Top 10 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU  ) was looking like a steal today, climbing as much as 12% after reporting quarterly earnings this morning.

So what: The once-battered supermarket stock has come roaring back in the past several months, gaining more than 250% at today's peak from its bottom last fall. SUPERVALU actually opened the day lower as its adjusted earnings fell to negative $0.14 a share from a gain of $0.02 a share in the quarter a year ago. Without adjustments, the company actually lost $6.65 per share this quarter. Still, the stock jumped on comments from management about prospects for its Save-A-Lot chain,�and plans to revamp SUPERVALU's cost structure under the direction of new CEO Sam Duncan. Duncan talked up the steps the company's taken to "right-size" corporate overhead and decentralize leadership in the earnings release.

Best Safest Stocks To Watch For 2015: Blount International Inc (BLT)

Blount International, Inc. (Blount) is a global industrial company. The Company designs, manufactures, and markets equipment, replacement and component parts, and accessories for professionals and consumers. The Company operates in two segments: Forestry, Lawn, and Garden (FLAG) segment and Farm, Ranch, and Agriculture (FRAG). It also manufactures and markets such items to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) under private label brand names. The Company specializes in manufacturing cutting parts and equipment used in forestry, lawn and garden; farming, ranching, and agricultural, and construction applications. Blount also purchases products manufactured by other suppliers that are aligned with the markets it serves and markets them, under one of its brands, through its global sales and distribution network. Its products are sold in over 115 countries and approximately 63% of the Company�� sales were made outside of the United States during the year ended December 31, 2011. It has manufacturing operations in the United States, Brazil, Canada, China, France, and Mexico. In addition, it operates marketing, sales, and distribution centers in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.

On March 1, 2011, through its indirect wholly owned subsidiary Blount Netherlands B.V. (Blount B.V.), the Company acquired KOX GmbH and related companies (collectively KOX), a Germany-based direct-to-customer distributor of forestry-related replacement parts and accessories, primarily serving professional loggers and consumers in Europe. On August 5, 2011, through Blount Holdings France SAS, it acquired Finalame SA, which included PBL SAS and related companies (collectively PBL). On September 7, 2011, through its indirect wholly owned subsidiary SP Companies, Inc., the Company acquired GenWoods HoldCo, LLC and its wholly owned subsidiary, Woods Equipment Company (collectively Woods/TISCO). Woods/TISCO is a manufacturer and marketer of tractor attachments, implements, and replacement parts, primarily for! the agriculture, ground maintenance, and construction end markets.

Forestry, Lawn, and Garden Segment

The FLAG segment, manufactures and markets cutting chain, guide bars, and drive sprockets for chain saw use, and lawnmower and edger blades for outdoor power equipment. The FLAG segment also purchases replacement parts and accessories from other manufacturers and markets them, primarily under its brands, to its FLAG customers through the Company�� global sales and distribution network. The FLAG segment includes the operations of the Company that has served the forestry, lawn, and garden markets, as well as Carlton, KOX, and a portion of the PBL business. Its Forestry Products are sold under the Oregon, Carlton, KOX, Tiger, and Windsor brands, as well as under private labels for some of its OEM customers. Manufactured product lines include a range of cutting chain, chain saw guide bars, and cutting chain drive sprockets used on portable gasoline and electric chain saws and on mechanical timber harvesting equipment. The Company also purchases and markets replacement parts and other accessories for the forestry market, including small chain saw engine replacement parts, safety equipment and clothing, lubricants, maintenance tools, hand tools, and other accessories used in forestry applications. In 2011, the Company marketed a line of cordless electric chain saws under the Oregon PowerNow brand.

Blount�� lawn and garden products are sold under the Oregon and PBL brand names, as well as private labels for some of its OEM customers. Manufactured product lines include lawnmower and edger cutting blades designed to fit a variety of machines and cutting conditions. It also purchases and markets various cutting attachments, replacement parts, and accessories for the lawn and garden market, such as cutting line for line trimmers, air filters, spark plugs, lubricants, wheels, belts, grass bags, maintenance tools, hand tools, and accessories to service the lawn and garde! n equipme! nt industry. Its FLAG products are sold under both its own brands and private labels to OEMs for use on new chain saws and lawn and garden equipment, and to professionals and consumers as replacement parts through distributors, dealers, direct sales companies, and mass merchants. During 2011, approximately 21% of the FLAG segment�� sales were to OEMs, with the remainder sold into the replacement market.

