Best Consumer Stocks For 2015

For one month, the European Commission will let the public send feedback on Google's� (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) antitrust proposals.

It's no secret that the EC has been concerned about Google's growing power in the search market. Due to the company's dominance, it fears that the company is using its power to benefit itself in search and search advertising across the European Economic Area (EEA).�

In March 2013, the EC formally informed Google that the following four practices may violate European Union antitrust rules:

Google uses its search results to favor its own specialized web search services like restaurants, hotels, or product searches� Google incorporates third-party website content within Google's specialized services� Google requires third-party websites to buy all or most of their online search advertising from Google� Google restricts third parties from running similar advertising campaigns on rival search engines

Altogether, the EC believes that these practices could harm consumers by reducing choice and stifling innovation in the search and search advertising fields.

Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (SFM)

Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (Sprouts), incorporated on January 27, 2011, is a specialty retailer of natural and organic food focusing on health and wellness. The Company offers fresh produce, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, grocery, meat and seafood, bakery, dairy, frozen foods, body care and natural household items. The Company�� product offerings focus on fresh, natural and organic foods. Natural foods can be defined as foods that are minimally processed and are free of synthetic preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors and other additives, growth hormones, antibiotics, hydrogenated oils, stabilizers and emulsifiers. The Company categorize the over 7,000 range of products, it sells as perishable and non-perishable. Perishable product categories include produce, meat, seafood, deli and bakery. Non-perishable product categories include grocery, vitamins and supplements, bulk items, dairy and dairy alternatives, frozen foods, beer and wine, and natural health and body care.

The cornerstones of the Company�� business are fresh, natural and organic products. As of July 19, 2013, the Company opened 87 new stores while rebranding 43 Henry�� and 39 Sunflower stores to the Sprouts banner. The Company�� stores include Produce, Bulk Items, Vitamins and Supplements, Grocery, Meat, Seafood, Deli, Bakery, Dairy and Dairy Alternatives, Frozen Foods, Beer and Wine and Natural Health and Body Care.The Company offer its customers a farmers market open-feel environment consisting of an abundant and affordable offering of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, focused on appearance, flavor and value. The Company�� stores include a crafted selection of more than 450 ranges of scoopable nuts, fruits, trail mixes, grains, beans, cereals, coffee, tea, spices, candy and snacks featured in the center of the store. The Company�� stores feature more than 4,200 vitamins, supplements, natural remedies, functional food, lifestyle support, and herbal supplements. This department includes ! an extensive private label offering.

The Company�� grocery offering focuses on healthy options. The Company carries approximately 4,200 natural and organic products in its grocery aisles, including meal components, natural sodas and other beverages, snacks and bars, baking goods, baby, pet and household items such as detergent and paper towels, and earth-friendly mercantile items. The Company�� Olde Tyme Butcher Shops combine sourcing through its trusted supplier network, product variety and old-fashioned customer service. The Company offers a range of seafood favorites delivered up to six days a week. The Conpany feature a range of fresh deli specialties, including sliced deli meat, salads, dips, entrees, side dishes, fresh made to order sandwiches at value prices and an abundant selection of over 200 varieties of cheeses from around the world.

The Company��bakery offering includes artisan bread alongside a wide assortment of sandwich breads, rolls, tortillas, pitas, muffins, cookies and pies as well as sugar free, gluten free and low carbohydrate products. The Company�� dairy department features a selection of organic, natural and regionally sourced milk, yogurt (including Greek, Australian, organic, and soy-based), butter and eggs, as well as a full selection of vegan and vegetarian alternative dairy products. The Company�� freezer cases feature traditional and ethnic natural and organic entrees and side dishes, along with frozen vegetables, desserts and specialty items, such as gluten-free breads and non-dairy ice creams. The Company offers approximately 2,400 natural, cruelty-free health and beauty products, old-fashioned remedies and modern body care innovations, including facial care products and make up, skin, hair, dental, baby care and grooming products.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Mamos]

  Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. (Nasdaq: SFM) offers nearly the same type of products and produce as Whole Foods. It was rewarded handsomely by Wall Street with its extremely successful initial public offering (IPO) last month when it closed 120% up on its first day of trading.

