Top 5 Railroad Companies To Buy Right Now

Berkshire's MidAmerican Energy is heavily invested in alternative fuels. Will BNSF follow suit with LNG? Source: BNSF.

Last year,�Berkshire Hathaway�subsidiary BNSF Railway announced that it would begin testing liquefied natural gas-powered locomotives toward the end of 2013. BNSF CEO Matt Rose had this to say:

The use of liquefied natural gas as an alternative fuel is a potential transformational change for our railroad and for our industry ... While there are daunting technical and regulatory challenges still to be faced, this pilot project is an important first step that will allow BNSF to evaluate the technical and economic viability of the use of liquefied natural gas in through-freight service, potentially reducing fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions, thereby providing environmental and energy security benefits to our nation.

Consider, on top of that, that Berkshire has more than $6 billion invested in companies heavily involved in natural gas production and distribution, and�it's not a stretch to see Warren Buffett having reached the conclusion that domestic production of oil and natural gas will continue to be strong, and that natural gas will keep gaining traction as a transportation fuel. How big is this to Berkshire?�

Top Healthcare Technology Stocks For 2015: Western Asset Inflation Management Fund Inc (IMF)

Western Asset Inflation Management Fund Inc. (the Fund), incorporated on March 16, 2004, is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund�� primary investment objective is total return.

Current income is a secondary investment objective. Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (LMPFA) is the Fund�� investment manager and Western Asset Management Company (Western Asset) is the Fund�� sub adviser.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  Good news on consumer spending in November, Apple's (AAPL) iPhone deal with China Mobile (CHL), and an upgrade on US economic prospects in 2014, from International Monetary Fund's (IMF) managing director Christine Lagarde, pretty much guarantees that Santa will visit Wall Street this year. And just about on schedule. The Santa Claus rally is short and, in most years, sweet. It takes in the last five trading sessions of the old year and the first two trading sessions of the new. The average annual gain for that period, since 1972, for the Standard & Poor's 500 (SPX) is about 1.5%, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac.

• [By Canadian Value]

  From a macroeconomic viewpoint, our optimism for Asian markets��strong long-term potential is based on three main factors. First, when compared with developed markets generally, Asia�� emerging markets have had higher rates of historic economic growth, and growth expectations for the year ahead are generally higher as well. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects growth in developing Asia of 6.5% in 2014, compared with 2% in developed markets generally.1Since 1999, the region has seen strong growth even in 2009 when developed markets fell into recession, as you can see in the chart below.

Top 5 Railroad Companies To Buy Right Now: FMC Technologies Inc. (FTI)

FMC Technologies, Inc. provides technology solutions for the energy industry worldwide. Its Subsea Technologies segment designs and manufactures subsea systems used in the offshore production of crude oil and natural gas; and multiphase meters used in production and surface well testing, reservoir monitoring, remote operation, fiscal allocation, process monitoring and control, and artificial lift optimization, as well as provides installation and workover tools, installation assistance, and field support for commissioning, intervention, and maintenance of subsea systems. This segment also provides remotely operated vehicle systems and remote manipulator systems, as well as offers support services for subsea control systems and other high-technology equipment for subsea exploration and production. This segment markets its products primarily through its own technical sales organization. The company�s Surface Technologies segment offers surface wellheads for standard and cri tical service applications; fluid control products for use in well completion and stimulation activities; and fracturing flowback and wireline services for exploration companies in the oil and gas industry. Its Energy Infrastructure segment offers measurement systems for the custody transfer of crude oil, natural gas, and refined products; fluid loading and transfer systems to the oil and gas, petrochemical, and chemical industries; material handling solutions, such as bulk conveying systems to the power generation and mining industries; systems that separate production flows from wells into oil, gas, sand, and water; and direct drive systems for various energy-related applications. This segment also offers design, engineering, project management, maintenance, and aftermarket services for blending and transfer systems; and automation, control, and information technology for the oil and gas, and other industries. FMC Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Following up on its March order with Cameron International�for $600 million worth of subsea "trees" -- equipment affixed to an oil wellhead to regulate the flow of gas and fluids injected into a well to help force oil out -- Brazilian oil major Petroleo Brasileiro (NYSE: PBR  ) (NYSE: PBR-A  ) announced Wednesday that it is ordering another 49 subsea trees, tooling, and associated subsea controls from FMC Technologies (NYSE: FTI  ) in a contract worth $500 million.