The Company competes with Ariens, Briggs & Stratton, Fisher Barton, Husqvarna, Jaekel, John Deere, MTD, Northern Tool, Rotary, Stens, Stihl and TriLink.

Farm, Ranch, and Agriculture Segment

The Company�� FRAG segment manufactures and markets attachments and implements for tractors in a variety of mowing, cutting, clearing, material handling, landscaping and grounds maintenance applications, as well as log splitters, post-hole diggers, self-propelled lawnmowers, attachments for off-highway construction equipment applications, and other general purpose tractor attachments. In addition, the FRAG segment manufactures a variety of attachment cutting blade parts. The FRAG segment also purchases replacement parts and accessories from other manufacturers that the Company markets to its FRAG customers through its sales and distribution network. The FRAG segment includes the operations of SpeeCo, Woods/TISCO, and a portion of the PBL business.

Its equipment and tractor attachment products are sold under the Alitec, CF, Gannon, Oregon, PowerPro, SpeeCo, WainRoy, and Woods brand names, as well as under private labels for some of its OEM and retail customers. Product lines include attachments for tractors in a variety of mowing, cutting, clearing, material handling, landscaping and grounds maintenance applications, as well as log splitters, post-hole diggers, self-propelled lawnmowers, snow blowers, attachments for off-highway construction equipment applications, and other general purpose tractor attachments. OEM and aftermarket parts are sold under the PBL, Sp! eeCo, TIS! CO, Tru-Power, Vintage Iron, and WoodsCare brand names, as well as under private labels for some of its OEM customers. The FRAG segment manufactures a variety of attachment cutting blade component parts sold to OEM customers for inclusion in original equipment, and as replacement parts. The FRAG segment also markets replacement parts and accessories purchased from other manufacturers, including tractor linkage, electrical, engine and hydraulic replacement parts, and other accessories used in the agriculture and construction equipment markets.

The Company competes with Alamo Group, Champion, Doosan, Dover, Great Plains, Hope Haven, John Deere, Koch Industries, MTD, Swisher, A&I, Herschel, Kondex, Rasspe, SMA and Sparex.

Concrete Cutting and Finishing Products

The Company operates a business in the specialized concrete cutting and finishing market. These products are sold primarily under the ICS brand. The principal product is a diamond-segmented chain, which is used on gasoline and hydraulic powered concrete cutting saws and equipment. It also markets and distributes gasoline and hydraulic powered concrete cutting chain saws to its customers, which include contactors, rental equipment companies, and construction equipment dealers primarily in the United States and Europe. The power heads for these saws are manufactured by a third party.

The Company competes with Husqvarna and Stihl.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  A gauge of basic-resources shares was the second-worst performer on the Stoxx 600. Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton Ltd. (BLT), the world�� largest mining companies, lost 4.5 percent to 2,674.5 pence and 4.6 percent to 1,728.5 pence, respectively.

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  BHP Billiton Ltd. (BLT) rose 4.1 percent to 1,950.5 pence after the world�� largest mining company upgraded its projection for full-year iron-ore production to 212 million tons from its earlier forecast of 207 million tons.

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  BHP Billiton (BLT) dropped 3.4 percent to 1,779 pence. Output of iron ore, its biggest earner, was 40.2 million metric tons in the three months to March 31, missing the median estimate of 42.3 million tons in a Bloomberg survey.

• [By Caroline Bennett]

  Blount (NYSE: BLT  ) took a few hits in this quarter's earnings report, which was released today. Sales were down 1% compared to Q3 2012, to $230.6 million, and the replacement parts manufacturer also took a $5.1 million restructuring charge for consolidating two facilities in Portland, Ore.

Top 10 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014: Flotek Industries Inc (FTK)

Flotek Industries, Inc. (Flotek), incorporated on May 17, 1985, is a diversified global supplier of drilling and production related products and services. Its core focus is oilfield specialty chemicals and logistics, down-hole drilling tools and down-hole production tools used in the energy and mining industries. Flotek operates in three segments: Chemicals and Logistics, Drilling Products and Artificial Lift. The Company operates using third party agents in Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Asia. In May 2013, Flotek Industries Inc through its wholly owned subsidiary acquired the entire share capital of Florida Chemical Co Inc.

