Top Net Payout Yield Stocks For 2014

Earnings season started off well for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) yesterday with Alcoa's (NYSE: AA  ) beat, and the blue-chip index is back on the upswing today. Almost the entire Dow is in the green as the index pulls in gains of 85 points as of 2:20 p.m. EDT. Alcoa ranks near the bottom of the index despite its strong quarterly report, but several big movers at the top of the index are fueling Dow investors' optimism. Let's check out the movers and shakers of the day.

Alcoa's earnings highs and low
Aluminum producer Alcoa posted quarterly earnings per share of $0.07, beating projections by a penny. More pertinent, however, revenue continued to slide in line with an industrywide trend, down almost 2% for the quarter -- although it still narrowly beat analyst projections. The company's primary-metals business was the culprit behind sliding sales and stunted earnings, as the unit posted a $32 million loss that almost negated the profit posted by the company's other divisions. However, Alcoa still expects global aluminum demand to rise as much as 7% overall for the year. Shares haven't reacted so well today, however: Alcoa's stock is down about 0.3% so far.

Top 10 Gas Companies To Buy For 2015: Wausau Paper Corp. (WPP)

Wausau Paper Corp. manufactures, converts, and sells paper and paper products in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Tissue and Paper. The Tissue segment produces and sells paper towel and tissue products for the ?away-from-home? market, including washroom roll and folded towels, windshield folded towels, industrial wipers, dairy towels, household roll towels, and various towel, tissue, and soap dispensers, as well as other premium towel and tissue products to paper and sanitary supply distributors under the DublSoft, EcoSoft, OptiCore, Revolution, Dubl-Nature, and Dubl-Tough names. The Paper segment focuses on four core markets comprising food, industrial and tape, coated and liner, and print and color. This segment manufactures products for food processing, food packaging, and foodservice, such as products used for baking applications, microwave popcorn, and other cheese and meat processing products; products for interleaving, saturating, coating, unsaturated crepe base, and a range of micro markets; specialty liners, and siliconized release papers for use in pressure sensitive tapes, specialty label applications, the production of fiber composite applications, and casting sheets used in the production of solar cells; and uncoated printing, writing, text, cover, and board grades for commercial printers, in-plant print shops, quick printers, copy centers, and office supply and mass merchandisers under the Wausau Paper, EcoSelect, ExperTec, DuraTec, InvenTec, ProGard, ProRedi, ProPly, ProTec, Astrobrights, Royal, Exact, Professional Series, Intrigue, and Creative Collection names. This segment also produces a range of custom color products, which include matte board, end leaf, and luxury packaging applications. Wausau Paper Corp. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Mosinee, Wisconsin.

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 Wausau Paper (NYSE: WPP  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  WPP Plc (WPP), the world�� biggest advertising company, advanced 3.6 percent to 1,210 pence in London trading.

  LSE advanced 7.4 percent to 1,590 pence, the highest price since February 2008, as the operator of Europe�� oldest independent bourse reported a 39 percent increase in first-quarter revenue.

• [By Mariko Yasu]

  Dentsu paid 3.16 billion pounds ($4.8 billion) for Aegis as Japan�� biggest agency competes with global firms including WPP Plc (WPP) and Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC) With Japan�� benchmark Topix index on pace for its best result since 2005, the 112-year-old company is tapping an equities boom to fund the deal that added the largest independent buyer of advertising space and reduced its reliance on the domestic market.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  In the second half of the year, Crescent established new positions in a few companies that have more such global footprints. We initiated investments in Google (GOOG), as well as the advertising agencies Interpublic (IPG) and WPP (WPP). The fortunes of all three are tied directly to the level of global advertising spend, and they all saw their shares prices decline due to concerns of a recession-related slowdown. At our purchase price, we believe we were buying each at roughly 11-13x our estimated earnings for 2012 should the fears of a macroeconomic slowdown prove correct. This strikes us as a very reasonable multiple to pay for asset-light global businesses that generate strong free cash flow across the business cycle and have the capability to grow earnings greater than GDP in a normal economic environment.

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks For 2014: Global X China Energy ETF (CHIE)

Global X China Energy ETF (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the S-BOX China Energy Index (the Underlying Index). The Underlying Index is a free float adjusted, liquidity tested and market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure performance of the investable universe of companies in the Energy sector of the Chinese economy, as defined by Structured Solutions AG. Global X Management Company, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By pamatlarge]

  Investors looking to short a particular sector can choose from several Global X long ETFs. The Global X China Consumer ETF (CHIQ) concentrates its investments in consumer cyclical goods and consumer defense goods. The Global X China Energy ETF (CHIE) primarily holds stocks in coal, oil and utility companies. The Global X China Financials ETF (CHIX) only invests in financial services companies and real estate companies. The Global X China Industrials ETF (CHII) holds stocks in industrial companies and basic materials companies. The Global X China Materials ETF (CHIM) invests in basic materials stocks. The Global X China Technology ETF (CHIB) holds technology stocks as the core of its investments. All of these ETFs are particularly sensitive to sector downturns and general economic contractions.

