10 Best Forestry Stocks To Watch Right Now

U.K. stocks climbed, with the FTSE 100 Index rebounding from a one-month low, after a Federal Reserve official said the U.S. economy isn�� strong enough to justify a reduction in stimulus measures.

Rentokil Initial Plc (RTO) rose the most in almost eight weeks after a report that private-equity investor Clayton Dubilier & Rice LLC is considering combining the company�� office-maintenance unit with that of Balfour Beatty Plc. Cobham Plc dropped 4.6 percent as a shareholder sold a 3.6 percent stake in the maker of defense and aerospace equipment.

The FTSE 100 advanced 33.46 points, or 0.5 percent, to 6,558.58 in London. The gauge yesterday declined to the lowest level since May 3 amid speculation the Fed would start to taper its bond-buying program if the economy improved. The broader FTSE All-Share Index also also added 0.5 percent today, while Ireland�� ISEQ gained 0.4 percent.

��he market is perhaps too quickly discounting an end to quantitative easing,��Johan Jooste, chief market strategist at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in London, said. ��lthough the U.S. economy is improving, both unemployment and inflation remain below Fed targets. The growing market belief in a continued economic recovery -- however stuttering in some regions -- should continue to provide enough impetus to equity markets.��

10 Best Forestry Stocks To Watch Right Now: TRI Pointe Homes Inc (TPH)

Tri Pointe Homes, Inc., formerly TRI Pointe Homes, LLC, incorporated on August 5, 2010, is engaged in the design, construction and sale of single-family homes in planned communities in metropolitan areas located throughout Southern and Northern California. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company�� operations consist of 13 communities, eight of which are actively selling, containing 695 lots under various stages of development in Southern and Northern California. In June 2013, TRI Pointe Homes Inc announced that the acquisition of 202 lots in two California locations- Irvine (Orange County) and Vacaville (Solano County).

The Company�� business focused primarily on fee building projects in Southern California, in which it built, marketed and sold homes for independent third-party property owners, marketed under the TRI Pointe Homes brand name. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company has sold over 350 homes (including fee building projects).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Tri Pointe Homes Inc. (NYSE: TPH) has a market cap of $564.3 million and the stock is down about 5% over the past 12 months. Shares have traded in a 52-week range of $13.43 to $21.25 and closed Friday at $17.51. The consensus price target is $19.60, yielding an implied gain of 12%. Tri Pointe has beaten EPS estimates in each of the past four quarters, and the shares were trading nearly 2% higher early Monday morning. Tri Pointe is expected to post EPS of $0.25 on revenues of $100.04 million when it reports results in late March.

• [By James Fink]

  One small-cap name in the housing sector is TRI Pointe Homes. That's a New York Stock Exchange stock, ticker symbol (TPH). It's controlled by Barry Sternlicht, who's a very wildly successful real estate entrepreneur.

10 Best Forestry Stocks To Watch Right Now: Chiquita Brands International Inc. (CQB)

Chiquita Brands International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the distribution and marketing of bananas and fresh produce under the Chiquita and other brand names worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Bananas, Salads and Healthy Snacks, and Other Produce. The Banana segment sources, transports, markets, and distributes bananas to retailers and wholesalers, and chain stores. It also engages in the cultivation and production of bananas. The Salads and Healthy Snacks segment offers value-added salads under the Fresh Express and other labels; and fresh vegetable and fruit ingredients used in foodservice, healthy snacks, and processed fruit ingredient products. This segment also provides fresh-cut products, such as lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, and onions to foodservice distributors who resell these products to foodservice operators. It distributes Fresh Express branded products to food retailers, foodservice distributors, and quick-service restaurants; and fresh produce foodservice offerings primarily to third-party distributors for resale principally to quick-service restaurants in the United States. The Other Produce segment engages in sourcing, marketing, and distributing fresh fruits and vegetables other than bananas in Europe and North America. It offers grapes, pineapples, melons, kiwis, tomatoes, and avocados. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jack Kramer and Nick Martell]

  3. Chiquita earnings get frozen
  Just in time for our favorite part of the year, smoothie season, your favorite childhood banana distributor,�Chiquita Brands (NYSE: CQB  ) , reported first-quarter earnings on�Friday�that investors (figuratively) threw bananas at. Revenue for the first three months of 2014 fell 2% from the same period the previous year, to $762 million.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  After all, like Chiquita Brands (NYSE: CQB  ) , Dole's been undergoing a significant corporate restructuring, and last month it�sold its packaged-foods and Asia fresh business for $1.7 billion, making it a more focused international fresh fruit business, but one subject to all the vagaries that entails. In comparison, Chiquita's reorganization has it looking to become a high-volume, low-cost producer of bananas and chopped salads.