Chemicals and Logistics

The chemical business provides oil and natural gas field specialty chemicals for use in drilling, cementing, stimulation and production activities. The Company�� specialty chemicals are manufactured to withstand a range of down-hole pressures, temperatures and other well-specific conditions. Flotek operates two laboratories, a technical services laboratory and a research and development laboratory, which focus on design, development and testing of new chemical formulations and enhancement of existing products, often in cooperation with the customers. Its micro-emulsions are stable mixtures of oil, water and surface active agents, forming complex nano-fluids, in which the molecules are organized into nanostructures. The micro-emulsions are composed of renewable plant derived cleaning ingredients and oils and are biodegradable. Flotek�� logistics business designs, project manages and operates automated bulk material handling and loading facilities. These bulk facilities handle oilfield products, including sand and other materials for well-fracturing operations, dry cement and additives for oil and gas well cementing, and supply materials used in oilfield operations.

Drilling Products

Flotek is a provider of down-hole drilling tools used in the oilfield, min! ing, water-well and industrial drilling activities. It manufactures, sells, rents and inspects specialized equipment for use in drilling, completion, and production and workover activities. The rental tools include stabilizers, drill collars, reamers, wipers, jars, shock subs, wireless survey, and measurement while drilling (MWD) tools and mud-motors. Equipment sold primarily includes mining equipment, centralizers and drill bits. Flotek focuses its product marketing primarily in the Southeast, Northeast, Mid-Continent and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States, with international sales conducted through third party agents.

Artificial Lift

Flotek provides pumping system components, electric submersible pumps (ESPs), gas separators, production valves and services. The products address the needs of coal bed methane and traditional oil and gas production to move gas, oil and other fluids from the producing horizon to the surface. The Artificial Lift products employ technologies to improved performance. The Petrovalve product optimizes pumping efficiency in horizontal completions, heavy oil and wells with high liquid to gas ratios. Artificial Lift products are manufactured in China, assembled domestically and distributed globally.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Smith]

  Flotek Industries (NYSE: FTK  )
  The smallest member of the trio, with a market cap of about $815 million, Flotek operates on the services side of the energy sector. As I've previously pointed out to Fools, it also constitutes a rare instance wherein the analysts who monitor the company all accord it strong buy ratings. But with Flotek's share price having risen by more than 40% year to date, it is difficult to contest that unanimous confidence.

• [By David Smith]

  Flotek Industries (NYSE: FTK  )
  I've mentioned Flotek Industries to Fools in the past. The relatively small ($940 million capitalization and growing) company provides a range of products and assistance for oil and gas operations, from well construction to production. It's also the only services company -- and one of but a handful of companies in any sector -- that's been accorded a perfect consensus of one (strong buy) by the analysts.

Top 10 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014: Bally Technologies Inc (BYI)

Bally Technologies, Inc. (Bally), incorporated on September 30, 1968, is a global gaming company, which designs, manufactures, operates, and distributes advanced technology-based gaming devices, systems, server-based solutions, custom mobile applications, and interactive applications. The Company also provides hardware, including spinning-reel and video gaming devices, specialty gaming devices, and wide-area progressive systems. The Company supports customers include land-based, riverboat, and Native American casinos, video lottery and central determination markets. The Company derives its revenue from sale of gaming devices and related equipment, parts and conversion kits; operation of linked progressive systems, video lottery and centrally determined systems, and the rental of gaming devices and content, and sale and support of specialized systems-based software, hardware and interactive products and related recurring maintenance revenue. In July 2011, the Company acquired MacroView Labs, a company in mobile-application development and mobile platforms for the casino gaming industry.

Game Cabinet Hardware

The Company's Pro Series is available in upright, slant, spinning-reel, curve, V32 and V22/32 formats. They come with features, such as the touch-screen, iDeck. The Company can configure the top-box in Pro Series cabinets in a range of ways, including with upright wheel, as a hammerhead with an oversized 32-inch cinematic display, using the commanding digital ladder 32-inch high definition (HD) video display, and the soon to be released 42-inch vertical display. The Pro Curve Upright, which emulates a spinning-reel cabinet, but is actually a video slot machine with a curved LCD display, features a video-reel technology.

Game Platform

The Company support two gaming platforms; the ALPHA and the ALPHA 2. ALPHA and ALPHA 2 were designed to support industry protocols, as well as various kinds of game bonuses and multi-denomination, multi-game and mu! lti-pay table game configurations. It can operate with stand-alone, local, and progressive products. The ALPHA 2 platform incorporated all the attributes of ALPHA, which featured a layered architecture and modular design, as well as INTEL Core 2 processor; four gigabytes of dual-channel memory; Realtek HD audio, and video technology. ALPHA 2 supports both game content, as well as network and server-based applications. It is operable with the Bally Command Center, which will allow downloadable access to the Company's game content through a central server.

