Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014

Gold is the most well-known commodity, and it unfortunately hinges on the Federal Reserve's controversial quantitative-easing program, which could be tapered in the near future. In her confirmation before the Senate banking committee, Janet Yellen, nominee for the Federal Reserve chair, voiced strong support and defense for the continuation of massive bond-buying stimulus.

To date, the Fed's QE program has pumped more than $3.6 trillion into the financial market. Since the bank's QE kicked off in 2008, gold prices have benefited greatly, increasing more than 60% from the 2008 price point of $840 an ounce. QE1 and August 2010's second round of QE set off waves of buying that turned gold into a one-way for the next three years, culminating in September of 2011 with an all-time high of $1,921 per ounce. At the end of November 2011, the Fed once again stepped in with a bond buying program, driving the gold price back above $1,800 per ounce from $1,600 per ounce in September. In February 2012, gold plunged $75 per ounce within an hour following comments from the U.S. Federal Reserve indicating that a third round of QE3 was off the table. This was a prime example of the positive correlation between gold prices and the Fed's balance sheet.

Top 5 Warren Buffett Stocks For 2015: Allstate Corp (ALS)

The Allstate Corporation (Allstate), November 5, 1992, is a holding company for Allstate Insurance Company. The Company�� business is conducted principally through Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Life Insurance Company and their affiliates. It is engaged, principally in the United States, in the property-liability insurance, life insurance, retirement and investment product business. Allstate's primary business is the sale of private passenger auto and homeowners insurance. The Company also sells several other personal property and casualty insurance products, select commercial property and casualty coverages, life insurance, annuities, voluntary accident and health insurance and funding agreements. Allstate primarily distributes its products through exclusive agencies, financial specialists, independent agencies, call centers and the Internet. It conducts its business primarily in the United States. Allstate has four business segments: Allstate Protection, Allstate Financial, Discontinued Lines and Coverages and Corporate and Other. The Company is a personal lines insurer in the United States. Customers can access Allstate products and services, such as auto insurance and homeowners insurance through nearly 12,000 exclusive Allstate agencies and financial representatives in the United States and Canada. In October 2011, the Company acquired Esurance and Answer Financial from White Mountains Insurance Group.

ALLSTATE PROTECTION SEGMENT

In this segment, the Company principally sells private passenger auto and homeowners insurance through agencies and directly through call centers and the Internet. These products are marketed under the Allstate, Encompass and Esurance brand names. The Allstate Protection segment also includes a separate organization called Emerging Businesses, which comprises Business Insurance (commercial products for small business owners), Consumer Household (specialty products including motorcycle, boat, renters and condominium insurance policies), A! llstate Dealer Services (insurance and non-insurance products sold primarily to auto dealers), Allstate Roadside Services (retail and wholesale roadside assistance products) and Ivantage (insurance agency). The Company also participates in the involuntary or shared private passenger auto insurance business in order to maintain its licenses to do business in many states. In some states, Allstate exclusive agencies offer non-proprietary property insurance products. Allstate brand auto and homeowners insurance products are sold primarily through Allstate exclusive agencies and serve customers who prefer local personal advice and service and are brand-sensitive. In most states, customers can also purchase certain Allstate brand personal insurance products, and obtain service, directly through call centers and the Internet.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, total Allstate Protection premiums written were $25.98 billion. Its broad-based network of approximately 10,000 Allstate exclusive agencies in approximately 9,700 locations in the United States produced approximately 86% of the Allstate Protection segment's written premiums in 2011. It provides personal property and casualty insurance products through independent agencies in the United States. Additionally, Allstate distribution, through brokering arrangements, offers non-proprietary products to consumers when an Allstate product is not available.

ALLSTATE FINANCIAL SEGMENT

Allstate Financial segment provides life insurance, retirement and investment products, and voluntary accident and health insurance products. Its principal products are interest-sensitive, traditional and variable life insurance; fixed annuities, including deferred and immediate; and voluntary accident and health insurance. Its institutional products consist of funding agreements sold to unaffiliated trusts that use them to back medium-term notes issued to institutional and individual investors. Banking products and services were offered to! customer! s through the Allstate Bank through September 2011. In 2011, after receiving regulatory approval to voluntarily dissolve, Allstate Bank ceased operations.

