixed-signal semiconductor products and system-level solutions for the consumer electronics, communications, and surveillance markets in Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong. It provides mixed-signal multimedia processors for personal computer and embedded notebook cameras, as well as for mobile phones. The company also offers system-level solutions that include integrated semiconductors, customizable firmware and software, software development tools, reference designs, and applications support. In addition, it provides security and surveillance products comprising video capturing, compression, transmission, storage, processing, display, and video analysis products. Further, the company involves in packaging, testing, and reselling third party image sensors. It sells its multimedia processor products through direct sales force and distributors to original design manuf acturers, original equipment manufacturers, design houses, and module manufacturers, as well as its security and surveillance products to government entities, telecommunications operators, schools, banks, railway companies, supermarkets, and theaters. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Vimicro International (NASDAQ: VIMC) shares climbed 26.91% to $11.60. The volume of Vimicro International shares traded was 741% higher than normal. Vimicro announced a $12.4 million contract win in Taiyuan City of Shanxi Province. The company's joint venture, Shanxi Zhongtianxin Science and Technology Co, secured a $65 million revolving line of credit.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap stocks Vimicro International Corporation (NASDAQ: VIMC), Cohu, Inc (NASDAQ: COHU) and View Systems Inc (OTCBB: VSYM) are also surveillance and security stocks because they�also offer products that can be used to keep an eye on us���for better or for worst. After all and go to any public space (whether its a shopping mall, entertainment venue or even a street corner), you will probably see (or maybe not see) some sort of security or surveillance equipment. With that in mind, here is a look at three small cap surveillance and security stocks you may have overlooked:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap security and surveillance stocks like Vimicro International Corporation (NASDAQ: VIMC), TASER International, Inc (NASDAQ: TASR), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc (NASDAQ: KTOS)�and View Systems Inc (OTCBB: VSYM) have been producing a steady stream of news lately for investors and traders alike to digest. After all, the entire�security and surveillance industry is pretty vast as it would include everything from airport scanners to security cameras or monitoring equipment to actual weapons for domestic or national defense to software securing everyone�� personal or online data to the technology groups like the NSA and other "Big Brother" agencies use to spy on us. With that in mind, here is a look at the latest news from important small cap security and surveillance stocks:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Vimicro International (NASDAQ: VIMC) shares reached a new 52-week high of $11.70 after the company announced a $12.4 million contract win in Taiyuan City of Shanxi Province. The company's joint venture, Shanxi Zhongtianxin Science and Technology Co, secured a $65 million revolving line of credit.

Hot Safest Stocks For 2014: Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund(CFP)

Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund is a closed-ended equity fund of fund launched and managed by Cornerstone Advisors, Inc. The fund invests funds investing in the public equity markets of the United States. It invests in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund was formed on April 26, 2007 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  But you can see in several places the consequences of the stampede toward high yield. Here are just a few:

  Closed-end funds Cornerstone Progressive (NYSEMKT: CFP  ) and Pimco High Income (NYSE: PHK  ) both make fixed payments back to fund shareholders on a monthly basis, and their distribution yields are truly extraordinary, at about 17% and 12%, respectively. Those dividends have enticed shareholders to pay $1.30 to $1.40 or more for each $1 of assets in the funds. Yet during most months, a substantial portion of those distribution payments has simply been a return of investor capital rather than true income from the funds' investments. A recent study discussed in The Wall Street Journal found that returns on a portfolio with a combined value and dividend-income strategy outperformed a strategy focused more exclusively on maximizing dividends by an average of 1.7 percentage points per year, a huge edge in long-run returns. In the dividend ETF arena, most funds tend to focus on maximizing yield. Although the popular Vanguard Dividend Appreciation (NYSEMKT: VIG  ) ETF bucks the trend by screening first for consistent dividend growth and only then looking at yield as a factor, many rival ETFs start with high-yielding stocks as their baseline and only then consider other desirable traits. Others focus solely on high-dividend niches of the market, such as iShares FTSE NAREIT Mortgage-Plus (NYSEMKT: REM  ) and its concentration on high-yield mortgage REITs.

  When dividend stocks get too popular, their prices get out of line with both their dividend income and the fundamentals of the businesses that underlie those stocks. In simpler terms, when dividend stocks become bad values, it's time to consider looking elsewhere for a margin of safety.

Hot Safest Stocks For 2014: GEO Group Inc (GEO)

The GEO Group, Inc., incorporated on April 5, 1988, specializes in the ownership, leasing and management of correctional, detention, and re-entry facilities and the provision of community-based services and youth services in the United States, Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Canada. The Company operates in four segments: United States Corrections and Detention segment; GEO Community Services; International Services, and its Facility Construction and Design. The Company's United States Corrections and Detention segment primarily encompasses its United States-based privatized corrections and detention business. GEO Community Services segment consists of its community based services business, its youth services business and its electronic monitoring and supervision service. International Services segment primarily consists of its privatized corrections and detention operations in South Africa, Australia and the United Kingdom. Facility Construction and Design segment primarily contracts with various states, local and federal agencies for the design and construction of facilities for which the Company generally has been, or expects to be, awarded management contracts. In June 2013, it announced the closing of acquisition of the 1,287-bed Joe Corley Detention Center (the Center) in Montgomery County, Texas.