Game Development and Game Content

The Company's game content features original themes, licensed themes using brands, and adaptations of Bally brands, such as Cash Spin, Hot Shot, Quick Hit, and Blazing 7s. The Company has deployed its game content across wide-area progressive, local-area, and near-area progressive slots, spinning-reel and video gaming devices, specialty gaming devices, and multi-suite games. The Company's game-development teams cover the globe, with centers in Arizona, California, Nevada, Australia, and India. In addition, the Company has partnered with brands, such as Michael Jackson, GREASE, Betty Boop, and the Playboy franchise. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company introduced new levels of iDeck interaction on games, such as All That Jazz, Total Blast, and Fish'n for Loot. These games enable players to use the iDeck as an arcade-like device. Players touch and play a virtual piano on All That Jazz. Fish'n for Loot and Total Blast introduced the Company's new U-Shoot virtual shooting gallery bonus-game play mechanic, in which the player touches the iDeck to create weapons for shooting at targets on the main game screens.

Game Parts and Conversion Kits

The Company's gaming device customers purchase replacement parts, upgrades, game conversion kits, and other products from the Company. The Company's Pro Series cabinets, with their all-digital display! s and iDe! ck digital, configurable touch-screen button deck, make game conversions not to change the button configuration or replace game glass.

Maintenance, Trade, and Resale Market

The Company offers a 90-day parts, labor, and performance warranty/guarantee for new gaming devices. The Company provides after-sale services to its customers, including customer education programs, an around-the-clock customer service telephone hotline, a Website for technical support, field service-support programs, and spare parts programs. The Company sells used gaming devices, including products made by the Company, as well as those produced by its competitors. The Company acquires used devices as trade-ins toward the purchase of new gaming devices.

Gaming Operations

Through the Company's Gaming Operations, the Company offers gaming operators a range of rental options for its gaming devices and content. The Company offers its customers gaming devices featuring a common jackpot or prize awards that can be linked (within a casino, in a local-area network, or among multiple casinos within a market or jurisdiction) in a wide-area network. The Company offers progressive gaming devices to customers under a daily-fee arrangement based on a percentage of the money wagered on the participating gaming devices. In many cases, the Company uses a portion of these revenues to fund the ultimate payment of the jackpot awards. The Company markets its linked progressive systems under titles such as Betty Boop's Love Meter, Golden Pharaoh, Money Vault, Instant Fortune, Ultimate Tower of Power, Quarter Million$, Millionaire Sevens and 1,000,000 Degrees. As of June 30, 2012, the Company had a total of 1,792 linked progressive systems.

The Company offers a range of non-linked games and content on a rental basis for either a fixed daily fees or a fee based on the percentage of the net win generated by the gaming device. Many of these games are available as both wide-area progressive! s (WAP) a! nd flat-fee near-area progressives (NAP). This category includes both gaming devices, in which the Company retains ownership and charges a daily fees for the use of the gaming device, and gaming devices its customers purchase which are classified as game sales revenue. Gaming devices, in which the Company retains ownership and charges a daily fees, include rental and maintenance of the gaming device and licensing of the game content. For gaming devices the Company's customers purchase, the Company provides the game content under a usage-fee arrangement, which results in a lower daily-fee than leasing the entire gaming device. The Company markets its rental and daily-fee games under titles, including greases, Michael Jackson King of Pop, Money Vault, Money Talks, Golden Pharaoh, Cash Spin Jackpot, Money Wheel, Vegas Hits Roadtrip, Betty Boop's Love Meter, Cash Spin, Hot Spin, Vegas Hits, Cash Wizard, Ultimate Tower of Power, Hot Shot Progressive Cash Wheel, Fireball, 77777 Jackpot, Reel Money, Hot Shot Progressive, Quick Hit Platinum, Reel Winners, Hee Haw, and Monte Carlo. As of June 30, 2012, the Company had a total installed base of rental and daily fee games of 14,890 units.

