Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015

Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI  ) just keeps growing.

The satellite radio provider delivered robust quarterly results this morning. Revenue climbed 12% to $940.1 million, just ahead of the $934.4 million that Wall Street was forecasting. A 9% increase in subscribers over the past year was the major contributor to the top-line spurt, though it also helps that Sirius XM is squeezing a little more revenue out of the average listener.

Earnings of $126 million -- or $0.02 a share -- matched expectations.

As a scalable model, once again we're seeing results get rosier as we work our way down the company's financial statements. Pre-tax profits rose 47%, and adjusted EBITDA clocked in 19% higher. �

We knew that this would be a good quarter the moment that�Sirius XM revealed that it closed out the period with�715,000 net new subscribers�two weeks ago. We now know that it was 715,762 net additions during the last three months, making this Sirius XM's most successful quarter in terms of base growth since the merger of Sirius and XM five summers ago.�

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: Strategem Capital Corp (SGE)

Strategem Capital Corporation (Strategem) is a Canada-based company. It is a publicly-traded merchant bank involved in acquiring interests in and developing companies. The Company takes early debt and/or equity positions in such emerging growth companies. As of December 31, 2009, the Company is focused on companies that explore or develop precious or base metals. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  ThyssenKrupp AG (TKA) slumped 9.3 percent after Germany�� largest steelmaker raised 882.3 million euros ($1.21 billion) through a share sale. Standard Chartered Plc lost 8.1 percent. Sage Group (SGE) Plc, the U.K.�� biggest software maker, rose 6.8 percent after reporting revenue growth that exceeded analysts��estimates. AZ Electronic Materials SA surged 43 percent after Merck KGaA (MRK) agreed to buy it for about 1.6 billion pounds ($2.6 billion).

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: S.Y. Bancorp Inc.(SYBT)

S.Y. Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company that provides commercial and personal banking services in Louisville, Kentucky; southern Indiana and Indianapolis, Indiana; and Cincinnati, Ohio. Its deposits consist of non-interest and interest bearing demand deposits, savings deposits, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, money market deposits, and time deposits. The company provides various secured loans, including commercial lines of credit, commercial term loans, real estate, construction, home equity, and consumer loans. It also offers wealth management services, including investment management, trust and estate administration, retirement planning, and financial planning services; securities brokerage services; and life insurance products, as well as originates and sells single-family residential mortgages. As of December 31, 2010, the company had 25 full service banking locations in the Louisville MSA, 2 full service banking locations in Indianapolis, and 3 full service banking locations in Cincinnati. S.Y. Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Louisville-based bank holding company S.Y. Bancorp (SYBT) raised its quarterly dividend 5% to 21 cents per share, payable on Dec. 31 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 9.
  SYBT Dividend Yield: 2.71%

Best Casino Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Market Vectors Global Alternative Energy ETF (GEX)

Market Vectors-Global Alternative Energy ETF (the Fund) seeks to replicate as closely as possible the price and yield performance of the Ardour Global Index (Extra Liquid) (the Index). The Index, published by Ardour Global Indexes, LLC and calculated by Dow Jones Indexes, is a benchmark for the global alternative energy industry. The Index is a rules-based index that seeks to track the overall performance of a global universe of listed companies engaged in the alternative energy industry. As of April 2007, the Index consisted of publicly traded stocks of 30 of the largest, most actively traded alternative energy companies from worldwide. Companies included in the Index generate over 50% of their revenues from alternative energy and/or related technologies, and are engaged in five core industry sectors: alternative energy resources (solar, wind, bio-fuels, water and geothermal), which constitute approximately 70% of the Index; distributed generation, which constitutes approximately 3% of the Index; environmental technologies related to alternative energy, which constitutes approximately 9% of the Index; energy efficiency, which constitutes approximately 4% of the Index, and enabling technologies, which constitutes approximately 14% of the Index.

The Index consists of the 30 stocks in the Ardour Global Index (Composite) with the highest average of daily trading volume and market capitalization. The Ardour Global Index (Composite) is a modified capitalization-weighted, float-adjusted index comprising publicly traded companies engaged in the production of alternative fuels and/or technologies related to the production of alternative energy power. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in stocks of companies primarily engaged in the business of alternative energy. The Fund, utilizing a passive or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Index by investing in a portfolio of securities that generally replicate the Index. The ! Fund will hold all of the securities, which comprise the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index. The Fund will normally invest at least 95% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Index. Van Eck Associates Corporation serves as the investment advisor of the Fund.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Todd Shriber, ETF Professor]

  The news was predictably good for a pair of ETFs that should be known as "Tesla ETFs." The Market Vectors Global Alternatve Energy ETF (NYSE: GEX) and the First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index Fund (NASDAQ: QCLN) both traded higher on a down day for U.S. stocks, rising to within pennies of their previous 52-week highs.

