Best Performing Companies To Buy Right Now

LONDON -- Alliance Trust (LSE: ATST  ) , a self-managed investment firm, has just had its best first-quarter performance in 15 years. Shares are up 1.7% late in London trading.

Alliance announced today that the shareholder return for the quarter ending in March was 15.2%, while its net asset value increased 13.6%. These results, it says, owed to strong performance from global equities.

The company said that over the quarter, the best-performing sectors were health care, with a 22.3% increase; consumer staples, up 19.5%; and consumer discretionary, lifting 16.4%. Alliance said the weakening of the sterling had a positive impact on its portfolio.

Alliance said its portfolio activity in the quarter was a reflection of management's decision to increase exposure to equities. There have been a number of significant changes to the equity portfolio over the first quarter: Notable new additions (140 million pounds of the 220 million pounds initiated last quarter) include positions in Walt Disney, Zurich Insurance, Barclays, and Infineon Technology.

Hot Defensive Companies To Own For 2015: Endeavour Silver Corporation(EXK)

Endeavour Silver Corp., a mid-cap silver mining company, focuses on the growth of its silver production, reserves, and resources in Mexico and Chile. It principally holds interests in two producing silver mines in Mexico, including the Guanacevi mine, located in Durango State; and the Guanajuato mine located in Guanajuato State. Endeavour Silver Corp. was formerly known as Endeavour Gold Corp. and changed its name on September 14, 2004. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  In trading on Wednesday, basic materials shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.27 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in energy sector included Endeavour Silver (NYSE: EXK), with shares up 4.3 percent, and McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX), with shares up 4.4 percent.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Top losers in the sector included Endeavour Silver (NYSE: EXK), off 4 percent, and Hecla Mining Co (NYSE: HL), down 3.5 percent.

  Top Headline
  Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) posted a profit in the first quarter. Halliburton swung to a quarterly profit of $622 million, or $0.73 per share, versus a year-ago loss of $18 million, or $0.02 per share. Its income from continuing operations came in at $0.73 per share. Its total revenue climbed to $7.35 billion versus $6.97 billion. However, analysts were estimating earnings of $0.72 per share on revenue of $7.26 billion.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Yet silver miners are producing record amounts of the metal. Coeur Mining (NYSE: CDE  ) said that silver production jumped 21% in the second quarter�to 4.6 million ounces, with full-year production still anticipated to hit 18 million-19.5 million ounces, while Endeavor Silver (NYSE: EXK  ) hit new records as production surged 48% to 1.5 million ounces.

Best Performing Companies To Buy Right Now: Woodside Petroleum Ltd (WPL)

Woodside Petroleum Ltd (Woodside) is an Australia-based oil and gas company. Woodside, along with its subsidiaries is engaged in hydrocarbon exploration, evaluation, development, production and marketing. As of December 31, 2011, the Company produced around 700,000 barrels of oil equivalent each day from a portfolio of facilities, which it operates on behalf of some of the major oil and gas companies. It operating facilities include six liquefied natural gas (LNG) trains, five offshore platforms and four oil floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. It is one of the non-government operators LNG plants. The Company operates six segments: North West Shelf Business Unit, Australia Oil Business Unit, Pluto Business Unit, Browse Business Unit, United States Business Unit and Other. In September 2012, it sold a minority portion of its equity in the proposed Browse LNG Development to Japan Australia LNG (MIMI Browse) Pty Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Haigh]

  Energy producers advanced as crude oil prices rallied after the ousting of Egypt�� president fanned concern unrest will disrupt Middle East oil supply. Cnooc gained 2.1 percent to HK$12.80 in Hong Kong. China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., the nation�� largest refiner, rose 2.5 percent to HK$5.25. Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL), Australia�� No. 2 energy producer, added 3 percent to A$35.64.

• [By Jonathan Burgos]

  Agricultural Bank of China Ltd., the nation�� third-largest lender, slid 2.3 percent in Hong Kong. Yamada Denki Co. sank 4.8 percent in Tokyo after the consumer electronics retailer missed its full-year profit forecast. Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL), Australia�� second-biggest oil producer, jumped 9.7 percent after announcing plans to return cash to shareholders.