The Company offers video and spinning-reel devices, which can operates either as stand-alone devices or as units, which interact with (or can be monitored by) a central system maintained by government agencies. The financial model for this market requires the Company to build, deploy, and maintain the devices, along with providing the related equipment in return for a share of the net win generated by the device for a contractually fixed period of time. As of June 30, 2012, the Company earned recurring revenue from its installed base of 9,281 video lottery devices operated by New York State Lottery (NYSL). The Company also earns recurring revenues from 2,437 video lottery devices deployed at horseracing and other gaming facilities under agreements with the Delaware State Lottery Commission and Maryland State Lottery ! Commissio! n.

The Company offers video and spinning-reel devices, which connects to a central server, which determines the outcome of the games. These systems operate in Native American casinos in Washington, Oklahoma, and Florida, as well as Mexico. In each case, for the use of the Company's central determination software, the Company receives either a fixed daily fee or a percentage of the net wins generated by the devices connected to the system. As of June 30, 2012, the total installed base of gaming devices connected to the Company's centrally determined systems totaled 47,633. In Mexico, the Company sells gaming devices for an upfront fees, and classify the purchases as game sales revenues. The Company also derives a daily fee equal to a percentage of the net win for providing a system network, gaming content, and monitoring, maintenance and consulting. As of June 30, 2012, 9,449 of the total installed base of gaming devices connected to the Company's centrally determined systems were deployed in Mexico. Included in the total installed base of centrally determined games in Mexico are 6,981 iVIEW in-game player-communication units installed in non-Bally games, in which the Company charges a system connection fee.

System Solutions

The Company offers core, slot, casino and table management systems (collectively, casino management systems). The Company's comprehensive suite of technology solutions provides gaming operations of every size with a range of marketing, data management and analysis, accounting, player tracking, security, and other software applications and tools to more manage their operations. The Company also provides technologies to deploy a networked, server-based gaming environment, complete with a command center solution for centralized management and control. Version 11 provides gaming operators with easy-to-use graphical interfaces; vertical and horizontal scalability; distributed architectures, and support for multiple languages and currencies. As of Ju! ne 30, 20! 12, there were more than 300 casinos that have installed Version 11.

The Company partners with its customers to help them add network and server-based solutions to their existing systems, whether on a floor-wide basis, in smaller sections of the floor, or on selected banks of games. The Company's Systems business comprises three facets: hardware, including the Company's iVIEW and Display Manager (DM) player-user-interface devices and specialized system-based products; software and services, including licenses of the Company's core systems and suite of player tracking, bonusing, and marketing applications and customized system solutions, and maintenance, providing access to future enhancements or upgrades to the system software for a fee based on a percent of the license fee.

The system-based hardware and software products in the Company's casino management systems offer gaming operators benefits, including player-loyalty solutions, which are comparable to frequent guest programs found in other leisure and retail industries; database marketing and table-game accounting solutions, including the calculation of all revenue and expense-related items, and cage and credit accountability for all extensions of cage and credit cash balancing functions. The Company designed and deployed these systems in both domestic and international markets so that they would be and adaptable to foreign languages and currencies.

The Company's solutions, which support Gaming Standard Association (GSA) protocols, operate on common platforms, such as Windows, AS/400 (iSeries), Linux, and UNIX. By supporting these platforms, the Company allows its customers to choose a technology solution. The Company designs its slot-management systems with features for handling slots monitoring, accounting, and operations, as well as bonusing, sweepstakes, promotions, cashless transfer, ticketing, jackpots, promotional coupons, redemptions, and soft count. The Bally Business Intelligence applications, which! span acr! oss all the Company's casino management systems, bring data analytics to a gaming operator's key executive and marketing-management teams.

The Company's server-based iVIEW network serves as a way to communicate with players directly at the point-of-play. This network allows gaming operators to present messages in a split or full screen format on the main game display of any touch-screen- equipped gaming device. The Company's iVIEW network also works with the Company's Bally Command Center for server-based download of content, its Elite Bonusing Suite of floor-wide bonusing applications, its Bally CoolSign media management solution, and other new technologies under development. iVIEW and iVIEW DM work on almost any manufacturers' gaming devices that have a touch screen and are backward and forward compatible.