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks For 2014: Portfolio Recovery Associates Inc.(PRAA)

Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc., a financial and business service company, engages in the purchase, collection, and management of portfolios of defaulted consumer receivables. It detects, collects, and processes unpaid and normal-course accounts receivables owed primarily to credit grantors, governments, and retailers. The company also acquires receivables of Visa, MasterCard, and other credit cards; private label credit cards; installment loans; lines of credit; bankrupt accounts; deficiency balances of various types; legal judgments, and trade payables from various debt owners, including banks, credit unions, consumer finance companies, telecommunication providers, retailers, utilities, insurance companies, medical groups, hospitals, auto finance companies, and other debt buyers. In addition, it provides fee-based services, including vehicle location, skip tracing, and collateral recovery services for auto lenders, governments, and law enforcement; revenue administra tion, audit, and debt discovery/recovery services for local government entities; and class action claims recovery services and related payment processing services. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  The other good news is on pages 10, 11 and 15. Delinquencies are rising, as are collections. If debt balances increase, you would expect delinquencies to rise as well. That bodes well for the big-time players in debt collection, Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRAA) and Encore Capital Group (ECPG). Both just reported robust growth in collections, revenues, and net income. They’re also making large international acquisitions. I love both companies and think they’re are undervalued.

• [By Chris Hill]

  Our analysts explain why they're watching DreamWorks Animation (NASDAQ: DWA  ) and Portfolio Recovery Associates (NASDAQ: PRAA  ) .

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks For 2014: CIENA Corporation(CIEN)

Ciena Corporation provides equipment, software, and service solutions that support the transport, switching, aggregation, and management of voice, video, and data traffic on communications networks worldwide. Its product portfolio consists of packet-optical transport that includes optical transport solutions to increase network capacity and enable delivery of a broader mix of high-bandwidth services; and packet-optical switching, which comprise optical switching platforms incorporating multiservice and multi-protocol switching systems that enable automated optical infrastructures for the delivery of various enterprise and consumer-oriented network services. The company also offers carrier Ethernet solutions, including service delivery switches and service aggregation switches to support the access and aggregation tiers of communications networks, as well as to support wireless backhaul infrastructures and business data services; and software solutions to track individual s ervices across multiple product suites, facilitating planned network maintenance, outage detection, and identification of customers or services affected by network troubles. In addition, Ciena Corporation provides consulting and support services, such as project management, deployment, maintenance support, consulting, and training services, as well as network analysis, planning, design, optimization, and tuning. Its packet-optical transport, packet-optical switching, and carrier Ethernet solutions products are used individually or as part of an integrated solution in communications networks operated by communications service providers, cable operators, governments, enterprises, and other network operators. The company sells its communications networking solutions directly, as well as through strategic channel relationships. Ciena Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Linthicum, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Thursday’s session are Lululemon Athletica Inc.(LULU), Ciena Corp.(CIEN) and Facebook Inc.(FB)

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Ciena Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN) is seeing a huge improvement in its U.S and European business from the carriers for its 100G transport, OTN and packet networking portfolio. The Deutsche Bank price target is $27, and the Thomson/First Call estimate is also $27.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  Shares of Joy Global (NYSE: JOY) fell more than 2.7% in pre-market trading after the company reported weaker-than-expected third-quarter earnings. To read the full news, click here. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) today announced it will fast-track the development of a promising new combination vaccine regimen against Ebola and broadly collaborate with its partners in global health to deliver immediate relief aid to address the current Ebola outbreak. To read the full news, click here. Shares of Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) dipped more than 12% in pre-market trading after the company issued a weak fiscal fourth-quarter forecast. However, the company reported upbeat third-quarter results. To read the full news, click here. Boeing (NYSE: BA), China's leading provider of passenger airplanes, projects a demand in the country for 6,020 new airplanes over the next 20 years, valued at $870 billion. To read the full news, click here.

