10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now

Mueller Industries (NYSE: MLI  ) reported earnings on July 23. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended June 29 (Q2), Mueller Industries met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue dropped slightly. Non-GAAP earnings per share grew significantly. GAAP earnings per share grew significantly.

Margins expanded across the board.

Revenue details
Mueller Industries logged revenue of $582.3 million. The one analyst polled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated revenue of $579.9 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were the same as the prior-year quarter's.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
EPS came in at $0.90. The three earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ averaged $0.85 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.90 for Q2 were 91% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.47 per share. GAAP EPS of $3.23 for Q2 were much higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.47 per share.

Top 5 Regional Bank Stocks To Own For 2015: Air France KLM SA (AFLYY.PK)

Air France-KLM SA (Air France-KLM), incorporated on April 23, 1947, is an airline engaged in the business of passenger transportation. It has four segments: Passenger, Cargo, Maintenance and Other. The Company�� primary business is to hold direct or indirect interests in the capital of air transport companies and, more generally, in any companies in France or elsewhere whose purpose is related to the air transport business. Air France-KLM activities also include cargo, aeronautics maintenance and other air-transport related activities including, principally, catering and charter services. At March 31, 2011, the Air France-KLM group fleet consists of 609 aircraft, of which 593 were operational. At March 31, 2011, 274 aircraft were fully owned (45% of the fleet), 117 aircraft were under finance lease representing 19% of the fleet and 218 under operating lease representing 36% of the fleet.

Passenger

Passenger operating revenues primarily come from passenger transportation services on scheduled flights with the Company�� airline code, including flights operated by other airlines under code-sharing agreements. They also include commissions paid by SkyTeam alliance partners, code-sharing revenues, revenues from excess baggage and airport services supplied by the Company�� to third party airlines and services linked to information technology (IT) systems.

Cargo

Cargo operating revenues come from freight transport on flights under the companies��codes, including flights operated by other partner airlines under code-sharing agreements. Other cargo revenues are derived principally from sales of cargo capacity to third parties. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, the Company transported more than 1.5 million tons of cargo, of which 66% in the bellies of passenger aircraft and 33% in the cargo fleet, to a network of approximately 254 destinations in approximately 111 countries. Air France-KLM Cargo has a product range organized around four prod! uct families, Equation, Cohesion, Variation and Dimension.

Maintenance

Maintenance operating revenues are generated through maintenance services provided to other airlines and customers globally. The Company�� two engine shops are located in Amsterdam and Paris. CFM56 engine shops support the fleet of CFM56-5 power plants in the world, with nearly 400 engines operated by numerous airlines. CF6-80E1 provides full-service maintenance. KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) provides an alternative to the manufacturer�� services in terms of overhaul and services on this engine with its offering supported by technological infrastructure.

Other

The revenues from this segment come primarily from catering supplied by the Company to third-party airlines and to charter flights operated primarily by Transavia. The catering business is regrouped around Servair, an Air France subsidiary which generates more than 90% of the revenues of this activity, and KLM Catering Services, a subsidiary of KLM.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By El Torero]

  The airline will undoubtedly pounce on the likely failings of rival companies, though this is also an area where easyJet will be eager to move in. Spanair is gone as is Malev Zrt, two former Ryanair rivals. Air France-KLM (AFLYY.PK) and Iberia are in trouble, among other European airlines. Ryanair will take advantage of such weaknesses in its aim of becoming Europe's out-and-out dominant short-haul carrier. As other airlines cut routes, airports are now looking to Ryanair to take up the newly available airport space. As a result of this, with "opportunities opening up in Germany, Scandinavia and Central Europe" in particular, Ryanair's deputy chief executive, Howard Millar sees the Irish company increase its market share from 15 percent to 20 percent before the end of the decade.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company(DD)

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company operates as a science and technology company worldwide. It operates in seven segments: Agriculture & Nutrition, Electronics & Communications, Performance Chemicals, Performance Coatings, Performance Materials, Safety & Protection, and Pharmaceuticals. The Agriculture & Nutrition segment provides hybrid seed corn and soybean seed, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, value enhanced grains, and soy protein under the Pioneer brand name. The Electronics & Communications segment supplies materials and systems for photovoltaic products, consumer electronics, displays, and advanced printing. The Performance Chemicals segment offers fluorochemicals, fluoropolymers, specialty and industrial chemicals, and white pigments for various markets, such as plastics and coatings, textiles, mining, pulp and paper, water treatment, and healthcare. The Performance Coatings segment supplies high performance liquid and powder coatings for motor vehicle origi nal equipment manufacturers (OEM); the motor vehicle after-market; and general industrial applications, such as such as coatings for heavy equipment, pipes and appliances, and electrical insulation. The Performance Materials segment provides polymers, elastomers, films, parts, and systems and solutions for the automotive OEM and associated after-market industries, as well as electrical, electronics, packaging, construction, oil, photovoltaics, aerospace, chemical processing, and consumer durable goods. The Safety & Protection segment primarily offers nonwovens, aramids, and solid surfaces for the construction, transportation, communications, industrial chemicals, oil and gas, electric utilities, automotive, manufacturing, defense, homeland security, and safety consulting industries. The Pharmaceuticals segment represents its interest in the collaboration relating to Cozaar/Hyzaar antihypertensive drugs. The company was founded in 1802 and is headquartered in Wilmington, Dela ware.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  That's why we've recommended such companies as Occidental Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: OXY), General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE), and E I Du Pont De Nemours & Co. (NYSE: DD).

