5 Best Consumer Stocks For 2015

With shares of AT&T (NYSE:T) trading around $33, is T an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

AT&T is a provider of telecommunications services in the United States and worldwide. Services offered include wireless communications, local exchange services, and long-distance services. AT&T operates in four segments: Wireless, Wireline, Advertising Solutions, and Other. The communications products offered through AT&T�� segments reach audiences using just about every widely adopted medium: Internet, voice, television, and mobile. As consumers continue to adopt this technology, providers like AT&T stand to see rising profits.

AT&T is in the middle of many things. �The telecoms operator is reported to be expanding and upgrading its network in an ambitious project to compete effectively in the industry. The company is also selling assets as part of its consolidation efforts to avoid unnecessary burden while raising funds for future investments.�As far as future investments are concerned, the company is looking at the opportunity in connected vehicle segment, where it is already in talks with Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) and Audi. Moreover, the company is said to be considering merger with the leading UK carrier Vodafone Group (NASDAQ:VOD) in an effort to capture the lucrative Europe telecom industry.�If these investments are successful, there will be reasons for investors to celebrate. However, at present the stock lacks reliable growth opportunities. This explains why the stock�� performance in the year so far, and even in the last year has not been anything to be proud about.

5 Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: Furniture Brands International Inc. (FBN)

Furniture Brands International, Inc. engages in designing, manufacturing, sourcing, and retailing home furnishings in the United States and internationally. The company offers case goods, such as bedroom, dining room, and living room wood furniture; stationary upholstery products comprising sofas, loveseats, sectionals, and chairs; and motion upholstered furniture, including recliners and sleep sofas. It also provides occasional furniture, such as accent pieces, home entertainment centers, and home office furniture, as well as wood, metal, and glass tables; and decorative accessories and accent pieces. The company�s brand portfolio includes Thomasville, Broyhill, Lane, Drexel Heritage, Henredon, Pearson, Hickory Chair, Lane Venture, Maitland-Smith, La Barge, and Creative Interiors. It markets its products through its Thomasville retail stores, interior designers, multi-line/independent retailers, and mass merchant stores to retailers, including independently owned furnitu re stores, department stores, and chains. The company was formerly known as Interco Inc. and changed its name to Furniture Brands International, Inc. in 1996. Furniture Brands International, Inc. was founded in 1921 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sally Jones]

  Here�� a look at what goes inside those new homes: new furniture. As furniture makers increase outsourcing and the U.S. manufacturing sector declines, investors must be wondering about the future of American furniture companies. Trading histories show Guru billionaires have taken years of losses, especially in the case of Furniture Brand International Inc. (FBN), but the recent insider trades at Furniture Brand may be some indication of what we can expect from Guru shareholders when their second quarter trading activity in this sector is revealed.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Have you ever looked back after a stock's rebounded and realized you missed the obvious hints that the bottom had been made (and you missed out)? Yeah, well, I suspect a bunch of traders are going to look back at Furniture Brands International, Inc. (NYSE:FBN) a few weeks from now and realize right now - as in today - is when FBN made a major bottom and began a bullish reversal.

• [By Fox Business]

  Billionaire Investor Sam Zell spoke with FOX Business Network�� (FBN) Maria Bartiromo during Opening Bell with Maria Bartiromo in a wide ranging interview about the Federal Reserve, the stock market and growth sectors in the economy. Regarding the Federal Reserve, Zell said, �� just do not know whether the Fed has the guts to really complete the taper��and that the tapering won�� ��e over by October.��Zell discussed the stock market saying, �� think the stock market is over exuberant��and �� think that the stock market reflects the fact that there's very little other options��for investors. When asked about international investments Zell said, ��e have invested very little in Europe��and that ��exico is one of the places that we're very excited about.��Zell also commented on the commercial real estate market saying, the hot markets are ��an Francisco, New York and Seattle. Those three markets have pricing that's very different from the rest of the country.��/p>

• [By Fox Business News]

  Billionaire investor Carl Icahn spoke with FOX Business Network�� (FBN) Charlie Gasparino about his positions in Apple and Herbalife. He discussed his proposal for Apple to launch a $150 billion stock buyback, saying, ��hey could certainly innovate as much as they want and still do this buyback.��When asked whether he could maintain a stake in Herbalife for years, Icahn said, �� could. I have no compunction the way Herbalife is going right now.��Icahn also discussed his Twitter war with PIMCO Founder and Co-CIO Bill Gross, and said, �� certainly respect Bill Gross, but it�� a little fun.��/p>

5 Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: Outerwall Inc (OUTR)

Outerwall Inc, formerly Coinstar, Inc., incorporated on October 12, 1993, is a provider of automated retail solutions, which offers convenient products and services. the Company's offerings in automated retail include its Redbox business, where consumers can rent or purchase movies and video games from self-service kiosks (Redbox segment), and its Coin business, where consumers can convert their coin to cash or stored value products at self-service coin counting kiosks (Coin segment). Its New Ventures business (New Ventures segment) is focused on identifying, evaluating, building, and developing self-service concepts in the marketplace. On June 9, 2011, the Company completed the sale transaction of the Money Transfer Business to Sigue Corporation (Sigue). In June 2012, the Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, acquired certain assets of NCR Corp's self-service entertainment DVD kiosk business. In October 2013, Jana Partners LLC acquired a 13.5% stake in Outerwall Inc.

