Best Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014

Next Tuesday, Navios Maritime Holdings (NYSE: NM  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed knee-jerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.

Navios is far from the only company to suffer greatly from weak conditions in dry-bulk shipping lately, as low rates and a glut of capacity have put extreme financial pressure on the entire industry. With stubbornly persistent economic trends continuing to work against the company, can Navios pull itself out of a potential downward spiral of losses? Let's take an early look at what's been happening with Navios Maritime over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its quarterly report.

Best Construction Material Companies For 2015: View Systems Inc (VSYM)

View Systems, Inc. (View Systems), incorporated on July 25, 2003, develops, produces and markets computer software and hardware systems for security and surveillance applications. The Company has penetrated four market segments for this product: correctional facilities, judicial facilities, probation offices and federal facilities in the Mid-Atlantic States, the West Coast and the South. The Company�� products and services include ViewScan Concealed Weapons Detection System, Multi-Mission Mobil Video (MMV), ViewMaxx Digital Video System, Additional Applications and Integration of ViewScan and ViewMaxx, the MINI, Network Services, FiberXpress, Inc., Visisys Ltd. and Training and Service Programs.

ViewScan Concealed Weapons Detection System

ViewScan is sold under the name Secure Scan, is a walk-through concealed weapons detector, which uses data sensing technology to pinpoint the location, size and number of concealed weapons. This walk-through portal is controlled by a master processing board and a personal computer based unit which receives magnetic and video information and combines it in a manner that allows the suspected location of the weapon to be stored electronically and referenced. ViewScan products are distributed in three basic configurations; stand-alone units, portable units and integrated door systems. ViewScan is designed to overcome the traditional shortcomings of electromagnetic induction scanners.

Multi-Mission Mobil Video

The MMV is a lightweight, wireless camera system housed in a tough, waterproof body. The camera system sends back real-time images to a computer or video monitor at the command post located outside the exclusion zone or containment area. The MMV also uses an Extension Link which is a separate transmitter and receiving system that increases the operating range of the MMV.

The Company has incorporated a video encryption feature that allows first responders to transmit on-scene video to the command post! without the data being intercepted by unwanted parties. The MMV is fully deployed by one person in a stand-alone configuration in less than 10 minutes. The system is battery operated and can operate for eight continuous hours using one set of spare camera batteries.

ViewMaxx Digital Video System

ViewMaxx is a high-resolution, digital video recording and real-time monitoring system. This system can be scaled to meet a specific customer's needs by using anywhere from one camera up to 32 surveillance cameras per each ViewMaxx unit. The system uses a video capture card recording which translates closed-circuit television analog video data (a format normally used by broadcasters for national television programs) to a computer readable digital format to be stored on direct access digital disk devices rather than the conventional television format of video tape. ViewMaxx offers programmable recording features that can eliminate the unnecessary storage of non-critical image data.

Additional Applications and Integration of ViewScan and ViewMaxx

The Company offers integration of other products with ViewScan or ViewMaxx. Its product can be interfaced with ViewScan and/or ViewMaxx to limit individual access to an area. ViewScan and/or ViewMaxx can be coupled with magnetic door locks to restrict access to a particular area. It also offers a central monitoring or video command center for ViewScan or ViewMaxx products.

The MINI

The MINI (Mobile Intelligent Network Informer) is a portable, wireless watchdog communication device that checks for intrusion into uninhabited areas such as foreclosed houses, storage spaces and vacation homes. The MINI senses motion and sends text messages to a user's cell phone. Property and remote assets may be guarded by this device that requires no plug-in electricity, no physical phone line and no monitoring service. The MINI runs on batteries and one configuration of the system can even send a photo of the in! truder to! the user's cell phone. Camera settings can be controlled and changed via short message service (SMS) commands. It licenses the MINI from its manufacturer and acts as a distributor.

Network Services

View Systems Inc. Network Services group supplied integrated electronic security and control systems. It supplied for commercial and industrial applications throughout the Mid Atlantic area.