The iVIEW DM solution is for marketing to players at the point of play. This picture-in-picture-style technology facilitates enhanced communication and customer-service functions, such as beverage service, floor mapping, and real-time perishable promotions without interrupting game play. iVIEW DM also used to create excitement on the casino floor with floor-wide bonusing events; game-in-games; second-chance-to-win games; floor-wide slot tournaments; interactive virtual racing events; time-based promotions; targeted, customized player messaging, and bonuses on birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. iVIEW and iVIEW DM can even work in conjunction with the casino's player data to offer customized content based on gender, age, and provide player preferences. The Company can implement iVIEW DM across entire gaming floors, in smaller sections of floors, or bank-by-bank based on casino operator preference and capital budgets. Bonusing applications on the Elite Bonusing Suite server allow operators to tailor and automate promotions using server-based applications, such as Virtual Racing, DM Tournaments, U-Spin Bonusing, Power Winners, Dynamic Random Bonusing, Video Poker Bonusing,! iVIEW Me! ssaging, Flex Rewards and Lucky Match Bonusing. Bally CoolSign is the gaming industry's gaming centric media management tool, which enables gaming promotions and/or gaming information, triggered through any of the Company's products, to be displayed onto any digital display in the casino resort or the casino enterprise.

The Company's server-based command center enables gaming operators to download marketing content on iVIEW and iVIEW DM displays. They can also configure gaming device pay tables and game play options, deliver new game content and game libraries, and perform updates of game firmware, such as ticket printers and bill acceptors through a central server, rather than having to implement updates on each device.

Interactive Solutions

Bally Interactive encompasses the Company's mobile and online initiatives and related product offerings, which provide operators a range of solutions. The Company's online solutions are designed to enable casino operators the ability to offer players a online gaming experience through the Company's iGaming Platform and Remote Gaming Server on computers or mobile devices. The Company's open, cloud-based iGaming Platform, enable operators to choose poker, slot, table, and other gaming content from various providers. This content is delivered through the Company's Remote Gaming Server, allowing access to the entire library of games and one-time integration.

The Company offers or has created mobile apps and mobile Websites for dozens of casinos globally. The Company's apps are designed as casino concierge apps, providing operators the opportunity to attract new players, enhance their patrons' casino resort visit, and sell more to them through their phones or mobile tablets. Apps can include casino games, player's club sign-up and account information, hyper-targeted offers, show previews, room and restaurant bookings, feedback surveys, menus, interactive maps, and many other features. Utilizing the Company's cloud-b! ased mobi! le technology platform, casinos can manage their portfolio of mobile Websites and native apps for iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, BlackBerry, and other devices from a single content management system.

The Company competes with International Game Technology, Game Technology Ltd., Aristocrat Leisure Limited, Aruze Gaming America, Inc., GTECH Holdings Corporation, Konami Co. Ltd., Novomatic AG, Recreativos Franco, S.A., Unidesa Gaming and Systems, and WMS Industries, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Caroline Bennett]

  Video casino gaming company Bally Technologies (NYSE: BYI  ) has announced plans to acquire fellow gaming business SHFL Entertainment (NASDAQ: SHFL  ) for approximately $1.3 billion, or $23.25 per share. The merger includes SHFL's $8 million worth of debt and $41 million in cash and is subject to a vote by SHFL's shareholders.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Gaming specialist Bally Technologies (NYSE: BYI  ) has teamed up with U.K.-based payment processor Optimal Payments to offer online gamblers�payment options and related services.

Top 10 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014: CombiMatrix Corporation(CBMX)

CombiMatrix Corporation, a molecular diagnostics company, operates primarily in the fields of genetic analysis and molecular diagnostics in the United States. The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, CombiMatrix Diagnostics, operates a diagnostics reference laboratory that provides DNA-based clinical diagnostic testing services to physicians, hospitals, and other laboratories in two primary areas, including prenatal and postnatal developmental disorders, and oncology. It offers a suite of developmental disorder array tests on the prenatal and postnatal application of array-comparative genomic hybridization in diagnosing genomic syndromes associated with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, dysmorphic features, and/or birth defects. The company also provides DNAarray?Heme Profile test to address various common hematological malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia; DNAarray?HER2 PRO test for breast cancer; and DNAarray?Tumor Profile test for the analysis of solid tumors, including breast, colon, lung, prostate, and brain tumors. In addition, it focuses on developing a series of drug compounds to address various oncology-related diseases. CombiMatrix Corporation was founded in 1995 and is based in Irvine, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Looking for a couple of long (bullish) trading ideas on a day when the market is dragging pretty much everything lower? There are two names that fit the bill...CombiMatrix Corp. (NASDAQ:CBMX) and Banro Corporation (NYSEMKT:BAA). CBMX is an "almost" small cap stock that deserves a place on your watchlist while we wait for it to do one more thing. Meanwhile, BAA is something worth going ahead and taking a swing on now, not despite the market's tumble, but because of it.