Redbox

Within the Company�� Redbox segment, it operates 35,400 Redbox kiosks, in 29,300 locations, where consumers can rent or purchase movies and video games. Its Redbox kiosks are available in every state, as well as Puerto Rico and are installed at grocery stores, mass retailers, drug stores, restaurants and convenience stores, including Walgreens, Walmart and McDonalds. Its Redbox kiosks supply the functionality of a traditional video rental store, which occupy an area of less than 10 square feet. Consumers use a touch screen to select their titles, swipe a valid credit or debit card, and receive their movie or video game. The daily rental fee at a Redbox kiosk is a flat fee plus tax for one daily rental and, if the consumer chooses to keep the movie or video game for additional days, the consumer is charged for each additional day at the same daily rental fee. Its consumers can rent a movie or video game from one location and return their rental to any of its Redbox locations.! In addition, its consumers may reserve a movie or video game online or through a smart phone application and pick it up at the selected Redbox location.

The Company generates revenue through fees charged to rent or purchase a movie or video game, and it pays retailers a percentage of its revenue. Its content library consists of movies and video games available for rent or purchase. It obtains its movie and video game content through revenue sharing agreements and license agreements with studios and game publishers, as well as through distributors and other suppliers.

Coin

As of December 31, 2011, within the Company�� Coin segment, it owned and operated approximately 20,200 coin-counting kiosks (approximately 17,200, of which offer a range of stored value products to consumers) in 19,900 locations, where consumers feed loose change into the kiosks, which count the change and then dispense vouchers or, in some cases, issue stored value products, at the consumer�� election. Its Coin kiosks are available across the United States, where they provide service to retailers, such as Kroger and Walmart, and in Canada, Puerto Rico, Ireland and the United Kingdom. It generates revenue through transaction fees from its consumers and product partners. Each voucher lists the dollar value of coins counted, less its transaction fee. When consumers elect to have a stored value product issued, the transaction fee normally charged to the consumer is charged instead to the card issuers for the coin-counting services.

New Ventures

Within the Company�� New Ventures segment, it identifies, evaluates, builds and develops self-service concepts in the automated retail space. Its New Ventures segment consists of its coffee, refurbished electronics and photo self-service concepts. It generates revenue through fees charged for products and services offered to consumers in select test markets where it is testing business concepts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sue Chang and Saumya Vaishampayan]

  Outerwall Inc. (OUTR) �shares surged 11%. The company, which operates Redbox movie kiosks and Coinstar machines, posted fourth-quarter core earnings that beat analyst estimates and authorized a $350 million buyback.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Outerwall (NASDAQ: OUTR) was also up, gaining 5.59 percent to $62.68. TPG-Axon Management reported a 5.1% stake in Outerwall. Yesterday, Jana Partners disclosed a 13.5% stake in the company.

• [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  Jana Partners LLC on Monday said it is pleased with shareholder-friendly steps taken by Outerwall Inc.(OUTR) as the activist investor disclosed it has pared its stake in the operator of Redbox video-rental kiosks.

• [By Austin Smith]

  The Motley Fool is on the road in Seattle!�Recently we visited Coinstar -- now officially renamed�Outerwall� (NASDAQ: OUTR  ) --�to speak with CFO-turned-CEO Scott Di Valerio about the 22-year-old company's well-known coin-cashing machines, as well as its more recent acquisition of Redbox, and future initiatives to expand into other aspects of the automated retail market.

5 Best Oil Stocks To Invest In 2015: Swift Transportation Company(SWFT)

Swift Transportation Company, through its subsidiary, Swift Transportation Co., LLC, operates as a multi-faceted transportation services company and truckload carrier in North America. The company offers its truckload services through dry van, temperature-controlled, flatbed, and specialized trailers; and rail intermodal services. It also provides freight brokerage and logistics management services to other trucking companies, as well as leases tractors and offers repair services. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated a tractor fleet of approximately 15,900 units, including 11,900 tractors driven by company drivers and 4,000 owner-operator tractors; 50,600 trailers; and 6,200 intermodal containers in the United States and Mexico. It serves various industries, such as retail, discount retail, consumer products, food and beverage, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics industries. The company, formerly known Swift Holdings Corp., and was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  For this week's round of "Better Know a Stock," I'm going to take a closer look at Swift Transportation (NYSE: SWFT  ) .