The Company sells Allstate Financial products to individuals through multiple intermediary distribution channels, including Allstate exclusive agencies and exclusive financial specialists, independent agents, specialized structured settlement brokers and directly through call centers and the Internet. The Company sells products through independent agents affiliated with approximately 125 master brokerage agencies. Independent workplace enrolling agents and Allstate exclusive agencies also sell its voluntary accident and health insurance products primarily to employees of unaffiliated businesses. Its mortgage loan portfolio, which is primarily held in the Allstate Financial portfolio, totaled $7.14 billion as of December 31, 2011

Allstate Financial, through several companies, is authorized to sell life insurance and retirement products in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States, Virgin Islands and Guam. Allstate Financial distributes its products to individuals through multiple distribution channels, including Allstate exclusive agencies and exclusive financial specialists, independent agents (including master brokerage agencies and workplace enrolling agents), specialized structured settlement brokers and directly through call centers and the Internet.

OTHER BUSINESS SEGMENTS

The Company�� Corporate and Other segment consistsof holding company activities and certain non-insurance operations. It�� Discontinued Lines and Coverages segment includes results from insurance coverage that it no longer writes and results for certain commercial and other businesses in run-off. Its exposure to asbestos, environmental and other discontinued lines claims is presented in the segment. The segment also includes the historical results of the commercial and reinsurance businesses ! sold in 1! 996.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adrian Day]

  Adrian Day: Yes, yes, I like the concept of looking up the secondary plays. I mean, you know we own Altius (ALS) for example, rather than Alderon (ADV). Altius owns 30% of Alderon, that is more diversified, has a better balance sheet. If Alderon succeeds, Atius will succeed.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: United Dominion Realty Trust Inc. (UDR)

UDR, Inc. is an independent real estate investment trust. The firm invests in the real estate markets of the United States. It owns, operates, acquires, renovates, develops, redevelops, and manages multifamily apartment communities. The firm was previously known as United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc. UDR, Inc. was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado with additional offices in Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; Newport Beach, California; Orlando, Florida; Phoenix, Arizona; Santa Clara, California; Tampa, Florida; and Washington DC, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Everything's peachy for residential REITs!
  However, what terrible news exists for homebuilders could turn into fantastic news for the residential-REIT sector. You see, if lending rates begin to rise because the Fed is paring back its bond purchases, then it will remove the consumer incentive to purchase a home and will drive people back into renting -- which is great news for the big three residential REITS: Equity Residential, AvalonBay Communities (NYSE: AVB  ) , and UDR (NYSE: UDR  ) .

• [By Sean Williams]

  Take UDR (NYSE: UDR  ) or Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR  ) as perfect examples. Both have successfully been adding new communities and making FFO-accretive acquisitions in order to expand their rental portfolios. But, UDR and Equity Residential now boast debt-to-equity ratios in excess of 110%, with UDR carrying $3.5 billion in net debt and Equity Residential lugging around close to $11.6 billion in net debt. Although this debt has been refinanced or taken out in many cases as historically low lending levels, higher rates could stall community expansion for this sector and hurt bottom-line profits because of interest payments.