Top 10 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014: Nuveen Senior Income Fund (NSL)

Nuveen Senior Income Fund is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. It is co-managed by Nuveen Asset Management and Symphony Asset Management LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets of the United States. It primarily invests in adjustable rate senior secured loans. Nuveen Senior Income Fund was formed on October 26, 1999 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Dowdee]

  The following 10 funds satisfied all of these conditions:

  BlackRock Float Rate Strategies (FRA). This CEF sells at a discount of 3%, which is low compared to an average premium of 2% over the past year. The distribution has been managed at 6.1% and a small amount (less than 10%) has been return of capital (ROC). However, this has not negatively affected net asset value (NAV) so has not been destructive. The fund holds 447 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. FRA utilizes 27% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.7%, including interest payments. Eaton Vance Floating Rate (EFR). This CEF sells at a 1% premium, which is low compared to an average premium of 5% over the past year. The distribution is 6.2%, none of which was ROC. The fund holds 800 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. About 85% of the securities are from U.S. companies. EFR utilizes 35% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.8% including interest payments. ING Prime Rate Trust (PPR). This CEF sells for a premium of 2%, which is below the average premium of 5%. It has a distribution of 6.8%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 350 holdings, virtually all in senior loans and from US companies. PPR utilizes 29% leverage and has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Dynamic Credit Opportunities (VTA). This CEF sells for a discount of 5%, which is below the average discount of 1%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 495 holdings, with 76% in floating rate loans. About 25% of the loans are from non-US companies. VTA utilizes a relatively low 20% leverage but still has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Senior Income (VVR). This CEF sells for a discount of 1%, which is below the average premium of 3%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has over 500 holdings, with 89% in floating rate loans. Almost all (95%) securities are from US companies. VVR ut

Top 10 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014: Virco Manufacturing Corporation(VIRC)

Virco Mfg. Corporation engages in the design, production, and distribution of furniture for the commercial and education markets in the United States. The company offers seating products, including cantilever chairs, tablet arm chairs, rockers, hard plastic seats, backrests, work surfaces, task chairs, classroom chairs, stack chairs, folding chairs, upholstered stack chairs, plastic stack chairs, and upholstered ergonomic chairs, as well as provides various seating product for students in college, university, other adult education settings, and on high school campuses. It also offers folding and banquet tables, activity tables, office tables, computer tables, and mobile tables, as well as table products for working and learning environments, seminars, and conferences; and computer furniture, including keyboard mouse trays, CPU holders, support columns, desks and workstations, and specialty tables and other products for computing applications. In addition, the company provi des chair desks, combo units, teacher desks, and tablet arm units, as well as a collection returns and credenzas. Further, it offers administrative office furniture, such as desks, returns, and bookcases; laboratory furniture, including steel-based science tables, table bases, lab stools, and steel foot-rings for biology and chemistry classes, and other school and college based lab settings; and mobile furniture comprising mobile tables for school cafeterias and mobile chairs for school settings and offices, as well as provides handling and storage equipment and manufactures stackable storage trucks. The company?s brand portfolio primarily includes ZUMA, ZUMAfrd, Ph.D., I.Q. Virtuoso, Classic Series, Martest 21, Lunada, Plateau, Core-a-Gator, Future Access, Sigma, Metaphor, Telos, TEXT, and Parameter. It also serves convention centers and arenas, hospitality providers, government facilities, and places of worship. Virco Mfg. Corporation founded in 1950 and is based in Torra nce, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap office furniture stock Steelcase Inc (NYSE: SCS) jumped 11.66% after beating earnings expectations, meaning it might be time to take a closer look at the stock along with potential office or commercial furniture stock peers like�HNI Corp (NYSE: HNI), Knoll Inc (NYSE: KNL) and Virco Mfg. Corporation (NASDAQ: VIRC). After all, the performance of any company selling office or commercial furniture would tend to give some insights into the office or employment markets.

Top 10 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014: Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE)

Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the Energy Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index (the Index). The Index includes companies that primarily develop and produce crude oil and natural gas, and provide drilling and other energy-related services.

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mark Salzinger]

  Our 'worst' US stock pick in 2013, is worst, only in a relative sense. After gaining just 5.2%, versus the S&P 500's (SPX) 16.0% in 2012, SPDR Select Energy (XLE) has gained 22.7% in 2013, versus 30.1% for the S&P 500.