Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2014

If you’re bullish on gold, you better be bullish on gold miners–and HSBC is feeling pretty good about both.

Reuters

In a note released yesterday, HSBC upgraded a number of gold stocks as the bank expects the price of gold to rebound. Analyst�Patrick Chidley and team explain:

Despite the rush to the door by speculators on the COMEX and in the [SPDR Gold Trust ETF (GLD)], we continue to believe the fundamentals are supportive of higher prices. China continues to report gold imports at very high levels (over 130 tonnes in the month of August from Hong Kong alone). Based on our belief that the pressure on gold price is temporary, due to continued strength in Chinese demand, continued strong Indian demand (despite recently ramped up government tariffs on gold imports), growing demand in other emerging markets countries, continued central bank purchases, a strong physical supply response coupled with a lack of new projects coming into production in the next few years, we believe the gold price will rebound in the next few months.

Hot Solar Companies To Own For 2015: Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK)

Alliant Techsystems Inc. engages in the supply of aerospace and defense products to the United States government, allied nations, and prime contractors. The company also supplies ammunition and related accessories to law enforcement agencies and commercial customers. Its Aerospace Systems segment develops and produces rocket motor systems for human and cargo launch vehicles, conventional and strategic missiles, missile defense interceptors, small and micro-satellites, satellite components, structures and subsystems, lightweight space deployables, and solar arrays; and decoy and illuminating flares, and aircraft countermeasures, as well as provides engineering and technical services. Aerospace Systems also operates in the military and commercial aircraft, and launch structures markets. The company?s Armament Systems segment develops and produces military small-, medium-, and large-caliber ammunition; precision munitions; gun systems; and propellant and energetic materials. It also operates the U.S. Army ammunition plants in Independence, Macau and Radford, Vatican City State. Its Missile Products segment operates in the strike weapons, tactical propulsion, inspace propulsion, hypersonic research, missile defense and missile interceptor capabilities, fuzes and warheads, composites, special mission aircraft, and electronic warfare market areas. The company?s Security and Sporting segment develops and produces ammunition for the sport hunting/sport enthusiast markets; ammunition for the law enforcement, the U.S. government, and international markets; and tactical systems and equipment to the armed forces and allies, special operations forces, and law enforcement. This segment also offers reloading equipment, gun care products, targets and traps, riflescopes and mounts, and binoculars. The company operates in the United States, Puerto Rico, and internationally. Alliant Techsystems Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minne sota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Victor Selva] B/E Aerospace Inc. (BEAV), and being able to maintain a competitive position in the market, shows ATS麓s ability for great evolution and profitable growth.

  Alliant also benefits from a narrow economic moat. Having long-term contracts with its customers, that generate consistent revenue for years, is a great advantage. The long-term programs have high switching costs for the customer. For example, ATK produced the composite materials for the Hellfire missile for years.

  In addition, leading the solid rocket propellant market should ensure increased annual revenue. The new Space Launch System (SLS), for which ATK is working with the NASA, is expected be as successful as the Space Shuttle program years ago.

  Most important, Alliant is the biggest supplier of small-caliber ammunition for the U.S. military. Furthermore, ATK has managed to get new contracts in the U.S. military sector, such as the second full-rate production of the advanced anti-radiation guided missiles. This contract with the U.S. Navy was signed for a total of $102.4 million.

  New Contracts and acquisitions should increase profitability

  Alliant has developed a composite technology that brought in new customers such as Airbus Group NV (EADSY) and Boeing Co (BA). In addition, the company's composite material is required for the production of the F-35 jets. ATK produces around $1.8 million of the content in every F-35 jet that is constructed and generates $1.2 million worth of every A350.

  New acquisitions create great expectations for shareholders, and this is the case of Alliant. The acquisition of Bushnell Group Holding Inc., that was completed in November of 2013, will amplify the customer base of Alliant麓s Sporting Group even further, and is projected to increase earnings for the company.

  Good Outlook for the Company�� Future Performance

  The future looks bright for Alliant Techsystems Inc. The company麓s financial position will improve due to a b

Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2014: J.D. HUTT Corp (JABA)

J.D. Hutt Corporation, formerly Gold Standard Mining Corp. incorporated on December 11, 2007, packages water supplies for worldwide distribution to areas affected by emergencies or disasters. As of October 15, 2012, the Company had the equipment and resources to supply and package two gallon boxes of water on a large scale and on short notice to emergencies anywhere in the world. In August 2013, J.D. Hutt Corporation announced the acquisition of Sea Treasure Recovery Corp.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company was in the process of reaching out to federal emergency management agency (FEMA), the Red Cross, and other charities and foundations that provide aid during emergencies. The Company focuses to contract with sources of water to enable the Company to respond to disasters and emergencies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Yates]

  The timing for JD Hutt's (OTCBB: JABA) acquisition of Sea Treasure Recovery Corp. could not have been better as the news channels are filled today with the recovery of $350,000 in sunken treasure off the Florida coast.

Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2014: Chalmers Ltd (CHR)

Chalmers Limited is an Australia-based company engaged in transport, logistic services, warehousing and container storage, repairs and sales. The Company operated in three segments: Transport, Containers and Property. Transport consists of road transport, predominantly import/export FCL containers and the interface with logistics/ warehousing/hubbing services. Containers represent the empty container park operations concerned with handling, storage, repairs, upgrades, pretrips and so on of empty containers on behalf of shipping and leasing company customers. Property represents the capital investment Chalmers has in freeholds located in Melbourne. The Company�� subsidiaries include Chalmers Industries Pty Ltd, Chalmers (Australia) Pty Ltd and Chalmers Industries (Brisbane) Pty Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Chr. Hansen A/S (CHR) slid 1.7 percent to 186 kroner after Credit Suisse Group AG cut the stock to neutral, the equivalent of hold, from outperform. The brokerage said that profit from its natural-color business remains under pressure. The world�� biggest maker of dairy enzymes cut its full-year sales forecast on July 3 because of lower prices for the red pigment carmine.

Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2014: Toro Co (TTC)

The Toro Company (Toro), incorporated on November 7, 1983, designs, manufactures, and markets professional turf maintenance equipment and services, turf irrigation systems, agricultural micro-irrigation systems, landscaping equipment and lighting, and residential yard and snow removal products. The Company operates in three business segments: Professional, Residential, and Distribution. Its products are advertised and sold at the retail level under the names of Toro, Exmark, Irritrol, Hayter, Pope, Lawn-Boy and Lawn Genie. In October 2013, the Company acquired Xiamen Xiangfeng Water Saving Equipment Co., Ltd.

Professional

The Company designs professional turf, landscape, and agricultural products and markets them worldwide through a network of distributors and dealers, as well as directly to Government customers, rental companies, and retailers. These channel partners then sell its products to professional users engaged in creating and renovating landscapes, irrigating turf and agricultural fields, and maintaining turf, such as golf courses, sports fields, municipal properties, and residential and commercial landscapes.

Landscape Contractor Market

The Company market products to landscape contractors under the Toro and Exmark brands. Products for the landscape contractor market include zero-turn radius riding mowers, heavy-duty walk behind mowers, mid-size walk behind mowers, stand-on mowers, and turf renovation and tree care equipment. It also offers some products with electronic fuel injection engine options. In fiscal 2013, it enhanced its line of Toro Z Master Commercial 3000 Series mowers, featuring its TURBO FORCE cutting deck, integrated pump, and wheel motors designed for professional results, performance, and dependability. In addition, in fiscal 2013, it introduced the new Exmark Vantage X-Series stand-on mower.

Sports Fields and Grounds Market

Products for the sports fields and grounds market include riding rotar! y mowers and attachments, aerators, and debris management products, which include versatile debris vacuums, blowers, and sweepers. Other products include multipurpose vehicles, such as the Toro Workman, that can be used for turf maintenance, towing, and industrial hauling. These products are sold through distributors, who then sell to owners and/or managers of sports fields, Governmental properties, and residential and commercial landscapes.

Golf Course Market

The Company�� products for the golf course market include large reel and rotary riding products for fairway, rough and trim cutting; riding and walking mowers for putting greens and specialty areas; greens rollers; turf sprayer equipment; utility vehicles; aeration equipment; and bunker maintenance equipment. In fiscal 2013, it introduced the Reelmaster 3550-D, which features a productive 82 inch cutting width, enhanced ground-following capability with turf-friendly tires, and three-wheel drive system designed for traction in hilly and wet conditions. In addition, in fiscal 2013, it began offering versions of its golf products which are compliant with Tier 4 diesel engine emission requirements. It also manufacture and market underground irrigation systems for the golf course market, including sprinkler heads, controllers, turf sensors, and electric, battery-operated, and hydraulic valves. Its 835S/855S Series golf sprinklers are equipped with a unique TruJectory feature that provides enhanced water distribution control. Its Turf Guard wireless soil monitoring systems are designed to measure soil moisture, salinity, and temperature through buried wireless sensors that communicate through an Internet server for processing and presentation to a user through the Web.