• [By Sara Murphy]

  Furthermore, the court's finding does not undermine the use of the ATS in cases of human rights abuses. It just requires a stronger connection to the United States. That means that other ATS cases currently working their way through the legal system, such as Earth Rights International's case against Chiquita (NYSE: CQB  ) for allegedly funding and arming Colombian terrorists, are still on track. That also means that the link from human rights violations to corporate liability remains.

• [By Michael Lewis]

  In the ever-difficult, commoditized business of produce, Chiquita Brands International (NYSE: CQB  ) has been a constant player, if troubled in recent years. Margin pressure and a shift in industry trends left the company with weak financials and angry shareholders, but in the past 12 months much of that has turned around. In the midst of a restructuring and armed with a (relatively) new CEO, this company is pushing its 52-week highs but may be headed higher. Does the banana brand belong in your portfolio?

Top Logistics Companies For 2015: Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY)

Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index (the Index). The Index includes companies from industries, such as automobiles and components, consumer durables, apparel, hotels, restaurants, leisure, media and retailing.

The Fund utilizes a passive or indexing investment approach to invest in a portfolio of stocks that seek to replicate the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is SSgA Funds Management, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The�Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR�(XLY) has dropped 1.1% to $60.39, while the�Financial Select Sector SPDR(XLF) is off 0.9% at $20.23.� Hardest hit is the�Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU), which has dropped 1.6% to $37.32, while the Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) has fallen 1% to $46.49. The�Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) is the top performer: It�� down 0.5% at $32.39.

• [By Tom Aspray]

  First, let’s look at the quarter by quarter performance for 2013, as well as how the Select Sector ETFs are doing so far in the 4th quarter. Two of my favorite ETFs as we started 2013, the Select Sector SPDR Health Care (XLV) and the Select Sector SPDR Consumer Discretionary (XLY) are the top gainers in 2013.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY), which had been down as much as 0.8%, is now little changed at $60.78, while the Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) is off just 0.2% at $20.27.� Hardest hit is the Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU), which has dropped 1.2% to $37.67. The Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) is the top performer: It’s up 0.1% at $32.49.

• [By Ben Eisen]

  The consumer discretionary sector of the S&P 500 has been going gangbusters this year, climbing 36.6%, while the Select Sector SPDR-Consumer Discretionary exchange-traded fund (XLY) is similarly up 36.7%, hitting a record earlier this month. That outperformance has supported the broader S&P 500, which is up 26.5% this year.

10 Best Forestry Stocks To Watch Right Now: Apollo Group Inc.(APOL)

Apollo Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides online and on-campus educational programs and services at the undergraduate, master?s, and doctoral levels. The company offers various degree programs in arts and sciences, business and management, criminal justice and security, education, health care, human services, nursing, psychology, and technology through its campus locations and learning centers in 40 states and the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as through its online education delivery system. It also provides various degree programs in Chile and Mexico, and through online; financial services education programs, including Master of Science in three majors, as well as certification programs in retirement, asset management, and other financial planning areas; and training and education to professionals in the legal and finance industries through its schools in the United Kingdom and a network of offices in Europe. In addition, the company offers p rogram development, administration, and management consulting services comprising degree program design, curriculum development, market research, student admissions, and accounting and administrative services to private colleges and universities for their working learners? programs; and sells books and other publications. Apollo Group, Inc. was founded in 1973 and is based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Amanda Alix]

  Are they safe?
  All the foregoing seems to make arguing about safety akin to picking nits, but at least some commenters are sounding the alarm about the escalating issuance of these kinds of leveraged loans. At the recent Milken Institute Global Conference, The CEO of Apollo Group (NASDAQ: APOL  ) noted that investors should remember�how, during the financial crisis, a good number of these loans went belly-up.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Finally, outside the Dow, Apollo Group (NASDAQ: APOL  ) has soared nearly 8% after its University of Phoenix had its accreditation renewed. With accreditation concerns having weighed on other stocks in the for-profit education industry, the positive news helped bolster shares throughout the sector. The industry still faces scrutiny from regulators over delinquent student loans and poor graduation rates, but today's moves give Apollo and its peers a shot in the arm following their terrible stock performance in the past few years.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  As for Apollo Education Group (APOL), the situation is different than Centene's in that the For - Profit Education industry is currently experiencing a declining enrollment environment, v ersus the large growth in new members for Medicaid services. However, despite all of the negative news on the education industry in general, and Apollo specifically, we are highly encouraged with APOL's current profit level and its ability to generate abun dant free cash flow.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of Education Management Corporation (NASDAQ: EDMC  ) and Apollo Group (NASDAQ: APOL  ) were headed to the top of the class today, gaining as much as 10% on a strong day for for-profit educators.

