Best Building Product Companies To Invest In 2014

Red Lion Insulation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Masco Corporation (MAS) recently announced its plans to expand into the Farmingdale, N.J. market to cater to the Atlantic and Cape May Counties. Hit by Hurricane Sandy, these areas require major insulation works.

Masco Corporation manufactures, sells and installs home improvement and building products. Red Lion Insulation is a part of Masco Contractor Services. Red Lion offers various forms of insulation installations such as fiberglass batt, blown fiberglass, spray foam and cellulose.

Previously, another company of Masco Contractor Services, Western Insulation, announced its plans to expand into Bakerfield, Calif. Western Insulation offers products and services like fiberglass batt and blow, fireplace installation, garage door services, gutter installation and gutter protection.

Masco Corporation will report its second quarter 2013 earnings results on Jul 30, 2013. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter stands at 19 cents per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2013 is 69 cents while that for fiscal 2014 is $1.02 per share.

Hot High Dividend Companies To Watch For 2015: Fifth Third Bancorp (FFH)

Fifth Third Bancorp (the Bancorp), incorporated on October 7, 1974, is a diversified financial services company. As of December 31, 2011, the Bancorp had $117 billion in assets, operated 15 affiliates with 1,316 full-service Banking Centers, including 104 Bank Mart locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores, and 2,425 automated teller machines (ATMs) in 12 states throughout the Midwestern and Southeastern regions of the United States. The Bancorp operates in four business segments: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Investment Advisors. The Bancorp also has a 49% interest in Vantiv Holding, LLC.

Commercial Banking

Commercial Banking offers credit intermediation, cash management and financial services to large and middle-market businesses and government and professional customers. In addition to the traditional lending and depository offerings, Commercial Banking products and services include global cash management, foreign exchange and international trade finance, derivatives and capital markets services, asset-based lending, real estate finance, public finance, commercial leasing and syndicated finance.

Branch Banking

Branch Banking provides a range of deposit and loan and lease products to individuals and small businesses through 1,316 full-service Banking Centers. Branch Banking offers depository and loan products, such as checking and savings accounts, home equity loans and lines of credit, credit cards and loans for automobiles and other personal financing needs, as well as products designed to meet the specific needs of small businesses, including cash management services.

Consumer Lending

Consumer Lending includes the Bancorp�� mortgage, home equity, automobile and other indirect lending activities. Mortgage and home equity lending activities include the origination, retention and servicing of mortgage and home equity loans or lines of credit, sales and securitizations of t! hose loans, pools of loans or lines of credit, and all associated hedging activities. Indirect lending activities include loans to consumers through mortgage brokers and automobile dealers.

Investment Advisors

Investment Advisors provides a range of investment alternatives for individuals, companies and not-for-profit organizations. Investment Advisors is made up of four main businesses: Fifth Third Securities (FTS), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Bancorp; Fifth Third Asset Management, Inc. (FTAM), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Bancorp; Fifth Third Private Bank; and Fifth Third Institutional Services. FTS offers full service retail brokerage services to individual clients and broker dealer services to the institutional marketplace. FTAM provides asset management services and also advises the Bancorp�� family of mutual funds. Fifth Third Private Bank offers holistic strategies to affluent clients in wealth planning, investing, insurance and wealth protection. Fifth Third Institutional Services provide advisory services for institutional clients including states and municipalities.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bloomberg]

  Mattel (MAT), the world's largest toymaker, agreed to buy Mega Brands (MB) for $460 million, acquiring the biggest challenger to Lego A/S in the construction-toy market. Mattel is offering C$17.75 ($16) a share, according to a statement today, a 36 percent premium over yesterday's closing price. The board of Montreal-based Mega Brands unanimously approved the transaction, and investors holding 39 percent of the stock, including Chief Executive Officer Marc Bertrand and Fairfax Financial Holdings (FFH), agreed to the deal. The purchase of Mega Brands, the world's second-largest maker of snap-together blocks, will fill a product hole for Mattel. It doesn't have its own construction line, locking it out of a $4 billion market in the U.S. and Europe. The category also is a bright spot in a toy industry that has seen growth stall in the U.S. Mattel considered starting its own construction line, then opted instead to buy Mega Brands because it would be faster and less risky, Mattel CEO Bryan G. Stockton said on a call with reporters. Mattel got its first taste of construction in 2012 when it debuted blocks for its Barbie brand through a licensing deal with Mega Brands. Mattel realized that replicating this kind of expertise would take years, Stockton said. 'About Growth' "This acquisition is all about growth," Stockton said. "We see an opportunity to expand our brands in this category across boys, girls and preschool." Mattel shares rose 0.8 percent to $37.44 at 10:34 a.m. in New York. They had declined 9 percent over the past year through yesterday. Shares of Montreal-based Mega Brands surged 36 percent to C$17.73 today in Toronto. Mattel is coming off a lackluster holiday season, with sales sinking 6.3 percent -- the biggest quarterly drop since 2009. The El Segundo, California-based toymaker has looked to acquisitions to boost sales in the past. In February of 2012, it paid $680 million to buy HIT Entertainment, owner of Thomas the Tank Engine. It also acq