• [By Jim Jubak]

  E.I. du Pont de Nemours, hereafter DuPont (DD), is a clear case of addition through subtraction.

  After selling its performance coatings unit—which makes paints for cars and other industrial uses—for $4.9 billion in February, and after the planned spin-off of its performance chemicals unit—which makes titanium dioxide pigments used in paint, and paper, Teflon, and fluorochemicals—du Pont will look like a totally different company.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  DuPont provides innovative products to companies operating in a wide range of industries worldwide. The stock has been part of a multi-year range and is now at the top end so any move from here is critical. Over the last four quarters, earnings have decreased while revenues have been mixed, which has generally pleased investors. Relative to its peers and sector, DuPont has been a year-to-date performance leader. WAIT AND SEE what DuPont does this coming quarter.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Chemical giant and Dow component DuPont (NYSE: DD  ) has had an excellent 2013, posting gains of more than 41% so far this year. Not only is that better than the 23% gain that the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) have seen year to date, it also stands well above what chemical industry peer Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW  ) has managed to achieve. Given the stock's outperformance, DuPont investors want to know what's behind the company's strength and whether it's likely to persist into 2014 and beyond.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Navigant Consulting Inc (NCI)

Navigant Consulting, Inc., incorporated in 1996, is an independent specialty consulting firm. Professional services include dispute, investigative, economic, operational, risk management technology, financial and regulatory advisory solutions. The Company provides companies, legal counsel and governmental agencies facing the challenges of uncertainty, risk, distress and significant change. It provides a range of offerings to its client base. It operates in four segments: Business Consulting Services, Dispute and Investigative Services, Economic Consulting and International Consulting. On July 15, 2011, the Company acquired assets of Ignited Solutions, LLC. In October 2011, the Company acquired Paragon Health, a national physician practice management and consulting firm specializing in Cardiovascular practices. Effective July 9, 2013, the Company acquired The Anson Group LLC.

The Business Consulting Services reporting segment provides strategic, operational, financial, regulatory and technical management consulting services to clients, principally C suite and corporate management, governmental entities and law firms. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the reporting segment consisted of three operating segments, Energy, Healthcare and Other Business Consulting. The Energy and Healthcare business units are defined as operating segments due to their size, importance and organizational reporting relationships. The Energy and Healthcare operating segments provide services to clients in those respective markets and the Other Business Consulting operating segment provides operations advisory, valuation and restructuring services to clients in the financial services and other industries..

The Dispute and Investigative Services reporting segment provides a range of services to clients facing the challenges of disputes, litigation, forensic investigation, discovery and regulatory compliance. The clients of this segment are principally law firms, corporate general counsel and cor! porate boards and government agencies.

The Economic Consulting reporting segment provides economic and financial analyses of legal and business issues principally for law firms, corporations and governmental agencies. Expertise includes areas, such as antitrust, corporate finance and governance, bankruptcy, intellectual property, investment banking, labor market discrimination and compensation, corporate valuation and securities litigation.

The International Consulting reporting segment provides a mix of dispute and business consulting services to clients predominately outside North America. The clients are principally C suite and corporate management, governmental entities and law firms. The clients are principally C suite executives and corporate management, governmental agencies and law firms.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  In fact, of the 10 companies examined, Navigant Consulting Inc. (NYSE: NCI) is the only one that has received no new contract awards since the GAO's March 31 study cutoff date. (The firm is tasked with data collection and customer outreach.)
  
  In late October, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified under oath to Congress to address the Obamacare website launch disaster. She began with a prepared statement, with comments like "You deserve better," "I apologize," and "I'm accountable to you."

