Top 5 Life Sciences Companies For 2014

Small cap robotic stock Adept Technology (NASDAQ: ADEP) has put in a very good performance this month verses its immediate peer�iRobot Corporation (NASDAQ: IRBT) as well as against medical robotic stocks like MAKO Surgical (NASDAQ: MAKO), Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ: ARAY) and Hansen Medical, Inc (NASDAQ: HNSN). I should also mention that we have recently added Adept Technology to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio (we are up 9% since last week) because we feel robotics is an improving sector as companies aim to reduce overhead and improve efficiencies through machine to machine (M2M) automation.

What is Adept Technology?

Founded in 1983, small cap Adept Technology is the largest US based manufacturer of industrial robots. More specifically, Adept Technology�� product lines include industrial robots, configurable linear modules, machine controllers for robot mechanisms and other flexible automation equipment, machine vision, and systems and applications software. In addition, the company�provides specialized, cost-effective robotics systems and services to high-growth markets including Packaged Goods, Life Sciences, Disk Drive/Electronics and Semiconductor/Solar plus to�traditional industrial markets�which include�machine tool automation and automotive components.

10 Best International Stocks For 2015: AmREIT Inc (AMRE)

AmREIT, Inc. (AmREIT) is a full service, vertically integrated and self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns, operates, acquires and selectively develops and redevelops primarily neighborhood and community shopping centers located in high-traffic, densely populated, affluent areas with high barriers to entry. The Company seeks to own properties in cities in the United States that contain submarkets with characteristics comparable to its existing markets. The Company's shopping centers are anchored by national and local retailers, including supermarket chains, drug stores and other necessity-based retailers. The Company's tenant consists primarily of specialty retailers and local restaurants. The Company has acquired, owned and operated retail properties across 19 states. On December 12, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of the Preston Royal Village Shopping Center, a retail shopping center, containing approximately 230,000 square feet of GLA. In June 2013, AmREIT Inc announced that it has completed the acquisition of Fountain Oaks Shopping Center, a 160,600 square foot Kroger-anchored shopping center in the north Buckhead submarket of Atlanta, Georgia. Effective September 24, 2013, AmREIT Inc, through its AmREIT Realty Investment Corp subsidiary, acquired Woodlake Square Shopping Center, an owner and operator of shopping centers.

The Company and its affiliates and predecessors acquired and developed mainly single-tenant retail properties across the United States, including in markets in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia. As of December 31, 2012, the Company's single tenant properties only comprised 9.6% of its total GLA and 8.1% of its annualized base rent. The Company's investment focus is predominantly concentrated in the affluent, high-growth submarkets of Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Atlanta (collectively! , the Company's Core Markets), which represent five of the top population and job growth markets in the United States. The Company carefully review potential acquisitions that meet its investment criteria, performing rigorous and detailed analyses, including analyses of submarket demographics, location, tenants, retail sales, rental rates and projected returns.

The Company's redevelopment and expansion initiatives also may include expanding or reconfiguring existing retail space, developing pad sites or building other property types adjacent to the Company's existing shopping centers, thereby creating mixed-use properties that augment its retail operations and generate revenue enhancing opportunities for such properties. The Company sponsored and managed 20 advised funds targeting third-party equity capital, 13 of which have since been fully liquidated. With respect to the remaining seven Advised Funds, as of December 31, 2012, the Company managed three institutional joint ventures and four high net worth Advised Funds, which owned an aggregate of 2.2 million square feet of retail shopping center space. The Company's institutional partners in the joint ventures are J.P. Morgan Investment Management and AEW Capital.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company's portfolio consisted of 32 wholly-owned properties with approximately 1.5 million square feet of GLA, which were 96.7% leased and occupied with a weighted average remaining lease term of 5.2 years. The Company's neighborhood and community shopping centers accounted for 90.4% of the Company's GLA and 91.9% of its annualized base rent as of December 31, 2012. The Company's single-tenant retail properties comprised 9.6% of the Company's GLA and 8.1% of its annualized base rent.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company's Advised Funds included four high net worth investment funds, one institutional joint venture with J.P. Morgan Investment Management, one institutional joint venture with AEW Capital and one joint venture wi! th two of! its high net worth investment funds, MIG III and MIG IV. As of December 31, 2012, the Company's Advised Funds held all or a portion of the ownership interests in 17 properties with approximately 2.2 million square feet of GLA.