• [By gurufocus]

  Prem Watsa, highly regarded CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. (FFH), wrote in March that ��e continue to fully hedge our common stock portfolios as our concerns about the United States��� You would think he has been wrong with the hedging as he is losing money with them. But the last time he was losing with hedging was during the last bull market from 2004 to 2006. He then made a killing with the hedges in 2007 and 2008.

Best Building Product Companies To Invest In 2014: Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation(COG)

Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation operates as an independent oil and gas company in the United States. The company engages in the development, exploitation, exploration, production, and marketing of natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids. It holds reserves in north region comprising Appalachian and Rocky Mountains areas; and south region consisting of Anadarko basin with Texas and Louisiana areas. The company also transports, stores, gathers, and purchases natural gas for resale. As of December 31, 2010, it had proved reserves of approximately 2,761 billion cubic feet of natural gas equivalents. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (NYSE: COG) was started as Buy with a $45 price target and called simply the best of the Marcellus Shale. Its $45 price target implies upside of about 22.5% to Monday’s closing price.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  With WTI falling, investors are being given an early Christmas present — an opportunity to buy energy stocks. As crude has fallen, so have share prices for several producers like EOG Resources (EOG) and Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) … although both oil stocks have regained a sliver of those losses so far today.

Best Building Product Companies To Invest In 2014: National Western Life Insurance Company(NWLI)

National Western Life Insurance Company provides life insurance products for the savings and protection needs of policyholders and annuity contracts for the asset accumulation and retirement needs of contract holders. Its life products include universal life insurance and interest-sensitive whole life, as well as traditional products, such as term insurance coverage; and annuity products comprise flexible premium and single premium deferred annuities, fixed indexed annuities, and single premium immediate annuities. The company markets and distributes its insurance products primarily through independent national marketing organizations to residents of various countries in central and South America, the Caribbean, the Pacific Rim, eastern Europe, and Asia. It also engages in small real estate, nursing home, and other investment operations. The company was founded in 1956 and is based in Austin, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Merkel]

  The two stocks in question are Stancorp Financial (SFG) and National Western Life Insurance (NWLI). The short cases for both are based on a naive view of how insurance companies work.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, life insurance company National Western Life Insurance Company (NASDAQ: NWLI  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

Best Building Product Companies To Invest In 2014: Associated Estates Realty Corp (AEC)

Associated Estates Realty Corporation (AEC), incorporated on July 29, 1993, is an integrated, self-administered and self-managed equity real estate investment trust (REIT). As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� portfolio consisted of 52 properties containing 13,950 units located in 10 states. The Company operates in one segment: multifamily properties. The Company is focused on multifamily ownership, operation, acquisition, development, construction, disposition and property management activities. Its multifamily properties provided approximately 99.4% of its consolidated revenue. In 2012, the Company acquired four properties. Three of the properties, totaling 760 units, are located in the Raleigh/Durham submarket and the fourth is a 396-unit property located in Dallas, Texas. In addition, in 2012, it acquired land for development of an apartment community in Los Angeles, California that also includes a building containing approximately 78,800 total square feet of office and retail space. In 2012, it sold six properties containing 1,356 units, one in Georgia, one in Central Ohio and four in Western Michigan. During the three years ended December 31, 2012, it acquired 11 multifamily properties.

The Company�� primary source of income is rental revenue. The Company�� subsidiary, Merit Enterprises, Inc. (Merit), is a general contractor and construction manager, which acts as its in-house construction division. In March 2012, the partnership acquired a 2.5 acre parcel of land in Bethesda, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sally Jones]

  Associated Estates Realty Corp. (AEC) - Yield 4.90

  Associated Estates Realty Corp. is up 1% over 12 months. The company has a market cap of $764.39 million; it trades with a P/E ratio of 16.60 and P/S ratio of 4.10.

• [By Nathan Slaughter]

  Shocking new data reveals that of the 5.5 million new households that will be formed between now and 2016, an estimated 3.8 million, or nearly 70%, will be renters, not homeowners according to Jeffrey Friedman, CEO of apartment REIT Associated Estates Realty (Nasdaq: AEC).

