Top Promising Stocks To Own Right Now

Emerging markets were supposed to be the panacea to lackluster global economic growth. Instead, they’ve delivered nothing but subpar performance over the past several years.

While stocks from developed countries have gained 15.17% over the past three years, emerging market stocks by comparison have fallen 16.06%.

Is a rebound ahead?

Fearsome Four

Among the largest global emerging economies are the BRICs--an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Together, they account for more than 40% of the world’s population.

Some economists estimate BRICs will overtake G-7 economies in GDP by 2027. Another report, released by Goldman Sachs in 2010, estimated the four BRICs may account for 41% of the world’s market capitalization by 2030.

Despite a promising future, BRICs have lost their luster.    

In 2013, the iShares MSCI BRIC ETF (BKF) declined 5.30%, putting the BRICs' performance slightly behind that of the broader Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO), which weakened 4.92% last year. China was the only BRIC country to eke out a 2013 gain.

5 Best Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Inc.(NUV)

Nuveen Municipal Value Fund, Inc. is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is managed by Nuveen Asset Management. It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. The fund also invests some portion of its portfolio in derivative instruments. It invests in undervalued municipal securities and other related investments the income, exempt from regular federal income taxes that are rated Baa or BBB or better. It employs fundamental analysis with bottom-up stock picking approach to create its portfolio. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Standard & Poor?s (S&P) National Municipal Bond Index. Nuveen Municipal Value Fund, Inc. was formed on April 8, 1987 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Donald van Deventer]

  The latest implied forward rate forecast from Kamakura Corporation shows projected 10-year U.S. Treasury yields differing -0.07% to 0.03% from last week while fixed rate mortgage yields varied by -0.01% to 0.08%. Mortgage yields, determined by the Monday through Wednesday weekly survey of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, lag Treasury movements simply because of the 3-day yield calculation used in the Primary Mortgage Market Survey. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield is projected to rise from 2.92% at Thursday's close (down 0.06% from last week) to 3.374% (down 0.06% from last week) in one year. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield in ten years is forecast to reach 4.639%, 1 basis point lower than last week. The 15-year fixed rate mortgage rate is forecast to rise from the effective yield of 3.69% on Thursday (down 0.001% from last week) to 4.222% (down 0.006% from last week) in one year and 6.29% in 10 years, up 0.038% from last week. We explain the background for these calculations in the rest of this note, along with some mortgage servicing rights metrics. The forecast allows investors in exchange traded U.S. Treasury funds (TLT) (TBT), total return bond funds (BOND), municipal bonds (NUV) and exchange traded mortgage funds (REM) to assess likely total returns over the next 120 months. Treasury-related exchange traded funds affected by the forward rates include:

Top Promising Stocks To Own Right Now: Enphase Energy Inc (ENPH)

Enphase Energy, Inc. (Enphase), incorporated in March 20, 2006, designs, develops and sells microinverter systems for the solar photovoltaic industry. The Company sells its microinverter systems primarily to distributors who resell them to solar installers. It also sells directly to installers, as well as through original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The Company�� microinverter system consists of three components: Enphase microinverter, Envoy communications gateway and Enlighten Web-based software.

Enphase Microinverter

The Company�� Enphase microinverter delivers power conversion at the individual solar module level by introducing a digital architecture that incorporates custom application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) power electronics devices and an embedded software subsystem. A residential solar installation consists of 5 to 50 microinverters; a small commercial solar installation consists of 50 to 500 microinverters, and medium or larger commercial solar installation consists of 500 to 10,000 microinverters, or more.

Envoy Communications Gateway

The Company�� Envoy communications gateway is installed in the system owner�� home or business and serves as a networking hub that collects data from the microinverter array and sends the information to its hosted data center. One Envoy is typically sold with each solar installation and can support up to 500 Enphase microinverters.

Enlighten Software

The Company�� Enlighten Web-based software collects and analyzes this information to enable system owners to monitor and realize the performance of their solar photovoltaics (PV) system and also provides an online portal designed for installers to enable them to track and manage all of their Enphase enabled projects and monitor and analyze the performance of their installed systems.

The Company competes with SMA Solar Technology AG, Fronius International GmbH, Power-One, Inc., SunPower Corp.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Zacks]

  Other stocks from the sector worth considering are Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) and Trina Solar Limited (NYSE: TSL).  All these stocks currently carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). 

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

Top Promising Stocks To Own Right Now: Tim Participacoes SA (TIMP3)

TIM Participacoes SA (TIM) is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the telecommunications segment. Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, TIM Celular SA (TIM Celular) and Intelig Telecomunicacoes Ltda (Intelig), it provides telecommunication services throughout Brazil. TIM Celular and Intelig are active as Public Switched Telephony Network (PSTN) providers in the local and national and international long-distance modalities in all Brazilian states. Additionally, the Company provides multimedia communication services and personal mobile services, mobile data services and a third generation (3G) network, as well as international roaming agreements, multimedia messaging services, blackberry services and sale of related equipment. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Telecom Italia climbed 5.2 percent to 64.2 euro cents, its highest price since May. The telecommunications operator would gain enough funds to improve its domestic business if it sells at least 4 billion euros ($5.4 billion) of shares or its stake in Tim Participacoes SA (TIMP3) in Brazil, according to Goldman Sachs.

