5 Best Quality Stocks To Invest In Right Now

The Securities and Exchange Commission sees climate change as enough of a risk that it requires companies to disclose their climate-change-related risks in their annual 10k filings. Most, however, deal only cursorily with the potential for tightened regulation, without considering the many other threats to business operations that arise from a warming planet.

A recent report from sustainable business advocate Ceres found wide discrepancies in disclosure quality among oil and gas majors. Ceres found that BP (NYSE: BP  ) , Suncor (NYSE: SU  ) , and Eni (NYSE: E  ) provided the best disclosure overall, while ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM  ) and Apache (NYSE: APA  ) did the worst.

Eni provided good disclosure by, among other things, mentioning specific emissions reductions for its combined cycle co-generation work, and providing a detailed discussion of its flaring and carbon capture and storage efforts. BP's disclosure included a detailed analysis ��f the effects of indirect risks and opportunities on its operations. For example, BP disclosed that its "low-carbon businesses and future growth options outside oil and gas... have the potential to be a material source of low-carbon energy and are aligned with BP's core capabilities." Suncor quantified the effects of existing regulations, and also described a basis for its conclusions about materiality. The company explained how it assesses��future regulatory risks using a carbon price range. ExxonMobil and Apache either only vaguely acknowledged various climate change risks or failed to discuss them at all.

John Vechey of PopCap Games recently joined The Motley Fool for a climate change summit. Among his guests was Stu Dalheim, vice president of shareholder advocacy at Calvert Investments. In the video below, Dalheim explains how Calvert assesses material, environmental, and sustainability issues to discover how effectively companies are recognizing their risks and working to minimize them and build sustainability.

Top Forestry Stocks For 2015: Mitel Networks Corporation(MITL)

Mitel Networks Corporation provides integrated communications solutions to the small-to-medium sized enterprise market in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Canada, Caribbean, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. It offers Internet protocol (IP) telephony platforms, including IP telephony software that performs various functions comprising multi-media call control and communications, which allow business users to reach each other, share information, and collaborate; appliances; and desktop devices, such as IP and digital phones, specialty desktop devices, and peripherals. The company also provides a suite of UCC applications, which consist unified communicator advanced, mobility, customer interaction solution, unified messaging, speech auto attendant, telecollaboration solution, teleworker solution, and business dashboard, as well as audio, video, and Web conferencing for integrating voice, video, and data communications with business applications. In addi tion, it offers network services that include local access services; long distance services; mobile voice and data services; data services, such as Internet access and private networking services; hosted offerings, which comprise network monitoring and management, audio conferencing, Web conferencing, hosted secure Internet access, and Web hosting; and hosted IP telephony services. Further, the company provides managed services, including project management, installation, training, maintenance, professional, consulting, business requirements review, and disaster recovery planning services; support services; and financing of its solutions. It serves education, government, healthcare, hospitality, and retail markets through wholesale distributors, solution providers, system integrators, authorized channel partners, and other technology providers. The company is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Robinson]

  Mitel Networks (MITL)

  Small-cap Mitel is known for its advanced contact center platform that includes mobile chat and also helps mid-market firms generate sales leads while lowering expenses.

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  Mitel Networks Corp. (Nasdaq: MITL) is a small-cap communication and collaboration software company that caters to small and medium-sized businesses.

• [By Richard Lomas]

  How much impact there will be on the profit margin will depend on the royalty rate set. Virnetx has an established royalty rate structure both published and through agreements with other licensees. Virnetx's published royalty rate is between 1 and 2 percent for customers in good standing. This royalty rate has been validated through licenses with 4 different companies, Siemens (SI), NEC, Mitel (MITL), and Aastra (AATSF.PK). The average rate agreed to by these companies through negotiations is 1.52%, right in the middle of the 1 to 2 percent published rate. Whatever rate is set will further reduce Apple's profit margin.

5 Best Quality Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Infinity Pharmaceuticals Inc.(INFI)

Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. engages in the discovery and development of medicines for difficult-to-treat diseases. The company?s lead product candidates include saridegib (IPI-926), an oral molecule with the potential to treat a range of cancers by disrupting malignant activation of the Hedgehog pathway; and Retaspimycin HCl (IPI-504), a heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor. Its Saridegib is in a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of metastatic or inoperable chondrosarcoma and a Phase II exploratory trial in patients with myelofibrosis. The company?s Retaspimycin HCl is in a Phase II trial in combination with docetaxel to treat patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); and in a Phase Ib/II trial in combination with everolimus, known as Afinitor, in approximately 45 NSCLC patients with a KRAS mutation. Its pipeline also includes IPI-145, an inhibitor of the delta and gamma isoforms of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) in Phase I development to treat in flammation and hematologic malignancies. Infinity Pharmaceuticals has a strategic alliance with Purdue Pharmaceutical Products L.P. and Mundipharma International Corporation Limited to develop and commercialize pharmaceutical products; and a development and license agreement with Millennium to discover, develop, and commercialize pharmaceutical products targeting the delta and/or gamma isoforms of PI3K, including IPI-145. Purdue Pharmaceutical Products is planning to conduct Phase II studies of IPI-940 in pain. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Somaiya and team named Gilead and�Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX) their top picks, hile putting Buy ratings on Celgene, Biogen Idec, Alexion (ALXN), Incyte (INCY), Pharmacyclics (PCYC) and Synageva (GEVA). BioMarin (BMRN), Infinity Pharmaceuticals (INFI) and Amgen (AMGN) earned Neutral ratings.