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: First Horizon National Corp (FHN)

First Horizon National Corporation (FHN), incorporated in 1968, is a bank holding company. The Company provides financial services through its subsidiary, First Tennessee Bank National Association (the Bank), and its subsidiaries. The Company�� two brands First Tennessee and FTN Financial provide customers with a range of products and services. First Tennessee provides retail and commercial banking services throughout Tennessee. FTN Financial (FTNF) is engaged in fixed income sales, trading, and strategies for institutional clients in the United States and abroad. FHN has four operating business segments: regional banking, capital markets, corporate, and non-strategic. As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had $16.4 billion in total deposits and $16 billion in total net loans. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� subsidiaries had over 200 business locations in 17 the United States states, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, excluding off-premises automated teller machines (ATMs). As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had 183 branch locations in four states, which include 172 branches in metropolitan areas of Tennessee; two branches in northwestern Georgia; seven branches in northwestern Mississippi, and two branches in North Carolina. As of December 31, 2011, FTN Financial products and services were offered through 18 offices in total, including 16 offices in 14 states plus an office in each of Hong Kong and Tokyo.

The regional banking segment offers financial products and services, including traditional lending and deposit taking, to retail and commercial customers in Tennessee and surrounding markets. Regional banking provides investments, financial planning, trust services and asset management, credit card, cash management, and first lien mortgage originations within the Tennessee footprint. In addition, the regional banking segment includes correspondent banking, which provides credit, depository, and other banking related services to other financial institutions.

The capital markets se! gment consists of fixed income sales, trading, and strategies for institutional clients in the United States and abroad, as well as loan sales, portfolio advisory, and derivative sales. The corporate segment consists of gains on the extinguishment of debt, unallocated corporate expenses, expense on subordinated debt issuances and preferred stock, bank-owned life insurance, unallocated interest income associated with excess equity, net impact of raising incremental capital, revenue and expense associated with deferred compensation plans, funds management, low income housing investment activities, and charges related to restructuring, repositioning, and efficiency. The non-strategic segment consists of the wind-down national consumer lending activities, legacy mortgage banking elements, including servicing fees, and the associated ancillary revenues and expenses related to these businesses. Non-strategic also includes the wind-down trust preferred loan portfolio and exited businesses along with the associated restructuring, repositioning, and efficiency charges.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided services through its subsidiaries, which include general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments; through FTN Financial fixed income sales and trading, underwriting of bank, loan sales, advisory services and derivative sales; discount brokerage and full-service brokerage; correspondent banking; transaction processing, such as nationwide check clearing services and remittance processing; trust, fiduciary, and agency services; credit card products; equipment finance; investment and financial advisory services; mutual fund sales as agent; retail insurance sales as agent, and mortgage banking services.

As of December 31, 2011, the commercial, financial, and industrial (C&I) portfolio was eight billion dollars, and is consisted of loans used for general business purposes, and consisted of relationship customers in Tennessee and certain n! eighborin! g states, which are managed within the regional bank. Products include working capital lines of credit, term loan financing of owner-occupied real estate and fixed assets, and trade credit enhancement through letters of credit. As of December 31, 2011, the unpaid principal balance (UPB) of trust preferred loans totaled $447.2 million with the UPB of other bank-related loans totaling approximately $161.8 million. The commercial real estate portfolio includes both financings for commercial construction and non-construction loans. This portfolio is segregated between income commercial real estate (CRE) loans which contain loans, lines, and letters of credit to commercial real estate developers for the construction and mini- permanent financing of income-producing real estate, and residential CRE loans. The residential CRE portfolio includes loans to residential builders and developers for the purpose of constructing single-family detached homes, condominiums, and town homes. As of December 31, 2011, the residential CRE portfolio was $.1 billion. As of December 31, 2011, the consumer real estate portfolio was $5.3 billion, and is composed of home equity lines and installment loans. As of December 31, 2011, the credit card and other portfolios were $.3 billion, and primarily include credit card receivables, automobile loans, and over-the-counter (OTC) construction loans and other consumer related credits.