• [By Marc Courtenay]

  Some other names to consider as takeover targets would include FMC Technologies, Inc. (FTI), which provides technology solutions for the energy industry worldwide and hit a 52-week high on April 11th. Another less conspicuous target is the diversified chemical company FMC Corp. (FMC), which has a market cap of only $8 billion plus a forward PE of less than 13.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  FMC Technologies (NYSE: FTI) is projected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.59 per share on revenue of $1.75 billion.

  Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

Top 5 Railroad Companies To Buy Right Now: Spirit Realty Capital Inc (SRC)

Spirit Realty Capital, Inc., incorporated on August 14, 2003, is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company�� operations are carried out through Spirit Realty, L.P. (the Operating Partnership). The Company invests in single-tenant, operationally essential real estate throughout the United States that is leased on a long-term, triple-net basis primarily to tenants engaged in retail, service and distribution industries. Single-tenant, operationally essential real estate consists of properties that are generally free-standing, commercial real estate facilities where its tenants conduct retail, service or distribution activities. as of December 31, 2012, the Company�� portfolio of 1,122 owned properties were leased to approximately 165 tenants. In July 2013, the Company merged with Cole Credit Property Trust II.

The Company�� tenants operate in 18 different industries, which include medical/other office properties; recreational properties; educational properties; automotive dealers, parts and services facilities; industrial properties; building material suppliers; movie theatres; restaurants-casual dining; specialty retail properties; restaurants-quick service, and general and discount retail properties. The Company�� properties are geographically diversified across 47 states, with only 4 states contributing more than 5.0% of its annual rent. As of December 31, 2012, approximately 98.0% of its lease and loan revenues were attributable to long-term leases. As of December 31, 2012, the Company leases 181 properties to Shopko/Pamida, 179 of which are leased pursuant to three master leases.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  With Spirit Realty Capital (NYSE: SRC  ) set to merge with�Cole Credit Property Trust II in the third quarter, the commercial real estate REIT announced yesterday�it would pay a pro-rated dividend for the third quarter based on a quarterly payout of $0.3125 per share, the same rate it paid last quarter. Spirit only went public last September and began paying dividends in January.

Top 5 Railroad Companies To Buy Right Now: Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (SOXL)

Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3x Shares (the Fund) seeks daily investment results of 300% of the price performance of the PHLX Semiconductor Sector Index (Semiconductor Index). The Semiconductor Index measures the performance of the semiconductor subsector of the United States equity market. Component companies are engaged in the design, distribution, manufacture and sale of semiconductors. As of February 18, 2010, the Semiconductor Index included companies with capitalizations between $1.7 billion and $114 billion. The distributor of the Fund is Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  There appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for mid cap fabless semiconductor stock Marvell Technology Group Ltd (NASDAQ: MRVL) despite the fact that the company has lost a patent infringement battle with Carnegie Mellon University that could cost it $1.54 billion, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of semiconductor ETF benchmarks like SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (NYSEARCA: XSD), iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector (NASDAQ: SOXX) and Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: SOXL).

• [By John Udovich]

  On Thursday after the market closed, mid cap fabless semiconductor stock Marvell Technology Group Ltd (NASDAQ: MRVL) reported earnings and was slipping in after hours trading, meaning its worth taking a closer look at those earnings along with the performance of potential semiconductor benchmarks like the SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (NYSEARCA: XSD), iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector (NASDAQ: SOXX) and Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: SOXL). In case you aren�� familiar with the term fabless semiconductor, it�� a�business�model that involves the�outsourcing the manufacturing of silicon wafers.�Most semiconductor companies are actually fabless because of the high cost of building�a facility and manufacturing fab. Therefore, fabless semiconductor companies can�concentrate on the design and marketing of chips while outsourcing the actual production to larger foundry companies.