FiberXpress, Inc.

FiberXpress, Inc. sells specialist data network related products. It sells its products through its Internet Website.

Visisys Ltd.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, there were no revenues from this partnership. The Company's partnership with Visisys, Ltd. has been terminated.

Training and Service Programs

The Company offers support services for our products, which includes on site consulting/planning with customer architect and engineers; installation and technical support; installation and technical support, and cand. The Company's family of products offers government and law enforcement agencies, commercial security professionals, private businesses and residential consumers an enhanced surveillance and detection capacity. Its ViewScan products and technology can be used where there is a temporary requirement for real-time weapons detection devices in areas where a permanent installation is prohibitive or impractical.

A primary market for the Company's ViewScan portal is federal and state government courthouses, county and municipal buildings, and correctional facilities. The Company has installed its ViewScan weapons detection products in a variety of court house situations. The MMV product's market includes National Guard units and first response agencies such as fire, police, SWAT, and homeland security response teams.

The Company competes with Ranger Security Scanners, Inc., Garrett Electronics, Inc., CEIA SpA, Sensormatic Corporation, NICE Systems, Ltd. and Inte! gral Syst! ems.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  View Systems Inc. (OTCBB:VSYM) may not be a household name, but neither was a little company called Force Protection - which sells many of the same items as VSYM - back in 2004. Seven years later, Force Protection had grown from a $40 million company to an organization General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD) was willing to pay $360 million to acquire in 2011. In many ways, View Systems is on a parallel path, and investors have good reason to be optimistic.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap stocks Vimicro International Corporation (NASDAQ: VIMC), Cohu, Inc (NASDAQ: COHU) and View Systems Inc (OTCBB: VSYM) are also surveillance and security stocks because they�also offer products that can be used to keep an eye on us���for better or for worst. After all and go to any public space (whether its a shopping mall, entertainment venue or even a street corner), you will probably see (or maybe not see) some sort of security or surveillance equipment. With that in mind, here is a look at three small cap surveillance and security stocks you may have overlooked:

Best Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014: Safeway Inc.(SWY)

Safeway Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a food and drug retailer in North America. The company operates stores that provide an array of grocery items, food, and general merchandise, as well as features specialty departments, such as bakery, delicatessen, floral, and pharmacy, as well as coffee shops and fuel centers. It also offers SELECT line of products that include baked goods, sparkling ciders and lemonades, salsas, whole bean coffees, frozen pizzas and entrees, and fresh and dry pastas and sauces, as well as an array of ice creams, hors d'oeuvres, and desserts; O ORGANICS line, which comprises milk, chicken, salads, juices, and entrees; Lucerne line of dairy products; Eating Right line of better-for-you products; Bright Green line of home care products; Total Pet Care line of pet foods and pet care products; and Value Red line of value-priced paper goods. As of December 31, 2009, Safeway operated approximately 1,725 stores in California, Oregon, Wash ington, Alaska, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba/Saskatchewan. In addition, the company owns and operates GroceryWorks.com Operating Company, LLC, an online grocery channel, doing business under the names Safeway.com, Vons.com, and Genuardis.com; and Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc., which provides third-party gift cards, prepaid cards, telecom cards, and sports and entertainment cards to North American retailers for sale to retail customers. Additionally, it engages in gift card businesses in the United Kingdom, France, Mexico, and Australia. Further, the company, through a 49% ownership interest in Casa Ley, S.A. de C.V. operates 156 food and general merchandise stores in Western Mexico. The company was formerly known as Safeway Stores, Incorporated and changed its name to Safeway Inc. in February 1990. Safeway was founded in 1915 and is based in Pleasanton, California. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bloomberg Businessweek]

  Shutterstock/Aleph Studio An environmental group made waves this week with word that Kroger (KR) and Safeway (SWY), the second- and fourth-largest U.S. grocery chains, respectively, had agreed not to sell genetically engineered salmon. These futuristic fish aren't yet commercially available. Maybe that's why the task of heralding the news was left to Friends of the Earth. The list of retailers that won't touch modified salmon now includes big names such as Target (TGT), H-E-B, Whole Foods (WFM) and Trader Joe's. But what about Walmart (WMT)? The chain, which accounts for 15 percent of fresh food sales in the U.S, isn't saying.