Best Performing Companies To Buy Right Now: Meritor Inc (MTOR)

Meritor, Inc. (Meritor), incorporated on March 31, 2000, is a global supplier of a range of integrated systems and components to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the aftermarket for the commercial vehicle, transportation and industrial sectors. The company serves commercial truck, trailer, off-highway, military, bus and coach and other industrial OEMs and certain aftermarkets. Its products are axles, undercarriages, drivelines, brakes and braking systems. Meritor serves a range of customers globally, including medium- and heavy-duty truck OEMs, specialty vehicle manufacturers, certain aftermarkets, and trailer producers. Its new business segments are Commercial Truck & Industrial; and Aftermarket & Trailer. On January 2, 2012, it completed the sale of its Commercial Truck manufacturing facility located in St. Priest, France to Renault Trucks SAS, an affiliate of AB Volvo.

The Company�� Commercial Truck segment supplies drivetrain systems and components, including axles, drivelines and braking and suspension systems, for medium- and heavy-duty trucks in North America, South America and Europe. The Industrial segment supplies drivetrain systems including axles, brakes, drivelines and suspensions for off-highway, military, construction, bus and coach, fire and emergency, and other industrial applications. This segment also includes all of its original equipment (OE) businesses in Asia Pacific, including all on- and off-highway activities. The Aftermarket & Trailer segment supplies axles, brakes, drivelines, suspension parts, and other replacement and re-manufactured parts, including transmissions, to commercial vehicle and industrial aftermarket customers. This segment also supplies a range of undercarriage products and systems for trailer applications in North America.

Axles, Undercarriage & Drivelines

The Company is a supplier of axles for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Its truck axle product line includes a range of front steer axles and! rear drive axles. Its front steer and rear drive axles can be equipped with its cam, wedge or air disc brakes, automatic slack adjusters, complete wheel-end equipment, such as hubs, rotors and drums, and (through its WABCO Holdings, Inc. (WABCO) joint venture) anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and vehicle stability control systems.

The Company supplies heavy-duty axles for use in off-highway vehicle applications, including construction, material handling, and mining. It also supplies axles for use in medium- and heavy-duty military tactical wheeled vehicles in North America. It also supplies axles for use in buses, coaches and recreational vehicles, fire trucks and other specialty vehicles in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

The Company manufacturers heavy-duty trailer axles in North America. Its trailer axles are available in more than 40 models in capacities from 20,000 to 30,000 pounds for all heavy trailer applications and are available with its range of suspension modules, brake products, including drum brakes, disc brakes, anti-lock and trailer stability control systems, and ABS (through our WABCO joint venture). Its supplies universal joints and driveline components, including its Permalube universal joint and RPL Permalube driveline, which are lubricated designs used in the mileage on-highway market. It supplies drivelines in a range of global regions, for use in numerous on-highway vehicle applications, including construction, material handling and mining. It supplies transfer cases and drivelines for use in medium- and heavy-duty military tactical wheeled vehicles, principally in North America. It also supplies transfer cases for use in specialty vehicles in North America. Anti-lock brakes and stability control systems are also used in military vehicles and specialty vehicles. In addition, it supplies trailer air suspension systems and products with an increasing market presence in North America. It also supplies advanced suspension modules for use in light-, ! medium- a! nd heavy-duty military tactical wheeled vehicles, principally in North America. Through a joint venture, it develops, manufactures and sells truck suspensions, trailer axles and suspensions and related wheel-end products in the South American market.

Brakes and Braking Systems

The Company is an independent supplier of air brakes to medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle manufacturers in North America and Europe. Through manufacturing facilities located in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe, it manufactures a range of foundation air brakes, as well as automatic slack adjusters for brake systems. Its foundation air brake products include cam drum brakes, which offer lining life and tractor/trailer interchangeability; wedge drum brakes, which are lightweight and provide automatic internal wear adjustment; air disc brakes, and wheel-end components, such as hubs, drums and rotors. Its brakes and brake system components also are used in medium- and heavy-duty military tactical wheeled vehicles, principally in North America. It also supplies brakes for use in buses, coaches and recreational vehicles, fire trucks and other specialty vehicles in North America and Europe, and also supply brakes for commercial vehicles, buses and coaches in Asia Pacific.