10 Best Forestry Stocks To Watch Right Now: Union First Market Bankshares Corp (UBSH)

Union First Market Bankshares Corporation is a bank holding company. The Company offers financial services through its community bank subsidiary Union First Market Bank and three non-bank financial services affiliates. The Company�� non-bank financial services affiliates are Union Mortgage Group, Inc., Union Investment Services, Inc. and Union Insurance Group, LLC. The Company operates in two segments: traditional full service community banking business and its mortgage loan origination business. The Company is a community banking organization based in Virginia and provides full service banking to the Northern, Central, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Tidewater, and Northern Neck regions of Virginia through Union First Market Bank. Union First Market Bank (the Bank) is a full service community bank offering consumers and businesses a range of banking and related financial services, including checking, savings, certificates of deposit and other depository services, as well as loans for commercial, industrial, residential mortgage and consumer purposes. The Bank issues credit cards and delivers automated teller machine (ATM) services. The Bank also offers Internet banking services and online bill payment for all customers, whether retail or commercial. The Bank also offers private banking and trust services to individuals and corporations through its Financial Guidance Group. In January 2014, the Company acquired StellarOne Corporation.

As of December 31, 2011, Union First Market Bank operated 99 locations in the counties of Albemarle, Caroline, Chesterfield, Essex, Fairfax, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Frederick, Hanover, Henrico, James City, King George, King William, Lancaster, Loudoun, Nelson, Northumberland, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Warren, Washington, Westmoreland, York, and the independent cities of Charlottesville, Colonial Heights, Culpeper, Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, Newport News, Richmond, Staunton, Stephens City, Waynesboro, Williamsburg, and Winchester. Union First Market Bank a! lso operates loan production offices in Staunton, Winchester, and Tappahannock. Union Investment Services, Inc. provides brokerage services; Union Mortgage Group, Inc. provides a line of mortgage products, and Union Insurance Group, LLC offers various lines of insurance products. Union First Market Bank also owns a non-controlling interest in Johnson Mortgage Company, L.L.C.

Union Investment Services, Inc. provides securities, brokerage and investment advisory services. It has 11 offices within the Bank�� trade area and is a full service investment company handling all aspects of wealth management, including stocks, bonds, annuities, mutual funds and financial planning. Securities are offered through a third party contractual arrangement with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., an independent broker dealer. Union Mortgage Group, Inc., (UMG) has offices in Virginia (seven), Maryland (three), North Carolina (three), and South Carolina (two). UMG is also licensed to do business in selected states throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, as well as Washington, D.C. It provides a variety of mortgage products to customers in those areas. The mortgage loans originated by UMG are generally sold in the secondary market through purchase agreements with institutional investors. Union Insurance Group, LLC (UIG), an insurance agency, is owned by the Bank and Union Mortgage. This agency operates in a joint venture with Bankers Insurance, LLC, an insurance agency owned by community banks across Virginia and managed by the Virginia Bankers Association. UIG generates revenue through sales of various insurance products, including long term care insurance and business owner policies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of StellarOne (NASDAQ: STEL  ) , a commercial, mortgage, and wealth management bank servicing small and medium-sized businesses in Virginia, jumped as much as 20% after agreeing to be purchased by Union First Market Bancshares (NASDAQ: UBSH  ) .

• [By GuruFocus]

  Reduced: Union First Market Bankshares Corp (UBSH)

  Tom Gayner reduced to his holdings in Union First Market Bankshares Corp by 12.64%. His sale prices were between $18.24 and $20.59, with an estimated average price of $19.52. The impact to his portfolio due to this sale was -0.18%. Tom Gayner still held 1,658,339 shares as of 06/30/2013.