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: CVS Corporation(CVS)

CVS Caremark Corporation operates as a pharmacy services company in the United States. The company?s Pharmacy Services segment provides a range of pharmacy benefit management services, including mail order pharmacy services, specialty pharmacy services, plan design and administration, formulary management, and claims processing; and drug benefits to eligible beneficiaries under the Federal Government?s Medicare Part D program. This segment primarily serves employers, insurance companies, unions, government employee groups, managed care organizations and other sponsors of health benefit plans, and individuals. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 44 retail specialty pharmacy stores, 18 specialty mail order pharmacies, and 4 mail service pharmacies located in 25 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. This segment operates business under the CVS Caremark Pharmacy Services, Caremark, CVS Caremark, CarePlus CVS/pharmacy, CarePlus, RxAmerica, Accordant, and TheraCom names. The company?s Retail Pharmacy segment sells prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, beauty products and cosmetics, seasonal merchandise, greeting cards, and convenience foods through its pharmacy retail stores and online, as well as offers film and photo finishing, and health care services. This segment operated 7,182 retail drugstores located in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia; and 560 retail health care clinics in 26 states and the District of Columbia under the MinuteClinic name. It has a strategic alliance with Alere, L.L.C. for the management of disease management program offerings that cover chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease. CVS Caremark Corporation was founded in 1892 and is based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  But, this concern isn't just relegated to Walgreen. Rite-Aid (NYSE: RAD  ) , for instance, only recently recorded an annual profit in fiscal 2013 -- its first such annual profit since 2006! Rite-Aid's problems flow from two fronts: weaker store traffic and extremely high debt levels, which weigh down its strategic options. Even the bigger CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS  ) is having its own set of problems. In the first-quarter it delivered a pharmacy same-store prescription increase of 2%, but saw pharmacy same-store sales dip by 1.4% because of more generic prescriptions being filled. This is a low-margin sector, so anything that can drag down margins can dramatically affect these stocks.

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  Healthcare stocks in the Fund had a strong fourth quarter and year. CVS (CVS)�� 26% performance for the quarter is reflective of the fact that 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day and will for the next 15 years. Businesses that are able to serve this growing segment with improving service, innovation, technology, product quality and value should continue to win.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Express Scripts isn't alone in experiencing improved generic utilization. CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS  ) saw its overall rate increase from 76.5% in its first quarter of 2012 to 80.5% in the same quarter this year. UnitedHealth didn't report detailed numbers for OptumRx last quarter, but noted that it was seeing improvements in its generic mix that helped drive earnings higher. Catamaran (NASDAQ: CTRX  ) also experienced a solid 3% year-over-year jump during the first quarter to 83%.

• [By John Udovich]
  Walgreen Company. Drug store chain Walgreen Company was praised by Faith Driven Consumer for its significant emphasis on philanthropy and service in its local communities. However, Walgreen Company was also criticized for�supporting the Chicago Foundation for Women (which teaches women and girls ��bout services, including abortion��, for partnering with the�the United Way (which indirectly gives to Planned Parenthood), for having a 100%�score from the Human Rights Campaign�� Corporate Equality Index�and for being the parent company of drugstore.com, which sells pornographic DVDs as well as other sexually explicit items. Faith Driven Consumer sees CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS) as the more a ��aith-friendly option.��For investors though, Walgreen Company is up 55.7% since the start of the year and up 120.9% over the past five years while CVS Caremark is up 46.8% since the start of the year and up 163.3% over the past five years���meaning the�latter�has been a�better choice even for faithless�investors.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Kimberly-Clark Corporation(KMB)

Kimberly-Clark Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and marketing of various health care products worldwide. The company operates in four segments: Personal Care, Consumer Tissue, K-C Professional & Other, and Health Care. The Personal Care segment provides disposable diapers, training and youth pants, and swimpants; baby wipes; and feminine and incontinence care products, and related products. It offers its products primarily for household use under various brand names, including Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, Kotex, Lightdays, Depend, and Poise. The Consumer Tissue segment offers facial and bathroom tissue, paper towels, napkins, and related products for household use under the Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle, Viva, Andrex, Scottex, Hakle, and Page brands. The K-C Professional & Other segment offers facial and bathroom tissue, paper towels, napkins, wipers, and a range of safety products for the away-from-home marketplace und er Kimberly-Clark, Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech, KleenGuard, Kimcare, and Jackson brand names. The Health Care segment offers disposable health care products, such as surgical drapes and gowns, infection control products, face masks, exam gloves, respiratory products, pain management products, and other disposable medical products under the Kimberly-Clark, Ballard, and ON-Q brand names. The company sells its products to supermarkets; mass merchandisers; drugstores; warehouse clubs; variety and department stores; retail outlets; manufacturing, lodging, office building, food service, and health care establishments; and high volume public facilities. It markets its products through wholesalers, distributors, and direct sales. The company was founded in 1872 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Benjamin Shepherd]

  Over the past five years, Kimberly Clark (KMB) has grown its dividend by better than 3% annually, while generating a total return of 64.7%, thanks to the addition of capital gains.