Other Products

The Company sells other complimentary products, including third party and private label items, through its aftermarket distribution channels. These products are sold under master distribution or similar agreements with outside vendors and include brake shoes and friction materials; automatic slack adjusters; yokes and shafts; wheel-end hubs and drums; ABS and stability control systems; shock absorbers and air springs; air brakes, air systems, air dryers and compressors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of automotive equipment supplier Meritor (NYSE: MTOR  ) jumped 23% today after the company released earnings.

  So what: Sales dropped 22% to $908 million and the company reported a net loss of $4 million, or $0.04 per share. Revenue fell short of estimates but investors are clinging to adjusted earnings per share of $0.06, which came in a penny ahead of expectations. �

Best Performing Companies To Buy Right Now: National Steel Corporation(SID)

Companhia Siderurgica Nacional primarily operates as an integrated steel producer in Brazil and Latin America. The company principally produces carbon steel and various steel products. Its products include slabs, which are semi-finished products used for processing hot-rolled, cold-rolled, or coated coils and sheet products; hot-rolled products that comprise heavy-gauge hot-rolled coils and sheets, and light-gauge hot-rolled coils and sheets; cold-rolled products, including cold-rolled coils and sheets; and galvanized products consisting of flat-rolled steel coated with zinc or a zinc-based alloy. The company also offers tin mill products, which consist of flat-rolled low-carbon steel coils or sheets, such as tin plate, tin free steel,low tin coated steel, and black plate products. In addition, it engages in mining business by owning iron ore, limestone, dolomite, and tin mines comprising the Namisa property, Casa de Pedra mine, Arcos mine, and Santa Barbara mine; and invo lves in logistics business that includes railway and port facilities. Further, the company produces and sells cement; and engages in the generation of power plants. It sells its steel products as a raw material for various manufacturing industries, including the automotive, home appliance, packaging, construction, and steel processing industries. The company offers its products to customers directly through its sales force, as well as through distributors for subsequent resale. It also exports its products to Europe, Latin America, Asia, and North America. Companhia Siderurgica Nacional was founded in 1941 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Zacks]

  Other players in the steel industry worth considering are Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (NYSE: SID), ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT) and AK Steel holding Corporation (NYSE: AKS). While Companhia Siderurgica Nacional and ArcelorMittal carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), AK Steel has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

• [By Ali Berri]

  Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (NYSE: SID), down 3 percent, and Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE: CLF), off 3.2 percent.

Best Performing Companies To Buy Right Now: Templeton Emerging Markets Fund (EMF)

Templeton Emerging Markets Fund (the Fund) is a diversified, closed-end investment company. The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing at least 80% of its net assets in emerging country equity securities. It makes investments in China, Brazil, South Korea, Turkey, Russia, Thailand, India, Taiwan, Hungary and South Africa. The Fund invests in sectors, such as metals and mining, commercial banks, diversified financial services, semiconductors and semiconductor equipment, wireless telecommunication services, and oil, gas and consumable fuels.

Templeton Asset Management Ltd. (TAML) serves as the Fund�� investment manager. Its administrative manager is Franklin Templeton Services, LLC. The Fund may invest in the Franklin Institutional Fiduciary Trust Money Market Portfolio (the Sweep Money Fund), an open-end investment company managed by Franklin Advisers, Inc. (an affiliate of TAML).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By George Putnam, Editor, New Generation Research, Inc.]

  Templeton Emerging Markets Fund (EMF) is also actively managed. Currently, the fund is Asian-centric with about 71% of assets from Asian markets, mostly China and Thailand.

Best Performing Companies To Buy Right Now: Atlas Energy LP (ATLS)

Atlas Energy, L.P. (Atlas Energy), incorporated on December 15, 2005, is a limited partnership. The Company's assets consist of the Company's ownership interests in the Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. (ARP), an independent developer and producer of natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL), with operations in basins across the United States; Atlas Pipeline Partners, L.P. (APL) a midstream energy service provider engaged in natural gas gathering, processing and treating services in the Anandarko and Permian Basins of the United States, and Lightfoot Capital Partners, LP (Lightfoot LP) and Lightfoot Capital Partners GP, LLC (Lightfoot GP), the general partner of Lightfoot L.P. (collectively, Lightfoot), entities which incubate new master limited partnerships (MLPs) and invest in existing MLPs. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had an approximate 16% general partner interest and 12% limited partner interest in Lightfoot.