10 Best Forestry Stocks To Watch Right Now: China Citic Bank Corp Ltd (CHCJY)

CHINA CITIC BANK CORPORATION LIMITED is a commercial bank. The Bank operates its businesses primarily through retailing banking, including band card services, saving, personal loan, wealth management, credit card, banking services, private banking, financial services of traveling abroad and electronic banking services; corporate banking, including financial organization services, international business, investment banking, supply chain financing, account settlement, financing services for small enterprises, trading services, cash management, asset management, international settlement and trade financing, among others, as well as capital market business, including foreign exchange business, bond business, trading of financing and derivative products, financial service platform and financial solutions. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks opened lower Tuesday, after China's central bank reportedly drained 48 billion yuan ($7.9 billion) from the money market on Tuesday through bond-repurchase agreements. The Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) moved lower by 0.3%. Banks retreated, as China Merchants Bank Co., (HK:3968) (CIHHF) declined 2.2%, Bank of Communications Co. (HK:3328) (BKFCF) fell 1.6%, China Minsheng Banking Corp. (HK:1988) (CMAKY) lost 1.4%, and China Citic Bank Corporation (HK:998) (CHCJY) dropped 1.2%. China's Dongfeng Motor Group Co. (HK:489) , currently in negotiations to buy a stake in PSA Peugeot Citroen, suspended trading of its H-shares in Hong Kong markets. The state-owned car maker didn't clarify the reason in the announcement. On Monday, the company said in a filing that its commercial-vehicle unit has been served with a request for arbitration by a Brazilian firm, which is seeking damages of approximately 1.67 billion Brazilian reals ($700 million) for Dongfeng's failure to establish a joint venture with the firm. On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index (CN:SHCOMP) gave up 0.5% to 2,125.54.

10 Best Forestry Stocks To Watch Right Now: The Charles Schwab Corporation(SCHW)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides securities brokerage, banking, and related financial services to individuals and institutional clients. It offers various brokerage products and services comprising brokerage accounts with check-writing features, debit card, and billpay; individual retirement accounts; retirement plans for small to large businesses; college savings accounts; designated brokerage accounts; equity incentive plan accounts; and margin loans, as well as access to fixed income securities, equity and debt offerings, options, and futures. The company also provides various banking products and services, including checking accounts linked to brokerage accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, demand deposit accounts, first mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and personal loans collateralized by securities. In addition, it offers trust custody services, personal trust reporting services, and administrative trustee servi ces; advisory services comprising separately managed accounts, customized personal advice for tailored portfolios, and planning and portfolio management; and third-party mutual funds, such as no-load mutual funds, proprietary mutual funds, and other third-party mutual funds, as well as mutual fund trading and clearing services to broker dealers. Further, the company offers third-party and proprietary exchange-traded funds; research, analytic tools, performance reports, market analysis, and educational materials; custodial, trading, technology, practice management, trust asset, and other support services to independent investment advisors; and retirement plan recordkeeping and related services, retirement plan trust and custody services, specialty brokerage services, and mutual fund clearing services. It operates primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  What a difference a day makes. After plunging yesterday, stocks gained today as investors came to terms with the Federal Reserve’s revised schedule for higher rates, sending shares of Invesco (IVZ), Zions Bancorporation (ZION), JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Charles Schwab (SCHW) soaring.

10 Best Forestry Stocks To Watch Right Now: AMR Corp (AAMRQ.PK)

AMR Corporation (AMR), incorporated in October 1982, operates in the airline industry. The Company�� principal subsidiary is American Airlines, Inc. (American). As of December 31, 2011, American provided scheduled jet service to approximately 160 destinations throughout North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Asia. AMR Eagle Holding Corporation (AMR Eagle), a wholly owned subsidiary of AMR, owns two regional airlines, which do business as American Eagle - American Eagle Airlines, Inc. and Executive Airlines, Inc. (collectively, the American Eagle carriers). American also contracts with an independently owned regional airline, which does business as AmericanConnection (the AmericanConnection carrier). As of December 31, 2011, AMR Eagle operated approximately 1,500 daily departures, offering scheduled passenger service to over 175 destinations in North America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

American, AMR Eagle and the AmericanConnection airline served more than 250 cities in approximately 50 countries with, on average, 3,400 daily flights and the combined network fleet numbered approximately 900 aircraft as of December 31, 2011. American Airlines is also a founding member of the oneworld alliance, which includes British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, LAN Airlines, Iberia, Qantas, JAL, Malev Hungarian, Mexicana, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines. Together, oneworld members serve 750 destinations in approximately 150 countries, with about 8,500 daily departures. American is also one of the scheduled air freight carriers in the world, providing a range of freight and mail services to shippers throughout its system onboard American�� passenger fleet.

To improve access to each other�� markets, American has established marketing relationships with other airlines and rail companies. As of December 31, 2011, American had marketing relationships with Air Berlin, Air Pacific, Air Tahiti Nui, Alaska Airlines , British Airways, Cape Air, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern ! A! irlines, Dragonair, Deutsche Bahn German Rail, EL AL, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, GOL, Gulf Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, Japan Airlines (JAL), Jet Airways, JetStar Airways, LAN (includes LAN Airlines, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru), Niki Airlines, Qantas Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines.