Best Building Product Companies To Invest In 2014: Santander Mexico Financial Group SAB de CV (BSMX)

Santander Mexico Financial Group SAB de CV, formerly Grupo Financiero Santander SAB de CV, is a Mexico-based financial institution. The Company is primarily engaged, through its subsidiaries, in the provision of multiple banking services, securities brokerage, financial advice services, as well as other related investment activities. The Company offers its services to both, individual and corporate clients. The Company owns such principal subsidiaries as Banco Santander (Mexico) SA, Casa de Bolsa Santander SA de CV and Zurich Santander Seguros Mexico S.A. In December, 2013, the Company concluded the sale of Gestion Santander SA de CV's shares, as a result of the agreement reached with its parent company, Banco Santander SA. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  ING's (NYSE: ING  ) Latin American operations will soon be one division lighter. The company announced it reached an agreement to sell its mortgage business in Mexico to�Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico (NYSE: BSMX  ) , the local presence of Spanish financial group Banco Santander (NYSE: SAN  ) . The price was 643 million pesos ($51 million), according to Mexico City newspaper La Cronica de Hoy.

• [By Dan Burrows]

  The current economic and political environment makes it hard to see what possible catalyst could pull EBR stock out of negative territory any time soon. EBR’s payouts have been erratic, so the stock’s dividend yield is basically a roll of the dice. Worst of all, EBB still has no profits. For dividend stocks, that’s another dealbreaker.

  Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico (BSMX)

  Market Cap: $14.9 billion
  Dividend Yield: 11.4%
  YTD Price Performance: -20%

Best Building Product Companies To Invest In 2014: Powershares DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund (DBC)

PowerShares DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund (the Fund) and its subsidiary, DB Commodity Index Tracking Master Fund (the Master Fund), were formed as trusts. The Fund is designed to replicate positions in a commodity index.

The PowerShares DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund is based on the Deutsche Bank Liquid Commodity Index - Optimum Yield Excess Return (Index). The Fund is managed by DB Commodity Services LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Cameron Swinehart]

  Going forward I will be looking to add investments on my watchlist and trim other positions. It will be interesting to see how an overweight commodity portfolio will perform relative to the rest of the market.

   Cost Basis# SharesCurrent Price% of PortfolioCurrent ValueReturnMetal/Miners      Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS)$12.4985$11.043.75%$938.40-13.13%Sprott Physical Silver Trust (PSLV)$7.95125$8.744.37%$1,092.509.04%FreePort-McMoran (FCX)$31.6731$33.874.20%$1,049.976.50%Ishares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING)$13.0695$10.644.04%$1,010.80-22.74%Energy      Statoil ASA(STO)$21.7940$22.683.63%$907.203.92%Vanguard Natural Resources LLC (VNR)$27.5636$27.874.01%$1,003.321.11%ConocoPhillips (COP)$63.6822.43$71.006.37%$1,592.5310.31%Agriculture      CVR Partner LP (UAN)$26.3630.9$18.932.34%$584.94-39.25%Adecoagro$6.78125$7.443.72%$930.008.87%Archer-Daniels Midland (ADM)$34.8030$37.244.47%$1,117.206.55%Mixed Commodity      Powershares DB Commodity Index (DBC)$26.3540$25.954.15%$1,038.00-1.54%Sprott Resource Corp$3.34400$2.714.34%$1,084.00-23.25%    Total % of portfolio49.40%               Cost Basis12,666.00      Current Value12,348.86      Return-2.50%  Source: Investing For The Future Surge In Commodity Prices

  Disclosure: I am long ADM, FCX, UAN, AGRO, RING, VNR, SCPZF.PK, COP, DBC, PHYS, PSLV. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. (More...)

• [By Richard Stavros]

  Another futures-based ETF is PowerShares Deutsche Bank Commodity Index (DBC). It is more diversified than DBA. It holds futures contracts in corn and wheat. But it also holds significant positions in gold, heating oil, and crude.

Best Building Product Companies To Invest In 2014: Redcliffe Resources Ltd (RCF)

Redcliffe Resources Limited, formerly Pacrim Energy Limited, is engaged in gold exploration. The Company own 100% interest in Redcliffe Gold Project. The Redcliffe Gold Project lies northeast of the mining town of Leonora, which is 230 kilometer north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The Project covers approximately 45 kilometers of strike length of the Mertondale Shear Zone (MSZ) along with parallel and associated structures. The Golden Terrace South (GTS) deposit lies within a granted mining lease in the southern portion of the Redcliffe Gold Project. The 727 Prospect is located less than five kilometer south east of Golden Terrace. The Kelly Prospect lies along the Mertondale Shear Zone some three to four kilometer north of Golden Terrace South. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Teleperformance SA (RCF) climbed 2.9 percent to 35.10 euros. Societe Generale SA raised its recommendation on the French operator of call centers to buy from hold. The brokerage said the shares��recent decline provides a buying opportunity. The stock has fallen 14 percent since its high on July 18.