• [By Asit Sharma]

  Earlier this year, I singled out Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB  ) as a stock that would likely outperform the S&P 500 index,�especially should the broader market decline. I also praised the company's concentrated business model,�in which it benefits from a narrower business focus than some of its larger consumer goods peers. KMB's first quarter of 2014, reported this week, seemed a middling result: The company managed to increase net income by 1.3% against a one percent decrease in sales. Organic sales for the period rose 4% versus the prior year.�Reviewing a few themes from these earlier two articles in light of the company's first quarter earnings may illuminate Kimberly-Clark's direction for the rest of the year.�

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB  ) will release its quarterly report next Monday, and early expectations are for the consumer-products giant to produce reasonable growth. But given the recent declines in its stock, can Kimberly-Clark earnings grow fast enough to make investors happy?

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $1.40 per share on revenue of $5.23 billion.

  Cree (NASDAQ: CREE) is projected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.39 per share on revenue of $392.31 million.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Twin Disc Incorporated(TWIN)

Twin Disc, Incorporated engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of marine and heavy duty off-highway power transmission equipment. The company?s product portfolio includes marine transmissions, surface drives, propellers, and boat management systems, as well as power-shift transmissions, hydraulic torque converters, power take-offs, industrial clutches, and controls systems. It sells its products to customers primarily in the pleasure craft, commercial, and military marine markets, as well as in the energy and natural resources, government, and industrial markets through direct sales force and distributor network worldwide. Twin Disc, Incorporated was founded in 1918 and is headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  It was chief executive election time at Twin Disc (NASDAQ: TWIN  ) , with a familiar name emerging as the winner. The company's board of directors has chosen John Batten to be its new CEO and president, effective Nov. 1. Batten replaces his father, Michael, who is to retire effective Dec. 31. The elder Batten will continue to serve in his present capacity as board chairman.

10 Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Primoris Services Corporation(PRIM)

Primoris Services Corporation, a specialty contractor and infrastructure company, provides a range of construction, fabrication, maintenance, replacement, water and wastewater, and product engineering services in the United States and internationally. It offers construction services, including installation of underground pipeline, cable, and conduits for entities in the petroleum, petrochemical, and water industries; installation and maintenance of industrial facilities for petroleum, petrochemical, and water industries; installation of commercial and industrial cast-in-place structures; and construction of highways, as well as industrial and environmental constructions. The company also engages in designing, supplying, and installing high-performance furnaces, heaters, burner management systems, and related combustion and process technologies for clients in the oil refining, petrochemical, and power generation industries, as well as furnishes turnkey project management se rvices and delivers custom engineering solutions. It serves public utilities, petrochemical companies, energy companies, municipalities, state departments of transportation, and other customers. Primoris Services Corporation is based in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon] ris is a contractor and infrastructure company founded in 1946. It provides services related to construction fabrication, maintenance, replacement, water and wastewater and engineering to clients that are typically major public utilities, petrochemical companies, energy companies, municipalities and others. It doubled its size in 2009 and 2010 when it purchased the James Construction Group and Rockford Corporation, respectively. Primoris��predecessor company, Rhapsody acquisition Corp., had its IPO in 2006, and Primoris merged with Rhapsody in 2008.

  Joel Greenblatt bought 59,076 shares at an average price of $13.56 in the fourth quarter. After being relatively flat since its IPO, Primoris��stock price began to rise dramatically in 2011, and Greenblatt bought on a dip in the fourth quarter. In the last year it has appreciated 87 percent.

  Primoris��free cash flow and revenue in 2010 bounced back from a down year in 2009 and EBITDA grew each year in the same span of time. Return on equity and return on assets have both declined over the three years, but in the third quarter of 2011 came back strongly. ROE increased to 29.3 percent from 16.1 at year-end 2010, and ROA has increased to 11.4 percent from 4.8 percent at year-end 2010.

  The third quarter was good in other ways. The company reached its highest revenue and net income in its 60-year history. However, fluctuations in revenue and earnings may occur over the next several quarters as it completes several major projects. On November 30, it announced $181 million in new contracts.

  Primoris��P/E, P/S and P/B ratios:

  PRIM pe,ps,pb Interactive Chart

  Caribou Coffee (CBOU)

  Caribou Coffee is a gourmet coffee company that owns the second-largest number of coffeehouses in the U.S. After rising significantly in the second quarter of 2011, its stock price dropped in the fourth quarter, when Joel Greenblatt purchased it. He bought 52,794 shares at an average price of $13.27.