• [By Luke Jacobi]

  Infinity Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: INFI) shares shot up 44.1 percent to $15.73 on deal with AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV).

  Shares of Concur Technologies (NASDAQ: CNQR) got a boost, shooting up 8.6 percent to $109.60 following a Bloomberg TV report that the company may be exploring a possible sale.

5 Best Quality Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A)

Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell), incorporated on February 5, 2002, is an independent oil and gas company. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, investments in the numerous companies constituting Shell. Shell is engaged worldwide in the principal aspects of the oil and gas industry and also has interests in chemicals and other energy-related businesses. The Company operates in three segments: Upstream, Downstream and Corporate. Upstream combines the operating segments Upstream International and Upstream Americas, which are engaged in searching for and recovering crude oil and natural gas; the liquefaction and transportation of gas; the extraction of bitumen from oil sands that is converted into synthetic crude oil, and wind energy. Downstream is engaged in manufacturing; distribution and marketing activities for oil products and chemicals, in alternative energy (excluding wind), and carbon dioxide (CO2) management. Corporate represents the key support functions, comprising holdings and treasury, headquarters, central functions and Shell�� self-insurance activities. In October 2011, the Company bought a marine terminal on Canada's Pacific Coast as a possible site for a liquefied natural gas export terminal. In January 2012, the Company's 50% owned, Australia Arrow Energy Holdings Pty Ltd acquired all of the shares in Bow Energy Ltd. In January 2014, Royal Dutch Shell plc completed the acquisition of Repsol S.A.'s liquefied natural gas (LNG) portfolio outside North America.

Upstream International manages the Upstream businesses outside the Americas. It searches for and recovers crude oil and natural gas, liquefies and transports gas, and operates the upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver oil and gas to market. Upstream International also manages Shell�� entire liquefied petroleum gas (LNG) business, gas to liquids (GTL) and the wind business in Europe. Its activities are organized primarily within geographical units, although there are some activities that are mana! ged across the businesses or provided through support units.

Upstream Americas manages the Upstream businesses in North and South America. It searches for and recovers crude oil and natural gas, transports gas and operates the upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver oil and gas to market. Upstream Americas also extracts bitumen from oil sands that is converted into synthetic crude oil. Additionally, it manages the United States-based wind business. It comprises operations organized into business-wide managed activities and supporting activities.

Downstream manages Shell�� manufacturing, distribution and marketing activities for oil products and chemicals. These activities are organized into globally managed classes of business, although some are managed regionally or provided through support units. Manufacturing and supply includes refining, supply and shipping of crude oil. Marketing sells a range of products including fuels, lubricants, bitumen and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for home, transport and industrial use. Chemicals produces and markets petrochemicals for industrial customers, including the raw materials for plastics, coatings and detergents. Downstream also trades Shell�� flow of hydrocarbons and other energy-related products, supplies the Downstream businesses, markets gas and power and provides shipping services. Downstream additionally oversees Shell�� interests in alternative energy (including biofuels, and excluding wind) and CO2 management.

Projects and Technology manages the delivery of Shell�� major projects and drives the research and innovation to create technology solutions. It provides technical services and technology capability covering both Upstream and Downstream activities. It is also responsible for providing functional leadership across Shell in the areas of health, safety and environment, and contracting and procurement.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Fede Zaldua]

  Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) has never cut its dividend in over 70 years and its current dividend yield, at 5.2%, is one of the highest among peers, as its the company's main way to returning cash to shareholders. The company has distributed over $11 billion of dividends in the last twelve months, including the scrip dividend, which accounted for 44% in the second quarter this year.

5 Best Quality Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Potomac Electric Power Company(POM)

Pepco Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the transmission, distribution, and supply of electricity. The company also distributes and supplies natural gas. It distributes electricity to approximately 1.8 million customers in the mid-Atlantic region and delivers natural gas to approximately 123,000 customers in Delaware. In addition, the company involves in the retail supply of electricity and natural gas; provision of energy efficiency services to federal, state, and local government customers; and designs, constructs, and operates combined heat and power and central energy plants, as well as owns and operates two oil-fired generation facilities. Further, it offers high voltage electric construction and maintenance services, low voltage electric construction and maintenance services, and streetlight construction and asset management services to utilities, municipalities, and other customers in the Washington, District of Columbia. Additionally, the company holds investments in eight cross-border energy leases. Pepco Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1896 and is based in Washington, District of Columbia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  Among the sector�� best performers are Integrys Energy (TEG), Edison International (EIX), Entergy (ETR), and Pepco Holdings (POM).

  Investors��attraction to utility stocks stems in part to their above-market payouts. The Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) has climbed roughly 25% this year, not including its 3.24% dividend.