Top Promising Stocks To Own Right Now: VirtualScopics Inc.(VSCP)

VirtualScopics, Inc. provides imaging solutions for clinical trials serving the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. The company offers a suite of image analysis software tools and applications, which are used in detecting and measuring specific anatomical structures and metabolic activity using medical images. Its image-based measurement and visualization tools enable automated, accurate, and reproducible measurement of changes that occur in anatomic structures in musculoskeletal, oncological, cardiological, and neurological diseases. VirtualScopics has strategic relationship with Pfizer Inc. for the discovery, validation, and application of image-based biomarkers for clinical research; and with PPD Development, LP. to provide to provide clients with an integrated and customized clinical development and medical imaging solution for oncology clinical trials. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Rochester, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  VirtualScopics Inc. (NASDAQ: VSCP) provides imaging services on a contract basis for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries. Shares were up more than 20%, at $3.70 in a 52-week range of $2.93 to $7.50. Only 10,000 shares had traded hands, against a daily average of just 14,000. The company had no news Monday.

Top Promising Stocks To Own Right Now: WellPoint Inc.(WLP)

WellPoint, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a health benefits company in the United States. The company offers various network-based managed care plans to large and small employer, individual, Medicaid, and senior markets. Its managed care plans include preferred provider organizations; health maintenance organizations; point-of-service plans; traditional indemnity plans; and other hybrid plans, including consumer-driven health plans, hospital only, and limited benefit products. The company also provides various managed care services comprising claims processing, underwriting, stop loss insurance, actuarial services, provider network access, medical cost management, disease management, wellness programs, and other administrative services to self-funded customers. In addition, it offers specialty and other products and services, including life and disability insurance benefits; dental, vision, and behavioral health benefit services; radiology benefit management; personal health care guidance; and long-term care insurance. Further, the company serves as an intermediary providing administrative service for the Medicare program that offers coverage for persons, who are 65 or older and for persons who are disabled or with end-stage renal disease. WellPoint, Inc. markets its products through a network of independent agents and brokers, consultants, in-house sales force, or Internet. The company, formerly known as Anthem, Inc., was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By DailyFinance Staff]

  Concerns about the political uncertainty in Ukraine caused some volatility in the markets Friday afternoon, with the major indexes making several U-turns ahead of the weekend. The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI), which had been up by as much as 125 points, briefly dropped into loss territory before rebounding to end 49 points higher. The Standard & Poor's 500 index (^GPSC) edged up 5 points, adding to Thursday's record high, but the Nasdaq composite (^IXIC) lost 10 points. AP/Darko VojinovicPro-Russian militias have seized local government buildings in Crimea, Ukraine; the unrest there is making investors around the world nervous. February was a great month for investors. All three major averages jumped by about 4 percent. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) led the blue chips, gaining 1½ percent. Other health providers – Aetna (AET), Wellpoint (WLP), Cigna (CI) and Humana (HUM) -- all gained between 1½ and 2 percent. And retail stocks remained active. Target (TGT) added another 3 percent. Best Buy rose 4 percent, and Fred's (FRED), a regional department store chain, jumped 10 percent. But Pier 1 (PIR) fell 5½ percent after lowering its earnings outlook for a second time. That led to a series of brokerage downgrades. Decker Outdoor (DECK) tumbled 12 percent. The maker of footwear brands such as Ugg and Teva issued a weak outlook. And apparel maker Lululemon (LULU) fell 5-percent on negative comments from Credit Suisse. It seems as though there are always some big movers in the drug and biotech sectors – and that was certainly the case today. GW Pharmaceuticals (GWPH) rose 2 percent after the FDA granted orphan status to its drug to treat a rare form of childhood epilepsy. But most of the action was on the downside. Endologix (ELGX) slid 24 percent after forecasting lower revenue growth. Questcor (QCOR) fell 10 percent. It's lost big for three straight days amid allegations of questionable business practices. Jazz Pharma

• [By Sean Williams]

  Walgreen is being quite proactive in this process as well, partnering up with WellPoint's (NYSE: WLP  ) Blue Cross Blue Shield Association to help educate the public about what the PPACA is, what it does, how it might affect them, and where to get insurance. For WellPoint which purchased AMERIGROUP for $4.5 billion to get a hold of as many Medicaid-based customers as possible on the heels of a huge expansion of the Medicaid program, and Walgreen which is counting on an influx of new pharmacy orders, this partnership is a match made in heaven.

• [By Sean Williams]

  One company that's put a lot on the line with regard to the implementation of Obamacare is WellPoint (NYSE: WLP  ) , which purchased AMERIGROUP last year to become the nation's largest insurer of people on Medicaid. Under the proposed expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare, 16 million people will be newly eligible for some form of government health care subsidy, and WellPoint is looking for a big chunk of that pie.