Residential/Commercial Irrigation and Lighting Market

Turf irrigation products marketed under the Toro and Irritrol brands include rotors; sprinkler bodies and nozzles; plastic and brass valves; drip tubing and subsurface irrigation; ! electric ! and hydraulic control devices; and wired and wireless rain, freeze, and climate sensors. These products are designed to be used in residential and commercial turf irrigation systems that are installed into new systems or used to replace or retrofit existing systems. Most of the product lines are designed for underground automatic irrigation. Electric and hydraulic controllers activate valves and sprinkler bodies and nozzles in a typical irrigation system. Its retail irrigation products are marketed under the Toro and Lawn Genie brand names. These products are designed for homeowner installation and include sprinkler heads, valves, timers, and drip irrigation systems. Its ECXTRA sprinkler timers can be used with a home computer and its Scheduling Advisor recommends the proper watering schedule based on the local weather, plant type, and sprinkler. It manufactures and market lighting products under the Unique Lighting Systems brand name.

Micro-Irrigation Market

Products for the micro-irrigation market include products that regulate the flow of water for drip irrigation, including Aqua-Traxx PBX drip tape, Aqua-Traxx PC (pressure-compensating) drip tape, Blue Stripe polyethylene tubing, BlueLine drip line, and NGE emitters, all used in agriculture, mining, and landscape applications. In addition to these products, it offers control devices and connection options. These products are sold primarily through dealers and distributors who then sell to end users for use primarily in vegetable fields, fruit and nut orchards, vineyards, landscapes, and mines. In fiscal 2013, it expanded its product offering of the Neptune thinwall dripline into the North America market, featuring a medium-durability dripline that enables growers to install a subsurface drip irrigation system designed to last for up to ten years and to allow growers of medium-length crops to adopt drip irrigation. In addition, in fiscal 2013, it introduced AquaFlow 3.2 Drip Irrigation Design Software, a new software packag! e used to! help design drip irrigation systems.

Rental and Construction Market

The Company offers over 35 attachments for our compact utility loaders, including trenchers, augers, vibratory plows, and backhoes. In fiscal 2013, it launched the STX-38 Stump Grinder featuring high maneuverability and hydraulic sweep control. Products for the rental market include compact utility loaders, walk-behind trenchers, stump grinders, and turf renovation products, many of which are also sold to landscape contractors. Its presence in the construction market is driven by an equipment line of vibratory plows, trenchers, and horizontal directional drills, all of which are used in the installation, repair, and replacement of underground utilities with minimal impact on surrounding landscapes or structures. In fiscal 2013, it introduced the Toro Pro Sneak Vibratory Plow that delivers consistent and powerful plowing in a compact, maneuverable package.

Residential

The Company markets its residential products to homeowners through a variety of distribution channels, including outdoor power equipment dealers, hardware retailers, home centers, mass retailers, and over the Internet. These products are sold mainly in North America, Europe, and Australia, with the exception of snow removal products that are sold primarily in North America and Europe.

Walk Power Mower Products

The Company manufactures and markets a number of walk power mower models under its Toro and Lawn-Boy brand names, as well as the Pope brand in Australia and the Hayter brand in the United Kingdom. Toro also offers a line of rear-roller walk power mowers, a design that provides a striped finish, for the United Kingdom market.

Riding Products

The Company manufactures and markets riding products under the Toro brand name worldwide and under the Hayter brand name in the United Kingdom. Riding products primarily consist of zero-turn radius mowers. Lawn and garden tra! ctor mode! ls are sold worldwide. In addition, its rear engine and direct-collect riding mowers are manufactured and sold in the European market. A number of models are available with a variety of engines, decks, transmissions, and accessories.

Home Solutions Products

Toro designs and markets home solutions products under the Toro and Pope brand names, including electric and battery-operated grass trimmers, electric blower-vacuums, electric blowers, and electric snow throwers. In Australia, the Company also designs and markets underground and hose-end retail irrigation products under the Pope brand name.

Gas Snow Removal Products

The Company manufactures and markets a range of gas-powered single-stage and two-stage snow thrower models. Single-stage snow throwers are walk behind units with lightweight two- and four-cycle gasoline engines. Its two-stage snow throwers are designed for large areas of deep, heavy snow and use four-cycle engines. The Company�� two-stage snow throwers include a line of models featuring the Power Max auger system and the Quick Stick chute control technology.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  There's no foolproof way to know the future for Toro (NYSE: TTC  ) or any other company. However, certain clues may help you see potential stumbles before they happen -- and before your stock craters as a result.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Still, shares of Deere have gained 0.2% to $86.08, perhaps thanks to Toro (TTC), which has risen 1.8% to $62.34 after beating earnings forecasts by four cents today.