  Posted-In: JP Morgan US Stock FuturesNews Eurozone Futures Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets

• [By Steven Russolillo]

  WATCH FOR:�May ADP Jobs Survey (8:15 a.m. Eastern Time): seen +210K; previously +220K. April US Trade Deficit (8:30): seen $40.9B; previously $40.4B. First Quarter Productivity (8:30, second read): seen -3.1%; previously -1.7%. First Quarter Unit Labor Costs (8:30, second read): seen +5.5%: previously +4.2%. May ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI (10:00): seen 55.2; previously 55.2. Analogic(ALOG), Ciena(CIEN), Cooper, Diamond Foods(DMND), J.M. Smucker(SJM), Joy Global(JOY), Piedmont Natural Gas(PNY), UTi Worldwide, Vail Resorts, Vera Bradley(VRA) and VeriFone(PAY) are among companies scheduled to report quarterly results.

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks For 2014: Triangle Capital Corporation (TCAP)

Triangle Capital Corporation is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, ESOPs, change of control transactions, acquisition financings, growth financing, and recapitalizations in lower middle market companies. The firm prefers to make investments in many business sectors including manufacturing, distribution, transportation, energy, communications, health services, restaurants, media, and others. It primarily invests in companies located throughout the United States, with an emphasis on the Southeast and Midatlantic. The firm typically invests between $5 million and $20 million per transaction, in companies having annual revenues between $10 million and $200 million and an EBITDA between $3 million and $20 million and can also co-invest. It primarily invests in senior subordinated debt securities secured by second lien security interests in portfolio company assets, coupled with equity interests. The firm also invests in senior debt securities secured by first lien security interests in portfolio companies. Triangle Capital Corporation was founded in 2002 and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Triangle Capital (NYSE: TCAP  ) is continuing to set aside money to return to shareholders. The company has declared its latest quarterly dividend, which is to be $0.54 per share paid on June 26 to shareholders of record as of June 12. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution, which was paid in late March. Prior to that, it handed out $0.53 per share.

• [By Helix Investment Research]

  Much has been made over Keating Capital's fee structure, and suggestions that company executives are using it as a "personal ATM" to funnel shareholder money to Keating Investments, Keating Capital's investment adviser (Keating Capital is an externally managed business development company). However, Keating's fees are not exorbitant, at least in comparison to the industry average. Per data sourced from Triangle Capital (TCAP), the average externally managed BDC has a management fee of 1.75%-2% of gross assets, and an incentive fee of 20%. Keating Capital's fee structure includes a 2% management fee, and a 20% incentive fee, in line with the industry average. The formula below represents Keating Capital's incentive fee:

Top Net Payout Yield Stocks For 2014: Level 3 Communications Inc.(LVLT)

Level 3 Communications, Inc. engages in the communications business in North America and Europe. It offers network and Internet services, including transport services, high speed Internet protocol services, dedicated Internet access, virtual private network services, and dark fiber services, as well as managed modem, an outsourced, turn-key infrastructure solution; and colocation services. The company also provides various media services, comprising Vyvx services that provide audio and video feeds over fiber or satellite; content delivery network services; media delivery services to customers seeking to manage, protect, and monetize content delivered over the Internet; a range of local and long distance voice services, such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and traditional circuit-switch based services; and VoIP Enhanced Local, a VoIP service that enables broadband cable operators, IXCs, VoIP providers, and other companies operating their own switching infrastructure to launch IP-based local and long-distance voice services through a broadband connection. Level 3 Communications? media services also consist of SIP Trunking, a VoIP-based local phone service; Local Inbound service that terminates traditional telephone network originated calls to Internet Protocol termination points; Primary Rate Interface, a TDM local phone service that could be configured in various ways; Long Distance services portfolio comprising local and long distance transport and termination services; and Toll Free services portfolio, which terminate toll free calls that are originated on the traditional telephone network. As of December 31, 2010, its network encompassed approximately 68,000 intercity route miles in North America and an intercity network covering approximately 13,000 miles across Europe. Further, it sells coal primarily through long-term contracts with public utilities. The company was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jesse Solomon]

  The latest deals include medical device maker Medtronic's (MDT) $42.9 billion acquisition of rival Coviden (COV), telecom giant Level 3 Communications' (LVLT) $5.7 billion purchase of tw telecom (TWTC), Williams Companies (WMB)' $6 billion controlling stake in natural gas driller Access Midstream Partners (ACMP), and SanDisk's (SNDK) $1.1 billion takeover of flash technology company Fusion-io (FIO).

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  The biggest new holdings are Assured Guaranty�and the SPDR Select Financial Sector ETF. Other new holdings of interest include Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU  ) and Level 3 Communications (NYSE: LVLT  ) . The struggling PC market has hurt Micron, but bulls are hopeful that growth in tablets and smartphones will�boost demand�for memory chips. Micron's purchase of Japanese manufacturer Elpida has some investors quite optimistic, as it boosts Micron's capacity and its relationship with�Apple. Micron has been losing market share, though, and some worry about the commoditization of memory and Micron's debt levels. Several analysts increased their price targets for the stock recently.