American has established the AAdvantage frequent flyer program (AAdvantage). AAdvantage members earn mileage credits by flying on American, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection carrier or by using services of other participants in the AAdvantage program. Mileage credits can be redeemed for free, discounted or upgraded travel on American, American Eagle or other participating airlines, or for other awards. American sells mileage credits and related services to other participants in the AAdvantage program. There are over 1,000 program participants, including a credit card issuer, hotels, car rental companies, and other products an d services companies in the AAdvantage program. As of December 31, 2011, AAdvantage had approximately 69 million total members.

The Company competes with Alaska Airlines (Alaska), Delta Air Lines (Delta), Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways (JetBlue), Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines (Southwest) and AirTran Airways (Air Tran), Spirit Airlines, United Airlines (United) and Continental Airlines (Continental), US Airways and Virgin America Airlines.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Sandlow]

  Synopsis: As a result of the terms of its bankruptcy and the proposed merger with U.S. Airways (LCC), an equity investment in AMR Corp (AAMRQ.PK) is equivalent to a series of derivatives on LCC. At current market values, AAMRQ is undervalued by approximately 40%. It is possible to create an arbitrage position that should capture this pricing differential over the next 6 months.

10 Best Forestry Stocks To Watch Right Now: Service Corporation International(SCI)

Service Corporation International provides deathcare products and services in the United States, Canada, and Germany. Its funeral service and cemetery operations consist of funeral service locations, cemeteries, funeral service/cemetery combination locations, crematoria, and related businesses. The company provides various professional services relating to funerals and cremations, including the use of funeral facilities and motor vehicles, and preparation and embalming services. It also sells funeral related merchandise, including caskets, burial vaults, cremation receptacles, cremation memorial products, flowers, and other ancillary products and services at funeral service locations. The company?s cemeteries provide cemetery property interment rights, including mausoleum spaces, lots, and lawn crypts; and sell cemetery related merchandise and services comprising stone and bronze memorials, markers, merchandise installations, and burial openings and closings. It also sells preneed funeral and cemetery products and services whereby a customer contractually agrees to the terms of certain products and services to be delivered and performed in the future. As of December 31, 2009, Service Corporation operated 1,254 funeral service locations and 372 cemeteries, including 208 combination locations, covering 43 states in the United States, 8 Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as 12 funeral homes in Germany. The company was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of funeral-home operator Stewart Enterprises (NASDAQ: STEI  ) soared 34% today, after larger rival Service Corp. International (NYSE: SCI  ) agreed to acquire it in a deal worth about $1.4 billion.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Deathcare services and products provider Services Corporation (SCI) raised its quarterly dividend 14% to 8 cents per share, payable March 28 to shareholders of record as of March 15.
  SCI Dividend Yield: 1.73%

• [By Rich Duprey]

  In what is seemingly becoming a more acrimonious set of negotiations, the Teamsters representing directors and drivers accused management of Service Corp International� (NYSE: SCI  ) of trying to force a strike vote by rejecting the union's "last and best" offer.

10 Best Forestry Stocks To Watch Right Now: BJ's Restaurants Inc.(BJRI)

BJ?s Restaurants, Inc. owns and operates casual dining restaurants in the Unites States. The company operates restaurants under the BJ?s Restaurant & Brewery, BJ?s Restaurant & Brewhouse, BJ?s Pizza & Grill, or BJ?s Grill names, which offer deep-dish pizzas, handcrafted beers, appetizers, entrees, pastas, sandwiches, specialty salads, desserts, non-alcoholic beverages, wine, other craft beers, and spirits. As of February 27, 2012, it owned and operated 116 restaurants comprising 10 BJ?s Restaurant & Brewery restaurants, 98 BJ?s Restaurant & Brewhouse restaurants, 7 BJ?s Pizza & Grill restaurants, and 1 BJ?s Grill. The company operates restaurants in California, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indiana, Louisiana, and Washington. BJ?s Restaurants, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is based in Huntington Beach, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steve Symington]

  More closely aligned with B-Wild's new efforts, however, are the folks at BJ's Restaurants (NASDAQ: BJRI  ) , who just so happen to integrate their very own enviable list of more than a dozen of BJ's award-winning, handcrafted brews on tap at each of their restaurants. All told, craft brews have served as a centerpiece of BJ's business so far, helping the up-and-coming company to grow to 132 locations in 15 states as of the end of last quarter.

• [By Meetu Anand]

  Brinker International (NYSE: EAT  ) has been no exception to the trend of falling comps, while BJ's Restaurants (NASDAQ: BJRI  ) and Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI  ) have also followed along�.

• [By Steve Symington]

  It's fine to boast a restaurant concept with mouthwatering growth prospects, but BJ's Restaurants, (NASDAQ: BJRI  ) has found putting all the pieces together to deliver that growth is a tall order.