On April 30, 2012, ARP acquired 277 billion cubic feet equivalent of proved reserves, including undeveloped drilling locations, in the core of the Barnett Shale from Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc. (Carrizo). The assets include 198 gross producing wells. On July 26, 2012, ARP acquired Titan Operating, L.L.C. (Titan), which owned approximately 250 billion cubic feet equivalent of proved reserves and associated assets in the Barnett Shale on approximately 16,000 net acres. Titan's assets are located in close proximity to the assets acquired from Carrizo in the Barnett Shale. On September 24, 2012, ARP acquired Equal Energy, Ltd�� (Equal) remaining 50% interest in approximately 8,500 net undeveloped acres. On December 20, 2012, ARP acquired 210 billion cubic feet equivalent of proved reserves in the Fort Worth basin from DTE Energy Company (DTE). The assets include 261 gross producing wells on over 88,000 net acres. The acreage position includes approximately 75,000 net acres prospective for the Marble Falls play, in which there are over 700 identified vertical drilling l! ocations..

In February 2012, APL acquired a gas gathering system and related assets, at its WestOK region. In June 2012, APL acquired a gas gathering system and related assets in the Barnett Shale in Tarrant County, Texas. In December 2012, APL acquired 100% interests held by Cardinal Midstream, LLC (Cardinal) in three wholly owned subsidiaries. The assets of these companies include gas gathering, processing and treating facilities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas as the Tupelo plant, the East Rockpile treating facility, a fixed fee contract gas treating business, a 60% interest in Centrahoma Processing, LLC (Centrahoma), the Coalgate and Atoka plants, and the prospective Stonewall plant.

Atlas Resource Partners

During the year ended December 31, 2012, ARP�� average daily net production was approximately 77.2 million cubic feet equivalent. As of December 31, 2012, ARP owned production positions, including the Barnett Shale and Marble Falls play in the Fort Worth Basin in northern Texas; the Appalachia basin, including the Marcellus Shale and the Utica Shale; the Mississippi Lime and Hunton plays in northwestern Oklahoma, and the Chattanooga Shale in northeastern Tennessee, the Niobrara Shale in northeastern Colorado, the New Albany Shale in southwestern Indiana, and the Antrim Shale in Michigan. ARP has ownership interests in over 525 wells in the Barnett Shale and Marble Falls play. ARP has ownership interests in over 10,200 wells in the Appalachian basin, including approximately 270 wells in the Marcellus Shale. The Chattanooga Shale in northeastern Tennessee, the Niobrara Shale in northeastern Colorado, the New Albany Shale in southwestern Indiana, and the Antrim Shale in Michigan.

Atlas Pipeline Partners

APL conducts its business in the midstream segment of the natural gas industry through two reportable segments: gathering and processing, and transportation, treating and other. The gathering and processing segment consist! s of the A! rkoma, WestOK, WestTX and Velma operations, which are comprised of natural gas gathering and processing assets servicing drilling activity in the Anadarko, Arkoma and Permian Basins, and natural gas gathering assets located in the Barnett Shale play in Texas and the Appalachian Basin in Tennessee. Gathering and processing revenues are derived from the sale of residue gas and NGLs and the gathering and processing of natural gas.

APL's gathering and processing operations, own, have interests in and operate 12 natural gas processing plants with aggregate capacity of approximately 1,090 million cubic feet per day located in Oklahoma and Texas; a gas treating facility located in Oklahoma, and approximately 10,100 miles of active natural gas gathering systems located in Oklahoma, Kansas, Tennessee and Texas. APL's gathering systems gather natural gas from oil and natural gas wells and central delivery points and deliver this gas to processing plants, as well as third-party pipelines.