FHN�� investment portfolio consists of debt securities, including government agency issued mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and government agency issued collateralized mortgage obligations (CMO). During the year ended December 31, 2011, Government agency issued MBS and CMO, and other agencies averaged $2.9 billion. During 2011, the United States treasury securities and municipal bonds averaged $79.5 million. During 2011, investments in equity securities averaged $222.3 million.

During 2011, short-term funds (certificates of deposit greater than $100,000, federal funds purchased (! FFP), sec! urities sold under agreements to repurchase, trading liabilities, and other short-term borrowings) averaged $3.6 billion. During 2011, other borrowings increased to $.3 billion. Term borrowings include senior and subordinated borrowings and advances with original maturities greater than one year. During 2011, average term borrowings averaged $2.6 billion.

The Company competes with Regions Bank, SunTrust Bank, Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Bank of America N.A., and Pinnacle National Bank.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $0.18 per share on revenue of $307.14 million.

  Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (NYSE: LH) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.80 per share on revenue of $1.45 billion.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Finally, regional bank First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN  ) , which has banking branches throughout Tennessee, added 4.2% just a day after paying shareholders a $0.05 quarterly dividend. Like Genuine Parts, there is no company specific news driving First Horizon higher, but the prospect for a higher net interest margin because of higher interest rates is certainly adding a boost to banks like First Horizon that rely on traditional loan and deposit growth. But as my Foolish colleague John Maxfield recently pointed out, you may want to keep your expectations for First Horizon tempered in the interim.

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: MBIA Inc (MBI)

MBIA Inc. (MBIA), incorporated on November 12, 1986, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, operates the financial guarantee insurance businesses in the industry and is a provider of asset management advisory services. These activities are managed through three business segments: United States public finance insurance, structured finance and international insurance, and advisory services. The Company�� United States public finance insurance business is operated through National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation and its subsidiaries (National), its structured finance and international insurance business is primarily operated through MBIA Insurance Corporation and its subsidiaries (MBIA Corp.), and its asset management advisory services business is primarily operated through Cutwater Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries (Cutwater). It also manages certain business activities through its corporate, asset/liability products, and conduit segments. The corporate segment includes revenues and expenses that arise from general corporate activities. Funding programs managed through the asset/liability products and conduit segments are in wind-down.

MBIA Corp. owns MBIA UK Insurance Limited (MBIA UK), a financial guarantee insurance company that is regulated and supervised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the United Kingdom and is authorized to carry out insurance business in the United Kingdom and in the European Economic Area on a cross border services basis. Its financial guarantee insurance generally provides investors with an unconditional and irrevocable guarantee of the payment of the principal, interest or other amounts owing on insured obligations when due or, in the event that the Company has the right at its discretion to accelerate insured obligations upon default or otherwise, upon its election to accelerate. The Company conducts its financial guarantee business, as well as related reinsurance, advisory and portfolio services, through its subsidiaries National Publi! c Finance Guarantee Corporation (National), its United States (United States) public finance-only financial guarantee company, and MBIA Insurance Corporation and its subsidiaries (MBIA Corp.), which write global structured finance and non-United States public finance financial guarantee insurance.

Insurance operations

The Company�� United States public finance insurance business is conducted through National, and its structured finance and international insurance operations are conducted through MBIA Corp. and its subsidiaries. It also issue insurance policies to guarantee the payment of principal and interest on municipal obligations being traded in the secondary market upon the request of a broker or an existing holder of uninsured bonds, where premium is generally paid by the owner of the obligation. In addition, the Company has provided financial guarantees to debt service reserve funds. The primary risk in its insurance operations is that of adverse credit performance in the insured portfolio. It seeks to maintain a diversified insured portfolio and have designed each insured portfolio with the aim of managing and diversifying risk based on a range of criteria, including revenue source, issue size, type of asset, industry concentrations, type of bond and geographic area.

Through the Company�� reinsurance of United States public finance financial guarantees from MBIA Corp. and Financial Guaranty Insurance Company (FGIC), National�� insurance portfolio consists of municipal bonds, including tax-exempt and taxable indebtedness of United States political subdivisions, as well as utility districts, airports, health care institutions, higher educational facilities, student loan issuers, housing authorities and other similar agencies and obligations issued by private entities that finance projects that serve a substantial public purpose. Municipal bonds and privately issued bonds used for the financing of public purpose projects are generally supported by ! taxes, as! sessments, user fees or tariffs related to the use of these projects, lease payments or other similar types of revenue streams. As of December 31, 2012, MBIA Corp. had 899 policies outstanding in its insured portfolio. In addition, MBIA Corp. had 199 insurance policies outstanding relating to asset/liability products liabilities issued by MBIA Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Advisory Services