• [By John Udovich]

  Just two years ago, small cap grocery store stock SUPERVALU Inc (NYSE: SVU) was struggling as the most shorted grocery stock on the market and underperforming potential peers like�large caps Whole Foods Market, Inc (NASDAQ: WFM) and Kroger Co (NYSE: KR)�plus�mid cap Safeway Inc (NYSE: SWY). However, SUPERVALU Inc reported another good earnings report for the fiscal third quarter 2015 that seems to indicate the turnaround begun by the CEO two years ago is succeeding,�and yet�shares still ended the day right where they started. Here are some key takeaway�� from the Wednesday morning earnings report and/or earnings call (the transcript is available here on Seeking Alpha):

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Whole Foods continues to demonstrate an impressive awareness of what its customers want and a skillful ability to respond to varying customer needs, even at the local store level. One way it has done so is by keeping employee counts high, bucking the trend at Safeway (NYSE: SWY  ) and Wal-Mart, which have cut the ratio of employees to store square-footage by double-digit percentages in the past five years. Costco (NASDAQ: COST  ) has used the same strategy to boost overall sales, seeing employees as a key to boosting customer satisfaction that leads to greater revenue, rather than as a cost center. Whole Foods is following the same game plan to perfection.

Best Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014: Sovereign Lithium Inc (SLCO)

Sovereign Lithium, Inc., formerly Great American Energy Inc., incorporated on February 22, 2007, is a mineral exploration and development company focused on supporting clean energy and clean technology industries. The Company is engaged in identifying, acquiring and developing mineral assets in the United States and surrounding countries. The Company�� portfolio of projects primarily targets lithium production with a sub-focus on rare earth elements (REE).

The Company�� project includes Big Smoky Valley lithium project and Bear Creek REE project. Big Smoky Valley lithium project is located in Esmeralda Country in Nevada. It represents 48 unpatented placer mining claims consisting of 7,680 acres (3,108 hectares) in and around Esmeralda Country, Nevada. Bear Creek REE project consists of 10 mining claims totaling 7,311 acres (2,959 hectares) in British Columbia, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Well, as it turns out, the snake that bit L&L Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:LLEN) and Sovereign Lithium Inc. (OTCMKTS:SLCO) didn't end up biting Makism 3D Corp. (OTCMKTS:MDDD). And in retrospect, that's probably how it should be. Indeed, the fact that MDDD didn't even come close to suffering the same fate as SLCO or LLEN did may be the biggest assurance Makism 3D fans could hope for that the company is everything it says it is.

Best Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014: Plains All American Pipeline L.P.(PAA)

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., through its subsidiaries, engages in the transportation, storage, terminalling, and marketing of crude oil, refined products, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) products in the United States and Canada. The company operates in three segments: Transportation, Facilities, and Supply and Logistics. The Transportation segment transports crude oil and refined products on pipelines, gathering systems, trucks, and barges. As of December 31, 2011, this segment owned and leased 16,000 miles of active crude oil and refined products pipelines and gathering systems; 23 million barrels of above-ground tank capacity used primarily to facilitate pipeline throughput; 67 trucks and 382 trailers; and 82 transport and storage barges, and 44 transport tugs. The Facilities segment provides storage, terminalling, and throughput services for crude oil, refined products, and LPG and natural gas, as well as offers LPG fractionation and isomerization, and natural gas processing services. The Supply and Logistics segment purchases crude oil at the wellhead, and pipeline and terminal facilities; waterborne cargoes at their load port and various other locations in transit; and LPG from producers, refiners, and other marketers. This segment also resells or exchanges crude oil and LPG; and transports oil and LPG on trucks, barges, railcars, pipelines, and ocean-going vessels to various delivery points. It has 622 trucks and 731 trailers, and 2,453 railcars. The company also owns and operates natural gas storage facilities. Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Another big winner when it comes to crude oil by rail is Plains All American Pipeline (NYSE: PAA  ) . Late last year the company spent $500 million to acquire five terminals to complement its existing facilities. Overall the company is expected to have 250,000 barrels per day of loading capacity with another 335,000 barrels per day of unloading capacity. Because of the limited pipeline connectivity to the east and west coasts, Plains has the facilities to enable the delivery of cheaper Bakken crude to coastal refineries.