APL's gathering and processing operations are located in Golden Trend, Mississippian Limestone and Hugoton field in the Anadarko Basin; the Woodford Shale; the Spraberry Trend, which is an oil play with associated natural gas in the Permian Basin, and the Barnett Shale. APL's gathering systems are connected to approximately 8,600 receipt points, consisting of individual well connections and secondarily, central delivery points, which are linked to multiple wells.

APL's transportation and treating operations consists of 17 gas treating facilities used to provide contract treating services to natural gas producers located in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, and a 20% interest in West Texas LPG Pipeline Limited Partnership (WTLPG), which owns a common-carrier pipeline system, which transports NGLs from New Mexico and Texas to Mont Belvieu, Texas for fractionation. WTLPG is operated by Chevron Pipeline Company, an affiliate of Chevron Corporation (Chevron), which owns the remaining 80% i! nterest. ! The contract gas treating operations are located in various shale plays, including the Avalon, Eagle Ford, Granite Wash, Haynesville, Fayetteville and Woodford.

The Company competes with Access Midstream Partners, LP; Caballo Energy, LLC, Carrera Gas Company; Copano Energy, LLC; Crosstex Energy Services, L.P.; DCP Midstream, LLC; Energy Transfer Partners, LP.; Enogex, LLC; Lumen Midstream Partners, LLC; MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P.; Mustang Fuel Corporation; ONEOK Field Services Company, LLC; Scissor Tail Energy, LLC; SemGas, L.P.; Southern Union Company; Superior Pipeline Company, LLC; Targa Resources Partners LP, and West Texas Gas, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WilliamBriat]

  
  Investors interested in oil and gas pipeline stocks can start researching any number of energy infrastructure companies, including Atlas Energy, L.P. (NYSE: ATLS), Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE: ETE), and Targa Resources Partners LP (NYSE: NGLS).

• [By David Smith]

  Several companies, including Pittsburgh-based Atlas Energy (NYSE: ATLS  ) , appear likely to submit proposals to participate in the effort by the August deadline. Atlas has already completed 450 natural gas wells in a four-county area of Tennessee.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  The management team at oil and gas company�Atlas Energy (NYSE: ATLS  ) has really taken Warren Buffett's advice to heart. Buffett's old adage to "be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful" seems to be that team's approach. After selling its shale assets to Chevron at the top of the market, the company has been diligently acquiring natural gas assets at the market's low. That blueprint continues to be followed as evidenced by the recently announced acquisition of substantial natural gas assets via its master limited partnership, Atlas Resource Partners (NYSE: ARP  ) .

Best Performing Companies To Buy Right Now: Cresud S.A.C.I.F. y A. (CRESY)

Cresud Sociedad An贸nima Comercial, Inmobiliaria, Financiera y Agropecuaria, an agricultural company, produces basic agricultural commodities in Brazil and other Latin American countries. It is involved in the production of various crops, such as wheat, corn, sunflower, soybean, and sorghum, as well as sugarcane; breeding and fattening of beef cattle for slaughterhouses and supermarkets; production of milk for sale to dairy companies; and leasing of farms. The company is also engaged in the development and sale of residential properties; acquisition of land reserves for development and sale; acquisition, development, and operation of shopping centers, offices, and other non-shopping center properties for rent; and acquisition and operation of luxury hotels, as well as consumer financing activities. As of June 30, 2013, it owned 33 farms with approximately 643,891 hectares. The company was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Cameron Swinehart]

  Cresud (CRESY) -

  An Argentinean based agriculture company that currently owns roughly 2.4 million acres of farmland in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. CRESY produces a variety of crops consisting of soybeans, corn, and sugarcane. It also has operations in beef cattle and milk production. In the second quarter, Cresud sold 4 of its farms for roughly $60.5 million and saw large gains in its farmland development business. CRESY is currently trading down roughly 60% from its highs back in late 2010. Many farming companies have struggled to release value for shareholders with the drop in crop prices but now many are beginning to see value with the sale of farmland.

• [By Ian Wyatt]

  Cresud SA (CRESY) has 66% of those acres in Argentina; the rest are scattered through Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. In addition, it has extensive commercial property holdings in Buenos Aires.