In the Company�� asset management advisory services business its registered investment advisors provide fixed-income asset management services for third parties and the investment portfolios of the Company and its affiliates (including the wind-down businesses) on a fee-for-service basis. Its advisory services are offered in two product lines, traditional and structured. Within the traditional product line, Cutwater offers cash management, customized asset management, discretionary asset management and fund accounting services to governments, insurance companies (including the Company�� insurance subsidiaries), corporations, pension funds, unions, endowments, foundations and investment companies in both pooled and separate account formats. These services are offered through registered investment advisers, and Cutwater receives asset management and administrative fees as compensation. Within the structured product line, Cutwater manages asset/liability programs and conduits (the wind-down businesses), Collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and other funding vehicles for banks, insurance companies, program trustees and investment companies, and it earns base and performance fees for its services. Cutwater�� advisory services are offered through two principal operating subsidiaries: Cutwater Asset Management Corp. (Cutwater-AMC), an SEC-registered investment adviser and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm, and Cutwater Investor Services Corp. (Cutwater-ISC), an SEC-registered investment adviser.

Wind-down Business

The asset/liability produc! ts busine! ss historically raised funds for investment through two sources, such as issuance of customized investment agreements by the Company and one of its subsidiaries for bond proceeds and other funds, and issuance of medium-term notes (MTNs) with varying maturities issued by its subsidiary MBIA Global Funding, LLC (GFL). Each of these products is guaranteed by MBIA Corp. In addition, GFL would lend the proceeds of its GFL MTN issuances to MBIA Inc. (GFL Loans). The Company primarily purchased domestic securities and lent a portion of the proceeds from investment agreements and GFL MTNs to its subsidiary Euro Asset Acquisition Limited, which primarily purchased foreign assets as permitted under the Company�� investment guidelines. The Company�� conduit segment is principally operated through Meridian Funding Company, LLC (Meridian) and, formerly, Triple-A One Funding Corporation (Triple-A One). The conduits were used by banks and other financial institutions to raise funds for their customers in the capital markets. During 2012, Triple-A One was liquated. The conduits provided funding for multiple customers through special purpose vehicles that issued commercial paper and MTNs.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson]

  After years of back-and-forth, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) and MBIA (NYSE: MBI  ) have�settled the dispute over issues stemming from legacy Countrywide practices. The Charlotte, N.C.-based bank agreed to pay $1.6 billion in cash, as well as engage in some other actions. Both stocks soared after the deal was announced on Monday.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  MBIA (NYSE: MBI) was also up, gaining 8.18 percent to $14.41 after the company reported upbeat Q4 earnings.

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of McDermott International (NYSE: MDR) were down 6.97 percent to $7.55 after the company reported a Q4 loss of $1.37 per share on revenue of $517.3 million. It also withdrew its previous outlook. Capital One Financial downgraded the stock from Equalweight to Underweight and cut the price target from $8.00 to $6.00.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of mortgage insurer MBIA (NYSE: MBI) climbed 10% today after settling its lawsuit against Flagstar Bancorp (NYSE: FBC), in which it accused the bank of misrepresenting the loan quality underlying $1.1 billion in mortgage-backed securities. �

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: PowerShares Dynamic Large Cap Growth Portfolio (PWB)

PowerShares Dynamic Large Cap Growth Portfolio (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield of an equity index called the Dynamic Large Cap Growth Intellidex Index (the Intellidex). The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its assets in common stocks of large-cap companies. A company is considered to be a large-cap company if it falls within the Intellidex model. The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Intellidex. The Intellidex consists of 50 United States large-cap growth stocks selected principally on the basis of their capital appreciation potential as identified by the AMEX (the Intellidex Provider) pursuant to its Intellidex methodology.

The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate the performance of the Intellidex. The Fund generally will invest in all of the stocks comprising the Intellidex in proportion to their weightings in the Intellidex. The Fund�� investment advisor is PowerShares Capital Management LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Two ETFs to watch are Guggenheim Solar (NYSEMKT: TAN), which is up more than 80% so far this year, and PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy (NYSEMKT: PWB), up more than 40%. Both are less liquid than the company shares and their gains have been smaller, but both should do well if the solar stocks keep running up.

