Top Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2014

Back on September 24th I pointed out how Avalon Rare Metals Inc. (NYSEMKT:AVL) was a superior stock pick to Rare Element Resources Ltd (NYSEMKT:REE), even if only for short-term technical reasons. Either way, however, the rebound in the prices of most rare earth metals was going to be good for both REE and AVL. The one name conspicuously missing from the bunch, of course, was Molycorp Inc. (NYSE:MCP). Well, you can finally add MCP to the buy list as well. In fact, the different path it took to technical soundness may well make Molycorp the best pick of the bunch right now.

Just for the sake of follow-up, Avalon Rare Metals shares never took off the way I expected them to a few days ago. They're still in the hunt, mind you, but the 200-day moving average line is still more than a small impasse. The horizontal ceiling around $0.96 has been hurdled for a second time as of today, however, and with volume starting to swell on the way up again, AVL is still a name you'll want to keep on your watchlist.

5 Best Sliver Stocks To Buy For 2015: Theravance Inc.(THRX)

Theravance, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule medicines for various therapeutic areas, including respiratory disease, bacterial infections, and central nervous system (CNS)/pain. The company?s key development programs with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) include the RELOVAIR, a Phase 3 clinical trial program for the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and/or asthma; the LAMA/LABA program, a Phase 3 COPD program; and the Bifunctional Muscarinic Antagonist-beta2 Agonist (MABA) program, a Phase 2b program for the treatment of COPD, as well as Peripherally Selective Mu-Opioid Receptor Antagonist (P Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Following in the footsteps of Abbott spinning out its drug division into AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV  ) , and Pfizer spinning out its animal health division into animal health products into Zoetis, Theravance (NASDAQ: THRX  ) is splitting up.

Top Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2014: Ishares Xinhua China 25 (FXI)

iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index (the Index). The Index is designed to represent the performance of the largest companies in the China equity market that are available to international investors. The Index consists of Class H and Red Chip shares of 25 of the largest and most liquid Chinese companies. Securities in the Index are weighted based on the total market value of their shares. Each security in the Index is a constituent of the FTSE All-World Index. All of the securities in the Index trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Woods]

  The China exodus can be seen in stocks that makeup China�� benchmark index ETF, the iShares China Large-Cap (FXI), which is down about 10% over the past 12 months. So far in 2014, FXI has fallen more than 6%.

• [By Richard Schmidt]

  Meanwhile, the overall rally in Chinese stocks is paying off, with more room to grow. iShares FTSE/Xinhua China (FXI), which corresponds to the FTSE China 25 index, showed great strength mid-month, with a 10% jump in a matter of days.

Top Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2014: Movado Group Inc. (MOV)

Movado Group, Inc. designs, sources, markets, and distributes fine watches. It operates in two segments, Wholesale and Retail. The company offers its watches under the Coach, Concord, Ebel, ESQ, Scuderia Ferrari, HUGO BOSS, Juicy Couture, Lacoste, Movado, and Tommy Hilfiger brands to jewelry store chains, department stores, independent regional jewelers, licensed partner retail stores, and a network of independent distributors. It is also involved in the after-sales service activities and shipping. In addition, Movado Group, Inc. operates retail outlet stores. As of January 31, 2013, the company operated 34 outlet stores. It operates principally in the United States, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The company was formerly known as North American Watch Corporation and changed its name to Movado Group, Inc. in 1996. Movado Group, Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Paramus, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Movado Group (MOV) has fallen 4.6% to $42.01 after missing its second quarter earnings estimates.

  InterMune (ITMN) has ticked up 0.2% despite being downgraded by JPMorgan and JMP Securities.

• [By Sean Williams]

  The most obvious choice is through Movado Group (NYSE: MOV  ) , which uses a combination of electronic and mechanical movements through its collection. With an average price point of $300 through upwards of $2,000 per timepiece, Movado delivers to consumers the perception of a higher-end watch and delivers the sleek statement styling that many upper-income earners are looking for. Not surprisingly, Movado has blown Wall Street's EPS estimates out of the water in each of the past four quarters and attributed its 6% sales growth in the first quarter primarily to increased sales in its "accessible luxury category." Not to be forgotten, Movado also has greater than $5 per share in cash and is debt-free, giving shareholders quite the safety net and allowing Movado the luxury of boosting its dividend should it choose to do so.

Top Up And Coming Companies To Buy For 2014: Barrett Business Services Inc.(BBSI)

Barrett Business Services, Inc. provides business management solutions in the United States. The company offers human resource management services in areas comprising payroll processing, employee benefits and administration, human resource management, risk management, and workers? compensation coverage areas. It also provides professional employer organization services, which include employee benefits, health insurance, workers? compensation coverage, workplace safety programs, federal and state employment laws compliance, labor and workplace regulatory requirements, and related administrative services; and payroll administrative services, such as payroll processing, payroll taxes, and human resource consulting services. In addition, the company provides staffing services, including on-demand or short-term staffing assignments, contract staffing, long-term or indefinite-term on-site management, direct placement, and human resource administration services. It serves elect ronics manufacturers; various light-manufacturing industries; forest products and agriculture-based companies; transportation and shipping enterprises; food processing; telecommunications; public utilities; general contractors in various construction-related fields; and professional services firms. Barrett Business Services, Inc. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  The much smaller Barrett Business Services (NASDAQ: BBSI  ) has done even better, soaring 154% over the last 12 months.

  While that might suggest the opportunity to invest in them has passed, I believe their biggest gains are still ahead. While tentativeness among employers about whether the economy is really improving is helping employers to hire more temp workers, the coming implementation of Obamacare will fuel it further. Even with the employer mandate portion of the law being pushed out past the midterm elections to 2015 instead of going into effect on January 1, that just means more companies will be hiring more temp workers for a longer period of time to get below the thresholds the health-care law imposes.