The Company's real estate operating and development business focuses on acquiring, managing, leasing and providing development and redevelopment services for its wholly-owned properties as well as the properties held by its Advised Funds. By employing the Company's own real estate team, the Company is able to provide all services to its properties in-house and maintain secure relationships with its tenants. The Company's real estate operating and development business is held under the Company's taxable REIT subsidiary, ARIC. ARIC generates brokerage, leasing, construction management, development and property management fee income.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anna Prior]

  Shopping-center owner AmREIT Inc.(AMRE) said it is evaluating a $433 million unsolicited takeover bid from Regency Centers Corp.(REG) AmREIT’s Class B shares slipped 8.7% to $20.50 premarket after jumping some 17% in Thursday trading.

Top 5 Life Sciences Companies For 2014: SGOCO Group Ltd(SGOC)

SGOCO Group, Ltd. designs, manufactures, and distributes liquid crystal display (LCD) consumer products in the People?s Republic of China and internationally. Its products include LCD personal computer monitors, LCD televisions, light emitting diode back-light modules, and application-specific LCD systems. The company also provides custom manufacturing services for application-specific LCD monitors, such as rotating screens, CCTV monitors for security systems, billboard monitors for advertising and public notice systems, and touch screens for non-keyed entries. SGOCO Group, Ltd. sells its products under the SGOCO, Edge 10, POVIZON, and No. 10 brands through a network of independent retail outlets operating under the ?SGOCO Image? name. The company offers its products to industry clients, such as medical centers, educational institutions, government complexes, public emergency response systems, and corporate offices, as well as to retail customers. As of December 31, 201 0, it had 603 retail stores covering 14 provinces and municipalities in the People?s Republic of China. The company, formerly known as SGOCO Technology, Ltd., was founded in 2006 and is based in Beijing, China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  On Tuesday, large cap�LCD glass maker�Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) began surging some 20% in after hours trading after announcing that it will take over an existing joint venture (Samsung Corning Precision Materials) with Samsung���meaning it might be worth taking a closer look at some small cap peers like Universal Display Corporation (NASDAQ: OLED), Daktronics, Inc (NASDAQ: DAKT) and SGOCO Group Ltd (NASDAQ: SGOC) who also have a piece of the LCD glass or related flat panel display action. Specifically, the deal involves a series of transactions to�give Corning Incorporated full ownership of Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. (SCP), which manufactures LCD glass in Korea and it should be noted that Corning already relies on sales of LCD-TV glass for the bulk of its profit. In addition, Corning Incorporated���board of directors has authorized an additional $2 billion of share repurchases through Dec. 31, 2015, dependent upon the transaction closing. Wendell P. Weeks, the chairman, CEO and president of Corning Incorporated was quoted in the press release announcing the deal as saying:

Top 5 Life Sciences Companies For 2014: Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated(PEG)

Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, operates in the energy industry primarily in the northeastern and mid Atlantic United States. The company primarily operates as a wholesale energy supply company that integrates its generating asset operations through its wholesale energy, fuel supply, energy trading, and marketing and risk management activities. It operates nuclear, coal, gas, and oil-fired generation facilities. The company also involves in the transmission of electricity and distribution of electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers, as well as invests in the development of solar generation projects and energy efficiency programs. In addition, it owns and operates domestic projects engaged in the generation of energy; and offers appliance services and repairs to customers. As of December 31, 2010, it owned approximately 13,538 megawatts of generation capacity. The company also owned and operated approximately 17,608 miles of gas mains, 12 gas distribution headquarters, and 2 subheadquarters, as well as 62 natural gas metering and regulating stations. Public Service Enterprise Group was founded in 1985 and is based in Newark, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dimitra DeFotis]

  First Energy (FE), Entergy (ETR) and Exelon (EXC) each lost more than 3%, and Public Service Enterprise Group (PEG) fell nearly as much.