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: Trulia Inc (TRLA)

Trulia, Inc. is a real estate search engine company. The Company helps in finding homes for sale and provides real estate information. The Company is also a tool for real estate professionals to market their listings, view real estate data and promote their services. It provides local information, community insights, market data and national listings. Effective August 20, 2013, Trulia Inc acquired the entire interest of Market Leader Inc.

Trulia.com is an online real estate site focused on buyers, sellers and renters with tools to help them find the right home. The Company�� Website, www.trulia.com, is a search engine for buying and renting homes, advising homes and mortgages. The Company is headquartered in downtown San Francisco and is backed by Accel Partners and Sequoia Capital.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Austin Smith and Chris Hill]

  In the following video, Motley Fool analyst Austin Smith sits down with host Chris Hill to discuss big trends in the housing market, and how homebuying is changing for good. Austin tells investors how companies such as Zillow (NASDAQ: Z  ) and Trulia (NYSE: TRLA  ) are empowering homebuyers and making them less likely to turn to traditional real estate agents, and how consumers are increasingly comfortable making big-ticket purchases informed by mobile, through services such as eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) . Austin then gives his picks for which player to invest in, to best get in on this trend.

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: Ashford Hospitality Trust Inc (AHT)

Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. is a publicly owned real estate investment trust. The firm engages in investment and management of properties in the hospitality industry. It invests in the real estate markets of the United States. The firm primarily invests in hotels with a focus on the ownership of upper-upscale and upscale full-service and select service hotels in primary, secondary and resort markets. It also invests in mid-scale and luxury hotels. The firm invests across all segments and at all levels of the capital structure, including direct hotel investments, first mortgages, mezzanine loans, construction loans, and sale-leaseback transactions. It primarily concentrates among Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and Starwood brands. Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  Finally, we have a long-time holding of my own portfolio, Ashford Hospitality Trust Preferred D Shares (AHT), which is an 8.45% issuance trading right about par.� With hotel preferred stock, you have a great opportunity for safe yields.� Your preferred stock is paid dividends before common shareholders receive theirs.� During the financial crisis, when every other hotel stock was getting destroyed and cutting �both common and preferred dividends, Ashford maintained its preferred payouts.� It is the hotel REIT with the highest insider ownership, and has a solid balance sheet that survived the worst of times.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Hospitality industry real estate investment trust�Ashford Hospitality Trust (NYSE: AHT  ) announced today its second-quarter dividend of $0.12 per share, the same rate it paid last quarter after raising the payout 9% from $0.11 per share.

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: Redwood Trust Inc.(RWT)

Redwood Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust, together with its subsidiaries, engages in investing, financing, and managing real estate assets. The company?s investments include residential and commercial real estate loans; and securities backed by residential and commercial loans, including senior and subordinate securities. The senior securities are those interests in a securitization that have the first right to cash flows and are last to absorb losses; and subordinate securities are those interests in a securitization that have the last right to cash flows and are first in line to absorb losses. As of March 31, 2011, it had 77 real estate owned properties primarily in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, and Georgia. It would elect to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (REIT) for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, the company would not be subject to federal income tax, if it distributes at least 90% of net taxable income to its stockholders. Red wood Trust, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is based in Mill Valley, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Amanda Alix]

  On the mortgage front, Two Harbors notes that it has acquired a passel of prime jumbo home loans, which it likely plans to securitize. The company's CEO, Tom Siering, also addresses this issue on the earnings call, where he states that the trust was involved in a $400 million securitization of prime jumbo loans. This puts Two Harbors in the company of mREIT Redwood Trust (NYSE: RWT  ) , which has nearly single-handedly brought back the jumbo-loan securitization market over the past two years. If Redwood's success is any indication -- it recently reported first-quarter net income�of $61 million, compared to the year-ago figure of $30 million -- Two Harbors is on the right track.

• [By Amanda Alix]

  Luxury market is doing just fine
  Jumbo loans are back, and these mortgages -- which start at $625,000 in some affluent areas -- are being given out like candy�to those with the wealth to back them up. Once considered risky because they are not backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, lenders are falling over themselves to make these loans, driven by a securitization market dominated by entities like Redwood Trust (NYSE: RWT  ) and JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM  ) . Earlier this month, Redwood offered its seventh securitization backed by jumbos, and JPMorgan just recently announced�its second offering of the year, as well.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Real estate investment trust��Redwood Trust� (NYSE: RWT  ) announced today its third-quarter dividend of $0.28 per share, the same rate it's paid for the past two quarters after raising the payout 12% from $0.25 per share.