• [By Reuben Brewer]

  Change doesn't always work out so well
  The thing is, income investors don't always make out so well when big changes are taking place. For example, UDR (NYSE: UDR  ) once bought fixer-uppers and upgraded them as a means to increase rents. That model worked well for the company for many years.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: UnipolSai Assicurazioni SpA (US)

UnipolSai Assicurazioni SpA, formerly Fondiaria SPA, is an Italy- based company engaged in financial sector. The Company is a result of the merger of Unipol Assicurazioni SpA, Milano Assicurazioni SpA and Premafin Finanziaria SpA into Fondiaria Sai SpA. The Company operates through approximately 3 000 agencies under brands, such as Unipol, Sai, La Fondaria, Milano, La Previdente, Nuova Maa and Sasa. UnipolSai Assicurazioni SpA specializes in non-life insurance, especially automobile insurance. Additionally, UnipolSai Assicurazioni SpA provides products which protect its clients against damage and accident in the field, such as work, home, travel, health, life, aviation, railway, fire, maritime and goods in transit, as well as reinsurance and legal protection. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Heinzl]

  Consider Netflix (NFLX), the video-streaming company whose stock has risen more than five-fold in the past year, and which closed Friday at $328.03 (US). The most pessimistic analyst on Wall Street has a 12-month target of $72; the most optimistic has a target of $460. Such wide dispersion indicates that analysts don't really know how to value the company; there are too many variables at play.

• [By Norm Rothery]

  More importantly, the company has a superb long-term growth record. It earned just over $25 (US) per share in 2003, and it should rake in almost $200 per share this year, according to S&P Capital IQ. In addition, the firm grew its tangible book value per share by an average of 17.4% annually over the past ten years, which is a record that very few companies can come close to matching.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Powershares Golden Dragon (PGJ)

PowerShares Golden Dragon Halter USX China Portfolio is based on the Halter USX China Index. The Index is comprised of the United States listed securities of companies, which derive a majority of their revenue from the People's Republic of China. The fund was incepted on December 9, 2004.

The sectors covered by the investment include consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, healthcare, industrials, information technology, materials, telecommunications and utilities. PowerShares Capital Management LLC provides investment management to the Fund.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  PowerShares Golden Dragon China Portfolio (NYSE: PGJ) has a position in more than 70 companies, and its holdings are all U.S.-listed companies that generate most of their revenue in China. For that reason, Alibaba is the perfect candidate to join PGJ's holdings once it starts trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Getty Realty Corp (GTY)

Getty Realty Corp. is a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States specializing in the ownership, leasing and financing of retail motor fuel and convenience store properties and petroleum distribution terminals. The Company�� properties are located in 21 states across the United States with concentrations in the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic regions. Its properties are operated under a variety of brands, including Getty, BP, Exxon, Mobil, Shell, Chevron, Valero, Fina and Aloha. It owns the Getty trade name in connection with its real estate and the petroleum marketing business in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, Getty Petroleum Marketing Inc. was in possession of 797 properties representing approximately 69% of its 1,149 owned and leased properties. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 996 properties and leased 153 properties. Nine of the properties it owns is petroleum distribution terminals. In January 2011, it acquired fee or leasehold title to 59 Mobil-branded gasoline station and convenience store properties and also took a security interest in six other Mobil-branded gasoline stations and convenience store properties in a sale/leaseback and loan transaction with CPD NY Energy Corp. (CPD NY), a subsidiary of Chestnut Petroleum Dist. Inc. In may 2013, the Company acquired 36 properties located in the metro New York and Washington, D.C. Beltway. The acquisition includes 16 Mobil branded properties in metro New York, and 13 Exxon and 7 Shell branded properties within the Washington, D.C. Beltway.

The Company leases or sublets approximately 20 of its properties for such uses as fast food restaurants, automobile sales and other retail purposes. The Company leases or sublets its properties primarily to distributors and retailers engaged in the sale of gasoline and other motor fuel products, convenience store products and automotive repair services who are responsible for managing the operations conducted at these properties and for the payment of taxes, m! aintenance, repair, insurance and other operating expenses related to these properties. The operators of its properties are primarily distributors and retailers engaged in the sale of gasoline and other motor fuel products, convenience store products, and automotive repair services.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Real estate investment trust Getty Realty (NYSE: GTY  ) will pay a second-quarter dividend of $0.20 per share, the same rate it paid last quarter after it increased it 60% from $0.125 per share, the company announced yesterday.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Global X China Materials ETF (CHIM)