• [By David Zeiler]

  Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. (Nasdaq: SFM), which went public Aug. 1, popped 122.8%.
  Fast-casual sandwich chain Potbelly Corp. (Nasdaq: PBPB), which had its IPO Oct. 4, shot up 119%. And Noodles & Co. (Nasdaq: NDLS) soared 102% on its first day of trading June 28.

• [By Zacks Investment Research]

  Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM)

  The stocks listed above all had a huge pop on the first day and three are currently Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) rated stocks. PBPB is not yet ranked as analyst reports have not yet come out. Having a rank of #3 (Hold) soon after an IPO is pretty common as underwriting banks have to wait a period of time before they can initiate coverage. The Zacks Rank tends to move up when there is a positive revision to estimates and that could take some time.

Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: California Grapes International Inc (CAGR)

California Grapes International, Inc., formerly China Food Services, Corp., incorporated in 1992, conducts its primary business operations as an importer, exporter and distributor of staple, organic, specialty, and gourmet foods and beverages, catering to the Asian Pacific Rim. The Company owns and operates Golden Dragon Food & Beverage Import & Export Company of Hong Kong, Ltd. (GDHK) in central Hong Kong and Beijing Flying Golden Dragon International Trading Co., Ltd. in China (BFGD). Golden Dragon Holdings, Inc. has agreements with the United State food manufacturers. It acts as a buying agent for GDHK, negotiating vendor contracts and services with the United States food and beverage industry partners.

The Company focuses to offer wholesale food distribution to grocery chains and independent food stores throughout China. The Company focuses on purchasing goods directly from manufactures in the United States, Latin America and Europe, and distributes these products to distributors, grocery stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets throughout China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Julie Young]

  In 2013 the Microsoft Business segment generated revenue of $24.7 billion with a three-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7%. Operating income grew steadily ending 2013 at $16.2 billion with a three-year CAGR of 11%. Revenue in the Microsoft Business segment is primarily derived from Office products which generate over 90% of sales for the segment. This segment appears set for continued growth as demand remains high for Office products.

• [By ovenerio]

  As we can see in the next chart, the stock price has an upward trend in the five-year period. If you had invested $10,000 five years ago, today you could have $21,307, which represents a 16.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

• [By Vera Yuan]

  We believe the heart and soul of Colfax is a set of operational and management tools known as the Colfax Business System (CBS) which stresses continuous improvement in all aspects of the business. Danaher fine-tuned the use of these tools, compounding shareholder capital at a 20%+ Compound Annual Growth Rate, (CAGR) since 1984 by acquiring underperforming businesses, improving revenue, margins and cash flow, and employing that cash flow to fund the next acquisition. Colfax has borrowed the Danaher playbook.

• [By abirk]

  The smokeable products category (cigarettes and cigars) has grown income at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2%. In 2013, income from smokeable products was $6.4 billion, up from $5.2 billion in 2008.