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: Rayonier Inc. REIT(RYN)

Rayonier, Inc. engages in the sale and development of real estate and timberland management, as well as in the production and sale of cellulose fibers in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. The company operates in four segments: Timber, Real Estate, Performance Fibers, and Wood Products. Timber segment owns, leases, or manages timberlands and sells standing timber at auction to third parties, as well as sells delivered logs. Real Estate segment sells medium and large tracts of land with infrastructure. This segment holds development and rural properties primarily in the southeast United States. Performance Fibers segment manufactures cellulose specialties that are used principally in acetate textile fibers, cigarette filters, rigid packaging, LCD screens, photographic film, impact-resistant plastics, high-tenacity rayon yarn, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents, food casings, and food products; and absorbent materials that are used in disposable baby diapers, feminine hygiene products, incontinence pads, convalescent bed pads, industrial towels and wipes, and nonwoven fabrics. Wood Products segment primarily manufactures and sells dimension lumber used for residential and industrial construction applications. In addition, Rayonier involves in trading and exporting logs, lumber, and wood panel products. As of December 31, 2005, it owned, leased, or managed approximately 2.5 million acres of timberland and real estate. The company has a joint venture with RREEF Infrastructure to own and manage timber lands in New Zealand. Rayonier has elected to be treated as a real estate investment trust (REIT) for federal income tax purposes and would not be subject to federal income tax on its REIT income that it distributes to its shareholders. The company, formerly known as Rainier Pulp & Paper Company, was founded in 1926. Rayonier is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Saibus Research]

  WY and the majority of the timber, forest and paper products companies have a track record of unimpressive returns on capital, cyclical revenue and profit trends, heavy use of capital expenditures, and significant environmental regulation. We also think that WY's conversion to a REIT was a mistake. Morningstar Investment Research's Timber, Forest and Paper Products analyst Dan Rohr said it best when he rated WY and its Timber REIT peers Rayonier (RYN), Potlatch (PCH) and Plum Creek (PCL) as not possessing any economic moat. That probably explains why we only have an ancillary exposure to this industry for our proprietary portfolio based on our holdings in Brookfield Infrastructure (BIP) and Cintas (CTAS). Brookfield's Timber segment only accounts for 5% of its Fund Flows from operations and Cintas's document management business is suffering from reduced prices on recycled paper. At least Cintas Document Management only accounts for 8% of Cintas's revenue.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Even with those unfavorable conditions, though, fellow forest-products REIT Rayonier (NYSE: RYN  ) reported second-quarter sales that more than doubled from year-ago levels thanks to the company's boost in ownership of a joint venture in New Zealand from 26% to 65%. Even excluding those effects, higher sawlog demand in its Gulf of Mexico region and strong export demand for its Pacific Northwest products offset higher logging costs. Those gains were much healthier than what Rayonier experienced in its performance-fibers division, but the company expects to exit the higher-cost portion of that business segment. Rayonier's results set the stage for similar performance from Plum Creek.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Not only are�homebuilders�benefiting�but this improvement in housing has had a nice effect on the bottom line of forestry companies.�Weyerhaeuser (NYSE: WY  ) �saw its first-quarter earnings more than triple as its wood products business reported its strongest quarterly earnings since 2005. Industry peer Rayonier (NYSE: RYN  ) also experienced a successful first quarter as its income from continuing operations nearly doubled year over year from $52 million last year to $103 million.

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  Most investors don't think of Rayonier Inc. (NYSE: RYN) as a high-tech firm.

  This 85-year-old forest products company operates as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) after being first acquired, then later spun off, by ITT Corp. (NYSE: ITT).

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY)

iShares Lehman 1-3 Year Treasury Bond Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the short-term sector of the United States Treasury market as defined by the Lehman Brothers 1-3 Year U.S. Treasury Index (the Index). The Index includes all publicly issued United States Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity of between 1 and 3 years, are non-convertible, are denominated in United States dollars, are rated investment grade (Baa3 or better) by Moody�� Investors Service, are fixed rate, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. Excluded from the Index are certain special issues, such as flower bonds, targeted investor notes (TINs), and state and local government bonds (SLGs), and coupon issues that have been stripped from assets already included in the Index.

The Index is a market capitalization-weighted index. The Fund invests in a representative sample of the securities in the Index, which has a similar investment profile as the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisor.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Donald van Deventer]

  Shorter-duration Treasury Exchange-Traded Funds: (SHY), (SHV), (IEI), (BIL), (TUZ), (FIVZ), (DTUL), (VGSH), (DTUS), (DFVS), (DFVL), (SST), (ISTB), (TBZ).

