5 Best US Stocks For 2014

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- A new study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project bolsters the view that cell phones and smartphones are everywhere. According to the group's just-released study, 91% of American adults own a cell phone and more than 55% of those devices are smartphones.

We've come a long way in a relatively short period of time. Just 20 years ago -- the dawning of 1991 -- cell phones were very expensive, high-end devices. The hot ticket back then was Motorola's (Motorola is now owned by Google (GOOG)) MicroTAC flip-phone. And trying to burst onto the scene was IBM's (IBM) revolutionary "Simon," which was touted as a mobile phone, PDA, pager and portable fax machine you could carry with you.

Top Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: iShares Cohen & Steers REIT ETF (ICF)

iShares Cohen & Steers Realty Majors Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Cohen & Steers Realty Majors Index (the Index). The Index consists of selected real estate investment trusts (REITs). The objective of the Index is to represent relatively large and liquid REITs that may benefit from future consolidation and securitization of the United States real estate industry. The Index is modified capitalization-weighted with constituent companies having a maximum index weight of 8%.

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew McCall]

  The SPDR Utilities ETF (NYSE: XLU) is up 1.5 percent today and is breaking to a one-month high. The iShares Cohen & Steers Realty ETF (NYSE: ICF), which owns a basket of REITs, is up 1.1 percent, also looking for a one-month high.

5 Best US Stocks For 2014: Health Net Inc. (HNT)

Health Net, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides managed health care services. The company offers commercial health care products, such as health maintenance organization plans through contracts with participating network physicians, hospitals, and other providers; preferred provider organization plans that provide coverage for services received from health care provider; and point of service plans. It also provides Medicare products, including Medicare advantage plans with and without prescription drug coverage; and Medicare supplement products that supplement fee-for-service Medicare coverage. In addition, the company offers Medicaid and related products; indemnity insurance products; auxiliary non-health products, such as life, accidental death and dismemberment, dental, vision, and behavioral health insurance; and other specialty services and products comprising pharmacy benefits, behavioral health, dental, and vision products and services, as well as managed care products for hospitals, health plans, and other entities. Further, it engages in government-sponsored managed care federal contract with the Department of Defense under the TRICARE program in the North Region; and other health care, mental health, and behavioral health government contracts. The company provides administrative services comprising provider network and referral management, medical and disease management, enrollment, customer service, clinical support service, and claims processing service to military health system eligible beneficiaries. It serves approximately 5.4 million individuals in the United States through group, individual, Medicare, Medicaid, the U.S. Department of Defense, and Veterans Affairs programs. Health Net, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Woodland Hills, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Health Net (NYSE: HNT  ) , a managed health-care provider, jumped higher by as much as 18% following the release of the company's first-quarter earnings results. Shares have since given back a majority of their gains and are up "just" 7% as of this writing.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Health Net (HNT) is an integrated managed care organization that delivers managed health care services through health plans and government-sponsored managed care plans. This stock closed up 2.9% at $32.51 in Thursday's trading session.

  Thursday's Volume: 1.17 million
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 665,534
  
  Volume % Change: 65%

  From a technical perspective, HNT jumped higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $31.37 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending for the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $29.11 to its intraday high of $32.80. During that move, shares of HNT have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move is starting to push shares of HNT within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if HNT manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $33.61 to its 52-week high at $33.70 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in HNT as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $31.37 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 665,534 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then HNT will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $38 to its three-year high at $41.22.

5 Best US Stocks For 2014: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Big Earnings Movers: Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) is up 13.8% at $1,011.65 after hammering estimates. Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE: AMD) is down 13.7% at $3.53. General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) is up 3.6% at $25.57 after beating estimates. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is up 2.6% at $29.68. Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB) is up 2.8% at $93.95 on solid earnings. All these stocks, except AMD, posted new 52-week highs today; Google posted its all-time high.

5 Best US Stocks For 2014: Arcadis NV (ARCAD)

Arcadis NV is a Netherlands-based international engineering and consultancy firm, providing consultancy, design, engineering and management services in infrastructure, water, environment and buildings. The Company develops, designs, implements, maintains and operates projects for companies and governments. The Company divides its business into four business lines: Infrastructure, which encompasses services for transportations, land development, energy and mining; Water, focused on water planning, wastewater and water management and consulting services; Environment, focused on activities that protect the environment and enhance sustainability, and Buildings, related to homebuilding as well as commercial and industrial buildings and facilities construction. Additionally, it works in partnership with UN-HABITAT, the United Nations agency for human settlements. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Companies like Expedia Inc. (EXPE), which provides online travel booking services, and Arcadis NV (ARCAD), a Dutch designer of bridges and dikes, are likely to increase profit at a faster pace than larger firms during an improving economy, Duret said. Smaller companies are also less leveraged, with U.S. mid-caps holding 46 percent less debt per share than firms listed on the S&P 500, data compiled by Bloomberg show.