  What Swift Transportation does
  Swift is a transportation services trucking and intermodal company in North America. The company primarily transports discounted consumer goods, perishable and non-perishable foods, and manufactured goods. As of the end of 2012 Swift operated 15,300 tractors, 52,800 trailers, and had 8,700 intermodal containers.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Hub have dropped 5.1% to $35.41, but the plunge doesn’t seem to be weighing on other logistic companies. CH Robinson Worldwide (CHRW), for instance, has gained 1.1% to $58.64, JB Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) has risen 1.1% to $71.61, Swift Transportation (SWFT) has advanced 0.9% to $19.56 and Ryder System (R) is up 3.1% to $59.23.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Swift Transportation (NYSE: SWFT  ) reported earnings on July 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Swift Transportation met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

5 Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: Nestle SA (NSRGY)

Nestle SA is a company engaged in the nutrition, health and wellness sectors. It is the holding company of the Nestle Group, which comprises subsidiaries, associated companies and joint ventures throughout the world. The Company has such business units as Food and Beverage, Nestle Waters and Nestle Nutrition. Nestle is also active in the pharmaceutical sector. It divides its products into nine categories: Prepared dishes and cooking aids, Beverages, Confectionery, Ice cream, Water, PetCare, Milk products, Nutrition and Pharma. It has numerous subsidiaries engaged in various areas of activity, including Alcon Ophthalmika GmbH (Austria), Alcon Bulgaria EOOD (Bulgaria) and Galderma Laboratorium GmbH (Germany) for pharmaceuticals; Novartis Nutrition GmbH (Austria) and Hjem-IS A/S (Denmark) for food and beverages, and Galderma International SAS (France) and Galderma Laboratorium GmbH (Germany) for health and beauty activities. The Company is headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland. In July 2008, Novartis AG acquired a 25% stake in Alcon, Inc. from Nestle SA. In March 2010, the Company acquired Kraft Foods Inc' frozen pizza business.

In April 2008, L'Oreal and Nestle SA's joint venture, Galderma Pharma S.A., announced that its United States holding company, Galderma Laboratories, Inc., had acquired approximately 97% interest in CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. During the year ended December 31, 2004, Nestle had 500 factories in 83 countries around the world. In 2004, 15 factories were acquired or opened and 29 closed or divested.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  HL: And you��e held Nestle (NSRGY) for a long time.

  TR: I first bought Nestle in 1987, and it was at that time it was very difficult to buy, and it�� probably compounded at close to 15% every year since then, total return. And it�� partly because it was so unloved at the start that the returns have been so strong. But I��e held it for 30 years, and it�� grown in large measure because of that capacity to reinvest, and we have this beautiful portfolio of brands. And they have the capacity to suffer. So for example they had global leadership in coffee, in Nescafe. On top of that they identified the single-serve coffee business as very on-trend because of the increasing number of people who live alone and who also want to have choice and variety. So it�� no longer enough to brew a pot of Maxwell House for 10 people because you have a big family. You��e living alone you want to have variety, you want to have just enough so you don�� waste. Single serve plays a big role in that. And they were willing to invest so heavily behind the development of Nespresso that they didn�� break even for 15 years. So I admired them. They have great domain expertise in coffee. And they have the capacity to suffer, through 15 years of not breaking even, to perfect the product so that by the time it came out it was a true winner. And so with that careful background, today the business does close to $5 billion. And it�� a very solid important franchise. That culture, of being able to take your domain expertise and move from one product to the next and then invest behind it to try to get it right, without rushing to try to show early profits, is at the heart of what I��e learned from these businesses that do it right, as things required to have permanent excellence.

• [By Blake Bos]

  Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX  ) currently holds 25% of the market share in packaged coffee, and is now making a very ambitious push further into this space with the release of its Verismo home coffee machines. But thus far, consumers' reactions to the machine have been very lukewarm. In this video, Motley Fool consumer goods analyst Blake Bos takes a look at Starbucks' machine compared to the Nespresso machine from Nestle (NASDAQOTH: NSRGY  ) . He tells us what consumers like better about the Nespresso, but also why Starbucks won't be giving up the fight in this space anytime soon.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  His top four holdings are Philip Morris International (PM), Nestle SA Reg (NSRGY), Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A), CIE Financiere Rich (CFRHF).

  Philip Morris International (PM)

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Analysts at Rabobank concur. Where�Nestle (NASDAQOTH: NSRGY  ) owns half the single-serve brewer market (Green Mountain's Keurig and Vue has almost a quarter of the market share), it says coffee pods represent 14% of all at-home consumption.

5 Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: Seven & i Holdings Co Ltd (SVNDY)

Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. is a Japan-based holding company. The Company operates in six business segments. The Convenience Store segment operates convenience stores under the name 7-Eleven through direct operation and franchising. The Super Store segment operates general supermarkets, food supermarkets and specialty stores. The Department Store segment operates department stores with a focus on Seibu. The Food Service segment is engaged in the restaurant business, the contract food business and the fast food business. The Financial-related segment is engaged in the banking service, credit card and electronic money services. The Others segment is engaged in the information technology (IT) business. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  If you're a trader, you try to catch these ups and downs. If you're a longer term trader, you sort of go with Japanese equities. The one that I've got in Jubak's Picks is Toyota Motor, (TM), which trades in New York as an ADR. You can also go with something like Torre Industries (TRYIF), which trades as an ADR in New York as well as on the Tokyo exchange. They're the world's largest maker of carbon fiber, good play on exports to the aircraft and car industries. Or you can do something like Seven & I (SVNDY), the Japanese company that owns 7-Elevens around the world. So, those would be my ways to play a weak yen if you want to use Japanese equities for the week and the year ahead.