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: Piper Jaffray Companies(PJC)

Piper Jaffray Companies provides investment banking, institutional brokerage, asset management, and related financial services to corporations, private equity groups, public entities, non-profit entities, and institutional investors in the United States, Asia, and Europe. The company raises capital through equity financings; provides advisory services, primarily relating to mergers and acquisitions for its corporate clients; underwrites debt issuances; and offers financial advisory and interest rate risk management services. Its public finance investment banking capabilities focus on state and local governments, as well as healthcare, higher education, housing, hospitality, transportation, and commercial real estate industries, as well as operates in business and financial services, clean technology and renewables, consumer, and industrial growth, as well as media, telecommunications, and technology industries. The company also offers equity and fixed income advisory and t rade execution services for institutional investors, and government and non-profit entities; and is involved in proprietary trading, as well as has equity sales and trading relationships with institutional investors. In addition, it provides asset management services to separately managed accounts, private funds or partnerships, and open-end and closed-end registered investment companies or funds; and offers an array of investment products comprising small and mid-cap value equity, and master limited partnerships focused on the energy industry, as well as fixed income. Further, the company engages in merchant banking activities, which comprises proprietary debt or equity investments in late stage private companies, and investments in private equity and venture capital funds, as well as other firm investments and forfeiture of stock-based compensation. Piper Jaffray Companies was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Investment banker Piper Jaffray (NYSE: PJC  ) expanded its municipal debt business Wednesday, when it purchased Seattle-Northwest Securities in a transaction valued at approximately $21 million.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of investment banking and asset management firm Piper Jaffray (NYSE: PJC  ) sank as much as 11% after reporting disappointing second-quarter earnings results.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.52 per share on revenue of $117.55 million.

  W.W. Grainger (NYSE: GWW) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $3.03 per share on revenue of $2.42 billion.

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: Annaly Capital Management Inc (NLY)

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (Annaly), incorporated on November 25, 1996, owns, manage, and finance a portfolio of real estate related investments, including mortgage pass-through certificates, collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), Agency callable debentures, and other securities representing interests in or obligations backed by pools of mortgage loans. The Company's wholly owned subsidiaries offer diversified real estate, asset management and other financial services. The Company's subsidiary, RCap Securities, Inc. (RCap), operates as a broker-dealer. In August 2012, the Company liquidated FIDAC FSI LLC. In December 2012, the Company sold FIDAC Europe Limited.

The Company�� subsidiary Fixed Income Discount Advisory Company (FIDAC) is an investment advisor registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), is a fixed-income investment management company specializing in managing fixed income investments in residential mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations for various investment vehicles and separate accounts. FIDAC is engaged in managing and structuring debt financing associated with various asset classes and as a liquidation agent of collateralized debt obligations. As of December 31, 2012, FIDAC was the adviser or sub-adviser for real estate investment trust (REITs )and other investment vehicles. Merganser Capital Management, Inc. (Merganser) is an investment advisor, registered with the SEC, engaged in a range of fixed income strategies and focuses on managing each portfolio based on each client�� specific investment principles. Merganser serves a group of clients in a range of disciplines globally, including pension, public, operating, Taft-Hartley and endowment funds, as well contribution plans. RCap Securities, Inc. (RCap) operates as a broker-dealer and is a member in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Through the Company�� subsidiary Shannon Funding LLC (Shannon),! it provides warehouse financing to residential mortgage originators in the United States. It also owns an additional subsidiary, which owns trading securities. Under the Company�� investment policy, at least 75% of its total assets consisted of mortgage-backed securities and short-term investments. The remainder of its assets, consisting not more than 25% of its total assets, may consist of other qualified REIT real estate assets. As of December 31, 2012, all of the mortgage-backed securities, which it has acquired, have been backed by single-family residential mortgage loans. The Company also invests in Agency debentures, which consist of debentures issued by the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB), Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  These spreads are what have allowed mREITs to pay out double-digit yields for years now. However, with spreads tightening as mortgage rates hit their highest levels in two years, dividend cuts are beginning to cycle through the sector. American Capital Agency (NASDAQ: AGNC  ) , Annaly Capital Management� (NYSE: NLY  ) , and American Capital Mortgage Investment (NASDAQ: MTGE  ) all recently cut their dividends�in lieu of smaller investment profits.