Global X China Materials ETF (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the S-BOX China Materials Index (the Underlying Index). The Underlying Index is a free float adjusted, liquidity tested and market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure performance of the investable universe of companies in the Materials sector of the Chinese economy, as defined by Structured Solutions AG. Global X Management Company, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By pamatlarge]

  Investors looking to short a particular sector can choose from several Global X long ETFs. The Global X China Consumer ETF (CHIQ) concentrates its investments in consumer cyclical goods and consumer defense goods. The Global X China Energy ETF (CHIE) primarily holds stocks in coal, oil and utility companies. The Global X China Financials ETF (CHIX) only invests in financial services companies and real estate companies. The Global X China Industrials ETF (CHII) holds stocks in industrial companies and basic materials companies. The Global X China Materials ETF (CHIM) invests in basic materials stocks. The Global X China Technology ETF (CHIB) holds technology stocks as the core of its investments. All of these ETFs are particularly sensitive to sector downturns and general economic contractions.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Buy For 2014: Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corp (MNR)

Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation is a company operating as a qualified real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company�� primary business is the ownership of real estate. Its investment focus is to own net leased industrial properties which are leased primarily to investment-grade tenants on long-term leases. In addition, the Company holds a portfolio of REIT securities. It derives its income primarily from real estate rental operations. As of September 30, 2010, the Company had approximately 6,971,000 square feet of property, of which approximately 3,393,000 square feet, or approximately 49%, was leased to Federal Express Corporation (FDX) and subsidiaries (15% to FDX and 34% to FDX subsidiaries) and approximately 388,700 square feet in St Joseph, Missouri, or approximately 6% was leased to Mead Corporation, which subleased the space to Hallmark Cards, Incorporated. In June 2013, Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corp completed the acquisition of a new built to suit 103,402 square foot industrial building. In September 2013, the Company announced the acquisition of a 99,102 square foot industrial building. In October 2013, the Company acquired a 46,260 square foot industrial building located at 2800 North Garnett Road, Tulsa, Oklahoma. In October 2013, the Company announced that the acquisition of a 558,600 square foot industrial building located at 4555 West Highway 146, Oldham County, Buckner, Kentucky. In October 2013, the Company announced the acquisition of a 280,000 square foot industrial building located at 2552 South 98th Street, Edwardsville, KS. In November 2013, Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation announced the acquisition of a 114,923 square foot industrial building located at 21200 Spring Plaza Drive, Harris County, Spring, Texas.

During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (fiscal 2010), it purchased four industrial properties totaling approximately 838,000 square feet. As of September 30, 2010, the Company owned 63 rental properties. These propertie! s are located in 25 states: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. All properties are leased on a net basis except an industrial park in Monaca, Pennsylvania and a shopping center in Somerset, New Jersey. Of the Company�� wholly-owned properties and the shopping center in Somerset, N.J. in which the Company holds a two-thirds interest are managed on behalf of the Company by Cronheim Management Services, Inc. (CMS), a division of David Cronheim Company. During fiscal 2010, the Company�� occupancy rates were 96%.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation (MNR)

  My final REIT example is Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation, which I offer as an example for those investors most interested in current income. Although there is not a lot of growth with this particular REIT, their current yield exceeds 6%, and their attractive valuation is what intrigued me most. At first blush, Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation appears to be a potential candidate for yield-hungry investors in today�� low interest rate environment. Although I would stop short of calling it a bond alternative, I believe this particular REIT offers more bond like attributes than most other REITs I examined.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Monmouth Real Estate Investment (NYSE: MNR  ) will release its quarterly report on Thursday, and investors have been nervous lately about the real estate investment trust's prospects in a rising interest rate environment. Yet what sets Monmouth apart from both leveraged mortgage REIT Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY  ) and traditional industrial REITs is the fact that Monmouth gets about half of its rental revenue from a single customer, FedEx (NYSE: FDX  ) . Does that add an unacceptable level of risk to the investment, or is it actually a positive for Monmouth?