Best Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014: ADT Corp (ADT)

The ADT Corporation (ADT), incorporated on January 18, 2012, is a provider of electronic security, interactive home and business automation, and monitoring services for residences and small businesses in the United States and Canada. The Company�� products and services include ADT Pulse interactive home and business solutions, and home health services. ADT provides business security intrusion detection, which protect the business from burglary, robbery and intruders. Its electronic access control limits unauthorized entry and employee access to the business, as well as complete access. Effective August 2, 2013, The ADT Corp acquired Devcon Security Services Corp, a provider of security protection services, from Devcon International Corp. In November 2013, Kastle Systems International announced that it had acquired Mutual Central Alarm Services and Stat-Land Security Systems from ADT Corporation.

The Company's video surveillance views events in multiple areas of facility, which has control over loss and oversees business. On October 1, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of Absolute Security.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Thalman]

  On a more somber note, shares of security system provider ADT (NYSE: ADT  ) fell 5.79% today, after the company announced that it will repurchase 10.24 million shares from hedge fund Corvex Management. The agreed-upon amount was Friday's closing price of $44.01 per share. While Corvex currently owns 11.2 million shares of ADT, this is a massive cut to its holding amount and comes despite ADT's reporting of earnings growth in recent quarters as its customer base grows and the housing industry becomes healthier. Corvex founder Keith Mieister will resign from the ADT board now that it will no longer own 5.3% of the outstanding shares. While current shareholders should be happy the company agreed to buy back those shares, it does seem odd that such a large investor would dump nearly its entire holding. And that's probably why investors pushed the price lower today.

• [By Javier Hasse, Insider Monkey]

  So, let�� take a look at three stocks that insiders have been buying (which can be interpreted as a bullish signal), which also trade at low P/E levels in order to elucidate if they stand as good investment options.

  ADT Corp (ADT)

  First off is ADT Corp (ADT), a $5.4 billion market cap provider of electronic security, interactive home and business automation and related monitoring services.

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  Although most of these companies are still expected to grow at above-average rates, most of them are not expected to grow at the same rate they historically have. However, the majority are expected to grow at rates greater than the average dividend paying company found in other sectors. Moreover, the majority of these candidates also offer above-market dividend yields and below-market average valuations. Automatic Data Processing (ADT) is an exception and only included because it has historically been priced at a premium valuation to its earnings growth.

Best Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014: Berry Plastics Group Inc (BERY)

Berry Plastics Group, Inc. (Berry), incorporated on November 18, 2005, is a provider of plastic consumer packaging and engineered materials. Berry owns 100% interest of Berry Plastics Corporation. Berry sells its solutions predominantly into end markets, such as food and beverage, healthcare and personal care. The Company operates in three segments: Rigid Packaging, Engineered Materials and Flexible Packaging. As of September 19, 2012, the Company supplied its customers through 82 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States (68 locations) and select international locations (14 locations). In June 2012, the Company acquired 100% interest of Frans Nooren Beheer B.V. and its operating companies (Stopaq). In September 2011, the Company acquired 100% interests of Rexam Closures Kentucky Inc., Rexam Delta Inc., Rexam Closures LLC, Rexam Closure Systems LLC, Rexam de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Rexam Singapore PTE Ltd., Rexam Participacoes Ltda. and Rexam Plasticos do Brasil Ltda. (collectively, Rexam SBC). In August 2011, Berry acquired 100% interest of LINPAC Packaging Filmco, Inc.