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: BancorpSouth Inc (BXS)

BancorpSouth, Inc., incorporated on February 17, 1982, is a financial holding company. Through its principal bank subsidiary, BancorpSouth Bank (the Bank), the Company conducts commercial banking and financial services operations in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri and Illinois. As of December 31, 2012, the Company and its subsidiaries had total deposits of $11.1 billion. The Bank conducts a general commercial banking, trust and insurance business through 284 offices in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri and Illinois. The Bank and its subsidiaries provide a range of financial services to individuals and small-to-medium size businesses. On July 2, 2012, the Company purchased certain assets of The Securance Group, Inc.

The Bank operates investment services and insurance agency subsidiaries, which engage in investment brokerage services and sales of other insurance products. The Bank�� trust department offers a range of services, including personal trust and estate services, certain employee benefit accounts and plans, including individual retirement accounts, and limited corporate trust functions.

Lending Activities

The Bank�� lending activities include both commercial and consumer loans. The Bank offers a range of commercial loan services including term loans, lines of credit, equipment and receivable financing and agricultural loans. A range of short-to-medium term commercial loans, both secured and unsecured, are made available to businesses for working capital (including inventory and receivables), business expansion (including acquisition and development of real estate and improvements), and the purchase of equipment and machinery. The Bank also makes construction loans to real estate developers for the acquisition, development and construction of residential subdivisions.

The Bank�� lending activities consists of the origination of fixed and adjustable! rate residential mortgage loans secured by owner-occupied property located in the Bank�� primary market areas. In addition, the Bank offers construction loans, second mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit. The Bank finances the construction of individual, owner-occupied houses on the basis of written underwriting and construction loan management guidelines.

The Bank makes residential construction loans to individuals who intend to erect owner-occupied housing on a purchased parcel of real estate. The Bank sells its mortgage loans with terms of 15 years or more in the secondary market and either retains or releases the right to service those loans. Non-residential consumer loans made by the Bank include loans for automobiles, recreation vehicles, boats, personal (secured and unsecured) and deposit account secured loans. The Bank also issues credit cards.

Investment Activities

As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� held-to-maturity and available-for-sale securities included the United States Government agency securities, taxable obligations of states and political subdivisions, tax-exempt obligations of states and political subdivisions, government agency issued residential mortgage-backed securities, government agency issued commercial mortgage-backed securities, collateralized debt obligations and other securities. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� available-for-sale securities totaled $ 2.4 billion. Investments in tax-exempt securities totaled $455.1 million as of December 31, 2012.

Source of Funds

Deposits originating within the communities served by the Bank are the primary source of funding. As of December 31, 2012, the Company and its subsidiaries had total deposits of $ 11.1 million. The Bank offered deposits, such as noninterest bearing demand deposits, interest bearing demand deposits, savings deposits and other time deposits. The Company had federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreement to repurc! hase of $! 414.6 million as of December 31, 2012.

Subsidiary Activities

The Bank�� insurance service subsidiary serves as an agent in the sale of title insurance, commercial lines of insurance and a full line of property and casualty, life, health and employee benefits products and services and operates in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri and Illinois. The Bank�� investment services subsidiary provides brokerage, investment advisory and asset management services and operates in certain communities in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Florida and Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Todd Campbell]

  Now, thanks to rebounding home prices, those same banks are back in growth mode again, suggesting an investment opportunity in market share leaders, such as BancorpSouth, Inc. (BXS).

Hot Financial Companies To Invest In 2015: Special Opportunities Fund Inc.(SPE)

Special Opportunities Fund, Inc. is a close-ended fund of funds launched and managed by Brooklyn Capital Management LLC. It invests in close-ended funds investing in public equity and fixed income markets. The fund employs a combination of value, opportunistic and special situations strategies to make its investments. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P 500 Index. The fund was previously known as Insured Municipal Income Fund, Inc. Special Opportunities Fund, Inc. was formed on February 18, 1993 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Whopper Investments]

  For example, his Special Opportunity Fund (SPE) needed more capital to effectively implement its activist strategy after he took over. Unfortunately, most of the ways to raise capital are expensive and seriously dilute shareholder value. For example, a common stock offering, the most common way a closed end fund would raise capital, has to be priced at a discount and an investment bank needs to be paid to organize and sell it. Obviously, paying to issue shares at a discount is a disaster for long term shareholder value, so he instead pursued a rights offering for convertible preferred stock, which allowed the company to raise money without the expense of an investment bank while allowing shareholders the opportunity to increase their holdings in the fund without paying a commission. From the prospectus,