  A more temporary phenomenon beset airline stocks, with passenger revenue affected internationally by World Cup soccer mania. Leading the airline stocks lower were United Continental Holdings�(UAL),�Delta Air Lines (DAL) and American Airlines (AMR).

• [By Richard Stavros]

  Wells Fargo continues to show all of the hallmarks of what value investors seek. The bank boasts a price-to-earnings-to-growth ratio (PEG) of under one (which means it is fairly valued), while also sporting a dividend of 2.79% and low payout ratio of 57%, indicating the dividend has room to grow.

• [By Stephen Quickel]

  They trade at an average forward P/E of just 14.8 times fiscal 2014 earnings, about the same as the far slower growing S&P 500. Their collective price-to-earnings growth (PEG) ratio is a very attractive 0.77.

Top 5 Life Sciences Companies For 2014: SABMiller PLC (SBMRY)

SABMiller plc, incorporated on March 17, 1998, is a holding company, which has brewing and beverage interests across six continents. The Company together with its subsidiaries is engaged in the manufacture, distribution and sale of beverages. The Company is a brewer with more than 200 beer brands. The Company�� portfolio of brands includes international beers, such as Pilsner Urquell, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Miller Genuine Draft and Grolsch, as well as local brands, such as Aguila, Castle, Miller Lite, Snow, Tyskie and Victoria Bitter. It is a bottler for the Coca-Cola Company in Africa and Central America. It operates in Latin America, Europe, North America, Africa, Asia Pacific, and South Africa.

Latin America

The Company�� primary brewing and beverage operations cover six countries across South and Central America (Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Peru). The Company is brewer in Argentina, and it exports to Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay. It bottles soft drinks for The Coca-Cola Company in El Salvador and Honduras, and for Pepsico International in Panama.

Europe

The Company�� primary brewing operations cover eight countries: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain (Canary Islands) and the Netherlands. A further 16 countries, including Russia, Turkey and the Ukraine are covered in a strategic alliance with Anadolu Efes through brewing, soft drinks or export operations. The Company exports volumes to a further seven European markets, of which the largest are the United Kingdom and Germany.

North America

The Company�� North America segment includes its 58% owned MillerCoors and 100% of Miller Brewing International and the its North American holding companies. The Company�� wholly owned Miller Brewing International business is based in Milwaukee, the United States and exports its brands to Canada and Mexico and throughout the Americas.

Africa

The Compa! ny�� brewing and beverage operations in Africa cover 15 countries. A further 21 are covered through a strategic alliance with the Castel group and it also has an associated undertaking in Zimbabwe. The Company bottles soft drinks for The Coca-Cola Company in 20 of its African markets (in alliance with Castel in 14 of these markets).

Asia Pacific

The Company�� partners with China Resources Enterprise, Limited in China. The Company is engaged in brewing business in India. The Company has operation in Vietnam and it exports to various markets, including South Korea and Singapore.

South Africa

The Company�� South African Breweries (Pty) Ltd (SAB) is South Africa�� producer and distributor of lager and soft drinks. It also exports brands for distribution across Namibia. Its soft drinks division is bottler of products for The Coca-Cola Company. The Company has hotel and gaming interests through its associate, Tsogo Sun Holdings Ltd, a hotel and gaming group in South Africa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David O��ara]

  For an increasing number of U.K.-listed companies, Africa is their number one growth market. One example is super-brewer�SABMiller� (LSE: SAB  ) (NASDAQOTH: SBMRY  ) . In its recent final results, SAB reported 18% sales growth in Africa versus just 5% in Europe. The EBITDA contribution from Africa was 20% ahead of the previous year, too.