Rigid Packaging

The Company�� Rigid Packaging business consists of containers, foodservice items, house wares, closures, over caps, bottles, prescription vials, and tubes. The end uses for these products are consumer-oriented end markets, such as food and beverage, retail mass marketers, healthcare, personal care and household chemical. The Company manufactures a collection of container products. The Company produces 32 ounce or thermoformed polypropylene (PP) drink cups and offers a product line with sizes ranging from 12 to 52 ounces. The Company�� products of house wares market is focused on producing semi-disposable plastic home and party and plastic garden products. The Company produces closures and over caps across several of its product lines, including continuous-thread and child-resistant closures, as well as aerosol over caps. The Company also provides a range of custom closure ! solutions including fitments and plugs for medical applications, cups and spouts for liquid laundry detergent, and dropper bulb assemblies for medical and personal care applications.

The Company competes with Airlite, Letica, Polytainers, Silgan, Aptar Group and Reynolds.

Engineered Materials

Berry�� Engineered Materials business primarily consists of pipeline corrosion protection solutions, specialty tapes and adhesives, polyethylene-based film products, and can liners served to a variety of end markets including oil, water and gas infrastructure, industrial and consumer-oriented end markets. The Company produces anti-corrosion products to infrastructure, rehabilitation and pipeline projects throughout the world. Products include heat-shrinkable coatings, single- and multi-layer sleeves, pipeline coating tapes, anode systems for cathodic protection and epoxy coatings. These products are used in oil, gas and water supply and construction applications.

Berry is the manufacturer of cloth and foil tape products. Other tape products include range of splicing and laminating tapes, flame-retardant tapes, vinyl-coated and carton sealing tapes, electrical, double-faced cloth, masking, mounting, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) medical and specialty tapes. These products are sold under the National, Nashua and Polyken brands in the United States. The Company manufactures and sells a portfolio of PE-based film products to end users in the retail markets. These products are sold under brands, such as Ruffies and Film-Gard. Its products include drop cloths and retail trash bags. The Company manufactures customized PP-based, woven and sewn containers for the transportation and storage of raw materials, such as seeds, titanium dioxide, clay and resin pellets.

The Company offers range of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) meat film and agricultural film. Berry�� products are used primarily to wrap fresh meats, poultry and produce for supermarket applic! ations. I! n addition, the Company offers a line of boxed products for food service and retail sales. Berry sells trash-can liners and food bags for offices, restaurants, schools, hospitals, hotels, municipalities and manufacturing facilities. The Company also sells products under the Big City, Hospi-Tuff, Plas-Tuff, Rhino-X and Steel-Flex brands. The Company produces both hand and machine-wrap stretch films, which are used by end users to wrap products and packages for storage and shipping. It sells stretch film products to distributors and retail and industrial end users under the MaxTech and PalleTech brands.

The Company competes with AEP, Sigma and 3M.

Flexible Packaging

The Company�� Flexible Packaging business consists of barrier, multilayer film products, as well as finished flexible packages, such as printed bags and pouches. Berry manufactures and sells a range of film products ranging from mono layer to coextruded films having up to nine layers, lamination films sold primarily to flexible packaging converters and used for peelable lid stock, stand-up pouches, pillow pouches and other flexible packaging formats. The Company also manufactures barrier films used for cereal, cookie, cracker and dry mix packages that are sold directly to food manufacturers like Kraft and Pepsico. It also manufactures films for industrial applications ranging from lamination film for carpet padding to films used in solar panel construction.