Top Promising Stocks To Own Right Now: Winthrop Realty Trust (FUR)

Winthrop Realty Trust (WRT) is a diversified real estate investment trust (REIT). WRT conducts its business through its wholly owned operating partnership, WRT Realty L.P., (the Operating Partnership).The Company is engaged in the business of owning real property and real estate related assets. The Company operates in three segments: operating properties; loan assets; and REIT securities. In June 2013, Winthrop Realty Trust sold its medical office building property located in Deer Valley, Arizona. In November 2013, Winthrop Realty Trust closed on its acquisition of four newly constructed class A luxury apartment buildings.

On May 23, 2012, the Company acquired a first mortgage loan secured by a 326,000 square foot commercial building located in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida consisted of approximately 47,000 square feet of retail and 279,000 square feet of office space that was 74.4% leased. In February 2012, Mack-Cali Realty Corporation along with WRT formed a joint venture that acquired a senior mezzanine loan position of a 1.7 million-square-foot class A portfolio in Stamford, Conn. In April 2012, it acquired a 320 unit, class A, multifamily property, situated on 27.9 acres in the Germantown/Collierville submarket of Memphis, Tennessee. On February 3, 2012, the Company acquired through its venture with Elad Canada Inc. the first mortgage loan secured by Sullivan Center, Chicago. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it acquired one investment property located in New York. On November 4, 2011, Socal Office Portfolio Loan LLC acquired first mortgage encumbering a 4,500,000 square foot, 31 property portfolios of office properties situated throughout southern California. On June 3, 2011 LW SOFI LLC acquired from Concord 100% of the economic rights and obligations in mezzanine loan collateralized by an interest in the Sofitel hotel in New York City. On June 1, 2011 it acquired, from Concord Debt Holdings LLC (Concord), senior mezzanine loan totaling 2,106 units located in Orlando, Sarasota, Bra! denton and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. On March 22, 2011 the Company purchased through a 50/50 joint venture, two non-performing first mortgage loan. On February 23, 2011, it acquired first mortgage secured by a lien on a 26-story, 66 room limited service boutique hotel located in New York, New York through a 50/50 joint venture. On June 1, 2011 the Company sold to its partner, Marc Realty, its interest in three properties in its Marc Realty Portfolio, which included eight South Michigan, 11 East Adams and 29 East Madison.

Loan Assets

Loan assets segments includes the Company�� activities related to the origination and acquisition of senior loans, mezzanine loans and debt securities secured directly or indirectly by commercial and multi-family real property. The Company�� investment in Concord Debt Holdings LLC and CDH CDO LLC, which it refers to as the Company�� Concord investment platform, is held as an interest investment.

Operating Properties

The Company invested in a portfolio transaction, which it refers to as the Vintage portfolio. Vintage portfolio which has 25 multifamily and senior housing properties consist of 4,167 units located primarily in the Pacific Northwest and California. The average occupancy of its consolidated properties was approximately 75.1%, during 2011. As of December 31, 2011 WRT�� consolidated properties were approximately 74.2% leased. Occupancy at its Lisle, Illinois property known as 550-560 Corporetum was 61% occupied, as of December 31, 2011. At WRT�� other Lisle, Illinois property, referred to as 701 Arboretum, its major tenant, which occupied approximately 53% of the building vacated their space at the expiration of their lease term, on May 31, 2011. In addition, another tenant who occupied approximately 15% of the building vacated at the expiration of their lease, in August 2011. As a result, this property is 17% occupied, as of December 31, 2011. The Company�� 82,000 square foot Deer Valley Profes! sional Bu! ilding, located in Phoenix, Arizona was 95.6% leased, as of December 31, 2011. WRT�� Crossroads I and II buildings, which consisted of approximately 236,000 square feet, were 72.4% leased, as of December 31, 2011.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company had two tenants, Spectra Energy and Siemens Real Estate, which represented approximately 21.8% and 9.8%, respectively, of its annualized base rental revenues from consolidated commercial operating properties. As of December 31, 2011 it held interests in three real estate ventures with Sealy & Co. which had an aggregate of approximately 2,097,000 rentable square feet consisted of 18 office flex buildings and 13 light distribution and service center properties. Two of the investment properties are located in Atlanta, Georgia, (Northwest Business Park and Newmarket), which had occupancies of 77% and 52% respectively, as of December 31, 2011. As of December 31, 2011, WRT held interests in nine properties with Marc Realty, which consisted of an aggregate of approximately 1,407,000 rentable square feet of office and retail space, which was 78.5% occupied. Of the properties, in which the Company held an interest, as of December 31, 2011, two downtown Chicago properties consisted of approximately 389,000 rentable square feet of the aggregate Marc Realty portfolio. These two properties had a combined occupancy of 79.1% at December 31, 2011.

REIT Securities

The REIT securities segment includes all of the Company�� activities related the ownership of interest and debt securities in other real estate investment trusts (REITs). During 2011, it began investing again in REIT common shares, particularly in Cedar Realty Trust Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Fugro NV (FUR) slumped 5.8 percent to 43.90 euros, the worst performance on the Stoxx 600. The world�� biggest deepwater-oilfield surveyor said first-half earnings before interest and taxes amounted to 133 million euros, compared with 154 million euros a year earlier. Fugro said that