5 Best Performing Stocks To Invest In 2015: CLARCOR Inc. (CLC)

CLARCOR Inc. provides filtration products, filtration systems and services, and consumer and industrial packaging products worldwide. Its Engine/Mobile Filtration segment offers oil, air, fuel, coolant, transmission, and hydraulic fluid filters for engines used in stationary power generation and mobile equipment applications, as well as for marine, construction, industrial, mining, and agricultural equipment. This segment also provides dust collection cartridges for environmental filtration applications The company�s Industrial/Environmental Filtration segment manufactures specialty industrial process liquid filters; filters for pharmaceutical processes and beverages; filtration systems, filters, and coalescers for the oil and natural gas industry; filtration systems for aircraft refueling, anti-pollution, sewage treatment, and water recycling; bilge water separators; sand control filters for oil and gas drilling; and woven wire and metallic products for filtration of pl astics and polymer fibers. This segment also offers antimicrobial treated filters and electronic air cleaners for use in commercial and residential buildings, hospitals, factories, residences, paint spray booths, gas turbine and dust collector systems, medical facilities, motor vehicle and aircraft cabins, clean rooms, and compressors. Its Packaging segment provides metal, plastic, and a combination of metal/plastic containers and closures for packing dry and paste form products, smokeless tobacco products, lip balms, ointments, and consumer healthcare products. This segment also offers shells for dry batteries; canisters for films and candles; spools for insulated and fine wire; and custom decorated flat metal sheets. The company distributes its products through independent distributors, dealers for original equipment manufacturers, retail stores, and internal sales force, as well as directly to end-use customers. CLARCOR Inc. was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Fra nklin, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Diane Alter]

  Dividend Stocks That Increased Payout in September

  Accenture plc (NYSE: ACN) announced a 14.8%, or $0.12 per share, increase to its semiannual dividend. The management consulting firm will now pay a semiannual dividend of $0.93. Shares yield 2.53%. Agruim Inc. (NYSE: AGU) boosted its dividend by $1.00 per share to a total dividend of $3.00 on an annualized basis. Shares of the global retailer of agricultural products now sprout a 3.54% yield. Air Industries Group Inc. (NYSE: AIRI) doubled its dividend to $0.125 per share. The maker of airplane and helicopter parts now floats a lofty yield of 6.6%. Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (NYSE: ARE) upped its dividend 4.6% to $0.68 per quarter for a yield of 4.21%. Banner Corp. (Nasdaq: BANR) boosted its quarterly dividend 25% to $0.15 per share. The parent company of Banner and Islander Bank serves the Pacific Northwest region. Brady Corp. (NYSE: BRC) lifted its quarterly dividend 2.6% to $0.78 per share. It was the 28th straight dividend increase from the identification solutions company. Shares yield 2.57%. Campbell Soup Co. (NSE: CPB) raised its quarterly dividend to $0.31 per share, up from $0.29. The company last raised its dividend in November 2010. Shares yield a hearty 3.06%. CLARCOR Inc. (NYSE: CLC) raised its quarterly dividend 26% to $0.17 per share. It's the largest percentage increase from the Tennessee-based diversified marketer of mobile filtration and packaging products in the last 20 years, and it continues the company's consecutive streak of increasing dividends for the last 30 years. Franklin Resources Inc. (NYSE: BEN) boosted its quarterly dividend 2.6% to $0.10 per share. Frisch's Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: FRS) increased its quarterly dividend 12.5% to $0.18. Shares yield 3.10% The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: GT), in a move that suggests good times are ahead, reinstated its dividend at $0.05 per share. Good
• [By Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]

  Clarcor Inc.'s(CLC) fiscal second-quarter sales and profit rose, bolstered by recent acquisitions, prompting the Franklin, Tenn., filter and packaging company to raise its full-year expectations again. Shares rose 5.6% to $62.10 in light premarket trading.

Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: Griffin Land & Nurseries Inc.(GRIF)

Griffin Land & Nurseries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in real estate and landscape nursery businesses in the United States. The company?s real estate business consists of the ownership, construction, leasing, and management of commercial and industrial properties, as well as the development of residential subdivisions on real estate owned by it in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Its landscape nursery business comprises the growing of containerized plants for sale principally to independent retail garden centers, rewholesalers, mass merchandisers, home centers, and landscape contractors. Griffin Land & Nurseries, Inc. was founded in 1970 and is based in New York City, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Memberships and Peers: ADM is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: Bunge Limited (BG) with a 1.6% yield, Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) with a 2.4% yield and Griffin Land & Nurseries Inc. (GRIF) with a 0.7% yield.

Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: JAKKS Pacific Inc.(JAKK)

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. designs, produces, markets, and distributes toys and consumer products worldwide. The company offers traditional toys and electronics, such as action figures and accessories, including licensed characters under Pokemon name; toy vehicles and accessories under Road Champs, Fly Wheels, and MXS names; electronics products under EyeClops Bionic Eye, Laser Challenge, and Plug It In & Play TV Games names; dolls and accessories, including small and large dolls, fashion dolls, and baby dolls under Disney Princess, Disney Fairies, Cabbage Patch Kids, Taylor Swift, Fancy Nancy, Hello Kitty, Graco, and Fisher Price names; private label products; pet products, including toys, consumables, and accessories under American Kennel Club and The Cat Fanciers? Association; and vehicles, play sets, plush products, construction toys, and infant and pre-school toys. It also offers role play, novelty, and seasonal toys, including food play and activity kits under Girl Gourmet, Creepy Crawlers, and BloPens names; role-play, dress-up, pretend play, and novelty products for boys and girls under Black & Decker, McDonald?s, Dirt Devil, Disney Princess, Disney Fairies, Barbie, and Dora the Explorer names; indoor and outdoor kids? furniture, activity trays, tables and room d Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: The fun and games are over for toy and consumer products maker JAKKS Pacific (NASDAQ: JAKK  ) , which saw its shares get mauled by 37% after reporting its second-quarter results.

• [By John Seward]

  Rayonier Advanced Materials (NYSE: RYAMW) will replace Intrepid Potash Inc. (NYSE: IPI) in the S&P MidCap 400, and Intrepid will replace JAKKS Pacific (NASDAQ: JAKK) in the S&P SmallCap 600 after the close of trading on Friday, June 27. Rayonier Inc. is spinning off Rayonier Advance to shareholders.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One under-$10 toy player that's trending very close to triggering a major breakout trade is Jakks Pacific (JAKK), which is a producer and marketer of children's toys and other consumer products. This stock has been destroyed by the bears so far in 2013, with shares off sharply by 60%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Jakks Pacific, you'll notice that this stock has been downtrending badly for the last two months and change, with shares plunging from its high of $11.75 to its recent low of $4.82 a share. During that downtrend, shares of JAKK have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of JAKK look like they might be ready to see an end to its downside volatility in the short-term if the recent lows can hold. I believe this due to the fact that JAKK has started to move sideways and trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in JAKK if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $5.08 to $5.27 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 695,817 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then JAKK will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $5.68 to its 50-day moving average at $6.07 a share. Any high-volume move above its 50-day will then put $7 to $8 into range for shares of JAKK.

  Traders can look to buy JAKK off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $4.87 to $4.82 a share. One can also buy JAKK off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Sean Williams]

  JAKKS Pacific (NASDAQ: JAKK  ) shares, for instance, were massacred last week after it lowered its full-year sales guidance by more than 10%, revised its full-year forecast from a modest profit to a hefty loss, and suspended its quarterly dividend indefinitely. Without its Pokemon licensing, JAKKS is struggling to find new sources of revenue growth.

Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: HomeServe PLC (HSV)

Homeserve plc is a United Kingdom-based company engaged in the provision of home emergency repairs. The Company operates in five segments: UK, USA, Domeo, Spain, and New Markets. Its products cover plumbing and drains, central heating, ventilation and air conditioning, electrics and household appliances, such as showers and boilers. The Company provides home emergency and repair services to over 4.9 million customers across businesses in the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Spain. It also has developing businesses in Italy, Germany and France. The Company�� subsidiaries include HomeServe Assistance Limited, HomeServe Enterprises Limited, HomeServe International Limited, HomeServe Membership Limited and Reparalia Direct SL. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sarah Jones]

  Homeserve Plc (HSV) climbed 8.1 percent to 265.6 pence. Liberum Capital said the company may attract private-equity buyers after reporting its full-year results. The company may soon complete its discussions with the financial-services regulator about inappropriate sales practices.

Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: Farmer Brothers Company(FARM)

Farmer Bros. Co. engages in the manufacture, wholesale, and distribution of coffee, tea, and culinary products. Its product line includes roasted coffee; liquid coffee; and coffee related products, such as coffee filters, sugar and creamers, assorted teas, cappuccino, cocoa, spices, gelatins and puddings, soup, gravy and sauce mixes, pancake and biscuit mixes, and jellies and preserves. The company distributes its products through direct and brokered sales to institutional foodservice establishments, including restaurants, hotels, casinos, hospitals, and foodservice providers, as well as retailers, such as convenience stores, coffee houses, general merchandisers, private label retailers, and grocery stores in the United States. Farmer Bros. Co. was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Torrance, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Monday

  Earnings Releases Expected: Diamond Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ: DMND), Farmer Brothers Company (NASDAQ: FARM) Economic Releases Expected: US Chicago PMI

  Tuesday

Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV (FOMC)

Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV (FEMSA) is a Mexico-based holding company engaged in the beverages industry. Through its subsidiary Coca-Cola FEMSA SAB de CV, the Company is active in the production and distribution of a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, bottled water and still beverages such brands as Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Powerade, Delaware Punch and other trademark beverages of The Coca-Cola Company in Mexico. Through FEMSA Comercio SA de CV, it operates the OXXO convenience-store chain in Latin America. The Company operates in a number of Latinamerican countries and in Philippines. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CanadianValue]

  Former Philadelphia Fed President Edward Boehne elegantly described the approach at a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in late 1989:

  ��ow, sooner or later, we will have a recession. I don�� think anybody around the table wants a recession or is seeking one, but sooner or later we will have one. If in that recession we took advantage of the anti-inflation (impetus) and we got inflation down from 4 1/2 percent to 3 percent, and then in the next expansion we were able to keep inflation from accelerating, sooner or later there will be another recession out there. And so, if we could bring inflation down from cycle to cycle just as we let it build up from cycle to cycle, that would be considerable progress over what we��e done in other periods in history.��/p>

• [By Canadian Value]

  Also interesting is that the duration of rising rate environments is distinctly shorter after 1982. The average duration declines to 14 months from 40 months prior to 1982. A possible explanation could be changes in the monetary mechanism influencing interest rates. In 1982, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) first referenced a targeted federal funds rate.7

Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: Stoneridge Inc.(SRI)

Stoneridge, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design and manufacture of engineered electrical and electronic components, modules, and systems for the medium and heavy-duty truck, automotive, agricultural, and off-highway vehicle markets primarily in North America and Europe. The company operates in two segments, Electronics and Control Devices. The Electronics segment produces electronic instrument clusters, electronic control units, and driver information systems, as well as electrical distribution systems, principally wiring harnesses and connectors for electrical power and signal distribution. Its products collect, store, and display vehicle information, such as speed, pressure, maintenance data, trip information, operator performance, temperature, distance traveled, and driver messages related to vehicle performance. In addition, this segment?s power distribution systems regulate, coordinate, and direct the operation of the electrical system within a vehicle. The Control Devices segment designs and manufactures products that monitor, measure, or activate a specific function within the vehicle. This segment?s product lines include sensors, which are employed in a range of vehicle systems, such as the emissions, safety, power train, braking, climate control, steering, and suspension systems; switches that transmit signal to activate or deactivate selected functions; and electromechanical actuator products, which enable original equipment manufacturers to deploy power functions in a vehicle. Stoneridge, Inc. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Warren, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Stoneridge (NYSE: SRI  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Patricio Kehoe]

  As the U.S. automobile industry recovers, auto parts suppliers are expecting to see increasing sales volumes. Particularly firms such as Delphi Automotive (DLPH) and Stoneridge Inc. (SRI), which specialize in electronic components, expect to make large profits. Increasingly electrified vehicles, higher demand for hybrid and electric powertrain vehicles and stricter governmental emissions regulations should drive revenue growth for these firms in coming years.