The Company supplies component and packaging films used for personal care applications. Berry is a converter of printed bags, pouches and roll stock. Its manufacturing base includes integrated extrusion that combines with printing, laminating, bagmaking, Innolok and laser-score converting processes. The Company is a supplier of printed film products for the fresh bakery, tortilla and frozen vegetable markets with brands, such as SteamQuick Film, Freshview bags and Billboard. The Company manufactures specialty coated and laminated produ! cts for a! range of packaging applications. Its products are sold under the MarvelGuard and MarvelSeal brands and are sold to converters who transform them into finished goods.

The Company competes with Printpak, Tredegar and Bemis.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  One of the most famous scenes in the cult classic, the Graduate, was when Mr. McGuire�took Dustin Hoffman�� character aside and said�"Ben, I want to say one word to you, just one word: Plastics"; but what about the Berry Plastics Group Inc (NYSE: BERY) and its performance verses that of the�iShares S&P 500 Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IVV), iShares Russell Midcap Index Fund ETF (NYSEARCA: IWR) and iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IJR)? I should mention that plastics and the Berry Plastics Group was not the place to be yesterday as the stock took a tumble on reduced guidance.

• [By Ben Rooney]

  In pointing out the possibility of the upcoming ban, a recent Goldman Sachs (GS) report said it would be good news for Berry Plastics Group (BERY), which makes cups out of a material similar to polystyrene that is recyclable.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  It's certainly not as big as Berry Plastics Group Inc. (NYSE:BERY). It's not even as big as Tredegar Corporation (NYSE:TG). There's one big way AEP Industries (NASDAQ:AEPI) can certainly compete head-on with BERY and TG right now, however... as an investment opportunity. Thanks to the bullish bump AEPI gave us last week, a long-standing selloff has been revered, and there's a whole lot of ground to make up.

Best Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014: LogMein Inc.(LOGM)

LogMeIn, Inc. provides on-demand, remote-connectivity, collaboration, and support solutions to small and medium-sized businesses, information technology (IT) service providers, mobile carriers, and consumers in the United States and internationally. Its services include remote user access services, which allow users to access computers and other Internet-enabled devices to continue working while away from the office or to access personal systems while away from home; remote support and management services to deliver support and management of IT resources remotely; and remote collaboration to conduct online meetings and share documents, images, and their desktop with other users. The company?s remote user access services comprise LogMeIn Free, a free remote access service, which provides secure access to a remote computer or other Internet-enabled device; LogMeIn Pro, a remote access service; LogMeIn Hamachi, a hosted virtual private network service; and LogMeIn Ignition, a service that delivers access to remote computers that subscribe to LogMeIn Free or LogMeIn Pro. Its remote support and management services consist of LogMeIn Rescue, a Web-based remote support service to support remote computers and applications, and assist computer users via the Internet; LogMeIn Rescue+Mobile, an add-on of LogMeIn Rescue?s Web-based remote support service to remotely access and support smartphones and tablet computers; LogMeIn Central, a Web-based management console; and LogMeIn Backup, a service that subscribers install on two or more computers to create a backup network. The company?s remote collaboration services include join.me and join.me pro, which are browser-based online meetings and screen sharing services. LogMeIn, Inc. has a strategic agreement with Intel Corporation. The company was formerly known as 3am Labs, Inc. and changed its name to LogMeIn, Inc. in March 2006. LogMeIn, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Woburn, Massachu setts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Remote-access software maker LogMeIn (NASDAQ: LOGM  ) reported strong Q1 earnings Thursday evening, beating analyst estimates on both profits and revenues, and guiding investors to expect higher-than-consensus earnings for both Q2 and the full year. LogMeIn said it earned $0.12 per share in the fiscal first quarter, will earn $0.11 to $0.12 in Q2, and keep on that track, with about $0.48 per share at the midpoint of guidance for the year.

• [By Rich Smith]

  This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines feature upgrades for mini-industrialist Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS  ) �and for remote computer access specialist LogMeIn (NASDAQ: LOGM  ) but a downgrade for publicly traded soccer club Manchester United (NYSE: MANU  ) . Let's take them one at a time, beginning with...