The Company owns, leases and operates a range of correctional and detention facilities, including maximum, medium and minimum security prisons, immigration detention centers, minimum security detention centers, and community based re-entry facilities. The Company offers counseling, education and /or treatment to inmates with alcohol and drugs abuse problems at most of the domestic facilities the Company manages. The Company is also a provider of compliance technologies, monitoring services, and evidence-based supervision and treatment programs for community-based parolees, probationers and pretrial defendants. On December 31, 2012, the Company divested its residential treatm! ent health care facility management contracts, (Residential Treatment Services (RTS)). Effective January 1, 2013, it began operating as a real estate investment trust (REIT). As of December 31, 2012, the Company's worldwide operations included the management and/or ownership of approximately 73,000 beds at 100 correctional, detention and residential facilities, including idle facilities, and also included the provision of monitoring services, tracking approximately 70,000 offenders on behalf of approximately 900 federal, state and local correctional agencies located in all 50 states. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company activated four new or expansion projects representing an aggregate of 2,082 additional beds.

The Company has an exclusive contract with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which the Company refers to as ICE, to provide supervision and reporting services designed to improves the participation of non-detained aliens in the immigration court system. The Company develops facilities based on contract awards, using its project development expertise and experience to design, construct and finance. The Company also provides secure transportation services for offender and detainee populations as contracted domestically and in the United Kingdom through its joint venture, GEO Amey PECS Ltd., which the Company refers to as GEOAmey. The Company provides a diversified scope of services on behalf of its government clients. Its correctional and detention management services involve the provision of security, administrative, rehabilitation, education, and food services, primarily at adult male correctional and detention facilities. Its community-based services involve supervision of adult parolees and probationers and the provision of temporary housing, programming, employment assistance and other services with the intention of the successful reintegration of residents into the community. The Company�� youth services include residential, detention and sh! elter car! e and community-based services along with rehabilitative and educational programs. The Company provides comprehensive electronic monitoring and supervision services. The Company provides secure transportation services for offender and detainee populations as contracted. Through the REIT subsidiaries (TRS) structure, a portion of the Company's businesses, which are non-real estate related, such as its managed-only contracts, international operations, electronic monitoring services, and other non-residential facilities, are part of wholly owned taxable subsidiaries of the REIT. Most of the Company's business segments, which are real estate related and involve company-owned and company-leased facilities, are part of the REIT.

The Company competes with Corrections Corporation of America; Management and Training Corporation; Louisiana Corrections Services, Inc.; Emerald Companies; Community Education Centers; LaSalle Southwest Corrections; Group 4 Securicor; Sodexo Justice Services (formerly Kaylx); Serco; G4 Justice Services, LLC; Elmo-Tech, a 3M Company, and Pro-Tech, a 3M Company

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  GEO Group (NYSE: GEO  ) reported earnings on May 8. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), GEO Group met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Corrections Corp. of America, also known as CCA, and GEO Group (NYSE: GEO  ) �are the two largest contracted prison companies. If there's any doubt that these companies are as good as gold, one need only look at CCA's first-quarter report from last week, which saw normalized funds from operations rise by a whopping 35% to $0.70 per share. CCA also boosted its full-year EPS from a range of $2.05-$2.15 to $2.08-$2.16.

• [By Sean Williams]

  The premise here would be that any increase in nationwide drug testing would be bound to turn up additional drug users and could boost the prison population. That would be great news for the GEO Group (NYSE: GEO  ) and Corrections Corp. of America (NYSE: CXW  ) , which are contracted out through the government to run and service prisons around the country.

Hot Safest Stocks For 2014: Response Genetics Inc.(RGDX)

Response Genetics, Inc., a life sciences company, engages in the research, development, marketing, and sale of clinical diagnostic tests and pharmacogenomic tests for use in the treatment of cancer primarily in the United States, Asia, and Europe. The company develops genetic tests that measure predictive factors for tumor response in tumor tissue samples. It offers tests for non-small cell lung cancer under the ResponseDX: Lung trade name; colorectal cancer under the ResponseDX: Colon trade name; and gastric and gastroesophageal cancer under the ResponseDX: Gastric trade name. The company also develops tests for other types of cancer that identify genetic profiles of tumors that recur after surgery. Response Genetics, Inc. offers its products through its sales force to community based oncologists, hospitals, and physician offices. In addition, it provides pharmacogenomic testing services to pharmaceutical companies. The company was formerly known as Bio Type, Inc. and cha nged its name to Response Genetics, Inc. in August 2000. Response Genetics, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Response Genetics (NASDAQ: RGDX) slipped 9.47% to $1.34 after the company reported Q4 results. The company posted a quarterly net loss of $3.2 million, or $0.09 per share, versus a year-ago net loss of $0.5 million, or $0.01 per share.